A Dark, Deadly Alliance is Formed
Back at the campsite, while all of the others were busy relaxing after explaining the details of their failed attempts to climb Mt. Everhoof on their own, sitting around the fire roasting marshmallows, Chrysalis had just finished cocooning the weak, and possibly dying Ophiotaurus, which she crawled around like a spider to inspect its integrity. Cozy Glow, while slightly disturbed at the sight of the actions, was more curious than that. So she asked, "Why are you doing that? Didn't you already drain it of love?" The changeling matriarch flew down to her seat next to the filly, and answered by saying, "I always save a little for the next day."
This got the filly even more interested. "Do......you cocoon ALL your meals?"
"Of course." Chrysalis answered simply.
"So, when you ponynapped Dusk Shine, and the others, you cocooned them, as well?"
"Yes." She answered calmly, before her demeanor turned rage-filled. "Until that sow, Starlight Glimmer, freed them all, corrupted my subjects, and stole my hive!"
"I can sympathize with that feeling." Sombra admitted. "As was my destiny, I was close to reclaiming my Empire, and all of my Cryyyyystal slaves." he hissed, making the group stare at him awkwardly. He ignored them, and continued. "I had planned for everything in order to ensure my victory, including outlasting the crystal finch." He then glared into the fire as his horn ignited. "Then that worthless purple dragon recovered the Crystal Heart, and with the pink alicorn's help, returned it to the slaves, and joined together to destroy my physical body, and banish me to the Aether!" He huffed in anger, before taking a breath and calming his mind. "I admit now, my second attempt to reclaim my empire was seemingly rushed, but the results speak for themselves: both the heart, and their Elements of Harmony proved futile against me," he grinned, "And I taught Dusk Shine and his friends their folly by shattering the Tree of Harmony, itself."
"Before they pulled more of that "friendship is magic" blasty-stuff out of their flanks to beat you again." Cozy pointed out, sharing annoyance as she remembered how The Tree of Harmony helped those six freaks foil her own plans for world domination. Sombra could sense this, and found pleasure in having somepony who could understand. "Indeed. That was one variable I could not have foreseen."
"I think alot of us share that tiddy-bitty flaw, Sombra bud." Storm King interjected with his arms crossed. "Like how my chief lieutenant actually sacrificed herself to protect those stupid ponies. Granted, I betrayed her first when she no longer was useful, but I still didn't expect her to risk turning into stone just to stop me.......and get me shattered in the process." He then pointed to Chrysalis. "Just like our resident bug queen never saw that little uprising coming."
"Yes, Storm King!" Chrysalis snapped. "I believe we already established this!"
"Don't give too much thought to it, though." Tirek said next. "Those arrogant, surprisingly xenophobic ponies have their weaknesses. Even though he had sworn to side with them, they never quite let go of his misdeeds, and still saw him as a freakish villain ready to snap at a moments notice." The centaur chuckled. "They made it so easy for me to turn the little turncoat against, and to side with me. Tricked into helping me consume the essence of every living pony in Equestria, before manipulating him into helping me capture his so-called "friends" in order to draw out Dusk Shine, the fourth alicorn, and the harbinger of the remaining alicorn magic. The Draconequus proved most useful, I admit," he chuckled again more disturbingly, "And his magic was a truly exquisite meal. To think such power was wasted in the hands of a world-class buffoon who could pass as a circus clown!"
Chrysalis sighed dejectedly. "Still, Discord really was something before Friendship ruined him."
"You mean until Celestia, and......"he shuddered in angered disgust, "that cream-coated mare, Fluttershy, ruined him. Even after our agreement had been made, I could easily sense a sort of reluctance in him. Oh, he was good at hiding it, but I could tell that he only wanted the ponies miserable - not physically harmed. It also didn't help that his reputation as a trickster was already known, even when I was a boy. I managed to "buy" his loyalty by passing on my brother's amulet to him," he chuckled, "showing it was a sign of gratitude, and loyalty. And he actually believed it!" The centaur then laughed. "So imagine how hilarious it was when I did the sensible thing, and neutralized his potential threat by consuming his magic!" Again the centaur laughed at his past actions, though some in the group were confused.
"But...if you really did fully convince him to help you, why bother turning on him like that?" Cozy Glow inquired. "Isn't that what lead to him helping Dusk and the others beat you?" Tirek's laughter halted, and he angrily slammed his fist on the ground. "OF COURSE I REMEMBER THAT!" He then took a calming breath. "But he is the Spirit of Chaos: unpredictable, and full of trickery. Plus, he has always been known to do something radical should he become bored. Once I had regained my full strength by draining Dusk Shine's friends, I treated him like the unpredictable wildcard he is, and cast him out of the deck." Tirek gave a menacing glare. "And in my experience, there is no room for wildcards........though ironically, a wildcard was what truly defeated me."
"Like most of us ended up having to deal with?" Sombra interjected, with the others agreeing.
"Indeed." Tirek answered, before his amusement came back as he recalled the rest of his tale. "Even so, the utter look of shock, and horror on the misshapen freak's face when he realized I had played him for a fiddle was amusing as hades! He truly took my words to heart in a desperate bid to appease someone who could be his "friend" and stomach his chaos - only for his world to crumble when I revealed the real reason I kept that cursed trinket ever since my imprisonment." When Tirek gave no immediate answer, Storm King raised his hand like a student in class, and asked, "Well, what was the reason?" Tirek chuckled once again, before taking a dark tone. "A simple one: to remind me of the betrayal I suffered from my own family. My own brother, who I loved more than life itself! We were true brothers once..........until he chose THEIR side. Since then, the charm was only a constant reminder that noone can ever be counted on - not even your own family. And that if I ever cross paths with him again, I will send him through a fate worse than that which he forced ME to endure. Discord reminded me so much of him in some way that casting the fool aside once his power was mine was easy. Had I not been more focused on claiming the alicorn magic, I would have tortured him in ways even his devious mind could never begin to comprehend. To the point he would beg me to release him." A wide grin appeared as a flame formed in his right hand. "And I would release him: through the slow, and painful flames of my anger, and hatred. And to show all the fate of those who challenge me."
Everyone's eyes were wide from shock, awe, and even fear. And yet, they couldn't help but admire such evil, hateful drives to make others suffer. He was a demon of the worst calibur, and one they had started to grow more respectful of by the day. Sombra was the first to break the silence with a bout of laughter that surprise everyone, until he explained. "Forgive me, Lord Tirek, but I truly have misjudged you! I only ever thought you were all brawn, and no real tact, or brain. But hearing such passionate hate the likes of which I have only ever DREAMED of tasting is truly admirable. I can only imagine the horrors you intended to unleash on Equestria once the alicorn magic was yours."
Tirek smiled at this. "Thank you, Sombra. Despite our......estranged relationship, that means quite alot coming from you." He then chuckled once more as he thought of something. "You certainly aren't wrong on that idea - for I intended to make Dusk Shine suffer in order to force the magic out of him. But when I realized he had the power of the other alicorns, and was an equal match for me, I switched tactics to stop wasting time." He then laughed again, but in actual humor this time. "Oh, how marvelous his expression was when I presented his captive friends! I only now wish you all could have seen him when I showed him my trump card: the look of utter horror, the wide eyes of despair, his mind trying so desperately hard to comprehend what I had done, even as they begged him not to make the sacrifice. It would have been so much more entertaining if I had begun snuffing them out one by one until he gave in: if only to see the anguish he no doubt would have felt at the loss of those closest to him."
