//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: Destruction PT. 1 (The Calm) 
// Story: The Story of Zeta 
// by Z-A-C 
//------------------------------//

"Well it looks like you're awake." The zebra said, walking closer to me with every word. I looked around and couldn't see Velvet or Ganger anywhere. He noticed me looking for them. "Oh don't worry." He said with a smile. "I'm sure your friend will make a great...dinner guest." His smile turned into a sadistic one. "We weren't sure what to do with the bug so we just threw her out." He shrugged and chuckled. "With the heat and all, I think she'll decompose in a week." He started laughing.

"I'll-!"

"You'll do what? You're chained to a wall! Face it you're helpless." He turned and started to walk away.

"You wont get away with this!"

He stopped and looked at me. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. We've had dozens that said the same thing." He walked away, laughing.

"No..." I looked at the ground in disbelief and sorrow.

"Giving up so easily are we?" I heard The Conqueror say and closed my eyes. I could see him looking at me with a strange smile.

"I...I just don't know what I can do..."

"Well it would seem that you are as helpless as he says." He said putting a hoof to his chin. "But then again, you have me." His smile grew a little wider.

"I will figure it out on my own. I wont take you help."

"Suit yourself." his smile faded a bit and he shrugged. "They are no of consequence to me. But you might want to think of something soon." He frowned and turned around. "You will not live long like this."

I wanted to argue but I knew he was right. I had too think of something fast, lest I die here.





||||Velvet's View||||


"Ugh what happened?" I said holding a hoof to my head, trying to ease the headache pain.

"You've been captured that's what happened." I jumped and looked over to where the voice came from. It was dark but I could tell it was a male. "It was easy too, you guys shouldn't have relaxed so easily." He chuckled.

"W-what are you going to do to m-me?"

"Oh, have you for dinner of course."

"B-but then why lock me up?" I asked with hope that he didn't mean it in the way I thought he did. Maybe it was some weird prank? There was a pause, like he was taken back by what I asked him. He started chuckling, which turned into low laughter.

"Oh no my dear, you're not a guest. You're part of the dinner." He lit a lantern and looked at me, licking his lips. "And you look simply divine." He said with a creepy smile. The only thing I felt I could do was-





||||Ganger's View||||


I was just regaining consciousness and the first thing I noticed was that I felt like I was being rocked back and forth. In a very unpleasant way.

"One.....two.....three!" Then before I knew it, I felt like I was floating for a few seconds. And then I realized I was falling. My eyes shot opened and I saw the rapidly approaching ground. I buzzed my wings and righted myself enough to land softer then I would have. "We forgot to tie her wings!" I heard the two that threw me shout. I looked at them with a glare and flew up as fast as I could. I caught them off guard, and threw one of them down into the pit they threw me into.

He landed with a crunch and I cringed. The other zebra was about to turn tail and run. I zapped him with a stun spell and walked over to him. I noticed that the spell hasn't taken full effect yet. "You should know better not to piss off a Changeling Soldier." His eyes rolled back and he was off to sleep. I looked around and then There was a shrill scream that filled the air and sounded like "Velvet!" I heard doors open and zebras exiting there houses. Some saw me and the zebra I just stunned and started running towards me. I jumped into the air and flew away. I had no other choice. "Don't worry guys, I'm not gonna leave you there."





||||Zeta's View


"AAAAAAAHHHHH HELP!!! HELP ME!!! HELP M-!"

I raised my head with a start. I looked around and saw the guards running out of the door. It took a few seconds, but I recognize that scream, and sounded like she was cut short. "Velvet!" I looked at the chains and started struggling against them, but to no avail. I was already angry but now I was livid. I started to imagine what they were doing to her. "No....NO!!" I saw the streak in my mane and my mane itself start to change from red and brown to dark red and black. I continued to struggle against the chains, but still nothing.

I looked down and glared at the floor. I also noticed my coat change color as well but I didn't invest too much thought into it. Everything started to get a red tint to it. "Nozebra is going to hurt my friends and nothing is going to stop me from protecting them!!" I turned around and grabbed a chain. I pulled and pulled until I finally ripped it out of the wall. "You're all going to pay!!"

There was low rumbling laughter. "Yes."





||||Ganger's View||||


There were clouds rolling in from every direction. All converging on the village I just escaped. They all met in the middle and started to slowly circle around. I looked away from the clouds and started to run into the forest. I had an idea of who could help me.

