The Crystal Wolves (Rewrite)

Chapters

Intentional
Meeting of Minds
Ending an Old Threat
Recovering before the Storm
Enduring Reunions
Drastic Action
Equestrian Presence
Reviving the Festival
Seeing a Piece of the Past
Awakening the Festival
The Past Returns
Necessary Preperations

Intentional

Under New Management - Edited

Edited by Aerigim

Edited by Exaxxion

The silence in the room was thick enough that it could be cut with a knife. All of the small horses simply sat there as I looked around, my smaller arms still holding my swords as my upper pair kept my shrapnel launcher up and pointing at the ceiling. With ex-king Sombra burning to ashes and the smell of cooked flesh wafting in the air, I can safely assume that he is dead and his slaves are no longer scared shitless of me.

With the horses staring at me, waiting and wondering what I am going to do next, I simply picked up the crown that was still melted to his head and with a quick yank, I ripped what little flesh was keeping the two attached and looked it over. There seemed to be small bits of flesh still attached to the bottom of the crown but that will cease to be in time. I would have put it on my head if not for one problem, it doesn't fit.

Seeing how this crown won't fit on my helmet without the assistance of super glue, I started to think on where it could go. I could put it on my belt but there could be that off-chance that I grab a grenade instead of the crown and I'd rather not blow myself up on accident. That was when it hit me, just wear it as an armband of some sort. With that in mind, I hefted the launcher to my upper left and let my lower right slide the crown over my upper right arm and almost like magic it fit me to a T.

'Looks like I have a new title to add to my list, kingslayer...hmm I may be no Jamie Lannister but at least I still have both my hands and two to spare!'

The cloak that Sombra wore is unscathed from the fire I started, it must be fire-retardant to have survived, it would make a great addition to my own cloaks, maybe as an adornment for one of my horns.

Staring at the horses I walked towards them, they scattered as I approached. As I reach the throne I watched as it reformed itself, the black crystals it was made of started to change hue to a light blue that matched the color of my armor and as I reached the top I saw that the throne remade itself to match the one I have seen in the Ketch's in Destiny, the captain's seat as I called it and now this one is mine.

'The Kell of Kells with a matching throne to fit his title...the House of Wolves may have met its end to the Guardians and the Awoken but here we will thrive and be born anew without interference...this new species...these...horses will have to do for now.'

With my throne made for my shape and size I turned around and sat down and immediately felt my body coursing with energy, my exhaustion that I have just noticed is now gone, my body feels like it has been rejuvenated and I now no longer need to find a means to keep myself alive. This throne seems to be a cosmic battery of some sort, and it belongs to me now.

When I had my back turned I heard the sounds of hooves clattering loudly against the crystalline floor and when I sat down I saw that they all had galloped on out and left the injured stallion by the throne. I guess they still have that animal mentality to leave the old and slow behind for the predator to catch. Rolling my four eyes I looked at the injured stallion and saw that if I am going to get some answers about this place from one of them then it might as well be from the one I 'helped.' Looking like a benevolent boss is a sure fire way to get people on my side and not out for my blood.

Getting off of my throne and stepping over the injured stallion, I went to Sombra's charred corpse and ripped the cloak from his body and tore off a thin-enough section to use as a bandage wrap. With it in hand I went back to the old stallion and wrapped up his head, cleaning up his face a bit before helping him up. The stallion was still unconscious so I had to wait patiently for him to wake up and tell me what I need to know.

Now it was just the waiting game.

Fortunately I didn't have to wait long, soon after I cleaned him up and had him sitting upright he began to stir and as soon as I saw him open his eyes wearily, blinking his left a few times before fully opening his eyes, and for the first time since I got here the horse before me didn't cringe in terror or try to kill me.

"Good, you are awake, you were injured when your fallen king dropped you from his old throne." I rumbled out as I looked the stallion in the eye, the four of mine to his two.

"Wh-who are you? Where is King Sombra?"

"You mean that foolish tyrant who thought he has slain me with a small black crystal?"

With a nod of the head from the stallion I shuffled to the side to show him where his 'king' was located.

"I have slain him, slavery is a crime I will not tolerate and his one-time assault sealed his fate, what other crimes he may have done while I was not here can only cement his fate as an executed criminal."

The charred remains are still there, smoldering and smoking as his cloak now hangs from my back and his crown adoring my right arm.

"And as to who I am, I am Skolas, the Kell for the House of Wolves." I said as I stood up to my full height, clearly towering over the stallion causing him stumble back just to see my face.

"Before you leave do tell those that were once under the mad king's influence that he has been slain, spread the news of his death and for those that are able to come to this castle to see me, I need to know everything that has happened here since Sombra took over."

"You have Sombra's crown, that means you are now the new King of the Crystal Empire. I hope you do better than our last two rulers."

'A Kell is no Kell without those that serve under him...I will need a new Ketch...a Prime Servitor and an Archon...I will have plenty to keep me company for now, if I can not have a Ketch than this kingdom will have to suffice as one but the other two...this will strain me greatly.'

And with that said the old stallion got up and, with a bit of a hobbled step, left the throne room, leaving me by myself as I look around, wondering what else this castle has to offer.

Once I was alone I took the charred body to the most exquisite room this castle has to offer. Once I had found it I went in, locked the door behind me and promptly threw Sombra's corpse into the fireplace before pointing my shrapnel launcher into it and set it on fire again, making sure it was reduced to ashes and bones. I took each of his bones and crushed them into fragments and dust before putting his remains into a jar that just so happened to be sitting in this room.

