Chapters Darkness always darkness no matter where he was it seemed to follow him. His dream wouldn't last very long but something lingered on his mind while in this dream limbo. If he was an alicorn one of the strongest for that matter why couldn't he ever escape this dream or change it? He sighed mentally then the weird part of his dream came him and his brothers fighting a horde of enemy soldiers. But a bright light came and just like always his dream ended and he was awake with Luna staring into the night sky.
He spoke, "Good morning babe whatchya doin?"
"Nothing love just waiting for my sister to bring the day. And wandering when were you going to tell me that you've been hiding nightmares from me." Frostbite gulped and thought shit now she knows
"Well I was going to tell you but then I thought it wasn't a big deal. I mean you've got your own stuff to worry about babe. and besides it isn't that bad of a dream." She stared at him he had always been a bad liar. especially around Luna he sighed and excepted that he would have to tell her what his dreams were if not she could always go inside his dreams and he had a thing about privacy. because his older brother would tease him like that all the time when they were younger. telling there youngest brother all of his secrets that's why he didn't want Luna to sneak into his dreams. So he would tell her now.
"My dream always starts with darkness. Then it's about 5 minuets of me and my brothers fighting what seems like a endless horde. Then there is a flash of light and then I wake." Luna looked concerned but gave a knowing and loving smile before she hugged her lover and kissed him.
"Thank you for telling me love. That wasn't so hard was it?"
"I guess not babe want to help me practice my axe-menship?"
"Sure but ill use a sword axes are for girls."
"Oh you want a challenge a challenge it shall be!"
Frostbite could hear the yelling of his brother from the other wing of the palace. Celestia had left to perform her daily duties which left him awake and he just heard Flame scream lunch so coffee time. He took a look of himself in the mirror before he left he was 2 feet taller than Celestia and had a light blue mane witch every hour or so would freeze in its Mohawk form into pure ice and would burst and leave his hair to its natural form once more. And his coat was pure white and the smoothest thing in Equestria. When he decided he looked presentable he left towards the kitchen downstairs as he passed twilight who seemed to have been waiting for him for a while. He looked at her for a minuet then decided to say something.
"Twilight what are you doing here?" she grew a giant grin and was practically jumping up and down and responded to his question to her.
"Celestia says you can finally teach me conjuration ISN'T THIS AWSOME........uh to loud?" she gave a sheepish smile along with a blush of embarrassment Frostbite chuckled and spoke to calm her.
"Its okay my new student we'll start tomorrow when you study under me it gets really rough. but for now join me for my morning coffee and lunch with my brothers it would be a time for you to get to know us better." And with that they headed to lunch.
Everyone sat at the table. Frostbite conversated with twilight about her upcoming time span as being his prodigy. Luna and Flameforge talked about fighting techniques. Harmonic was writing down lyrics to a song he was about to publish. All of it ended when a message appeared in front of Luna and she hushed everyone as she read. her eyes widen to full extent when she finished and Luna stood up to announce the news.
"My sister has deemed it fit to give halve of Equestria to be a new empire under the rule of the three kings. She states that she has a small army of builders there making city's to fill you empire and sending civilians to fill them. Also here is the location of your castle you'll have to furnish it yourselves though and make your own guard and other such things. That is all."
All the brothers started to shake with in seconds in point 5 seconds they were all packing there stuff and making their planes for the Empire. This was going to get interesting
Flameforge walked the dirt path to a village where almost everyone was his friend. He only meant to find two ponies though. They were his two biggest friends so he knew this position could only go to them. As he walked up to the house he knocked on the door waiting for an answer. He herd yelling and crashing and then the door opened to a messy and sleepy Vinyl scratch. As soon as she saw him she let out a huge sigh of relief. She turned around and yelled into the house.
Octy its ok its not your mom, its Flame!" Octavia stepped out looking ragged like Vinyl. She smiled when she saw Flameforge But from what he saw it looked like she was keeping a terrible secret. He gave a curios gaze to her and she moved back a little before Vinyl spoke.
"Flame are you here to help us cover up what happened last night we could really use your help for this."
"Help with what I came here to invite you to be the princesses of the new empire me and my brothers rule now." Vinyl started to shake with pure awe in excitement and in tandem with Octavia they both yelled.
