[CANCELLED] The Revival of the Tambelonian Empire

by AlphaWP

Chapter 4: Bells and Battles

CHAPTER 4: BELLS AND BATTLES

The Legion of Doom was gathered around Grogar’s throne room as he stood at the doorway. “I shall be traveling to speak with an old ally. While I am absent, you need to retrieve my Bewitching Bell.”

“Wait, hold on a moment,” said the Storm King, “if you’re more powerful than all of us, why aren’t you going to get the bell?”

“Because Twilight Sparkle and her friends are aware that I have returned, but they are oblivious to the fact that I have brought you villains together as my army!”

“How could they know you’re back, but not know that I’m back? I’m the Storm King for Eclipsa’s sake!”

“More like the ‘Storming-out’ King,” Cozy Glow mocked, causing the other villains to chuckle.

Grogar walked over to Cozy Glow. “Filly, I have a simple job for you to do especially.”

“What?” Cozy asked.

“Never again make jokes in my presence!”

Cozy Glow jumped back and hid behind Tirek. “Yes, sir!”

Grogar walked back to the doorway. “I shall return within a day! When I return, I desire my Bewitching Bell to be in this castle, or else I shall destroy all of you! Understood?!” As he finished, Grogar walked out of the castle with a laugh.

Afterward, the villains gathered around a stone table and started planning their attack. The Storm King suddenly jumped up with an idea: “I say we attack Canterlot Castle and destroy it. Then we can grab the bell and bring it back here!”

Sombra slapped his forehead. “You’re missing one small detail: those ponies have an elite guard led by your old commander, Tempest Shadow.”

Chrysalis laughed at the Storm King. “They’ve managed to turn not only your army against you, but your commander as well?”

“It’s not funny! I was the king of the Storm Realm! You should be bowing before my awesome power!”

“Yeah, the awesome power of annoying someone to death,” said Adagio Dazzle, laughing with her sisters.

“Enough,” King Sombra interrupted—creating a blast of purple and green magic. “I think I have a plan that will work, but you must do exactly as I say.”

Tirek put his hands on the table. “Why should we listen to you? The last time you had an idea you were banished to the Aether.”

“Just listen to me, you overgrown magic hoarder. This plan won’t fail like last time. This time, it involves all of us.”

Sonata Dusk approached King Sombra. “Exactly what will we do?”

“First, the filly will approach the guards and distract them.”

“But won’t they notice I’m an alicorn?”

“I will use a glamour spell to disguise you. You will lure the guards away as Tirek absorbs their magic. With the guards gone, Queen Chrysalis will masquerade as a guard and sneak through the entrance hallway. With the princess and that pesky dragon away, it will be easy to roam without raising suspicion. Do you think you can manage that?”

Chrysalis shapeshifted into a mare pegasus guard. “Will this manage it?”

“After Chrysalis finds the room with the bell, all of us will enter at the same time. The Sirens will sing their magical song to distract any guards around while all of us manage to open any magical seal around the Bewitching Bell. Then, I’ll teleport us back to Tambelon and we will deliver the bell back to Emperor Grogar.”

Aria Blaze flew toward the table. “That was actually a good plan. I don’t even feel like complaining about it.”

Sonata hugged her sister. “I am so glad we are doing this together!”

Chrysalis walked away from the table. “This is going to be risky. We’ll have to be careful.”

“Who needs care? I have lightning!” said the Storm King.

“When do we leave?” asked Tirek. Cozy Glow flew onto his shoulder.

Sombra charged his horn. “Now!”

---

The villains found themselves in the forest outside of Canterlot Castle.

“We’re outside!” yelled Cozy Glow.

“Quiet!” Sombra yelled.

“Sorry.”

Sombra smiled. “Now for the first part of the plan.” He blasted Cozy Glow with dark magic and her horn was gone.

“My horn!”

Sombra shushed her. “Don’t worry, your horn is not gone. It is simply… hidden.”

“Okay, good.”

“Can we stop with the conversation and get on with it?” Tirek asked. “I want to absorb some magic!”

“Yes. Get into action, Cozy Glow.”

Cozy walked up to the guards and put on her “cute” face. “Excuse me,” Cozy said, her eyes filled with a cute look, “can you help me find my parents? I’m lost.”

“Of course, little filly, we’ll help you find them.” Walking with Cozy Glow, the guards were led into the forest where they found nothing. That was when the guards saw Cozy’s horn being revealed. “What’s going on? How are you an alicorn?”

Before they could react, they felt their energy being drained. Looking behind them, they saw Tirek and could do nothing but fall to the ground, their magic absorbed. Tirek licked his lips. “I haven’t had magic that good in ages!”

