Rainbow stared in horror at the scene before her. There was the Doom Slayer, his back to her, Rarity, and Applejack, surrounded by dozens of snarling Timber Wolves. Nearly invisible when in the forest, it was small wonder that even Rainbow hadn't seen them during her flyover a moment ago. Rainbow had only briefly encountered the creatures herself, and only on one occasion. But that had been more than enough to cement their presence in her nightmares. They were elementals that only lived in the Everfree Forest. With bodies formed of living wood, they existed only to hunt, and kill, and were nearly impossible to destroy. While it was possible to break apart their physical bodies with a strong enough blow, they, like all elemental creatures, were actually composed of energy. Thusly even if you were to smash their body to smithereens it was only a matter of time before they returned. In fact as far as Rainbow knew, it was impossible to permanently kill them, and now a pack of almost fifty of them had Derran surrounded.
"What are we going to do?!" Rainbow whispered to herself. Derran may have defeated the dragons, but how could he win against an opponent that couldn't die? "We gotta help him!" She hissed getting ready to spring to her friend's aid.
"Lady Dash do not come any closer!" The Doom Slayer's commanding tone alone was enough to cause Rainbow to freeze in her tracks. "I appreciate your wish to help, but if you attempt to aid me you shall only get in my way." Rainbow's pride stung a little at that comment, and she was about to argue but Derran cut her off. "I mean no disrespect Lady Dash, but my fighting style is most effective when I fight alone. If you or your companions move from where you currently stand I may accidentally harm you. Please, if you truly wish to assist me, then stay where you are, and do not move!" Derran unlocked his helmet from his belt, placing it over his head, twisting to lock it in place, and seal the suit. Glaring at his enemy Derran mentally sent the chainsaw back into the extradimensional armory till next he needed it. Rainbow was certain he would call out the weapon Scootaloo had mentioned, the one capable of turning over ten dragons into vapor. She was shocked, and horrified, when he chose to charge them with only his fists.
The wolves, who had been waiting quietly up to that point, all moved as one. Snarling, and yapping they answered the Doom Slayer's charge with their own. Leaping over root's, and crashing through bushes the wolves hurtled toward the lone combatant who had the temerity to challenge them in their own realm. The two sides may not have been able to communicate, but they understood each other all the same, the winner would be the one who survived. Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity watched the fight begin as if it was happening in slow motion. For an eternity the Doom Slayer and the wolves moved toward one another. Every detail seemed infinitely sharp and crisp, the earth thrown into the air by the scrabbling claws of the wolves. The cloud of wood dust shaken from the Doom Slayer's armor as his boots struck the ground. Even the last sparkling dewdrops on the leaves of the trees and moss. With agonizing slowness the two sides moved inexorably toward each other, and time seemed to crawl at a snail's pace, then they met, and the battle became a blur. . .
Derran felt his armored fist collide with the lead wolf smashing it into a cloud of twigs, and leaves. Letting his momentum carry him forward, the Doom Slayer snapped his knee up into another of the creatures lower jaw. Sending its headless body crashing through several of it's kin. Derran didn't pause to see the result, as he turned left then right to deliver a hammerblow each to a pair of wolves that had turned to flank him. Another wolf leapt toward Derran from the front, only to be caught in mid air by the throat, and hurled into its fellows in one swift movement. Running into the breach he had created, Derran whipped around to face the direction he had been coming, his hand extended. With a crack of displaced air, a leaping wolf found itself muzzle to muzzle with the Doom Slayer's shotgun. Blowing away the surprise elemental, Derran quickly brought the weapon's buttstock to his shoulder. Pumping the forestock, the Doom Slayer shattered another of the monsters with a quick blast of buckshot, as he jumped backward. Rapidly cocking and firing the weapon, Derran never stopped moving as he continued to shatter wolf after wolf. Noticing a group of the monsters packed together, the Doom Slayer pressed a small button just above his index finger on the forestock, and pulled the trigger. A burning three inch long projectile struck the ground between the tightly clustered creatures, before exploding with a loud bang. Four of the wolves were blown into flaming wooden shards, while a fifth lost it's front legs, before being engulfed in flame with an unearthly scream.
