//------------------------------// // Arrival of the ponies and the trade city. // Story: Who da warchief now? // by Black Owl //------------------------------// 'It seems that I've managed to stop Chrysalis from bugging me with her ridiculous demands for now, I mean, an entire wardrobe with clothes made out of gold silk and gems? Why would I ever agree to that?' Walking on the newly made roads that tied the village's buildings together. Even though, with the help of the changelings, the village had the size of a city-state. 'Good thing I didn't give up on Chrysalis after all her whining. At least I got a good size army now.' Entering the newly build castle, I begin walking towards the throne room. Passing by a group of changeling putting up paintings of Chrysalis and me, and is that a wedding ceremony of me and her? "Put that up and I'll mount your heads on the wall." They all jumped from surprise and started nodded fanatically. "U-Understood, s-sir!" They said in unison with a shaky voice. As I walked away I could hear them burning said painting. 'You need the army, don't murder her yet. You need the army, it will all be worth it.' Getting in front of two huge doors, I pushed them open, revealing Chrysalis sitting upon a throne eating love infused berries. "Chrysalis, meh need some of da scouts. Dere is something meh need ta search for." "Sure! But for what exactly?" Said confused while tilting her head, trying to look cute. "Ah heard from some of da trolls dat there's a legend about some book, 'Evilinomicon', as dey call it. In mah opinion, it sounds extremely stupid, but dey say it was made using da bodies of a lot of demons, so it may be useful. Ah want ya ta send some drones ta get it, also prepare for getting out of here, we're going to an ancient temple." After my short rant, I looked over the changeling queen, who was nodding frantically . It has been hours since the sandstorm started, and it showed no sign of stopping. The ponies could barely walk forward, for some reason the sandstorm stopped them from using any magic. All of them where wearing cloaks to shield themselves a little from the sand blowing in their direction. They though it was because of the magical properties of the sandstorm, little did they know it was the troll's anti-magic wards made from the material collected from Chrysalis's throne. Each ward was enchanted so that it is hidden and it still allows magic performed by the trolls. They where stopped at the edge of the badlands. The badlands have changed dramatically from the last time they went there. Life seemed to become more common, small creature where everywhere. Along with some shadows of unknown creatures, creatures that where the hunting raptors of the troll hunters which where spying on them while hidden in the sandstorm. "Dey sure are tough for how dey look. Even managing ta walk through da sandstorm." One troll spoke with a really deep accent, he was Vak'Mir, the leader of the group. They where looking after the group of ponies the second they stepped hoof on their lands. They were sending messages to Vol'Jin regularly to keep him up to date with their 'visitors' as he called them. "Dey stand out crystals in a sea of dirt!" Another troll spoke, Kal'Akad was his name, he was the one who tamed many of their dinosaur companions. The last troll nodded, his name being Sib'Zar, a mute troll with a specialization in stealth and assassination. Sib'Zar signaled to his companions to get going, their targets starting to get further and further away. They all moved trough the sandstorm as Sib'Zar prepared another stealth spell. They only had one raptor with them, Siba, Kal'Akad's raptor. "I can't believe this sandstorm can block all our magic!" Twilight said right before she tripped on a rock. While Rainbow and Pinkie laughed, the others grew more and more worried as time went on. How could a sandstorm stop four alicorns and Shining Armor from using any kind of magic? "I am not sure Twilight, the thing that stops our magic must be of foreign origins. But nonetheless we must keep going!" Celestia said softly as she covered herself, Rarity and Pinkie with her wings to shield them from the sand and winds. "We are also worried Twilight, but we cannot do anything right now. We don't want another 'incident' to happen like the other times. That troll asked for anyone to come, even asked for a fight. He should have a vast power or control a powerful army if he provoked everyone." Luna spoke while staring in the distance, she swore she saw something move. "Pfff, he's nothing! Bet I'll beat him senseless in like, 10 seconds?" Rainbow boasted as she started trowing some punches in the air, before Applejack pulled her down by her tail. "Calm down now sugar cube, we don't want a war startin'." Rainbow just mumbled that Applejack was a killjoy and pouting. "Just how long do we have to walk? My hooves are gonna get ruined!" Rarity