'Here lies Sombra, mad king of the Crystal Empire, slaver, criminal, may you never rise from the grave.'

With that done I started to strip myself of my armor as best as I could, I don't know why but I know exactly on how to do it without damaging any of the vital components that make it up. My helmet was the first thing to come off and once it was no longer on my head I looked for the closest thing to be counted as a mirror and looked in the reflection. Shocked is hardly the word I would use but that is all I can say about my facial appearance.

My head is almost human in shape but it is more predatory than normal, my skin is grey and rough looking, almost like dry dirt after it has been left in the hot sun to bake, I had no hair to speak of besides the bit on the side of my face underneath the eyes, they seem to be like whiskers. I opened my mouth and saw two rows of needle-like teeth, obviously making me a carnivore but I no longer have a need to consume meat, instead I survive on this strange ethereal substance called ether. Taking a closer look at my face I saw that my four eyes don't even resemble my old eyes. I didn't have pupils so to speak, just pale blue iris'. I didn't even have any eyelids to speak of and yet I could still close my eyes...a mystery to solve for another time. My ears are where they should be but they are more of a skin covering on a drum then actual ears with the funny shape made of cartilage.

Removing the armor from my body and arms I felt naked in a sense and looking down I saw that my old weak human body had been replaced with an insanely ripped chest. There are scars scattered all over it, no nipples so that is good that they won't be turned against me if someone twists them, my four arms are also muscular, I guess being a Kell means that I must tower over everything to instill courage and fear into friend and foe alike.

'Here comes the moment of truth.'

Stripping off my leggings I saw that I still had my junk but it is more...well lets just say that I can't see it now because it is currently concealed from sight...I sure as hell hope that Skolas isn't a chick in disguise because if it was so then I have made a huge mistake on my costume. I pray to every god out there that the Fallen are like a race of reptiles and just have their reproductive organs hidden from sight cause I just might kill myself if I find out that I am a woman, monthly periods is something I can live without.

Standing naked in my own room I look myself over, my four arms seem to be like my last set seeing as I can use them without having to concentrate on which set does what, I guess this just comes naturally for the Fallen.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

At that sound I quickly put my leggings back on, almost tripping over and falling on my face when I tried to put my foot in the leg hole. Once I had my pants on I rushed to the door and opened it up to reveal one of the horses that was chained to the throne and the old stallion that had hobbled out on me when I told him to spread the news.

"Is there something that you have needed old one...and who are you young one, you look like one of the slaves that the dead king had chained to his throne...what brings you both here at such an hour?" I said as I subconsciously crossed my smaller arms as my upper left grabbed the door frame and my upper right hung beside me.

Truthfully it had only been an hour since I killed the king and just now realized it is somewhere in the afternoon. The sun being in the center of the sky didn't make a real difference as my mind tells me that I do not need to sleep anymore nor do I need food other then ether to stay alive.

"Pardon me King Skolas but...there are ponies here to see you...upon telling them about you killing Sombra and freeing us all from his control they didn't believe me until stepping outside of their homes. With his death his curse on the weather is lifted and for the first time in decades we can feel the warmth of the sun. They are waiting for you outside of the castle, I think they want to see their savior." the old stallion said as he tried to bow down but was having trouble doing so.

Holding up my right small arm to stop him I lowered myself down close to his height.

"You do not need to bow before me old one, in your advanced age you might injure yourself and I will not have that. When you want to acknowledge my presence just bow your head or give me a nod, the elderly are the key to our past and we can not let that knowledge go to waste..."

Heeding my advice he stopped trying to bow and instead lowered his head by a few inches before rising back up. As for the horse beside him, I watched, well I know its a her because I noticed the softer features, slender build, bigger hips and that her voice is soft and meek...that or this a very effeminate stallion.

"My king, my name is Glittering Quill. I used to serve as Sombra's scribe, it was my job to record everything that happens in court, whenever he needed a reminder of what was said in court so he can review it and lastly to help him whenever foreign dignitaries arrived...but he always made them go back to wherever they came from or had them flayed if they...angered him." Quill said as she bowed before me, her greyish silver fur was only a few shades darker than that of her hair, her eyes appear to be hazel.

Glancing at the pair, I stood back up before walking back into my room motioning for them to come in. They looked around a bit as I started to put back on my armor, first was the leathery underskin to prevent chafing with the metal parts. After the leather sections came the rest of my armor, the pale blue metal pieces going where the belong. My shock swords and grenades lying on my bed as my shrapnel launcher rests beside the bed by itself due to its size. My helmet was the last part put on and with a distinct hiss my helmet seals itself off from the outside world, an unknown weight lifts as I find myself back in the comfort of my armor

"Glittering Quill, I will need any and all records on the Crystal Empire, its laws, taxes, military, economics, agriculture, any past allies and enemies. Anything that you think that may prove useful to restoring this kingdom to before Sombra's rise to power and those that came before him. I will make the Empire rise above the ashes of those that have ruined it. So much must be done to get this place back into shape and we are vulnerable to an attack from any outsider that wishes this place ill intent." I said as I left my private chambers. Both the old stallion and Glittering Quill followed me out and stayed behind me, even though they have been released from Sombra's control for at least two hours now, yet they did not bother to go home to see their families, if they are still alive...