Charging forward, Derran shoulder checked another wolf, and sent it hurtling into a tree where it was reduced to kindling. Then, stopping for an instant, Derran swatted another wolf from the air with his fist as it jumped toward him. The brief distraction seemed to be a lucky break for one of the creatures, as it leapt onto the Doom Slayer's back, to begin biting futilely at his armoured neck. Ignoring the unwelcome hitchhiker for the moment. Derran destroyed two wolves on either side of himself by conjuring his super shotgun to his left hand, and throwing his arms out to the side. Firing the two guns into the open jaws of his flankers, the Doom Slayer returned the super shotgun to the Aether, before cocking the regular one again. Finally granted a second of breathing room, Derran reached over his shoulder to grab the wolf clinging to his back by the scruff of it's neck. Pulling the frantically struggling beast over his right shoulder, the Doom Slayer hurled the offending creature to the ground, before unceremoniously stomping it's head into the dirt.
Rainbow was in awe. Never in her life had she seen a display of such power or skill. The wolves that had been so terrifying a moment ago, now seemed like ants before an unstoppable titan. The boom of the Doom Slayer's weapons filled the air, each blast marking the destruction of another foe. Rainbow felt fear, but it was nothing next to the sheer wonder she felt at this display of strength, and speed, married together in a beautiful dance of annihilation. The Doom Slayer knew no fear, he had no equal, he was death incarnate, and none would escape his judgment. . . it was the single coolest thing Rainbow had ever seen.
Applejack didn't know what to feel. Terror at the sight of a being who seemed the very avatar of war itself? Awe at seeing a level of physical might that defied mortal limits? Horror at the callous manner with which this entity took life without thought or care? Perhaps relief that this creature was an ally? She didn't know, she couldn't even begin to know. As she watched a question she had heard long ago flitted through her mind. "What do you fear more, death, or its herald?"
Rarity was afraid, more than she had ever been before. Such power, such fury, such unimaginable violence. Could this truly be the creature that Rainbow had brought them to meet? Surely not, this was no hero, he was a monster, a beast, an unholy creature from the darkest depths of Tartarus! As she watched him fight she felt sheer terror at the thought that this thing, had been in close proximity to her sister, and friends. Rarity trembled as she considered what destruction such a creature might wreak upon all she held dear. She wanted more than anything to run, but her limbs had been turned to lead by an all consuming terror. Then, her emotions reached a crescendo as she felt herself faint. . .
Derran charged forward, firing his shotgun as fast as he could, refusing to slow as he crashed through a wall of enemies, scattering them like bowling pins. However his movements were far from random. Every dodge, twist, and turn, had been a concerted effort to both move these foes away from the three mares hiding nearby, and set the enemy up for a decisive finishing blow. Unfortunately, just as the Doom Slayer was positioned to deliver that blow, a new complication arose. Another wolf, much larger than the others, had appeared seemingly from nowhere, and was now charging toward him. Before Derran could even wonder where it had come from, he received his answer. The wolves he had thought defeated, had begun to literally rise again, only now in a new and improved form. Before the Doom Slayer's eyes, the twigs, and leaves that made up the bodies of his fallen foes, began to glow a poisonous green. Rising from the forest floor, the glowing detritus began combining together like an unholy jigsaw puzzle. The creature that was formed as a result, was at least three times larger than the beasts that it had originally been, and Derran cursed mentally. He might have known this had been too easy. Still, as he watched two more of the creatures rise, he took note of something that implied a method by which victory might be achieved.