This time it was all the other villains turn to laugh. "I certainly would enjoy that!" Sombra said. "Seeing him so broken when I destroyed his precious tree right in front of him was priceless, and worth all the gold and jewels beneath the earth! Now I can admit, seeing that colt being beaten at his own game is truly a delight!"
"No kidding! He's always so stressed out all the time!" Cozy Glow said.
"When I posed as his foalsitter, and carefully watched as he observed my every move while everypony was distracted, I thought he was going to implode!" Chrysalis laughed along with the others.
"Oh, man! That is hi-larious, and I wish I was there to take some magic snaps so I could put his expressions on a T-Shirt!" Storm King jested. "Imagine how much folks would pay to see their favorite prince look like a psycho-crazy nutbag?" Another round of laughter passed between the villains, before Cozy Glow spoke again. "Gee! I really wish I could've seen the look on Dusk and his friends faces when they realized I outsmarted them, and almost drained all the magic from Equestria."
Tirek cleared his throat a bit grumpily, making Cozy flinch a little. "Yes. Obvious betrayal of me included, aside, ALL the magic in Equestria was a little excessive, don't you think? Unless you stayed to our original plan - which you didn't." He sighed. "Not that it matters anymore, since i'm over it. But still: excessive much?"
She shrugged. "I like to think big." She then took on a more villainous expression and tone. "Besides! It would have been SO worth it to see that good for nothing prince, and all of Equestria bow down to me! That would be the best feeling to share, don't you all think?"
"Indeed it would!" Tirek agreed with a malicious grin. "Who wouldn't love to see those insignificant nags lose their hopes, and wills, and all their spirit, realizing they've lost everything?"
"I certainly do!" Sombra said. "It was one the greatest aspect of ruling the Crystal Empire, and breaking the spirits of MY nation of slaves! Their fear, and sorrow was so delectable I felt I would never be starved of dark essence again!"
"Creepy vampireness aside, other king here's right on the money!" Storm King said gleefully. "It was fun seeing how miserable I made the kingdoms I invaded, and how downtrodden their citizens were - but when I look back, seeing the pegacornicus princy losing all sense of self-determination, and will now makes me giddy as a snowcub! I can't believe he let himself get caught so easily! He must be the biggest example of how wimpy Equestrian ponies are, excluding the kid here!"
A sudden flash of green flared around Chrysalis, and she was now posing as the Prince who was the topic of discussion itself. "Oh, look at me!" She said in her own voice, failing to do even a good, decent impression of Dusk deliberately. "I'm a stupid, brainless, pathetic excuse for an Alicorn Stallion! I can't take five steps to the right, or even make my own coffee without my pals and pet dragon to help! I made a detailed list for all the reasons i'm a failure! Reason number 1: I exiiiist!" She hollered in an over-the-top voice making all of the villains laugh in honest joy at the mockery of their shared enemy. Once Chrysalis had reverted to her real self, and sat down to let the others catch their breath, Tirek was the first to speak. "You know, I have a confession to make. Though I truly was open to the idea of us all working together, your persona's clashing with my own made it hard to even tolerate being anywhere near you. But now? Having the five of us here together, finding common ground in our mutual hatred, makes me realize that working with the four of you, sans Erebus, may not in fact be the worst thing!"
"Hm, perhaps." Chrysalis considered. "As long as it results in the destruction of our shared enemies."
"Hey, if it's destruction we're all after, I can dig working with you guys!" Storm King said, putting an arm around Sombra's neck.....who surprisingly just rolled his eyes and humored him. "Anything to get even with those idiots of dumb cuteness, and get our cut of the stakes."
"A notion I heavily agree upon." Sombra admitted.
"Oh, yeah! I wouldn't have it any other way!" Cozy exclaimed happily. "Do the pathetic Prince Dusk thing again!"
Chrysalis did, and the group once more shared the night together laughing, and discussing their similarities in hatred regarding their enemies. All of them found themselves growing much closer to each other than they could have ever imagined. But even so, eventually, the fun died down and they all had to remember the task at hand. Something Tirek took point on. "Now that all of us are of sounder mind.......or as sound as the likes of us can be......we all understand that traversing the mountain alone is impossible." The group begrudgingly nodded in agreement, knowing he was right. "That is why in addition to enjoying our frivolities, I have also been conceiving a plan to get us to the top of the mountain. It will take no less than a great deal of strength, will, trust, and determination. But with ALL of our combined strengths, we can conquer this mountain, and secure the prize awaiting at the top. Are we agreed?"
Though hesitant to say so, Chrysalis sighed as she said, "Agreed......even if it is humiliating."
"Hey, humiliation's something we're all used to by now." Storm King said. "If it means an idea that DOESN'T get us buried in an avalanche, i'm all for it."
"As am I." Sombra said.
Cozy Glow took the longest to respond. Maybe it was her stubbornness to needing help, or her pride on being a devious accomplisher, but in the end she concluded this was the best course of action. "Me, too. I'm sick, and tired of this freezing snow, and wind, and I want out as soon as possible! So , uh......what kind of idea did you have in mind.....boss?"
Tirek grinned maliciously. "The best kind."
The next morning, Old Rusty Bucket came out of his hut to do his rounds, and ensure nopony was trying to climb the mountain. As soon as he stepped out, he was surprised to see the same pink filly from yesterday. But before he could tell her off, he noticed a large group of shadows looming over her. And to his horror, a gang of villains were grinning wickedly at the old stallion. For added effect, Chrysalis morphed into an Ophiotaurus again, and in unison with Tirek, Storm King, and even Sombra, whose wings were spread wide enough to almost block them from view, gave the loudest roar combination ever conceived. The result was instantaneous as the whole area shook with the dreaded signs of an avalanche coming in. But instead of burying the villains, it instead buried Rusty Bucket and his hut when he tried to back up inside it. The area settled, and the gang was left laughing at the ponies misfortune as they climbed over the snowy hill they produced.
But fortune favored Rusty Bucket, who popped out of the snow unharmed. "I'm okay!"
The group took the mountain trail further, and further towards the peak. Along the way, Tirek told Storm King to find the strongest vines he could in the woods, and bring them back. The centaur, however, broke off a particularly strong branch before heating the surface of his hand to sand, and burn the surface of the wood into a smooth, long pole that was half as long as his upper body. He then drew wire from a pocket in his cape, and tied each end to the stick after poking a hole through it. Virtually making a bow out of his natural surroundings. Why, his cohorts were unsure, but they had a feeling they'd find out soon enough - including the reason for vine-gathering.
Along the path, a massive tree log blocked their path. Not wanting the magic-users to waste their strength with lifting the heavy object, the centaur who was ultimately the team's unofficial leader requested Chrysalis use a larger beast to lift the log away. It only took three seconds before she settled for an Ursa Minor, who easily hurled the log out of the way, and cleared the path for the others. The group was now looking out for each other as they made their journey. There came a point when they had to scale the side of the rocky surface to get higher. But Cozy slipped on its snowy surface. Thankfully, Chrysalis was quick to catch her, and lift her while the others easily made their way up thanks to their claws digging into the craggy rock.
