Dark Ages

Dark Ages is a fan fiction written by Krashface and submited on fimfiction and devianart. In the story, is tell the story of the Resistance ( led by Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and some other characters ) against the tyrannical Black Nova (ie Twilight Sparkle, which has been corrupted by black magic).

Summary
Since the beginning of the story, it's clear ​​what happens: after Black Nova has taken the place of Celestia (after having defeated and made her disappear), the reign of the ponies fell into a Dark Age, in which the corruptionis spreading in the souls and a terrible disease, the crystallization, is killing those who live under the rule of the tyrant. Even  s he. After spending a painful night by being helped to remove some crystals that had grown on one of her sides, she decided to call a meeting with her faithful general, to discuss on the what to do and knowing that, now, she don't have much more time to live.

In the meantime, in the  griffin  kingdom, the Resistance groups are doing the same thing, knowing that the tyrant is now weak and easy to attack. Here is find out that Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are in charge of some of the major resistance groups, and they all have their problems. As a fifth member, there is a changeling, Iràscor, the current king of the changeling alliance to maintain the independence of his people. During the meeting, Applejack says she wants to take part of the C rystal E mpire, so as to get the exchange resources and slow down the economic activities of Black Nova. In addition, much to the amazement of those present, the mare decided to call in aid the Yaks (a move seen by all as unwise, considering their mettle). After a brief but heated discussion, the leaders of the resistance and accept send Pinkie to report that the attack is imminent. After a long journey to the Yakyakhistan, Pinkie starts searching a yak named Gorghonan Halfhorn, leader of the gelid horns.Once found, however, the yak communicate to wait until evening, to discuss the matters relating to the attack on the Empire. Meanwhile, Nova announced that the magician / inventor of the court created a new serum against the crystallization, thus slowing it down and donate a few months more of life. Unfortunately, even the Queen knows that this is not enough, and discusses it with one of his guards, who instead tries to comfort her. As they talk, a ray of sunlight enters in the room where the two are, and the tyrant, for a moment, think and remember the old days with nostalgia, but then she quickly recovers and, with her magic, closes again the clouds ( pegasus don't have anymore the domain on the sky porcion arond Canterlot, Ponyville and the Everfree Forest ). The same evening, Pinkie and the yaks discuss the about the attack, while celebrating the anniversary of the death of the old king and the ascent to the throne of Rutherford, their new king. So, the next day, the battle begins, and at the gates of the Empire is unleashes the turmoil. In the bloody feud, it's  also  involved one of the generals of Nova, Opal Splinter, who with her army tries to stop the invaders, but is forced to flee. Thus, the goal of Applejack is done, but the Yaks want to continue and decide that they want to take the entire empire, earning the crystalline tower, with the full disapprove of Applejack, but can not do anything if you do not limit the damage of the barbarians yak.

Arriving at the tower, Opal Splinter and her remaining forces are now terrified and, when the yaks attack, are easily washed away. Gorghonan wants the head of Opal, but Applejack tells him he has to stop now, because they have won more than what they've prescribed.

But the yak is too stubborn, and then decide that he want to make the Pegasus come out by torching some houses. Applejack is fed up, and attacks Gorghonan that, while  is about to attack  Applejack, is hit by an arrow of Opal, dying instantly.

The pegasus tries to escape, but is intercepted by a powerful blow Iràscor.

Withheld by the changeling, one of the yaks decides to break her wings, making her scream of pain and, fortunatelly, she isn't executed thanks to Applejack who decide to make the general live, and then the latter writes a message to Nova, who had problems in Tartarus, the great shmity of her army.

Here, a creature of great power has destroyed part of the machinery, and managed to escape. What frightens the tyrant is, however, is if the creature in question is a well known pony who shy locked up there a lot of years before.

Fortunately for her, it isn't what she think, and then breathing a sigh of relief, but then receive the letter of Opal and unleash her fury.

Days later, after Opal Splinter was able to return to Canterlot and be healed, the Pegasus is heavily and badly scolded by Ragnarhog, the strongest general of Nova, a being like an anthropomorphic pig and with the mania of the glory of war, coming from a distant land called Phaminae.

In defense of Opal, we are also Black Blitz and Golden Hoof and, the latter, headbutts on the snout of the big pig, making him go to his tent, outside the castle.

Here, the Hog (the name of his race to Equestria) writes a letter to his king changeling, complaining of the tyranny of Nova, torvandola inefficient. After the message is sended with a magical flame (designed by Nova for faster delivery of messages to distant places), Ragnarhog receives a letter with a mysterious phrase: Rragash amdar ferok, Ragenohger.

