Ferl paced in his throne room. It was only a matter of time before that escaped ex-princess raised a rebelion. He just had to hope his army would stay ignorant until the time of trials came to pass. Then, almost out of no where, Ferl shuddered. He felt the writhing Princess Celestia try to break out again. Every time she tried, she was weaker. He smirked and mentally dropped a train on her. The shuddering ceased. Ferl frowned. She was too weak to be any scource of entertainment anymore. He growled to himself for being such an idiot. He should be planning a way to destroy the other princess. Being the false priest of the world was a very hard job. His position in the world was confusing at best. Since Luna wouldn't marry him, he had no place as a king, and could not do so without raising suspicions. So he installed him self as a High Priest until a royal ruler came. Which would be never, hopefully. But if bad went to worse and Luna did manage to raise an army...
"Sir?" Ferl felt a voice going from his horn to his mind.
Serce was getting more powerful by the day. Not only could they send messages between each other, but they could feel each others emotions now too. The only other things that could do so were ancient wedding earrings. Ferl shuddered at what that might imply.
"What do you want worm."
Serce realized it was a bad time, but had to continue anyway.
"Umm i dont know how to say this, but far in the west, Luna has found a powerful unicorn, I can guess who that might be, and a pegasis has started preaching to the masses against you. Weve tried to ah... scilence her, but the audiences wont let us get near."
Ferl paled "What did the pony look like?"
Serce was quiet for a second then said "Yellow fur, pink mane."
Ferl exploded, cursing as he whipped out with magic at anything near him, demolishing the room. That pony who he thought he killed. The one who he and Serce conversed about the plans over her body. She alone would be able to end his reign. If Luna and Twilight got to her, Ferl would be done in an instant. How could things fall apart so quickly? He couldn't take out that mare publicly, but if he could find his old partner...
"Serce. You remember that pony i used to talk to all the time?"
"Uncle Joe?"
"Yes. Find him and tell him that i require his services once more."
"Yessir."

<^-^>
"Heyyyy! If it ain't lil' Serce 'imself! What can i do for ya?"
Serce hid his excitement from the one stallion who actually appreciated him. "I have come on eh... secret buisness.
Joes eyes darkened and he motioned to the kitchen door.
"Ferl hasn't called on me in years. Or is this your job?"
Serce looked at Pony Joe. How could this doughnut vendor be an assassin? "No. This is a job for all of Equestria now. There is a pegesus pony in ponyville that we cant get near to. She knows all of our plans and is making it known to everypony. We cant kill her publicly, because that would inspire suspicion. The ponies that listen aren't idiots, they just are slow, so we need her gone soon. We will pay depending on how well, how quickly, and how difficult the job was."
Pony Joe didnt even think. "A'course. I've taken out jobs for him before. I know he'll pay all right. Youd best get on outta here."
Serce walked out of the kitchen. As he approached the door he looked back at Pony Joe. A small nod, and Serce stepped out into the moonlight.

<^-^>
It had been three days since Luna had found Twilight who had been living in a farmers barn. This little town called Trottawa was not a very nice one, having given itself over to gangs, and the two ponies wanted to leave ASAP.
"Wouldst thou know any we we shall return to Canterlot?" Luna said, turning to Twilight.
"You should really learn to speak in a more modern way princess, but yes. In the couple days ive spent here, I've managed to get bearings and plan a route. It might take a while though."
Luna looked at the setting sun, now slightly dimmed by the black magic making it move. "We only hope that Equestria can hold out until we get back."

<^-^>
Pony Joe was getting prepaired. He dropped the illusionary weight he had kept for so long revealing a stocky build. He put on his mottled gray and black suit. Slowly he checked, rechecked, and placed his tools in his belt. A sword, several knives, a short bow, a dozen arrows, a small sheild, and climbing claws. Silent as a snake and limber as a cat, he crawled out of his window up to the roof.
"Heh heh. Old Joe's still got it."
With a powerful leap, he distanced from his house/doughnut shop, landing on another building nearby. He made his way across the city of Canterlot. He had waited three days for the pony named Fluttershy to make an appearence in the city so he didn't have to go too far to carry out the mission. He looked down at the city square in front of him. He quickly scanned the crowd who had gathered around one pony who stood on a pedestal in the center.
"-Evil! We must upseat him before he kills us all!"
Joe looked at the neighsayer. Cream coat, pink mane. Yup. Thats her. His horn sparked for a second as he pulled his mask up to conceal his mouth, then he flattened to the roof. Now it was just a waiting game. She would have to leave sometime. It could take all night for what he cared. He was born patiant.