Finally, they had arrived at the impasse Chrysalis had come to. Out of all the others, she had been the one to reach this point, only for the magical winds to repel her. This time, however, she had the ingenuity of a centaur on her side. Taking the vine Storm KIng had found, Tirek took two rocks, and tied one at each end. Without a need for instruction as he handed one end off to her, and gave an affirming nod to the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis transformed into a Roc once again, and flew her way across the gorge: this time with Cozy Glow in her talons. She pushed, and struggled as hard as she could to reach near enough to the other side. When she had gotten close enough, she did a forward spin, and hurled Cozy Glow to the other side, with the strength of her throw being enough propulsion for the filly to fly to the other end. As soon as she had reached it, she twirled the vine around a round, pointed rock near the cliff's edge, and tied the rope into a perfect grapple-line. On the other end, just as Chrysalis returned and in her real form, Tirek had fastened his end of the rope onto an equally round, and large rock. He then had Sombra use his magic to use his dark magic to completely solidify the rope so that it would be harder than steel. Then, to the groups surprise, he ordered Sombra to form a pike-shaped crystal, and then hide himself inside in his shadow form. Before any could question this, a stern look from Tirek urged the dark alicorn into obeying the command. And in no time, he found himself in Tirek's hand, and with immense force, was shot across the gap with such speed and velocity, enhanced by Tirek's own magic, even the winds couldn't blow him off course. He hit the ground right next to Cozy Glow, before reforming into his real form.
Without waiting for anyone else, Tirek decided to make his own way across the gorge: taking a few steps back, he charged forward, and made what everycreature took as a suicidal leap over the gap. But that notion flew out the window when they saw the bottoms of his hooves, and his clenched fists expelling streams of bright red fire that shot him forward like a rocket. He waited until he was close enough that the winds were at their weakest to cut off his flame propulsion spell, and then let gravity do the rest for him as he landed with a thunderous clash upon the ground. The force almost knocked the two ponies off their feet, and made them fear the crash causing the cliff to give way. But it held firm, and they were safe. As Tirek turned around to face the other side of the gorge, only Chrysalis, and Storm King remained. They had the simplest way across thanks to the rope-made-pole: chrysalis transformed into a monkey while Storm King simply climbed onto the pole in the same fashion. Both soon made their way across, with Tirek giving Storm King a helping hand up.
All five of them had finally made it to the final stretch: now it was time to reach the finish line.
A few minutes of walking, and they came across a rather large, almost ominous cavern. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this was the hiding place of Grogar's Bell. However, Chrysalis was the only one who didn't take any full consideration of defenses being present, as she just flew to the entrance without thinking. And as one might expect, she was repelled by a golden barrier of magic, and sent careening into the snow with a yelp. After the brief shock of the display, and private snickering from Storm King, Tirek , Cozy and Sombra investigated the magical barrier. Tirek raised his left hand to merely touch the shield to test its power. But one touch, and he recoiled in pain as his hand was singed. Looking at his scorched hand, he realized this was indeed what he predicted might have been involved with hiding the bell: Gusty the Great's Light Magic. Blessed by the power of Laurana herself before her sacrifice to make her sealing magic more potent against evil forces. This was going to be troublesome.
"A meager barrier spell?" Sombra arrogantly asked, before igniting his horn. "Pathetic! Stand aside, and i'll dispel it at once!" Before the centaur could protest, the demonic alicorn fired his strongest spell at the barrier, fully intent on breaking it down. No matter how strong this magic was, it was no match for his control over the Darkness. But to his horror, the shield held firm, and strong against his onslaught. When it was obvious that his efforts were fruitless, he cut off his attack, and stood bewildered. "H-how? What magic could be so strong?"
"Magic which had been blessed by Laurana, The Bahamut of Harmony and Light, or course." Tirek answered with a hint of annoyance. "I could feel it when I touched it. After all, it was the Elder Goddess herself who aided Gusty the Great in stealing Grogar's bell before she vanished off the face of Equestria forever. This type of magic was what sealing spells were based upon." He glanced to his right for a brief moment, before rubbing his temples with an annoyed sigh. "Which means that this barrier is also resistant against mere, blunt force - including ROCKS, YOU SNOW-BRAINED BUFFOON!" He roared at Storm King, who grinned in embarrassment as he put down the rock he was about to smash against the shield. The centaur sighed as he spoke. "It will take a tremendous magical power to even breach the shield, much less dispel it. And as it stands, none of us have that kind of strength."
But suddenly, Cozy Glow had an idea. "But you soak up all kinds of magic, don't you, Lord Tirek? Can't you just absorb the barrier, and make it go away?"
"Don't you think if I could, I would have done so already?" He said impatiently. "I am only able to absorb magic from living beings."
"You mean like...........them?" She asked, pointing to King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis, AND Storm King. All three of them quickly got what Cozy was suggesting, and adopted defensive stances as the changeling queen screamed, "BETRAYAL!" But Cozy Glow managed to surprise everyone in the group when she said, "No, not betrayal: teamwork."
The three villains looked confused as the looked at each other, and Tirek was no better. With a stern glare, he commanded, "Explain yourself, Filly! This instant!" He said in a raised voice, as red lightning surged in his right hand. Seeing this, Cozy lowered herself from Tirek, and approached the middle ground between the villains. "Just hear me out, please!" Though briefly reluctant, the four agreed to hear her out. "If the boss uses your magic combined with his, he might be strong enough to break through the barrier, and get us to the bell." Tirek stroked his beard in thought as he saw the logic in her plan, until Chrysalis asked, "And then?"
Cozy nervously answered, "And then........heeee gives it back!"
Tirek's eyes widened. "Excuse you?"
"Yeah, what he said." Storm King said with dwindling patience.
"What makes you think we can trust this plan of yours?" Sombra questioned.
"Indeed. How do any of us know you won't just take our magic, and leave us here to freeze?" Chrysalis inquired.
"Oh, come on!" Cozy said dismissively. "Would we do that to you?" The three's immediate response was to extend their arms in a manner saying, "Uh, yes!", which Cozy quickly picked up on. "Okay, normally we would, but not this time. I mean, what other choice is there?"
As they debated, Tirek had actually been thinking this plan over. And for a few moments, his back was turned to them as he pondered what he should do. Then he got an idea - an awful idea. Lord Tirek got a wonderful, AWEFUL idea that would secure these villains loyalty to him. The thought of which made him smile like a horned chesire. After Cozy asked her question, he dropped the grin, and turned back to them saying, "There IS no other choice." He said with a sense of finality. "None of us can breach the shield alone, and as a quick study of magic, I could tell by both observation, and touch that this barrier forms a complete orb around the cavern. Thus, digging is out of the question. Therefore, we must concede to Cozy Glow's plan. Which is why I swear on my brother's life, once the deed is done, i'll return your magic completely. On this, you have my word: and my word is my bond." He smirked. "Just ask Prince Dusk Shine."