Tirek let Cozy rest on his shoulder and nodded to Sombra. King Sombra smiled. “Now for the second phase. Chrysalis, you know what to do.”

Remembering Sombra’s orders, Queen Chrysalis transformed into her guard form and entered the castle. Looking around, she saw a hall with a large golden door decorated with the symbols of the Elements of Harmony. Looking through the keyhole, she saw the Bewitching Bell in a magical forcefield.

Looking through a window were Sombra and the other villains. When Chrysalis signaled for them, they teleported into the hallway and looked toward the door. The Storm King—with much protest from King Sombra—blasted the door with his staff and destroyed it, though the blast alerted the guards behind them.

Sombra gained an irritated expression on his face and turned to the Sirens. “Quick! Sing!”

The Dazzlings used the power in their restored gems to cause a song so powerful, it made the guards attack one another violently. Meanwhile, Tempest could hear the song and managed to stay strong, as though she was immune to the Siren’s spell.

With the guards out of the way, the villains entered the room. The Sirens stopped singing and looked at the bell. Sonata tried to touch it, only to be shocked by the seal. “Ow!”

Tirek grabbed her by the tail. “You idiot! We have to lower the magic around the bell first!”

“Oh, right!”

Using their combined powers, the villains blasted against the seal. But before it could be lowered, they heard a gasp behind them. The Storm King frowned. “I know that voice.”

Tempest stood behind the villains, frowning. “Storm King? How are you back? You were trapped in stone. I saw you die!”

“It doesn’t matter how I’m back, Tempest,” said the Storm King as he pointed to the other villains, “because these guys and I have a plan to destroy this lousy pony world and you’re standing in our way. You know what happens when you mess with the Storm King. You never live to tell the tale!”

“You know I would die for my kingdom, right?”

The Storm King smiled. “I can make that arrangement.” Laughing, the Storm King started to blast Tempest with lightning from his staff, only to have her shoot lightning at him as well. The two blasts collided and caused an explosion that knocked Tempest into a wall, leaving her unconscious. The Storm King got back up however and smiled.

Sombra looked toward Tempest’s motionless form and chuckled. “We should return to Emperor Grogar.” Using his magic, King Sombra teleported the villains into Tambelon courtyard and together they entered the castle.

When they arrived in the throne room, the Legion of Doom saw Grogar was absent. Cozy Glow flew to the sky and saw Grogar nowhere to be found in the ruined city. She landed in the throne room. “He’s nowhere in the city. He must not be back yet.”

Adagio crossed her forearms. “Then where could he be?”

Just then, the Bewitching Bell began to shake and was teleported away in a black and yellow smoke.

Cozy Glow jumped back. “What was that?!”

Sombra smiled. “Grogar is regaining what is rightfully his.”

---

Grogar was traveling in a jungle with his newly returned Bewitching Bell before coming upon an ancient stone temple. The temple was made of black rock and was decorated in banners that appealed to a mysterious creature.

When Grogar entered through a tall archway, he approached an altar surrounded by pony skulls and jars of what seemed to be blood. Grogar chanted mysteriously before placing his Bewitching Bell on the altar. In torches around the altar, a form of cosmic fire began to burn and went into the bell.

Out of the bell appeared a shadow-like projection of a black alicorn creature with vibrant red eyes. The creature had a dark gray mane and tail, along with a curved purple horn and wings that were black in the front, but slowly became red and eventually purple. The creature was tall and looked down at Grogar. Grogar kneeled.

“Master Destruction, the plan has begun. The pieces are in place. Soon, master, we shall have our revenge.”

The creature grimaced down at Grogar. “You can stop with the formal talk, my old friend, I am not one of your servants. Besides, there is still a long way to go before I am free.”

“Of course, master. Once I destroy Twilight Sparkle and her friends, nothing sha—will stop us from gaining ultimate power!”

“I give you one word of advice, Grogar: do not underestimate Twilight Sparkle and her friends. They may be small when alone, but together they could even defeat me in my weakened state. They have the heart of Eclipsa herself.”

“Master, I won’t fail you,” Grogar said, getting back up on his hooves.

The creature still looked down at him. “Remember one thing, Grogar: I am giving you this as a second chance. Remember that it was I who redirected that brat’s magic to your realm. If you prevail against the Elements of Harmony, you shall rule alongside me in my great empire… but if you fail, I will destroy you… once and for all.”

Comments

[nightshroud96]

So the main villain behind Grogar shows himself.

I do wonder if Spike is linked to this "Heart of Eclipsa" too?

[Starlight Nova]

Will this story have a happy ending?

[AlphaWP]

The villain behind Grogar is actually Orthodox. There is more to this story than you could ever know.