Anon the Lich 3 part 4

>You are Anonymous the Lich
>You are the bane of life and a master puppeteer
>Why then, have you babysat three ponies who have braved the dangers of the Everfree, light as they might be, simply to bring you books?
>You are not sure that an acceptable answer is within reach
>The night passed eventufully, with many unexpected developments.
>Even so, your tower still stands, mostly whole, and you are preparing to send the fillies back.
“Now, hold still you three. I shall return you to your homes.”
>They nod, unsure of what to expect
“Let us begin.”
>Green flames come alive at your finger-tips
>Eldrich runes trace their way around the three Fillies, wide-eyed in amazement.
>Sparks dance in the air
>"Mister Anon, is this gonna hurt?"
"Possibly, I have not performed this spell in a long time. You will experience some discomfort however, that much is certain."
>The three gulp, but remain still.
>Their bravery, whether born from ignorance or determination, is impressive.
"Goodbye, Cutie Mark Crusaders."
>There is a surge of power as the three equines lift off the ground.
>Lights dance around the runic pentagram.
>The etchings scream with arcane power.
>In a blinding flash, the three children are consumed in green flames, leaving nothing behind.
>You sigh and return to your desk, glad they're finally gone.
>You could have destroyed them then and there, you muse.
>For some reason, simply teleporting them home seemed more prudent.
>Letting them walk home would have been dangerous.
>They could have stumbled upon their  sisters, and provided information.
>That is something you could not allow, hence the necessity of going out of your way as such.
>Atleast their arrival will cause some panic.
>The fated hour is upon you.
>The six Elements are nearly to your tower.
>Everything is prepared.
>The dueling ground atop your spire
>The hundred deadman’s Gambits
>They will not leave this tower alive.
>You raise your hands up, as dark shadows begin to writhe.
>It is mid-day, not your preffered time to engage, but you know well enough it will not matter.
>You have a number of fail-safes in place, and when night falls, you will finally bring the killing blow down upon them.
>You slide into the darkness and move through the shadows of this world to the dark heart of the Everfree, six out-of-place Ponies carefully picking their way through.
“I’m so glad you could come, Twilight Sparkle.”
>Your mocking tone is followed by a hollow, humorless laugh.
“I’ve been waiting for you for some time now.”
>They spin around, looking for you.
“I am up here, fools.”
>You drop down from the tree branch you had inhabited, landing before them.
>They recoil as your burning eyesockets turn upon them.
>You laugh once more, energy rolling off of you.
“Come, ponies! Pursue me. See if you can stand against the inevitability of fate.”
>You disappear into the shadows, appearing further ahead.
>Drawing them to the trap will be easy, as they desperately attempt to catch up, eager to bring you to justice.
>Your laughter echoes as you guide them further down the rabbit hole.
>You slink from the shadows behind them, casting a meager bolt of arcane energy.
>The frantic Rarity blocks it with a rock, which shatters on impact.
“Come now, can’t you ponies offer some real resistence?”
>Applejack charges forwards, and you melt back into the darkness
>As you reappear just to her right, you can make out her frustrated retort.
>”If’n you’d hold still, I’d show ya some real resistence!”
>You scoff, placing a hand on her flank.
“You expect me to play fair?”
>She shrieks as you give her a slight shock
“How quaint.”
>You laugh at their pitiful resistence as you fade back into the darkness.
>You’ve got them now, hook-line-and-sinker.
>They would follow, and quickly.
>All according to your plans, as the sun is beginning its descent once more.
>You return to your tower, and watch as they exit the forest into the blighted clearing around your tower.
“Do you like what I’ve done with the place?”
>Your voice never raises above a calm, low tone, but they hear it clear as day.
“I felt so disgusted with the over-abundance of life, I decided to improve it.”
>Their horror radiates off of them in palpable waves.
>”You.. You monster!”
“Twilight Sparkle, you wound me!”
>You recoil dramatically, pulling your hand across yourself
“I am far more than any petty ‘Nightmare Moon’ you may have encountered. Unending night? No, I think on a more grand scale…”
>You spread your arms wide, and the trees begin to decay before the ponies eyes
“I will crush all life on this planet…”
>You sweep your hands out, and cackle madly
“.. And there is nothing you, nor your princesses, can do to stop me.”
>They do not need any more motivation, but you add incentive.
>A great sphere of pulsing magical energy begins to form above you.
>A Negative Energy pulse, one which would kill all living creatures in a miles radius.
>A large, extremely costly spell.
>You simply need to make them rush through your tower to try and stop you.
>As they enter, you abandon the spell.