<^-^>
"Thank you."
Fluttershy picked up her coffee and headed to the stairs. The family who owned this hotel couldn,t afford to give her a free room, but they offered to let her stay on the roof garden. She liked it better that way anyhow. She tried to explain the feelings that she had over the past few days. Ever since she had gotten off her floor, all of her shyness had vanished. Its like somthing was making her tell her story to everypony. She stepped onto the roof and found something better then what she expected. There was a small roof with a small table. At least if it rained she would be dry. She set her coffee on the table and lay down facing the door. The door opened and all hell broke loose.

<^-^>
Pony Joe watched Fluttershy leave and go to a hotel. Now was his chance. He couldn't go in the front door obviously, so he decided to climb up to the roof and enter that way. He would go down until he found her. He was about to climb over the edge when he heard a door open. He froze. His head turned to the side and he raised his head so he could just barely see over the wall. How lucky could he be? He silently climbed over the wall and his magic drew a long dagger. He stood right over His target, about to finish the job, when the door opened again.

<^-^>
Twilight and Luna had traveled for three days to get back to Canterlot. They had planned to go confront Ferl immediatly, but Twilight heard Fluttershy was in town, and had to check on her. She found out that Fluttershy was staying at The Homely Inn, a reletivly poor hotel in downtown Canterlot. She walked up to the clerk.
"Hello. I was told my friend Fluttershy was staying here?"
The clerk motioned to the stairs. "Shes on the roof garden."
Twilight and Luna started up the stairs. When they reached the top, a small wooden door blocked the roof off from the hall. Lunas horn glowed as she opened it, revealing a nearly invisible pony standing over Fluttershy with a shiny knife.
"AAAAAAH!" Luna yelled in her Royal Canterlot Voice, stunning the assassin. Twilight reflexivly lashed out with magic, grabbing the mug of coffee and splashing it in the assassins face.
"WAAAAAAAAH!" He yelled as he stumbled backward, knife clattering to the ground. He hit the wall and went over, screaming all the way. A thud and splatter were heard, followed by scilence.
"Was that... Pony Joe?"

<^-^>
Serce stepped into the Canterlot Castle.
"Your assassin was confirmed dead. Fell from the top floor of the Hoof Inn. They had to clean the whole street."
Ferl sat in scilence, then bursted out laughing.
"Oh, how ironic! Yes, I already knew. Long ago, Joe agreed to let me see through his eyes. Unfourtunatly, he was blinded shortly before he was killed, so i didnt know if he survived. But it is funny to me how coffee, his cover story, the very thing that preserved his life, ended it too."
Ferl laughed again. Serce looked up at him.
"But aren't you worried?"
Ferl looked down at him minion, still smilling.
"Worried? Im already screwed. Luna and Twilight have found the pegasus. It is only a matter of time."

<^-^>

3 Months later

<^-^>
Another explosion rocked the castle. Another 3 magae were sent to secure it. Ferl Sat on his throne, slowly dismembering the one pony who managed to get through. He wondered when they would finally get to him in large numbers. The Elements. That was his only option. Black magic reacted badly with them, but with the right manipulation of Celestia, it might be possible. His father, as horrid as he was, had told Ferl about the origins of the Elements of Hormony. Thousands of years ago, long before Equestria was founded,a small group of ponies that lived alone in the present day Canterlot area found a stone. This stone was very big, many times the size of a pony, and it was a gem. It was a massive, rainbow colored gem. The first pony to touch it went crazy. She said "It made me feel! It made me feel!" Through close study of the heavy magics inside, it was revealed that every emotional magic resided inside. They named it "The Great Stone of Thought." The softest part was taken off first, and it was the shard that had large amounts of generosity magic inside. Five more peices were taken off when the stone mystiriosly dissapeared. Not knowing how to use the shards of the Stone of Thought, they locked them in a chest and hid them in the side of the mountain, where the massive amounts of magic would later draw the princesses Celestia and Luna to them. Ferl's father said the harder sections, such as Anger and Hatred, were easier to use and more powerful, but only to those with true evil in their heart. Ferl smiled as he knew if he found the stone, he could change the world. No more tricks or deceptions. The world would bow to his strength. He got up and started walking to the tower where the Elements were stored. He stopped as the large doors behind him slammed open.
"Well, if it isnt the four great generals of the rebellion." He turned." Which one is going to stop me, hmm? Zurge looks angry. Mabye Luna? Oh, but Twilight is such a powerful unicorn. Oh, I havn't heard much of you Frostbite." He walked back to The four ponies. Zurge was a mustard colored unicorn with a olive green mane. As his expression, and the caked blood on his mouth and hooves, showed, he was given the title "the Berserker" for a reason. Frostbite was a light blue pegasus with a faint green mane. He looked calm and a little regal in his battle armor. Zurge got a crazy grin and lightning shot out of his horn and cleaved the ground in front of Ferl in two.
"BRING THE PAIN!"
He launched over the chasm and almost hit Ferl before he was sharply knocked to the side. Ferl scoweled.
"Cursed princess." He looked back at the remaining three." I don't have time to deal with you!"
Ferl dissapeared in a swirl of black.