Realizing that Tirek was right, the trio of villains gave each other a final glance, before they ultimately came to the same decision. Lowering their heads, Chrysalis spoke for the trinity as she said, "Do it." with great reluctance. With a wicked smile, Tirek wasted no second. Even if he could not cast spells like certain other magical creatures, even Storm King had some innate magic inside his being, just as all living things do. So it was easy enough for Tirek to drain him, Sombra and Chrysalis of every last ounce of their magic as his body grew to a towering, and frightening size. The process, of course, left the three half dead as they dropped to the snow-covered ground like dead flies. In complete contrast, Tirek was in complete ecstasy with the mass of power now flowing through his veins. "SO MUCH POWEEEER!" He roared. flexing his empowered body, before letting his crimson magic surge all around him like dark, red serpents slithering through the air, before returning to his hands. "AND NOW, IT'S SHOWTIME!" he roared, and then unleashed his full power onto the barrier. But to his shock, and sudden strain, he was only able to make a hole the size of guardspony. "The barrier! It's stronger than I thought! The breach isn't big enough for me!"
"Maybe not you!" Cozy exclaimed, before passing through his beam, and the barrier. "Just keep it open, or i'll be trapped forever!" She shouted, before heading into the cave.
"Would that really be so terrible?" Chrysalis weakly quipped as she, and her compatriots managed to raise their heads to observe the scene. Tirek heard the joke, and chuckled, but strained as the shield threatened to close on him any moment. Even with all this strength, it paled in comparison to the power of a Bahamut of Light. "CAN'T.....HOLD MUCH... .....LONGER!" he strained as the whole grew smaller. It was now foal-sized, and ready to close at any given moment. "HURRY!!!" He roared, putting all his strength into his spell. And at any moment, he would slip, and the barrier would close. He just needed to hold on, just a little further..................and ZOOM! Out shot a familiar blur of pink and aqua blue, with something darker in her grasp, which she crashed into a snowbank with. A good thing too, as Tirek finally ran out of steam, and cut off his spell. Thus letting the barrier return to normal.
"TA-DAH!" Cozy Glow proudly exclaimed while raising an azure-colored bell that appeared worn, and had cracks on it. No doubt this was indeed the Bewitching Bell long sought after. Yet at the moment there were three villains who desired something more important to them than an ancient relic of a cow bell. "My magic!" Chrysalis exclaimed in a pleading tone. "We need it back, now!" Storm King said weakly. "You....you gave us your word you would give it back!" Sombra practically begged, now feeling truly weak, and helpless for the first time in his life. Tirek looked at the three villains lying before them........and saw how well hs plan was coming together. While he had indeed grown fond of them, he still only saw them as useful pawns. After all, he recovered the bell with their aid. If the dice roll in his favor, then his next gamble would pay off in full. And though he relished in this newfound power - which he guessed could even put down The Old Goat, himself - he knew he had to make sacrifices in order for his plan to be furthered. So, with a posture of reluctance, he returned the respective magics of the three creatures back to their rightful owners, and returned to his original height, where only his horns reached the top of the cavern whereas he had towered over it completely before.
All three villains were instantly rejuvenated upon reclaiming their essence. It was exhilarating, to say the least. But, surprisingly, Tirek's willingness to give them back their magic surprised them greatly. Knowing him to be even more treacherous than they were, aside from Cozy Glow (though they wouldn't fully admit it), his actions hit a cord they had no idea was inside of them. And it certainly made them feel......something at that moment. "I-....I...honestly wasn't sure you were going to give it back." Chrysalis admitted with a tone of uncertainty. Sombra, and Storm King sharing the feeling, before Tirek stated, "Well.......neither was I. But.......this moment only further proved working together is smarter than for us to continue fighting."
"Ordinarily, i'd hate to admit it.....but big boss is right." Storm King said, feeling sentimental like the others. "We kept failing on our own, but as a team we did what was impossible. And now we got what we came here for.........and we did it by trusting each other."
"When we worked together to help each other, it felt......better, somehow." Cozy said in some form of realization while still holding onto the bell.
"Yes." Sombra said, suddenly feeling old memories come over him. "These moments reminded me of times of unity I shared long ago......with, someone I truly cared for more than life itself." The shadow King said in a somber tone. "Happier days before I became what I am now, when I at least had someone to rely on."
"I haven't felt like this since before I lost my hive." Chrysalis said emotionally as she flew and landed next to her comrades. "Having others who depend on you, and who you can depend on is......pleasing."
"All these years, taking power from others, and it never once occurred to me!" Storm King exclaimed.
"When you use your powers to help others........" Cozy began, coming to a realization, same as Chrysalis.
"Yes, it feels............" Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and with a venomous hatred, she screamed, "NOOOO!", which startled everyone bu Tirek......who was smirking as he saw his gambit paying off. Chrysalis soon marched in front of the group, and began to prattle in a rage-filled craze. "Don't you see? This is how the ponies cursed Friendship works! How it takes the strong, like us, and brings us down to their level! The magic of Friendship is like a disease: an infection which spreads to all those around you! I watched it destroy my hive - I will NOT let infect me, as well!"
As though they had just been awakened from a hallucination, the three villains grew shocked by what Chrysalis said as they realized it was true. And it only got them angry that they almost fell for that trap. "Yeah, obviously!" Storm King angrily said, while Sombra sneered and said, "Neither will I allow such a thing to destroy me! I made the foolish mistake of trusting somepony to the point they almost became more than friends. In the end, when I realized my heritage, and exposed the lies that hid this from me, she abandoned me on the day I took the Crystal Empire, and left me at the mercy of the Princesses! Friendship is weakness, simple, and plain!" he all but roared out.
"Well, I guess so." Cozy Glow said with uncertainty as she eyed the bewitching bell. "But.......Grogar still said we need to work together."
"Grogar is much too powerful." Chrysalis said decisively, and with clarity. "Something must be done about that." She then made a toothy grin as an idea formed which she saw fit to share. "Let Grogar think we're his loyal servants. In the meantime, we'll hatch our own plans."
"Ah, yes!" Sombra said in wicked realization. "Use his own strategy against him, and bide our time until we can usurp the old ram. Then somehow take his power as our own, and use it to conquer Equestria ourselves!"
Cozy Glow giggled with malicious glee. "I love a good backstabbing!"
"And after that, we can go back to trying to...destroy each other!" Storm King excitedly exclaimed.
"Sounds good, but......what do we do with this?" Cozy asked, while the villains looked at the bell.
"That's where I come in." Tirek said with inhuman laughter, as he grabbed the bell out of Cozy Glow's hooves, and held it in his own. Oddly enough, the emblem of an eye began shining in his hands. But he paid no heed to it. Because now it was time to make his grand reveal. "Tirek? What in blazes are you talking about?" Chrysalis asked in a demanding tone, which only made the centaur chuckle harder.
"Isn't it obvious, my dear Chrysalis?" Tirek asked. "You have finally proven yourselves worthy of joining my secret Cabal, and join me in removing the old goat from power! Erebus, and even Sombra have joined me in my cause. And now that you three have shown the willingness to rebel, I wish to offer you a place in the seat of power in the rise of Darkness."
"Okay, i'm getting confused here." Storm King said. "You were already planning to betray Grogar since before now? Why? And for how long?"
Tireks arms crossed as the bell was held in his magic. "I have my reasons. But enough of them include the fact I am no pawn to a ram who claims to be the Emperor of Darkness, and All-Father of Monsters! I have no idea what his intentions are, but I know for certain it involves discarding us when we've accomplished our goal. "The three who weren't Sombra seemed surprised, and unsure. "Think of it: he goaded King Sombra into striking out on his own so that he could cause some damage, and then be destroyed by Dusk Shine, and his friends: all so he could make an example out of him, and force us into his service! But the truth is that I became aware of this, and revived Sombra myself so that I may depose the usurper to Grogar's throne, and take it back for myself, as is my destiny."