"YES!!!!!!!" they both ran up and hugged Flameforge and he hugged them back with both is wings. Then they ran into the house saying gibberish all he could understand was she'll never mess with us now. he then sent a telepathic note to Frostbite saying to get Vinyl and Octavia's room ready. And he patiently waited for them to finish. But meanwhile his brother harmonic was recruiting soldiers from every city within a 500 mile radius of the castle they had been given. He was looking for the toughest looking stallions and mares no matter if they were Pegasus, unicorn, or earth pony. He had already collected around 700 and they were marching from city to village to city again. It was about 5 in the afternoon when he arrived at ponyville this was the last place he would stop at today. Then they would head to the castle and their troops would train and get settled in. He could have headed to fillydelphia where he would've gotten more recruits but ponyville had more veterans so he went there instead. As he and his small army came into view of the town they were passed by a rainbow blur and the Pegasus who made it flew in front of harmonic and hovered.
"Hey dude its good to see you what are you doing here and who are all these ponies following you?" She looked at the small army with a confused look what were all these pony's doing here? But before she could ask the whole ponyville weather team flew over and started greeting harmonic and asking dash what was happening. Then harmonic spoke up to everyone to hear.
"Look were here to recruit anyone who is willing to join our new Empire's army and guard is anyone here who isn't already willing to join?" Almost suddenly and to his surprise every Pegasus on the weather including rainbow raised their hooves some even shaking them while raised. Then he smiled and gave his order.
"Well lets march to the castle then, and no flying and walking if we are going to depend on each other and fight with each other then were going to march together now double time you'll all give me 4 laps around the castle if were not there by sun down now line up......aannnddd forward!" Then they marched to their new HQ.
Gryphons and hasty decisions
Frostbite had finished the last part of the castle that needed furnishing. He then sat down on his bed ready to end a busy day but there was a rapid knock at the door. He quickly got up and opened his door was twilight with a worried look on her face. He could see the over anxiety in her eyes she looked like she just saw his father so he had to ask her.
"Twilight what's wrong you look like you just saw the devil."
"There is a gryphons messenger downstairs awaiting your presence and he's being escorted by gryphons guards they brought. The invasion flag with them." Frostbite's eyes filled with rage the gryphons had just walked into his castle unannounced and bring an invasion flag while having a military presence with them. This better be a joke or the royal cleaner is going to have more than dirt to clean up. He walked to the thrown room in the castle and he sat in the middle thrown which was the biggest there were 2 other chairs on either side. He sat and motioned for the gryphons to deliver their message. the messenger spoke up.
"By order of the gryphons empire you are ordered to give your portion of Equestria to us immediately and in returned your people and you will be spared what do you say?" Frostbite glared at them with so much hatred and anger one of the gryphon guards backed away a couple of feet. Frostbite chuckled and gave his answer.
"Well if that's your offer let me give you mine." With the blink of a eye frostbite was using his telekinesis to slowly choke all of them he brought the messenger to his face and hissed with venom and disgust.
"Tell your leaders if they disrespect me one more time me and my brothers will end every last one of your kind and make a mountain of your skulls a national landmark good day!" And with that he flung all five of them out the castle and sent a telepathic message to both of his brothers to expect anything when they show up. About 2 hours later Vinyl, Octavia and Flameforge arrive. Since Frostbite was at the castle the whole time he hired servant ponies to get stuff done and he instructed one of them to lead the new princesses to their chambers while he discussed his earlier meeting with Flame.
"Frost I thought you were the mature one why not wait until our princesses arrived they're the ones supposed to handle politics we are supposed to manage the military and empire itself you better hope our army arrives soon. Or we'll be the ones fighting a swarm of griffons."
"Sorry brother but he showed up and disrespected us he said in return for our empire we would live we could easily wipe out their race why should I be worried?" Then the sound of marching filled the room their guard and army had been equipped assembled and was now getting to their posts Harmonic was the last to enter making sure the lackeys of the march kept it up until they reached their stations. As soon as he got to his brothers Harmonic informed them the turn out a total of 770 troops adding the guard and army together Flame said he would start forging the weapons since he was indeed the best blacksmith in history. And Frostbite went to go get his lessons for twilight and the coronation for Vinyl and Octavia ready.
All and all good day.
First orders of businesses
Frostbite was under a lot of stress. He had to make a safe route for the soldiers family's to get inside the walls without being attacked by gryphon scouts. He had assigned Flame the job of keeping the military in tip top shape in case of attack or raid and Harmonic was in charge of making a good constitution. But after the route was made he would have to get the coronation ready for their new princesses. But most importantly he had to get ready for the obvious threat of the gryphons they weren't forgiving or peaceful. So a battle or two was the least of their problems. First he would lead some of his builders that he had been given from Celestia to the back of the castle walls there was a rocky canyon there that happened to lead towards a small town outside of fillydelphia. he instructed them to start making it passable.
