//------------------------------// // On that day Equestria recieved a Grim reminder... // Story: Summoning the King of Monsters! // by Krazy Stargazer //------------------------------// The scene could best be described as Tarturus on Equis. Fire was everywhere, the former coastal village had nearly been annihilated within minutes. Ships that had been the pride of the Equestrian navy sunk. The market place that was filled with the bustling noise of trade and commerce silenced. Places residents had once called homes were demolished. Somewhere Fleet Foot had even seen the tattered remains of the Equestrian flag skirt across his path before burning to a cinder. Among the burning wreckage, if one really strained their ears, they could hear the frantic hoof-steps of a certain pegasus. Sargent Fleet foot had a front seat ticket to the utter carnage of the small port town. He had sensed their was something wrong in town but before he could react his idiot subordinate had elected to run fool hardheadedly into a situation neither knew anything about! He tried yelling from the tower to retrieve his subordinate but was silenced when the sky lit on fire. Sargent Fleet Foot had managed to find and round up a group of survivors, shortly after Fleet Foot had run out of the tower. The Sargent kept an eye out for his charge but couldn't for the life of him find him. However as a member of the Equestrian guard he had a duty to both the inhabitants and his nation. So first things first was to find if their were any survivors. He surveyed the situation, for it seemed that the town was not only demolished but abandoned. The smell of sulfur and burnt wood permeated the air, and heat from the flames was nearly unbearable. It took him some time to navigate through the wreckage and smoke but finally he came across a Zebra trade-pony trapped under the rubble of his stall. Sargent Fleet Foot immediately galloped to free the trapped merchant, using a board as a makeshift crowbar he managed to provide enough leverage to free him. "cough, cough, thank you Equetrian," the grateful zebra said. "Don't thank me, we aren't out of the woods yet. Stay on my tail and don't move unless I tell you otherwise," Sargent Fleet Foot instructed. The zebra nodded in understanding at his savior and stuck close. A little away they heard the cries of a unicorn. She frantically beseeched the Sargent to save her faience who was, like the zebra before him was trapped under some rubble. The poor girl was in quite a state, once her pale blue and pink mane must have been a source of great pride for the unicorn, but not was regulated to a disheveled mess. They finally made it to a former store, although Fleet Foot couldn't tell you which store since its sign was currently in flames. "I can't see a thing where is your fiance?!" "There, there under the cases!" the unicorn said pointing to some debris. He could barely make it out in the sweltering heat of the building but could indeed see a fellow pegusus trapped under the rubble trapping his wings. "Stay here and watch the lady!" he instructed the zebra. The zebra nodded solemnly and Fleet Foot leept into the burning building. The Zebra and unicorn couldn't see exactly what was happening, so they just stood and waited; their was a moment of silence, followed by a crash and a explosion. "NO!!!" the unicorn cried out making a grab for the building. But, the Zebra dutifully held her but couldn't help but feel a twinge of despair for his former savior. The zebra averted his eyes and tried to comfort the unicorn, but then he saw Fleet Foot and the other pegasus emerge from the wreckage, battered and bruised but very much alive. The unicorn ran over to embrace her beloved and thanked the Sargent. The unicorn propped one of her fiance's wings on her back and supported the rest of him with magic, then the group continued on it's way. While walking they came across a tough looking Griffin passed out, and if his bruise was anything to go on it was probably from a strike from the head from the crumbling town. The Zebra and Sargent carried him for a time until he awoke. Fast as a whip he jumped away and drew his sword. "Hey, hey easy buddy we just saved your life." The Griffin looked around frantically, but seemingly calmed down, he sheathed his sword and thanked the group. "Please tell me, what happened? One minute I was walking, hoping to get a gig as a bodyguard for some merchant, the next thing i know the pier is in flames and something struck me behind the head." The griffin stated. No pony had a particular answer, one minute the day was the same as any other then out of nowhere pandemonium erupted. Even Fleet Foot, who had the advantage of being at the tower, couldn't really decern what had happened. "It doesn't matter what happened. For now I have to get you all to someplace safe, then I got to report what happened here...we can figure out what happened once we are in the clear" the Sargent said. The group seemed to accept this, after all he had saved most of them so the least they could do was follow him to safety. Just then they heard a yell, the group stoped in their tracks. It was the yell of somepony in