"At once my king, will there be anything else you will require of me?" Quill said, her face showing signs of tiredness, I should do something nice for her to help spread that I am a benevolent ruler.

"Quill, when that is done go to your family, rest, and when tomorrow comes you may come back and be my scribe and assistant, I will accept your answer even if it is a no." I said. I sometimes wish I had Variks with me to be my scribe but then remembered he was the reason why I was sent to the Prison of Elders and was almost sent to the Nine as a gift...but then again Variks probably had his reasons being a member of the House of Judgment.

Before Quill could answer me we arrived at what must be a balcony of sorts. When we stopped I saw that surrounding the castle was a horde of horses, the entire population of the Crystal Empire was present and they were looking up at me.

"Wow...that is a lot of....uh..."

"Crystal ponies sir."

"Yeah, crystal ponies...right...we are going to need to keep them on a strict eating schedule, starvation can kill people but feeding them too much can cause a shock to their system and outright kill them. We will need to give them small portions and steadily increase over time so they don't die."

"I will get to it your majesty."

"Quill, it is not your majesty, it is Kell...majesty is for those born of royal blood and I, am not of a royal bloodline." I said as I started to wave with my upper left arm, the large limb waving at the masses and they started to cheer. Apparently when they heard that I had killed Sombra that they didn't believe it but upon seeing me they have been affirmed that he has been slain and will no longer terrorize them.

"Okay your maj- I mean my Kell, it will be done." Quill said before turning around and leaving, hopefully to meet her family first then get me what I will need to help this country recover after a long time of being a slave state.

"Its him! Its our savior!" I heard one of the many ponies shouted happily as they started to stomp their hooves, my guess that is their version of an applause since they don't have hands to do it with.

Before I know what happened next I felt the air around me start to energize with some strange energy and before I can figure it out I saw a wave of some kind blast through the air starting from underneath the castle and expanding outward, all of the ponies I saw started to glow brightly before changing.

Besides the ponies below everything around them started to glow brightly as well. The trees on the sidewalks, the buildings, the ground, hell even the sky started to glow brightly before it had expanded in a complete dome-like shape and stopped. Whatever that had just happened sure has hell transformed the landscape around the city into actual land instead of an endless sea of snow.

I saw grass lying beyond the streets, a few scattered trees and what looks like a partially formed grain field. The area outside of the city outskirts is a blizzard but once you're in the limits it drastically changes to sunny weather. I don't know how this happened but I am glad that it did. If this town was swept into the raging blizzard outside then it would have made the rebuilding efforts all the harder on my part.

'I wish my Ketch was here, those under my command could have helped construct a protective wall around the city to keep it safe and patrol the streets...just where the hell are my subordinates? Also where the hell are my friends? Did they see me vanish or are they still waiting for me at the convention or in the hotel room...eh fuck it one step at a time.'

"What is going on?!" I shouted as the ponies below and the old stallion behind me are still cheering, it took the old pony to answer my question as I looked on below, I don't know if it was some kind of time-stasis trap or a terraformer, either of the two could be bad if it ends up killing everyone here.

"It's the Crystal Heart sire!"

"Crystal Heart? What exactly is it?"

"Sire, the Crystal Heart is an artifact that once powered the Crystal Empire long before the days of King Sombra and the Alicorn Princesses in the south. The heart is powered by the ponies that live here when they are happy and the joy of their positive emotions surge into the crystal gemstone. Sombra stole the heart and used it to fuel his dark powers when he took over the kingdom...I am starting to remember who I am...I...I used to be the commander of the city watch, my name, my name is Shining Bastion at your service sire." the old stallion said as he tried to bow again but still couldn't even with the strange powers that the crystal heart is emanating from its core.

"Shining Bastion, what did I tell you about bowing, your advanced age is preventing you from overworking your body, just relax, enjoy yourself, the coming dawn is here and with it a new age." I said with pride and ambition in my voice, looking over the horizon as the sun rose up and shined light across my kingdom.

A week has passed since I had slain Sombra and took over the throne, apparently from what Glittering Quill has found,d it seems that Sombra had been hoarding the energy of the Crystal Heart for himself, making himself more powerful than the old two rulers of the Crystal Empire. It doesn't say their names but apparently he used to be their friend and when he had enough power, he stabbed them in the back and kicked them out. When they came back several years later they were strong enough to defeat him but in his defeat he took the kingdom with him, both fading from existence and just now when he was free from his banishment the kingdom came back as well.

I also learned that when the ponies were rejuvenated by the crystal heart they were no longer starving, tired, weak and had recovered their lost memories that Sombra had locked away. Several ponies were going back to their old jobs and lives, the farm fields are pretty much non-existence because all of it seems to be outside of the dome. We won't last long without a steady supply of food for these ponies, and seeing how we have no walls to protect yourself from the outside world. The new guards that that are being trained by Bastion are inexperienced which means that I am the main line of defense against the hostile world.

These ponies are strange creatures, first their names are also what their *snort* cutie-marks are which just so happen to be what their life talent is, second is that the six noble houses of the crystal ponies are all important families that are needed to keep this place flowing smoothly. When they tried to get disorderly I showed them Sombra's remains and they straightened up right quick, and thirdly I was told that there was a crystal mine outside of the city limits and that is where this place gets all of its building material for the homes, roads and for the guards.

