Grievance from Perdition

by Vin Diesels Go-Kart

Chapter 5: While You Were out

Deep below the planet's surface, in a cavern far past the point where the last shred of light seeps into the dirt and withers away, the beast knelt down beneath the overwhelming weight of the presence before him. Unable to look up at this force, it simply stared intently at the ground, the only thing it had known for a millennium.

The presence, amused at the beast's reluctance to face it, snickered as the chains binding the pitiful creature were slackened. The presence got lower, it's face coming closer.

"How much blood are you willing to give?" it whispered into the beast's ear, chilling the air that was so regularly sweltering.

The beast looked up, but just barely. Still oppressed by the presence, it lifted one of its scarred claws shakily, pointing at its own heart.

"As much as this organ is able to pump." it answered, loathing itself for playing along, yet determined to see it through.

The presence smiled at this, sending the air around them to absolute zero. The chains finally broke under the immense strain. The beast chanced to glance up even further, just catching the pleasure in its new master's face.

"A good start, but I'm afraid that just won't be enough..."

* * *

Ocraten continued his trek through the forest, Discord's scent still strong in the air around him. At first, the beast had found his cowardice amusing, it had been quite some time since his presence struck such fear into others, but now he cursed the spirit's lack of courage. His fantasy of revenge hadn't included a long game of hide and seek.

The forest was dense, and it hadn't taken Ocraten long to realize Discord had doubled back and headed out toward its edge. He was probably back in the town by now, desperately looking for anyone to assist him in his plight. The demon smiled at the thought of the usurper groveling at the hooves of mere ponies.

He exhaled slowly, remembering how long he had been subjected to the various tortures Tartarus had to offer. He had endured every pain imaginable, of both body and soul. A few more hours of chasing the one responsible was a small price to pay. He knew that no matter what Discord did or who helped him, the end result would be the same.

The demon's smile faltered when he detected another presence. Halting his stride, Ocraten turned to a nearby bush. The vegetation that surrounded him was quiet, something he wouldn't have minded were it not for the presence itself. Typically, when other creatures would flee a nearby area, it was because there was a predator around. Anyone else would have assumed Ocraten to be that predator, but up to that point, animals seemed to be fine with his presence.

However, the aura he now felt didn't come off as threatening. It was something far worse, something the demon had felt before, but not for quite some time. Something he'd hoped he would never sense again. One of the few things that had kept him going through the thousands of years of torture was the fact that he was away from the pest that he now sensed sitting in the bush.

"You know, there is one smell that I will never be able to expel from my nostrils." he growled, approaching the bush angrily. "A smell that not even Tartaraus' sulfur and brimstone could mask."

The bush started to quiver.

"And that smell is of rodent!"

He drove one of his large, brutish feet down on the shrub, crushing it with all his might. Breathing heavily, more out of annoyance than of exertion, Ocraten lifted his foot to reveal crushed branches and leaves beneath it. Unfortunately, the source of his frustration was not among the debris.

The demon looked around the forest once more, still sensing the insufferable presence that had plagued him for most of his years on the throne.

"Where are you!?" he roared, punching the forest floor in frustration.

Not a minute later, he could hear the sound of giggling from up in the trees, branches and leaves concealing its source.

"Jeez, you haven't changed a bit, have you?" a creature commented as it slowly made its way down from a tree, hanging from one of the branches and then elegantly dropping to the ground. "I figured all that time in the 'Palace of Pain' would have humbled you or something, but you're still as hostile and angry as ever."

Ocraten gave a low growl in response. The creature standing before him was a bit larger than a pony, but still puny compared to himself. It was insect like, with dark grey chitin and piercing red eyes. Its wings, tattered and worn, did not look like they could achieve flight, and its legs looked just as frail. The creature's mouth, containing fairly sizable fangs, was now twisted into a grin.

"Fladnor." The demon king spat the name out like it was the product of a Manticore's hind-quarters. "I was hoping you'd gotten devoured by some hungry animal during my absence, or at least banished by Discord."

The bug scoffed. "You didn't really think I would go away that easily, did you? I'm afraid it takes a bit more than that to get rid of me, and Discord just didn't have the stuff."

Suddenly, with a look of genuine disappointment, he spoke again, "Although, it was getting incredibly boring around here lately. I swear, these ponies don't know how to have a good time. I was kind of hoping that dimwit draconequus could maintain his power long enough to do something fun and fresh with this world, but then he goes and gets his own butt overthrown by the most uninteresting species in the universe."

