As our fellow Equestrians, Big Macintosh and Nurse Redheart braved through the desert to their destination, Aqqabasta, a nefarious scheme thickens in the lands of Eastern Saddle Arabia, deep within the beating heart of the Sheikhdom of Al-Dhannam.....
The landscape of Lehran, also known as Eastern Saddle Arabia is quite different than those of the majority of Saddle Arabia. Instead of being a sea of dune, it is a complex series of deep ravines and cliffs, forming a continuous canyon that spreads out throughout the land. The canyon is visually stunning not only because of its visually overwhelming size but also because the brown and reddish-brown hues of the canyon exudes an intricate and colorful landscape. The presence of many stone and adobe dwellings built, or to be exact carved from the cliff walls littered the canyons, reminding one of a termite mound . However, above all of these, the largest and grandest structure within Eastern Saddle Arabia stood tall, carved from the uppermost levels of the cliffs.
The structure is as grand as it is imposing, its almost ocher exudes an almost regal but savage nature, with twenty large minarets with gilded, golden onion-like domes decorating the top of those towers. Surrounding each tower, ten minarets formed a ring around the towers, each with their own gilded onion-like domes Each one of these clusters of towers are connected to each other via long sections of walls, forming an icosagon shape. Within this icosagon, ten moats in a decagon shape radiating out from the center of the fortification, each moat being separated from the other moat by a formidable wall and within each section, a lush forest could be seen surrounding each moat.
In the heart of it all an assortment of low buildings surrounds the central courtyards,numbering five in total, interconnected with large galleries and winding passages. Interspersed among these structures are trees, gardens and water fountains to give a refreshing feeling to the inhabitants that contrasts well with the blood-colored walls. The buildings enclosed the five courtyards, and access to these courtyards was restricted by high walls and controlled with gates. The fifth courtyard which is at the very center has a large protruding crown-like structure with a single black minaret in the center.
This formidable fortress is the Palace of Thorns of the Al-Dhannam clan and it is from here that the strongest clan of Saddle Arabia rules the lands of Eastern Saddle Arabia . It is at this jet black structure, aptly named the Black Tower where a plot is being planned that will shake the foundations of Saddle Arabia.......
Deep within the Black Tower, a single brooding figure is sitting on the single throne in this structure. The shadows cast upon the interior of the tower by the sun caused a dark shadow to cover the figure, further darkening the presence that is on the throne. Beside the throne, a cage holding a rather plump grey Saddle Arabian stallion could be seen. The Saddle Arabian is gagged, and there are a lot of bruises and cuts on the poor unfortunate soul. The figure in the dark decided to wield his scimitar and started to prod at the stallion in the cage. A cut was made upon the unfortunate stallion's arm, the gag muffling his scream. However, it appears that the figure on the throne is not amused by this display of sadism. It was not long before a Saddle Arabian stallion slowly walks throughout the court of the Black Tower, each hoofstep echoing throughout the entire court. The black Saddle Arabian, with a white flowing robe kneels before the overlord of this court, bowing down in respect.
"The preparations are ready Milord for your plans." The dark brooding figure rises from the throne, and walks down the steps towards the black stallion. Before long, the black stallion could feel a depressing weight upon his shoulders and he looks up towards the figure that was sitting on the throne.
The figure on the throne is wearing a pure white death mask, with two Eyes of Istas, painted red upon the mask. Upon the head of this figure is a striped headcloth, comprised of the darkest of black and the reddest of red, that covers the whole crown and back of the head and nape of the neck, and had two large flaps which hung down behind the ears and in front of both shoulders. Upon this headress, a red cobra decoration could be see, ready to strike. The rest of the figure's body however are covered by a black robe and hood, disguising the overlord's features. The height of the figure, which is easily three heads above the Saddle Arabian stallion, further sealed the imposing image that the figure projects.
"Good, good. Our Motherland will experience a rebirth like no other. The future is now shining every brighter." The serpentine but deep, muffled voice of the figure is as alluring as it is sickening. Before long, a gagged sound could be heard and the black stallion's attention is now at the captive in the cage. However the sinister voice of the dark figure pierced through his attention, forcing him to refocus his attention again.
"Is there something wrong, Salah?"
"No Milord, nothing is wrong." However, despite the equine's best ability to focus his attention onto the sinister figure, his attention inadvertently returns to the captive. It was not long before the figure walks up towards the poor stallion. The gagged stallion could only look at his tormentor with hatred and fear. The dark and tall equine started laughing, his laugh as cold as the coldest of nights striking even more fear and dread into the equines in the room.
"You dare pit your puny will against mine? In my presence you are an ant......a termite..... a nuisance, you grovelling insect!" the figure chuckled with unbound malice It was then that the stallion in the cage hurled his body towards the dark figure, but the cage prevented the stallion from truly doing anything towards the figure. It was then that the grey stallion is enveloped in a sickly red aura, and before the stallion could even do anything he was teleported out from his confinement. However, he is still a prisoner, for the sickly crimson aura is now his shackles. In fact, by being enveloped in this aura, the grey stallion felt even more repulsion and fear at this being. In his cage, at least it is a physical prison where he knows that it would not harm him. But being surrounded by this aura at the mercy of his jailer, he could no nothing at all to defend himself. It was then that the grey pony thought that this dastardly being is evil beyond compare.
