Stories in Stone, Capricorn's Curse

by TDR

Monster [28]

Stories in Stone
Capricorn's Curse
By TDR

Monster

[ Tamberlane]

...... PFC Red Velvet, PFC Saturn, Corporal Silver Streak, Lieutenant Ink Wash, Sergeant Rose Petal, PFC Jenkins, Lieutenant Big Deal,PFC Sandy Clover, Major Wind Sail, Corporal Kite,PFC Breezy Saffron, Sergeant Hay Burn, PFC Groovy Casanova, Sergeant Yellow Daisy, Sergeant Brick Oven, PFC Yellow Ribbon, Major Banana Cream Pie, …............

Jer'rahd had felt rage before.

............Colonel Green Lily, PFC Jacob Ladder, PFC Marey Ann, Sergeant Nathanila Hicks, Sergeant Star Fruit, Lieutenant Holly Bell ,Lieutenant Sandstorm, PFC Ginger Balance, Sergeant First Class Mirror Shine, Lieutenant Commander Rose Quartz, Corporal White Lyre, Wing Commander Sun Beam, PFC Teal Acorn, First Sergeant Star Light..........

He knew the rage of being unable to act, the rage of seeing things happen that he couldn't control, the rage that came from losing friends and family,the rage that came from a monster inside him, the rage of failure.....

......... Lieutenant Maple Leaf, PFC Sugar Star, PFC Houdinia, PFC Piebald, Sergeant Damp Mist, Sergeant Bumpy Chicken, PFC Lady Teal, Sergeant Tye Dye, PFC Rainbow Corporal Drunken Baby, Corporal Washer, PFC Warm Quality,PFC Caramel Mountain Lieutenant Spicy Perfume,Lieutenant Nyan Neko, PFC Pine Cone, General Meteor Shower, General Three Bear.......

He had felt them all and more in his life.

....... Lieutenant Carrot Glace, PFC Harmony Gold, Sergeant Bubbles, Sergeant First Class Blossom, Major Fox Fire, PFC Orange Grove,Sergeant Sassy Phantom, Lieutenant Amethyst Forelock, PFC Purple Cider, Lieutenant Butter Bar, Lieu tenet Grape Jelly, PFC Prism, Sergeant Apple Dapple, Lieutenant Spring Dale, Major Flyby, PFC Skipping Analogy, Commander Crystal Song, General Ruin.........

This. He didn't know what this was.

...Sergeant Butterfly Dream, PFC Sugar Sigh, Corporal Bright Mocha, Lieutenant Torn Wish, PFC Savvy Cloud, Major forged Cup Cupcake, PFC Ocean Daydream, PFC Ever Lollipop, Colonel Translucent Giggle, Corporal Kit PFC Pickle, Corporal Bright Ardor, Commander Crazy Dancer, PFC Peach Mania, PFC Fluffy Outpost, PFC Sequoia Seed, Sergeant Celtic Sunlight........

It was unlike anything he had felt that he could recall.

..... PFC Modest Spring, PFC Cheeky Crane, Sergeant Marigold Conspiracy, PFC Clover Wahoo, PFC Milky Kingdom, Corporal Arctic Hillside, PFC Copper Scribble, Sergeant Cinnamon Evening, Lieutenant Sliver of Fervor, PFC Bewildering Bluebell, PFC Starry Oregano, Captain Blushing Futon, PFC Blended Blue, Lieutenant Dances With Cake, PFC Sprinkled Wine, PFC Dabbling Tome, Angel Bunny.......

It was white hot, no hotter than that, it was painful, far too painful for him to hold.

......PFC Wound Up Crystal,Sergeant Western Nicker, Corporal Toxic Aspiration, PFC Proud Jellybean, PFC Honey Myth, Sergeant Tangerine Honor, Lieutenant Peanut Butter Thundercloud, PFC Melodic Paper, Major Angular Socks, PFC Viral Pecan, PFC Sassy Exchange, First Sergeant Dakota Fate, PFC Mathematical Champagne, PFC Tawny Knickknack ,PFC Lilac Quest, Colonel Lion Heart, Rarity Reighnolds.........

He almost expected this, in fact he saw it coming. He knew that some one like a Necromancer would try and use Rhede and Velkorn against him. Maybe even Lion Heart and a few others, he had been expecting that , almost ready for it, that sort of pain was par for the course really.

…...... PFC Cowboy Almond, Sergeant Roman Cheese, PFC Milky Scamper, Lieutenant Daring Winner, PFC Curly Mountain, Master Sergeant Saltwater Calamity, Wing Commander Ebony Mirror, Corporal Organic Radiance, Corporal Vanilla Lion, PFC Wayward Rose, Colonel Mesmerizing Volcano, PFC Bisque Wink, PFC Googled Peak, PFC Striped Confection, Paw Pelt, Lion Pelt, Mink Pelt,.........

He had not been prepared for the rest. Even now he could remember them, remember the names, the faces, even without his books.

.........PFC Rain Shadow,Sergeant Ephemeral Patchwork, PFC Galloping Blender, Lieutenant May Slasher, Staff Sergeant Silent Bounty, Air Captain Cross End, PFC Whatever's Horror, PFC Brazen Aurora, Captain Chocolate Tie, Captain Vanilla Sunbeams, PFC Rainbow Pepper, PFC Huckleberry Skip, PFC Booming List, PFC Periwinkle Splendor......

His memories were cloudy on some of them at first until he saw their eyes. At least those who still had them.

........... Lieutenant Colonel Frothy Flowerpot, PFC Moroccan Spur, Sergeant Pineapple Dusk, Lieutenant Innocent Earthquake ,PFC Hoof Talon, Corporal Appalachian Bob, PFC Triumphant Engagement, Sergeant Serene Pounce, Corporal Sunshine Apple-pie, PFC Thundering Stamp, Sergeant Granola Savannah, Lieutenant Gummy Polygon, PFC Fine Wisp, PFC Marigold Strength, Lieutenant Legal Money.........