<^-^>
Ferl's hooves fell silently on the large rug in the hall that led to the tower. He didn't have very long before those four were back. Celestia was fighting again. Ferl remembered how tiring holding the most powerful creature besides himself could be. Upon reaching the door, he ripped it off its hinges, the magical restraints giving him a tough time. As he opened the box, he gingerly reached for Celestias power. Carefully, he reached in and picked up the Elements. The door at the end of the hall burst open. Ferl turned.
"Your too late. With this power I can restore my rule! You will be dead soon generaAAHHH!!"
Ferl felt a burning pain as the Elements sent pure magic to the one holding them; Celestia. Ferl's eyes started smoking as Celestia fought with renewed power.
"N-NO!" Ferl's voice tripled in volume, losing control of his magic. "GAAAAAAAAAHH!"
The hall exploded into white light. After it cleared, Ferl was nowhere to be seen, instead Celestia stood with the Elements of Harmony floating around her. On the ground, a pure white stallion lay, with an angry black cloud above him. Celestia grunted and closed her eyes as she focused on the elements. Then, the cloud condensed into another two shards with vast magical power, the Elements of Ambition and Greed. Celestia opened a portal with the Elements of Harmony and sucked the other two in, far away from Ferl.

<^-^>
Ferl's mind was in turmoil. He looked back on all he had done, but with guilt. He had never felt guilt before, and it horrefied him. He couldn't live with this pain, knowing he had killed so many ponies, and possibly more since those dragons went elsewhere. So much pain and death, and for what? All he had was a short, unhappy rule. Not enough for this unspeakable evil. He looked back to his past and tried to find where he went wrong. The story of the Stone...
"Only the soft ones were harvested, that they knew of."
Ferl opened his eyes. He did not remember this part of his father's story earlier.
"My great great times who knows how many greats Grandfather was there too. He secretly worked for a long time, to get some other shards og the Stone. He got Rage, Ambition, and Greed. Some of the harder shards. Rage got destroyed somehow, but the other two are hidden in a safe place."
Ferl remembered this was before he was Ferl. His name back then was Shade Shimmer. He had a shiny light gray coat with a mane of slightly darker grey. The only magic he had mastered was turning invisible. Even his telekenises was iffy.
"Where do you keep them dad?"
As Shade expected, his fathers eyes flickered. For a split second they looked at his chest of tools.
"Nowhere you need to know. Now go to bed."
As Shade left he turned invisible. He turned around and silently waited for his father to go to bed. When he finaly left, Shade slinked into the room. As quietly as possible, he opened the padlock with magic and eased the chest open. Inside were... tools. Shade shook his head and searched deeper. On the bottom rested another box. He lifted it and unlocked it in the same manner. Inside were two gems. One dark blue, the other pitch black. He levetated them with magic. They shot their own magic down his own into his mind. Ferl shuddered as he remembered the agony as his coat dyed midnight blue, as his mind became diabolical, as his heart turned to stone. After the pain passed, he seemed to remember things he had never studied. Spells of black magic. A language never spoken anymore. From that language, he picked a name for himself. Ferl. The Dark Phoenix. The Sly Tyrant. Ferl in the real world opened his eyes, only to see a blue stallion in white armor holding back a yellow stallion with a blood caked maw. He no longer knew the language, except his name, and couldnt remember the black magic. All thoughts of sin were gone, as assuradly as his coat was now bright white. He was pure. That insane pony didnt think so however.
"THAT MONGREL BROKE MY RIBS! HES GONNA DIE NOW! HEHEHAHAHAHAAAA!"
Ferl remembered the last ten years slowly. Frostbite gave up holding Zurge back and just knocked him out with a sharp tap to the skull. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile.
" That's what you get for not wearing armor."
Twilight and Luna approached Ferl carefully. Celestia smiled.