After reading the letter, a guard says he was convocated by Nova, but then the Hog finds out that he was tricked and that his letter has disappeared.

In fact, the letter was taken from false guard and taken by Rarity, but fails to translate, although it is the largest expert in languages ​​as well as the criptografa resistance.

Ironically, one of Diamond Dog understands what language the message is written, which is the language changeling, but does not understand what is written.

Thus, the elegant horse decides he wants to leave for the land of Iràscor, and ask him directly what the message means.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is located in her house in the clouds, to mourn and remember what happened years before to Fluttershy that, sadly and because of crystallization, committed suicide behind her cottage.

A few days later, Rarity and feel of its Diamond Dog arrived in the kingdom of changelings, a shadowy realm and barren. Entered the main city of the changeling, the mare must reach the summit of Peak wrong, where the fortress iràscor.

Once inside, the place is rather disturbing and decadent, and feel the presence of something that looks. Slowly, she descends into the depths of the castle, arriving in a tunnel of green  and gluey  slime.

After complaining of the place and the fact that it were smearing her clothes, she is chought of surprise by Iràscor, that scares her.

After fifteen minutes of screaming terror by the queen of the drama, the two start to discuss about the message in the sanctuary created for the previous three queens (Erestra, Cocoonia and Chrysalis), but the changeling informs Rarity that the translation will take some time, because the message is written in ancient changeling.

Output from the fortress, she decides to go back, but her Diamond Dogs ask her if they can spend a few minutes there, before go back at theyr dean, and Rarity accepts, telling them not to be late.

Too bad that time passes and the sun goes down, but of her companions even  the shadow  isn't seen. Thus, the mare starts looking for them, coming to the local brothel and finding them with some prostitutes.

Thus, after being beaten a little, she take them and then go away.

Days later, at his hideout, Rainbow Dash was waiting to inform her of a very important fact: a prisoner of the Tartarus managed to escape, bringing the fact that Nova was worried that, to escape, was an alicorn. Rarity, however, is suspicious, but the pony confirms what he said showing the great  blue  necklace of Luna .Suddenly, the mare writes a letter to Applejack, telling het it was time to attack the Tartarus.

Meanwhile, Ragnarhog managed to capture the fake guard and torture him, making reveal the hiding of Rarity and Applejack.

That evening, Applejack and his army of rebels set off, but are attacked by the forces of the Golden Hoof and a battle. Applejack and Winona face the big pony, but the poor dog is killed while defending his mistress. Enraged, Applejack hits over and over Golden Hoof, knocking him out and then forcing the soldiers of General Nova to help him and to retire, but barring the way.

Shortly after, Applejack tells to one of her soldiers to inform the rest of the rebells about the fact, while crying her trusty friend.

Characters
Apart the Cannon characters like Applejack, Rainbow Dash etc. who appear in the story, the autor have create some new characters:


 * Opal Splinter:  Black Nova 's   youngest   general, she is a diamond pegasus, and is in command of the forces of the Crystal Empire. Temperamentally, she isn't strong as his companions, and often she panics or is silenced by Ragnarhog.  She have a great ability in air combat and in the use of the bow.


 * Black Blitz: the eldest of the generals, as well as the strategist of the group. It is the superintendent of New Cloudsdale, as well as a great veteran of many wars. is contrary about Ragnarhog, which he sees as a huge, stupid animal.


 * Golden Hoof: the most loyal generals of Black Nova, as well as his right arm. He is a very big earth pony, wearing a heavy armor and a metal plate on his wound on half of the head (caused by a previous encounter with Winona). Like the other general, he doesn't like Ragnarhog, and has many suspicions about him.


 * Ragnarhog: a giant anthropomorphic pig, stronger and bigger than a Diamond Dog and just as deadly. He comes from the distant land of Phaminae, a barren land ruled by an ancient  changeling   king with ongoing contacts. He is in Equestria not for reasons of its own, but as a "bargaining chip" by his sovereign. Throughout the story, he has proven to hate the politics of Black Nova, calling it weak and inadequate, as well as the queen.


 * Iràscor: the current changeling sovereign, and leader of the Infidus Locusts. He is the "brother" (not in the genetical way someone could think) of Chrysalis, but contrary to his sister he is a grumpy and solitary individual, who is ready to flee away from the battlefield. He only seems to carry about his people, but not to the resistance.