Grogar had called them all here. Those who had died. The ones he commanded who had laid down and died at his word. Heroes he had failed who gave there all for Equestria.

............. PFC Carpe Diem Blanket, Sergeant Chief joy, Lieutenant Ribbon Target, PFC parallel Berry, Colonel Dazzled tickle, PFC Blooming Garnet, Corporal Snowy Moon-dust, Corporal Little Melody, Corporal Almond-eyed Guess, Corporal Misty Story, PFC Breath of Prodigy, PFC Scintillating Intention, Sergeant Tobiano Ambition, PFC Booming Spice, Corporal Poppy Willow.........

The rage. The rage was beyond white hot. It was far to much to hold.

........................................... PFC Marigold Showgirl, Sergeant California Plantation, Lieutenant Lavender Popcorn, PFC Snow Guess, PFC Jumping Chain, PFC Silvery Outlook, Corporal Dandy Superstition, Sergeant Eloquent Intention, Commander Oak Shadow, PFC Illuminated Energy, Lieutenant Adobe Jingle, Platinum Scale..........

So Jer'rahd didn't try to.

==========================================================
[Tamberlane]

“I am getting quite tired of all this silly being bounced around nonsense.” Octavia swore.

Is your cello alright?” Lyra asked from under the earth pony mare.

“The Marquis is fine, I however and quite thoroughly bruised. I expect I have bruises atop of my bruises.” Octavia complained not even seeming to care she was whining.

“At least you landed atop of some one. Trixie has been the cushion for a very large boney pony, and a purple mare with a flank fatter than the moon she controls.”

“It's chitin, it's a changeling thing.”” Luna protested

“My flank is not fat!” Twilight protested.

“Then prove it by exercising your way off of Trixie's spine!” Trixie shouted as Luna and Twilight moved off of her.

“What exactly is going on any way?” Lyra asked climbing up atop of the rubble of what remained of the building they had been sneaking through on their way to the bell tower.

“I have no idea the whole island just tilted suddenly.” Luna commented. “ Then there was that roar....”

Further comment was cut off by another roar, far louder and more angry than anything they had yet to hear. Lyra , Octavia and Trixie all flatten their ears at the sound.

“What was that?” Trixie demanded.

Luna and Twilight both froze as well recognizing it immediately.

“That does not sound good.” Twilight stated.

“Damn, things must have escalated quicker than expected if he is releasing that.”Luna swore.

============================================
[Tamberlane]

“Kaisur calm down.......” Celestia ordered bringing the Brilliant Dawn with her magic, the blade nearly resting on his nose as she points it at the frothing ponies face. Jer'rahd had let out a anguished roar that made her pale further even though he was still a Kirin. “ There is too much at stake here for you to lose control at this poi...... WHAT!?”

Jer'rahd opened his mouth flashing far too many rows of shark like teeth for a pony, biting down on the star metal blade pointed at his face and ripping the weapon out of her magic flinging it away from them both with a snap of his head.

He growled a response to her demands, the sound rumbling in him, seeming to rattle his scales as he moved forward, walking past her, his eyes locked on Grogar.

The Capricorn flinched under that glare, his eyes widening as another pair of glowing red eyes opened in the stallions forehead, then a third set on each side of his horn. The gray furred stallion seemed to darken and Grogar could see the very shadow he cast on the ground from the moon light start to bubble and writhe as it began to climb his limbs clawing and grabbing at his fur as it swirled and swarmed up the ponies body. The darkness engulfed the pony blotting him out from view as it seemed even the light of the moon wouldn't shine on the dark form that was rapidly growing larger and larger as he looked on. The dark form was easily as tall as his bell tower, which was seven stories tall and it was still growing. Five red lights glowed in the darkness with one green one that was tinged red as well.

The darkness suddenly seemed to solidify, like a great sphere that rested on the sand on his island. He looked around for the white mare only to spot her far in the air above the island and far away from the dark sphere, the two swords that the pair had used clutched in her magic and for the first time since Grogar's eyes met hers and he saw fear on the mares face as she looked at the darkness below her.

His attention suddenly turned back to the globe of darkness as something ripped, the sound not unlike the tearing of parchment being cut with a blade. Grogar blinked watching as the front of the orb started to bleed dark smoke and shadow, like a gaping wound. There was more tearing and more spots of 'injury' the shadowy blood vanishing as soon as it stuck the ground. Looking up Grogar could see those six lights in the darkness, the rows and rows of teeth glinting in the moonlight from the oversized maw below it. The creatures claws tore at the sphere like it was inside an egg, until it tore it's way free.

The thing that had come out of the sphere should not have been able to fit inside of it. At first it seemed a large Dragon but as the shadows cleared the idea that it was a Dragon was quickly dispelled. It was larger than the keep he had on the island, the creature nearly blotting out the moon with it's size. A large carapace covered its back with jagged spikes protruding from it at random intervals. Its legs were very much like those of a Dragons though thicker, more muscular, and tipped with wicked claws that were as long as two or three carts laid end to end. More spiked barbs ran along its joints, throat and underside. A large pair horns rose from the top of its head , curving sharply forward and resting just over the creatures glowing eyes. It hung its head low, nose almost touching the ground the reptilian nostrils flaring and kicking up dust with every breath on the sand before it, the force of it's breath blowing back a number of the lesser zombies, melting their skin from their bones from the heat. The creatures skin seemed to writhe and twist like it was composed of shadows that barely stayed together to hold a solid form. The colors of it shifted between a midnight blue, dark gray, a deep shade of purple to all black. It all seemed to blend together and slowly shift along the creatures skin so that no part of it seemed to stay the same coloration long.