"Now what nonsense are you spouting, Tirek?" Chrysalis questioned, growing tired of Tirek's games.
"It's not nonsense, Chrysalis: it is hard, cold fact that the one who gathered us together is an imposter using us for his own affairs while posing as the true Grogar. I have found powerful sources that have revealed many truths to me. And what i've told you is one of them." The villains, except for Sombra who had already gone over this, seemed indecisive on the matter. "But he was not wrong about our need for working together. The day proved that we are indeed stronger together than we are apart. And together, not only will we end the charade of the fool who seeks to control us, we will also show Equestria true power. Soon, we will show this world a WAR! The likes of which has never been seen!"
"War?!" Cozy exclaimed in shock. "B-b-b-but that's impossible! Even if we manage to get rid of Grogar - or the guy supposedly posing as him - it'll still be six against all of Equestria! We'd be overrun!"
"And I already tried the whole invasion with an army trick before, and it failed miserably." Storm KIng said. "What makes your plan any different?"
"Because, Storm King.......if one is too kind to their 'subjects', then they become expectant, and will crave more. If a tyrant is too lenient, then those who would be soldiers prove worthless. All because they think loyalty can be bought." Tirek shook his head. "No. It can only be built. That is the other reason I brought back Sombra: for his ingenuitive mind, and knowledge in the arcane which can allow him to tamper with creation to craft our army. Even now, the secrets to creating this army lies within the Shadow King's very grasp."
When all eyes turned to him, Sombra spoke. "Mighty Lord Tirek speaks the truth! I am hard at work crafting the perfect breed of beastly horrors which will serve in our cause. I only need greater resources to complete the work, and the first stages will be complete."
"Which reminds me...Chrysalis." Tirek asked the Changeling queen. "Do you have the Ophiotaurus still held in your cocoon, or did you dispose of it?"
Chrysalis gave a questioning glare before answering. "The creature is still alive and in my cocoon back at our campsite. I may have completely drained its love, but it still lives. Why?"
Tirek grinned maliciously. "Because that creature shall be the foundation upon which we build our army. All we need now is to find The Well of Souls, or as it is rightfully called, Midnight Mountain, and bring it back to life once again, we will have the means of bringing my Tiracian hordes to life." His tone then turned menacing as his eyes shimmered. "Make no mistake: I WILL have my army ready before Dusk Shine is crowned King, and we will reduce all of Equestria to a smoldering ruin until only Darkness remains. I have also reclaimed my true heritage, and I intend to see the will of my ancestor come to pass! The only question remaining is..............are you with me..........or are you potential enemies? Because if you agree to join me in a covenant, with me as your leader, I can guarantee you all a rightful place in the world where we all will live as Gods. All our enemies will be vanquished, and the Darkness will rule again!"
"I thought the idea was NOT to fall for the whole "friendship" spiel the ponies throw around." Storm KIng interjected. "Now you want us to work together as villain friends to take over the world?"
Tirek shook his head, and said, "Never. Friendship is another form of imprisonment we have all suffered from at once point, or another. Our covenant - this Deadly Alliance, if you will - will see us as comrades, partners, and allies. We carry our own bonds of trust without bearing the weaknesses of friendship. Our strength lies in our hatred, but also in our comradery. On my own, I am nothing. And I have no wish to have any of you as enemies. We NEED each other if we are to win, but you must follow my lead as you saw fit to do during our adventure. Trust me to lead us into victory, and it will be ours."
"So now, instead of that old grump simply acting like he's in charge, we have the choice to join you?" Chrysalis inquired, still feeling a little cautious towards this. "How do we know we can truly trust what you say?"
"Have I not proven myself, already, by giving back what belongs to you once I had finished my task?" Tirek reminded the trio, who lowered their heads in shame as they quickly remembered his generosity towards them. "If Grogar had his way, he would dispose of each of us when we run out of usefulness. Lord Tirek never forgets a true ally, and he certainly never forgets those who aid him. Either help me depose ALL who would seek to rule, and enslave us. For too long have we been cast in the shadows while our enemies grow in strength. Too long have they oppressed us from our rightful destiny! But no more! Together WE will show all the true meaning of oppression as we claim our rightful places as the dark rulers of this world! With our combined strength, we can end the overdrawn reign of harmony, and bring the glory of Anarchy to Equestria! We are united in purpose! United in strength! United in will! United we stand, now and forever! And divided - THEY will fall! Now, are you with me?!" Tirek raised his fist into the air with triumph, as an aura of command, authority, and respect radiated off of him like the hot flames of a burning stone. The cadaver of villains couldn't help but feel.....inspired. Charged with determination, and filled with the desire to follow the centaur who had shown his quality to lead them to victory - even Chrysalis herself finally found herself roused by Tirek's encouraging speech of might, and majesty. And all four cried out in cheer, and unity. Tirek smiled as he saw the willingness in their eyes, and the wicked desire to bring ruin to those they hate. At last, he had formed his Deadly Alliance, as he had intended.
Suddenly, from behind Tirek, a large, black mass began to form, before taking the form of Erebus, and his three allies. Both of whom he used his power of shadow travel to bring him to their destination. All that he needed to do was follow the collective feeling of dark energy gathered in one place, and now they had all been reunited. Much to some of the parties annoyance. "And where have you been all this time, Shadow Pony?" Chrysalis sneered. Erebus hardly acknowledged her disdain, and simply answered, "Performing an equally important task, changeling." He, and the other two Wraiths looked to their centaur master, and bowed down to him. "Lord Tirek."
Tirek smiled in satisfaction at the sign of loyalty - a trait he truly admired in others. "Arise, Erebus and company." The trio did as ordered, and rose back up. "I trust you three were successful in your endeavor, as I predicted?"
"Even better!" Dismay exclaimed. "It was there, master, just like you said it would be." They then grew flirtatious as they rubbed up against Night Terror's body. "Though it was our dashing night in shadow armor who truly carried the day, and gave us the direction we needed." Night Terror was unaffected by Dismay's advances, and walked past them. "Thanks to you instruction, Lord Tirek, we three combined with the rune stone you gave to us provided the means of breaking the seal made by Gusty the Great, and unveiling its hidden treasure."
Tirek's eyes widened in anticipation as his smile grew. "Then, does this mean....?"
Night Terror nodded. "The Midnight Mountain has returned."
"And with it, The Well of Souls, ready to collect all the darkness, and evil we need." Erebus gleefully added, with Dismay finishing up with saying, "And now, as you've wanted, it's yours for the taking, master. The Kingdom of your ancestor has been risen from the depths. And now, under your control, its power will grow once more to envelop the land."
