Your Shadow (megatron x Male OC)

The Winter Lord

 "Once upon a time, the oldest of times, a time before legends, when the earth had not yet begun its wild revolutions around the great star but moved slowly as if still discovering its purpose...Once upon this time, there was only north and south.

In the north, there was only winter, and in the south, only summer. In the north, even the brightest days were as twilight, while in the south, the midnight moon shared the sky with the sun. The myriad cities of this bright summer hemisphere answered to countless kings, but the north...the north knew only one: a fierce warrior they called The Winter Lord.

The north had seen its share of princes and kings, but all were destroyed, all were crushed beneath the icy blades of the Winter Lord's chariot. No one knew whence came the warrior in the long white cloak with his hair as black as night, nor was it known when his rise to power begun, yet every man, every woman and child understood that with the thundering of his war elk's ironclad hooves came destruction...despair, and death most terrible. Some questioned if his men were at all and not demons freed from the spits of hell.

The Winter Lord's council consisted of only one: a witch woman by the name of Hecate. in the throne room of the Winter Lord's tower, Hecate sat beside him whispering secrets behind long white fingers. She lurked in the corners of his banquet hall, a white shadow who saw all. And when the Winter Lord went away to battle, Hecate could be seen at the topmost window of the keep, muttering strange incantations as the wind screamed through her silver hair. What council did the witch give the great warrior that made her so valuable?

What could one woman's verses mean to the man who ruled atop the world? Everything, in fact, for though the Winter Lord possessed strength and battle courage, no man could predict the outcome of the field. But Hecate could. The enemy might hide his hands, but Hecate could count the rings on every finger all the same. And Hecate could break those fingers from a hundred miles away.

Her magic-as magic does-came with a price. This price was often cruel to pay. The greater the magic, she would say, the greater the cost. "Bring me the head of your favorite elk," she might command, "and you will crush your enemy before the sun rises." The Winter Lord would do as she asked. "Grind your most precious jewels into dust, and there can be no doubt of your victory," She would say, and the Winter Lord would do as she instructed. The sacrifices required of him often gave the Winter Lord cause to hesitate, but for every sacrifice he had made, he had been repaid ten times over.

When he remembered this, he would bring Hecate whatever she requested, and thus his rule over the north was secured. And once he had acquired the north, he set his sights upon the south. But victory did not come so easily in the summerlands. He did not understand the terrain. His soldiers were not prepared for the heat, and the sun blinded them. He claimed many cities to be sure, but for all his power, he could not hold them. Soon, he was driven back to his frozen fortress humiliated and enraged.

"You have handed me many victories in battles past and all the north is mine," he said to Hecate, "But still I have not won the south." he fumed. "No, you have not," agreed Hecate. "you know how it can be done," seethed the Winter Lord, "and yet you have not told me. Why?"

"Indeed, it can be done," Said Hecate, "And no, I have not shared the way with you. Because-as with all things-such a way does not come freely. And this time the price is surely more than you can pay." That angered the Winter Lord, "How dare you presume!" shouted the Winter Lord. "Name this price or die where you stand!" 

"very well," Said the witch, and with a smile she continued. "Find eight children pure of heart. Their innocence must be certain. And while they still live, cut out their hearts. Then bring their hearts to me along with their bones, and stain your cloak with their blood."