whined for the fifth time in ten minutes. "Just like we told you last time, we do not know when we will arrive." Twilight responded as they continued their search for the troll settlement, all the while the troll patrol laughing as they kept summoning winds to make the ponies trip. What? Did you really think they would be serious all the time? They have a day dedicated to getting high, what did you expect? As I was walking across the roads of the last troll settlement I was stopped by a troll scout by the name of Zar'tar which I sent to look for anyone entering the badlands, which was now fully controlled by us. "Cheif! Ponies be coming in our lands! Vak'mir said he saw a group of around ten ponies, three of which being princesses!" At that I scratched my beard, before speaking. "Interesting, be sure dey are gonna' get here safely, we don't want ta be blamed if something may happen to dem." At my words the two scouts rushed to obey my orders. 'So the ponies are next, they probably have peaceful intentions, so I don't have to worry about them too much. "As long as nothing too bad happens, everything be fine-" The exact second those words left my mouth, three ginormous snakes made their way past the walls and into the now city state. "Ah had ta open ah mouth didn't ah?" I spoke again with annoyance while rubbing the bridge of my nose. Ginormous snakes. But not any kind of ginormous snakes, those ones are poisonous, and evil. But this isn't all, those snake, had wings! Three pairs of them, with spikes! Those insanely strong creatures where killed in exactly half an hour, with no casualties except a building. "Now, since we are done with that distraction, we can finally focus on preparing for the arrival of the ponies-" "SIR! We found a trading city next to the sea, what should we do?" A troll scout came up to me while riding on a red raptor, dressed in some leather and metal mix of armor with a voodoo mask. After mumbling something about hating to be interrupted he turned to a female shaman. "You!" The troll shrieked as she turned to him shaking. She was a really small female troll that was tasked with making poisons and curses, a little ironic since she looked extremely defenseless with her pale skin and light green hair that covered her left eye. "Ah be needin' ya ta use dis if da ponies come." Giving her a scroll with extremely complicated runes drawn on it with black ink. "It will give meh a message when ya use it, ya' can only use it once so don't waste it." The girl nodded as Vol'jin turned towards the scout. "Let meh get meh raptor, the lead da way to dat traidin' city." After asking for the exact location of the trading city the scout spoke of, Vol'jin teleported them a few hundred meters away from the city using some of his voodoo magic, since he didn't want to provoke anyone. "Hope dis will be a good trading center for us, we could use some materials." The troll chief mumbled as they where getting closer. The merchants got to see a normal looking troll, if a little skinny, the scout. And a giant of a troll that was Vol'jin. Bout carrying weapons and armor, but the raptors probably scarred more then their heavy weaponry. Jumping off the raptor, Vol'jin stood tall, dwarfing everyone in sight. Grabbing the raptor by the bridle, he started walking inside the merchant filled city, his scout copying his every move. The ones inhabiting the city didn't remain stunned for a long time, all of then quickly coming over and offering trades for their raptors, armors and for their weapons. But they where all silenced by the raptor lunging at them. Their walk throughout the biggest trading market in the city state was pretty uneventful, the only exceptions being traders wanting to buy the raptors or Vol'jin buying some rare materials. Their search for materials gave the troll leader the answer to if this city would be a useful place to capture, the answer to that is that capturing it would be too much of a hassle, but making good relations with it will still be beneficial. Their time there where cut short as he got the message that the ponies have arrived into the troll city-state. With a quick spell he teleported bout of them in the castle. But there he was greeted with the sight of four princesses along with six other ponies and a small baby dragon. "Zar'tar..." At his king's voice the scout came close. "Y-yes?" He said while lightly shaking. "You said there are three princesses, I see four. Also you said there are ten ponies, but I see eleven." Vol'jin rubbed his eyes while speaking. "But there are three princesses!" He said, then quickly continued. "Zero!" Pointed at Celestia. "One!" Pointed at Luna next. "Two!" At Cadence this time. "And three!" Pointing finally at Twilight. The scout was met with a gentle smack as he finished his counting. "YOU DON'T START COUNTING FROM ZERO YOU IDIOT!" Vol'jin screamed, leaving the ponies in a state of shock.