//------------------------------//
// New ally, new partner, new choices 
// Story: The Appearance of The New 
// by Castok the Shadow 
//------------------------------//

Third POV:

The dark voids once again surrounded Dynol as he was on his knees from almost draining his power of earth out. It felt like all of Dynol's strength, physical and mentally was gone. Like there was nothing inside him that could fight back. He was helpless like a new born baby. Dynol slowly got up with shaking arms and legs. He knew where he was and that is why he got up. He knew that he can not be caught by It.

The dark voids began to shape around Dynol. He looked around with fear and tired eyes. The voids moved like snakes and revealed a city. Not the one from his previous dream. But something more new. What it means is that it was a city under siege. A city from this world. The capital city of the ponies. Dynol stood at the entrance of the pony's castle, where everything was burning, crumbling and filled with the dead, ponies and others. Those were minotaurs, griffins, dogs, changelings, dragons and even his forest friends and Ogre allies. Dynol looked at their faces, filled with dread, despair and death. Dynol knew that it was trying something and yet, Dynol thought it was something else. Normally it would bring him home or whispers madness and try to break his spirit, all failed, but it never stopped. Suddenly. Dynol heard the sound of something hitting the ground, voices of wrath and fear. Dynol headed towards the noise. To get out of his nightmares, he needed to face its tortures.

He walked slowly, not wanting to see what's making the noise. But to get out, he must. Though without his powers to get himself ready, he thought this could be the last dream of his life. The sounds were getting louder as Dynol walked though the ruin castle.  Soon, Dynol came across a large door, opened like it was kicked to submission. The noises was coming from behind the door. Dynol, carefully as he could walked towards the door and gasped from what was behind it.

There on the ground, right in front of Dynol was the pony known as 'Celestia'. The one that tried to stop Dynol at Ponyville. She looked beaten, bleeding and had cuts that looked like it made by a sword. She was as weak as Dynol was, without anymore strength in her to fight back. But she had enough to cast a teleport spell. The reason was that right after she casted that spell, an ebony blade landed down where she once laid. The looked crude and was shown no mercy from being forged in hell's fires. It looked demonic as sin, as if the most evil being has created it with all the bad deeds it has done. 

"You can cast all the spells you want, pony!" Came a voice that Dynol knew all too well: His. "But no one is coming to save you, not even your own sister!" Dynol slowly entered the room to see the full state of the battle.

There was the same him from the other dream, although he was wearing dark armour with spikes all over his back, arms and shoulders. The blade he was holding on his right looked like is was apart of him, like he cut his own hand to replace it with the hellish blade. He was wearing a hood that covered his face apart from the lower part, where rows upon rows of shark like teeth was in his mouth. The opposite side of the room was the beaten princess, heavily breathing from casting her spell near a window that showed a world in chaos, a world in darkness, a world in ruins. The dark Dynol saw hear and started to walk sinisterly towards her. "your people's despair..." He began to speak. "So delicious, your fear... So mouthwatering"

"Even...If you kill me" Celestia said weakly. "Others will... rise to fight back... and revenge those who have fallen to your... monstrous forces!"

The dark Dynol grunted. "They shall fall as well!" He reached Celestia and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up to the sky. "Beg for mercy from your new emperor!"

"It's no emperor!" Celestia growled though her teeth in defy and pain.

"I'm talking about me, idiot!" He respond with venom in his words as he pulled her closer to his face. "But you're right, it's more of a GOD!" The dark Dynol then threw Celestia away from the window and landed hard on the floor where the other Dynol's feet was just missed. Dynol looked down at Celestia and felt a strange feeling. He didn't know what it was, nor could he tell: Pity, anger or even...Joy? Dynol couldn't put a finger on it. Slowly and painfully, Celestia lifted her head. She didn't looked at Dynol, because he wasn't there. Instead she let out a surprised gasp.