The shine in Tirek's eyes were so bright they could almost be mistaken for fireballs. A triumphant chuckle first escaped his throat, sounding like a strange wheeze. Before long, it elevated into full blown, maniacal laughter as his wing-like cloak blew in the wind, and he let his magic surge all around his body. "FINALLY! AFTER EONS OF WAITING! Now, the very heart of Tirac and Apophis' Empire, and the legacy that is my heritage has been given to me as an act of divine providence!" His voice lowered an inch as he menacingly spoke. "Now, I shall uncover its secrets, and bring my army of Darkness to life. All falls into place as it was always meant to!" Another bout of laughter filled the air. But the other villains just stood around confused and dumbfounded by this bombshell. Cozy Glow was the one to break Tirek out of his joyful tirade, and ask, "Sorry if i'm spoiling the mood for you, Lord Tirek, but," She looked back to the others who urged her on, "not everyone here knows what's going on. Would you care to maybe explain?"
Instead of getting annoyed at her, Tirek's grin remained. "Oh, I shall do far more than that, my inquisitive pupil. But first, there are things that must be done." He looked to Sombra, and ordered him to, "Return to the campsite. Recover the Ophiotaurus, and bring it back to the lab. It should provide the last materials to produce living specimens." He then gave Cozy Glow and the others instructions as he handed her the bell. "The rest of you return to Grogar's domain. Take the bell, and hide it. We will meet again when the time is right, but for now I will joining Night Terror in my journey to The Mountain of Midnight." He gave the black alicorn a nod, and after returning the gesture, Night Terror used his dark magic to create a carriage big enough for Tirek, then conjured four Shadow Bolts out of his ethereal, starry mane to take on the reigns. As he made his way to the carriage, Cozy asked, "Hang on a minute! If you're going this mount midnight, or whatever it is, place, then why don't YOU take the bell with you? I mean, it'd make hiding it easier."
"The bell reacts to those who hold the highest potential for power, and darkness. I refuse to run the risk of that old goat sensing the Bell surging with power, and then summoning me midtravel. The bell would be taken, and then all of us would be doomed." He then took his seat in the carriage, as Night Terror stood at the front. Both wings erect as they began to take off. "And don't worry about him suspecting my absence. Chrysalis is not the only skinchanger among you who can pull a necessary performance!" The carriage then took off with a gust of wind. And the demonic host took off into the windy sky as they disappeared into the clouds. The rest were left there, with Cozy gazing at the bell one more time.
What did Tirek mean by what he'd just said?
A week later..............
"YOU FAILED TO RETRIEVE THE BELL?!" Roared Grogar with a trembling thud, as the villains (minus Sombra) all knelt before him with expressions of supposed fear, and shame on them.
"We're sorry, all-mighty Grogar!" Cozy Glow cried out fearfully.
"The mountain was even more challenging than any of us thought!" Storm King exclaimed.
"And far too dangerous in far too many ways!" Erebus also exclaimed.
"But we worked together, like you asked!" Said "Lord Tirek".
"We just aren't as powerful as you! Or as clever!" Chrysalis dramatically cried out.
All this did was drive Grogar to let out a frustrated roar, and fire a beam of yellow and black magic at a nearby wall. This blew a hole clear through to another part of the fortress, and intimidated the villains slightly. The ram simply huffed as he said in a grouchy voice, "Obviously! Least you finally did as you were told, and worked together!" He then jumped off the balcony above his palantir, and began making his way to the hole he just made. Cozy swiftly, and nervously said, "Y-yeah, sure thing!"
"Definitely!" Storm King hastily added, with his arms behind his back.
"Whatever you command!" "Lord Tirek" said in the same manner, and holding the same gestures.
"Just cease letting yourself be troubled by trivialities, my lord." Erebus advised the ram.
"And forget about that old bell!" Chrysalis added. "You were right: we all accomplish so much more......" She, and the others then cast a knowing glance towards the small hole they had hidden the bell in, before saying, "When we work as a team." Grogar simply huffed as he began to exit. But then a thought occurred to him as he began to exit. "Which reminds me: where has Sombra gone off too?"
"Oh, you know how Sombra is." Chrysalis said dismissively. "He simply couldn't bear to return here empty-hoofed. He holds such shame that he needs time to heal his wounded pride. I'm sure he'll come around once he's worked it out of his system."
"MARVELOUS!" King Sombra screamed loudly, and with immense pride. It had taken surprisingly less time to move the equipment from The Well of Shades once Tirek arrived. Between him, his master, and Night Terror along with his horde, they managed to collect all that they needed. Tirek then placed his hand upon the Heart-Stone, feeding it information, and giving instructions. In a bright flash, Sombra had been relocated to a massive chamber of stone, and mortar. One that had placed all of his materials, and the testing chambers with the incomplete experiments still laying dormant.
In the two weeks The Legion of Doom had deliberately taken to return to Grogar's lair, and following Sombra's acquisition of the Ophiotaurus as soon as Chrysalis had her last fill of it, Sombra had begun making himself familiar with all of the technology, and machinery in the lab the Heartstone had sent him to. The materials he had been using were crude, and shoddy at best. But once he, and the provided Golems and Shadowbolts had done their jobs, the containment chambers, and the tech they held was integrated with what was present in the Mountain of Midnight. Though it was ancient, the technology was advanced. Far more advanced than anything should have been in the early years of the Fourth Age, much less the First Age. Yet with his genius, he integrated the modern and ancient technologies together to enhance all of it. Now, Sombra had been using a device he had recently made known as "The Reflector", which captures and harness the energy of the beams radiating from The Heartstone, hanging above a great, steaming shaft which was filled with hot air, and immense fire. Strong enough to suspend the Crystal above it, and bright enough to illuminate the Heartstone. The Reflector acts as Sombra's main energy generator to use the dark energies of the Heart Stone for his experiments. It was an unholy energy tied to The Vashtar, which felt like it originated from Hades. As such, he named this energy "Argent", which means burning darkness.
And right now, he was channeling a stream of dark lightning and using energy prods filled with Argent energy to infuse, and empower his current experiment: extracting the essence of their comatose, and captive creatures, and some of their genetic material. Then combining it into a horrendous hybrid whole empowered by The Vashtar, itself. "Perfection in its purest form!" Sombra proudly exclaimed as he molded the horror in front of him into his desired shape. "Soon he will see! Soon Tirek, and all those others will see!" He cried out, almost sounding mad. "I will build our army! The greatest army the likes of which our universe has never seen! No living creature will be able to stand against the power of my wondrous demons! Darkness will soon triumph, and victory will be ours!" Once he had completed melding the cadavers of the specimen together, he stepped back, and shut off his machinery. Depowering the Reflector in the process. With a wicked grin at the small, shapeless blob of purple and navy standing in the center of the floor standing in front of the wall which barred The Great Shaft. He then formed a mystic, transmutation circle around the orb with dark magic. And finally, cited the incantation which would make this horror live.
"Genitum esse obscurum multa caligine egredietur servire domino!"
When he stomped his hoof on the circle's edge, the room lit up in a flash of red light as the work concluded.
All the while, The Legion of Doom had been brought outside of the Midnight Mountain thanks to the combined powers of Erebus, and "Tirek". Once they were out in the clearing, however, Chrysalis gave "tirek an annoyed look. "We're out of that musty old lair, now! Can you please drop that wretched disguise?! You do even worse than I do at impersonations, Wraith!" she exclaimed, earning a smirk from the Centaur. Suddenly, in a wave of red lightning, "Tirek" had revealed themselves to be none other than Dismay, posing as him. They chuckled as they said, "What? You didn't like how attractive I was as him? Maybe mares are more your type, am I right? How about I go for a younger, cuter model next time?" They giggled while Chrysalis growled. Just before either could do anything, Storm King held his arms between them, sternly saying, "Hey, hey! None of that! Don't forget we're all partners, still. No need to start picking fights after everything we went through."
