//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Hell is empty... // Story: Grogar: Equestria's forgotten foe // by Buckeye49 //------------------------------// “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War The raid on Appleloosa was brutal, ruthless, and savage; the sudden attack and loss of life horrified the residents of the desert apple farming town. In addition Little Strongheart had a terrible personal blow to deal with in the wake of the unprovoked act of war Tirek's forces launched but keeping his distance on Grogar's orders to prevent anypony from knowing who was to blame; while the townsfolk mourned and tended to the dead and wounded, Strongheart had to find strength in the face of losing her chief and adopted father. "Nooo!!!" Strongheart wailed in sorrow while also speaking in the tongue of her species at times as if talking that way would get her the answer nopony could give. The sheriff and Breaburn ran up to see what was the matter when they saw what she saw, Breaburn could do very little on his part but try and comfort the buffalo maiden. "Strongheart?..." He began softly so not to spook her, Strongheart took a moment from her grief to respond to the stallion. "B-Breaburn.." She croaked, wiping her eyes before taking to her feet. "I'm so sorry I-..." Breaburn was about to give his condolences when Strongheart threw her arms around him and wept more, Breaburn could only return the embrace while patting & rubbing her back to comfort her. "Why did this happen?! What was this??" Strongheart sobbed grasping for answers behind the raid. "I don't know Strongheart...I wish fer the life of me I had a clue about what the hay just happened." "Please Breaburn, do something to make these demons who attacked us pay." "I can write my cousin and her friends, if anypony can help it's Aj and the others." "Yes! Please do!" Strongheart begged tears still pouring. "Then we should waste no time, who knows what this could mean..." The sheriff advised, not knowing how right he truly was to be worried. Meanwhile miles away in Dodge City, Cherry Jubilee was busy managing her cherry farm and shop; it was a good calm day not much excitement going on here, Cherry was actually expecting a visit from Applejack and Pinkie Pie soon and she planned a nice meal and drinks to await their arrival. "You're pretty busy today Cherry, what's got you hoppin'?" A mare entering her shop asked. "Oh expecting company today, Applejack and Pinkie Pie." Cherry answered as she restocked a shelf of freshly made jam. "Oh that's pleasant, I hope you have a good meet and greet." "Thanks Olivia, it's been so long since I had Aj over and I appreciated her company, even Pinkie." Olivia Oak-Grove was the local Inn Manager, age 33, light brown Earth mare with a semi-curly blonde mane and tail, standing at '6-3" and between a thin and medium build, emerald eyes. "By the spread you set it should be worth the trek here." "Hope so." Meanwhile on the outskirts of the town Chrysalis was watching from a distance the small town, showing a willingness to enact violence for gain, her army of new changelings were chomping at the bit to attack... "My Queen, we're ready to move when you are." "Excellent, take shape and attack." Chrysalis cooed with a double-voiced purr. "Yes my queen." The officer changeling barked with a bow while saluting by crossing his arm over his chest, then left to engage the assault. The New Hive forces then shape-shifted into the undead soldiers of Grogar's army before rumbling in stamping feet as they charged the town; phase II had begun in earnest. The attack was sudden and without mercy...As brutal and bloodthirsty as the Appleloosa raid, local law valiantly tried to stem the tide but losses were great.. Cherry and Olivia sought shelter best they could...Lucky for them this attack was more true to nature of the orders Grogar laid down, Chrysalis' attack was swift and sudden, leaving only room to attack those in the open and not straying into buildings for victims of the wanton death and destruction. So far the casualties were lower, 12 dead outright while 27 were wounded; of that 3 were Law out of 7, 4 stallions, and 3 mares, the 2nd mare was a mother of a 7 year old daughter...Cut down like game the both.. Chrysalis could hear the panic and anguish, she took immense pleasure in this grinning with fangs bared. As like the other raid it was over soon as it began, the final count was 18 dead, 38 wounded; 4 foals were butchered, one was beheaded before his mother who survived. With the hurricane of hellion marauders gone Cherry and Olivia emerged from their shelter to over look the carnage left in the invader's wake... "My God...What hit this town?..." Before Cherry could reply a local came to her rushing, he was terror-stricken, sweaty, and dirty. "You are alright! Thank Celestia....It was awful, monsters, beyond anything I ever saw I didn't know what they were!" "How many are hurt? Anypony still alive?" Olivia asked. "They count 18 dead so far...." "Who would have wanted to attack us like this?....Why would they? What motivation do they have?" "I don't know Cherry.. All I know is we had been attacked, and it was unprovoked." "I wonder if we're the only ones attacked." "Not sure if we were but soon as we find out it may give us more information." Just then another pony ran up, she was from the Telegraph Office and she was screaming at the top of her lungs... "APPLELOOSA WAS ATTACKED!! APPLELOOSA WAS ATTACKED!!" The 3 gasped at the news, so Dodge City was not alone after all; who else was next?? "Hold on a minute now! Who attacked Appleloosa?" The stallion asked the panicked mare. "Monsters! Zombie soldiers in ancient armor!" "Just like us!" Olivia said with a gasp. "So this was planned, but who's the brains behind this?...." Meanwhile back at Grogar's castle, the evil mind behind the attacks was delighted to hear his random raids succeeded beyond his expectations! The ponies the 2 teams assured with Changeling spies sent after running that they had 0 clue as to who struck them. "Well done! This is exactly what I had hoped." Grogar said gleefully as he rose from his throne to greet his generals' Chrysalis and Tirek. "It was hardly a challenge my Lord." Chrysalis chimed with a smirk and bow of her head. "Exactly my thoughts, even though I came upon resistance they merely slowed the agony." Tirek reported. "It matters not Tirek if they had fought back, there is very little that can be done on their part; also the bodies of my army will disintegrate if they are slain in minutes after leaving nothing to trace." "Clever Lord Grogar, what next do you ask of us? Who