The Crystal Vizier

by Lich-Lord Krosis

Secrets

The echoing march of the small platoon of Lunar Guard accompanying the two princesses reverberated off the long halls of the Crystal Palace.

Cadence was angry.

Only now that her aunt was here was she learning about a supposed 'incident' at a bar near the square three nights ago. The reports that Luna's informants had given to them were startling, sure, but what really angered her was that nobody told her about the deaths of the two stallions. At the hooves, er... claws of Anub'arak no less!

"Cadence, are you alright?" Luna asked, her niece's look of enragement alarming her. Cadence's eyes darted to hers, her gaze softening only slightly, her face still in a pout as they approached the heavily warded and reinforced door to her archmage's chambers.

"Yes, auntie. It just doesn't make any sense, though! Kel'Thuzad has been down here for almost a week now working on Shining's helmet, and hasn't come out for anything! He would have had no time and reason to be in a bar to begin with!" Cadence shouted, their little convoy finally reaching the large oak and iron door, Luna scoffing once.

"Like it or not Cadence, your vizier was present for the events that transpired at the bar. Unless you know of another twelve foot tall skeleton in robes?" Luna smugly stated, her eyes darting to gaze upon the enchanted door.

Stars above...

She had to admit, she was impressed. The door to his laboratory was more heavily warded than the door to the Canterlot Palace vault! It most have taken hours of concentration to lay these wards down! While she knew that Kel'Thuzad was... experienced, she had never seen...

"You may come in, if you wish." Kel'Thuzad's voice droned from the other side of the door, sounding as if he was standing before them. Luna huffed, her hoof pushing the now nearly weightless door open, the hinges not even creaking in the slightest, despite being more rust than iron. A bone-chilling wave of cold washed over them, Luna unable to suppress a shiver or two. Cadence, however, seemed quite used to it, trotting in once the door was opened all the way.

Inside, Kel'Thuzad's immense form was unmistakable, his hands busy fiddling with something on a long oak table in the corner of the room. Several skeletal ponies wandered around, dusting, cleaning, or bringing the archmage something trivial when he required it. As the small group entered the dungeon, the constructs all turned to them, bowing stiffly as a gesture of subservience. Unnerved, but not broken, Luna continued on her way towards the lich, his form now turned to them, already in a bow.

"Greetings, your highness." Kel'Thuzad spoke, his form rising as Luna finished her polite curtsy. "Such a pleasant surprise to be visited by not one, but two princesses..."

Cadence giggled, rage seemingly gone for the moment as she came up to Kel'Thuzad, her form leaping up into his ribcage to give him a hug. Kel'Thuzad faltered little, their little ritual having been the norm for him since his promotion to their vizier. While it was... interesting, to say the least, Kel'Thuzad enjoyed the little interaction, her cheerful demeanor warming his cold bones, if only for a short while.

"Sorry for not coming to visit Kel, I've just been really busy lately." Cadence beamed as she withdrew down from the embrace, her wings flapping once to soften the landing. Kel'Thuzad chuckled, his hands retreating behind his back.

"It's quite alright, Cadence. I've been... busy as well." Kel'Thuzad stuttered, his eyes turning back to Luna. "Now then, what can I do for you, princess? I doubt you came all this way just for a casual visit..."

Luna nodded, her eyes turning to her flanking guards, their eyes keenly watching the skeletal guards that she herself had just noticed. Two massive earth pony skeletons guarded an extensive wall of artifacts and scrolls, each gazing right back at the unexpectedness party.

"May we speak privately, archmage? My reason being here is quite... sensitive, in nature." Luna asked, her eyes dartin back to the constructs around the room, the laborers performing their tasks as if nopony else was in the room.

"But... we are alone..." Kel'Thuzad droned, gesturing around in confusion. Luna gawked, but before she could retort, Captain Mistfang interjected.

"You will refer to the princess as 'your highness', necromancer..." the thestral growled, his fanged mouth and slitted, predatory eyes bared. Once again, before Luna could speak, she was interrupted.

"Mind who you speak to, pup. I'm quicker and more dangerous than you think..." Kel'Thuzad sneered, Mistfang growling more rabidly as a result, the thestrals around him showing signs of aggression as well at the commander's actions.

