Equestria, Ten Years Ago...
The skies erupted in red and orange bursts, cannonballs and boulders whizzing through the heavens as pony-shaped shadows leapt up to tackle serpentine shock troopers. Thick black smoke choked the air while armies clashed with fire, steel, wood and magic. Battalions of earth ponies and pegasi joined the fray, attacking the umbrum forces with enough ferocity to rival hordes of bears. Star Swirl directed his unicorn mages towards the eastern front, half of them telekinetically raining debris upon their enemies and the other half releasing torrents of magical energy blasts. The roars of battle-cries and the screams of the dead or dying echoed across the crimson-drenched fields.
The torn banner of Equestria was ripped loose from its flagpole by a gust of wind and King Solaris watched it soar away over the battlefield, his heart saddened by the sight of the disharmony all around him. This isn't Equestria. This isn't my home. His armor dragged painfully across his skin with every step, his chainmail and sheathed sword rattling as he stepped over the many, many corpses of his fellow soldiers. Crows and vultures voraciously picked at the corpses, a sight that King Solaris forced himself to view, to remind him why he was fighting and the cost if they lost the war.
It was only two years ago when the war was brought to Equestria, when their mortal enemies the umbrum began to conquer small villages in order to supply themselves with food and troops. The draconequui soon arrived after, offering their services in ridding Equestria of the umbrum in exchange for a safe haven for the Chaosverse's refugees. Along with the griffons, crystal ponies and dragons, they began their campaign against the umbrum and as a result, their world suffered. The fires of war spread across the land, leaving virtually every corner of the land scorched by either flame or chaos. In the end, it no longer mattered why they were fighting, only that the innocent were suffering.
"Your Majesty?"
King Solaris peered over his shoulder and found a broad-chested earth pony saluting him, his helmet tucked beneath one arm. He was young, perhaps in his late 20's and bore several scars that haphazardly ran across his face and muzzle.
"Yes, what is it, Sergeant?"
The earth pony replied, "The war council requests your presence, Sir."
Taking one last look at the devastation before him, King Solaris nodded, "Very well then, Sergeant. Lead the way."
The two trekked their way across a trench-dug field and narrowly avoided being bombarded by flying acorns the size of basketballs, the handiwork of a draconequus spellcaster no doubt. King Solaris noticed the unusual mauve-colored section of the sky as well as the giant bubbles and fifty-foot tree men that stomped their way across the battlefield. He let out a weary sigh, wondering if his chimeric allies were really worth having around after all. There was no doubt in the king's mind that the draconequui were very useful in battle and was grateful for their assistance however, their sporadic mood swings, lack of knowledge of societal graces and unpredictable magic made them quite stressful to deal with. He knew that he agreed to house Chaosverse refugees but would it really be the best thing for Equestria? True, only a select few possessed chaos magic but even the "regular" ones could be a hoofful.
Entering a massive gray tent with the scar-faced sergeant in tow, King Solaris found himself face-to-face with several beings standing around a circle oak table, their faces grim as they took turns relaying warfront news. Only King Seth, the ruler of the draconequui was in high spirits, contact juggling a glass orb across the back of his mismatched hands as he hummed some sort of childish tune. Fireheart, the wine-red Dragon Lord, rolled his golden-green eyes at Seth's antics and murmured something about a snake-thing barbeque. A grizzled old dark green earth pony noticed King Solaris' presence and tapped the table with his hoof to grab the others' attention. Salutes, bowing and warm salutations greeted the king.
"Ah, welcome, Your Highness. I'm glad to see that you're still kickin'."
"Thank you, General Brunswick, as am I. Dragon Lord Fireheart, General Sunstone of the Crystal Empire, Lord Gilead of Griffonstone, King Seth of the draconequui, I bid you all welcome." He then gestured towards the scar-faced earth pony that stood silently beside him. "This is Sergeant Steadfast of the Thundering Hoof Cavalry Division."
Sergeant Steadfast nodded towards the others and greeted them via grunt.
Lord Gilead gave King Solaris a respectful nod. "So Solaris, what news do you have to report on from the eastern front?"
