Far, far out at sea, half a world away from Barnacle and the crew heading out onto the open ocean, there were many dangers and hidden perils. Hidden forces, which would threaten any sailor foolish enough to venture into these treacherous waters. Possibly the worst of these threats, however, lie on an island situated in the waters of the southernmost ocean. There, on a hidden island near the very bottom of the world, the threat that drove fear into the heart of even the bravest of adventurers was stirring.
This far-away island was surrounded by a great storm. Known to most sailors as the Malestrom. It surrounded the island on all sides, protecting it like an impenetrable wall that reached from the ocean's surface, to high in the atmosphere. Beneath the water's surface, the maelstrom became a mighty whirlpool, sucking in everything that drew too close into a shadowy abyss in the deep. This great storm seemed like an impassable obstacle to most who saw it... but there were those few who were able to pass through the barrier unharmed.
"T-the ponies, going for the treasure!" A small, flying creature heading for the barrier called out. "Must tell the king! Must tell the king!"
The tiny figure was Skyhook, a red cloud gremlin, with bat like wings, and a small, gargoyle-like body. Approaching the maelstrom from the north, he immediately flew into the cloud wall, and soared through the mighty storm as if it were nothing. Whizzing past lighting bolts and gliding through gale force winds and powerful rain, Skyhook pushed onward though to the eye of the storm, where the dark and ominous island awaited him.
Tempest island, a wondrous place, that experienced all the season at once. The south side of the island was covered in a blanket of of ice and snow, while the north side burned like a scorching desert. The eastern end was covered in an eternal bed of falling leaves, while flowers bloomed endlessly on the western quarter. But it was the towering castle at the very center of the island, that was the cloud gremlin's destination at the moment.
"Sire! Sire! I bring news from the north!" Skyhook called out, as he entered the throne room, which stood high in the icy spire atop the great tower. "It's about Ponyland, and the ponies who live there!"
"Did you say... ponies?" The shadowy figure replied, rising from his throne. "Report what you have learned, Skyhook, and how it may benefit me."
The shadowy figure, known to ponies as the storm king, was a fierce-looking creature. The lord of all storms and atmospheric weather on the world's southern ocean, the Storm King sank ships and flooded whole islands on a whim. Somewhat resembling an ogre in ragged clothing, the haggard wizard-king glared angrily at the minion in front of him. As he listened to the cloud gremlin give his report, the Storm King began to conjure up a rain cloud and small winds with his hands.
"My lord, the east wind has told us, that a pony named Barnacle has discovered the map to the treasure of the golden moonstar!" The cloud gremlin explained. "He as assembled a crew to go and retrieve it, and they have departed from the port of Rainbow's End this very day!"
"The moonstar?! That's what the pony are after?!" The storm King raged in anger, finishing his storm cloud, and sending out the window. "The ponies must not have it! Equine possession of the Moonstar treasure would threaten our kind's dominion over the weather of this world!"
Lightning and wind swirled around the fairy lord, reflecting his anger and rage at the mention of the ponies. The Storm King's family well knew how dangerous the magical talking equines could be. A thousand years ago, his own ancestor- the original Storm King, had been defeated by these ponies when they had attempted to invade the kingdom of Equestria. The ponies had slain the original Storm King, and caused his great empire of the southern seas to collapse. His bloodline had spent generations rebuilding their empire after that, and the current Storm King was not about to let those ponies destroy his family's conquests a second time!
"Inform my royal navy- as well as my loyal subjects throughout the islands- to be on the lookout for those damned pony pirates." The storm king told his minion. "The moment they are captured, I want that map brought to me."
"As you wish, my king." Skyhook bowed to the Storm King obediently. "Should I also inform your fellow fairy lords, the winter wizard and the flame wizard? Surely they would also assist in preventing the treasure from falling into pony hands?"
"Good idea, my loyal imbecile." The Storm King nodded, dismissing his servant with a gesture. "Journey to the two wizards islands, and inform them of the danger to fairy rule over the oceans."
The cloud gremlin departed, and the Storm King returned to his pondering. Sitting back upon his throne, the fairy lord conjured up another cloud, deeply gazed into it's depths.
"Show me this 'Barnacle', and his crew." The Storm King commanded. The cloud complied, an image of the Celestia's Revenge and it's crew appeared before his eyes. The demonic fairy lord grinned, his teeth shining like sharpened yellow daggers. "So these are the ponies who are a danger to my rule? Pah, these five are not but a trifle, barely worth my notice! Though that captain looks like he might be a worthy opponent."
But as he looked the crew over, the Storm King noticed North Star.
"No! This cannot be!" The dark tyrant's eyes went wide, as he noticed her cutie mark. "That cannot be Main Sail's daughter! How can she, of all ponies, be after the treasure?!"
And as he made the dark cloud dissipate, a shred of worry began to form in the Storm King's heart. And as he rembered his first encounter with ponies, the dark lord of foul weather wondered if the pst was returning to haunt him...