Bringing Balance

by Shumiry

Chapter 9

“It is an outrage!” Taulus shouted, the other griffins in the group murmuring their ascent. Celestia struggled not to take a step back from the enraged creature. She had known Taulus for many years. He had never been this disagreeable.
She had been worried when she saw the griffins approaching, having received no correspondence indicating a visit of any kind. Now cold fears were beginning to creep into her gut. “They will isolate you. They will turn your friends, your allies, and your subjects against you.” She couldn't help but worry that her preparations had failed.
Celestia and Luna had been working tirelessly to reforge the bonds of their alliances. Strengthening their ties with all their neighbors to minimize the risk of precisely the predicament she found herself in now. She had hoped she could diffuse the situation, to reach some kind of compromise with the irate ambassador. Her hopes were being dashed on the rocks of his stubbornness.
She cast a pleading glance towards Alion, knowing the level-headed griffin always stepped in when his superior was getting out of control. What she saw shook her to her bones. His face was one of utter unconcern. With a bored, lazy motion his gaze roamed the hall, taking in nothing. She briefly wondered if, had it not been nearly automated, the creature would even bother to continue breathing. Something was very, very wrong, and she was quickly running out of time to figure out what it was, and how to fix it.
“Our children waste away in homes hewn of crude stone, while you prance about in halls of marble and gold!”
“Taulus, you must know that we had no knowledge of your home's plight. If your conditions are so grave-” The old beast's face turned red at the insinuation,
“You would dare,” he bellowed, puffing out his chest to look as imposing as possible, “try to say that the Griffin Kingdoms require your charity?!” Celestia's lips had formed a thin line when he'd interrupted her, and her mood was growing wroth at his continued disregard for proper court etiquette.
“If you would kindly let me finish speaking,” she said, her voice strained, “I was not about to imply anything of the sort. I merely meant that if the trading agreements we established were no longer working to your satisfaction, we would gladly have met with you to discuss them.” The griffin snorted haughtily,
“Of course you would! You'd love to see us with our wings pinned wouldn't you?” The assembled ponies gasped at the impropriety of the analogy, and even Celestia blanched at the vulgar phrase. Taulus charged on, heedless,
“Come clopping on over,” there were many in the congregation with murder in their eyes, scowling down at the griffins. Several seemed to be struggling to contain their power, their horns emitting small sparks. Celestia's gaze moved through the crowd, terror building within her. What is happening to you, my little ponies? she wondered, shocked by the savagery on display.
“claiming peace and fair trade, and then wham! Next thing we know, the Griffin Kingdoms are an Equestrian principality. Well it ain't gonna happen on my watch, Princess.” Taulus' talon was pointing at Celestia, and she felt an unfamiliar anger welling up within her. This miserable little upstart is going to stand there and lecture me about what's fair!? Maybe a few minutes on the surface of the sun would show him...
Her eyes widened when she saw that her horn had already begun glowing. The room was silent, the tension so thick nopony dared to breath. Taulus had a look of wicked glee on his face, daring her to make a move against him. He doesn't want a conversation, she realized, his whole purpose in coming here was to start a war. Even though she knew it was what he wanted, the desire to attack him burned within her. The unicorns in the galley were ready, braced to unleash Tartarus on the griffins the moment she made a move. If she struck now, the whole embassy would be annihilated before they realized what had happened. All she had to do was unleash the spell in her horn, and her ponies would do the rest...
The glow receded.
“It is clear we are all a little too passionate right now to conduct any sort of conference. I move that we adjourn for a period of no less than one day, to give us all ample time to cool our heads.” The finality of her tone left no room for debate. It was, after all, her palace, and her country.
Taulus was livid. Without a word, he turned and stalked from the hall, the other griffins lazily following, barely seeming to pay attention to where they were going. When the doors shut behind them, the entire assemblage exhaled as one. Curious looks were cast, and faces burned with shame. Had I really been thinking of doing that? What would my parents think? Slowly, the ponies began to file out of the room, some lingering behind to take deep, calming breaths.
Celestia's own anger still raged within her, but somehow it felt alien. The fury she had felt at Seeker's admission to practicing black magic had been strong and righteous, at least in her mind. This, on the other hoof, was something altogether different. There is some vile sorcery at work here, making us hunger for a fight.
Turning, she left the room to gather the ponies who might be able to help her puzzle out this riddle. In short order, she had Luna, Twilight, and Secret Seeker all together in her private quarters. She had carefully checked the entire room, fearing some treachery, but all seemed safe.
“How can we be of assistance Princess?” Twilight asked, honored at having been chosen to attend.