Grogar felt the island tilt as the creature rose up from it's crouched position it's height seeming to double as the beasts weight shifted the island again and made the Leviathan have to adjust itself to the new mass on it's surface.

It tilted it's head looking skyward to the moon it's head raised as it roared. The sound echoing across the island, heard as far away as Manehatten which was now leagues behind them. The cry sounded like a siren mixed in with whistle of a train and the death wails of a score of accident victims merged with the howling of a timber wolf accompanied by baying hounds on a trail.

The monsters head snapped downward, all six of it's eyes focused on one creature among the throngs of things below it.

All of it's eyes were on Grogar.

The Capricorn's eyes widened as he lost control of his bowels.

Then Grogar did the first smart thing he had done all day.

He ran.

=======================================

Celestia lashed out with a lance of flame searing a undead griffon's wings from it's body and letting it tumble down to the beach below. Her own body had nearly locked up at the roar that came from the Beast, but she had heard the monster's cry once before and while she was shaken she wasn't rendered helpless by that horrid cry. The undead seemed unaffected by it and had rushed the creature the moment Grogar ran. She doubted that would mean anything to him if they did attack and she noted the three smarter looking ones were hanging back. The three of them were radiating power, it was a power she recognized the feel of as well. The trio by the giant rotting sack of meat were gods. Or at least they had been, still she had felt the energy of other gods often enough in her life she could recognize the feel of it. They could be a problem.

It was then she noticed the beasts throat had started a to glow a strange greenish coloration not unlike Kaisur's magic, though this glow seemed to be brighter as the Beasts throat swelled like a frogs.

Celesita swore again, flying higher and forming a shield around herself as she continued to curse at Kaisur. She had seen that effect before on some Dragons.

The creature dipped it's head down to the undead trying to swarm it and exhaled. Green fire erupted from the creatures mouth flash frying the creatures around him, setting fire to the sand and melting the scant buildings and rocks around him as the gush of flame struck the beach incinerating the horde in seconds. The green fire grew brighter starting to turn almost white as everything around it melted or vaporized with a number of buildings further in spontaneously catching fire.

Celestia herself winced at the heat, watching her shield start to melt as well.

The island itself jerked as the massive mountain rose from the sea again and screamed, a huge fount of red mist burst from the impact point of the flame. Steam geysered up after the bloody mist and the entire island was suddenly illuminated from below as the jet of fire punched through the Leviathan and boiled the sea below it.

She heard a crackling scream of panic and looked around noting she had grabbed the com link when she had snatched up the Waning Moon. She struggled with it a moment before putting it in her ear hearing shouting.

“This is Princess Celestia. Report!”

“The sea floor is on fire! What the bloody shit was that!” screamed what she assumed was a Sea Pony. She could hear others screaming in panic around the one who spoke as well.

“Calm down, is every pony alright?” Celestia asked noting a great deal of static in the earpiece.

“Wha ..? Y.. yes Princess. The Leviathan sped away too fast, we are barely able to keep up with it and we were starting to lose it as we passed Gallopagos. The the creature lit up before us and a lance of green light shot down from the things chest and hit the sea floor digging a crevasse into it, and that fissure is....., well it's currently burning some how.”

“Stay away from it. A situation has arisen and I need you all to do damage control as much as you can. I'm not sure how good the range on this com is so warn the Crystal Empire that something is coming up the coast.”

“Yes Princess. The Neighlantis Guard shall......” The line cut out with a crackle of static, the leviathan still moving despite having a hole blown through it. Celestia looked down from above as the Beast stopped it's attack the horde of undead all but gone save the trio of smarter ones who were behind a partially melted shield and one of them even looked like they had been half burned away and were barely standing.

She felt the increase of magic from them saw the gathering of a spell from the lead one who looked like a minotaur.

The spell was never finished. A massive claw swung down pushing through the shield as if it was water and crushing the undead creatures to dust. A second claw destroyed the remnants of the towering undead blob. They were not even attacks, the Beast had just stepped forward beginning to move in a odd lumbering gait that shook the island as it went after Grogar.

Celestia looked down as the beast passed seeing the hole it had made and the glow from the burning seafloor far below though the new puncture in the island.

She really needed to find Luna and get her to stop him before he destroyed the Leviathan from under them.

========================================================

Luna and Twilight winced as the air around them seemed to scream out as it burned. The small group had been yanked inside a building by Luna and Twilight the moment they heard the roar. Currently the pair were huddled in a corner with their shields layered over each other for protection.

Despite the precautions there wasn't much more than a flash of super hot air and a general increase in temperature. Whatever had happened had done so on the other side of the keep.

“What the heck was that... GAH!” Octavia asked before the whole island jerked again sending a few loose bricks and debris falling to clatter against their shields as one of the walls caved in.

“What is with this stupid island!” Trixie shouted.

“We need to get out of here.” Twilight stated moving up to the hole and poking her head out to look around , her shield still up.” What ever that blast was it looked like it didn't hit the castle or the town proper just the farmland.”

“We know what that blast was, though I don't know how. For as often as we have seen the Beast it has never breathed flame before.” Luna stated walking up to her.

“The beast? What are you talking about?” Lyra asked as Trixie and Octavia looked at each other.

“You mean that monster that was fighting during the war of the gods?” Octavia asked as the others looked at her curiously. “That roar is a rather unique sound.”

“Trixie was still in Canterlot when that thing showed up. She only caught glimpses of it but... what is it doing here?” Trixie asked.

Luna sighed though she tossed up her shield around them again as the ground began to shake , a lumbering shadow blotting out the stars thundered past around the outskirts of the town moving towards the bell tower from the fire lit beach.

Lyra's eyes widen noting the shadow that even the moonlight didn't seem to touch growing thundered along the edge of the town.” What the buck is that thing!?”

Luna rolled her eyes her tail flicking against her flank as she grumbled a little at the absurdity of it. “My husband.”