With less than fifteen of the smaller wolves remaining, Derran prepared to test his hypothesis. Taking aim at the charging figure of the closest giant canine, Derran fired an explosive shot straight at its center mass. With a hideous shriek, the creature was blown apart. Bursting into flames, as the heat of the projectile's detonation encountered the dry twigs and pitch that composed its being. Punching, kicking, and blasting the monster's lesser kin, the Doom Slayer watched the burning remains of his erstwhile foe. Unfortunately, just as his theory was confirmed, Derran discovered that despite his enemies savage appearance, they had some primitive understanding of tactics. A series of howls was all the warning the Doom Slayer got, before he was literally buried by enemy reinforcements. Scores of wolves, no doubt waiting nearby for the signal, jumped onto Derran from all directions, driving him down by sheer weight of numbers. Unable to see, and unwilling to risk the possibility of injuring the three mares nearby by firing blindly, the Doom Slayer decided on a risky strategy. Conjuring a syphon grenade into his left hand, he braced himself before hurling it to the ground at his feet. Gritting his teeth so as not to cry out, Derran dealt with the searing agony of having his lifeforce ripped out of his physical being, before being instantly forced back in. It was an experience akin to being flayed alive from the inside out, but it did the job admirably, as the majority of foes covering him turned to lifeless grey dust.
Rising from the ashes of his fallen enemies, the Doom Slayer banished his shotgun back to the armory, as he had no more need of it in this fight. Backing up slowly, Derran found himself ringed by the remaining wolves. Just as planned they were in the perfect position, it was time to end this. Jumping high into the air Derran angled his feet, before using his jump boots to push off of thin air into an elegant back flip. Landing atop the pile of cut logs he had made earlier, Derran thrust his open hands out before him. Two almost simultaneous cracking noises preceded the arrival of a heavy assault rifle in his right hand, and a plasma rifle in his left. Bringing them up to his sides Derran engaged the micro missiles for the assault rifle, before opening fire. Wolves exploded and burned en masse, as they were struck by a ceaseless barrage of missiles, and superheated plasma. Screams and howls filled the air, as the monsters died in droves, and the air became thick with smoke, and the smell of burning wood. Rotating in place atop his vantage point, the Doom Slayer spared none of his foes. Casually adjusting the aim of one weapon or the other to cut off any of the creatures trying to flee. One of the larger wolves, maddened by pain and rage, managed to hurl it's burning form through the deadly fusillade to jump at the Doom Slayer. This suicidal attempt at vengeance failed, as Derran disintegrated the unfortunate creature with a casual shot from the plasma rifle's underslung heat blast unit. Then suddenly, it was over. Here and there a few small fires burned, but other than that the only movement was of the gently swaying trees in the wind, the only sounds, the pops and hisses of burning wood. Jumping down from his perch Derran glanced over at Rainbow Dash, still sitting enraptured by his performance.
"Lady Dash" He said as calmly as if discussing the price of tea. "I think it would be best to put out these fires before they spread. Might I impose upon you to fetch us a storm cloud or two?"
Rainbow blinked a few times before registering that Derran had been addressing her.
"Oh, uh, no problem, right away Derran." She replied zipping off to gather the clouds she needed.
Derran dismissed his weapons, and was about to remove his helmet when some movement caught his eye. A partially intact Timber Wolf head opened its mouth to let out a miserable, agonized whine. Its body reduced to ash and cinders, it would never rise again. Derran regarded the creature's pain filled eyes for only a moment before raising his booted foot, and ending its existence for good.
Rarity woke to the smiling faces of Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, and she felt relief flood through her body. She was home in Carousel Boutique lying on her couch.
"Ya'll right Rare?" Applejack asked smiling.
Rarity nodded before putting the back of her hoof to her forehead.
"Oh darling I just had the most dreadful dream. We had just gotten back from Manehattan, when Rainbow said she wanted to introduce us to some legendary stallion. Only when we met him he was some kind of monster! Oh it was awful, thank goodness it was only a nightmare." Rarity dropped her hoof with a relieved smile only to see her friends all looking at her with slightly different expressions. Rainbow looked like she had just been insulted, Applejack looked suddenly nervous, and Twilight looked sad, but sympathetic.