"DYNOL!!" Came an anger voice, right behind the real Dynol. As he turned his head towards where the voice came from, so too did the dark Dynol. When the both of them saw who spoked, they both gasped in shock.

Right there, standing at the door was no other then Varlock. But he was very injured, he wore bandages, most noticeable was his right arm that looked badly burnt. He carried one of his son's spear, the very same one that was used as a warning shot for Dynol. One of his tusks was cut off and he wore a eyepatch that covered his left eye.

"Impossible!" The dark Dynol said in disbelief. "You were..."

"Remember the Horde of The Forest?!" Varlock interrupted aggressively. The dark Dynol's face dropped as if those words were more painful then even the most deadly punishment or grimmest of news. Before anyone could reacted. Him, Celestia or the real Dynol. Varlock threw his spear right at dark Dynol. The spear flew towards him so fast, that he couldn't react on time. Instead, the spear flew right towards him, into his neck and the tip came out from behind his hood. Gurgles came out of his mouth as blood rushed and came out of it. With his left shaking hand, he grabbed the spear but didn't remove it. Celestia, with the last of her magical powers, casted a spell of energy from her horn and blasted the gurgling Dynol right in his chest, that caused him to flew right towards the window and be smashed into thousand of pieces. He then fell to his doom with dark and shadowy powers coming out of his hand, blade, feet and eyes. When he reached to the bottom of the ruin city's floor, he busted nothing shadowy dusts, ending him there forever. Leaving only the spear with it's tip stuck in the ground with his blood still warm on a third of the spear, slowly dripping or rolling to the ground.

With heavy breathing, Varlock lumped toward Celestia, with the real Dynol watching in horror and surprise. This maybe a nightmare, but he saw himself being this evil monster to his most loyal ally killing him with a spear. Varlock helped Celestia get on her hooves and then they walked towards where the other Dynol fell to his death. As they reached to the end on the window and looked down, they both saw the spear on the ground.

"It's over" Celestia said. "His reign over this world is finally over"

"His, yes" Varlock answered with a sad sigh. "But its hasn't" Varlock kneeled down, his eye grew cloudy. "If only I had stopped you back then, How things might of been, if only I had never let you tough that forsaken and forbidden relic!" His voice was breaking from the lost of Dynol but the last thing he said was: "Farewell Dynol, my brother"

As soon as he said that. The sound of something laughing evilly shook the ground. Everyone looked towards where the laughter came from. From the distance, came it.

It was enormous. One of its crab legs was as tall as one mountain. Half of its body was covered by the chaotic storm, but its soulless eyes was still seen and still evil from the last dream. As one of its leg hit the ground, darkness filled the soil, corrupting every living or dead thing that was near it. As it was coming closer to the castle. Hellish screams of fear and war came behind everyone in the room. Dynol turned his head, he saw gaining speed, biped beings with all sort of frighting weapons thirst for blood. Dynol then faced Celestia and Varlock, who were looking at themselves, then they nodded and ready themselves for their last battle.

But before the dark biped beings came close to the door. A fiery portal opened right next to Dynol. Dynol looked to the portal but only saw bright flames of uncontrolled fury. But out of the portal came Fire's arms, grabbing by the right arm of Dynol's. Before Dynol got pulled into the fiery portal, he looked back at Celestia and Varlock. Beaten and badly injured, they were lambs to the slaughter. Dynol got pulled into the portal, escaping his nightmare again.

But for the first time in five years of these nightmares, this one was the only one Dynol asked himself.

What happened next? And what does this all mean?





Celestia POV:

I sat on my throne with Luna standing next to me. Cadence went to find Shining Armour while Twilight and her friends went to their chambers for them to rest, it was a horrible day. The door opened to let Luna's special force in: The Lunatic.

