• Published 23rd Apr 2015
  • 15,143 Views, 469 Comments

The Appearance of The New - Castok the Shadow



After five sleepless years, I'm ready for revenge

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Change of Plans

Third Person POV:

The Horde's war room, now with Battle-mage Fangro and General Sourgrin added to the Horde's Council as equal leaders of the Changelings, buzzed with talks of plans and reports on how the armies are doing outside of the Everfree and the controlled territories. So far, even with the victory at the Battle for the Golden Highway, the Horde is still doing hit and run tactics as well as taking over small villages and even some towns. Varlock believes that attacking populated areas will force the ULE to spread their already weaken coalition armies thin across the kingdom. With Dynol's agreement with the Dragon Holds, Ormry has given him good news about the trading between the factions. High-lord E'drak has led a successful strike at the Griffin Empire's most toughest fortress; Talon-Guardai, leaving many major griffin cities opened for invasion. Inquisitor Era'do has even managed to make a temporary alliance with the Zebrica Confederacy, saying that they are working together to fight the griffins and their minotaur allies, but once they have got their independence, the alliance is over. But Dynol was surprise when Ormry told him about Lady Night-Gaze. She told him that Night-Gaze has given him her respect and considers him as a true ally of the Dragons, as well as good friend to the Elder Council. Behemoth has gotten stronger as a leader, more so then ever. With a dozen Diamond Dog clans under his command, the Great Alpha has began being more a unifier than a random leader of all canine kind. And for this, Behemoth's loyalty to Dynol is more so than before, without the Horde of the Forest, this unifying may never be possible, and for that Behemoth promised that if they win the war and the Horde of the Forest is recognised as a legal nation, his people will be apart of that if they can't regain their lost homeland from the crystal ponies. Varlock's loyalty is the same like his canine ally. With Llofrudd's back healed and is ready for duty again, the chieftain became more than Dynol's first ally, as well as a good councillor, he'd became Dynol's brother at arms, and will die beside him as one brother should. Ormry has grown to be inspired by the champion. For years she as done many diplomatic issues and meetings, but none of them held a moment of history like working with Dynol, a being she'd never seen and yet his powers, his determination, his words that brought races together and ruling over an untamed forest was out of this world. She wishes she could do more than just sending massages back and forth between her kind and Dynol, she'll find a way, but for now she'll continue to be inspired by him. WoodFang, like all companions, was Dynol's most loyal follower, and for services, Dynol jokingly titled him 'Champion's Wrath', little did he knew that would give WoodFang more fame and respect in the Everfree, making him the second in command of the forest friends after Dynol. Which WoodFang would carry that title with pride and joy.

Right now in war room, Dynol looked at the battle table with the map of Equestria with small pieces with the flag of both Horde and ULE, along with the Dragon Holds and Zebrica Confederacy, marked at the certain locations on the map, being moved about as the councillors talked and discussed ideas on what to do with the armies and next assault. The focused location is the Fortress that protects the city of Manehatten from attacks. The fortress was huge, almost mistaken for a small city. From the reports by the ravens and the newly spies thanks to the Changelings, the fortress is armed to the teeth, canons, catapults, watch towers, heavy fortitude walls and even three levels of defence inside the fortress itself. It was no surprising that the fortress was called 'Fort Everstand', from the Pony-Griffin war, the Chaos Crisis and even the Rise of Nightmare Moon, this fortress has never fell to the enemy. Varlock was talking to Sourgrin as Behemoth was talking to Fangro, changing ideas on how to assault this everlasting Everstand.

"No, we cannot simple send in waves a range attacks" Behemoth spoke verily. "Everstand was built to take any attack, sending arrows and spears will just be a waste of ammo"

"What about sneaking in?" Sourgrin asked to the chieftain. "We Changelings can blend in with the garrisons, leave the defences weak and no one on standby"

"I doubt that" Varlock replied hashed as he moved a piece with the Horde's flag forward, towards Everstand. "The whole garrisons is prepared for anything, including Changeling or even traitors among their ranks"

"So why not just send a large army to overwhelm the fortress?"

"Even if we have Everstand surrounded, the defences will just destroy us, and even if we break through the walls and gates, the levels will be filled with archers and mages, shooting us down if we try and get to the next level"

Dynol listened closely, they all have a point. With those defences it will be a slaughter, and if they enter the fortress, the levels will be the death of the Horde's armies.

Then someone had a unusual idea. "Why turn their defences against themselves?"

The entire war room looked at the source of who said that idea.

