Flames of Devastation
I stood at my window, watching the workers on mills and farmers tend the fields. It had been sometime since I established myself here in this world.
Mares acted like the men back home, and the stallions were... pansies. I had took over the almost unknown town of Hoover, where a duchess had been staying, and she was... something else. She was horrible decision maker, using the funds on herself rather than her subjects and wasting the resources on her little castle. I had appeared just outside the town, in a supposed cursed forest. I had on me only pocket knife for protection, and needed food. The trip over sapped almost all of my energy and I was hankering for a snack. I waited for nightfall and slunk into the city and stole fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, anything I could get my hands on really, shoving them in a burlap sack nearby and slinging it over my shoulder.
The sound must've alerted a guard because I jumped when a the pony shouted at me to stop. Turning on my heel I ran as fast as my feet could carry me and darted straight into the forest. Noticing no one was pursuing me anymore I sat down at a dilapidated building. It wasn't a castle, but it looked more like a vault room. Something that held valuables I bet. Yet I had not the strength at the time and ate my fill. Sleep came soon after, and I leaned against the door to drift into a deep sleep.
Songs played in the morning, or at least it sounded like songs. Peering from the forest's edge I saw that a small little parade was being held. Yet while there was songs filling the air, there were half assed. From the sound of it, they were tired of their leader, but she never seemed to noticed. There were small cheers, but that was it, just tiny cheers from mostly children. Everyone else seemed to be... annoyed. Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, I darted back into the forest towards the vault. The lock on the door seemed ancient, but it still had some strength left in it. Looking around, I found a rock. Yes, it was simply a rock, but a hard enough hit and the lock shattered. Opening the door, the dank smell hit me first. A stench like death flew out and hit me square on the nose, and it took my breath away. I backed away from the door and began to dry heave, the stench was so overpowering.
Taking some steps away I took a deep breath and walked into the chamber. Inside was three or four corpses, something that made retch again out of reflex, so I ran out the door and vomited on the forest floor. Clearing my snot, I composed myself once more and entered the room. I took note the two corpses were wearing some kind of armor, almost brass in color, but heavily discolored. The other two seemed to be retainers of some kind, given the fact they had veils over their faces. In the back of the chamber, sat a fifth corpse, one I did not realize until now. In his hooves was a brilliant sword, with red leather wrapping the hilt, and the pommel in the form of a small cross. The guard was made out of a silvery-blue metal I couldn't quite put my finger on the name, and the blade was... Oh...
The blade was fragmented, broken beyond repair. A sword that was most likely the treasure of this vault now lie shattered. I reached for the hilt and sudden sound caught me by surprise. A creak and moan, I quickly realized that the ponies laying on the floor were not dead! "Holy shit..." I whispered to myself. Then a voice flooded my ears
Logi
I stared at the moving corpses. Did one of them just...? Komdu með mig ... loga I whipped around seeing the center of the cross guard opened, showering the room with a brilliant light. Komdu dauðalausir, endirinn I reached for hilt and the blade crumbled from it. Now a blade of flame came from the hilt and without thinking about it, I raised the sword to the walking corpses and swung with all my might.
...That was a year ago. Ever since I ejected that duchess, the populous has been getting happier by the day, and now with a years worth of experience under my belt, I can make the choices just as fast. I had advisers, and other ponies to help with the day to day things, but I mostly made them myself. Like now, as six mares came in my throne room, that tackled my guards to the ground, pinning them.
Still, I kept my composure. I sat in my throne and stared at them with even eyes. "Hello, guests, my I ask your names?" I said, keeping my voice calm. In truth, I began to grow angry. Here were these mares, thinking they can just charge in here and hurt my people. The pink one bounced up, but the white unicorn pulled her back to the ground and shook her head. "Hmm, I see, so no formalities? No being civil? Then I will start: My name is Anonymous, Anon for short, but I've been going by a different name these days, so... you can call me Surtur." I said patting the hilt on my belt. The purple pega-corn walked up to me and put on a mean face. Like I was scared.
"Guard, tell us where the mare in charge is!" She said putting her horn on full blast. The feeling of her magic was intense, and I noticed one of the guards looking up at us. His eyes were wide in... fear? "Well? Answer me!" She said her horn charging even more. I looked back at my guard and nodded. He looked bewildered at first, then turned his head towards his fellow and she nodded in response.
