Hello audience and thank for taking some of your valuable time to read this story. This was just an idea that I threw onto paper one day, but I kept writing for some odd reason. Reviews and follows are greatly appreciated.
And for those of you who are waiting for me to update my other stories, fear not! For now that I'm settled into my new life I will begin working on them with haste!
~Stayshady
North of the Equestrian borders, in the ice tundras between Equestria and the Crystal Empire, stood the quaint village of Frostburg. The community of the small town mostly kept to themselves, growing enough crops to sustain themselves and little more. Their aspirations never drove them to do more than the minimum to keep their homely village safe.
The village itself was built upon a strange pillar of ice. The icy pillar seemingly rose out of the flat ice plains, spurring rumors about its origins. In the summer, the frozen pillar remained untouched by the rising temperatures. And no qualms were ever spoken by the villagers that build their homely little shacks atop of it.
The average night in the quiet town was tranquil and safe, leaving little need for a town guard. However, this night was fated to be different. On the outskirts of the town, in an unkempt little shack of a house, a group of cultists met in secret.
"how much longer?" asked one of the many hooded figures present.
He was answered by a similarly robed mare. "We predict we'll find the source within a matter of hours."
"Good," the first figure spoke from under his hood as they began stalking into a tunnel that had been bored into the ice. "Whatever magical source that maintains this pillar will be in our control soon."
The mare's eye looked at the ice around the her as she followed her fellow cultist. "What will we do with it?" she asked. "What will happen to the village?"
"What of the village?" snapped the male. "Those foolish ponies don't deserve to live if they choose to remain ignorant of the power that wait just beneath their hooves."
"So that means that you're going to leave the villagers for me to use as test subjects, right?"
The male cultist's laughter echoed off the icy walls as he replied, "Of course my dear. Ounce the power belongs to us you'll have all the test subjects you could ever desire."
The conversation between the two cultists was by a younger cultists that came sprinting from further down the tunnel. He stopped abruptly in front of the older cultists. "Masters," he panted breathlessly, "they've found it! Come quickly!"
Wordlessly, the trio of necromancers ushered down the winding tunnel. When they reached the end each of them beheld an awe inspiring sight.
Twenty or so cultists stood loosely in a large domed cavern around a single figure. In the center of the room sat a large steel throne, but what was truly magnificent was the armour clad form of a long forgotten bipedal creature.
Waves off cold ebbed off the armour as the throne pulsed, sending light blue magic through the ice. A sword, untouched by time, stood upright in the grasp of the immobile figures steel covered gauntlets. Runes emitted faint sparks of magical energy as they flowed around the surface of the blade, drawing the attention of the lead cultist.
"Beautiful,: he breathed. "Begin the ritual at once. We must siphon this magic at once."
The other cultists rushed to obey as they took positions in a loose circle around the throne. Before they could begin, a temor quaked through the cavern. Shouts of fright and concern filled the space as large boulders of ice cascaded around the cultists. Ice burst from the shoddy mine shaft as it collapsed, trapping the hooded figures in the cavern.
Silence reigned as the tremors subsided and the cultists collected themselves. The runes along the blade grew in brightness until it was blinding. Lines of light blue magic coursed across the steel armour, shooting sparks of magical power. The lines coursed their way up to the helm of the armoured figure and disappeared into the black pits that were the eye sockets. A second later flames similar to the color of the magic emerged from the soulless dark eyes.
One of the cultists cried out in fear. "What happening!?" Further shouts was cut off as the sound of cracking ice filled the room.
Terror flooded over the cultists as they watched the hands on the sword began to move. The steel plates on the bipedal figure creature's body clanked against one another as the large being stood. Chunks of ice snapped off the armour as it moved for the first time in ages. The creature turned its head and surveyed the cavern.
As its gaze swept over them, each cultist felt the crushing ancient malevolence send chills creeping up their spines.
A steel covered hand gripped the massive runed blade as the creature pointed the weapon at the cultists. The leader of the cult lowered himself into a bow as he was locked in the malevolent gaze of the sword wielder. "What are you?" his shaken voice asked
The creature's lips did not move, but instead its voice radiated through the caver. "What am I?" his voice spat full of spite. "I Ivan the Frozen, General of the Lich King's armies."
"the Lich King?" questioned one of the cultists.