For a third and final time, Luna was interrupted, but this time, by action.

Before she knew it, their little group, save for Cadence, whom had been whisked behind her archmage, was surrounded. The two massive earth pony skeletons had retrieved long, rusted spears from beside themselves, brandishing them along with wall shields that covered nearly their entire frontal form behind rusted steel and rotten wood. The constructs had also done their part, wielding several swords and hand axes from seemingly nowhere, their soulless eyes staring down the offending party.

With a chuckle, the archlich moved forward, his massive form towering over the outnumbered group.

"It is unwise to provoke a spider in it's own web, captain..." Kel'Thuzad coldly stated, his eyes centered offending bat pony, who stood before him, wings valiantly flared to their full extent to protect his princess. With a chuckle, the Lich returned to his full height, the chains that were violently orbiting him returning to their placid dance around his torso.

At the unspoken command, the constructs surrounding them lost all aggression, sheathing their weapons and returning to their duties, the two larger guards lumbering back to their positions across the room.

"Now... is there something you needed, your highness?" Kel'Thuzad playfully mocked, his scarlet pupils watching the flustered captain beside the alicorn seethe with barely withheld rage.

Luna finally interjected, her form properly putting herself in front of her small platoon.

"Yes, archmage. Please, forgive my captain. He can be a bit... overprotective, at times." Luna spoke, a disapproving glare directed at Mistfang.

"No harm done, princess." Kel'Thuzad chuckled, gesturing to the small ring of half-frozen pillows nearby, in front of his throne. "You must be tired from your journey. Please, sit."

Nodding politely, the lunar alicorn trotted forwards, picking the largest pillow she could find as the lich before her settled himself in his chair. The moment her flank touched the fabric, she had to surpress a Yelp of surprise.

Stifling a chuckle with a superfluous cough, Kel'Thuzad sucked the cold from the pillows before him, leaving them room temperature.

"Now then. Where were you three nights ago?" Luna asked, her guards setting up a defensive barrier of equine muscle and armor behind her, still wary of the constructs. Kel'Thuzad raised one brow, and answered.

"Per my king's request, I ceased my duties for the night, and awaited him at a bar that he frequented near the square." he slowly answered. In an instant, Cadence's fury had returned. With an echoing slam, and a metallic 'thud' of saronite on pine wood, Kel'Thuzad's skull was slammed against the back his chair, audible cracks emanating from within his magically constructed skull.

"Why was I not informed of this, Kel'Thuzad?!" Cadence barked, her muzzle mere inches from his skull now as she yanked him down to her level by the top of his sternum with her telekinesis.

.........

Kel'Thuzad was floored. His mind, while usually nearly unrivaled in combative prowess, was drawing blanks. Never in a thousand years would he believe he would be tossed around by any other being besides his king.

Never in another thousand would he have suspected Cadence, usually the most kind pony he had ever met, would be the one doing it.

"My... my queen..." Kel'Thuzad stammered, only to have his eardrums shattered by his monarch's voice.

"ANSWER ME!" Cadence roared, even Luna, who's anger was legendary, visibly flinching at the unyielding volume of her niece's Royal Canterlot Voice.

"My queen... I assumed Shining had told you..." Kel'Thuzad spoke softly. Cadence glared at him for another few moments, before his sternum was released, and he staggered to his full height once more. Cadence, still in momentary shock, stood still, her muzzle pointed to the floor. "I apologize for any... repercussions... my actions have caused. I will assume full responsibility for my part in the incident."

"NO!" Cadence roared, her eyes tearing slightly as she looked fiercely up to her archmage. The lich put his hands behind his back, their fingers interlocking. "I... I apologize, Kel. I... I don't know what came over me..." Cadence whimpered, her flank plopping back down unto her pillow.

.........

Once again, Kel'Thuzad's mind swirled information around, trying to figure out the cause for his queen's outburst.

While he knew Cadence had every right to punish him for his role in the crimes his colleague had perpetrated, he also knew Cadence.

She wasn't the type to physically punish, or even punish at all. In fact, in the several months he had known her, she had yet to give out one punishment to a criminal that resulted in jail time.

No. Whatever had caused her outburst of overwhelming anger was magical in design.

He was sure of it.

But he couldn't figure... out...