It was none other then Ambassador Ormry.

"What do you mean?" Dynol asked, interested on the dragon's idea. The ambassador walked up to the war table and picked up the Horde's pieces, surrounding Fort Everstand.

"What if you lot spread your armies out, surrounding Everstand with Ogres, Diamond Dogs, Changelings, Everfree animals and even Aspects, accompanying by large siege towers and heavy trebuchets? As the siege towers moves towards the walls, the trebuchets will knockdown the second level's defences and the watch towers with no doubt mages and archers inside. Along with the trebuchets, air support from the Manticore Riders and whatever Dynol can summons comes down and deals with anyone that tries to use the catapults and canons, which can be used against one another once your legions occupy the walls, turing the defences onto the final level"

The Horde's Council was speechless, Ormry made a idea that was quite brilliant. Not along will that solve the worries of the defences against the armies, but it just made the discovery that Everstand has a weaken! If the attackers could occupy the walls, the defences will be used on the garrisons, and if they can break down the gates, the first level of Everstand will be overwhelmed by the invaders and forced the garrisons to retreat to the second level, where their defences would be destroyed or turned against them.

"Since when has the ambassador made plans of assaults and invasions?" Behemoth raised an eyebrow, as Dynol lowered his head.

"Everstand is built similar to that of a mountain back in the Dragon Holds" Ormry explained. "When the Chaos Crisis arrived at the Holds, one mountain was filled with insane dragons, who were paranoid of the outside. So they built defences to keep them safe, only to find out that their defences were turn against them by the Elder Council's forces. So this is almost an reenactment of something that happened years ago"

"This does sound good" Varlock spoke strongly as he folded his arms. "But need I remind you that reenactments doesn't win real life?"

"But it gives points and guidances to those who faces similar problems"

"Well let's just see what Dynol thinks about your idea" the council turned to face their leader, who still has his head down. "What do you think, Dynol? Does this plan of Ormry have merits or not?"

The council looked at Dynol, no answer. They stood in silence as they thought Dynol was gathering his thoughts to make an answer, only for them to remain stuck in silence.

"Uh, Dynol?" Behemoth broke the silence with a concern tone in his voice, with no answer, he turned to face the others. "Has he fallen asleep?"

The moment Behemoth mouthed the word 'asleep', WoodFang suddenly rose his head and looked straight at his master with worried eyes. He walked up to Dynol, his ears low as well as his head and tail. The others, watching the timberwolf's actions, looked at each other, not sure at to what to do.

"Lord Dynol?" Ormry worryingly said as she raised a claw to tough Dynol's arm. "Are you all right?"

WoodFang saw the dragon ambassador and ferociously barked at her. But it was too late.

Ormry placed her claw onto Dynol's arm, gently as to not spook the Lord of the Horde of the Forest. The moment she made contact with his arm, a ferocious sting surrounded her claw, as well as a unknown source. She lifted her head up high, gasping from the pain, causing her fellow allies to jump in surprise.

Her eyes charged from reptilian... To Elemental Stone.


Ormry POV:

Where am I? What happened?

I do not know what's going on, I'm just in a white plain of nothing. After simply touching Lord Dynol's arm, my body went crazy lie thousands of lighting strike went through my veins. I'm so worried and frighten, where am I?

The sounds of rock and stone falling and raising could be heard behind me, I dare not know what it could be. Maybe it is Dynol or something friendly I do not know. Everything's going to fast for me to catch up, I just want to find my way out. Fearing for my life, I did what I didn't want to do and turned around. What I saw was two beings, a leader and a stony creature.

There stood Dynol, facing a tall hunched creature of rock and stone. It's back was covered in spires that looked like mountains. Its legs were stronger than even Canterlot's Walls, its arms made of silvery stone and had a hood that was made of diamonds. Its ruby eyes glared down at Dynol and gave a warm smile.

"Dynol" the stone creature spoke broadly and proud. "How has your little war been treating you?"

"So far so good, Earth" Dynol happily answered. "There were moments where things could of gone horribly wrong, but so far that did not happen. It would seem that Equestia has made some mistakes over the years and now it has come back twice as worse than before"

This 'Earth' laughed warmly. So this must be one of his mentors. "I'm glad to hear that. So far these ponies has not taken great care of the lands since the time that centaur ran amok"

"Earth, if I be bold, why have you called me instead of waiting for me to arrive to your realm?"

Earth's smile faded. "Because of what I have discovered"

Suddenly, the ground tremored and soon something arisen between the two. I couldn't tell what it was but from what I can guess it looked like a city.