==================================================

Grogar ran faster than he likely ever had in his life, there was no way something like that could have happened, that monster... where had that come from, how could that pony have turned into it?

The Capricorn stumbled as the island tilted again throwing him to the ground as a wash of heat and fire roared over him singing his fur and setting fire to it . The Capricorn wailed rolling on the ground to put himself out feeling his back and rump blistering under his chard fur.

He couldn't stop he had to get the bell tower. If he could send the island back into the time stream, the massive creature should be left behind, the bell wasn't calibrated for anything living beyond Himself and the leviathan. His remote contact with it was destroyed but if he could ring the bell itself he could get away.

He galloped through the ruined city surrounding the castle rushing down broken cobble stone path, taking side streets and back alleys when the roads were clogged with fallen debris. He could hear the monster coming , it was working it's way outside the edge of the city for some reason, though despite it being away from him , he could feel the eyes on the monster on him still.

He was a little over half way to the bell tower when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Poking their heads out of a half ruined building was a purple Alicorn and a odd black bug looking pony, Changeling they were called if he remembered. They were talking to some one behind them , evidently the others had survived too.

His captives were out here? Grogar growled, they were the cause of this. If not for them the other two would not have come. Well if he was going to have to run he was going to make sure that the monster and the other mare would never see them again.

His horns glowed as he ran channeling power into a command. The bell tower was barely a block away and Grogar had just come into sight of it when the bottom part of the tower exploded outward.

The thing that rushed out of it was a monstrosity of body parts, with multiple limbs eyes and faces grafted to it's patchwork of skin and flesh. The last Barb Devil on the island rushed from it's chamber under the tower barreling down the street towards the mares in a howling furry.

Grogar smirked as the black and purple ones raised their shields, knowing that it would be useless against this creature, he had grafted in several creatures that seemed to feed on magic into it, which made it hard to control most of the time, but he didn’t need control he needed it to kill them.

The Barb Devil galumphed across the road towards them as Grogar made it into the base of the tower.

There was a sudden ground shaking thud and a squelch as if some one crushed an over ripe grape, the sound causing Grogar to look back. Behind him the block was little more than a mass of flesh of shifting hues, a clawed foot with claws that were ripping the stone apart under them as they flexed. He could see the glow of the shields behind that limb, the creature having crushed the Barb Devil as if it was nothing, saving the mares in the process. The creature had jumped from the outside of the city and landed on the buildings across the street from the mares , flattening them to rubble and dust while also taking out the last barb devil. Grogar looked up higher his eyes widening as he looked into the beasts maw, what looked like a massive fanged grin crossing it's face as it had found him.

Grogar shrieked and ran into the tower scrambling up the stairs to get to the bell.

He barely made it half way up the stairs, when the top of the stone tower vanished just over his head, with a massive rush of wind.

The bell and tower soared through the air, flung far off the island to crash into the water with a unheard splash. A flare of magic formed from the impact point and a great crater of air and water formed as a mass of water the size of the Leviathan suddenly vanished into time.

The Leviathan jerked as it was pulled towards the hole in the sea as the water rushed towards it. The snarling beast was thrown off balance for a moment which allowed Grogar to dive back down the stairs into the tunnels under the city. He had to run, had to get away.

The monster roared again, it's claws ripping through the rest of the tower, ripping furrows into the earth as it dug after Grogar, like a fox would chase a burrowing vole.

Grogar ran, running deeper into the mines and catacombs of the island, passing by the shell of the Leviathan heading into the chambers carved into it's still living flesh.

Blood fell around him, the gluts of red flooding down the stairs and through the tunnels causing him to slid and stumble. Chunks of stone work and bloody gore swept up in the river like flow of let blood as the Beast clawed down, digging after him, tearing through through the shell of the leviathan and into it's flesh in it's mad quest for Grogar.

==============================================

Celestia landed by Twilight and Luna, glancing back to see a gray Earth pony, and two Unicorns with them, all of them staring up at the Beast as it destroyed the bell tower and went after Grogar.

The creature had started digging savagely into the ground, the Capricorn evidently having gone underground. The fountains of dirt and rock were soon changed to bits of blood and bone that rapidly turned into fountains of rended flesh and showers of blood.

Celestia winced as she heard one of the mares become violently sick. She didn't look to see who it was, not wanting to call attention to it.

“While I am glad you are all safe... I fear we have a new problem.” Celestia stated flatly.

“You think?”Lyra growled blinking a moment as Celestia looked at her before smiling a little and adding to her statement.”Ummm Princess...”

“Tia unless it is something less obvious than what is before us, I believe we know.” Luna sighed as a large chunk of the leviathan’s armor plating was ripped free and flung off into the ocean.

“The island is headed north at an alarming speed. We're already past Gallopagos and we're out of radio contact with the Neighlantis guard.” Celestia spoke.”That said is everyone alright?”

“Trixie has been better.” Trixie sighed.” But she also admits she has been much worse.”

Celestia raised any eyebrow at that but didn't ask about the third pony speech.

“As well as to be expected Princess but I would very much like to get off this island.”Octavia announced wiping her mouth with a foreleg.

“Ditto.” Lyra added.

“I'll see if I can calm him down. Given the way he was running I don't think Grogar is going to much of a issue any more, but better safe than sorry given we do not know where it is he ran aside from down.” Luna stated taking to the air a shield forming around her as she flew towards the madly digging beast.

Celestia sighed looking at the others. “Twilight and I will remain here in case Grogar tries anything else. I would suggest you three take this opportunity to head towards the beach that seems to be on fire over there. I can confirm that there are no undead that way and at the very least you will be out from under this falling mess.”

“No offense Princess, but after all this crap we're sticking as close to Twilight and Luna as we can. Besides I can kick Jer'rahd's butt three out of seven times so I should be good if he becomes a issue.” Lyra smirked.