Flad sunk his head down in sorrow, before springing back up in joy. "But now you're back! And that means things are about to get a whole lot more interesting." he smiled ear to ear. "This is the first time in ages I've been legitimately excited about the crap going on in this world."

"I am not here to be your source of entertainment!" Ocraten snapped. "In fact, how did you even manage to locate me so quickly? My body is still warming from centuries of cold, still death, and here you come as if you've been waiting here this whole time for me to return!"

Flad giggled again. "I was sent here by a mutual acquaintance." He casually inspected a wing. "Was relaxing on the beach just south of Manehatten when that creepy cloud flew along with a message telling me to expect an old friend in Ponyville." he smiled. "Of course, I rushed over here as soon as I could, but I guess I'm a little late. Judging by the small bit of destruction in town, I'd say you already introduced yourself to the locals?"

The king waved a claw. "Why would he send you?"

The bug smirked. "Gee, I don't know. I doubt it's because I'm the oldest living thing on this mud ball, and I seriously don't think it's to give you a briefing of what's been going on while you were busy getting your limbs chopped off and your ass jabbed with a heated rod. And of course, it couldn't be the fact that you know next to nothing of the current political situation, or the leaders who currently hold power here." he said rather sarcastically.

Ocraten clenched a fist. "What makes you think I care to know that information? I already know where Discord is. I don't care about the pathetic squabbles of the current pony leaders, or their insignificant rule."

"Really?" Flad looked surprised. "You aren't typically one to get narrow-minded, old buddy. Don't you want to know this crap for after you finish turning Discord into a glob of ketchup? I would think reclaiming your throne would be the next thing on your to-do list."

"I care not for the throne. My only desire is to grind Discord's bones into dust. Everything else is superfluous."

"Pfft, we'll see how long that mindset lasts." Flad said, waving him off. "Judging by the recent deal you struck, I doubt you'll simply sink back into the ground after you have your way with Dissy. Anyway, the big man wanted me to give you the low-down on Equestrian stuff, so that's what I'm gonna do."

Ocraten sighed, crossing his arms. "If you must."

"Don't worry." Flad reassured him. "This won't take long, and Discord isn't going anywhere."

The insect began his tale of what had transpired since Ocraten's fall, which wasn't much of a story.

"...Then the purple one became a princess too, so now there are four of them. But yeah, that's basically how its been for a while. These ponies sit around and do nothing all day, then some twerp comes along trying to stir things up, but nothing really changes. The other nations around the world have sat just as idle. Pretty much every faction is stagnant and, more importantly, boring!" the bug finished.

The king of kings pondered what was said. "What of the Pyro Mong? You didn't mention their fate in your report."

Fladnor blinked several times. "Did I forget about my own species?" Then he shrugged. "Oopsy, well they're not around anymore. Got turned into something else, and call themselves 'Changelings' now."

"They evolved that quickly?" Ocraten inquired, to which the bug simply nodded.

"Eyup, though the word 'evolved' may be a tad generous." he replied. "A while back, the Pyro Mong leader made a deal with some Badland witches to become more powerful, and of course, the witches put their own little spin on the agreement. Now the creatures, that were once proud Mong, use weak tactics like deception and trickery to defeat opposition. When once they danced over the corpses of enemies, they now feed off of their love, forever the slaves of others." A look of shear anger and disgust befell the insect, before his demeanor quickly reverted back to the carefree attitude with which Ocraten was more accustomed. "Luckily, I wasn't rolling with them at the time, so I was spared that less-than-desirable fate."

Ocraten grunted in understanding. "So why did our mutual acquaintance desire for me to know all this?"

Flad yawned. "I don't know. Something about 'knowing thy enemy' or some crap. I wasn't really paying attention. While he was talking to me on the beach, some pony got caught in a riptide, and then these other ponies were trying to help him, but a hungry Kraken was approaching the group, so I was understandably enterta- I mean, distracted."

"You were always easily amused. And my only enemy is Discord." Ocraten reminded him.

Flad just shrugged at this. "Whatever you say, buddy. I'm just passing along the info. Do what you want. You are the 'Demon King of Destruction', after all. "

"Among other titles." Ocraten said, actually managing to smile a bit.

That smile, however, was short lived, as a familiar pink pony popped up over the demon's shoulder. "Hi-ya Occey!"

Flad yelped in surprise as he fell backward, startled by the pony's sudden appearance. "Where the flip did she come from!?"

Ocraten scowled. "The pink one..."

