//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Battle For Chimera Plateau, Part One // Story: The Warriors of Chaos II: The End Times // by The Warmaster //------------------------------// Two months after Archaon’s Arrival, Manehatten “This ‘Horde of Chaos’ has swept across the northern villages, looting, pillaging, and destroying anything in their path, picking up new followers from the populace. Any who do not join are either butchered or are turned into horrific monsters beyond even Discord’s imagination.” The Commander of the Equestria Liberation Force, Sword Blazer, began. The Equestria Liberation Force was founded two years ago to end the reign of Discord, but now has it’s hooves full dealing with the latest threat. “If we don’t do something soon, the rest of the north will fall to Chaos, and then this ‘Archaon’ shall begin moving down south. We must created a united army to counter his horde.” He gestured to the captains he had gathered. “Rally your troops, and gather them here in three moon cycles. Any questions?”         No one raised their hoof. “Good. Then go now to your villages to prepare for-” The door burst open, and a panicking Pegasus flew over to Sword Blazer, before whispering in his ear.         “Sir, Archaon’s Horde has been sighted near the Crystal Mountains. Our scouts believe he is heading for one mountain in particular, though we don’t know why.”         “You mean Chimera Plateau?! Then does that mean he’s going after the myth?” Sword asked. The pegasus raised his eyebrow.         “Um, sir? What myth?” The Pegasus asked, slightly curious. Sword sighed.   “It's a very old myth, from before even Discord’s Reign. To make a long story short, at the top of the mountain is a dark blade called the ‘Slayer of Kings’, and whoever can beat back all the chimeras guarding the sword may try to claim it for his own. No one who has gone there has ever returned, however. And no one really knows what power the Slayer of Kings truly holds.” He explained as quickly as he could, grabbing his gear near the door. “I don't want this ‘Archaon’ to even attempt to take this blade, so I am going to go there with my group to try and stop him. Any who wish to join me may come along.” No one stood up. Sword sighed, disappointed, before trotting out the door. Meanwhile, in a village near Chimera Plateau   Archaon growled as he crushed the corpse of another pony who had foolishly attempted to stop his horde. The forces of Chaos ran wild across the village, the name forgotten to Archaon, looting and pillaging the town for all its wealth and ponies. They would occasionally bring forth a struggling pony to be remade by Archaon’s dark magics, but for the most part they just killed them.   "This is taking too long.” The Monster of a man growled, and the pony next to him shivered.   “Forgive me, my lord, but replenishing our ranks and wealth will aid us in breaching Chimera Plateau. However, I will tell the fools to hurry up.” The pony said. He was dressed in a black coat, with the symbol of Tzeentch, God of Sorcery, molded into its back, while his coat was a dark blue. He was one of the horned subspecies, what the ponies called a ‘unicorn’. The unicorn raised his horn, the accursed thing having been violently mutated by using Tzeentch’s gifts last month. It glowed a pulsating purple, sending a telepathic signal to all of the Horde.   Not eager to anger their Lord and master, the Horde of Chaos hurried with their pillaging. As they worked, Archaon looked towards the mountain, where his prize lay in wait. He could sense it’s dark power even from here, the Daemon sealed within the blade sensing his presence. Archaon looked back to the town to see a line of prisoners waiting, trapped in iron cuffs. He growled as he marched towards them.    As he approached, the ponies recoiled, their eye filled with fear. “Foolish ponies, you now have the biggest choice in your petty existence facing you.” He growled, some of them wetting themselves in fear. “Will you pledge yourselves to me, and to Chaos? Or will you try to act defiant and be consumed?”   Many of the ponies knelt before him in fear, while only a few stood defiant. Even as the corruption in the ground below those who knelt took it’s hold, Archaon stood in front of the first of the defiant. He remembered this one as the one who led the pitiful defense against his Horde. What a joke.    “So, even after you failed to defend your town against me, you still wish to defy me?” Archaon asked, slightly amused.    The Pony growled, before spitting at Archaon. “Monster! You will pay for what you have done!” It snarled, captive wings attempting to flap in anger. Archaon laughed. "You, who couldn't save your pathetic little village, still wish to be brave and defiant still?!” Archaon smashed his fist into the pony’s jaw, sending him to the ground. As the corruption began to invade him, Archaon had an idea. He forced the corruption to leave this one be, before removing the pony’s cuffs. As the guard looked up at him in angered confusion, Archaon chuckled.    “I will give you a chance to prove yourself a warrior. And then make an example of you,” Archaon stated, picking up the pony and turning to the cloaked unicorn from earlier. “Sorcerer! Find this fool a blade! I shall fight him in a duel!”   “A d-duel, my lord?” The Sorcerer, who had been renamed Azreal, asked. “Are you certain that this is a good idea?”    You dare to question my orders?” Archaon growled menacingly. The Sorcerer yelped, before quickly levitating over a looted Pegasus wingblade. Archaon tossed it over to the pony, allowing him the time to put it on.    “If you can defeat me, whelp, my horde shall release your village. If I win, they will submit to my authority. Is that understood?” Archaon explained, to which the pony nodded, his wingblades equipped. Archaon drew out his blade, letting the enchanted runes carved into the blade activate, dousing the sword in dark red flames that licked across it's sharp edge. The Pegasus captain got into a fighting stance, his wings flared open, and the blades flashing in the light of the moon.    The Pegasus struck first, his wings sending him on a collision course with Archaon, his blades ready to claw through the Everchosen’s armor. Before he could land a hit, his view of the tyrannical Everchosen was blocked, as Archaon’s shield bashed into his face, sending him backwards and into the dirt. Recovering quickly, The Pegasus rolled away from Archaon’s falling sword, the blade easily sinking into the ground where he had been a moment ago.  “Come on, Quicksilver, think! How can I beat him??” The Pegasus thought to himself, dodging another slash from Archaon’s blade, the flames barely missing his side. Archaon continued to force Quicksilver to dodge, the silver coated Pegasus trying to think of a way to defeat Archaon. He leapt up into the air, out of reach of the Everchosen’s terrifying blade.    ‘“Okay, so it looks like he can't get me from up here. This can give me time to- HOLY FIREBALL!” He barely got out of the way of the massive ball of flame screaming towards him, singing his coat as it passed. “Yeesh, that's hot!”    Archaon growled below. Come down here and die like a warrior, pathetic coward!” He roared, letting loose another fireball. Quicksilver dodged again, before rushing Archaon, slicing up his armor, but not penetrating the flesh inside.   “How can he move in that much plating?!” Quicksilver thought to himself, before ducking under Archaon’s sword and flying up, before suddenly being jerked back towards Archaon. Looking down, he saw that Archaon had tossed his shield, and had used his free hand to grab Quicksilver’s hind leg. He struggled under the iron grip of the Everchosen, before Archaon crushed his leg. Quicksilver screamed, dropping to the ground as his mind was filled with pain. Archaon chuckled, kicking the pegasus in the side, before grabbing one of his wings.    Pulling on it, he ripped it off with ease, the tendons and bones snapping apart like twigs. Quicksilver screamed again, even as blood began to flow freely from the stump where his wing had been. Archaon then began pulling on the other one   “No… Please! I concede!” Quicksilver cried, tears flowing from his eyes as he felt the tendons start to snap.   Archaon chuckled, releasing the remaining wing. “Good choice, vermin. But I have a use for you yet.” He then began muttering in a strange language, one that hurt Quicksilver’s ears to hear. Unnoticed by Quicksilver, the blood that had been steadily pooling around him, his own blood, began to move, to take shape around him. It quickly formed a ring around Quicksilver, before flowing in tiny lines towards the pegasus, forming unnatural shapes and words in the process.   He heard whispers all around him, promising him unimaginable power if he gave in, slowly chipping away at what willpower he had left. As the Daemonic ritual circle completed itself, his will finally snapped, and the hungry daemons surrounding him lunged, filling his body with their unholy power, and physically changing him.   He screamed, his body undergoing a sudden and rapid mutation. His forelegs grew claws, the claws bursting out of his hooves, blood pouring out along with them. The legs then began bending and twisting, muscles twitching and bones popping out of the sides as they twisted at unnatural angles.   His jaw began growing fangs, teeth becoming like arrowheads. Meanwhile, he grew a new wing, with razor sharp feathers that could cut through armor like paper. His original wing also underwent mutation, with what looked like swords for feathers sprouting out and dislodging his previous feathers. His eyes became black, with purple mist flowing freely from them. The daemon rose after five minutes of this, glaring at Archaon. “So you are the one who gifted us this body...Everchosen?”  The creature spat the word like it was poison. The spit landed on the ground, eroding it away slowly.   “Yes, Daemon. I am Archaon, the Everchosen of Chaos Undivided. And what shall I call you, Daemon?”Archaon replied.   “We have yet to decide upon a name for this vessel.” The Daemon replied, looking down upon itself, But the fool who once controlled this body had been called Quicksilver. Perhaps I shall take this name for now, and adapt it later.” The Daemon said, before looking towards Archaon, “But you think it wise to try to control us?” It stated, a long tongue flowing from its mouth.   “I believe that you will bow to me, creature, lest I return you to whence you came.” Archaon growled, putting his hand on his sword. The Daemon stood on its hind legs, clawed feet keeping it upright.    “Bold words, coming from a foolish mortal!” It lunged, only to be knocked back onto the ground. Before it could rise, Archaon’s boot smashed into it’s back, keeping the Daemonic abomination on the ground.   Archaon growled, before muttering in the Daemonic Language once more. Bright red chains flowed from his hand, wrapping around the Daemon’s arms and neck. The Daemon struggled, the chains burning it’s flesh.   “Submit, Daemon, before I have to return you to your home. And that would waste all the time I took bringing you forth.”   The Daemon growled, before the chains tightened. “I submit to your will, Everchosen.” It snarled, and Archaon lowered his head.   “Then tell me your true name.” Archaon snarled. The Daemon paused, knowing that if it told the Everchosen it's true name, it would be stuck under his command for the rest of the mortal’s night.     Then the Everchosen pushed his boot further into the Daemon’s back. Cursing under its breath, it whispered the name in the Everchosen’s ear, before collapsing from the chains. Archaon grinned behind his helmet. “Good.” Archaon looked up to see that his horde had finished their run through the town. “My army! We will head out in the morning to Chimera Plateau! For now, we will make camp here!”He roared, to which the army cheered, before dispersing. Archaon looked to the mountain. “Soon, Slayer of Kings. Soon you shall be mine!”    Meanwhile    The small army of soldiers marched, hooves stomping as they followed Sword Blazer. They had marched for two days now, hurrying to get to the mountain range before Archaon could.  They had made good progress, the mountain just another day away. Commander Sword looked to the mountain, before turning to his army.    “Ponies! We will stop here for now. Rest up, we march in the morning.” The army collectively sighed in relief, before moving to set up camps. He looked to the mountain they were heading to, the dark clouds surrounding its peak sending a shiver down his spine.  “I won't let you reach the top, Archaon. I will stop you here!” He thought to himself.