A hint of amusement slightly tempered Ivan's voice as he 'spoke', "Of course, none of you... ponies... were alive all that time ago. Tell me, how did you find this place?"
"We sought to steal the magic that kept this place from thawing during the summers." admitted the leader of the small cult. "Now, however, it is clear that would be foolish."
"Indeed. You're in luck. My master built this cavern to preserve my body and power until it became time to continue his work, its supplementary function is to allow to me to communicate. This is the part where you come in, I need leaders. I need agents to aid me in spreading the cold touch of death across this plane."
The addressed cultist lowered his head in the a bow as graciously said, "We would be honoured to serve under your command."
A grin crept onto the deathnight's exposed face as his magic began manifesting on the end of his blade. "Then prepare yourselves to receive the Lich King's gift."
Bolts of icy blue magic burst forth and struck each cultist in the chest. Their bodies began to change, each one becoming noticeably stronger. Their minds were filled with Ivan's ancient knowledge of necromancy. The eyes of the cultist snapped open as they each adopted the deathnight's signature glowing blue eyes.
As one the cultists began inspecting their new and improved forms. Their attention was drawn back to Ivan as he lowered his blade and spoke, "I have shared my knowledge in necromancy with you. Usi it now to purge the village above of the living. We require bodies for the hordes of undead we will unleash to dominate this realm." Ivan sat as he pointed at the leader of the cultists. "Come here." The unicorn rushed to obey his new master and soon stood at the base of the throne. "Tell me of this world," Ivan commanded, "I've been dormant for thousands of years. What has changed?"
"We know Twilight. Luna and I both felt it as well." Celestia said to a frantic Twilight Sparkle. "I've already sent a scout to the area where we suspect the anomaly to have originated."
"Isn't there anything we can do, Princess? I haven't felt this much darkness since we faced off against Sombre." Twilight asked worried.
"Be at peace, Twilight Sparkle. We understand your concern, but this is hardly the first foul presence to arise in our lifetime." Luna assured the younger princess in her strange dialect.
Celestia placed a wing on Twilight shoulder as she soothingly spoke, "My sister is correct. We have seen many evils in our years but we have always managed to defend the lives of our subjects."
Further conversation was halted when Shining Armour burst into the throne room with an urgency about him. "Princess," he said, "Our scout has returned. We must hurry. His condition was critical when he arrived."
With all due haste Celestia and her fellow princesses rushed after Shining Armour as he led them to the infirmary. "Did he say anything about the area?" Celestia inquired as the ran.
"No, he passed out as soon as he made it to the castle." reported the guard captain. After a few more turns they found themselves outside the doors of the infirmary.
Inside the infirmary was in disarray as medical staff rushed around. On the floor, the scout's damaged armor told a harrowing tale. Long gashes ran lengthwise against the once golden armour, rendering it useless. Magical burns had scorched the surface of the armor, leaving the affected charred.
Moments after they entered, a mare approached the trio. She addressed Celestia as she spoke. " Princess, come quickly. He isn't reacting to any of our treatments."
Celestia was led to the side of the wounded scout. She and the other princesses were shocked at the state that he was in. Long gashes riddled the pegasus's form, many showed signs of infections and were rotting. One of his wings was bent at an awkward angle and was clearly broken. It was a miracle that he had made it back to the castle alive.
Celestia's golden magic gently wrapped itself around the pony as she spoke to him. "What could've happened to you, my little pony?" Silence crept over the room as everypony in attendance watch the princess of the sun heal the wounds.
Seconds passed with intense silence, which was broken by a groan from the once silent pegasus. "Princess?" he moaned through the pain of his wound.
"Shh, my little pony, rest," Celestia urged as her brow furrowed with effort. The wounds on the scout's body hadn't yet healed, they were resisting her magic.
Celestia's magic dissipated, leaving everypony in the room stunned that something had nullified the alicorn's magic. "Celestia," the white pegasus breathed, "I went to the area where the anomaly originated. There was a small village there, Frostberg. It was built on top of a giant spire of ice."
