“ In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity .” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Edit: I replaced Tirek with Storm King to help with continuity.
As the Princesses began their efforts to counter this sudden and vicious attack, Pinkie and Applejack had arrived in Dodge City, when they got there they were given a terrible greeting, they were welcomed by the remnants of the raid...They could only gasp and stare as they looked about the carnage and destruction.
"What the hay happened here?" Aj said in a low horrified tone.
"Something awful..." Pinkie replied herself near tears.
She and Aj seeing everything, it looked so depressing, so grim, so....Raped; it was like the life and joy had been murdered and left in the streets like the locals cut down.
"Applejack!" A voice shouted, it was Cherry.
"Cherry?? What happened?" Aj asked.
"It was horrible, nightmarish; some army of monsters attacked us and ran off! We don't know who t hey were, what they were and why but they came in, killed ponies did some damage and left."
"What did they look like?"
Cherry took a moment before describing the invaders, Aj and Pinkie were unsure how to respond.
"How many....A-Are dead?" Pinkie squeaked sounding like she regretted her question.
"18 dead, 38 wounded." Cherry replied, the mares gasped at such a toll.
"There's more, Appleloosa was also attacked."
"WHAT!? When?!" Aj blurted out.
"Not sure we got the news after our attack."
Aj started to panic, her cousin was a resident and she was afraid her cousin had been taken from her by raiders and was another victim of this double assault.
"Hold on Aj, that doesn't mean Breaburn was killed...Or hurt....We don't know what happened."
"All I know is they got hit worse...Chief Thunder-Hooves is dead."
"No....Not him..." Pinkie said heartbroken.
"This is awful, I gotta tell Twilight unless she already knows."
"She's a princess of course she will know, Celestia and Luna may already know by now too." Pinkie stated.
"Can we telegram Appleloosa ta ask if he's okay?" Aj asked trying to be calm.
"We can do that, please follow me; I'm so sorry you had to come to this."
"It's okay Cherry, how were we ta know?" Aj said as they walked to the Telegraph office, passing the left overs yet to be cleaned up and tended to.
"How many were killed and hurt at Appleloosa? Did you get info on that?" Aj asked.
"We did, it was a slaughter; 115 killed, 40 wounded." Cherry replied to now more sickened and horrified mares.
"Who did we anger?...Who did we bother that they would kill so many ponies outta the blue like that?!"
"What monsters would hurt and....K-Kill so many?" Pinkie asked as well a with lump in her throat.
"That we will find out soon Pinkie, first I wanna know if my cousin is safe."
The mares continued their walk to the telegraph office to get more needed info; meanwhile in Appleloosa Breaburn and the sheriff were continuing their clean up when they noticed what Grogar spoke of, the bodies of raiders disintegrated to nothing leaving nothing to identify as evidence to lead to the one responsible for this unprovoked attack.
"This is insane, they show up and those we cut down turn to dust? What black magic made these?"
"I wish I knew sheriff, but what I do know is this may not be the last we see of this; we should build up defenses in case we're attacked again."
"And then what? What if it's not enough? We can't take another blow like this."
"That's why I called for help to the nearest town, they already sent help by now to Ponyville then to Canterlot."
"I hope this ain't somethin' serious...Tirek was the worst thing we ever suffered I don't wanna go through worse."
"Me too sheriff, me too..."
Just then a stallion came running toward them yelling, "Dodge City was attacked like us!"
"You serious?! What happened?!" Breaburn demanded.
The stallion relayed the information, it was the same alright; right down to the monsters responsible that also turned to dust leaving no trace.
"Your cousin asked for you."
"She's there?!"
"She's safe, showed up after the attack ended, she heard about us before we knew about them."
Breaburn was relieved that Applejack was not harm's way but this was starting to look more and more serious, like the Storm King attack all over again.
"Has word gotten out?"
"Yes it has it reached all the way to Canterlot."
"This can't happen again...I just can't."
Back in Ponyville Twilight and Starlight were recovering from the horrific shock they got from the double onslaught on Equestria's remote cities.
"I wonder if Celestia knows...Spike?" Spike was already with paper & quill in claws, "Ready Twilight."
