The Storm Of Tartarus

by AleneShazam

6: A Peal of Thunder

Twilight, Luna, Celestia and Cadance stood atop the tallest tower of Canterlot. The city was evacuated, every pony sent to the safety of the Crystal Empire, from the civilians to the royal guards. It was now a ghost city, the towers still gleaming under the starlight, the streets still spotless, but terrifyingly silent.

“Tis strange, sister.” Luna commented. “Only hours ago this was the most populated city in Equestria. To see Canterlot in such a state…”

“It’s unnerving, to be sure.” Cadance said, quietly fluffing out her wings. “Aunty, how far along is Typhon?”

Celestia sighed, and her horn glowed. For a brief moment, the sun’s light filled her eyes, and the remainder of the alicorns shielded their eyes. “He comes. On the southern horizon, the storm titan goes to war. Before the rise of the sun, Canterlot will stand… or fall.”

“Another prophecy.” Luna said. “It’s been a while.”

“Canterlot will stand or fall?” Twilight shivered. “War? Princess… Uh, Celestia, are you sure we’re ready for this?”

A cold breeze swept past the four princesses. Celestia looked on, staring into the dark night.

“No.”

“Oh thank…” Twilight paused mid-sentence, looking up at the solar princess in alarm. “Wait, what?”

“Twilight, this is Typhon.” Celestia said, her expression unreadable. “We’re never ready. The gods themselves, the immortal spirits, they weren’t ready. Their seat of power was struck off the map, Twilight. Mount Olympus, tallest mountain in the world, was reduced to rubble in the blink of an eye. I predict much the same fate for Canterlot.”

“Sister…” Luna muttered. “You imply we will lose?”

“Perhaps.” Celestia said, simply. “Canterlot will be a casualty for sure.”

A loud crack of thunder sounded beyond the horizon. The flash of lighting was just barely visible, but the swirling cloud bank was definitely approaching the city. It was still far, but the rumbling thunder rolled closer by the second, and though it was many miles away, the stillness in the air was unmistakeable.

A storm was coming. Four brave little ponies stood against the tide of nature.

---

I snorted as I watched Pan and his troupe of satyrs canter across the rocky terrain, comfortable in the mountain range. The goatmen had decided to join in with the winning side when I encroached on their territory, not even offering a fight and laying down their arms to pledge their allegiance.

To think the mighty wild god Pan was reduced to such a pittance. Celestia’s reign was like poison to the wild things in the world. “Seth.” I said, turning to face the diminutive man hovering some distance away from my head. “Have you sent scouts ahead?”

“Wraiths, yes. The Liche stayed behind to coordinate efforts, but we are being fed constant information as the wraiths clear the path ahead.” Seth said. “Canterlot has been abandoned, my lord. No ponies remain, and the mighty city is open for our taking.”

It’s too easy.

“Ah, Trickster. I wondered when you would return.” I growled. My claws twitched, and I resisted the urge to crush something underfoot.

Missed you too, sunshine. Anyway, looks like I just made it to the party.

“You were saying?” I grunted, my patience for his furtive ways long burned out.

Oh right. This is obviously a trap.

“Perhaps the pony princesses fled before the might of my legion. It will not be the first time.” I said, sighing. Trickster still underestimated my powers. He does not understand that tricks and underhanded tactics would not work on my mighty power. He does not realize that I could sweep away whatever trap the ponies laid in my path.

It’s a trap!

“I fear no pony trap, Trickster.”

Aw shiet! You just triggered their trap card!

Without warning, I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, and I whipped around to find a solitary draconic creature fleeing from my flocks of roc and the Stymphalian bird. I felt behind my head, and with a small hiss, pulled out a tiny barb perhaps the size of a regular javelin stuck in my flesh. A small rivulet of inky black blood leaked out of the puncture, but I simply growled and hurled a bolt of lightning at the rapidly distancing figure, striking the beast midair and instantly incinerating its body, leaving nothing but a puff of ash in its wake.

“It seems Tirek has begun his attack. Seth, where are the enemies?” I roared, as ancient magic rushed through my body at my command, bolstering the ever present storm in my vicinity to the strength of a small hurricane. “I will bring death to them myself.”

Blah blah death and destruction blah blah START SHOOTING ALREADY!

Trickster’s nasally voice was particularly piercing in my mind, and I couldn’t help but wince, ducking instinctively and avoiding a volley of barbed javelins. They would have been caught up in my storm nonetheless, but any magic conserved is more power I could use to decimate Tirek and his forces.

“Artillery!” Seth’s voice was much, much louder than usual, audible throughout the mass of the thousands of monsters that made up my army. “Fire at will!”