His voice was faint and stressed as he continued, "The village was in ruins by the time I arrived, none of the citizens were there either. I landed on the edge of the town to begin my investigation, the place reeked of death, but there was no bodies. That's when they came." The scout's eyes widened at an invisible fear as he relived his encounter. "At first it was just a few, but there was scores of them. The villagers... they were dead. But something was keeping their corpses animated. I set upon the task of relieving the villagers of their undeath. It was going well since the undead couldn't reach me in the air. Then the necromancers came, a whole cult of them. They... they were so powerful. They took turns toying with me. The last one.. he cursed me. He made it so that nopony could heal my wounds, then they let me go. I'm lucky to be alive."
Luna placed a hoof tentatively on the pegasus's chest as she addressed her sister. "Sister, there must be something we can do." she declared in her slightly archaic tongue. "We ruse to believe thou haft been best by a mere curse."
"I'm afraid he is right, Luna. I haven't seen dark magic like this ever before. It's ancient magic, older even than us. I dear whatever evil has been awoken by the cult of necromancers will quick to act."
Twilight spoke up and voiced her thoughts. "Celestia, you and Luna should gon and deal with the necromancers. I will stay here and study this new magic, and hopefully find a way to removed the curse, before it's too looked over her former student with a hint of pride. "You have matured greatly." she noted briefly before continuing. "I agree. Luna, gather your night guards and meet me in the courtyard. Shining Armor, gather your finest as well. I want to be ready to travel in an hour."
Sixty minutes later the castle courtyard was filled with two very distinct columns of ponies. One clad in the shining golden armor of the day guards. Their spears glinted in the daylight. The other column stood stoic in their coal black armor. The weapons of the batponies we much more wicked, jagged curved scimitars.
The most striking figures in the courtyard, however, were the sibling princesses clad in their regal armor. Celestia's golden armor portrayed the very warmth and raw power of the sun goddess which it protected, her weapon was straight edged masterpiece of a steel sword ending in a unique golden hilt. Luna's armor was dark as a starless night and covered her from hoof to horn in sturdy iron. Like the batponies that served her, she carried a deadly scimitar. However, she also carried a large steel shield that was embolized with an etching of the moon.
"Are you prepared, sister?" Luna asked, seriousness in her voice.
"Yes. Let us get going."
A long flight later the Solar army, in their respective chariots, was in position over the village. The sight before them was concerning. The once populated and lively village seemed all but abandoned.
"What do you think, Luna?" Celestia inquired her younger sister.
Luna thought for a moment before voicing her thoughts. "There is an ancient evil here. And so much anger behind it."
Celestia nodded her head in agreement before she turned to Shining armor. "Begin searching for any survivors. Be careful. Shining Armor quickly dispersed several teams of earth ponies and unicorns to begin searching the few houses that remained standing whilst squads of pegasi flew overhead. Ground teams spent a long time searching each and every house that was still standing for signs of life, until one team entered the city hall. "Spread out, we have to find the villagers," commanded the night guard in charge.
A solar guard wandered down a hallway until it ended in a wooden door that hung slightly ajar. He pushed the door open, letting light from the main hall flood into the dark room. At the edge of the light sat a little filly with black robes draped around her shoulders. "Are you okay?" the guard asked as he approached her.
The filly began giggling psychotically while she lifted her head. "You're all going to die here." she stated with a wicked grin. Her soulless glowing blues snapped open and bored their way into the guard's soul as the undead villagers began to pour out from the shadows. Throughout the city hall packs of undead began to spill out onto the solar empire's soldiers. The filly's laughter grew in volume and maniacy as the confused and pain filled screams of the guards reached her ears. The unicorn in charge of the small band of guards fired a bolt of magic through a window, a distress signal, as he attempted to rally his troops.
Celestia and Luna were forced to watch as distress signals emerged from every corner of the village. "Get them out of there, now." Celestia order. Immediately the chariots swooped down and began pulling back the troops. As the earth ponies and unicorns franticly filed out of the houses and into the chariots, undead poured out into the streets in a seemingly endless stream. As the unicorns made it into the chariots they turned and began firing spells into the approaching hordes, slowing but not stopping the tide of undead.
As the chariots began to finally started lifting off the ground and into the air Bursts of magic appeared on rooftops around the city. Each burst of magic revealed the robed form of a necromancer. When the final necromancer had teleported onto a roof twenty odd pairs of glowing blue eyes stared up at the celestial army before them.