Apparently everything within the empire is made of crystal, converted snow becomes something akin to Glimmer, grass is also akin to Glimmer, in fact everything that is made of crystals, with the exception of the ponies, can be converted into Glimmer. Seeing how that it is programmable matter it can be used as a working source of 3D printable material.

Then there is this one record that states this dome once used to stretch for miles in every direction, completely covering everything within its old borders before Sombra drained the crystal heart of its powers, weakening it to the point where it will only empower the city. How to make it stronger wasn't said but if it can grow in size and strength then it must be done, we must expand our borders because having a city-state will not do it for me.

I can only hope that nothing dangerous comes this way. Building a large enough wall to surround the city will take months if not a years to complete. We can easily get the materials from the crystal caves and mines in the surrounding mountains but these ponies lack a means of transporting them back and forth. Seems like I have to start thinking back and re-create a means to assist these ponies.

One can only hope that nothing comes our way.

Off in the distance, far from civilization, beyond the protective dome of the Crystal Empire a pony stops in its tracks and looks at the gleaming barrier that stands in the distance. Mesmerized by the brightly glowing pink dome the pony almost fell over and down the hill but managed to catch itself before spreading its wings and turning back, returning to its home.

This pony had to report that the Crystal Empire has returned.

Meeting of Minds

Rebuilding an Empire - Edited

Edited by Exaxxion

Three weeks have passed since I took over the Crystal Empire, Sombra is a skull and a pile of ashes, Glittering Quill is a chatty crystal pony that has taken a liking to her position as my scribe, and as for my commander of the watch, Bastion has proved to me that even though he is old he can still kick ass. There is proof to him kicking ass when he completely mopped the floor against six fresh recruits, he had a short wooden sword while the others had wooden spears and longswords.

The end result was amusing at best.

"A little to the left!"

"No my left!"

"Okay a little lower..."

"Alright you're good! Release the harness!"

As the last block of crystalline stone comes to a complete stop I watch as one of the crystal unicorns makes its horn light up like a flashlight, making the block solidify together to form a solid mass, completing the gatehouse at the southern road.

Apparently as a Fallen I had a knack for technology and with the house of inventors that live beside the castle, they are the ones responsible for creating the enchanting gems that line the streets which provide light when it is night time, a few different type of enchanted gems exist but the downside is that they are still discovering what their purposes are and how to recreate them.

Another thing I found out is that the Glimmer I am holding, I can use it to construct objects that I will need to survive here and the first thing I built with my Glimmer is a drill to extract more Glimmer from the land. For some reason this land is just filled to the brim with the stuff, that crystal heart seemed to have altered the atomic structure of everything within the doom to make it just like this wonderful material at the atomic and subatomic level. In essence I am surrounded by a bountiful harvest of Glimmer, the downside is that this 'bountiful harvest' is currently being used as buildings and homes, roads, trees, relaxing grass, chairs, windows, stools, bathrooms, the castle, Sombra's jar of ashes, the ponies and lastly the heart itself.

Only good side is that every day the dome is slightly growing, expanding my quite literally sphere of influence *bu-dum tist* but anyways here comes the bad news.

The first thing on the bad news list, we are running low of good ol' lumber which is bad because my plan to build a rudimentary skiff to glide across the snow to get to the crystal mines requires a hefty amount of wood to make the main body and the legs to move across the snow, second problem is that we only have two months of food left, without any new source of edible food they will start to starve in two months or so, thirdly the walls are still not complete.

Even though we have started building the wall with the gatehouses at the end of each main road leading to the castle it will still take us months to make sure that the walls are thick enough to not be broken down so easily and tall enough that they can't climb over it in a few seconds.

"Alright everybody, take a break and come back in a few hours to let the crystals harden, we must check it for structural integrity!" I am doing an archon's job, seeing how they are both the high priest and chief engineer for the Kell, how I know all of these things I don't know but I am glad that I do, it would be a catastrophe if all I knew was how to fight and kill and be a brutal dictator hellbent on making all of the Fallen Houses bow to my will and stealing the Great Machine for myself.

Putting down the various hammers that I was holding in my many arms I went back to my castle to check in on Quill and Bastion, Quill was taking notes on what the citizens need done, Bastion busy training the new batch of crystal guards, and on his suggestion we hired the head master of the blacksmithing training school to be our forge master and from what I am seeing at what these guards are using, spears and swords made out of crystal and metal fused together to be light yet highly durable.

I don't know how one can fuse metal and crystal together but this guy did it, don't know how but I will ask him later to divulge unto me this secret, if I can get an archon to upgrade our shock rifles and wire rifles with this combination it will make it lighter and possibly hit harder.

"Ah my Kell, welcome back, I have nothing new to report other than the obvious of needs of a few nobles that have requested us to find foreign entities to trade with for much needed supplies, food, building material and gold, the forge master wishes to see you and also the commander of the watch needs to see you, I guess he has taken your advice to heart...or just forgot and needs a reminder. At least with the steady growth of the dome that our grain farms have been restored so our food trouble has been partially quelled." Quill said before giggling to herself, and she does have that right to laugh, Bastion is old for a pony, he is pushing it at eighty-six years old and yet he is still taking his job seriously.