“Oh right you do train with him.....” Celestia commented as she walked up to Twilight who had been staring at the beast.

“You have been silent this whole time dear. Are you alright?” Celestia commented.

“So help me if he damaged that library any further.” Twilight growled glaring up at the Beast.

“Ahh. So you are okay.” Celestia nodded.

==========================================
[Crystal Empire]

Cadence watched as some odd jewelry formed around the foals necks. She blinked a little as she pranced in place fretting her wings fanning out and folding.

“Berry have you found anything yet?” Cadence yelped.” Something's happening!”

“This is a very simple seal. There shouldn't be any trouble waking them up at all and yet, nothing I’m doing is working. Heck I can't even erase the seal. Something is very wrong here and I can't figure out what it is.” Berry cursed as she flipped though the dream book she had lent her little sister. “ This is beyond what I've ever seen done, something is spending the power to keep them asleep.”

The sudden silence as the winds outside stopped also caused Cadence to pause looking at the door.” Shining?”

“It's okay I think. “ Shining stated heading back in along with Pip. “I sent Scootaloo off to get Orange and some doctors, but I think everything’s alright.”

“How can everything be alright they won't wake up and there’s magically appearing jewelry!” Cadence whined.

“Those are the Elements of Harmony.” Pip offered as he trotted over to Rynthia looking over the necklace. Before he could do more than glance at it a flash of light filled the room, as the illumination seemed come from the six foals that were still asleep. More specificly their flanks.

“What?” Shining asked moving over to Glimmer and pulled the blanket off of her. Resting on his daughters pink flank was a new cutie mark. Three overlapped hearts in a diagonal line from left to right with the middle heart on top. The bottom was black the middle red and the top one white.

“She got her cutie mark?” Cadence gasped, before doing the same with Shin, pulling his blanket aside.

The Changeling lay there curled up, resting on his flank was a green three pointed crown surrounded by jade flame.

“Shin got a Cutie mark too?” Berry asked, excitedly yanking the blanket from Rynthia.

The red and white Zebra filly's flank showed a pair of bronze scales, perfectly balanced with a small white pony skull on one side and a brown and green staff of Aesculapius in the other.

Berry blinked noting how the skull was only partially visible because it fell on one of her red stripes.

Pip perked his ears up and tossed back the bedspread from atop the bed he was closest too which contained Elusive. The Kirin was marked as well. A silvery gem like his mothers surrounded by a horseshoe shaped red laurel wreath.

Cadence blinked. “How do they even have a cutie mark, they're not ponies....”

“All of them are at least half pony. Well a quarter in terms of Shin and Dawn but still.” Shining Armor corrected pulling the blanket off Talon. “ See.”

The Hippogryph chick's pony like flank showed what looked to be a circular wooden shield with silver trim and a large silver star in the middle of it.

“What is going on?” Cadence demanded.

“Seems they activated the elements of Harmony to beat some giant nightmare thing.” Pip shrugged.”Guess they got their cutie marks form doing that too. Not far off auntie Twilight's cutie mark story to be honest, just kinda backwards.”

“Ooh, I wonder what Dawn's is?” Berry questioned darting over to yank the blankets off Dawn.

Time seemed to slow as the blanket was tossed in the air, despite a moment before there being a little orange Kirin filly bundled in the blankets, the moment the blanket was pulled aside it was a massive golden Griffoness sitting there with a wide grin on her beak.

Berry yelped stumbling backwards and falling over Beryl as the pair got tangled up in the blanket.

“Sorry, but we need to borrow them for a little while. Promise we'll bring them right back... well most of them.....”Mirth chuckled a bit before snapping her claws and vanishing, along with all the foals.

The adults stared at the empty beds as Berry fights with the blankets before Cadence looked over at her husband.

“Shineyyyy......” She whined.

Shining Armor simply sighed looking at the empty beds. His two foals had just been taken, he was worried about that first and foremost. Though there was a very large creeping feeling of dread coming to him as he realized that the heirs to the remaining Griffon Empire, The Kirin Empire, and for the most part the Zebra empire, had all gone missing on his watch. Add to that, that Jer'rahd and Luna Kaisur's only natural foal was missing as well as their adopted one, as well as the adoptive son of his sister and Princess Celestia. What worried him most however was that Talon and Breezy's son was now missing. Certainly he was highly worried about his own foals, one of which being missing would have the Changeling nation on his head the other most of the Crystal ponies and his wife. Any pride he had at knowing his foals were Element bearers was shot right out the window by everything else.

“Sir?” Pip asked him watching as Berry tried to comfort the hyperventilating Cadence.

“I hear the frozen north is nice this time of year.......” Shining muttered.

========================================================
[Tamberlane]

The Beast roared into the tunnels behind him, the sound and force of air sending Grogar tumbling into the depths as more blood from the creature ran in torrents down the carved stairs. Bits of flesh and chunks of meat shifted and became undead that rushed back out the stairs to try and defend the Leviathan as the Beast burrowed into it's back chasing after Grogar. The island itself was trying to protect itself from harm, The Capricorn didn't do anything.

All of a sudden the sound stopped and the horrid sounds of rending flesh and cracking bone as the creature ripped through the leviathans ribs to get to him, all stopped.

Grogar however did not he continued down the stairs panting in panic, not sure why it stopped but he still felt the need to run. However it did not take much longer before there was nowhere left to run.

He felt the heavy thrum and thud, the sound of the Leviathan’s excitedly beating heart. The monster had likely not moved this much nor felt this much pain in eons. It was small wonder it's titanic heart was beating like a drum.

This was the lowest chamber on the island, there was no where left for Grogar to run.

Blood dripped from his fur as he panted heavily, staining the carved floor of the Tomb of the Corpse Princess. Grogar exhaled trying to calm himself, not hearing the Beast digging after him any more. His mind was still in a panic and being in this chamber with the five thrones lording over him was not helping his concentration. He never liked this place he always felt like the Corpse Princess and her entourage were judging him, despite none of them ever moving.

