Lost Harmony

by Miner

Chapter 9

High above the seas of Equestria stands the Strom King flag ship flanked by his Armada of ships sailing through the sky. Far below them lie the ruins of ships that got too close to them. Griffins, Dragons, Ponies it didn’t matter who they were. No living creature enters the Strom King’s air space unscathed.

As sailors try to stay above the water they look up in fear of the Storm King as his ships remain where they are. Some of them think it is because they are getting ready to finish them off. While others think that it is because he is waiting for something. What it could be they will never know. Their fear only grows as another ship moves in from afar to join the others.

In the brig of this ship, Smolder pulls on her restraints holding her wrists to the wall for no gain. Ever since she was captured, they covered her claws in some unknown Obsidian-like rock. Whatever they were, they weren’t natural and made her claws feel numb. The muzzle on her face keeps her from biting into them to break free, not that she would eat them. But had you ever had to deal with a body part going numb for days? It is not pleasant to which Smolder had the unfortunate opportunity to experience first claw.

“Come on. Just a little more.” She turns around to pull harder to the point of having her feet against the wall as she pulls sideways. Smolder grunts as she tries to flap her wings for extra strength pulling as she sweats bullets. Watermarks stain the floor below her. A testament to her effort to free herself. But like all her previous attempts her body gives out and she falls to the floor with a thud. She gasps for air as she raises her claw to view still trapped by that accursed rock. A loud moan leaves her mouth as she lets it fall onto her chest.

“How do I get out of here?”

“You don’t.”

Smolder looks up to see her captor Commander Tempest looking down on her figuratively and literally. “Stronger dragons have tried to escape these cells, but none have succeeded.”

Smolder jumps to her feet and charges at Tempest only to stop one foot away from the bar as her arms are pulled behind her. “What do you want with me!” She screams at Tempest snarling.

Tempest closes her eye momentarily at her outburst not impressed, “Little one. Do you know how valuable Dragon fire is?”

“Oh, course I do. You can send messages across the sea and melt metal with it.” Small flames escape from the small opening of the muzzle, “What about it?”

“Then do you know what happens to the metal that is melted by the fire?”

It never occurred to Smolder as to what happens to the metal once it’s melted. Normally they are useless and good for nothing glops of rocks. But the way that this pony is talking about it. Makes her think otherwise. “It becomes a pile of gloop?” Smolder asks unsure of herself.

“Let me tell you little dragon. Depending on the dragon and the metal in question. Two things can happen. One, you get a red-hot metal ball. Or you get dragon steel.”

Smolder scoffs at her, “That is just a myth. There is no such thing as Dragon steel.”

“Is that so? If that is the case, then what is holding you to the wall then?” Tempest gestures to the chains holding her before she starts pacing back and forth in front of Smolder. “Or why no dragons can make a dent in the Storm King’s ships? Why else would the Storm King be so willing to risk kidnapping a young from the dragons without fear of their King?” She stops in front of her, “It is because he can, and there is nothing anypony can do about it.”

Smolder was getting a little nervous, but she wasn’t going to let her of all ponies know that. “Even if there is such thing as Dragon steel. What makes you think I would ever help you get your hooves on more of it?”

“It is quite simple. You help get us Dragon steel.”

“Or?”

“Well, I hope you know how to swim.” Tempest pulls on a lever out of view from Smolder causing the floor under her to slowly disappear towards her, “Those chains are connected to dead weights that will fall with you. Get the picture?” Tempest pulls on the lever again causing the floor to go back. Tempest then points to Smolder and then the leveler, “Ant. Boot.”

“Your nuts!”

“I prefer efficient.”

Before Tempest could continue a guard enters the enters the room, “Commander Tempest, we have arrived.”

Tempest nods to the guard and leaves her prisoner, “I expect a good answer by the time I come back dragon.”

“My name is Smolder.” She says weakly, as she is left alone again before she punches the wall.

Once Tempest’s ship is next to the Storm King Flagship, a metal gangway connects the two ships. A group of guards walks across with a small box with one of them while Tempest uses a rope to swing from one ship to the other. Some of the other guards always wonder why she does that, but none of them ever question her. Once inside the ship, they make their way inside to the bridge where the Storm stands at the helm of the ship.

“My King,” Tempest says in a bow with the guards doing the same.

The Storm King was the same species as the guards but with a slighter frame and more prominent horns than them. He also doesn’t wear as much armor as them only focusing on his body and legs. In his right-hand lies a black scepter with an incomplete bright blue gem on top of it. He looks over his shoulder to Tempest, “Ah, Tempest it’s so good to see you again. We are getting ready for the assault on Canterlot.”

“It shall be a quick victory for the Storm King.”

“Yes, thank you.” The Storm King leaves the helm to one of the guards and moves to his throne at the back of the bridge. Everyone makes way for him as he takes his throne before paying him respect, “Now then. What news do you bring me?”