“As you may know, I was met by Ambassador Taulus and his entourage earlier today.” The gathered ponies nodded, having been briefed by Luna when she came to get them.
“Something was very strange about him and his assistant. They were not themselves.” She explained the differences in their attitudes, and the pervading sense of agitation in the hall, that had mysteriously vanished when Taulus had left. She also explained the deeply unsettling apathy of the other griffins, especially Alion, whom she knew to be an outgoing, upbeat individual.
“I cannot help but conclude that this is some devising of Mephistopheles'. That he has somehow tricked or cajoled them into abandoning who they were in favor of these new identities.” Twilight and Secret Seeker exchanged worried glances. Celestia took note, and prompted them to explain.
“We've been researching the two demons calling themselves Mephistopheles and Carryion. It seems that they may be part of something larger. A force diametrically opposed to the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight shifted nervously. Lecturing to the Princess was something she didn't think she'd ever be comfortable doing.
“There isn't much to go on, so a fair bit of this is our speculation,” here she gestured a forehoof at Seeker, “but what you're describing sounds an awful lot like what we suspect to be the MO of two of the other Lords. Despondence and Dispute.
“According to what we've found, it seems that, like the Elements, there is a final Lord that will only appear when the others are together, and a certain condition is met. The Elements have their 'spark', and the Lords have a 'flame'.” She paused, letting the information sink in before finishing.
“We only found one mention of it, but in Ancient Balance Consistently Denied, Eager Findings referred to them as the Cardinal Evils, seemingly indicating that there are only four of them, with the fifth being the one revealed.” Celestia was staring off into space, considering the lavender mare's words. For a time, nopony spoke. Finally, her gaze met Twilight's.
“Was there anything else you found?” The unicorn hesitated. She hated resorting to guesswork, especially about something as important as this. Fortunately, Seeker took the helm.
“Yes. There was a geological study, in what is now the Scorched Lands, of a chasm, where they found evidence to suggest some kind of extinction-level catastrophe had occurred nearly eleven thousand years ago.” Celestia's eyes widened, not liking where this was heading.
“It stands out because there is no further disturbance. No soil strata interruption. No washing away of layers. Nothing to indicate the actual cause of death, only a 9000% increase in fossilized remains.” Celestia was growing more concerned.
“You'll remember the month before last, during which I was absent?” The gathered ponies nodded.
“I went north, to the Forbidden City, northwest of Prance.” They gasped!
“Are you insane?!” Twilight said, “You could've been killed!” Luna, who had lain down, seemingly exhausted, was staring at him, aghast.
“Perhaps, it was a risk I felt was warranted, and, indeed, it paid off. I was able to sneak within, and locate some rather interesting etchings.” Twilight was watching him with a mixture of jealousy and respect, a combination he found rather to his liking.
“The depictions were... horrifying. They described a madness that gripped the land. No creature was safe from it. Deceit led many to experience a world other than the one in which they lived. They'd walk off cliffs, or dive into lava, seeing solid ground or crystal clear water. They'd gaze upon their brethren, and see monsters, fighting to the death. Dispute caused unrest and war. Wherever creatures gathered, death found them, locked in bitter combat against any and all.
“And those that broke away fared no better. Despondence consumed them, and in their apathy they would lay and wait for the course of nature to end their lives. Desolation covered the world, wide swaths of sparsely inhabited, or abandoned land. In time, the Lord's power seemed to fade, and abundance returned. They theorized that it functioned like a pendulum, Harmony on one side, Desolation on the other. They hoped, however, that it might be possible to avert Apocalypse.
“Determined to be prepared for the next occurrence, they recorded all they knew. The demons' appearances and methods, the Five Names, and the Five Titles. Carryion, Lord of Death. Mephistopheles, Lord of Deceit. Agitarius, Lord of Dispute. Lotus, Lord of Despondence. And their culmination, Apocalypse, Lord of Desolation.” Celestia shivered at the complete list of Names. For another stretch, nopony spoke as they each pondered the enemies they faced.
“What we need,” Luna said, “is some kind of plan to isolate and eliminate the Lords.” Twilight's head slowly rose, a sinister grin spreading.
“How fortunate,” she whispered, an unsettling cold in her voice causing the others to turn and stare, “remember Ponyville's most recent Winter Wrap-up?” Slowly, the other ponies smiled as well, and, after levitating a table, some quills, ink, and a stack of parchment over to them, the four leaned in, and began plotting in earnest.
Their exuberance was cut short, however, when a royal guard pony burst into the chamber, lathered at the mouth.
“My Princesses!” he gasped, clearly terrified, “The Griffins! An attack! So much blood!” It was then they noticed how pale the poor stallion was, as his eyes rolled into his head and he fainted. Without another word, all but Luna, who began administering to the unconscious colt, fled the room.