The Artificer's War

by Tower of 0

I - Setting the Scene

Celestia quickly trots down the hall towards the sealed chamber. A room she visits quite frequently after her day is done and her sister takes over for the night. The wrought-iron door creaks open to reveal the large space containing a single piece of technology that she just barely understands. Thanks to a little tome she keeps in the chamber with the Gate, she's beginning to understand how it works, even if it's a little at a time. The alicorn enters the room, heading over to the desk where said journal lays.

The Solar Princess reaches a single hoof out, pulling the bound tome closer to her and opening the cover. She carefully flips through the pages to find the chapters where he starts talking about Equestira. Hiding amongst the pages is the very schematics he drew up to build his Gate. Celestia's purple eyes scan over for anything of note. He wrote it in another language so translating it is taking up a lot of time. She stops reading and looks over to the device, stepping over to it to scan it as well. The alicorn spots a lever, easily flicking it with her magic but nothing happens. No hum of energy, no sparks, no indication that the machine even has power.

A defeated sigh leaves her lips as she flips the switch back to it's original position, dragging her hooves a bit as she goes back to the desk. Her eyes starts to look over the pages of the journal again, brow starting to furrow as she continued o carefully examine each word. Each line, curve, and imperfection hasn't been able to escape her gaze but why does the answer to this puzzle evade her so?

"Come on, Yeeticus, my friend. I know you hid the answer in here somewhere." Celestia mutters to herself as she uses her magic to lift the book up. "You wouldn't just disappear like this."

It had been a few years since she had last seen the goblin she claims as a friend. The portal would open for either her or him to walk through and they'd spend a day to catch up on their recent findings. Then the device just stopped working. No rhyme or reason, it just refused to power on and bridge a gap one day. Celestia had taken to researching the journal he left in her care. Nothing came of it, yet she never stopped trying. She felt it was her duty to at least try anything in her power to get the Gate up and running again. Time after time, nothing worked. Time after time, Celestia never gave up.

The portal has a different reaction, however, as it starts to boot up. Thrumming of energy arcs through its coils and into the crystals lining the frame. The Solar Princess doesn't take notice of the noises in the background as she has all her focus on the book in front of her. The portal flickers with arcane sparks until it just rips open with a thunderous boom. Celestia yelps as the noise takes her by surprise and turns right around. Her eyes widen further as the portal can be seen through now standing on the other side is the one she's been looking for: A goblin named Yeeticus.

He simply steps forth from a plane of existence on to hers, his boots hitting the stone ground. The goblin looks vastly different now; more plate armor is present in the form of gauntlets and greaves, a strange pack seems to protrude pipes, and his aura feels different. Stronger she might say.

"Hey, Tia." His words flowed out of his mouth, portraying a tired sense to them as he removes his goggles and hat. "Been a while, huh."

At first, Celestia can't believe her eyes, saying nothing as she takes a step forward. Then she rushes him, enveloping him in wings and hooves, squeezing him against her chest. "Where have you been?! I've missed you!"

The goblin can feel the happy tears on his cheek as she nuzzles him close. "I... I got stranded somewhere and needed to overthrow a tyrant in the process." He feels her chuckle against him followed by a sniffle as she sets him down. "I'm back now."

---

Tartarus is a desolate place where the worst that Equestria has to offer. Many beasties reside here, villains of all walks are kept in its lowest depths. This is where Weylan currently resides in a cage of his own and shackles that are designed to work on him. He's lost count of how long he's been sitting in this cage. He can't complain, three meals a day complete with water so he's hydrated. He isn't alone down here, there is another. They have never spoken, not that he cares, he just reflects. The silence helps with his focus on his past and those actions he's taken. He finds that he does indeed deserve this punishment.

The silence is broken when something sparks nearby that catch his attention. His eyes move up to look at the location as a gate rips the fabric of reality wide open. Out of it steps another being like him: a human it seems. Looks kind of middle aged, nicely dressed, but with an air of familiarity. Weylan can't quite place where he's seen that face before.

"So." That voice comes out smooth, almost charismatic in a way as he looks around the desolate plane he's found himself in. "This is where that insufferable egomaniac has run, hm?"

Weylan's eyes widen as he finally recognizes who is in front of him. "It can't be."

"Oh but it is, Weylan." The figure speaks with a smirk, not even bothering to acknowledge his very presence, just his voice. "You aren't the one I'm here for. I'm here for the red one."

As if on cue, the other presence rises it its hooves. A centaur of red hue makes itself known as its finger wrap around the bars. A curious look on its face as it stares the newcomer down. The figure just smiles at him as his eyes give off a glint of something in explainable.

"Lord Tirek, it's your lucky day. You get to help me in humiliating someone who has done the same to me."