//------------------------------//
// The Rift 
// Story: Shadow of the past 
// by CaiusTheShadowPony 
//------------------------------//

The candles flames illuminated the library as a lone figure sat at a table with his muzzle in an old tome the only sound in the room was his shallow breaths and the turning of pages. the figure paused to stretch his joints making a soft clicking noise as a yawn escaped his mouth.

"You would think that with all the books Grogar has in this place that I would have come across something that would help give me the power to surpass him. I mean come on he had to have learned the spells he uses from somewhere."

His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the library's door being pushed open a Troggle guard began running up the stairs in his direction. "Yes Troggle what do you want from me."

The guard stopped to catch his breath before standing up a saluting still shaking from his prior experience with the master of Tambelon. "Yes General Bray lord Grogar sent me to find you he wants to see you in the throne room right away." 

Bray closed the tome he was reading before the interruption a look of annoyance on his face. "Very well, I'll head down there now. As for you I want all of these books back on their rightful shelves. Now get to it."

Bray walked down the empty hallway on his way to the throne room curious as to why he was being summoned. "I Wonder what the old goat wants now." He paused in front of the door to the throne room took in a deep breath and sighed before reaching a hoof towards the door and pushing it open.

As Bray got closer to the throne he could see Grogar staring into the Beholders eye a large sphere held up by the skeletons of two Minotaur's that allows the user to peer into any world they wish. "Good evening lord Grogar and what might I enquirer is your viewing pleasure tonight?." 

Grogar raised his head to look at Bray. "Ah Bray so nice of you to leave that dusty old library. I was concerned that one of the shelves had fallen over and crushed you to death. I'd be so lost without you to help me." Grogar's voice was full of sarcasm at that remark.

"So my lord. What is it that you require of me this evening?." 

Grogar stood up from his throne and began his decent down the stairs stopping in front of Bray with a slight smile on his lips. "It would appear that the princesses have caught wind of our inevitable return unfortunately for them the rift has already started to open and I want you to go through and commence with your mission. You do remember what needs to be done don't you Bray?."

A sickening smile crept it way onto Bray's face as he let out a light chuckle before looking up at Grogar. "Yes my lord it will be my pleasure." 

Grogar used his magic to float a small black box with a demonic ram skull lock down from next to his throne and into Brays extended hooves, Grasping the box Bray spun it around to get a better look at it. Noticing the key hole in the mouth of the skull he turned to Grogar to inquire as to the whereabouts of the key. 

"My lord. How do I open this thing without a key?." 

A light ringing of a bell could be heard as a shadowy hand extended toward Bray opening slowly to reveal a collar with a bell attached to the front of it similar to the one that the necromancer wore around his neck. "Put this on, and you shall have control over the same magic that I do, to an extent. It will also serve as the means to unlock the box, and to use its contents. It will also allow me to communicate with you from here in Tambelon."

Bray placed the collar around his neck once it touched his fur it snaked around and magically sealed itself shut. "So my lord when am I to leave?" asked Bray as he tested the tightness of his new accessory making sure it wasn't to tight once he was satisfied he returned his hoof to the ground and faced Grogar who smiled back at him.

The room began to surge with dark energy, as the air began to shift like heatwaves. A tare began to form in front of the two. "Right about now I'd say. Oh, and before you leave I am going to send a small team to help you on your mission, so do try to get along." 

With that Grogar stamped his foot down on the floor. As the sound reverberated around the room, movement could be seen among the dead army, accompanied by roars and screams. After a few moment five figures emerged from the shadows to stand before Grogar and Bray.

The first was a tall black Minotaur with a scar on his face, and was missing the horn on the right side of his head. He knelled on the floor with his right hand forming a fist, which he placed to his chest. 

"What is it thou requires of us my lord? Name it and thy humble servant Minoton, shall carry it out." His voice was deep and fierce as it echoed around the chamber.

"OH PLEASE!!! Give me a break. You already know what he wants us to do, rock for brains. He just said to Bray he wanted us to accompany him on his mission. Or are you deaf as well as dead hmmmm?." Said a tall grey Pegasus with a two toned white and grey mane and a cutie mark of a strong wind forming into a tornado.

Minoton leaped to his feat and turn to the mare with rage in his eyes. "OH YEAH!!! a break huh how about I. Break. Thy'n pretty neck for thou, Tempest."

The two stared each other down, when another voice interrupted their squabbling.

"Now now children let us not fight among ourselves. We will have plenty of opportunity for that once we return to Equestria. I am sure the princesses have plenty of their little ponies for us to play with teehee." 

The two turned to face the owner of the new voice. She was a ocean blue dragon, about eight feet in height. With scarlet eyes, white spines, and scales covering her back, and soft underbelly. A cold air surrounded her causing frost to form with each step she took.