"Rarity. . ." Twilight began slowly.
"Yes darling?" Rarity asked, seemingly oblivious to her friends attitudes.
Before Twilight could say anything more, A figure came through the door to the kitchen. The figure walked on two legs, and wore a suit of armor unlike anything Rarity had ever seen. Kindly ice blue eyes, stared out from a face framed by long black hair, a light beard adorning its otherwise hairless features. Holding a tray of tea, he smiled gently at Rarity, who stared at him in horrified shock.
"Ah lady Rarity, I am relieved to see you are awake, would you care for some tea?"
Rarity blinked a few times, as she processed what the creature had just asked.
I. . . I'm sorry?" She asked, her aristocratic manners, and confusion momentarily overriding her fear.
Placing the tray on the table in front of the couch, the creature continued to smile.
"After we brought you here I thought you might like something to take the edge off. I'm afraid I made a rather poor first impression on you, please accept my apologies."
Rarity instantly felt her fear start to ebb away.
"Oh, uh, think nothing of it." She said, accepting a cup of tea from the creature's hand.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly, my name is Derran Grandel, and it is a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance." He said with a polite bow.
Feeling the last vestiges of apprehension vanish, Rarity smiled.
"The pleasure is all mine mister Grandel, and I too must apologize for my utterly uncouth behaviour toward you. I do hope you can forgive me."
Returning her smile Derran gave a polite nod.
"Of course milady, I know I can be a bit. . . off putting, at times. Your reaction was quite understandable."
If at that moment somepony had asked Rarity why Derran had frightened her so much a moment ago, she would honestly have been unable to answer.
"Well, that took a lot less time than I thought it would." Rainbow remarked.
Stormfang entered the cave in a foul mood. Glaring at the rough hewn rock walls he recalled the conversation between him, and the so-called Dragon Lord.
"You are staying here Stormfang." Ember declared calmly.
Stormfang stopped in the middle of his rant about how he intended to demand satisfaction from Princess Twilight's upstart pet for the insult to his draconic pride. Glaring at Ember, he had to struggle to resist bearing his fangs at her in challenge.
"Ember you can't be serious! My pride has been injured and I demand-" Ember cut him off with a look of pure anger.
"SILENCE!!" She roared. "First off, it's 'Dragon Lord' Ember, and second, I don't give a half eaten sapphire about your pride!"
"How can you say such a thing the dragon way is-" Stormfang was cut off again as he was enveloped in a red aura that made his body turn completely numb for an instant.
"ENOUGH, it may have escaped your notice Stormfang, but things have changed! I am in charge, and I am the one who decides what is and is not the 'dragon way'! I have tried time, and again, to explain how the changes I intend to bring will create a grand new future for us, but you are constantly refusing to listen! All you want is to keep things the way they were, full of destruction, hate, and greed! You see no strength in cooperation, or tolerance, even when the evidence is right in front of you, all you see is weakness, and capitulation to an enemy that is not even there!" Ember declared angrily.
"Your father-" Stormfang began before Ember silenced him with a glare.
"My father has already heard my proposal, and has given it his blessing. He may value strength but at least he is able to see that there is more than one kind of strength. I dislike using commands in place of persuasion, but I feel you are leaving me no choice. Thus I am ordering you to remain here, and await my return, am I understood?" She stated coldly.
Stormfang clenched his claws so tight they drew blood, just barely resisting the urge to tear Ember's throat out.
"Yes." He said through gritted teeth.
"Yes what?" Ember demanded sternly, wanting to make certain the point was driven home.
"Yes Dragon Lord Ember." Stormfang said, resisting the impulse for violence with a herculean effort of will.