Wait.

He was missing something.

The Capricorn looked up curiously, trying to figure out what was wrong.

The room was empty as always, the walls a fine enchanted marble that kept the island's regeneration from reclaiming it, the five thrones of the first rulers of Tamberlane, and nothing else.

There was that tic again when he thought of the thrones.

He looked again realization dawning on him, his eyes growing even bigger.

There were five thrones. FIVE THRONES, with no bodies seated in them.

“Wha... what?!”Grogar stammered hearing something click lightly behind him.

He turned his head seeing A pair of undead unicorn stallions, their bodies and colors muted, blue pin pricks of fire in their hollow eyes. Next to them was a pair of Griffons, a male and female, their bodies similarly discolored and empty glowing eye sockets. The last one was close enough for Grogar to touch. She floated there like a ghost, the best preserved out of the five, her coloration and hair were immaculate, her scales shining with a unnatural luster, though her eyes too had long since vanished leaving only the faint blue glow of swamp fire in her eyes as the sea pony looked down at him.

“Hello Grogar. We would like a word with you.” The mare hissed softly, her words carried to his ears some how despite her mouth not moving.

Grogar screamed.

=====================================================

Luna was not happy.

She was also covered in blood and gore and her husband was ignoring her. She had landed on his head trying to get his attention only to be shrugged off as a mess of blood and chunks of flesh showered down over them. Her fur was a mess and was currently a slightly darker shade of red than Big Mac's.

Jer'rahd was also ignoring her. He was clearly pissed off, far beyond anything she had seen before and despite her shifting into her Nightmare Moon form, nothing she was saying or doing was getting through to him.

To be honest she was starting to get a little worried. The last time he had gone off like this was just after Tirek was sealed, he at least acknowledged her then. Now he was completely focused on digging into the leviathan. If the beast died she wasn't sure what would happen. Could Grogar raise it? Would it rampage? Would they immediately sink? Despite letting the Beast out Jer'rahd was still deathly afraid of water. She didn't relish the idea of trying to rescue the massive creature from sinking particularly as they were far enough out in the water that she couldn't see the land.

Any further trains of thought were cut off as the Beast suddenly froze, a flash of light appearing on his muzzle. Looking down Luna saw a large golden Griffoness perched on the blood soaked snout of the Beast. Six eyes were focused on the Griffon as she cast a spell cleaning a wide swath of blood away from the monsters muzzle.

The Beast seemed confused though as soon as a spot was clean enough there was another flash of light and the Griffon was gone, replaced by a gray furred and orange scaled Kirin foal.

The beast blinked all it's eyes letting out a little whine as the small foal looked up at the six giant eyes staring down at it.

“Hi daddy!” Dawn chimed before yawning wide.”Gonna take a nap now kay.....”

Luna blinked as her youngest daughter curled up on the clean spot of the beasts muzzle and pulled a blanket over herself. The Beast for the most part had frozen in place perfectly perched over the hole it had dug into the Leviathan’s back. The monster was barely breathing as it had all it's attention focused on the tiny curled form on it's nose.

Luna drifted down casting a spell to clean herself as she walked along the Beasts nose to check on her daughter. Why was Dawn here? Was that Griffon Mirth? She was going to have a long talk with Shining and Cadence after this. She turned her head looking the beast in the eyes, the mammoth creature doing it's best not to meet her annoyed gaze. Well at the very least Jer'rahd had calmed down.

She glanced over the edge of the Beasts muzzle noting that Celestia and Twilight were making their way into the hole in the pursuit of Grogar. The other three were hanging back, though Lyra was staring up at the beast curiously. She also seemed to be mouthing the words ' I could still take him'.

“While I am not sure what happened we need to have some one talk to you about your anger issue's Jer'rahd.” Luna snapped looking back over at the beasts eyes, each one easily ten times her size.

The monstrous creature whined a little .

“Don't give me that, I told you to stop, but noooo......” Luna continued not able to help herself from smiling a bit as she berated the Beast.

=================================================
[Manehatten, metal works]

“Information?” Bray growled.” What are you blabbing about mare?”

The monstrous Donkey shifted a little, the wires holding him twanging as they tightened, though none of them broke or gave out. Sweetie Drops had made certain that the equipment the Black Hoof used was the best that could be gotten, even going so far as to recruit promising smiths and mages for certain projects directly from Celestia's school.... well she supposed it was Twilight's school now. The purple mare had dropped the Unicorn suffix and opened it to a number of talented ponies and creatures.

“Island lay out, Grogar's plans as well as yours, military strength and prisoner locations.” Sweetie Drops stated from atop the catwalk, still looking down at the monster.

“If all you wanted was information mare, why was the first thing you did try and kill me?” Bray grumbled.

“If I wanted you dead then you would be. The first shot was supposed to land in front of you and blow a hole in the floor that would stop you, the second hit where it was supposed to and took out your leg.” Sweetie Drops stated calmly.

“You intentionally tried to maim me then!” Grogar hissed.

“You would be amazed at how willing to talk some one you just crippled is. You were already wanted and if you had come quietly it wouldn't have happened. There was even the possibility of offering you asylum from Grogar. But you used a mind control spell, a level 4 crime, per individual used on, and then necromancy, a level 5 crime. You were initially wanted alive but once those crimes were noted you became wanted 'more or less' intact.” Sweetie Drops growled back.

“I doubt your Guard would find that acceptable.”

“I'm not Guard.” Sweetie Drops stated.” Now answer me.”