In front of Lunatics was the leader of the Lunatics, Arcana Shift, also known as 'The Shadow Walker' and responsible of espionage. He was a unicorn who is good at using shadow magic, and often use shadows as his main weapons. The title of "The Shadow Walker" is for his ability to turn into a black plume of smoke to move around, this is a self-made spell created by Arcana, akin to a teleportation spell used by other unicorns but instead of just instant relocation he can use it to have the ability to fly, with a few limitations in the form of how much magic he has left. More magic reserve means more time to use the spell. He had a dark gray coat, chestnut mane and tail with golden eyes. His cutie mark is a black book with a crescent moon. As he walked in, so too did the rest of the Lunatics.

Following behind Arcana was the second-in-command and in charge of reconnaissance missions, Shamrock Blossom, also known as 'The Pale Mare'. Once she was one of my Solar Guards, but she transferred to the Lunatics for close combat rather then staying here on patrols in the castle. She was an Earth pony with yellow coat, green with light green streaks in her mane and tail, and olive green eyes. Her cutie mark is some cracked rocks.

Next, reading some notes was the pegasus named Storm Days, also known as 'The Tempest'. He was the tactician of the group, but was good at fighting in the sky. He was the one who usually make the plans for the whole Lunatic. Storm Days had a grayish-lilac coat, pale blue with streaks of white mane and tail with rose-colored eyes. His cutie mark was a rolled parchment map.

Not so far from him was the unicorn 'The Sentinel', who's real name was Snow Charm. She is the interrogation and intelligence of the Lunatic. This mare was very good in getting answers by any means possible. And while her Solar counterparts would be willing to forgive their target, she will do anything to get the truth from her enemies. Her specialty lied with ice magic and illusions. She had a silver white coat, ice blue mane and tail with blue eyes. Her cutie mark was a multicoloured comet.

Finally the last member of The Lunatic. Another pegasus named Firestorm, also known as 'The Maelstrom'. She was an professional in aerial combat. Uses wing blades as her main weapon. My reports said that she was honest and cool headed, but can be quite strong headed when nothing goes her way or the plan. She had a orange coat, cherry red mane and tail with gray eyes. Her cutie mark was a fire tornado.

All put together creates the Lunatic. Soon they'd reached the at the bottom of my throne and bowed down respectfully, although I don't know if they are doing it for both of us or just Luna. Storm Days had to be pulled down by Firestorm because he was too busy in his notes to notice.

"Rise my little ponies" I said with a smile. The Lunatic risen and stood up proud and strong, ready to hear our orders. "I'm pretty sure you all know why we've have brought you here"

"Indeed your highnesses" Arcana Shift answered strongly. "We saw the fall of Ponyville from Canterlot, whatever this thing is, it sure knows how to lead a surprise assault"

"It was more or less of an obvious counterattack" Storm Days said while still looking still looking at his notes with a emotionless tone in his voice. "It's like when a colt pushing a warps nest, the warps would get anger and fight back like the time where Shamrock  saw some fillies being mean to one small colt and-" Storm Days would kept on going if not for Shamrock, who stepped on his left hoof to stop talking. This made Firestorm and Snow Charm to giggle, even Arcana cracked a smile with me and Luna.

"That's my brother for ya" Firestorm giggled. "Always going off tracks and into his own world of knowledge" I was enjoying watching them having a bit of a rumble, but Luna stayed on topic.

"Lunatic" Luna answered in a serious tone. The Lunatic stopped and looked at Luna. "We have brought you all here because of this 'Horde' invading Ponyville and captured it. But unfortunately, one of our citizen is trapped inside of it. His name is Spike; assistant of the princess of friendship; Twilight Sparkle

What we want you; The Lunatic, is to find a way to get into now Horde controlled territories and get Spike out of there and back to Cantorlot. But we need you to do this with stealth and time, once Dynol; The leader of the Horde of The Forest, knows that Spike has been rescued. He'll most likely send his best warriors after you or if you're unlucky, he'll come after you himself which leads to the next thing." Luna then walked down and gave Arcana a horn like the ones the royal guards hold. "If Dynol does come after you on his own, blow this horn. It'll not only alarm anyone around you, but it will create a teleport for us; The Alicorns, to get to your location quicker then just getting on chariots. Dismiss"