“One of our scout ships detected a shipwreck near Siren waters.”

The storm King grunts rubbing the side of his face, “And you thought it was worth wasting our resources to investigate this just because of some foolish sailors? Why Commander Tempest?” His patience wears thin as he continues, “You may be my second in command but that does give you free rein to do whatever you want. We are about to launch one of our biggest raids ever, and you are picking up Siren’s scrapes?” He slams his left fits onto the throne causing the others in the room to flinch except for Tempest, “It better have been worth it!”

“It was sir.” Tempest signals to one of the guards to approach holding a small box. “We found this.” She says as the opens revealing a bright blue gem.

“A shard of Harmony.” The Storm King moves to grab the shard and joins it to the other shards on the end of his scepter. The gems shine brightly before fusing together reforming the gem with a wave of energy sweeping the room. The Storm King stares at his complete Element of Harmony, “You have done well Tempest.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I can feel the energy of the Element coursing through me. It is making me feel jittery.” He laughs, “Laughter! I now have the Element of Laugher!” He raises the staff above his head causing it to glow. “Legend has it that the elements were made by the Pillars of Equestria represent their best traits. And that they were made to fend off evil to restore Harmony to the lands.” He chuckles more, “Buts that all in the past yes. I can feel it.” He looks into the gem again. “The gem wants to cause laughter; it wants to cause it by any means. It wants to create a world full of laughter!” The Storm King laughs out loud causing everyone in the rooms to worry even Tempest.

“My King?”

“I can see it now! A future where the whole world is one big joke!” As He continues to laugh the guards nearby start to laugh for some reason. Tempest looks at them and notices that they are not trying to laugh but are laughing anyways. Tempest felt a chuckle coming from herself. Without thinking twice Tempest rushes to the Storm King and knocks the staff out of his hand and causing everyone to calm down as the staff dims.

The Storm King of a hand to the side of his head disoriented, “What happened?”

“It appears that the elements of harmony aren’t working like the legends said they would.” Tempest moves closer to the staff and can feel its presents trying to make her laugh again. “In the past, the elements were useless alone and could not influence the ponies around them as this one just did.”

“What are you thinking Commander?” The Storm King joins Tempest next to the staff,

“Remember the battle of chaos. Discord blasts the element with his magic which cause our world to become the way it is today. According to the story, the Elements removed the chaos energy within themselves before dividing across the lands. But there has always been that one thing bugging me about that story.”

“Go on,”

“How would the Princesses know if the Element of Harmony removed all the chaos magic in them if they were lost the same day?”

“Indeed, it sounds a little off.” He puts a hand on his chin in thought, “It is almost like the Princesses were trying to hide something.”

“My King until we understand more of the power of this element, I would suggest that put it away from now.”

“No.” The Strom King grabs the staff.

“My King!”

“No laughing fit is going to stop me from controlling an element!” The staff glows more intently as the Storm King fights for control. Magic pulses come from the staff forcing the guards to back up and Tempest tries to hold her position. “I will control this power and make it mine! It is just of matter of how much I want it!” He grunts as magic courses through him, but he wouldn’t be denied his prize.

“My King please reconsider!” Tempest tries to plead with him as the energy from the staff starts causing the ship to fall from the sky. Warning sirens blare, and everyone except for the Storm King notices what is going on before preparing for impact. But before they crash, they start to regain altitude as the alarms go silent. Everyone is chatting away with each other making sure everything is fine, except for Tempest. She stands in awe as she looks upon her King.

He stands taller than everyone with bright blue lines across his body and his staff. He breathes in and out before turning to face his second in command. Bright blue energy glows from his eyes and a sinister grin on his face. “My King, Are you alright?”

“Never better.” He chuckles, “Discord left a little present in the Elements before turning into stone. Each one of them has a piece of his magic in them.” He looks into the element again, “This one had his sense of humor in it. To be more precise now I can twist a pony’s personalities just by talking with them.”

“That can be useful. Is there anything else?”

“No, unfortunately. A shame that it didn’t have his conjuration abilities.” He slams the end of the staff to the floor causing a ripple of magic to pulse through the ship, “Helman set a course to Canterlot. Tempest gather the rest of the fleet. We attack at dawn.”

Comments

[Mystic Sunrise]

"This is s what-if story with this idea in mind "What would have happened if Discord took the Princess seriously when they brought the Elements of Harmony to fight him the first time?"

In the shattered world of Equestria, nothing is the same anymore. Nightmare Moon never came to power, The Crystal Empire never disappeared, Sunset never left, the Elements of Harmony are missing and the Mane Six never meet in Ponyville.

Come on an adventure with Sunset, Twilight, and Spike. As they search their world for the Lost Shards of the Elements of Harmony to reunite the islands of Equestria."

There's the description fixed at least. Not sure why you spelled Ponyville wrong, or the Mane Six as one word. Not sure about the rest of the story yet.