Twilight then dictated the letter and had it sent to Celestia in a flash of green, the 3 waited a while before Spike burped the letter up, it reported Celestia had been aware and put the nation on alert, Equestria was not yet at war because there was no enemy yet identified, nor anything to give an indication who was to blame; Grogar covered his tracks as well as he claimed, any reports about the raiders were vague and broad to be of any help right away.
"What should we do Twi?"
"Gather the girls Starlight, all of them...And be careful."
"I will Twilight, I promise."
Starlight in no time went to gather the girls up including sending a message to Aj and Pinkie to make their return to Ponyville, after a while more all the girls gather in the Thrones' Room to discuss the matter at hand.
"This is beyond dreadful, what beasts would commit such terrible acts of murder?" Rarity asked a little ill to her stomach.
"I'm scared girls, and heartbroken by this..." Fluttershy peeped showing more fear than mourning.
"Whoever's responsible is going to get the ass kicking of a lifetime!" Rainbow brashly vowed.
"Simmer down Rainbow fists ain't gonna do any good here especially with what happened and the enemy we're dealin' with."
"Aj is right, from what they said these were horrifying monsters." Rarity stated.
"What else did the victims say?" Starlight inquired.
"From what Breaburn telegraphed us he said some got a very loose look and from what it was they were undead and wearing some kind of ancient armor with skulls on their shoulders."
"That's not bad Intel but it isn't enough for us..."
"It sounds terrifying, undead warriors?" Spike asked.
"This sounds ancient Twilight, not saying this because but..."
"I know what you're thinking Starlight and I am way ahead of you, Spike? Take another letter."
Back in Canterlot Celestia and Luna were readying the Guards for the heightened state of alertness, one would think Equestria was at war while trying to just be on standby for any open hostility; though personally Celestia would not like anything else but to hunt down this scourge herself, though cooler heads and Luna kept her from becoming emotional and reacting instead of acting.
"That should be enough Sister, Canterlot is safe enough and we can start defending our other territories."
"Have you written Cadence?"
"Yes Tia I have, they are on high alert as well; trains are even check-pointed to ensure that no hostiles sneak in."
"They won't travel by rail Luna."
"You can't be too sure, we are just covering the bases."
"I only wish I knew what we were up against." Tia said staring at her stallions-at-arms.
"If anypony can figure it out it will be Twilight and her friends."
"I do not lack faith in her Lulu, but I hope this is not something out of her talents and ability....I wouldn't live with myself if I finally push Twilight too far."
"Twilight and her friends are resilient, they can take on this challenge."
"I pray you're right." Just then a scroll appears, this was from Twilight! What could she need or be reporting now?
"What does it say?"
"Twilight is telling us the form of our foe, but I never encountered such demons as what they describe."
"This is ill news, an enemy neither of us have faced? This will be troubling news to her."
"I dislike it as much as you do." Tia said scratching back her answer about this which spoke unfortunate honesty on behalf the 7 mares and dragon eager for any knowledge.
When the letter was received Twilight's heart sank, the girls were on their own far as knowledge gathering; but that meant going to the source, they all had to return to the attacked towns and get more data and see if the can filter more info from chaos wrought by this new and dangerous foe.
Back at Grogar's hideout Grogar's generals were awaiting for the next move to be ordered but during this wait there was still not quite resolved tension between Chrysalis and Tirek, both were eyeing the other because Chrysalis was hinting a revolt against Grogar in the event that Grogar would face defeat.
Tirek was not going to permit it though a small sliver was thinking the same idea, that was when Tirek decided to keep things in his own favor as he went to consult with Grogar.
"What Tirek?..." Grogar asked almost sounding annoyed.
"My Lord, I am meaning no trouble to you but I wish to bring up...A deep concern."
Grogar's brow went up with moderate interest, that in turn prompted Tirek to proceed.
"I am worried about Chrysalis, Sire; she may be conspiring behind you."
Grogar simply chuckled darkly which again strange to Tirek sent a chill through his spine.
"You think I'm not aware of her treacherous intentions?" He asked sounding like it was no surprise smirking while resting his cheek on his left hand.
"Chrysalis is quite manipulative, and cunning~ I found it useful and appealing, but she couldn't convince me if her life depended on it, I saw through her since I found her barely alive."