"As you command, Selena" The Lunatic saluted as they spoke at once. I always found her code name strange, why not keep your own name? I do for my guards. As they walked towards the door. Luna walked back to me and sat on her own throne. I looked down and held a worried face. We're at war. This hasn't happened since the war to free the Crystal Empire from Sombra's tyranny. But also why did Dynol decided war upon us. In all my years, there has been nothing like this, all nations has reason for war. But Dynol The Dammed? He came out of nowhere and openly attack us twice, killed Rock-Axes's best bodyguards and nearly a whole scout force to his Horde. There must be a way to bring peace without more bloodshed. The war against Sombra wasn't much of a war, more of an overthrown then a full scale war....

"Are you alright, Tia?" Luna asked while I was daydreaming.

I turned and faced her. "Right now we need to regroup our forces to fight back at Dynol's Horde. I hope we can stop him"





Dynol POV:

I was on the eastern side of my newly built Earth Walls, facing away from the capital of Equestria, admiring my handy work. The garrison was learning how to use the walls's defensive like the catapults and trebuchets while under the command of Llofrudd. I was also admiring the fact that the Ogres was taking all the building supplies to Rhyfel, where Varlock should be at right now. WoodFang was still at Ponyville cause I haven't written those letters yet and so he's just resting with his pack. As I was walking along the wall. I came to one of the stone trebuchets, where Llofrudd and three Ogres were practising using the siege weapon. They fired a rock from the trebuchet as it flew high in the air. Once it landed, it exploded and a small amount of lava came out of it. If it was for a real battle, those who were unlucky enough to get hit by it, would slowly burn to death. I must say, even I would think twice if that was waiting for me.

"Enjoying our new defensives, eh?" I asked with a smile. Llofrudd and the three Ogres turned around to face me.

"Lord Dynol" Said one of the three Ogres as they kneeled down with the arms folded into X shape on the chest. Lord Dynol? Have I got a new title thanks to the capture of this town or something? Still, it's nice to be called 'lord' as a sign of respect. 'Lord Dynol The Dammed', a worthy title.

"At ease, my friends" I spoke with friendly tone as they risen from their knee. "You may return practising, I came to have a word with Llofrudd" The Ogres saluted and went back to normal while Llofrudd and I walked down the eastern wall. "You maybe guessing why I want to talk with you?"

"Aye" Llofrudd answered.

"Well, as much as I like these walls's defensives, we'll need something else to make this an unbreakable fortress"

"What would that be?"

"Spears. Lots of them. Equestria relies on speed and light infantries to win their battles but also heavily support from their allies for other things like heavy infantries and air support from forces like the Griffins. But we got all of that ,apart from scouts, mages, berserkers and heavy spearmen. The last three we'll sort out later, but the last we need to improve on" I stopped and move in front of Llofrudd. "With heavy spearmen in open combats will be the bane of Equestria's forces and win battles more quickly and easy with-"

"Lord Dynol!" Shouted an Ogre, running out of a watchtower behind me. I turned to face the Ogre. "Lord Dynol, we have company" The Ogre merely pointed outward, to where Whitetail Woods is. What I saw was strange doglike creatures either coming out from the ground or coming out of the Woods's borders. I stared only for a few seconds, but from those seconds, there was a lot of them. Around five hundreds or maybe a thousand of them roughly.

