There will be no turning to fight; the true battle is right in front of you. The glowing crystal tree, versus all the magical power and strength of will you have in reserve. A task under a literal deadline, marked by the ever-louder approach of six voices and six sets of hooves. Setting you jaw and flattening your ears to remove distractions, you focus all your attention and dark energy onto the final crystal starburst standing in your way. One last roll of the dice stands between you, and y

Under the shadow of a broken arch, brain still buzzing and stomach still gurgling, you come to a resolution. *If I flee, I may survive. But I will never again come so close to being King.* It's not like you could live with the regrets of passing up an opportunity like this, the frustration and despair would eventually overwhelm your ability to reform. It's either conquer, or go down fighting!
Nerves steeled with this new determination, you get to your hooves, closing your eyes once more, not

While a top-up meal would be nice, if you're ever going to get anywhere as a king you've eventually got to learn how to keep actual servants and subjects around as more than breathing pantry-fillers. This wouldn't be easy without a corrupted major artifact backing your power, but surely a young mare already lust-addled and licking your cock should be no difficulty, right?
“Mmm, yes, very good there... now little mare, look up, look into my eyeessss...” Your voice is a low sibilant

Physical confrontation hasn't had the best track record for you so far. It's time to show the world once again why you were known as a sorcerer-king!
Taking a deep breath and closing your eyes, you let your mind calm from a roiling state of hunger, egotism, and ambition into a meditative state. Thoughts stilling, your awareness expands to fill your entire headspace. For the first time in a while, you are consciously perceiving the way your long black mane falls against your neck, the stone

The signs don't give you a lot to go on, in terms of the danger and opportunities in each path, so you fall back on to what's more likely to serve your ultimate aim. After all, if you mean to carve out a Kingdom, then it only makes sense that you will want a castle!
Taking the right branch of the path further into the Everfree, you keep your eyes peeled for any sign of guards. If the castle is actively occupied, it stands to reason that it would be secured. Of course, given that its in the mi

Wherever the Light of Harmony falls, there shall be cast a Shadow. And in that Darkness gyrates a pair of purple asscheeks...
*Wait, no... that's not right.... this isn't who I am!*
With the difficulty of a dreamer awakening from a drugged slumber, you drag your consciousness back into its true form. The soreness in each limb as it comes back into your awareness is enough to make you wonder, just for a second, if the effort of reconstitution was worth it. It had never come so difficultly to y