The moon illuminated a field of red colored grass with an eerie, unsettling glow across a vast field. Like an ocean of dried blood. In this field a large, neon lit city shot up to the skies. In the middle a dark fortress stood overlooking all below it.
Within Christain sat on a throne made of a sinister black marble. A red cushion and accents highlighted the throne. The glow of the moon gave an ethereal purple glow to the tile floor of the chamber.
Kira stood to the side of the room looking out one of the large windows. She had her arms crossed. The Chaos Emeralds she had gotten away with sat on a table to her right.
"Nix." She spoke up, turning to him and addressing him by the name of the one who was in control. He met her gaze. "That pony who turned into a hedgehog, do you know anything about him?" She asks.
"I'm surprised you don't, given you're a Chaos Guardian…or were I should say." Christian sighs, answering her and standing up. He walked to the window and looked out upon the city below.
"Why would I know anything?" Kira scoffs. "Is he a Mobian?"
"Ragis "Rage" Chaotic the Hedgehog…" Christain says clenching a fist. "He is more than just some Mobian…"
"Ragis…Chaotic?" She asks. "As in the Chaotic Clan?"
Christian nods "Correct. We had some…traitors…a long time ago and he's one of their descendants." He says.
"Running to Equestria…that sure is one way to hide from you." Kira chuckles.
"He didn't go there to hide." Christain snarls. "He's a Chaos Guardian…"
Kira looks in disbelief at Christain. "You can't be serious…" she says in disbelief. "He's a Dark Dweller!"
"No." Christain let out a sigh "he's the one…The Last Chaos Guardian. Just like that bastard Chaotix said."
"That can't be true. That whole prophecy was just them trying to scare us!" Kira scoffs.
"I'm telling you…it's true. Took a few millennia but sure enough he's the real deal. Has Chaos' Blade of Chaos and everything." Christain says scornfully.
"He wields Bureijingukaosu?" Kira picked a Chaos Emerald up and looked into it. "No wonder that sword looked familiar…" she says. "But he's young…perhaps we could…take advantage of him."
"What are you thinking?" Christain asks, looking at her raising an eye curiously.
"Demonic Chaos…" she chuckled sinisterly. "He's young and that makes him vulnerable."
"Don't be stupid." Christain scoffs, crossing his arms "He's young. But he's not stupid…" he says before he grumbles incoherently.
"Speaking from experience are we?" Kira smirks, walking up to him.
"Unfortunately, yes. He's different from the Chaos Guardians of old. Unlike them he accepts us." Christain scoffs.
"What do you mean by that?" Kira asks curiously.
"He doesn't seek to blindly destroy everyone from Dark Mobius like you all did. He's willing to work with the people here…" Christain explains "In fact…he is the reason many of the ants down there believe there is hope. Hope they could one day be free of me. The reason I am still stuck using this damn vessel is all his fault…"
"Huh." Kira scoffs "Who'd have guessed…so what do we do?"
"He's bound to come for the Chaos Emeralds. No doubt with his new friends." Christain says "For now secure the Emeralds in the Old Temples."
"But that would leave them out and easy to track." Kira objects.
"I know that…I want you to make sure they're defended." Christain orders. "I want him to gather them then bring them back here."
"If that's the case why not leave them here under heavy guard?" Kira asks with a frown.
"Because, he'll find that as too easy. He'll know something is up…and I want him to have all of them when I break him down…" Christain chuckles.
"You have a plan…" Kira sighs "I hope it's better than your last one…" she grumps.
"Don't worry…by the time Rage catches on it will be too late." Christain says "Go. We don't know how long it will be before he arrives…"
Kira nods and takes The Chaos Emeralds before leaving Christain alone. Shortly after he chuckled sinisterly "Soon my old friend…" he says to himself. "I know you-" he stopped mid sentence and grunted in pain. He looked at the glass and behind him appeared a translucent version of himself, albeit the sinister, glowing, amber eyes were a deep violet.
"Whatever you're planning, Nix, it won't work." The ghastly visage's mouth moved in a low, angered voice echoed in his head. Matching the words that should be spoken.
"You…" he snarled angrily. "Your body is mine, why do you still persist!? You cannot overtake me now! Even if you could, what would you do then? You'd never be accepted among anyone! You'll always be haunted by what we've done…"
"Even so I won't stop trying…I'll use whatever ability I have to hinder you and help my friend!" The real Christain shouts.