"Hey, no problems here." Dismay said cheekily. "Just some mild teasing at best - hardly my fault cheese legs doesn't have a sense of humor."
"GRR! Can we PLEASE just get on with it?!" Cozy shouted, getting tired of the two shape-shifters being a bother. That snapped everyone back into focus, and with Storm King being carried by Dismay, the menagerie made their way across the frightening landscape to the terrible mountain fortress before them. The sky was completely black, with only the occasional streaks of lightning to illuminate the land. Each time, the group got to see more of the mountain castle. One feature being its jagged appearance which honestly reminded Chrysalis of her old hive. But the monstrous skull, whose eyes shined like red stars, and seemed to bleed out the mouth as a light shined out of its mouth like a beacon. The whole fortress itself was laid upon a pillar of jagged rock in the middle of a massive crack that looked like it was once a moat before it dried out. Now the only thing filling it was an eerie, purple mist covering a well of darkness.
This was a domain of pure evil the likes of which had not been seen in many moons.
Noone said a word as they approached the massive gate which lanced around the "neck" of the mountaintop. At the foot of the stairs awaited Night Terror, who remained as stoic as ever as his comrades arrived. Seeing all five were present, the ruse had been a success, and now they could proceed. "The master awaits all of you in the Throne Room. Follow me, and I shall lead you there myself." He turned his head back, and glared in warning. "Stay together, and remain close if you do not wish to become lost in this realm - and suffer a fate worse than death." He then marched forward, lighting his horn, and bidding the doors open. Chrysalis wanted to remark that there couldn't be anything in this mountain scarier than her, but held her tongue. As her powers were somewhat empathic by nature, she could taste the emotion in the air as though it were actually a physical food - and the amount of hatred, cruelty, and malice in this place almost made her wretch from revulsion. She could sense the horror of those who had died still lingering in the maze-like halls of the mountain. Their phantom cries, and pleas for escape echoing in her senses as the fear almost overwhelmed her. Erebus remained unphased due to his nature as a Wraith, along with Dismay. Both were children of Darkness, and this mountain was the heart of darkness in their world. For them, it was a breath of fresh air.
After what felt like hours of traversing the darkened corridors of the castle, glimpsing at numerous gargoyles scattered across the fortress, they finally arrived. To say the throne room was huge would be an understatement. It was a monumental chamber more like an arena than a throne room. A red rotunda of stained glass hung overhead. The ground itself was smooth as marble, and bore a mystic circle that none had ever seen before. One that felt.......very wrong, somehow.
And there, hanging above a shaft of air, and fire in the very center of this enigmatic circle was The Heart Stone of Apophis, itself.
As if all these sights had not boggled their minds enough, it was when they all looked past the Crystal, and saw what sat on the other side: a massive, stone throne that rose ten feet off the ground with a line of steps leading up to it. Again, Chrysalis couldn't help but be reminded of her old throne. But as she looked upon this one, illuminated by the flashes of lightning from outside getting in through some holes in the structure, she could tell it was ancient. As ancient as it was powerful. The literal seat of power for those who ruled over the Darkness, and dominated the world with an iron fist, or hoof.
"Okay, THAT...........is hardcore, and I wish I had one." Storm KIng admitted while staring at the large stone seat.
"I don't know: it doesn't look all that comfy to me." Cozy Glow interjected while trying to keep her nerves.
"I don't think comfort is a factor for something like that." Chrysalis said.
"Indeed, it is not." said an immaterial voice that hauntingly echoed throughout the throne room. The sound of howling passed throughout the room as an eerie wind blew from out of nowhere. The trio tried to look for the source before all the lights went out. A few moments passed, and nothing happened. Then, in the shadow of the demonic chamber, a swirl of purple lightning began to twist, and spin before pouring onto the throne. A fire springing as it mixed with the dark energy like a chaotic surge. Then a massive explosion erupted from the seat, returning all light to the room, but leaving a billow of smoke surrounding the throne. With the fiery silhouette of a horned figure sitting atop the dark throne. It soon vanished into the red shroud, before it began to pass. Then, once it finally began to clear, the figure rose his head to reveal a familiar, and now intimidating form thanks to this nightmarish entrance.
Lord Tirek had arrived, surrounded by receding flames which burned behind the throne before finally flickering out. His piercing, yellow eyes staring down at the gathered villains who stared in silence at the devilish ruler of this castle mountain. Night Terror and Dismay, of course, bowed in his presence, while Erebus lowered his head in respectful greeting. Not wanting to disrespect their newfound leader, who they could tell by his increased size that he was stronger than last time, Cozy, Chrysalis, and Storm King also lowered their heads in respect to the master of Midnight Mountain.
"Rise," Tirek bid his guests, "And welcome to our "home away from home", as some might call it." he chuckled. "But I assure you, i've had time to explore this place along with my "friends", Night Terror and Dismay. And I can assure you, the accommodations are fare better than the swamp we must occasionally make our way to." His friendly demeanor then went away as he looked serious. "Now to business. Do you have it?"
"O-of course!" Cozy Glow stammered briefly, before pulling out the Bewitching Bell she had in a bag on her back. "It was surprisingly easy to hide this from Grogar. I thought being that close to it would have let him sense it, and tip him off." The bell was then pulled out of her grasp by Tirek's magic, as he grabbed ahold of it in his hands. Once more, it began to shine brightly as it was now in the hands of a being of incredible might. Tirek smiled at the sight of it. "Which only confirms my suspicions that he is nothing but a ram sage using the name of Grogar in order to uphold a sense of authority between him, and us. Perhaps with this, he might have had true power over us." The centaur chuckled demonically. "But now that it is in my hands, its true powers will be revealed, and the pretender shall be uprooted from his standing."
"Alright, now." Chrysalis said. "We got you the bell like you wanted. And it's obvious you want to learn how to use it for our benefit. But what exactly is our plan?" She suddenly got bristled a little from force of habit. "I'm sick and tired of waiting for some grand scheme, only to be made to wait for weeks on end! I can't stand for it, anymore!" Tirek raised a hand. "Peace, Queen Chrysalis, dear." Tirek said calmly, managing to settle the changeling queen. "My plan is actually multi-fold, and requires several steps to complete." The centaur grinned. "The main step is to resurrect the TRUE Grogar, and place him under our control."
There was a collective gasp among the group. Even his loyalists were taken aback by such a proclamation. "Can such a thing even be possible?" Erebus questioned while reeling from being told such a tremendous plan. "The resurrection I do believe is possible, as Storm King here can prove: but placing the original All-Father of Monsters under our control, and use him for our ends? Surely there's no spell powerful enough to accomplish such a thing!" But Tirek waved his index at the Wraith, and then started shaking the bell in a jesting manner. "You forget we now hold the main source of his power......and essence." When the group gave him questioning glances, he sighed and stood upright while pointing to the Red Crystal. "The Heartstone of Apophis, The Primordial Elder God of Anarchy, and surprisingly, the soulmate to my ancestor, Lord Tirac, who bonded to him to make him the Supreme Lord of Darkness, still retains the Elder God's own essence. And he sees and knows all that there is to know in the world. As Tirac's blood flows through my veins, so does Apophis' own essence lie within me. Thus, my affinity for wielding the powers of Darkness - especially those of a fallen bahamut, like Grogar - is meager child's play." He then began approaching his cabal of villainous cohorts. "And with the help of our Deadly Alliance, we will not only master the Bell's power.......but also find the answer to binding him to our will." Again he chuckled in devilish delight. "Imagine the utter irony of ruling a God who was responsible for "The Three Great Calamities" of Equestria."