>You couldn’t cast it in time anyways.
>The accumulated energy cascades over you, rotting your robes and strengthening your form.
>You turn, the setting sun casting long shadows over your tower.
>Rainbow Dash arrives first, only staying with her friends at their warning.
>Twilight knows you’re powerful, and won’t risk Rainbow’s life.
>How predictable.
>The other five arrive in time, and look at you with determination.
“Good, good. You’re all here, at long last.”
>The staircase they had climbed is covered in a thick, black mass, the shadows forming a solid, ebony wall.
“Predictably, you took the bait and stand before me.”
>Green flames come alight from your hands, licking up your fingers.
“Honestly, I am surprised you have survived as long as you have. You are too brash to see the ploys I have laid,”
>You float into the air as Rainbow Dash falters in the air, suddenly woozy.
“You are not adequately intelligent to keep from rushing headlong into a trap,”
>Twilight’s eyes widen as she realizes the depths of their situation.
“And, to top it all off, you ponies are too weak of will to even destroy your enemies!”
>Darkness all about the shadows of the towers crown writhes, as the sun finally sets.
“I do hope you are not afraid of the dark. I would hate for this to be so easy.”
>Arcane lightning lances from your fingers at the six assembled ponies.
>They scatter like rats, and with a diabolical laugh, you soar down and land among them.
>You scream in the Black language, ordering them to experience pain.
>Their cries of horrified agony join your caustic laughter, as you enjoy their final moments.
“Come now! Are your kind so pathetic as to not even fight back when challenged?”
>You spin around, and launch a massive fireball at Fluttershy.
>She only stares onwards in fear, being knocked out of the way by a diving Rainbow Dash.
>Rainbow Dash takes the attack full-on, and flies across the roof, slaming into the raised lip that runs around your spire
“Such loyalty! Such sacrifice!”
>You conjure up another attack, ready to kill Rainbow Dash.
“Your futility amuses me.”
>You raise your right hand, hateful energies dancing about it.
“Time to die, mortal beast.”
>You point your fingers at Rainbow Dash, and a thin, red line lances forwards.
>”No!”
>Your arm is knocked out of the way, as you slide away, the beam going wide.
>Pinkie Pie looks at you with utter loathing.
>You can’t help but feel bemusement at this act.
“You delay the inevitable, creature.”
>You reach out and put a hand on Pinkies head before she can react.
“Let me show you.”
>Pinkie Pie is shivers violently as your hands become colder than ice, her teeth chattering comically loud.
>You backhand the horse, sending her flying with the enhanced magical strike.
“You are pathetic.”
>You look around as Rainbow Dash slowly rises, Twilight busy seeing to Fluttershy.
>You look at them, and tilt your head.
>Fluttershy is staring at you, a potent intensity to her gaze.
>”You hurt Rainbow Dash.”
>Her words are as leaden as the vampires casket lid
>She rises on her wings to meet your eyes.
>Her will is stronger than any other individual you have ever locked minds with.
>Impressive.
>”Sit. Down.”
>She demands, and you feel a strong compelling suggestion worming its way into your mind.
“Most impressive.”
>You lean in closer.
“But not impressive enough.”
>This is a clash of wills, and you fold your arms across your chest.
“I have faced down more powerful rebukes than this.”
>She does not blink.
>”I don’t give a flying feather if you have. You will sit down.”
>You lower your position in the air slightly, stopping yourself before you comply.
>Did she just…
>No. You bow to no god, mortal, or entity otherwise.
“You think to best me, creature?”
>You scoff
“You can hardly overcome your own fear to save your friends.”
>She still hasn’t blinked, but has slowed her flapping.
>You’re getting to her as well, but she is determined, almost as determined as you are.
“You think anything you do matters? You spend your life working with animals who will pass away after living a meaningless existence.”
>”And you live any better, alone, hating everything that tries to befriend you? Set. Yourself. Down.”
>You feel your feet brush the towers floor.
“You fight against the inevitable. Death comes to all, nothing you do will be remembered.”
>Her eyes are watering, but she won’t back down.
“You are nothing. You will always be nothing.”
>”Atleast I will die with friends around me.”
“I have power. Fickle friends are of no use.”
>”You have no meaning to your existence either, you persue meaningless goals.”
”Your work means nothing in the end; your very civilization will crumble to dust. What is one pony, babysitting useless animals?”
>”Value of a small animal is no less than the value of a pony.”
”They have no value, and no use. They are maggots, parasites.”
>”They still give more than you ever have.”
>Your will matches her, blow for blow.
>You have never before gotten into a battle of wits so intense, even when you were living, you always managed to come out on top.