“Heh..... There is no map of Tamberlane the tunnels and buildings change constantly to suit whatever has chosen to live there, or simply because it collapsed from age. Grogar's plan is always take over everything he can and gather information, my plans tend to be more personal and are based on me taking advantage of what freedom I have for the moment. Honestly that colt just wants to dissect whatever new things he finds. He likes making things. He combined some sea pony singers with dragons at one point and made some creatures he called Sirens, though he made them smart and alive instead of undead and they ran off, he's stuck to undead since.” Bray chuckled recalling Grogar's face at his failure.” He'd probably calm down if he got laid.”

The wire's shifted again as Bray strained, Sweetie Drops noticed one was starting to pull out of a wall behind him.

“As for the forces? That collection of Orc's I raised out there isn't even a squad of the things that Grogar has on the island, every funeral plot in the world is a recruiting station for us, every archeological dig and Dragon burial ground gives us siege weapons. The very island we walked on can be turned to an unending army of the dead. Every creature that you lose would rise as one of our soldiers, civilian or not. You will be over run and pursued until you drop from exhaustion and then we will have you, as the dead don't tire....” Bray snarled. “ And if you are worried about prisoners that Grogar may have caught then you best be prepared to fight them when all this starts because they are surely already dead. JUST LIKE YOU WILL BE!!”

Bray roared yanking hard against his confines, the cables holding the massively mutated Donkey ripping from the walls and supports, tearing free beams and chunks of concrete as he surged, ripping away the wires as he flailed.

The issue was that the wires were stronger than the supports that they were tied to. Sweetie Drops had spared no expense in her gear after all. Bray realized this a little too late as the groan of broken steel filled the air and several of the molten vats tipped dangerously as their supports were ripped free.

Bray's eyes widened realizing what was happening as the first sloshes of liquid metal broke through the containment spell on the crucibles. He looked up at the pony on the catwalk with anger in his eyes.

“Don't look at me, you're the idiot who wanted to thrash around.” Sweetie Drops chided as the mutant Donkey screamed, the flesh of it's back sizzling and burning as the liquid metal fell over it in a shower. The monster howled and thrashed more, trying to get away from the emptying crucibles.

Sweetie Drops winced as one finally gave way fully and emptied a tidal wave of molten metal over the screaming donkey, another one quickly collapsing as well turning the factory floor into a mass of molten liquid metal. She winced from the heat as the as she moved out of the way, several drops of the liquid metal splashing up onto the catwalk.

She looked down at the roiling , glowing lake with a sigh. She needed to get into contact with HQ as well as get to the island herself. She didn't doubt Kaisur and Princess Celestia could handle this but she wanted to make sure they went quick enough to prevent anything from happening to Lyra.

She started along the catwalk towards the nearest emergency exit when the sea of molten metal erupted with a roar.

Her eyes widened as she looked back at the mutant donkey thrashing in the liquid iron. It's whole body was burning and saturated in metal, though she could see the flesh trying to heal as it thrashed around sending splashes of fiery liquid death every where around it.

“By Celestia's sultry pout, you have got to be shitting me.” Sweetie Drops cursed.

“I WILL NOT DIE ALONE MARE!!!” Bray screamed, lunging towards the sound of her voice, leaping out of the metal like a whale breaching the oceans surface.

Sweetie Drops didn't hesitate, she took off running along the cat walk as the monster smashed into it in front of her. She stopped suddenly as Bray bounced off the wall, taking out the catwalk before her and preventing a quick escape. She turned the other way running back towards the rear of the plant, her hooves clanging against the metal as she dodged molten patches of it on the steel cat walk.

Bray roared out, rushing after her smashing crucibles and walls, ripping the catwalk apart nearly under her hooves.

There was a door ahead of her in the wall, she had to make it to that .

She was less than a cart length from it when Bray lept up from underneath her smashing into the catwalk she was standing on and sending her flying. Sweetie Drops cursed, curling up as best she could as she flew though the air, her head just missing the top of the door frame as she crashed through the door and was sent tumbling down the stairs on the other side.

Sweetie Drops winced, whining a little bit as she finally hit the stone floor at the bottom of the stairs. Two flights of steel stairs and she had to fall down them both.

Pushing herself back up to her hooves she winced at the pain shooting up her left foreleg. Checking it a moment she shuddered placing her hoof flat on the stone and shoving hard with her whole form popping her shoulder back into place with a muffled cry as she clenched her teeth.

She could hear Bray trashing on the other side of the wall as she cracked the last few healing crystals she had. It wasn't enough to fix all the cuts and bruises she took in the tumble nor to make her leg feel better, but it took the edge off the pain.

Looking around she realized she was in a shipping area, full of ore and parts that had yet to be sent to the rest of the factory. That meant the docks were on the other side of this warehouse, she could get out there.

A wash of heat drew her attention to the wall behind her, her eyes widening as the great steel bay door that separated the two areas was glowing brightly and bulging from the pressure of all the molten metal behind it.

“ Shit..........” Sweetie Drops stated taking off running just as the door gave way sending a torrent of liquid metal rushing after her through the ware house. Bray was dragged along with the current still screaming, until one eye healed briefly to allow him to spot her and begin chase again. The massive Donkey practically body surfing on the liquid to get to the fleeing mare.

“DIE DIE DIE!!!” Bray screamed flinging molten iron every where around him as he rode the wave.

“HOW THE BUCK ARE YOU STILL TALKING!!!??” Sweetie Drops screamed back, leaping onto a desk near the main door and using it as a spring board to leap through a window. She hit the ground outside running, rushing along the docks as the wall behind her blew out with Bray smashing through it along with the tidal wave of hot death.

Her hooves thundered along the wooden dock, the molten metal landing around her , she felt the sting of a few drops on her back , though her remaining armor was doing well at keeping anything from doing more than singing her. Still she didn't like her chances if any bigger droplets hit her. She rushed towards the end of the dock as the wooden structure caught fire behind her, hoping she could swim faster than the wave of lava that chased her.