I was hoping that he would retire and give his second-in-command his rank and office but it seems that Bastion wants to see this through till the end, maybe being an old pony means you have to finish what you started till the day you die, I hope he hasn't missed any of his younger family's birthday parties because of his job.

'Bastion would have made an excellent Baron within the Wolves...it is a shame that we do not have a servitor here to collect his soul to be reformed into a new body...only time can tell me if we all have enough time to construct the servitors and everything else I will need to rebuild my Ketch and Kell Guard.'

"And my Kell, the noble houses are still waiting for your answer on which of their daughters you will marry?" Quill said as she laughed again at me, I learned that she is married to a stallion named Rock Weaver, a stonemason of sorts and he has proven his worth to me by creating the plans on how to build the city walls and gatehouses.

And that came the other problem to deal with from these noble houses, them trying to marry off their daughter to me. Seems like back then before Sombra that was how things were done, the head of the noble house would send their daughter to a different house or even to the royalty and have them wed to create a strong bond between the two families but there seems to be a problem with what they are trying to do.

Besides the obvious height difference, species difference and the fact I still can't tell what gender I am, it would be a great shocker to find out that I am a chick and I am then named Queen of the Crystal Empire...I wonder what my friends would say if they find out that Skolas was actually a chick and I went as her instead of him.

They would probably be laughing their asses off.

Another problem about them trying to marry them to me is that I am not a pony fucker, I have standards and one of them is that the girl must be human and since I am in another world, human-like at the very least, they must have breasts, a great ass, and an amazing personality. If I can't even find something that is close to human in appearance then I will lower my standards just a bit and if I still can't find a suitable partner then it looks like I will be stuck with good old Rosie Palms.

"Quill tell them to stop trying to wed their children off to me, have they not realized that I am bigger then them and their children? I might split them in half or worse injure them greatly that could render them sterile, I am not taking any chances."

'And I am not going to be sticking my dick in crazy, that is a life lesson I will never forget.'

"Will do, although it is funny when they try to flirt with you when you are busy, especially when you had your armor off and was hauling one of the giant crystal blocks."

"Quill I thought we agreed that never happened, how was I supposed to know that the daughter belonging to the house of knowledge was right beside me when all four of my arms was holding up the crystal block and she decided to make a move on me. She should be glade that I didn't crush her with the block." I growled out, my hands subconsciously going to the shock blades at my waist, I swear those nobles only care about what power they can hope to acquire by getting their daughter to marry me.

"I know, I know, but for now you are safe from her for she has been scolded and punished by her father." Quill said before going to the throne room, hopefully there is no one else trying to make demands already when we are struggling to get everything together.

Mentally closing my eyes I saw that my break is almost up and I must head back to the gatehouses and check on the ponies that are responsible for the structural integrity check but first I must check in with my new forge master and Bastion.

'Keep it together Ian, this will all be worth it in the end, the walls will be done, our farms will be working at maximum capacity, our mines delivering a steady stream of materials for construction and crafting uses and lastly fully trained guards that are capable of protecting the citizens instead of needing me to stay up all night.'

Walking to the armory within the castle which strangely is underneath the castle although the five supporting struts that are keeping castle up is somehow also a portal of sorts that leads from above the ground to below it. Ignoring the possible break in the laws of physics I manage to find my way to the forge master and saw that it wasn't a stallion as I had guessed, it was a mare, and by god was she big.

At first I thought it was a stallion because it had muscles that can be clearly seen in the red glow from the forge but it was a mare because of her body structure and that I saw what lies hidden behind those tails they have. Letting out a large cough to signify they I am here I see the mare look up with a hammer in her hoof and a horseshoe in the other before stopping her work and come trotting over to me. It take me long to see that this giantess of a mare also had a horn, I couldn't see at first until after she activated it to levitate a washcloth over to her forehead to wipe the sweat away.

"So you are the new king...well you are better then that old bastard ever was so far, well will see in the coming months and years won't we."

"Seems like we have made the right choice in picking you as our forge master, someone who isn't afraid of speaking their mind or is afraid of my visage. You and I will become the best of friends...with what I have in mind it will change the empire's military. A new age of warfare is coming with what the Eliksni has to offer and with it a means to secure ourselves against the world that might try to snuff out our light."

Snorting at me I see that her eyes are looking me over, mostly my armor and my swords, wondering how to recreate them if possible but when some time has passed I watched the forge-mistress as she circled me, looking me over, poking and prodding me as she felt the leather and metal before going to a desk with a glowing crystal hanging over it to give it enough like for me to see that it is her drawing table for plans and ideas.

"And what exactly do you have to offer hmm? Long before Sombra took power crystal weapons and armor was once seen as superior to all metal arms and armor as they didn't bend and break so easily when put under stress and they can be easily enchanted to be made more durable and not crack when struck. What can the 'Eliksni' offer us what we already don't have?" the forge-mistress said as she went back to work, apparently making what looks like a horseshoe like the one she was making when I first entered.

"I can offer you new siege weapons, trebuchets, ballistas, crossbows, and if we can gain access to gunpowder and steel then cannons and rifles, it will take gods know how long to produce what the Eliksni had at the time but I do believe it can be done." I said as I walked over to her table, looking at what her ideas were and I can say that they are exactly what the current guards are using.

'Spears and swords are nice but spears are thrusting only, they are primarily used to halt the advances of calvary but after that what then? It looks like I will be asking Quill to send writing supplies to my room, tonight I will be doing a lot of drawing the new weapons, schematics on how to build them and how to use.