Ember nodded as she stepped down from the stone slab that served as her throne, and spread her wings. With one last look of warning she jumped up and started flying toward Equestria, as Stormfang glared at her retreating form with undisguised hatred.
Stormfang had set out shortly after to a long forgotten cave at the edge of the dragon lands, the blood in his veins burning like acid at the injustice of it all. Now entering the cave Stormfang passed angrily through a cunningly crafted illusion made to look like just another side of the cave. Beyond the illusion the cave's dark grey walls became covered in a hard black resin leading to a large chamber lit with a sinister green glow. Stormfang hated this place, it smelled like a pony that had rolled around in smashed insects, and the glow that suffused the cave made his head hurt.
"Well, well, well," Spoke a sickly sweet voice. "Look who came to visit, my dear ally Stormfang, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Stormfang bristled at the sound of the voice as it's owner came into view, her insectile wings buzzing faintly.
"Don't take that tone with me bug, I am not your ally, I am your superior!" Stormfang snarled.
Queen Chrysalis gave a bow anypony else might have recognized as mocking.
"But of course most esteemed dragon Stormfang, forgive me, just a slip of the tongue. What can this humble Queen do for you?" She asked smoothly.
Deciding to ignore the changeling's disrespect for her betters, Stormfang glared down at her as he spoke.
"I want a report on your progress." He demanded.
Chrysalis gave the dragon a sly smile.
"Nearly everything is in place, assuming your dragons have retrieved everything I asked for?"
Stormfang gave a curt nod.
"They have, however there is a new problem."
Chrysalis's eyes flashed for an instant before returning to their previous state of mild interest.
"Oh really, and what would that be?" She asked calmly.
"That weakling princess you mentioned, the new one."
"Twilight Sparkle?" Chrysalis asked, and again her eyes flashed with rage for a split second, though her tone remained neutral.
"Yes that one, she has some kind of creature with her she claims can kill dragons." Stormfang stated skepticism heavy in his voice.
"And is there any truth to this?" Chrysalis asked, careful to act indifferent to this news.
Stormfang gave a derisive snort.
"Of course not, the creature was pitifully small, I doubt he could handle a strong breeze, let alone the unstoppable power of a dragon."
Chrysalis nodded, careful to avoid rolling her eyes.
"Are you certain? Remember the few servants I have left can't get anywhere near Ponyville without being spotted, thanks to that wretched ward Twilight put around the town. So you need to be sure. . ."
Stormfang glared at Chrysalis with utter contempt.
"Dragons are not flawed like your kind insect, we do not make mistakes!"
Chrysalis smiled and nodded.
"Of course what was I thinking, I'm sure you're right, but still, just to be safe, I'd like you to do something for me." She said in an offhand tone.
"What?" Stormfang demanded.
Chrysalis's horn glowed as she levitated something from a nearby rock serving as a table. It was an amulet, made of the same black resin that covered the caves walls and floors. Shaped like a disc about an inch and a half across, the center of the amulet held a faintly glowing green stone, that looked similar to an eye.
"Send one of your dragons to Ponyville under cover of night, and have them place this somewhere it will be found easily by one of the residents." She said.
Stormfang reached out to take the necklace.
"More of your weakling tricks? What does this one do?" He asked irritably.
Chrysalis smiled.
"It's called a 'Changeling Eye', and it will let me see through the eyes of anypony who wears it."
"What makes you think anyone will wear it at all?" Stormfang demanded.
"To ponies, the amulet appears as their ideal accessory, and once they put it on, they'll never want to take it off." Chrysalis explained.
Stormfang shook his head.
"Just like a bug to hide and scheme, instead of crushing your enemy with true power, but very well I will see to it. Now if you have nothing else to waste my time with I am leaving."
Chrysalis watched Stormfang go before letting her mask fall away.
"After I crush the princesses, I'm going to enjoy killing you." She whispered, a cold smile adorning her face.