With a deafening roar, the drakons launched elemental death at the reptilian creatures Tirek sent against us, some spitting thunder and lightning, others gouts of brimstone and fire, others still hurling spikes of frozen ice against the wyverns. Ladon’s hundred heads opened, and from within each a burst of raw magic came forth, taking shape as a torrent of unstoppable destruction that could easily engulf me within its girth, totally disintegrating what remained of the enemies after his brood had their fun.

But still wyverns returned, some as large as the mighty star bears, their wings flapping mightily, and drakes took to the skies also, smaller but faster than their wyvern allies, their claws flashing and clashing against the drakons’ mighty scales. Ladon roared, and poison filled the air, its hundred heads each spewing a different noxious fume that sent foes careening to the ground without a fight.

“Stymphalian bird! Fire!” Seth called again, and this time it was the massive metallic bird that answered the call, a single flap of its gargantuan sun blocking wings sending thousands of razor like quills arcing towards Tirek’s forces. Even as uncountable numbers of wyverns, drakes, misshapen dragons and other airborne monstrosities surged forward, their ranks were totally devastated, broken and scattered like waves against the shore. The gleaming projectiles sheared through the creatures easily, digging deep into tissue, lodging into bone, rending organs open and punching clean through bodies.

But more came coming. The sea of bodies pressed forward, the dead disappearing in cascades of sparks as Discord’s magic failed to sustain the creatures, only to be replaced by two more. “You told me we outnumbered them.”

Seth looked at me with a look of slight panic. “We did. We did! But somehow, with less magic, Discord managed to create more of the creatures… Drakons, Rocs, C-Q-C formations! We’ll slaughter them!”

As one, Rukh’s more numerous flock and Ladon’s larger offspring dove at the enemies, a hellish whirlwind of claw, teeth, beak, talon and death, elemental energy blasting through dozens of enemies at a time, the rocs flitting between the warring behemoths and slashing through flesh and wings. Ladon bellowed, and the air itself shook, as the massive drakon waded into the fray, his hundred heads a frenzy of motion as he devoured his enemies, causing magic to spark everywhere.

Magic which, reacting with the gasses deployed by the wyverns, was very explosive. “Rukh, pull back!” Seth shouted, and the more manoeuvrable roc eagles swerved out of the way as a single spark of loose magic triggered a runaway reaction, setting off the deadly gas and creating a blast of unprecedented proportions.

A plume of brilliant gold rushed outwards in a devastating wave of magical fire, the incredible heat scorching the flesh off countless wyverns and eagles before incinerating the bones, leaving no trace of the creatures. Even the mighty drakons, nigh indestructible, were knocked out of the sky, the earsplitting boom shaking the battlefield and scattering even the ground troops below.

Even the eagles that had the chance to adjust their position were sent careening out of the skies by the shockwave, a few pulling out of their suicide dive at the last moment. Many more did not have such fortune, slamming into the earth at breakneck speeds and flattening themselves into a bloody crater.

Son of a bitch.

“Raiders on the west flank!” Someone shouted. It sounded like Pan, but I spared no time to consider the speaker. Cresting over the hill to the west are a truly horrific host of beasts, creatures of all shapes and sizes from multi-headed rats the size of dragons to fire-breathing butterflies, a horde of ungodly creatures rammed into my army’s flank, forcing us into the defensive.

“STAND FIRM!” I roared, my arm raised and sparking with thunderous power. “BEHEMOTH, REPEL THEM!”

The gargantuan charger needed no more prompting, his head bowed and tusks pointed forward, like an oversized battering ram. He met the largest of the chaos beasts head on, a monstrous ursine beast with limbs comprised of entwined tentacles, standing even taller than Behemoth but roughly equal in mass. With a muted thud, the two giants collided, and with a sickening rip Behemoth jerked his head up and tore a gaping wound in the bear’s torso, causing a flood of bloody ooze to spurt out in a great steaming jet.

A two headed dog the size of a house leapt forward in Behemoth’s wake, Orthrus and his pack ripping through what foes remained after the mighty creature’s charge. There was a great rumbling, and a veritable army of satyrs and centaurs stampeded onto the scene, wielding heavy wood clubs and compound bows and woodland magics. The infantry of the army, the beast-men surged against the horde, fighting and falling against the unstoppable swell of monsters in Tirek’s army. The anguished cries of the dying soldiers filled the air, but I had no time to account for the fallen, as another winged monstrosity hurled itself at me, fangs bared and talons flashing.

In a practiced motion, I thrust my arm out and grabbed the creature, draining away its life with a single touch and throwing it aside when it was lifeless. The empty husk crumbled into nothing as the magic powering its existence became my own. “Hold them! Drive Tirek out of his cowardly hiding!” I bellowed, lightning crackling from my palms as the storm around me raged. Bolts of lightning flew from my being, scorching the earth as I tore my way through their ranks. All my powers were at play, hellfire dancing from my maw, noxious fumes billowing from my nostrils, meteorites raining from the sky, draining at their very life, cutting a path of utter obliteration through Tirek’s army.