"Hmph, we'll see, but for now I have work to do, when you have your sketches have someone bring them down and I'll see if it is doable." and with that said she returned to her task and started to smack her hammer against the metal shoe.

Giving her one last look I start to walk out the door but I stopped myself when I realized that I haven't even gotten her name.

"My name is Forge." was all she said with a grunt as she hammered the shoe into shape.

Before I could ask her about her name she stopped me.

"I know you are going to ask me why my name is after my job, don't bother asking, you haven't earned my respect to ask that question."

And just like that my curiosity was solved, if she wasn't willing to tell me why she is called Forge then there is nothing else to do but meet Bastion and see what he needs from me.

"Put your backs into it recruits! Swing harder! Watch your footing! Keep an eye on your opponent at all times or you just might lose your head! When the time comes for battle I do not want to see any heroics out of any of you! Trying to prove your worth can not only get you killed but those around you!" I heard Bastion shout out as I walk through the courtyard, my eyes scanning the new recruits and those that are training basic self-defense for personal reasons.

Walking up behind Bastion without alerting him I let my two large arms go behind my back as my lower ones stay by my side, wondering exactly when will Bastion realize that I am right behind him as he makes his rounds on the training field.

"You! That is not how you use a sword!" Bastion roared out as the recruit that was the focus of his ire drops his sword and gets whacked across the face by his sparring partner.

"Bucking idiot, YOU! Recruit! Take him to the medical ward in the castle to get him checked out then come back and find a different sparring partner, and you two! What are you both staring at? Get back to practice!"

"You have such a way with your recruits Bastion." I said as soon as we finally stop walking, it took Bastion a while to realize who spoke and when he did he just stood there looking at the recruits on the yard.

"When you get to my age and have to deal with these foolish colts then you can agree or disagree with the way I am teaching them." Bastion said as we watched a different group of recruits fight it out with a pair of wooden spears.

"Bastion, I am well over three hundred years old, I think I am already past your age unless you ponies are older than you actually look." turning our attention to a group of unicorn guards practicing their magic on a group of training dummies. One of them took a group out by placing a dome on top of them and applied pressure, snapping the stands on the dummies forcing them to drop to the ground before being lightly crushed under the pressure. That would be useful in capturing runaway hostiles. The other guards are either using their magic to levitate a number of weapons and using them as a barrage of blows or using some other means of attack.

One guard in particular caught in my eye, this guard was creating a fireball at the tip of his horn and when he let it go and arced it towards the end of the range, when it hit the lead dummy it broke apart and kept on going, splashing the dummies behind it and watched as they caught fire and burned.

I am not sure if it is me but for a moment I thought I heard him laughing insanely and that was when I saw his mark, it was a Molotov Cocktail that was on fire. This guy just might be my future demolition expert.

"You wanted to see me about something Watch Commander?"

"Yes, we need to bolster our ranks with new recruits, with what we got we can't patrol beyond our borders safely let alone hold the crystal mines in the south. With what we currently have available we can only protect this city from almost any incursions with the exception of a dragon attack or an opposing army."

Stroking my rebreather mask I started to ponder on how to get more guards and then it hit me, put up recruiting posters around the city, even if it doesn't get us the amount we need, it can still tell the population that if you are unemployed you can find a place with the guards.

With that done I left the training to Bastion and before I have even left the yard I can hear him yelling at another group of recruits screwing up.

Posting recruiting posters throughout the city will take time and energy but I know that once it is done we will have more guards that can be placed outside of the barrier to patrol the snow lands and see if there is anything amiss, it is best to know what we are dealing with then find out at the last minute.

Starting tonight I will be on guard duty alongside with two new guards to ease them into their daily patrols and if they do good enough with their training they just might be promoted to be a part of my Kell Guard. Waiting by the crystal heart which is still glowing brightly and rotating slowly I stood there looking at it almost in a trance-like state, its soft pink light bathing me in its light and before long my eyes saw the heart start to react strangely to my presence.

At first I thought it was a trick of the light cause after all it is just a pink rotating heart glowing brightly, what else can it do? With my eyes on the heart I watched it start to spin faster, almost reacting to my form but I don't know why it is, I mean if it reacts to ponies by making them all happy and joyful I don't know what it can do to me.

Small thin wisps of light start to seep and twist out and away from the heart, forming a long trail of energy. I watched this trail start to snake its way toward me and before I could react by phase-shifting backwards the tendril of energy lashed out and made contact with my forehead, connecting a bridge between myself and the heart as my mind goes blank.

'What the hell is going on? Why can't I move my body? Why can't I see anything? And why am I naked?'

I was by myself and I was in my human body, I was me again with the exception I was butt-ass naked with not a shred of dignity to my name as I floated aimlessly in a plain white abyss.

'What the hell is that?'

Without even knowing what is going on I started to float towards what looks like the crystal heart but it is a magnitude larger than what I have seen back in the waking world.

Floating closer to the giant crystal heart I felt waves of energy assault my body, each wave at first doing nothing but making me feel rejuvenated but as I got closer I started to see my body having outlines and I realized that it was of the Fallen I was dressed up as for the convention. Once I am right up in front of the heart I am nothing more than an ever shifting blur between human and eliksni but before I could touch the smooth flawless surface I was stopped when the waves of energy stop assaulting me and instead opt to become one solid beam and blasted me dead center in the head.