"Please!" Nix quickly looked away as he laughed. "That red rat will never see you as a friend even if you managed to push me out…you'll always be drawn back to me…you'll be tainted by my Darkness for as long as you live…fated to return to me."
"Keep telling yourself that." Christain's voice echoed and faded as Nix shook his head again. Suppressing Christain again. He looked back at the window and the figure was gone.
"Dammit…" he cursed "No matter how much power I gain he still persists…stubborn brat…"
Christain went and sat back on the throne. He remained alone until, after close to an hour a black shadowy humanoid figure ran in and knelt. "A thousand pardons Lord Nix but I bring news from our agent…" it says.
"Rise." Christain speaks and the figure stands. "What news do you have?"
"According to our spy; your red friend has plans to come to Dark Mobius and we believe he will not be alone. It is very likely that his new friends from Equestria will be joining him." It reported
Christain nods "I see…thank you." He says "Go and rest, we'll have need of you soon. Dismissed." He then ordered and the figure bowed and thanked him before quickly leaving the room. "The pieces have been placed. It's your move…" he chuckled darkly. "Let's make this one…entertaining…" he says walking to the balcony and looking out across the city and to the fields that surrounded the city, and beyond to a thick forest. "Which will take you first I wonder…your own curse or will Kira get you with Demonic Chaos?"
Christain turns and walks out of the room. As he turns a distortion in space and time could be seen rippling from the forest.
This tear was from a rift, deep within the woods. One that Rage and the mane six emerged from. "Who would have thought they'd hide the spell basically in plain sight." Twilight comments as they looked around.
"Yeah, hiding it within the inscriptions on The World Gate is genius." Rage agrees looking around.
"Where are we?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"I-I don't like it…this place is scary…" Fluttershy squeaks in fear.
"The Evergloam." Rage says looking at the purple/blue almost ethereal glow that the trees seemed to give off. "Or The Dusk Woods, depending on who you ask."
"Why does it have to sound so…ominous?" Rarity asks.
"Welcome to Dark Mobius, a planet of gloomy names and tyrants abound." Rage gives a soft chuckle "But the name comes from the glow that the trees produce when hit by the moonlight. It gives off a glow similar to the sky at dusk." He explains.
"…So what do we do now?" Applejack asks as she walks over to comfort the fearful Fluttershy.
"First thing we need to do is meet with one of my contacts." Rage says "They should be in the city which is a bit of a walk. Let's get moving." He explained as he started walking.
"Why didn't we just arrive in town?" Rarity asks. "Why this dirty forest?"
"Because, these woods are one of the few places Nix…er Christain is blind to. This way he doesn't know we're here right away." Rage explains.
"Are you sure taking us into town is a good idea?" Twilight asks. "Aren't you afraid of what people may think?"
"Not really. Dark Mobius has had many strange people come through. Plus, you'll find out that most of the people here are like you and me." Rage replied. "Just keep your heads down and nobody will even bat an eye." He instructed them. "But until we reach town keep your eyes peeled for Dark Spawn. They are everywhere in these woods."
"D-dark Spawn?" Fluttershy asks fearfully. "That sounds scary."
"Don't worry Fluttershy I'm sure we'll be fine." Twilight says putting an arm on the pegasus to comfort her.
"As long as we keep moving." Rage says "Once we get to the city we'll be fine. They don't like going near populated areas. At least the natural ones don't." He explains as he begins walking, the six ponies following him.
"Natural ones? What does that mean?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"I guess it's probably for the best if you girls know." Rage sighed. "Dark Spawns have two main types. Natural, and Forged or Summoned. Natural ones form when enough stray Dark Energy gathers. They're simple minded, territorial and violent. Forged ones are summoned by people like Nix. They can be much more powerful and more intelligent. They're usually used as massive armies for people like Nix."
"So…they're expendable to them?" Applejack asks and Rage nods.
"Yes. They have no higher mental capacity besides primal urges or in the case of summoned ones, they don't have the ability to do much of anything outside following their orders. Most of the time anyway." Rage nods and sighs as they reach the point at which the trees and underbrush begin to lighten up. "We're almost there."