You need to end this.

“I am aware, Trickster!” I backhanded a giant dragon like creature out of the skies, snapping its neck and slamming its body into the ground in one fell swoop.

No, like, you need to end this NOW, before your army is depleted any more!

I paused. Seth was barking out instructions high above the battlefield, blasting anything that got too close. Most of my original broods such like the chimeras, drakon and hellhounds were mostly holding their own, but the ones who we accepted into the fold, such as Nessus and Pan’s people, were taking heavy casualties.

“FACE ME, TIREK!” Like a burst of thunder, my voice blasted across the landscape, physically dislodging stones and throwing back lighter combatants. “OR ARE YOU TOO MUCH OF A COWARD TO TRY?!”

Over the mountains, a figure emerged. It was immense, easily my size, perhaps even larger, sporting wicked curved horns, rippling muscles, and burning with crimson magic. Its demonic black and yellow eyes narrowed, and it took a step forward.

The ground shook.

Oh… shit.

“Time to finished what was started, Typhon.” Tirek grinned savagely, cracking his neck.

---

The ponies watched in awe as brilliant bursts of energy erupted from the mountain ranges to the south, scaled monstrosities ramming into one other in the air, the hosts of their enemies writhing and struggling on the ground. Even Celestia took a subconscious step back at the sight of the two massive armies pushing against one other, the screams and bellows audible even from the castle.

“What’s going on, Celestia?” Twilight asked, her ears flattened to her head. “What’s happening in the fight?”

“Twilight, look away.”

“What?” Twilight looked up at her mentor.

“Look away, now!” Celestia said, her eyes widening. Her wings flew open, shielding Twilight, and a dark blue bubble sprung up around them as Luna’s horn flashed. Barely a moment passed before an unbridled wave of destructive magic washed over them, obliterating the battlements around them and for a moment all Twilight could see through the shield spell was a volatile mix of red and blue light, annihilating one another and devastating the area around them. Her very bones shook, and some primal instinct deep inside her screamed at her to run and hide as the crackling of electricity filled her ears.

Luna gasped and fell to her knees, trembling, sweat forming on her forehead and back as her horn’s glow quavered precariously. “Sister, I can’t hold it for much longer…!” Another wave of energy crashed into the shield and she gave a cry of anguish as her horn threatened to flicker out.

Celestia’s horn, too glowed, and the shield was suddenly strong again, though her legs shook and the pressure of the spell drove her back a few paces. “We have to hold it! Not much longer now!”

Then, as soon as it started, it was over. The wave rushed past them, and the shield crumbled not a second later, leaving still a gush of dry, blistering air that blew back Twilight’s mane. Celestia swayed for a few moments before falling to her knees as well, gasping for air. “Celestia! Are you alright?”

“Just… a bit… winded.” Celestia wheezed, her whole body shaking.

Twilight turned towards the mountain range, immediately having to shield her eyes as a CRACK and a brilliant flash of light happened over the hills. There, clear as day, were two massive monsters engaged in a duel of titanic proportions. One was surrounded by a flashing storm, bolts of lightning escaping the whirlwind and striking at the titan’s opponent. Typhon. Chains hung loosely off his body, his wrists bound by manacles, his claws streaking with fire and lightning, Twilight could barely suppress a shiver as the monster gave an earsplitting roar and charged forward.

His opponent, a giant black and red centaur, surging with fiery red magic and sporting two curved horns glowing with stored energy, retaliated in kind, frenzied cackling erupting from his chest as he met Typhon mid charge, unyielding in the face of a dozen bolts of lightning connecting with his body and sending millions of volts of energy through him.

Switching his method of attack, Typhon bellowed as he swung his lightning charged fists, thunder erupting with every strike. Even the colossal Tirek was cowed by the ferocious assault, slowly forced back as Typhon’s four arms overpowered his defences and eventually landed blow after blow, Tirek’s body shaking with every strike. Even from afar, the tremors caused by the punches could be felt through the ground, causing Twilight’s teeth to chatter together.

One after the other, Typhon’s fists rained onto Tirek’s face and torso, the static charge sinking into the centaur’s body with each strike and causing him to jerk back painfully, his muscles spasming, causing his movements to become slow and jerky.

Seizing the chance, Typhon slammed all four fists together, with Tirek’s head sandwiched between the bone crushing blow. There was a dull thud as all four fists connected, and Tirek’s eyes widened and his jaw snapped open as electricity coursed through his head. Without missing a beat, a torrent of hellfire roared out of Typhon’s maw, and Tirek’s face was engulfed by the scorching fire.

