The Quiet Kid: Sicut Vult

by aegishailstorm

Intent

Whilst the ponies of Equestria were safely asleep in their beds, and William groggily walked the streets of Ponyville with enough ordinance to overthrow a small government. And Twilight Sparkle worried about her upcoming rise to power. Many smaller things occurred throughout the land of Equestria. After all, just because something looks dead doesn't mean it is. In the various woodlands across the continent, all manner of creatures roamed with impunity. Crickets chirped in the fields, and timberwolves stalked the Everfree.

One thing in particular. This had to do with a certain ancient bell once in the possession of Grogar the Necromancer. As well a peculiar Journalist mare who worked for Canterlot Daily by the name of Frosty Fields. Who was currently in the process of sneaking her way into the Royal Castle. The guards, whilst well armed and armored by Equestrian standards. They weren't exactly the brightest. And by random chance, the lunar guard, the only force which might have discovered her, was off on some other assignment. One half was on an expeditionary trip to the Crystal Empire to investigate the secrets of Mount Everhoof. William had told them that Grogar's bell had been found there, and logically, there must be more to it. The other half was on leave in Shady Hollows, a batpony village on the eastern side of the Canterhorn mountain range. So, the castle was left nigh unguarded.

Frosty snuck in through a library window, made a left down the isle, through a pair of doors, and into a hallway. From there, it was only a short trot to the vault doors. As she approached it, she began to hear whispers. Now, the first time Grogar had appeared, it was simply Discord fooling around. Although the bell had been completely real. It had been shattered in the battle between Tirek, Cozy Glow, Chrysalis, William and the, 'Mane six'. But alas, not dystroyed. Gusty the Great had tried to banish Grogar eons ago. And succeeded to some extend. Now, with his bell damaged, the real Grogar was stirring.

"Umm... Hello?" Frosty whispered, tapping her hoof on the vault door with the slightest hint of worry. At first, nothing happened. Then, a cold gust of wind blew in through a window. And the door shimmered with a faint turquoise glow, followed by a stronger yellow one. The vault's built in magical defenses fighting back against the foreign magic. Even so, some the bell's energy managed to seep out.

"Yes? Who is this?" A raspy voice replied.

"It's me, Frosty Fields, remember? You asked for me?" There was silence.

"Hmm... Ah yes, your dreamscape is dull by the way." Frosty blinked. " What?"

About a week ago...

Frosty Fields was snug in bed in her studio apartment in upper Canterlot. Reminiscing about the events of the day. She had stopped by Ponyville earlier in the day to pick up a new dress from The Carousel Boutique , but had found that it was closed. As she was walking back to the train station, she head a distant rumble. And when she looked northward, back towards Canterlot, she saw a slim mushroom cloud rising from the ground. A few seconds later, and it dissolved into the air.

Part of her wanted to gallop in the opposite direction. But the rest was curious. Earlier, she had seen a significant portion of the towns population heading in that direction, so, she decided to go and see what was happening. When she finally came to a stop, she was at the brim of a crowd of ponies. In the distance, she could make out a bipedal figure, clad in black armor. He seemed to be congratulating a few of the other ponies around him. Including another alicorn which she had never seen before.

Frosty Fields tried to get closer, but was unable to get any closer before the bipedal being and the alicorn disappeared off into the distance and out of sight. Her gaze shifted to the smoking crater and the statue of a pegasus filly and a minotaur, and to... was that...the former queen of the changelings? She watched as the herd of ponies dispersed. And she went along with them. Now, back in her bed, her mind was swarming with questions. Still, it wasn't long before she was out.

Now, normally, a pony's dream would be pretty peaceful. It would not involve a horrific flashback of the day. But, Luna must have been out on break, because as soon as she had fallen asleep, Frosty Fields began falling. Or at least, it felt like she was falling. Usually, one would wake up from the shock of it all, but she just kept falling, until, all at once, everything froze. The whole dreamscape went white. Then, slowly, a scene began to form out in front of her it was the bipedal creature from earlier. Only, he had something in his... Talons, paw-thing? there was an earsplitting pain and a gush of wind. She could hear something metallic splintering. She looked down at her hooves, and saw a shattered green bell.

" Why hello there." A voice rasped.

Frosty turned her head, and came face to face with an old bluish goat. She stumbled back out of surprise and landed on her haunches.

"Who- What?" She stuttered. The goat furrowed his brows.

"I see you have found my bell." The unicorn blinked in confusion, then looked back down at her hooves, there lay the shattered green cow bell from before, she watched as the princesses of Equestria walked up to it, then carried it away.

"Alas pony, this is not happening in real time. That is my magical bell, which has been shattered and taken from me. I would like you to retrieve it for me. "

This confused Frosty greatly. She hadn't the slightest as to what was going on. And now, she was being asked by a magic goat to retrieve a magic bell with absolutely no context as to why. Frosty Fields had seen a few glimpses of the conflict, and wanted to know just a little bit more helping a complete stranger from a dream find a magic bell.

"What do you want?" She asked the goat. He rubbed his chin with a cloven hoof, "Hmm... I'd like to be alive again. Is that really too much to ask?"

Frosty smirked nervously, " Are you telling me... You're dead right now?" The old goat laughed. " No little one. Just... Er... Sleeping! It's complicated. I will explain it all, I just need you to fetch my bell for me." All of a sudden, a blue light filled her dream, she turned to find Princess Luna, with a horrified expression on her face.

"Little pony, do not listen to him, you have no idea how dangerous he is." Luna cried out, she lit her horn and shifted into a defensive stance.

" Finally, someone recognizes me! " Grogar laughed. "Now, be off witch, leave me be!" He waved his hoof, and Luna's part of the vison imploded on itself. As soon as the alicorn was gone, he clapped his hooves. "Bravo for me! Now, little one, how about that bell? Wait, no actually... First, I need you to find the being that shattered my bell. I belived it could not be destroyed, I was wrong. I have a feeling that he has the possibility to be a great thorn in my side!" Frosty looked a bit concerned, but waved it off.

"Also, what's your name?"

"Oh, It's a rather long title, I suppose you could just call me Grogar."

Present day

"Well, I wasn't exactly expecting visitors." She reasoned. "Also, how do I get this vault door open?"

"You can't. Only one of the royal sisters can open it." This, she didn't have a fix for. Frosty assumed that with enough magic, she might be able to override the locking mechanism. But she wasn't an arch mage, and she wasn't about to go knock on Celestia's bedroom door and ask for it either. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to do any of that. Because a moment later there was a shattered bell lying at her hooves.

"I don't know whether to thank myself or thank you. Both I suppose" Grogar's voice said with a laugh. Frosty scooped up the shards and ran.

Comments

[Lord BLACKHUNTER]

So far loving this and like how the kid is losing his edge lord attitude. As for the goat.... May he soon die in a very hole filled way.

[aegishailstorm]

11494654
Aye, I've got another chapter on the way. Just have other things that I've got to get out of the way first.

[Lord BLACKHUNTER]

Good to hear and know. I just thought a even better way to deal with the goat. A nuclear tipped missile up his bit launching him into orbit before exploding.