A New Lord of Chaos

They were making good time I could feel the card getting closer to me. When they were within ten or so miles of my home, I played a little prank on them. Who or whatever force had provided me with my information had inspired me to mimic in appearance at least a spell they should all recognize.

The card had stayed steadily pointing in the same direction for some time now. For close to two hours the small armada of guard transports hand been making good time the card was now reading less than 50Mi. and rapidly approaching zero.

Luna looked on after the brief stop in Ponyville she and Twilight had spent the flight discussing strategy. They had several ideas but had yet to finalize their plans.

“So we are in agreement, we pick our strategy after we have the opportunity to survey the location?” Asked Twilight in a firm tone.
Luna nodded. “Yes while our ideas could work a good strategist always surveys the battle field first. How far out are we now?”

Looking down Twilight read the card and informed her. “23 Mi. we should in visual range soon.”

Looking out a head of them, everyone watched as a large manor slowly came into view. It was enormous to the ponies observing it even from their vantage point. While it may not have been as tall as Canterlot castle, it was far larger in width and depth. To Luna it appeared to have twice the square hoofage of even her ancestral home, which had been capable of hosting the entire equestrian army behind its walls.

“How could this have gone unnoticed?” One of the guards pulling the chariot asked in an awed voice.

Twilight countered with. “Who would have ventured this deep into the Everfree to notice?”

The guard just nodded not finding any fault with the argument. Who could? The ponies avoided this forest like the plague and anypony entering never went in to deeply.

They all sat watching the building in front of them growing larger and more impressive. Each second getting closer and revealing more details of the structure. The guards and Luna noticed a large ring wall with battlements. Applejack and Fluttershy observed the well-maintained grounds with fruit trees lining the roads leading to the house and the peacocks on the lawn walking towards a large duck pond. Twilight and Rarity took note of the architecture of the building.

Pinkie well she was the only one to say anything. “Twitchy tail, numb right fore hoof, and tail spinning.” She started yelling “Twilight, Luna get us down or we’ll crash!”

Before either could question what she meant they saw a shield dome of swirling red, black, and silver energy spring to life and begin to grow around the property.

Luna screamed. “BANK RIGHT!”

She was barely in time to be effective. Even so, she was forced to cut the harness of the pegasi pulling them. She and Twilight jumped from the back and dove towards the ground. Turning in the air, they watched as the chariot now free of the guards but trapped in their slipstream slammed into the dome shattering into a pile of twisted metal and kindling.

The two guards quickly landed near them less than a minute after. “Thank you.” They both said with nothing but gratitude in their voices.

One said. “Any later and we would have died.” The other could only nod his agreement.

Luna nodded. “Indeed it appears we must enter on hoof. Will the two of you please fly up and inform the teams to land, and then fly a quick circle around the wall to find an entrance.”

They saluted and flew off. Quickly gaining altitude and speed.

“That was to close for comfort.” Twilight grumbled. “This shield, does it remind you of my brother’s spell?”

Luna looked at the spiraling mass of energy forming the dome that stopped at the top of the wall. “Yes, but what has me worried is that it only stops us from entering by air.”

Twilight looked at the shield again before nodding. “That does seem odd.” Before she could say anymore, the guards returned.
With a quick salute, they waited for Luna’s attention before speaking.

Granted they began. “Mam, not far along the side from here there is a gate maybe five minute trot along the wall to the north.”

“Very well, once everypony has disembarked we will head that way on hoof.” The guards nodded and the four of them watched as the chariots circled in for a landing.

“Do we still have the card?” Twilight asked watching as her friends unloaded and help unstrap the guards.

“Yes, it is pointing at the building behind us. 1525Ft. We are nearly there.” Turning to face her guards Luna ordered. “Sargent I want you and another to fly to Dodge Junction and report what has happened so far to Captain Sable Evening.”

“Should we report back to you once we have sent our report?” He asked.

“No, wait there to lead possible reinforcements.”

He nodded before pointing at one of the guards who to Luna looked like the youngest. “Son you’re with me. Princess anything else?”

“No, good luck and may the wind be at your back.” They saluted her and took off. “Everypony form up.”

All of the remaining guards ran forward falling into a block formation. The girls looked around before running up to Twilight.

Luna surveyed the ponies around her before speaking. “We suspect this to be the stronghold of the creature who has taken my sister, Rainbow Dash, and the elements of harmony. I want all of you on your hooves. If there were not a time limit on us we would be waiting for further assistance from the guard forces and the wonder bolts, but as it stands we are going to enter and attempt to recover what was taken as quickly as possible.”

The nerves of the ponies around her seemed to settle as her speech continued.

“With luck on our side we should either be able to pin the creature long enough for either, my sister and I to bind it in some way, or for the elements to be recovered and brought to bear. Are there any questions?”

One private raised her hoof. “Mam, do we have any idea on what type of beast we will be facing?”

Luna could only respond with. “No, so I want none of our forces to attempt to fight this foe one on one. I expect you to run if you do not have it out numbered at least six to one. Am I clear I want live troops not dead heroes. Fall in.”

With that, she began marching the troops north to the gate. The guards quickly forming up on her flanks with the element bearers in the middle.