Then a beam of crimson energy shot from between Tirek’s horns, blasting Typhon back with a beam of pure kinetic force, powerful enough to cause Typhon’s flesh to ripple outwards from the point of contact, as the titan staggered back from the assault. It took only a few steps back for Typhon to recover, and when he did, the storm around him intensified into a maelstrom of pure energy, a whirlwind of lightning and crackling energy. A foolhardy wyvern from Tirek’s army, peeling away from Typhon’s forces, charged Typhon. Before it could even come close, a bolt of electricity shot out of the storm and struck the wyvern head on, scorching it to the bone.

“I…” Typhon’s voice was unbelievably loud, like the sky itself roaring in fury. “…WILL KILL YOU!”

---

Seth gaped at the spectacle before him. It was not a battle between mortal creatures or even immortal spirits, it was a collision of worlds, an earth shattering impact between forces of nature. Typhon and Tirek were no more, turned to pillars of storm and flame, crackling electricity and roaring fire clashing and intwining and splitting apart, each step a crash of thunder, each blow a volcanic eruption.

Around the two clashing titans, the forces of chaos and destruction raged, the monstrous beasts of Discord’s making fighting and dying en masse against the elite Tartarean escapees under Typhon’s banner. Swarms of bestial flocks of scaled birds and feathered serpents filled the skies, a cacophonous mass of beak and claw and talon flying and falling out of the sky, struck by lightning and fire and hellish venom spewed forth by the snarling drakon flights who stood like unyielding metal against the chaos. The Stymphalian bird rivalled the hundred headed Ladon in size and ferocity, and with a single flap loosing a hail of piercing javelin plumage, sent uncountable horrors spiralling to their death.

Tiamat and Behemoth, titans by their own right though still dwarfed by, as Seth noticed, the gradually growing Typhon and Tirek, were the vanguard against the unending flood of chaotic beasts. Like a wickedly beautiful rainbow, Tiamat flaunted her iridescent scales in a great dance of mass destruction, her serpentine form crushing and constricting with giant strength, her unending length coiling and coiling around entire legions of foes till hundreds perished by her crushing trap. Behemoth, paragon of strength and tenacity, with legs like ancient redwood and strong as coiled steel, needed no strategy and gave no thought for tactical superiority. He was the moving mountain, a constant pulverising presence that trampled all underfoot, cleaving a path through the chaotic horde with ease.

Behind them, Typhon’s elite danced and swerved between the roiling masses, creatures with claws and tentacles and blades and spines working in tandem, united by a common hatred for those to sought to have them in chains once more. Chimeric beasts, led by their namesake, the fire-breathing Chimera, scorched the earth with searing flame, burning the flesh from the bones of their foes. Elemental creatures of fire, lightning, water, earth, crushed enemies with the wrath of nature itself.

Another deafening explosion rocked the battlefield as storm crashed into fire. Lightning flashed and fiery orbs dropped from the sky, awesome power erupted from the titanic blows exchanged far above by soaring giants, Typhon and Tirek as avatars of natural fury landing thunderous hits on each other, creating booms of sound and blinding light like a hurricane blown out of proportions. Crackling lightning surged from Typhon’s palms, lancing forth and piercing through Tirek’s being, the arcs of searing blue plasma burning through skin and scorching flesh. There was no hellfire, nor poison. Only Typhon, and the storm which was he. Against the storm, equal in stature and might, was the pillar of fury that was Tirek. For every thunderous blow taken, Tirek gave back in kind, a blast of parched air and boiling heat radiating from his hammer fists. Each strike was like the fury of the earth given form, a blinding red flame that outshone even the sun itself, coupled with earth shattering force.

A ringing blow woke Seth from his torpor, and he shook his head, focusing back on the situation at hand. Trusting in his monstrous allies, Seth turned his attention towards the gleaming city in the distance. Even after the centuries of his imprisonment, the city of the sun was resplendent as ever, virtually untouched by the conflict beyond its walls.

“Time to change that.” He murmured, tapped the tip of his staff against the slab of stone he stood on, and braced himself as the slab shot skyward, breaking through the clouds, away from the clash between titans. Once beyond the reach of Discord’s wretched deformed pittances, Seth allowed himself a moment to recollect himself.

A bone rattling roar of defiance and murderous rage, from Typhon or Tirek Seth could not ascertain, reminded him again that time was against him. The slab rocketed away, towards Canterlot.

Comments

[Chaos Nightmare]

what is this a crossover of?

[AleneShazam]

6356485
The particular iteration of Typhon is from a game called Titan Quest.

[Chaos Nightmare]

6356492 thanks

[Mr mustash]

Daar ofaal rinik kahriil