"When I was sorting out the planet's plates and placing them back to where they originally were before that centaur ruined them in his rampage. I began to feel a power lost since the days of the old empire, a familiar presence. Soon I tracked where the source came from and discovered that it was held in this city"

"Wait" Dynol said. "I know that city, one of my councillor mentions about it"

"I'm sure he did, but that's not the point. There I discovered that the power is being used as a relic to force nature to not come near this city. This relic is also the master of an Avatar near the city it's being held at"

"An Avatar?"

"Powerful Aspects that were the symbol of the Elementals' might during the days of the old empire. Sadly it is the last of its kind. But when you released Lighting from his orb did I realised what this city was holding prisoner"

What are they talking about? Avatar? Old empire? Releasing Lighting? It makes no sense.

"So Dynol" Earth continued explaining. "The Elementals requests you to head to this city and obtain that relic and Avatar, once you have the relic you'll need to open it so that what we believe is inside can be free again"

"But I have a fort to capture" Dynol told Earth. "I cannot spilt my armies on two fronts, Everstand needs to fall so that eastern lands of Equestria does not threaten the Horde of the Forest"

"You mean that old fort that has been under supplied since you captured Ponyville and the Golden Highway?"

"Yes the-wait what?"

"Fort Everstand is not as powerful as it was in the past. For years it has become more of a symbol of Equestria's might than Equestia's unconquerable fort. Beside, if you get the relic for us, you will get the Avatar for your war and during the time when it walked through the lands freely, it levelled entire armies with one of its claws"

A super weapon?! That's what an Avatar is?! And all Earth wants is some relic?! That would aid the war effort greatly in our favour.

"I'll see what I can do, Earth" Dynol bowed his head respectfully like a student to his master. Earth nodded his head with a smile.

As I looked at the two, I happened to noticed a warm feeling getting hot behind me. I turned around to see what was behind me, only to regret what was coming towards me.

At high speed, all I saw was a ball of fire so bright and hot that I thought it was the sun charging at me. In the centre was a mask that looked exactly like Dynol's, filled with anger and glaring into my well being. It had bones made of fire that were coming straight towards my neck.

"Who are you?!" the ball of fire roared as I was engulfed in flame. I felt the force impacted my chest and I flew off the ground. My eyes were shut and I landed back first on what I could only guess felt like a wall.

"Red-Oath's dying oath, Ormry!" I heard Varlock shouted in concern as I felt something resting their hand on my shoulder. "Ormry are you alright?!"

My eyes opened slowly as I saw that I was back in the war room with Varlock and Sourgrin helping me up and Behemoth, Fangro and WoodFang helping Dynol as his hand was rubbing his forehead. I gave a nod before coughing, as I coughed I noticed small sparks coming out of my mouth and immediately covered my mouth in shock. How did I do that? It's impossible for Half-Bornes to...

As I pondered this, Dynol raised his head and looked at the map. I couldn't see his face thanks to his mask, but I could tell, no feel that his expressions were serious from his chat with Earth.

"Alright, change of plans" Dynol told his council. We gathered around the map, still unsure as to what happened. Only I knew what just happened and I guess WoodFang too. "We're going to spilt our armies and attack two locations, one to find relics that'll help us in our war and the other to take over Fort Everstand. So Varlock, General Sourgrin and I will headed towards Everstand with the 12th Arkron army along with most of the forest friends. Llofrudd and Ormry, you'll stay here to ensure nothing happens when we're gone, you two will have the Vanguards of Red-Oath at your commands"

"But we need most of our forces to attack Everstand" Varlock questioned Dynol discussion.

"I just got some news that it is undersupplied and the garrisons in there are low. If they want a fighting chance they'll need reinforcements, however with the Golden Highway ours, they'll need to fly over our territories and I don't we'll allow them to reach Everstand"

"What about the rest of us?" Fangro asked Dynol.

Dynol unfolded his mask to show a wide smile and looked at Behemoth. "You, along with Fangro, WoodFang and 34th Ocuira army will help you in your little revenge for your people. You'll need to use your tunnels and I'll help you with that problem with some Aspects"

"What do you mean?" Behemoth questioned.

Dynol's smile grew larger.

"You are going to retrieve some relics and attack the Crystal Empire"

Author's Note:

Well....this took a long ass time to make.

I want to say sorry for the long delay, I had started university and things were busy. But hopefully I will make some more chapters when christmas arrive.

BTW, like this cover art or like the other one?