'Whoa...its looking at my memories...and...Skolas's memories? These aren't mine?'

'OF COURSE THOSE AREN'T YOURS! THOSE ARE MINE!'

'What are you doing here inside my head!'

'FOOL THIS IS MY BODY YOU USURPER!'

'Like you even need it anymore! You lost the right to speak up when you got your ass kicked by a bunch of Guardians and their floating mechanical eyeball. Your little plan to unite the Fallen houses have failed, your plan to use Vex technology to rule the other houses as failed, face it you are a failure.'

'YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE DONE BETTER!'

'I know I could have done better, you declared your failure as soon as you broke away from the Reef by killing everything within your path with those under your command and ruined all chances of success. You should have quietly broke away from the Awoken, discreetly try to recruit the other Fallen to your cause and not created such a scene at the Vault of Glass or at the Terminus, because of that you signed up your own downfall.'

'THAT IS NOT HONORABLE!'

'So says the disgraced Kell that got two of his rivals killed off with trickery, and even your first attempt to rule the House of Wolves you still lost due to Variks betraying you. You reached for a prize that is far out of your grasp, stay back in the shadows and watch someone else succeed where you have failed.'

'A WEAKLING LIKE YOU WILL NEVER BE KELL OF ANYTHING! NOT OF THE ELIKSNI NOR OF THESE PATHETIC FOUR-LEGGED CREATURES!'

'This weakling has proved you wrong, with your body as my own I have killed a tyrant slaver, freed his slaves from his control and started to restore the pony empire back to its proper state as a power with your banner. I have done more right than you ever have, your ambition is commendable but it is misplaced.'

'I'LL KILL YOU HUMAN!'

Before Skolas could do anything even though we are pretty much melded together the beam that was connecting us to the heart retreated back into itself.

The pink waves of energy that once exuded out from the heart stopped for a moment before returning back to its usual wave-motion pattern but it also started to exude out a pale blue wave as well and that was when I noticed it had the same strange energy that the Fallen would release when they were ritualistically offered scavenged matter to a servitor to produce ether but this one is doing so without breaking down anything offered to it.

Another thing I noticed about the two differing waves of energy is that the pink one is joy and love which is making everything all sparkly and crystalline but this blue wave also had something else to it beside ether...it felt like...ambition...loyalty? Can that really be given out to the masses without their being any negative repercussions?

For a moment I thought it was over and it was just me and Skolas in here but when I waited for him to shout at me for stealing his body nothing came, I looked around and expected to see a ghostly form of him waiting for me to see him but instead there was nothing but myself, my body was gone and all that was left was the body of a Fallen Kell.

We have been merged completely, body and it seems mind and I am the dominating trait.

Before I could ponder any longer on this strange issue I was forced out of this state of mind and thrust back into the waking world.

Falling on my back I was staring up at the bottom of the caste and blinked away the whiteness and when it was gone I looked down to see that the crystal heart was still there, spinning on its pedestal but it was now shifting between pink and pale blue. At first I thought it was just a trick of the light but there it was, glowing between the two colors, radiating love and joy one moment then releasing ambition and loyalty in the same amount as the other two emotions but it felt more raw, not refined as love nor joy but it was there.

"My Kell are you alright!" I heard one of the new guards that have been assigned to me shout as I hear multiple pairs of hooves come rushing my way as I struggled to get up.

Pushing myself off the floor I shook my head to clear away the disorientation and stars from my vision as I looked around to see what was wrong and I saw clearly what it was, the hallucination of the crystal heart pulsing pink and blue was real, what happened when the crystal heart made contact with me and Skolas happened and now every single crystal pony was now absorbing the new gift that the heart was giving out.

"Yes...I am alright...it is nothing." I said as I waved them off, I was too busy staring at the crystal heart as I watched a thin wisp of ether rose from the heart and drifted over to me before being absorbed by my body, refreshing it with whatever nutrients it provided to me.

Whatever I did in there it has changed the way the crystal heart operates in a small way while still making it the sole thing that is keeping these crystal ponies happy.

"Everything is fine..." I said as a small grin starts to form underneath this breathing mask, already the gears are turning inside my head as I realize what the new wave of emotions will do to the ponies within the kingdom.

With a fresh wave of ambition these ponies will start to come up with new ways to get things done, new ways to create inventions or re-invent industry to be easier and flawless. Where one would have to create an overly large complex machine to get a task done these ponies will now do it with something smaller, more efficient. Ambition will go a long way to improve this nation but it is nothing without intelligence and success.

"Everything...is fine...return to your posts, tomorrow...we have work to do." and with that said the two guards that were assigned to me saluted before returning back to their posts on opposite ends of the heart, staring at the open areas beyond the castle, looking for any possible threats out there.

'Tomorrow will be a good day.'

A year, I have been here for a year now and a lot has changed since then. First things that have changed was that the dome has expanded out from one mile around the city, the dome is now a hundred-fifty miles in diameter and that it has revealed to everyone that we now have not one but six grain fields, several vegetable and fruit acres, a large forest and also a lake that seems to be teeming with fish.

When the barrier started to advanced far away from the city I thought it was the crystal heart's way of marking its boundaries but with each passing week it kept on expanding, changing the landscape into what it was prior to its banishment and I can say this, it is an amazing change. With this sudden change in the environment it comes with an influx of new materials such as stone, lumber, grains, metal and crystals and with these new materials new inventions.

