One place at the table was conspicuously empty. Grogar stared at it, glanced over at the door, then sighed and addressed the others present. “So far, our offensives have gone exactly according to plan. It is time we prepare ourselves for the final battle. However, I have just detected—Sombra, you are late.” The stallion in question kept a neutral expression and took his seat with dignity. “I suggest you spend less time with that mare and spend more time focusing on the task at hoof!”
The King gave Grogar an indignant frown. “That mare is to become my Queen once we succeed in taking Equestria!”
That news surprised exactly nocreature. Cozy Glow started coughing in a poor attempt to disguise her laughter, and Tirek passed a smug Chrysalis several golden bits. Grogar’s own frown deepened.
“As I was just about to say, we are currently in danger of not succeeding in taking Equestria, so you will do well to pay attention! If any of Celestia’s allies come to her aid, our job will become much harder. I just detected a vessel of messengers from the Royal Guard launching from the port at Seaddle. They must be stopped. Sombra, I entrust this task to you.”
“I will not disappoint you.”
“See that you don’t.”
King Sombra swirled himself into a smoky shadow and teleported away. Grogar turned back to the others and caused several objects to appear in the center of the table. One was the Staff of Sacanas, which the goat had been using to produce ill weather around Equestria's borders ever since Sombra had acquired it for him. The others were Yksler’s Helm and the Amulet of Aurora, both stolen from displays in Twilight’s School of Friendship.
“We will use each of these to our advantage,” began Grogar, picking up the Staff of Sacanas.
“Ooh, what’s this one do?” Cozy Glow placed Yksler’s Helm on her head, though it was several sizes too large. A pulse of smooth white magic radiated out from the filly, passing harmlessly through all present yet knocking the Staff from Grogar’s hooves.
“Don’t touch anything yet!” He growled, snatching the Helm from Cozy Glow’s head. His outburst also caused Tirek and Chrysalis to freeze in their attempts to snatch the remaining artifact off the table. Grogar rolled his eyes and picked up all three items in his magic, levitating them out of his eager subordinates’ reaches.
“The Staff of Sacanas I will wield. It lends great magic and can only be effectively controlled by a user with great magic to match. Yksler’s Helm I must enchant. It’s power, as we have just seen, is to disarm any creature within range, and we do not want to be disarming each other in the great battle. Once it is ready, I will bestow it upon Cozy Glow—“
“Hooray!” interjected she.
“—for she is the most maneuverable of us and will be most effective in confusing our enemies by flying among their ranks and causing them continually to lose their weapons.”
“And,” hissed Chrysalis, pointing at the third artifact and glancing sideways at Tirek, “Which of the two of us gets the last one?”
“Ultimately, neither of you.” Grogar dropped the charm in question from his magical hold into his hoof. “I have other plans for the Amulet of Aurora.”
“What do you mean?” demanded Queen Chrysalis. “What’s the point of having it if we aren’t going to use it?”
“The point is to tempt the ponies into using it!” Grogar’s audience looked utterly bewildered and appalled, so he continued. “The information our hostage has revealed to us has lead me to conclude that our best defense against the ponies and their ‘friendship magic’ is to tear apart their paltry friendship. We will use this amulet to help us accomplish that.”
“It can do that?” Lord Tirek questioned, no less confused.
“No, no, let me finish!” Grogar stomped angrily and caught the amulet back above his head again in his magic to keep himself from damaging it in his frustration. “The Amulet of Aurora merely influences large bodies of water. We are going to force the ponies to argue by giving them this artifact and tempting them to use it, and Chrysalis, I have selected you for this task.” He passed her the amulet and the Queen beamed. “You do not get to keep it,” Grogar reminded her.
“Fine.” Now she held the charm but moped as Tirek and Cozy Glow tried to stifle their giggles. “What would you have me do, then, if I am not to keep this infernal thing?”
Grogar broke into a malicious grin.