His scarlet pupils darted around the room, trying and failing to find something that would influence emotions...

Of course! How could I have been so STUPID?

His eyes were squared directly on the Helm of Domination, still sitting on the table in the corner of the room where he left it.

If she has, quite literally, a piece of Shining inside of her... I wonder if that piece would be affected by the Helm's presence...

And in turn... affect her...

"Where are they, Kel'Thuzad?" Luna spoke, her face a grimace of calm rage.

"I beg your pardon, princess?" Kel'Thuzad spoke, his mind-searching interrupted by the question.

"Where. Are. They?" Luna asked once more, her patience at his games growing thinner by the second. Luna stood up, her mane beginning to billow more dramatically around.

"Where are what?" Kel'Thuzad asked, genuinely confused. Luna snorted, but her captain stepped forwards once more.

"The bodies, necromancer! Where are the bodies of the ponies you killed?!" Mistfang growled. Fed up with the rude and ignorant fool, the lich's soul chains grabbed the thestral by the throat, midsection, and wings, disabling all movement for the equine, except for fruitless struggling.

"What have I told you about manners, parasite?" Kel'Thuzad growled, his pupils boring into the slitted eyes of his captive.

Fear flashed across the thestral's face for a moment, but dissipated quickly.

"Kel'Thuzad! Put him down right now!" Cadence roared, her usual demeanor of asking first obviously having returned. Kel'Thuzad scoffed, his eyes turning to his monarch, the chains binding Mistfang tightening. His eyes flashed across Luna on the way.

She seemed... calm. Unnaturally so...

She knows...

"My lady, while I apologize for my role at the bar, I will not apologize for neutralizing a national threat." Kel'Thuzad spoke, his eyes turning once more to the now stunned Luna.

"What are you talking about, Kel'Thuzad?" Cadence asked, her eyes following his to look at her aunt, who's head was hung in shame.

"Auntie?"

"I'm sorry... Cadence." Luna spoke, her form shaking as her eyes seared up slightly. Forgetting her confusion, Cadence ran forwards to embrace her auntie, her wings wrapping around her fellow princess to help comfort her.

"They're vampires, Cadence." Kel'Thuzad spoke, his eyes moving to the other thestrals in the room, their teeth bared and weapons drawn. His attention moved to the still struggling Mistfang, whose eyes shared unbridled rage at his accurate assessment.

"They all are..."

.........

After the group had left, Kel'Thuzad sat alone in his laboratory, staring into the emotionless sockets of the Helm of Domination. The princesses had hesitantly agreed to let bygones be bygones, after a long and tense debate.

Kel'Thuzad would not reveal the true nature of the agility and vitality of the Lunar Guard, and Luna would ignore the bodies of the two stallions that were killed a the bar that currently rotted in the dungeon of the Crystal Palace.

"You're one to talk about keeping secrets, Kel'Thuzad..." an echoing voice sounded. The archlich snorted, turning to the alicorn, her flank already upon a pillow behind him.

"I don't need your ridicule right now..."

"Nightmare..."

Comments

[ARandomCritic]

Nightmare?!? Oh boy this is gonna be a doozie!

[MkktBkkt]

8115185 Maybe we will finally see the results of that romance tag
That will be awesome. I'll ship it.

[Lich-Lord Krosis]

8119381 I'm trying to shy away from pairing Kel'Thuzad with someone, as he seems more like a Merlin or Gandalf kinda wizard in my story.

Close friends? Most definitely.

Romantic companions? Not likely.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

Also, unlike a revenant like Titus, he can't feel.

Anything.

Kinda gonna be awkward in bed, even as his illusion stallion form.

[Nevermore777]

8128553
Hmm, I do recall Merlin liking someone though

Though I will agree, Kel'Thuzad doesn't really seem like the romantic type. However, with Nightmare's personality in this so far, I do think it would be believable and humorous if she jokingly flirts with him, just a funny suggestion though. Also, in her current form and with what she's doing, she kinda reminds me of a WOW Shade; is that intentional?

[Lich-Lord Krosis]

8922146
The portrayal of Nightmare as a sort of ‘Shade’ is intentional, yes.

Really fits her personality and powers in my story, what with being the Alicorn of Shadow and Fear...