"Have no fear. He is now harmless. He had no control of his actions for a while now. He was, how you say, Dominating Under the Influence."
She looked off into the distance and smiled again.
" What are thou doing sister?"
Celestia looked at Luna.
" Oh just breaking a wall."
Ferl looked at the vengeful faces of the three concious generals. He cowered like a cornered puppy. Celestia got a stern look on her face.
"Stop this. He didnt do this. It may have been his body, but not his mind. It is not his fault."
Twilight sat, still keeping an eye on Ferl.
" Ferl has-"
Ferl cringed.
" Please. Please dont call me that. My real name is Shade. Shade Shimmer."
Twilight started again.
" Shade may not have been entirely in control when it happened, but he must be punished anyway. Equestria wont like that the murderer of thousands and the usurper of the princesses goes free."
At that moment Serce bursted in.
"Ferl! Theyve taken the-"
He skidded to a stop, turned around and bolted out of the room.
Celestia wove a hoof in the direction Serce had gone.
"Give youre punishment to them. They are all worthy of execution. I hate to murder ponies, but black magic and tyranny together is worthy of it. Now go. Except you Twilight, we must speak."
Frostbite put Zurge on his back and walked out with Luna. Celestia turned to the slowly graying pony on the floor.
"My purification spell is wearing off. Soon he wont be immobalized by guilt, but he will still feel it." She pulled Twilight closer as to not let Shade hear. "My next task for you is to take him to your library. We will tell him it's for his rehabilitation, as it partially will be, but I want you to keep track of him. Im not quite ready to trust him yet, nor the other ponys around him."
Twilight looked as if she wanted to protest, but thought better of it.
"Yes, princess."
Shade rose. Both of the others looked at him. He just slowly walked to the door. Then as if unable to go further, he leaned against the door post and began to weep.

<^-^>

6 months later

<^-^>
Shade had mostly gotten over his guilt. He still felt it, but he began to except that there was nothing to be done, and tried to move on. A big part of that was Twilight. His best, and currently only, friend had given him both standard and magical rehabilitation. Now he sat at a short table in the library, reading about ancient pony history. It was late, and Twilight had already gone to bed. Shade sat, thinking about turning in himself, when the entire room was suddenly washed in a bright blue light. Shade lowered his hoof from his eyes when the light dimmed, revealing a strange creature. It was blue, had white hair and a deep blue cloak. In its right hand it held a staff with a clock at one end. It had no legs, but instead floated a foot above the ground. Its bright red eyes studied him closley. However, the strangest part was the way it constantly changed ages. It was a baby, then fully grown, then old. It finally opened its mouth.
"My name is Clockwork. I have come to make you finnish what you started. You must go and bring those dragons back to the pit of torture you found them in."The words barely registered in Shade's mind.
"The... dragons?"
Clockwork looked at the clock on his staff impatiantly.
"Yes. You set them free, so you must find them and put them back."
Shade knew he had to, even if Clockwork gave him a choice. They might be killing others. He turned around and picked up paper and a quill.
Twilight,
I have gone to tie up some loose ends. I hope to come back. Soon if possible. Keep studying.
Sincerely,

Shade
He looked up and folded the note. He quietly laid it on the table. Colckwork quickly snatched it and read it. After he found it to be fine, he placed it back on the table. Shade looked up at him.
"What?"
"Just wanted to make sure that it didn't tell to much. I need to keep the worlds as seperate as possible or reality will unravel. Anyway, we must go now."
Shade looked around the library one last time. He turned to Clockwork and nodded. He raised his staff and all of a sudden Shade was alone. He stood in a hallway, dimmly lit. He wore a strange suit of armor. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the walls were coated with blood and the floor was sticky with the stuff. Strange body parts littered the floor.
"Oh yeah. This'l be fun."

END OF STORY ARC