Pinkie Pie looked between her demon friend and the creature she had yet to be introduced to.

"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?" she asked excitedly.

Flad stared for a moment. Ignoring Pinkie, he looked at Ocraten. "Friend of yours?"

Before the beast could answer, Pinkie spoke first. "Yessir! Ocraten and I are best friends!"

Ocraten glared at Pinkie "We are not-"

Flad burst out laughing. "Oh, that's rich! Sorry sweetheart, but Ocraten is my best friend."

Now the demon's hate-filled gaze fell upon the insect. "No-"

"That's funny." Pinkie's eyes narrowed. "He never mentioned you to me."

The bug stopped laughing, his face becoming serious. "Well, you know what's funnier? He never mentioned you to me either. And I've known him way longer!"

Pinkie hugged Ocraten's face. "That doesn't matter. Friendship isn't about how long somepony's known somepony else. It's about the bond they share during that time."

"That sounds like you got it straight off a cheesy birthday card." Flad retorted.

"No! I made it up myself." Pinkie defended before putting a hoof to her chin. "But do you think I could make a birthday card business?"

Flad trotted up to Ocraten and wrapped a leg around one of the demon's massive feet. "Ocraten is my best friend, and there's nothing you can do or say to change that!"

Pinkie jumped down to the ground, getting right up in Flad's face. "Oh yeah?"

The bug met her gaze. "Yeah!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yea-"

Ocraten grabbed Flad by the neck, smoke billowing out of the demon's snout. His eyes were bright red. "Why are you encouraging her?" he hissed.

Flad's face turned from angry to confused. "Wait, what am I doing?"

"Don't change the subject, Occey." the pink mare ordered. "We're going to get this whole 'best friend' dilemma cleared up before your party!"

Flad turned back to Pinkie, still caught in Ocraten's grip. "What party?"

Pinkie smiled. "The 'Welcome to Ponyville' party I'm throwing for Ocraten, silly!" With a sly grin, she added. "Only his real friends know about it."

The bug's face turned red, frustration clearly visible in his features. "Why you little- Oof!"

Ocraten dropped the bug on his butt before turning and continuing in the direction he'd been heading. Flad and Pinkie resumed their argument as the sound of the demon's footsteps slowly faded away in the distance.

* * *

Hollow Shades was not a place frequently visited by many ponies. It didn't attract a lot of visitors like Winsome Falls, nor was it filled to the brim with deadly predators like the Everfree or Flame Geyser Swamp. It was, for lack of a better term, plain and uninteresting. This fact alone made it the perfect location for a group of like-minded individuals to live in secrecy, protected from curious eyes. Deep in the large forest was a structure; a temple of stone carved with the perfection that only unicorn magic and earth pony masonry could achieve. It looked to be much older than it actually was, its architects using ancient blueprints not only as inspiration, but as complete guides to its construction.

In one of the many chambers, deep within the expansive temple, a hooded individual sat at a desk that was covered in a thick layer of dust. Sitting on the desk was nothing more than a single candle, it's flame steadily emitting a soft glow, barely lighting the fairly large room. The pony continued to read from an ancient tome, going over every word written in painful detail.

Suddenly, the door behind him was thrown open, another pony running into the room. The sudden disturbance snuffed out the flame, darkening the room, which was now only illuminated by the lantern light coming from the open doorway. The pony who had run in stopped several feet short of the still seated figure.

"Sir... I bring news from the oracle." he almost shouted, trying to catch his breath.

The figure turned his shrouded head slightly, but did not respond.

"The Dark King has returned!" the pony continued, barely containing the excitement in his voice. "The time has finally come. He has finally sent His blessing!"

Maintaining silence, the figure nodded, waving a hoof at his compatriot.

At this, the other pony said nothing else, and left the room immediately, leaving the door open.

The hooded pony stood up, closing the book in front of him with a veil of grey magic. As the glow from the pony's horn slowly faded, so too did the grin that was now on his face.

"Finally..."

Comments

[Old Ben Kenobi]

Yay an update! I'm really liking this story so far! By coincidence, I also thought that the Hollow Shades were run by unicorn mages. It's probably the fact that it's a mysterious place in a forest, which people associate with magic, that is why people think the shades are home to unicorns. Is th pony at the end Starswirl or an original characterz.

[Vin Diesels Go-Kart]

5625760 It's an original character. That last bit was just introducing a new faction that'll stir things up a bit in the not-too-distant future.

[Old Ben Kenobi]

5627870

Are you going to update soon?