"I have tried being nice," I said, clenching my fist and fire erupted around the edges of the room. When the flames reached the doors, they slammed it shut. The guards in succession kicked off their captors and flew out the windows, where the flames sealed them off. "You come here, ruin my castle, attack MY guards. AND DEMAND TO KNOW WHO RUNS THIS PLACE?!" I yelled straight in her face, as the flames grew to the ceiling. "I am Surtur, the ruler of this small land," I rumbled and drew my sword, the fire arching from the hilt. "My lands are to be protected at all costs, especially from intruders like yourselves!"
"Y-You're the ruler of this land?" The pega-corn said, in disbelief. The others had the same look of shock, and I took this moment to stab Elderstahl into the marble floor and release a heatwave to stun the mares.
"I rule this land, with a gentle hand. I help those who need it, I tend to the crops with the farmers and provide assistance with the blacksmiths. I am kind, benevolent. And yet, you, in your STUPID minds, see me, not as a ruler, but a GUARD?!" I roared again, and another heat wave is released from the sword. "Ég gef þér úlfunum... I promise you, I will only give you minor burns, unless you force my hands..." I said as I raised my sword for combat.
The only things that were left standing in the throne room was myself and the pega-corn. The other five were burned, not severely, but bad enough to take them out of the fight. The pega-corn, which I learned was an alicorn, still looked at me with malice as we circled each other. I swung wide and feinted the return into a downward strike, but she expected this and raised a shield in defense. I charged forward and leaped on her shield and began madly stabbing the purple shell. A shockwave pushed me back as her shield fell, and her horn glowed brightly. I had no time to react and the beam of magic pushed me back into the wall of flames. Using a hand wreathed in flames, I pushed the beam out of the way and launched a fireball towards her, forcing her to stop and dodge. That was my opening.
With a mighty roar I rushed her and raised my sword. The flame grew longer and thicker and now I had her right where I wanted her. I swung with the fury of giants behind me, and the force bounced her off the ground. I followed it again downwards, the two up swings, and finally I stabbed the sword into the ground and it pulsed with fire, begging to be released. The purple alicorn looked at me, and quickly, with her last bit of strength placed a powerful shield around her friends. "Nú verður veislumatur fyrir krákurnar!"
With that said, the flames exploded outward in rage and burned deeply. The marble was scorched, the paintings of the duchess burned to ashes, and the alicorn lay there, fire around her feathers and mane singed. I took several deep breaths and sheathed my sword. As soon as the guard clinked on the scabbard, the flames disappeared. The alicorn, twitched and the shield around her friends dissipated and sighed a deep sigh. I looked out the window again, and now all of the town was watching the upper floor. I heard the clip-clop of hooves and the purple alicorn stubbornly stood up. Her leg was raised, most likely being broken, her wings were lame, dragging on the ground at this point.
"Humans," I said evenly, "are destructive by nature. We take only what we want, give nothing back, and so the ashes of the past scattered our history to the winds, leaving behind only the End." I said turning back the window. "Fire is how we began, and fire is how we will end. It is nature, of course. That is how it must be, it cannot be controlled, tamed sure, but we will never control it. The End is for us all, but for you? No, not yet. You still have much to do. So I give you this."
I said setting six small vials in front of her. "Every so often, a pony will come to me in great pain and this potion cures their pain in seconds. Mending bones, and rejuvenating flesh wounds, so take them, use them, and please... Never come back." I said, opening her mouth and forcing the contents down her throat. She coughed hard, but soon the potion started taking effect, fixing her leg and wings.
She looked at me, and then her friends, who just began to wake up. "Come on girls, we're leaving." She said before turning around and opening the doors. A score of guards lined the hall, but with a wave of my hand they moved away and let them through. As they hobbled out I walked back to the window and drew my sword, launching a fireball in the air where is exploded like a firework. The ponies cheered, and went back to the mills and fields, and smiths and bakeries. I sighed and sat back on my throne. Before the door closed I called out to them. "Þu færðist of mikið i fang!"
The blue yelled out to me. "What the hay does that even mean?! Are making that up???"
I laughed a little, first time in a long time. "It means: 'You got to caught up!' Thought you could walk in and do things the way you normally do, I'd laugh at that notion if it wasn't so stupid." I said. "I don't know who sent you, but tell them this: "Heimurinn er ekki þinn til að geyma, en ég mun vera sá sem erfir hann frá þér."
The purple one looked deeply into my eyes. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, and the one who sent me was--"
"No, do not tell me who sent you. Tell them what I said, Twilight. Commit the words I said to memory." I said leaning back. With a wave of my hand, the guards on the outside began to shut the door. I hmm'd in thought. Perhaps I was too hard on them. Oh well, I hope that they get the message through though.