is our next victims of your might?" Tirek spoke. "For the time being you are to rest, you have done much already so indulge while I plan our next moves." The 2 fallen rulers bowed and thanked him before leaving the room to spend their free time and take up on the idea of rest though it was hardly exhausting the journey taxed them more than the raids did of course since they only watched as their troops did the work. "I'm still keeping an eye on you Chrysalis....And no doubt Grogar is as well, he may very well have heard your plans to back out of your deal but chose to say nothing." "Be as it may possibly be..." "What? You think you have a plan? You think Grogar hasn't prepared a plan of his own to quash any coup you incite?" "Be reasonable-..." "I AM REASONABLE!" The insectoid queen hissed with a growl. "Sure you are..." Tirek chuckled as he went off on his own. Chrysalis was proven wrong many times hence why she was here at all, but she will be damned literally or figuratively if she is wrong about her plans to craw-fish the deal with Grogar...If she could; if she could was not the issue, so much as if she can. That was her problem glaring more intensely than the evil Hircum Emperor. In another part of the main land of Equestria's area of Equus in Ponyville Twilight and Starlight were unaware of the hell unleashed when Spike came barging in with a scroll. "Spike?? What's going on?" Twilight asked her companion. "Twilight! Urgent letter!....From Celestia!..." Spike panted as he looked like he sprinted a mile. "Urgent letter? What's so urgent?" Starlight asked. Twilight then floated the scroll in her magic and read carefully, Starlight didn't need to know what it read as she saw Twilight's expressions contort into ones of horror, shock, sadness and pure surprise. "What happened?" Twilight took a moment before she could say one word to her, but feeling one word was not what she wanted to hear and feeling that forcing her voice to work would be slow she could only shakily hand the scroll to her. Starlight then read the letter and she gasped before cupping her mouth in horror.... "Who could have done this?..." "I wish I knew." Twilight finally let out of her mouth just above a whisper. CANTERLOT: Thrones' Room. Celestia was devastated and worried to the point of feathers from her majestic wings falling off, she had not been so caught off guard than right now, over her thousand plus years she never was blindsided like this. Luna was equally stunned and saddened by the news of the massacre of Appleloosa & Dodge City; she was feeling as helpless and scared as her elder sister but in comparison, Celestia was having what would be equivalent to a break down. "Those poor ponies...Who could be so heartless?! Who would just attack our subjects?! Who is it that dares?!..." Luna seeing her sister losing it rushed to her dear Tia's side and grabs her by the shoulders even with Celestia being a tad taller than her being a towering '7-7" while Luna was '7-2". "Tia! Get a hold of thyself and be still!" She barked slipping into her archaic language she was used to when tested or taxed. Celestia ceased her rant and looked her younger sibling's eyes as tears fell from her own. Luna seeing her sister so distressed then embraced her to calm her down and comfort her, Celestia began to respond and hugged back slowing regaining her composure as Luna soothed her. "There there sister, I know; I know..." "Th-Thank you Lulu..." Celestia croaked as she was now calmed, she wipes her eyes after breaking the hug and looks Luna in the eyes again. Luna only smiled warmly and caringly back now that she had put her sister back at relative ease. "Better?" She asked. Celestia nodded and sniffled before speaking. "What should we do Luna?" "Do what you would do first, inform Twilight about the situation then we shall tend to the ponies in need, we must be put on alert so I will assemble the guard and hold a war council, also we shall address Parliament immediately." "Right, of course; I shall write Twilight right away, thank you Luna I needed to be reminded of proper action in response to such an outrageous, unprovoked assault." "Always ready to help you sister." Luna said softly as she hugged Celestia again before walking off to do her task. In roughly hours the two addressed in an emergency session of Parliament the officials of the simultaneous attacks. "Members of Parliament, we have summoned you all here for a very important matter, one of grave urgency; just hours ago we were attacked." Celestia announced, the whole room gasped and murmured. "Attacked?! By whom?" A stallion member asked. "We only know it was a highly dangerous, well trained army; Appleloosa had been the one to put up a larger fight but both yet had taken grievous losses." "Appleloosa was attacked?...While it is terrible lives were lost your Majesties that town is not a significant town; what is the meaning for alarm?" A mare member asked a tad selfishly. "Because this was no random attack this was a message, they were both attacked at once! This was a threat." Luna replied coldly making the mare regret her poorly spoken and worded response. "'Both'? You mean Appleloosa was not attacked only? Where else?" Another stallion asked. "Dodge City was also attacked, and these are the figures of the casualties from each town." "Appleloosa: 115 killed including 25 foals and of that 14 were under the age of 8; 40 were wounded." Luna read out causing gasps to ring from all in the room some gagged and most actually hurled into their trash can. Celestia then decided to read Dodge City's statistics and after composing herself she read the other list of carnage. "Dodge City: 18 dead, 38 wounded....4 foals were among the dead.." Celestia finished with a croak as more gasps rang out, and more ponies lost their meals. "This is an act of war; deliberate, vicious, unprovoked, heartless, and destructive. Because of this I am moving into order a vote to be at a state of alertness and partial war against the terrorists responsible for the violence that had struck our land." "With this I plead you to consider this course lest we be complacent and allow more suffering to plague not just our kind but maybe others." Celestia pleaded and suggested, hoping the horror and death of innocent lives be met with decisive action and unselfish compassion & devotion to country and her subjects in the face of a threat to said nation and the races/species therein. "All in favor of Martial Alertness say 'Ay'." Luna stated. What greeted Luna and Celestia in reply to these words and the atmosphere? All stood up and casted votes in favor! TO BE CONTINUED......