pain, possibly in danger. The thought of what peril the victem could be in rushed through the minds of everypony present, stuck in a burning building, trapped or maybe both? "we...we should go back. Somepony...somepony could be in trouble" the wounded pegusus said between gasps. It was evident he was still in alot of pain. "Hon...you're injured..." "I know, but we just can't leave somepony out there!" the unicorn yelled visibly frustrated. "Yes, but going and getting yourself killed will solve nothing Equestrian. We should stick to the Sargent's plan and seek safety." the Zebra pronounced. "Bah cowards." the Griffin said with an air of disgust "Equines always lack the backbone when it counts!" Now everypony was arguing. The Zebra and unicorn insisting they move to safety and the gyphon and wounded pegusus saying they should go look for the other survivor. Sargent Fleet Foot closed his eyes and blocked them out, he was in deep thought. On the one hand he had a duty to report what happened as soon as possible, yet he also had a duity to protect and serve the inhabitants of Equestria. Even though the Zebra and Griffin were obviously from oversees it was his duity to see them safe to. So he came to a conclusion. An ear-piercing whistle rang out and everypony covered their ears until it was over. The Sargent stood with a slight smirk on his face "eyup still got it,nice to know those years of hassling cadets has finally paid off." "Okay look everypony here's whats gonna happen," he pointed to the group "you all keep going until you reach the next town. Inform the mayor of said town of all that you know. Help each other, cover your weaknesses and you'll be fine." he said gesturing to the unicorn and zebra "I have military training so Im best equip to help any stragglers. And you can bet that i'll be meeting you in town faster than you know it." now gesturing to the pegusus and Griffin. Before anyone could respond their was another scream, and it sounded worse. "Get on it NOW" the Sargent yelled. The couple and the zebra took off, but the griffin had something to say. "...take care off yourself pony. I'll protect your little troupe." the griffin said then flew off with the rest. The Sargent made his way back into the sweltering city. He noticed that the flames hadn't died at all. It was almost as if they were magical... Another scream. This time he recognizes it. Tick Tock! By Celestia the rookie was still alive! The Sargent galloped onward spurned by the thought that the arrogant little twirp may actually be alive. However as he neared the score for the screaming he felt a sense of foreboding. Suddenly, years of discipline and training fell to the wayside as he felt one pure raw emotion, fear. The air here felt...well till felt hot. But now it was stale...like decay...or something very, very old. Finally he found Tick Tock. He was spread out and in a bad ways. Sargent looked him over. The poor rookie was scorched beyond recognition, yet still breathing, and his legs were twisted in...unnatural ways. "By Celestia what happened?" the Sargent wondered aloud. The burnt figure slowly turnt it's head, "S...Sargent? ....no...no...get out of here" it wheezed. "By the sun rookie...what happened to you" "ACTUALLY EQUINE. THIS HAPPENS TO HAVE BEEN MY DOING The Sargent jumped in alarm and from the smoke emerged a massive scaly snout, with a large gaping maw, and red burning eyes. He was so massive that the Sargent actually couldn't make out the rest of the massive creatures body, meerly its head obscured his entire field of vision, his true height must have been horrifying to contemplate. Then suddenly it all clicked. "you...you did this...all of this...WHY!!!" the Sargent yelled. "DOES THE OCEAN BOW BENEATH THE WHIMS OF A LOWLY MINNOW? DOES THE MOUNTAIN ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEASLY PEBBLE?" The burnt figure that was once Tick Tock looked at his commander. "Sargent...get out of here...leave while you still can!" "YOU SEE EQUINE. THIS WHELP HAD DARED REFUSED A QUESTION I HAD OF HIM." Now a massive claw emerged and was pointed directly over Tick Tock. The Sargent's eyes narrowed into pinpricks. "no...please don't" "NOW THAT I HAVE ANOTHER PONY TO INTERROGATE, I NO LONGER NEED THIS ONE." The claw descended, with a terrible shudder that shook the earth; the Sargent quivered in terror and rage. "you...you monster!" "NOW EQUINE YOU WILL ANSWER MY QUESTIONS...OR SUFFER THE SAME FATE!!!!" Sargent Fleet Foot was a hardened soldier but in the face of this creature he slowly felt his bravery fail him; he couldn't respond. "NOW HERE ME! WHO IS THE MIGHTY IN THE LAND!?!!" The Sargent blinked for a moment, "what sort of question is that" he wondered. Then he thought on it, and slowly came to a realization. "The Princesses! He's talking about the Princesses! If I say the Princesses he might go after them!" With this realization the Sargent grit his teeth and gave his response. "I, Will, Never, Talk!" The Sargent said with conviction. He readied himself to be crushed or vaporize him but neither happen, instead he felt the ground tremble and a light grumbling. It was the dragon...it was...chuckling? "IT SEEMS