"The umbrum forces in that region are being repelled by Star Swirl the Bearded and his unicorn mages," King Solaris explained, pointing at the map that lay unfurled on the table. "While over here, a Pegasus battalion and earth pony artillery squadron have managed to break through the Brabant Pass. Umbrum crystal enchanters have taken up residence in the Campeiro Hills, constructing magic-resistant black crystal barriers."
King Seth flicked his tail around impatiently, his eyes following the glass orb as it rolled up one forearm and down another. "Why not send some of my chaos magicians to clear the way? Those crystals aren't indestructible after all and should shatter after a few hundred tons of pressure. A giant mallet or battering ram should do the trick."
General Sunstone folded his arms against his incandescent, copper chest. "We need every available draconequus magician on the northern front. King Erebus and his personal guard are giving us the hardest time there. Besides, I've seen what happens when those black crystal structures shatter. Their debris is more dangerous than cannon fire and take days to clear up. Perhaps Star Swirl has a better approach?"
King Solaris considered this. "He's been working on a way to bypass the black crystals' magic-negating properties but has so far found nothing. Their unique makeup is simply beyond our comprehension at the moment."
"Why not send in some of my dragoon forces to eat the crystals?" Fireheart offered up.
Lord Gilead shook his head. "We don't know what'll happen to them. The crystals are made of black magic so there's no telling what effect they might have on your men if ingested. They might be corrupted or even killed."
"Which is why I'm needed over on the Campeiro Hills! Withdraw your forces and let us handle it!" King Seth insisted.
King Solaris rubbed his temples with irritation. Seth did have a point, since capturing Erebus would end the war and thus the draconequui sorcerers were needed in the north. He knew that the draconequus king was doing what he thought was right but that didn't mean that he was. Despite the good his kind attempted, the draconequui were just too unconcerned with civilian casualties, instead focused on eliminating their foes as soon as possible and with extreme prejudice. He began to wonder, Did I choose the right allies?
"King Seth, tell your ground forces to stall for time until Star Swirl and the other mages can handle Erebus. Lend General Sunstone some of your chaos magicians to clear the black crystals and this time, try to keep the safety of others in mind. The meeting is adjourned."
There was, of course, grumbling amongst the leaders as they mulled over their choices and in the end, agreed on Solaris' plan. King Seth wasn't happy with the outcome, vocalizing his displeasure with Dragon Lord Fireheart but still agreeing to send aid to the crystal ponies over in the northern front. Letting the others leave first, King Solaris was ready to make his exit with Sergeant Steadfast when Lord Gilead beckoned him over with a sway of his head. Curiosity got the better of him as he joined the griffon in a corner of the tent away from the others. Lord Gilead's pale yellow eyes darted around nervously before he spoke, checking and double-checking to ensure that the two were, in fact, alone.
"Your Highness, you've no doubt noticed King Seth's behavior and how it affects the others. He and his ilk are beyond frustrating, the way they behave as if nothing in the world matters."
King Solaris carefully responded, "Yes, I have noticed this. However, they are our most powerful allies. Are you suggesting that we sever ties with them? We're in the middle of a war."
"Yes, one that they brought with them! The umbrum gave us Equestrians trouble before but it only intensified when the draconequui appeared. Now we can't throw a stone without hitting one. At least back then, the umbrum kept their distance." Lord Gilead then leaned over and whispered, "I can't be the only one that noticed the shadow ponies' only got worse when the war started up here. As much as they say they are our allies, the draconequui are nothing but trouble. They're worse than the umbrum. King Seth himself could end us with a snap of his fingers if he so chose to."
"And yet he hasn't," King Solaris replied, admittedly siding somewhat with Gilead. "He and his kind could wipe us all out but they haven't and will not. It's simply not in their nature."
"Solaris, just because they haven't doesn't mean that they won't! What if they get bored and decide to take over Equestria? You know how their mood changes so quickly. Just...don't forget that."
Lord Gilead promptly departed, leaving King Solaris more uncertain than ever. As much as he wanted to continue to defend the draconequui, every argument fell through the cracks, leaving behind only the mounting concerns of their unpredictable and sometimes erratic nature. I need a drink, he thought miserably.