Chrysalis' eyes threatened to pop out of her skull. "Wait: HE was responsible for those events?" When Tirek finally reached them, he nodded, and said, "And much more than that as the eons dragged on. Why else do you think he earned the names "Emperor of Darkness" and "All-Father of Monsters?" Chrysalis hummed in thought. "Alright, you have a point there. But even so, binding spell aside, how do we bring him back? "Grogar" possesses a powerful magic to have brought back Sombra, and the Storm KIng - we're talking about raising a God! That will take a great deal of magical power we don't possess!"
"Hmmhmhm. Not yet." Tirek said slyly, confusing the Changeling. He then stretched his hand to the Heart Stone, and it presented them with a map of all Equestria. And each one had an icon with a flaming ram head at each one. All of them flashing like they were really on fire. "The Heartstone is not the only remaining fragment of Apophis' essence remaining in our reality. Are you familiar with the legend of Ragnarok?" After receiving multiple nods, Tirek said, "Well, what noone else by MYSELF is familiar with is this: before his inevitable fall, he fragmented his Heartstone, the source of his very existence, into eight pieces. Seven smaller pieces were given to seven powerful Djinn: The Balrogs. Demons who embody both shadow, and flame. Thanks to them, his spirit endured to bond with Tirac, and eventually pass onto me. Which means, I hold the potential powers my ancestor did - including revival of the dead. But for that, we require the Balrogs to transfer their heartstone fragments, which protected them even as they became sealed in these locations, to The Heartstone itself." Tirek raised his flaming fist. "For this, we must find, and awaken all seven Balrogs, reaffirm their loyalty to me, their Dark God's successor, and then complete the Heartstone. With its power fully restored, I shall obtain the power needed to revive Emperor Grogar! And then, as it was in the previous life I lived, the power of Apophis will be mine again!" Tirek proclaimed triumphantly as he raised his arms into the air.
"Which would make you seriously overpowered." Cozy Glow commented, before a wicked expression appeared. "But anything bad for the ponies is good for us!"
"Indeed!" Tirek exclaimed. "It will be at that point where we will gain the power of Grogar's Bell, and share in the power, becoming like gods, ourselves!" His excitement died down quickly when he reached the next part. "But before any of that can be accomplished, we must first build our army to see the plan through."
"But why do we even need an army if we're bringing back the original Grogar, and you're planning to absorb the powers of an Elder God?" Storm King questioned. "And if you really are going to share that bell's power with all of us, won't we just be an army of........nine?" It was at this moment the group heard laughter that wasn't from Tirek. There, standing at the entrance to the throne room was a grinning King Sombra. "But how would you expect us to get that far without the necessary aid of dark warriors to see it through? The ponies will learn of our plans soon enough, and will try and stop us! That is why Lord Tirek commissioned me to create the necessary force to combat the opposition, and make his plan come true!"
"And on that note, Sombra, have you finally made progress with the experiment?" Tirek questioned as Sombra galloped over to the Deadly Alliance.
"Better than that, my lord." Sombra proudly exclaimed. "The experiment is complete! Thanks to the ancient science mixed with present day science and magic, and with the aid of the Heartstone, and that bull-serpent you provided, I have finally made the first breakthrough. The solution to our very problem. As requested: a hybrid monster of the most dangerous, and fearsome beasts fused together by Darkness," he smirked, "but also empowered by the essence of Argent power, derived from Hades itself. And in honor of your great ancestor, who was the first to wield the Darkness to forge his demonic army, I have seen fit to pay tribute to a true work of art. The first of many, thanks to our soon to be refined cloning solution, combining the greatest, and worst aspects of the creatures of our world, with Darkness as its life blood. I hereby call it................THE TIRACIAN!" He roared, pointing to the same entrance.
The sudden flash of yellow eyes in the shadow of the doorway gave off a presence, followed by the sound of a snake rattler. Then came the sound of a deep rumbling, like a living rockslide had come forth. The villains were growing more surprised by the minute. But that soon turned to amazement, and delight when they saw a pair of mighty dragon wings spread open, revealing an ever-shifting flow of dark energy in its wing-webbings. The beast soon stomped forward like a creature being brought out of its cage. The villains marvelled at this creatures size, and just how intimidating it was. All of them laughed as they thought of the havoc they would soon wreak with a monster such as this.
The Tiracian then gave a great, bellowing roar of bloodlust, and a desire for destruction.
The destruction of the followers of light.
The End........for now.
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What does the incantation that Sombra said mean in english?
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I had to change the chant since Google Translate doesn't "retranslate" sentences in different languages, but this new one means "Dark one born from the essence of many, come forth to serve your dark master!", with the master being Lord Tirek.
Are you talking about the chapter called: A Dark, Deadly Alliance is Formed, or the chapter that is going to come after that?
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Are you talking about that comment I made in the last chapter?
Yes.
Alright. Then I can tell you, it's going to be AFTER this chapter, and few later in. A trap will be devised that'll pit the Mane Six against this first Tiracian Soldier to test its strength, and physical prowess. Needless to say, it'll be as hard as fighting a Garthim and Nomu.
Hey Kahnac, how are you doing?
Since you haven't posted anything in a while, and given that this is an uncertain time for us all, I just wanted to check and see if you're doing okay, and when you think the next few chapters will be posted. Also, you haven't posted the Character web for Dusk Shine, just so you know. I just wanted to be sure.
Thanks.😉👍
Of course not! I'm very sorry about that! I don't have a problem with it, I just like to PRETEND is all. This is YOUR story, and that's okay. Anyways, good luck with your story! I hope you're doing alright in this uncertain time!
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No, don't worry: i'm doing alright. I just have an issue with people second guessing my decisions, and ideas. It's nothing personal......and I.....kind of let my hatred for that make me lash out at you. For that i'm also sorry. That's just what happens when you have too many people in your life repeatedly act like you don't know what you're doing, and that they want you to change it. And I don't like people telling me what to do unless it's at work of some kind where i'm being payed to do something: THAT'S the difference. But I hold nothing against you, even if your "pretend" thing is a bit weird. But not THAT weird, though. Besides: I AM using Twilight Sparkle. I just made a minor change in story universes continuity by giving her/him a Y chromosome just to see how different things might be.
Actually, there's an in-canon reason why Twilight Sparkle is Dusk Shine in this universe: and let's just say it's because someone of immense, divine stature wanted to see another AU come into being, and got more involved with this MLP world behind the scenes. Who it is i'll reveal eventually......if I can get my ass back to work on it, that is.^^;
It's okay, I understand. And besides, that's just how I view it, and I wouldn't want it to affect you. Anyways, moving on from that, I wish you good luck AND health for the future! I cannot wait to see what's in store for this story!
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Thank you very much for that. I truly do appreciate it.:)