//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Trickster Priest // by Fresnor //------------------------------// It was another beautiful day in the country of Equestria as Celestia’s sun shone down on the city of Canterlot. The ponies of the kingdom had no clue of the forgotten evils that their land contained as their rulers let the knowledge of the worst creatures fade into history. Yet even though much had been forgotten by them as time had passed there were still reminders of it if one knew where to look. In the castle gardens of Canterlot stood a statue of one of the strangest creatures in existence. Its mismatched limbs of a lion paw, eagle claw, goat hoof, and lizard leg were attached to its serpentine body with one feathered and one bat-like wing jutting from its back. Nothing on its body really looked as if they should fit together yet somehow they were all attacked to the same body. This creature was Discord, proclaimed Lord of Chaos and Disharmony and at this very moment he was very, very bored. “Would it kill you to actually say something for once? It’s bad enough that I’ve been strapped in stone for centuries but when they finally bring you in you had to have that look on your face. All I’m asking for is a bit of conversation until I find a way to bust out of here.” His voice wasn’t audible unless you knew what to listen for but it was directed at one that could hear it since he was in a similar state. Across from Discord was another statue of a tall bipedal figure that was wearing a mantled cloak that covered its chest area in the front and hung down to its feet in the back. Between the right shoulder and neck was a clasp for the cloak that had three round gems embedded in it. Attached to the wrists, belt, and neck area of the figure were matching talismans also bearing a large jewel in them. Hanging from a hip was a large pouch used for storing things but what was most striking about the figure was how it was leaning forward with a finger pulling one eyelid down and sticking out its tongue as if taunting something. Of course even at Discord’s insistence the figure said nothing in response and the very air seemed to sigh as the draconequus couldn’t do it himself. “Fine, see if I do anything to help you out once I get out of here. You might have been mildly entertaining when we last met but you can just rot there for a few more centuries for all I care if you aren’t going to talk to me.” Discord went back to entertaining himself again with whatever song came to his mind while the statue across from him in the garden continued taunting him. <><><><><><><> Outside of Equestria in the borderlands between the Minotaur Confederacy and the Gryphon Empire there sat a quaint little town called Claw that bordered the Black Labyrinthian Forest that sat along the borders of the two kingdoms. What few knew about this town is that there is a café there that served delicacies that couldn’t be found anywhere else as the recipes for them had been passed down through the minotaur family that owned the place for generations. Seated at this café was a figure that looked much like a minotaur himself but with a head that looked remarkably like the figure across from Discord in Canterlot. Unlike the statue this figure lacked the grey coloration and was much more colorful with his pale skin and dark purple hair. He was seated at one of the café’s tables with a jewel-topped staff leaning on the table next to him while he had a newspaper open in his hands in front of him. “Well, it looks like the dragons are starting to spread out once again. I almost thought I went overboard back then but if the official migration is starting up again then I must not have.” He flips through the pages browsing for other topics of interest. “Let’s see; Diamond Dogs refusing to dig which is driving up gem prices; more border skirmishes between gryphon bandits and Equestria, I might have to look into that; and… what’s this?” He sits up straighter as an article catches his attention that he wasn’t expecting. “Well, well, well. It’s seems that little Looney has finally come back again. Things are about to get interesting back in Equestria it seems so it might be time for me to visit old sun butt again.” He rolls up the newspaper and sets it aside before signaling to a young minotaur female that was waiting tables. “Loolas, would you ask your mother to prepare three of your family’s special Black Forest cakes to go. I’ll also take an order of season baked chicken to go; it seems there are some old friends I have to visit.” The youngster nods before pointing off in the opposite direction. “Okay mister priest, though it looks like the chicken may be a bit raw and coming this way.” The figure labeled as a priest looks in the indicated direction to see what looked like a half dozen gryphon mercenaries headed in his direction. They were looking right at him with hostility and the streets were clearing out as they moved towards him purposefully. “So you’re the Mysterious Priest creature that has a fifty thousand bit bounty on its head? You sure don’t look tough enough to deserve such a price but a jobs a job. Come along quietly and we won’t have to hurt you.” The leader is a bulky black gryphon that was covered in scars who tried to look intimidating as he says all this. The seated figure just yawns before turning back to the young minotaur. “Run along Loolas, and tell your mother that I’m sorry for the damages to the café. Also remember the order was for the baked chicken, these are still too raw.” He pointed at the mercenaries who ruffled their wings at being insulted and prepared to attack. He just looked at them through his slitted eyes and casually placed his hand on his nearby staff. “So you want to do this the hard way then? Very well, but you should know that we’ve captured some of the worst things that Tartarus has to offer so you had better not underestimate us.” The six mercenaries fan out around the priest and slowly start to advance as the priest begins to circle the table with his staff drawing a circle around it. “I’m insulted. Comparing me to the mindless beasts that sneak out of that place is like calling the sun a bit warm. But I guess expecting witty banter out of a bunch of featherheads is a bit much to ask isn’t it?” The insults are starting to get to the gryphons as their wings flare out in anger as they advance. Citizens of the town watch from various places of cover to see what is going to happen and some are even starting to collect bets on the fight. With a shriek from the leader the six pounce as one at the priest with their weapons drawn. They all clash as one over the center of the table the priest was seated at but of the priest there was no sign. The leader of the group pounced atop the table to get a view of the area. “He’s faster than I thought, guard each other’s backs and keep a lookout for him! He can’t have gone far.” The other five surround the table looking outwards as the each scans the area for signs of their quarry. The all freeze up when they hear his voice echoing out of nowhere. “Oh Spirits of Earth I summon you now, Grant me your power in exchange for my vow; Please do my bidding and do as I say, I command you oh spirits,” The priest appears again at the edge of the circle with a grin on his face and a wicked gleam in his now open eyes as he thrust his hands from above his head down towards the circle, “EXPLOSION ARRAY!” The gryphons start to flail as the ground beneath them starts to rise up before erupting in an explosion that engulfs everything within the circle. The six yell out in pain as their bodies go flying straight up into the air just too fall moments later back where they starter. All six of them were a bit scorched from the explosion and not a one was conscious as the spell had knocked them out. The figure that they labeled as the Mysterious Priest turns to the young minotaur that was bringing out his order as he holds a hand out to the side. “There you are Loolas. Once again I’m sorry for the mess but sometimes these things happen.” A large pouch of bits suddenly falls from the sky and lands in his outstretched hand, looking a bit burnt but still intact. “This should be enough to cover the repairs and the food though.” The young waitress peers into the pouch before nodding and hiding it away somewhere. “It’s more than enough mister priest and we’ll just add the rest to your tab like mommy says you keep here. She wanted me to ask you where you are off to now and who your friends are you are going to visit.” The priest stashes the cakes away in the pouch at his side before taking a bite out of one of the drumsticks from his own meal. “Oh I’ll be off to Equestria for the foreseeable future as things are about to get entertaining out there soon. As for my friends out there do I really have to remind her?” He raises a finger in front of his face as Xellos opens the eye opposite it mischievously. “That is a secret!”