"Leave at once," the spoke in unison. "Or prepare to forfeit your lives in service of the Lich King!"
"Necromancers." Luna scoffed. "Foul beings! Cease your dark ways and surrender at once." In response each necromancer began building power as they started chanting in unison.
"Shining Armor, take the rest of remainder of our forces and fall back." Celestia commaded. "Luna and I will handle this."
Lines of magic slowly began forming between the gathered necromancers. In a few moments the lines formed a massive ring, rotation rings of runes formed within the circle as the cult chanted. Luna and Celestia prepared to defend themselves as the magical aura in the area increased in density. As the last member of the royal guard evacuated the area a shock waves shook the very air as a monstrous roar erupted from before the solar princesses.
surprised and anguished howls of pain as their bodies fire with the very light blue magic that they were channeling. Reaching up and grasping the edges of the runic circle two massive, skeletal claws emerged followed by two even larger bone wings. Slowly, a monster of uncomparable size dragged itself from the summoning circle, the beast roaring its freedom as it stood in horrific glory before the ponies.
Luna and Celestia both looked on the creature with disgust. Standing on all four legs stood an undead dragon that stood at least as tall as the Royal Palace itself. Hanging from its ribs and wing was rotted sinew and flew, stuck between its claws and jagged teeth was the decayed flesh of foes it once faced. Its eyeless sockets stared at the two alicorns, two glowing spheres of the necrotic magic forming the drake's eyes, a similar, larger sphere floating in the cavity of what used to be the beast's chest. Buildings were reduced to rubble as the dragon's tail swept to the side, the appendage ending in a flat broad blade like spade.
Wordlessly Luna and Celestia attacked, the latter of which firing a powerful stream of magic at the dragon while her sister dove towards the ground. Once again the dragon's roar shook the area as Celestia's magic collided with its jaw, the resulting explosion jerking the drake's skull to the side. As the dragon snapped its head back towards Celestia angrily he had no time to react Luna delivered an deadly and sudden buck to the undead's jaw. Roaring in blinded rage the dragon swiped at the the Princesses with his jagged claws, the two alicorns forced to retreat from its range as it destroyed the village below with each claw crushing the buildings as it returned under the drake. Once it no longer could reach them with his claws the dragon opened his maw and loosed a powerful breath attack, the very air freezing at the cold attack, and forced the two princesses to separate.
Celestia and Luna looked down at the undead construct before them as it stretched its vast wings and prepared to launch itself into the air. Silently the two sisters locked eyes and nodded as they shared the same idea. As the dragon leapt into the sky the sisters launched powerful magic blasts, one dark as the moonless night and the other shining brightly as the midsummer sun, at the bases to the dragon's rotted wings. Under the deafening roar of pain and equally voluminous explosions, a sickening crunch and snapped resounded, which signalled the snapping of the constructs wings. The drake clawed at the air for a brief moment before it began to plummet. Long seconds later cracks spread across the ice as the drake's mass crashed into the village, clouds of ice and dust obscuring the scene below. Eventually the debris cleared away and revealed the collapsed skeleton of the dragon, and where the tail had impacted a tunnel into the ice.
"That must be the source of this vile magic," said Luna as she covered her snout, the potent necromancy having a distinct and repulsive scent about it.
The twins descended and kept themselves wary of any possible lurching undead. As their hooves touched down on the ice the alicorns felt themselves shiver in spite of themselves. Made by smaller ponies Celestia and Luna found themselves forced to travel down the tunnel in a single file, the two sisters preparing shielding spell and ready to cast any offensive spell, respectively. An eerie silence dominated as they trotted forth, the clicking of their hooves against the cold ice and their combined breathing the one sounds that even dared to break the tense silence. Luna silently signaled to her sister as she saw an opening ahead, simultaneously slowing down to a more cautious pace.
"The Princesses of the Solar Empire, I assume?" A hollow voice questioned, the voice itself not really having a source, as the two alicorns made their way inside and split to cover the side of the circular room. Before them, staring at the crushed form of one of his necromancers, stood and ancient looking being, clad in armor.
"Are you the source of this dark magic." Celestia asked, a dangerous edge to her voice as she pointed her horn towards him, golden magic radiating menacingly.