"Your argument is a cloud, but I see through it into your mind. Evil? Your evil is my good. I am Set, the Violator.... where I thread I leave nothing but dust and darkness. I find that good." Those words from the nefarious equine struck into the heart of the stallion like no other fear. How did he know what he was thinking? It was then that he realized that the scimitar is now floating beside him. He tried to move and fight, but his body is held in place by the spell.The scimitar is now floating ever closer towards the stallion's left hindleg, and as it gets closer the stallion sweats even more. Not the sweat of cooling down his body during a hot day, but the cold sweat of fear now covers the entire pony. He wanted to scream for mercy, but he could not scream.
And then it happened. The spell surrounding his mouth had weakened, and the grey stallion now tries to screams with all his might and anguish at the pain coursing through his body.So violent was the attempt that the pony tried to scream that he ripped the gag from his mouth, causing his mouth to bleed. The poor stallion's scream echoes through the dark court, but the dark figure did not even flinch at the deafening scream. Instead the figure uses its magic to cause even more bodily harm towards the poor stallion.
Salah could only close his eyes as the act of violence is happening in the same room. The screams chilled his spine to the point he felt numb and paralyzed from the torture. When he heard whimpering, he opened his eyes and regretted the sight. The stallion, now breathing in pain, lies in the puddle of his own blood sullying his grey coat. However the grey stallion held his whimpering and speaks to the dark monstrous figure.
"Then I curse you Set," the grey stallion said laboriously, breathing in with every wince, "In the name of all nature that you are a twisted abomination." The grey stallion's expression is weak but defiant.
The tormentor tilts his head sideways and using his sorcery lifted the stallion and the scimitar again. Salah immediately knew what is going to happen and he closed his eyes. The screaming starts again and the black stallion tries his best to hold back the content of his stomach and imagine the display of unbridled cold barbarity away. However, the black stallion is unable to do so for his ears could not hide the agony of the poor stallion.But the time the screaming had stopped and Salah opened his eyes again, he was utterly mortified and emptied his stomach content. The cruel tormentor did not even bother to look at his hoofwork, and started talking again. However his listener's eyes are as white as pearls.The only thing that betrays the stallion's stillness is that of his chest moving up and down.
"Any further insolence, and I shall shred your nervous system into a million fibers. Is that understood?" The heartless being said coolly as it glowed with a cruel crimson. As Salah wipes his mouth of his stomach content, he could not believe his eyes. The wounds of the unfortunate stallion mend itself and the stallion who was once a mangled mess is full once again as if he was not mutilated in the first place. The cloth that acts as the gag floats and wraps itself around the stallion's mouth once more, silencing the poor stallion. However the grey plump stallion had already passed out from the shock. The cruel tormentor known as Set walks up towards the black stallion.
"Open your eyes." The serpentine voice commanded. The stallion is too afraid to say a thing, as he is utterly terrified. But then he could hear Set's voice again.
"Open your eyes." This time the voice of Set is even more stern and forceful, and indeed the voice is now utterly intimidating and bone-chilling. It was then that Salah realized that he must speak less his lord will be angered. He dared not anger his lord after seeing how he cold-heartily tortured an equine without even a tint of emotion.
"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y--y-yyyes......... M-m-m-m-m-m-m-milord?" The black stallion is now trembling from the fear that emanates from this brooding monster. It was only that by chance that the black stallion had decided to use the restroom before he came for this particular meeting, or else he would have emptied his bowels at this precise moment. However, he could feel that his bowels and his bladder are squeezing as if by instinct to this particular terrifying situation. To the stallion's surprise Set puts his hoof upon his shoulders and speak to him in a very sweet and sultry voice, although it was still laced with the dark lord's serpentine timbre.
"Serve me well, and I shall reward you. Serve me badly and it is within my power to choose the manner of your death. I can.... if I choose..... to keep you alive for centuries wrecked by the most excruciating pain.....is that understood?" The black stallion could only nod, for he is unwilling to become his lord's plaything. Before long, the black stallion bows and leaves the dark figure courteously. The sounds of even more vomiting could be heard after the doors to the throne chambers are closed.
Unperturbed by the disgusting sound of a pony puking, the dark figure walks up the stairs using its magic to hover the unconscious stallion. Set sits upon the throne while casually teleporting the plump grey stallion into the cage. Set is silent, and Set's posture is utterly indomitable as its will to bring all of Saddle Arabia under its rule. With the resources of the most powerful clan in the whole of Saddle Arabia, Set will see to it that change will come to Saddle Arabia. If everyone will stand in its way, so be it. The heartless being will be the raging tempest of the desert purging all in the winds of hate and flay the flesh from their bones, letting them suffer for their sins in the darkness that follows.
Saddle Arabia will be changed...., Set said to himself.