"Now, where was her den?" I heard a yell in the distance, and decided I needed to hurry. I would look for the tiger and see if she was willing to help me. I just hope I'm not too late.





||||Zeta's(?) View||||


"He escaped!" There were guards running toward me with their swords. I stomped on the ground and jagged rocks sprouted up from under the closest one, impaling him where he stand. He hadn't a chance to dodge it, it happened to fast. The other four stopped dead in their tracks. I looked at the blood pooling from the now dead zebra in front of me, and simply walked past him. I looked at the others and smiled. Two of them ran away while the other two stood there ground.

"Are you two stupid?" I asked, walking closer to them. "You should have run."

"We're not scared of you!" One of them yelled.

I stopped and looked at him. "Oh? Then why are you shaking?" I laughed. "I'll make a deal with you. Step aside and you live. Try to attack me and you die. Deal?"

"I've had enough of this!" He ran and swung his sword at me. I frowned and dodged it, kicking him in the face when he passed by me. He face planted into the ground.

I looked at him. "Hmm, that was easy." I looked at his friend. "Are you as 'brave' as him?" He rapidly shook his head, ran over to his friend, picked him up and ran off. "Smart colt." I said before I started to look for Velvet.

I searched the inside of the prison I was being held but they moved her. All I needed was for her to scream again, or something. I just needed something to tell me where she was! I walked out of the building again and looked around for a suspicious looking building. I heard yelling coming from where I remember the market area being. That seems like a good place to start.





||||Velvet's View.||||


I was regaining consciousness. I could hear commotion outside, it sounded like fighting. I looked around and noticed that it was a little darker now. I tried to move around but I was chained to the wall of the cell instead of being able to freely move. I called for help and everything stopped. For a moment it seemed like time had stopped altogether.

A minute or two passed, and I heard somepony running toward the door. I looked up, hoping it was Zeta or Ganger, but then the door opened. I saw two zebras enter and glared at me. They started to close in on me. I backed away from them until I hit the wall. The started to open the door and I screamed.





||||Zeta's(?) View||||


I was running to the market area when a group of them ambushed me. The surrounded me, everywhere I looked there was at least two of them. The whole town must've have been here.

"It isn't wise too stand in my way!"

"It doesn't matter, we're going to stop you!"

I looked at the one who spoke and cocked my head in confusion. "Why put so much effort forth to stop me?" I looked around again. "Why have this many? Fifteen?" I scoffed at them. "I'm only one stallion."

"You and your friend are our dinner! We're not just going to let you walk away!" The zebra said.

"And we'll do whatever it take to take you down." Another one said with a smug grin. "And there is no way in Tartarus that you'll take us all out!" The crowd cheered and walked closer to me, tightening the circle they had formed.

"Help!" I heard that word again. It rang out for a few seconds, and time seemed to slow down.

"Will somezebra go shut her up!?" I heard from somewhere in the crowd, and saw two break off and run toward where the voice came from.

I started to run after them, but was stopped. I tried to break through again but couldn't. "They dare not touch her!"

A zebra got in my face "Watch them." And then I heard another scream.

"VELVET!!" I roared, causing the surrounding zebras to jump back. I glared at them, and said in a voice that was not my own. "In case you have failed to realize who I am. Let me show you." I brushed my mane away from my red eye. "Do you know of The Prophesy?"

"T-that old mare's tale?" One of them said trying not to look at my eye.

"The very same. I am The Conqueror of The Three Great Nations. I am The Oncoming Storm. And I am your death!" I jumped and stomped all four hooves on the ground and we were all slowly in cased in a rock sphere, lit by a bright red light shining from the ceiling once it formed. "Bow to me know and I promise you will live. Defy me and die." I called. About five of the thirteen bowed.

I looked at them. "Leave." They obeyed and left through the openings I made. A few others tried to leave as well but they didn't get very far. I even let one of them think he had a chance and closed the opening on him. It came down on him so hard that he was left with his back side sticking up. I raised the opening a bit and saw that he was in a "V" shape. Then the two halves fell, causing some of the zebras to vomit. I smiled. "This should be fun."


||||Ganger's View||||


"Come on where are you." I thought as I looked around. It was getting dark now, or at least it is in here. I heard the bushes rustle but but little mind to it. I needed to concentrate on where I am. "Ugh where is it?"

"Where's what?" I almost jumped out of chitin and slowly turned around, but saw nothing. I continued to walk, more cautiously then before.