"Perhaps," the voiced echoed through their bodies, "and perhaps not. I merely provided these 'ponies' a taste of the magic that I had to offer." As he spoke Ivan hefted his large sword onto his shoulder, his gaze calmly flickering between the two princesses.
Luna spoke out this time, "Then you shall be punished for the deaths of all the innocent that lived here." Ivan merely looked over his shoulder at the alicorn as she launched herself towards him. A large shockwave threatened the integrity of the cavern as Luna's powerful blow connected, with the broad side of Ivan's blade, which the death knight wielded with only one hand behind his back. Ivan smirked as he sent Luna back with a flick of his blade, the edge nicking the alicorn's foreleg. Celestia looked at her sister in concern as the princess of the night grimaced in pain, Ivan's enchanted blade causing a frigid numbness to slowly spread from the inflicted area.
"You can't beat me." The voice goaded as Ivan turned and pointed his blade at the injured alicorn. Celestia to this moment to launch her attack against him, sending a searing blade of light with deadly intent at the back of the death knight's neck. The human growled as he spun around on the spot, barely managing to cleave the blade of light and deflect it upward into the ceiling, the resulting light leaving him temporarily blind and an arc of ice melted from the overhead ice. Only on instinct was Ivan able to stop the bow which Celestia delivered, her horn connecting solidly with the death knight's sword, a mere inches from his throat, in a stalemate. As his regained his sight, a wicked grin graced the human's features. Celestia had no time to protect herself as he twisted his sword arm, connecting his heavily armored gauntlet with the princess's jaw squarely. Royal blood met cold ice as the death knight spun on his heel and delivered a powerful kick to the chest of the stricken princess, sending her sprawling to the ground in a crumpled heap.
"Celestia!" Luna exclaimed, running to the side of her sister. Shakily, the princess of the sun made her way back to her hooves. "Are you okay?" Luna asked with concern, eyes warily watching the death knight, who had once again rested his blade on his shoulder.
Celestia nodded stiffly, the alicorn holding a hoof against her chest. "I fear the is only one way to deal with this opponent."
Luna looked at her sister in disbelief. "Are you sure Tia? Surely is isn't that large of a threat."
"I fell a shadow of the magic he has at his command. If we don't take this fight seriously then he may certainly manage to claim victory." Celestia urged her sister. Ivan looked on as the sisters conversed before him, the human anything but worried about any kind of strategy they may be cooking up. The power the Lich King had gifted him would be more than enough to eliminate the pair of alicorns.
Ivan cocked his head to the side as Luna and Celestia both took combat stances, he sensed that they had dropped all reserve for their combat environment and intended to end this. Disintrest was plain on his face as the death knight watched Luna and Celestia began to channel massive amount of magical energy into their horns. Ivan's cold voice ripped through the cavern as the princesses of the moon and sun continued to charge their attacks. "You waste your time, your power cannot stop me."
Luna merely looked to her sister, the two ponies completing the preparation for their spells at the same time, physical signs of their exertion becoming apparent as they launched their attack simultaneously. Time itself yielded as Ivan's eyes widened in shock as he realised the error of his mistake in underestimating the two princess before him. The tip of Ivan's blade merged with the ice at the death knight's feet as he summoned forth thick densest column of ice he could. Barrelling towards him, the two beams of magic twisted and became one, the scorching heat of the sun paired with the cold darkness of a moonless night. The very air around the town began to shake as the sister's attack collided with Ivan's hasty defense, sundering it a mere instant just before the agonized howl of Ivan could be heard. Seconds later, what felt like an eternity for the victim of such an attack, the blinding light of the alicorns blast faded, revealing the heaving forms of the two sisters and half the town completely blown away. To both their shock and horror stood the smoldering form of Ivan, few plates of armor hanging from his charred body.
Silently the blade slipped from his cold grasp, the echo of heavy steel rang through the stunned silence, the blade soon followed by its wielder. "He is still alive..." Luna barely managed.
Celestia nodded meekly, to survive an attack of that calibre stunned the princess of the sun. That spell was meant to combine the power of the two alicorns, not doubling but making the force behind their attack four times as great as they could manage alone. Yet unconscious and on the ground lay the third being that could survive it. With what magic she had left Celestia lifted the human off the ice and looked to her sister. "I'm going to bring him to the old castle in the Everfree, I would like to investigate into his existence."