I awoke in a frozen desert. Getting to my feet, I cursed the crystal heart. The Empire was a nice enough place, but getting smacked across half the continent once a year got annoying really fast. The only thing that saved me from complete obliterated was my pledge to the Sovereign of the Night.

I lifted one of my legs and placed it firmly in the air a foot above the snow. The others got the same treatment, then I was off, leaping higher and higher into the air. As a rainbow crossed my path, I stopped and looked around. It was arcing from the edge of the horizon, and in the other, seemed endless. I knew from past memories that if I followed it, I'd soon reach the empire.

Sighing, I started following it. Having nothing else but the barren landscape for mental stimulation, I began thinking back to my first time of feeling so alone.

All I'd ever seen of another pony before that night was the hooded head of a unicorn as he gave me my scant meal twice a day. It was lowered through the hole in the roof. The rest of the time, it was covered with a boulder. My only friend was the darkness, but even that would leave me when I was angry- which was often at first. I soon learned to channel my rage, though. My prison slowly expanded as fire ate away at the earthen walls. One night, part of the ceiling caved, and the darkness flooded in. I climbed up the slope carefully- my young legs unused to the motion. The dark expanded all around me farther than ever before, until strange points of light broke them in another ceiling. The sound of retreating hoofbeats resounded in the silent air. A ray of fire shot from my mane towards the source. There was a slight flare, and a stallion's scream. I walked forwards to the charred figure on the gound. Where the burns hadn't turned it black I could see brown in his coat, and his flank showed a spear, as if drawn by the Creator's pen. Glancing towards my own, I found it bear instead. This drew my attention and wonderment until a whimper drew me back to the stallion. Though I was many seasons his younger, fear filled his features. I chose to ignore his plight and continued in the direction he had been headed. If he had been determined to get there, something must be waiting for me there. Despite more light I was unaccustomed to with the darkness, I could not see anything. Irrelevant, I told myself. If I kept walking this way, I would find something eventually.

"IT has escaped! I repeat, IT has escaped!" The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, but I knew that was illogical. A sudden light shone in the air, flying off towards my apparent destination. I attempted to give chase, but again my legs were unused to this new motion. Resigning myself to this fact, I followed the retreating light at a calm walk. In the distance, I saw it touch down and join many more light I had no noticed with my eyes on the sky. As I slowly drew close, I could see rows and rows of armed unicorns facing me as if expecting an army.

A green and black stallion stepped forwards. "What have you done with my brother?"

"Who is this brother?" I asked- partly from lack of knowledge, partly because I knew it would annoy this fool.

"You know him, Demon. Longstrider was just as much your kin as mine."

"I have no kin."

"You dare disown thy own family?! None can question the noble house of Mythrion!"

"Stand down, Faminecolt. The Demon's logic rings true." An old mare interrupted.

"Who are you to discuss logic, old hag? You mind long since addled and rotted away." This 'Faminecolt' retorted.

A wooden hilt was thrust out of the mass into Faminecolt's side, knocking him down. A large, black alicorn followed, stepping over the body of the wimpering stallion. "Thou shalt not speak to thy mother in that manner, whelp."

"I spoke in anger, father! I assure you my statement was not in earnest!"

"Be thou silent! I did not request your meaningless groveling!" The hilt struck again, then the alicorn turned to face me. "Where is he that left to discover the method of your egress?"

"With his condition, I doubt movement is any longer an option to him. Why do you not look yourself? It is not of my concern."

Anger flared in his eyes at the answer. I could feel his glare boring into me, and I returned it with malice to equal his rage. "Though you have remained in solitude, your soul too much mirrors the worst in our clan. Perhapse if you rejoin our ranks, your ways will be calmed. Come into the light, my son, that I may properly see you."

"Why would I join my jailors now that I have finally challenged their control? And who are you to call me son. My father was the Flames, and my mother the Darkness. I see this Darkness in you, but you art a stallion- art thou truly a mare?"

"You have uttered thy final syllable! Know that I, Torquemanda Mythrion, shall end your wretched existence this very night!"

The other horses closed into a circle around us, chanting. "Kill! Blood! Kill! Death!" The alicorn rose into the air up to twice above me and rearing. His horn glowed darkly as spikes extended from his hooves. He plunged back from the sky, all points first. I dove as he came down, pressing myself up against the shield of the stallion opposite me. Fire lashed from my mane on the way past, scorching his belly. He dropped heavily to earth, grunting. Without pausing, I shoved off the shield in a leap to avoid the thrust spear of its owner. Perhaps I could use this to get above the alicorn, as he'd tried to do to me. Yes, this angle would work and I… wasn't falling? A maniacal laugh escaped my lips as I jumped higher, off thin air, and out of the grounded stallions' reach. I laughed at their foolishness and my own power. Then the alicorn rose to eye level and I remembered that he, too, could fly. My grin faded, my flush of power and exuberance leaving me. I dropped to the ground like a stone, completely passing under his attempted stab. I landed heavily on my hooves, and a plume of fire shot out around me, forcing the ranks back. The wash of heat rose up higher on the air to tumble the alicorn from his perch, landing him before me. His skull bounced as he struck, then came to rest on the earth with his moans. Smiling again with my own discoveries, I stepped forwards and placed a flaming hoof upon his face, searing it.