She reached the end of the dock, leaping off as far as she could as the rest of the wooden structure was enveloped in liquid metal behind her. She didn't hit the water, in fact she kept floating upward. Blinking she noticed she was enveloped in several magical auras and was being hauled up into the air. Looking back, the wave had hit the bay and carried Bray along with it . The mutant donkey was still thrashing though his movements were getting slower as the metal hit the water and rapidly cooled hardening around him. The creature gave out a last roar before the weight of the metal and the liquid iron still flowing out of the factory buried it and sent it beneath the waves for the last time.

Looking back up she could see the Storm Cloud above her, the stage put back up, with three Changelings and a Unicorn on the deck trying to lift her up onto the ship with a great deal of effort.

“Damnit mare, you weigh a ton!” the white unicorn Sweetiebelle, who was oddly dressed like she was, swore.

“I have never been so glad to have lost my gear as I am now. The fact you can lift me is proof of that.” Sweetie Drops stated as she was brought up onto the ship. The blue, pink, and orange maned Changlings let out a sigh of relief as they set her down, the unicorn seemed annoyed.

“Welcome back. Do you still have the crystal?” asked a voice.

Sweetie Drops turned to glare at the colt who gave her the damn recording Crystal that gave her away to Bray, only to see a pile of rope and chain that was secured to the deck in at least thirty places. All she could see of him was a bit of his tail and one eye through a gape in the rope around his head.

“Ummm” Sweetie Drops questioned.

“ Belle made sure he couldn't fall off the ship again.” Carol sighed looking over at the white Unicorn who at least tried to look sheepish.

Any further conversation was cut off as a roar erupted from below them. Looking over the railing Sweetie Drops eyes widened again as a monstrous form burst from water . Metal shards and spikes covering the creature in patches, the creature moves stiffly one uncovered blood shot eye focused on the ship above it as it moved to the shore. The thing was easily twice the size of what Bray had been and it was still moving.

“OH COME ON!” Sweetiebelle cried.

“FINCH CLIMB!!” Ditty shouted towards the captain of the ship.

“This is not a video game.” cursed Sweetie Drops as she yelled at Bray. “ You don't get final forms!”

“Did some one say video games? What's going on?” Button asked from his bundle of rope.

Bray seemed to ignore that fact as the metal monster coiled and lept off the beach, it's massive mutated arms covered in rough metal and spikes outstretched to smash the ship.

Then suddenly it wasn't there, neither was most of the smelting plant behind it.

Those on the ship barely had a moment to process this information when the sonic boom hit them. All glass on the ship shattered as the force sent every one but Button Mash tumbling across the deck as the ship lurched from the force. The explosion blew out all the remaining windows that the Rarities hadn't already destroyed in the area and caused a large chunk of the smelting plant to further collapse in on itself, not counting what the blast had hit.

Sweetie Drops lifted her head looking over the railing as the ship settled seeing no sign of Bray aside from some scattered chunks that were raining down over the city, none of them larger than a marble.

Looking behind her out to sea a massive warship dominated the skyline, plumes of smoke rising from the series of cannons on it's starboard side.

“It's finally over....” Shanty muttered.

“DON”T SAY THAT!” shouted Button.

====================================================================
[ Jupiter, Bridge]

“Happy now?” Dusty snorted from where she was draped over the Captain's chair like a cat that had caught a canary.

“ A little bit. I suppose while I didn't get to fire the first shot, I got to give the order for the first Starboard volley.” Dusty griped. The blue Pegasus was still dressed in his captain's uniform though the pants were missing and a number of buttons were fastened in the wrong spots. Dusty was also wearing his Captain's hat at a rakish tilt.

“Target destroyed sir. No further contacts spotted.” One of the Griffons at the helm declared. “What are your orders sir?”

“Remain in position and prepare to give any aid that is needed. Send a squad over to that airship as well with a field trauma kit or two and some medics.” Breezy ordered.

“Also call a janitor to clean up the bridges broom closet......” Dusty added with a lewd smirk.

“We already did that Sir.” One of the other Bridge members commented with a tired sigh.

Author's Note:

Title is Monster by Skillet

The next chapters were supposed to be epilogues as i finished up, but it seems i had more to write.

And yes the Bray thing was straight out of Resident evil, but it was fun to write.

Comments

[xaldinlance]

This seem so more appropriate some how... I can't quite put my finger on it though.

[TDR]

8175169 i rather like this

[xaldinlance]

8175177

I never thought about either of those in terms of Jer but it fits

[Booster Spice]

Anyone else read out loud the list of names, then pause for two minutes before continuing?

Would Tamberlane die if The Beast ate the Heart?

Is Bray finally removed from play, or did the blast merely punch him far back into the city, or turn him into little T1000 pieces that are going to pull in even more material and reform?

I thought the reason ships had broadsides, was because they couldnt pivot the cannon enough with the manual loading etc to be able to fire any other way, otherwise theyd use a wedge shape and have all the cannon rotate so you effectively ended up with a multiple broadside compressed down into a full frontal blast?

Button used up the Fate points?

[TDR]

8175660 not sure.

Yes. The Beast, The Leviathan, and the Xiz are of the same power level and are lesser gods. They can kill one another. The wounds the Beast inflicted on the Leviathan won't heal quickly like damage from a non god source would. They will heal but it at the rate a wound like that would heal on a mortal. Given the Leviathan's size the wounds are great but not life threatening.

Nope he's gone.

Well the first volly was from Port the second from the Starboard.

At least three of them, plus his reroll chance for the feat he had.

[PrincessTwilightSparkle1]

“You have been silent this whole time dear. Are you alright?” Celestia commented.
“So help me if he damaged that library any further.” Twilight growled glaring up at the Beast.
“Ahh. So you are okay.” Celestia nodded.

“This is not a video game.” cursed Sweetie Drops as she yelled at Bray. “ You don't get final forms!”

I laughed harder than I should have reading these parts.