Meanwhile Flameforge was walking back and forth in front of a group of 20 ponies all dressed in black and red metal armor. He was about to train this group in particular to go around Equestria to gather more troops for their cause. But of course since he had to stay he would train them how to defend themselves against a gryphon without a weapon. If they were to run into a gryphon during their travels a spear, axe or sword wouldn't always work. So he spoke up ready to teach them how.
"Alright im not going to say this twice so listen. I can not say that gryphon patrols wont find you during your mission. But I can promise you if your work for us and if you wear that armor. They will not hesitate to rip you to pices so I say this to you. Weapons will not always work so sometimes you'll have to get down and dirty. I am going to teach you how to do so properly any questions?" A rainbow manned Pegasus raised her hoof and Flameforge motioned for her to ask her question.
"Yea I have one question when do we get to kill one of these things." The soldiers around her started hoof bumping her and whooping at her question. Flameforge shook his head at her cockiness. He then responded to her question.
"Well rainbowsplash that is your name right? ah who cares have you ever been against one of these things hoof to hoof in a battle for life and death because I have 5 in a row once in the badlands and It was hard and im a alicorn your just a Pegasus and I almost died so next time save those remarks for when you have experience. All right any real questions?" No one raised their hoofs this time but the rainbow Pegasus glared at him. He smiled this anger she had would help her considerably for this exercise.
"All right the two things you should all know a gryphon wing is easy to break if you break both he cant fly and he'll fell a small part of oblivion touching him or her. And secondly that when they are in rage they cant see they follow sound and smell. so that armor you're all wearing is meant to disguise your smell but not sounds. So I can not stress this enough keep your mouths shut no matter what."
"Now when you engage you'll want to go for the chest. Use your back legs to push them off stance. Then hurry and rush to them when your in rang hit the wing hard with a hoof. Make sure to aim for the upper bone that links all of them. Then when you have the chance use all your might into one hoof and snap the gryphons little miserable neck. Now we have a prisoner who tried sneaking in who wants to go first?"
On the otherside of the castle Harmonic was busy making the constitution for their new empire. He had about half of it finished so he went to go work on something else. He left his room and started walking down the marble hallway with two royal guards escorting him. Since he knew the griffons would nor wait long until they attacked he thought of the quickest source of warriors. He motioned for his guards to stay behind as he took to the sky and headed for mareland. Home of the Nordic ponies the best fighters he could think of.
He stood in front of a hut which looked like to be made of snow just snow. He breathed in deeply as he knocked on the door. A old stallion opened the door he was a earth pony just as all Nordics were. The elderly stallion motioned him inside knowing why he traveled here. As Harmonic looked around the hut he saw battle axes on a rack hanging above a large fire place all of the blades were engraved with a picture of the enemy it was used to fight against. Then he looked at the elder of the clan and spoke.
"My elder you know that I lived here under the constant authority of your ancestors. I earned the right to be called a nord. Our ancient enemies besides the drakes wish to take our portion of Equestria so I ask you for reinforcements. I know that you only fight for honor but will you let innocent people be slaughtered by such ungrateful beings?"
The chief thought for a minuet and decided Harmonic was right he then gave his response. "You have my troops and my blessing make those gryphons suffer." and with that the march and sail back to the empire began.
The Norse long boat was not a model of ships that was usually used anymore. But the nords stuck to tradition and used them anyway. Harmonic was in the main vessel there were about 4 more ships with them he had gathered an army of 4000 strong enough to hold against a minor attack. But the clan chief had assured him that the other clans would be on their way as well. Harmonic used his telepathy to send a message to frostbite to prepare a dock for their arrival. A splash of cold water from the sea hit him and he started shivering immensely.
Frostbite would love this weather he thought. Oh yea that's right his name is fucking Frostbite. His thoughts were interrupted as a horse voice called his name. The Nordic who had said his name looked about 20 and had multiple battle scars. And his cutie mark was a pony on top of a dead darken. The nord spoke up again repeating his question, "Lad why are you shivering are you cold little whelp."
"Yes im cold and who are you smart mouth." the nord stood up being a little taller than Harmonic and stretching his legs before responding.
"My name is Grief mane captain of this boat and I already know who you are. Don't worry even some nords cant take the cold. Your far from being the only one. But I would like to know how your army is without us how many troops do you have?"
"We are still recruiting but right now we have maybe 2000 strong not including me and my brothers." Grief mane nodded and looked back out onto the ocean.