I turned to Llofrudd. "Ready the garrison, we may have our first attack" Llofrudd nodded and went to rally the garrison for battle. I looked back at the possible enemies and examined them more. The were all different shape and sizes but many bulky brutes with black iron armours and clubs. But the one that got my attention was a large dog that just came out from one of the many holes around the Whitetail Woods.  He had dark brown fur, like of those from old oak trees. His height dwarfed the others, which makes me think that this one is the leader of this army.  He also wore a brown leather jacket with some brown boots. But his armour, his armour was as black as the heart of any evil creature with spiky shoulder plates. But it looked like scales from a large reptile. So whoever this dog is, it must know how to fight. In his left paw was a crude mace. It had spikes almost apart from its handle. It had some symbols on it, looks translatable unlike my mentors words. Looked like old Equestrian by my guess. But he was heading this way with his forces.

Llofrudd got ready the garrison as they marched along the wall with their weapons in their hands while some got ready in the siege weapons. We waited for the dogs to come to us. The dogs were only two miles away from the Earth Walls when they stopped, thanks to the big guy with his mace in the air as a sign to stop, making my theory of him being the leader true. After which, he walked onwards while his army stayed behind. His either brave or wishing a death sentence, but I honoured it as I flew down from the wall and headed towards him. It's only fine if I came down without an army backing me up if he didn't. As I got closer to him, I saw that he had an eyepatch on his right crimson eye.

Soon enough, we were only a few feet away from each other. "You've a lot of nerve to just show up from nowhere with an army behind you to my new captured town" I hissed, I got no idea on what they want, if they are either allies of the ponies or not.

"You're the one who took Ponyville?" The giant dog said with a growly voice. "And the one who built those walls out of nothing but the very ground we walk upon?"

"Indeed"

"Well, in all my years..." He spoke with a smile on his face. Then he just chuckled. "I have never seen anyone manage to kick the asses out of those  filthy ponies, not to mention just taking over the Mare six's home!"

I tilted my head to his sudden chuckled. "So you hate ponies as well?"

"Hate?!" The dog laughed even harder. "I hate the colour yellow. But the ponies, especially those crystal ones, I want to gorge out their eyes and throw them into a raging flame!"

Now I'm the one who is surprised by his hatred of the ponies. "As much as I agree on the 'hate for pony' part" I said calmly. "But you haven't given me a reason why you have showed up with an army behind you"

"Where are my manners?" He replied shaking his head. "I am Great Alpha Behemoth, Leader of Clan Bytheiad and Clan Mwngrel. And I come not only in peace, but also to fight against the pony filths that you too fight against"

Now things as got interesting. They've come to fight the ponies and 'Behemoth' has a really large hatred for the ponies that he's come all the way her to see me. "Hmm, so" I spoke with my arms crossed. "You've come to join the Horde?"

"Anyone that fights the Crystal Empire and their allies, is a friend to Clan Bytheiad and Clan Mwngrel"

"Before I decide, tell me, why do you hate the ponies?" I boldly asked Behemoth. He remained silent for a short while. But he answered my question.

"My father's fathers were at war with the Crystal Empire for many years, there forced us off our lands and made us run all the way to Whitetail Woods" He explained. "My people were being slaughtered by their king; King Sombra. And either though he is defeated by the princesses, the crystal ponies will not give our lands back. And that's why I hate them! Cause they robbed our homes and sided with the ones who will not help us!" His rage was so much that I could see the flames of war in his left eye and see smokes coming out of his nose. He wants to fight.... I'll give him, that honour.

"Very well then" I smiled and hovered up in the air. "I, Lord Dynol The Dammed welcomes Great Alpha Behemoth, Leader of Clan Bytheiad and Clan Mwngrel to The Horde of The Forest. You shall join my council with the Ogres of Red-Oath, and be my right hand in war and battle. Your people will be protected if you in turn protect those who protects yours. Your people will still obey you, but as a member of the Horde, you must help the other peoples in times of war as if they were your own children. What do you say, Behemoth?"

He did not give a second to think and replied, with his mace in the air and shouted out loud.

"Clan Bytheiad and Clan Mwngrel will join the Horde and I agree to your terms!"

A new ally. Now we are stronger and Equestria shall fear The Horde of The Forest