"You were right to fear me, Mythrion. Where you went wrong was imprisoning me for what I am, I can see your secrets laid bare before me, 'father'. You chose for this to be what I am, not me. You, and everyone who supported you will pay for your foolishness."

"You blame me for what you are? You are the demon here- born of a normal mare, yet not of her. You are Hellspawn- invader of the womb, killer of the unborn. You are-" I raised my hoof and slammed it into his skull, sick of his arrogance. Hair, flesh and bone melted equally as I forced my hoof down until it scorched the dirt. It was a slow ordeal in its progress, however. Screams drowned out the crackling of the flames that now licked his body, and all was consumed before he finally perished. As his screams ended, all around stood silently, preparing to bolt. I lept once more into the air, and they seemed relieved. I laughed again at their ignorance as I leapt higher and higher, towards my new, infinite ceiling until they were merely a spec beneath my hooves, and the small lights shone brighter than before. I paused a moment, examining these beautiful lights, oddly welcome in My Darkness, then plunged back down. Panic set in as the ground flew at me, and I had a sudden realization about my plan- I was going to hit that. How had I thought this was a good idea!? I was going to die! Panic set in, and my legs locked up- I was helpless to slow my descent.

A wall of fire formed at my hooves and spread up around me, encasing me like a warm embrace. I looked down again at the ground- the terrified ponies had caught on and were trying desperately to flee. I glanced back up at those strange lights, and said goodbye. The earth and I met, and fire washed everything as far as I could see, before Darkness again claimed my mind.

I shuddered, pulling myself back into the present. Yes, that had certainly set me upon my new course… Even now though, I was unsure why I had not died that day. Certainly, I had never tried that stunt again!

The empire's skyline now occupied most of the horizon- still sparkling and growing nearer every moment. The last time I had purposefully come here, it had been under Sombra's control, and corrupted with black crystal. The King had sent the Princesses, Generals, and we guards to reclaim it that time… I personally had subdued the usurper, but it seemed he had somehow returned… How could he be here now, after the Chaos Master had banished him? Considering the Master's petrified state, it was unlikely he could have released Sombra. The heart had been renewed, however- Sombra likely would not be a problem for many, many centuries to come.

I galloped on, and let my mind wander again. The first thing it settled on was food. Would those specialty shops still be around? The empire was often visited by many strange creatures, not all of whom were herbivores. At least one must still be, if the empire had really been frozen like Sky had said. Another thought crossed my mind- if I was this hungry, how would the others be feeling? I knew Vaetir was fine- he almost never ate unless to make an appearance- but what about Cap and Sky? I had the Darkness, but they had nothing. Where were they anyway? I shrugged as my stomach grumbled. I'd find out eventually.

I chose to touch down and walk as I neared the empire. You never knew who was watching, and fire flying through the sky wasn't exactly inconspicuous. I entered the city at the edge of the brown district. I knew this area well- one of my old haunts, Lughnasadh, should be around here. Ah yes, there it was- through the window, I could see the same familiar interior as always. I casually walked in, and headed straight to the farthest corner where I'd always eaten, and sat. Within moments, a waiter hurried over to me. "What can I get for you, sir Mythrion? The usual?"

"Large amounts of it, please."

He blinked. "Amount –s-, sir? Plural?"

"Yes, and quickly."

"Very good." He hurried off again. Looking around, I surveyed the other patrons. Nopony stood out, although a Son of Bahamut and his assistants were sitting at a table near me. There was a map sitting between them, and I considered asking if they knew where Cap was. Then I reconsidered- if they knew, they'd have a hard fight on their hands. If they didn't… better to keep it that way. The waiter returned, weighted down with several platters of uncooked meat. "Will this do, sir?"

"Yes, thank you." I took the platters from him, wrapping them in flames. I removed one and swiftly seared it while the rest cooked. Before I quite felt full, I had run out of the food. Good enough for now. I tossed some gold pieces onto the table and left. Someone around here must have the answers I needed, and it occurred to me that if Lughnasadh was still here, the Informer must be too.

...I feel like I'm constantly apologizing for the wait, but this time I can say- it's not my fault. Seth cannot type fast to begin with, added to that he's working at summer camp 5 days a week. I cannot read his handwriting for the life of me either. (often, neither can he.) So, my getting this typed in is a painstaking process. However, his next chapter should be in a while. not a long while, say two or three chapters, but a while nonetheless. So, *hopefully*, my posting speed will pick back up for now. Hope you enjoy! He would also like to say- cudos to those who recognize the father's name and the shop's name without using google.

I do not own MLPFIM.