Meanwhile Flameforge just got done training the recruitment group how to use hoof-to-hoof combat against gryphons. After he was done he sent the group off. And started walking through the castle letting the drill sergeants continue the training themselves. He was headed to the kitchen when one of the princesses Vinyl scratch walked up to him and started to speak.
"What are you up to you haven't talked to me and octy ever since we got here what's wrong?"
"Nothing I have just been busy lately. And that reminds me how do you and you're lover enjoy the castle?" A huge grin spread across his face as Vinyl started to sputter and choke on air. Then Flame started laughing his ass off at her sudden reaction. When Vinyl finally caught her breath she glared at Flame who was still laughing and practically yelled at him.
"How did you know!!!" Flame started to seize his laughing so he could respond to the question.
"Dude anyone who looks at you two knows your a couple and Harmonic told me what you did to Octavia on your birthday last year."
Vinyl blushed so hard her face felt like a overgrown tomato. She stared at Flame then started to open her mouth and respond.
"It was a friendly and plutonic game why would you think that was anything to assume on."
"Because you tied her up and tickled her until she agreed to give you a birthday kiss that's why." Vinyl blushed once again at the memory. She had done the act for about 30 minuets before octy gave in to the request. A thought came to her mind to shut up Flameforge.
"Well what if I have a bet for you. I've been pretty bored for the last week. So I challenge you to a music battle. My dubstep versus your...uh...what do you call it again?"
"Rap that's what its called."
"Yea so we both have a music battle and let your soldiers decide who was better. What do you think of that?"
"Sure if you really want me to spit a killer beat who am I not to oblige. But if you lose you have to tell every magazine and radio station that your dating Octavia." A smirk appeared on his face as Vinyl's face fell but perked up again as she started to respond.
"Fine but if I win you have to pay for the present im getting for octy. And just so you are aware its filled with diamonds." Flameforge smirked and nodded as he went to go find Frostbite.
As he went back to trying to find Frostbite. He heard noises Coming from the war room. As he walked in two of his guards were tied up and Frostbite was standing next to a crying and distraught Octavia. A sudden feel of rage reached Flame. He had a spot on idea of what happened but before he jumped to conclusions he and Frost. Talked over the situation through telepathy to not be heard by the others in the hallways and in the room.
So did these two just try what I think they tried.
Yes do you want to punish them or does dad get 2 new souls?
Flame looked at the guards who were still struggling in their restraints. He hadn't tortured anybody since the 2 great wars on the planet earth when he was lost in dimensions. He hadn't sent anyone to his dad since it was worse than oblivion but he didn't feel like wasting time on this filth he would be sure to apologies to mom later though.
"Send this filth to father I'll take Octavia to Vinyl."
"If its what you wish brother." Flame didn't hear the screams of hells newest victims until he was out of the castle.
Luna stood at one corner of the room. With a mid length sized sword from Flameforge's blacksmith shop. she stood getting it into sparing position. Flameforge was on his hind legs axe in-between his hooves he never liked his melee weapons to be used by magic he wanted to feel his weapons like an attachment of himself its what made his fighting style unique. Luna made the first move hitting Flames armor in the chest plate. but he was only stunned for a little as he got up and swung his axe with god like accuracy hitting the side of Luna's armor sending her flying on her back. she recovered quickly and unleashed a storm of attacks on Flame hoping he would falter and succumb to a hit. But he wouldn't go down instead he took his axe and hit her once again this time in the leg. She faltered giving him the chance to hit her with a thrust witch went up into he chest plate almost breaking it. Expecting her to surrender he lowered his axe but as soon as he did she flew a couple feet in the air slicing through his armor and while he was on the ground she put the tip of her blade to his throat, "I win love you know what that means."
"Ugghhh fine princess Luna is the best warrior in melee weaponry. Happy now babe?" she smiled looking at the annoyed look on his face and chuckled then responded.
"Good now make the winner some lunch im starving." She laughed as she left Flameforge on the ground still picking himself up and he lit up his horn and started yelling.
"Harmonic get down here and make lunch for me and Luna before I beat your ass!" harmonic a alicorn about 2 feet shorter than Celestia. Stood before him thanks to a teleportation spell he had a yellow coat with a brown mane that was scruffy looking he yawned and headed to the kitchen too cook a lunch for his brother and his marefriend. Flameforge went to look at the mirror in the sparing room. He was about as tall as Celestia and had a jet black coat with a ethereal mane that looked like fire and could if he was mad enough but it wasn't now. he finally decided he still looked handsome for 2 billion years old and headed to his breakfast.