Tempest had a smile spread across her face. "Tiamat's coming on the mission, This is gonna be sweet." She said walking up to the dragoness. "I can't wait to see your Beautiful ice sculpture's."

Tiamat chuckeld softly at the grey mare in front of her. "Why thank ya kindly, Tempest sweetie. It feel nice to know that somepony admires my work. Perhaps ya could assist me with breaking the duds."

"That would be so awesome! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The excited mare squealed, as she flew into the air, and spun around the columns closest to the group before sliding across the floor as she landed.

The dragoness began to giggle at the antics of her teammate but stopped as she heard a noise like metal scraping along the marble floor to the left. Turning her head to locate the source of the noise her eyes fell on another member of the team. A tall male griffon with snow white feathers, and black fur on his chest and tip of his tale., he had a scar running down the left side of his face his left eye as white as his feathers and his right a deep green, on his talons he had two golden gauntlets with razor sharp claws that glistened in the light.

"Tempest do you haffe to be zo loud? I almost belieffed it vas your foice dat had voken me and not mein lord Grokar." His accent had a soft noble air about it, yet it was also strong and commanding.  

Tempest turned to face him before retorting. "Oh come on Razor Beak. I'm nowhere near loud enough to wake the dead."

Minoton let out a loud snort before saying. "Not only art thou loud enough to wake the dead. thou art also annoying enough."

The Pegasus mare spun to face him her teeth bared and a growl coming from her. "Hey Minoton you hear that?"

The Minotaur tilted his head to listen closely for any sound before asking. "What?"

Tempest began to smirk as she yelled. "That's the sound of the universe telling you to SHUT THE BUCK UP!!!"

The throne room erupted in the sound of laughter, even Grogar let out an audible chuckle before speaking up. "That's enough of that, now I suggest the six of you head through the portal while it's still open and before Celestia and Luna scene the rift between the two worlds and send guards to investigate."

Bray looked around in confusion. "Excuse me my lord but I think you're mistaken there are only five of us not six."

Grogar's eyes began glowing deep red as he stared daggers at Bray. "How dare a miserable little worm like you tell me. Grogar! Master of the dead, reaper of souls, and lord of Tambelon that I AM WRONG!!!!"

A yelp escaped Bray as he stumbled backwards in fright as Grogar loomed over him.

"Maybe if you looked harder you would see the sixth member of your group by the portal."

Bray looked around the surrounding area attempting to find the elusive party member, looking up he noticed something he had not before it was nearly invisible in the blackness, two red eyes stared at him from out of the darkness. As the being spread it wings and let out a shrill shrike.



The torches in the room became brighter, as the flames got higher, as it took to the air and landed softly on Grogars outstretched foreleg.

"Mine lord Grokar, is dat ein black phoenix?" Asked Razor Beak his eyes unblinking as he stared at the creature. "I'fe neffer zeen one before. Vhere did you come across it?"

Grogar turned his attention from the animal to Razor, a smile spread across his face. "Why yes my awestruck avian he is, as for where I got him, he was abandoned in a nest as an egg. So being the kind being I am. I took him back with me. Then during the eclipse a month later, I used my magic to change him into the beautiful creature you see before you now, isn't that right Dirge."

The phoenix let out a soft chirping noise for its master as it took to the air again, flying around above the group 

"Why'd you call him Dirge my lord?" Asked Tempest as she watched the phoenix soaring above their heads.

Turning to face her Grogar let out a chuckle, and said. "Because he is the last thing you hear before your inevitable end." The necromancer turned back to Bray who was dusting himself off after Grogar's outburst, the two faced each other with Bray still shaking, hoping that his lords temper had subsided.

"Now then Bray, I think it's time that you all set out. You all have much to do after all." With that Grogar began to ascend the stairs to his throne. He had gotten half way up before he stopped and turned back to Bray, who was making his way towards the rift. "OH!, and Bray. If you happen to bash into Discord in your travels, give him my regards, I do so miss our little chats."

With that, Bray stepped through the rift into the land of Equestria followed closely by the others. Dirge circled in the air one last time watching his master closely, Grogar looked up and nodded to the phoenix before it dove out of the air and through the portal which closed behind it.

Looking out over his throne room with a demonic smile on his face and his eyes glowing deep crimson, Grogar chuckled. "And so the game begins, I have made my move Celestia, and now it's your turn. Do try not to disappoint me." 

Stepping out of the rift, the portal closing behind them Bray and his group stood in an empty valley surrounded by mountains that resembled teeth, walking up to Bray, Tiamat stretched her wings, and asked "So where are we going now?"

Ringing the bell around his neck Bray sprouted a pair of shadowy wing. Turning to Tiamat with a devilish smile he replied. "We are going to see an old friend, who can help us bring back Tambelon. Now let's be off." and with that he took to the sky with Tiamat holding Minoton in her claws as she flew, with Tempest and Razor Beak taking up the rear.