>Now?
>You have finally met a peer.
“Fluttershy, you cannot hope to prevail. I am a thousand years your elder, a thousand years your superior.”
>”Your age means nothing when it is as empty as your heart.”
“I could crush you with narry a thought, weakling.”
>”Then why don’t you?”
>You feel your will shake, you’re having a hard time.
>But so is she.
“Gods have bowed to my will before. No mortal horse will break me, from now until the end of existence.”
>”I don’t need to break you. Not alone.”
>You stop, your mind reeling.
>”Not when my friends are here.”
>You recoil, and finally see that the six are assembled before you.
>The air grows warm
>They rise into the air.
>No..
>NO!
>Not again.
>You will not accept destruction
>You will not accept defeat.
>A bright white light blasts from them, banishing the shadows.
>You have been out-witted by a small, yellow Pegasis and her pony friends.
>You scream, as the rainbow blast flies over you.
>You can feel your time running out.
>This diabolical, obbressive light snuffs out all shadows.
>You cannot escape, no matter what you do.
>Your time is up, and you are-
>Wait.
>You feel something in the Shadows.
>Something massive.
>You latch on to it.
>It is beyond powerful.
>You take your gambit, and call upon it, willing the shadow beast into this world.
>For a split second, there is a sliver of whipping tendrils of darkness.
>A small tear, but it is enough.
>You slip into the shadow world, just as the Elements collide with you.
>The pain hurts to your very core, and you can feel a tremble in your mind.
>But that is nothing compaired to what you see before you.
>Out of the pan, into the fire, so to speak.
>You have called upon a venerable god of the Dark.
>Your use of the Shadow realm has called it from the abyss, and now it looks upon you.
>You jumped blindly into the only safe-haven you have, and now you’re trapped in here.
>You recoil, and try to leave.
>You grip for the small cut in reality, and pull yourself out as fast as you can.
>With an explosion of energy, you arrive back just as the Elements finish their work.
>You feel the massive impact of energy, and are floored, part of you rocked by the magical superweapon.
>You look up, as an Alicorn of deep dark black looks down at you, orbs teal, laced with the touch of darkness.
>You have pulled a manifestation of Darkness into Equestria.
>“Aaah… This is much better.”
>This towering Alicorn looks down upon the six ponies assembled before the two of you.
>”I must thank you six. If not for your actions, I would never have been drawn out.”
>You look up at her, a small part wondering who it is that stands before you.
>You rise, levitating into the air and setting yourself back down.
>”Oh, my dear little ponies. I am so glad you have done what you have. Perhapse, when my reign begins, I shall take you as my pets..”
>This fiend seeks to take your world?
>You have been planning for so long, you just escaped destruction, and now this primordial brute wants to take your hard work over?
“Vile creature, you have trespassed against me.”
>Tendrils of darkness lick at your form like a jealous lover beckoning you back to bed.
>”You dare speak down to Nyx? Effigy of Evil? Dark heart of Equestria? I am the eternal evil of this land!”
“Not anymore you’re not.”
>She laughs
>”We shall see, foolish mage. I have better things now that I am free. Fare well, you shall need your strength.”
>The Alicorn of darkness takes wing.
>You do not retaliate, you’re weak as is, and are in no position to challenge that kind of power.
>”A.. Anon?”
>You wheel around, looking at the six ponies.
>For some reason, they’re… Smiling.
>Fluttershy approaches slowly.
>You turn your baleful gaze upon her, spite thick in your mind.
>”Are you alright?”
>You pause.
>”I’m so sorry for using the… Stare, on you.”
>You are unsure what is going on, but you have begun to piece it together.
>The others look at you hopefully, and you realize what they’re thinking.
>You survived the blast.
>A manifestation of Darkness appeared in the aftermath.
>They believe that their elements stripped the darkness from you.
“I…”
>Yes. This will do nicely.
“I must beg for your forgiveness instead, Fluttershy.”
>You have bigger problems. You can destroy the Elements later.
“When Nyx possessed me, I was not under my full control.”
>They take your lie well.
“Please, let me help make this right. Let me help undo my damage. Let me…”
>Now to place everything on this one choice of words.
“.. Let me prove I am worthy of this kindess.”
>They buy it, as easily as it was to lure them up here.
>You have bought time, time to better prepare.
>Time to deal with another threat to your power.
>Now, you finally have some time to kill.
>This poor excuse for an evil entity, Nyx, seeks to dominate your new world?
>Let her try.
>You are Anonymous the Lich.
>And you will kill this pathetic excuse for a demon.