THE YOUNG ONE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH CONVICTION." Then the horrible creatures eyes narrowed on the Sargent "SUCH ACTS OF VALOR ARE UNBECOMING OF SUCH A PITIFULLY SMALL AND WEAK RACE" The dragon began to slowly shift his body, but instead of going for an attack he merely showed showed his other gigantic claw, but it was balled up into a fist. The Sargent flinched but stood his ground, again waiting for the creature to smash him to pieces. But with what happened next he almost wished that was what the dragon had in mind. The dragon slowly, agonizingly so, opened its fist. "Gasp! You damn lizard! Let us go!" a brash voice of a griffin yelled. The Sargent's heart fell. Their was no mistaking it, in the gigantic paw was his little band of survivors, the unicorn was weeping bitterly, the pegasus in utter agony in having his's twisted limb agitated, the griffin letting out a slew of colorful curses, and even the zebra whom despite his brave front was readily apparent to have shed some tears. "MUST BE LOSING MY TOUCH. IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN I LOOTED A VILLAGE THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS." "how...how did you?" "WHILE I WAS INTERROGATING YOUR FRIEND I SPIED YOUR LITTLE GROUP. I HURT YOUR COMPANION ENOUGH TO MAKE HIM CRY OUT AND LEAD YOU TO ME. NOW ANSWER MY QUESTIONS...OR ELSE!" The Sargent had been perfectly willing to sacrifice his own life, but now that he knew civilians were in danger he knew he would have to talk. "I'll tell you everything...just let them go..." The beast didn't respond with words but slowly began to close his fist. "WAIT! WAIT! Okay I'll tell you everything!!!" The Sargent told the dragon everything he could think of, the Royal Sisters whom raise the Sun and Moon, the Princess of Love in the Crystal Empire and the newly crowned Princess of Friendship; Twilight Sparkle. The dragon seemed relatively uninterested until he mentioned that Ponyville, the residence to Twilight Sparkle, was the closest location. "AHH A NEW POWER? AND ACCORDING TO MY SENSES...IT'S CLOSE BY? THIS ONE NAMED SPARKLE MUST BE THE ONE I SEEK. "I've told you what you want...please release them...kill me if you want but spare them..." The dragon fully uncleanched his fist and released the survivors. In spite of their captivity they now all looked visibly relieved. The couple hugged each other and the zebra and griffin looked at the Sargent with sympathy for compromising his duty, but respect for saving their lives. "Thank you..." Sargent Fleet Foot began. However, before he could continue the good Sargent was interrupted; as a gouge of flame erupted from the creatures maw, vaporizing the zebra, griffin, and the couple within an instant. The dumbstruck pony fell to his knees, with a glazed over look to his eyes. Defeated...completely and utterly defeated. "I AM A KING PITIFUL CREATURE! AN ALFA PREDATOR! DO NOT ASSUME I OWE YOU ANYTHING PONY! The dragon had done worse than kill him...he destroyed him psychologically. The Sargent stood agape; the light drained from his eyes, holding a glossy lifeless look, and collapsed on his knees in despair. "I WATCHED YOUR PITIFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THEM TOO...PATHETIC. YOU ARE WEEK, ALL OF YOUR KIND ARE. YOU SHOULD HAVE LET THEM DIE, SUCH IS THE NATURAL WAY. SUCH IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD. THE STRONG RULE OVER THE WEAK, AND THE WEAK DIE. THOSE THAT AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE...WELL THEN YOUR BETTER OFF DEAD. AND LET IT BE KNOWN THAT NO ONE...IS STRONGER THAN THE MIGHTY; TYPHON!" Typhon unshiethed his mighty wings and with a mighty gust exhausted the flames of the town and the blast and sent the Sargent reeling. His mighty wings with a powerful flap shot the enormous creature into the air and the shock waves shook the remaining city to rubble. The Sargent looked around, the once bursting city eradicated, the populace gone, and all by a creature so overwhelmingly cruel, merciless and unequivocally powerful. There was a deep seated fear, that no matter how hard ponykind tried they would never be able to match such power. All his own modest attempts to save lives, undone on a whim... The bravery of Tick Tock, made pointless... The Sargent looked to the sky, a place he always felt at home, where he had once believed the benevolence of the Royal Sisters would always shine down on, yet even the sky was perverted into an ugly mass of smog and decay. He wailed at the injustice of it all, the unfairness of it, how a creature so cruel can ruin such beauty. The Royal Sisters had worked for centuries to make the land they ruled a paradise for their subjects. An ideal place where harmony and peace could reign. Yet, now monsters were slithering form their ancient places, and they were hell-bound to see Equestria fall. Such a place was an affront to creatures who lived upon the code of Survival; the strong survive and the weak must die. Creatures like Sombra, Chrystalis, and Tirek, were only the beginning. Equestria had enjoyed many ages of peace but now they would be forced to remember, that monsters once ruled the Land.