"Then...Why Grogar?"
"Why keep her? Because she is an asset, one that is useful and like you, you are mine under a contract and if you were to betray me? Well....You use your imagination."
"I thank you for showing your loyalty Tirek but your concern is unnecessary, and I also find it...Distasteful."
"Distasteful? Why?"
"You think you can earn favor by ratting out your cohort? Please...I'm ancient not senile." He replied drumming his fingers on his right hand on his throne.
Tirek got a cold sweat from this statement, how could he have seen through him so easily? What made him so special?
"Just how ancient?"
"Very; I saw much including the rise of that miserable nation of Equestria, I even watched their racial quarrel that nearly destroyed them."
"That was amusing, funny what one thing can do to set off such distrust; it was most irritating to see it backfire, I underestimated them in my youth of their love and....Friendship." Grogar growled on the last word and his right hand fingernails scratch the armrest making a slight scraping sound.
"I would not make such foalish mistakes again!...I thought I had them when their nation was at my mercy, even after they unified they were not strong enough together to stand in my way."
"Tribe by tribe I made their armies kneel before me, those who did not kneel died; those who did not submit, destroyed."
"I commanded legions of warriors, armies ten's of thousands strong! I was enough to conquer for my master a whole world."
"But I underestimated them a second time...Their damned king proved more...Resistant to my powers and overpowered me; he banished me thinking me dead, but his mistake was not finishing me off."
"That was his and their weakness, they refuse to see death as a proper means of defeating their enemies, instead they seek to 'befriend' them, or in that pathetic deity wannabe Discord's case 'reformed'."
"He may be pathetic...But he's a threat."
"Only a moderate one, his powers does have it's limits; it is powerless against the magic I wield."
"I am not doubting your power Grogar."
"By which you actually are Tirek, please spare me your weak faith in my abilities."
Tirek was being made a fool of and saw through as though made of glass, he hated this vulnerability; the last thing he wanted was to feel like a loose end while trying to throw Chrysalis under the train.
"I get the message Lord Grogar you don't trust me either and you sense my own betrayal of you."
"You finally speak truth, about time..." Grogar replied dryly.
"Anything else you wish to speak about? Or are you through?..."
"What about our enemies? What good is our raids if they mobilize? Or have you prepared as you sounded when you gave your grand strategy?"
"As I told you both, you make mistakes when you panic; and I intend to make them as insecure as a foal in the woods, when that happens, then you bring the wolves to kill it."
"So we do nothing? For how long?"
"Patience Tirek...Patience; you will spill blood again but I am giving them a false calm first before I strike again with random violence, once I do that it will set them on edge even more than the first time, I will repeat it only a few times because a consistent pattern can be a risk to an effective battle of the mind."
"You want to be unpredictable as long as you can, while making your opponent paranoid."
"You actually amaze me Grogar with your intelligence."
"Flattery and truth?...Interesting combination from you Tirek but effective and on point; this is only what I learned from defeat, something you are capable of as well Tirek, Chrysalis is...A slow learner at this art."
In this one moment the 2 actually share a genuine chuckle at a shared belief in a statement regarding the shape-shifting sovereign.
"And I don't mean that statement lightly Tirek, a reason I chose you as well; not just because I lack those of a common goal but because you do show much potential to be a match of mine to some degree."
"You question me because you're not used to success absolute, that is why I am offering you more favor than Chrysalis and why I will grant you a more solid method to gain my favor."
"And what might that be?"
"Become my right hand general, so that you are not just my soldier but my confidant."
"If it's all I need then I will accept your generous offer."
"Not so fast Tirek, such a position of honor demands an act of loyalty fitting to that role."
"What act must I commit to gain this position?"
"You will know what it will be when the time comes Tirek; just wait for my commands to strike when the right hour strikes, now go, continue your respite until I have need of you two."
Tirek left Grogar's presence with a bow then left the throne room, Tirek dodged a large slug and he knew it very well; it seemed Grogar has a clear vision and mind much more than he thought of his unwanted master, now with a deal atop a deal over his head Grogar had him against a wall, the questions now is does he run right, left or straight ahead?