With Forge creating the new weapons and armor that I have drawn up for her I have seen an increase in injuries on the guards because they had to train with the new glaives, crossbows, ballista, primitive grenades and with the trebuchets. It was funny when they were using the trebuchets, one of the guards got caught in the rope and got launched out of the city and into the snow. We forever dubbed that poor bastard Unlucky Nob and he does not like that name. Of course with the new weapons came new armor, chainmail, and with it came the protection of arrows, slashing weapons and stabbing weapons. I had asked Forge to make the chainmail rings at a 4:1 pattern of riveted rings of 16 gauge thickness and was made of wrought iron.

Another thing that caught Forge's eye was my shock grenades, she managed to recreate them but they are poor replicas as they don't shock for a few seconds but instead explode with the power of a thunderclap, very explosive, electrical and it sticks to any surface.

Then came the ballista and crossbows, these ponies couldn't use these very effectively unless they were unicorns, the crossbows the unicorns can use while the ballista can by everyone else, I made it easier to reload both weapons by using a crank on top, they just have to use their forearm to drag it back and use their hoof to put a bolt in the slot. Aiming it the ballista took them weeks to master but the few that mastered them are on the wall stationed by them.

And speaking of the wall, it is done, apparently having unicorns that are also construction workers have helped speed up the process by a hundred percent. With the fresh supply of crystalline stone to build the walls we have made them the perfect thickness to prevent an easy breach and also made them the perfect height which was thirty feet high. I also had implanted the idea that at each gate house and between each one is a small fortress filled with a supply of arrows, explosive canisters for trebuchets and ballista bolts.

Then came the inventions, Human technology being implemented into the empire society, some of the new inventions was the refrigerator, the airship (which is pretty much a zeppelin but the balloon is inside and is protected from hostile fire), a hot water heater (how these ponies never bothered to create one is beyond me but then again they are currently in the medieval era so giving them a leg up is nice), telescopes and binoculars (took plenty of trial and error), and actual streets lights that are enchanted crystals that collects sunlight and uses it to be activated at night.

When these things were invented it took us five months for us to get it right and several failures but with them completed the ponies here are more happy. With these happy ponies it has helped them feed the crystal heart which then helped it increase the rate of land reclamation.

Our military is looking strong, the steady rate of our technology is going up, our stockpile of grains, vegetables and fruits are slowly rising and now my dream of creating a Skiff is coming close, the combination of technology and magic will make this dream a reality.

Now if only if I can figure out why Forge is getting jealous whenever the noble houses talk about marriage when they discuss it with me.

Ending an Old Threat

Strangers at the Gates - Edited

Edited by Exaxxion

"Are you sure this is safe Forge?"

"Of course its safe! Just because it was enchanted by some snobbish fop in the House of History doesn't mean that they would purposely try to kill you off, cause if they did kill you then they would get run out of the empire after getting tarred and feathered."

"But you tested this earlier right?"

"Just turn it on already I have more important things to do then see you standing there scared of pulling a lever."

"Fine, but if this kills me then it will all be on you."

"Whatever, just hurry up, this cannon of yours won't get built if you keep stalling me."

And with a quick prayer to the gods I grab the lever and pulled it back slowly, and once it reached its zenith I heard a loud CLICK and before I could realize what it was I watched as a curtain drops from the ceiling to reveal a long staff. Looking at Forge then to the staff I gave a shrug of ignorance before walking over to it, looking it over I found that this staff is as tall as I am, thick enough to be used as a weapon, and the head of it has the Wolves banner sigil made into it on all four sides almost like a diorama.

Grabbing the staff from its stand I look it over, turning it over in my hands as I saw that it was finely crafted out of metal, this will make a mighty fine staff for the throne room.

"Kell, if you look at the middle of the staff you will see a button, press it."

Without even thinking I looked around the staff and found the button, at first I was going to be cautious with it but then I threw caution to the breeze and pushed the button.

SCHWINK

A single blade shoot out from the top of the staff, the blade is two blades intersecting each other and they are serrated.

Giving the bladed staff a few twirls to get a feel for its weight I started to move it between arms, interchanging arms to see which it would go great with if I ever had to fight with it and Forge was watching me the entire time.

"I take it that you are enjoying yourself with your new toy." Forge said as she smirks to herself, watching me twirl around with an impromptu spear.

"Yes, I am enjoying myself, but you mentioned enchantments earlier, what are they?"

"The standard ones, increased sharpness, increased durability, lighter, and it has a special function."

"Special function? And let me guess, I must find out on my own?"

"No, just hold the staff with both hooves...whatever you have and squeeze it tightly."

Without even thinking or listening I squeezed the staff and like magic (bu-dum tist) the end of the staff gave off a faint glow before crackling with electricity and with a KA-BLAM a bolt of energy discharges at the staff's point but it disperses not two feet away from its point of origin.

"It could use a bit more range on that shot."

"It' not meant to kill things from afar, its meant to be stabbed into something and destroyed from the inside like a heavily armored opponent or dragons." dragons are notorious for being rogues and attacking anything that has value. They are like diamond dogs but worse seeing how they can fly and shoot molten fire from their mouths.

Ech, diamond dogs, raiders and miners, they are like dwarves and orcs of dungeons and dragons lore except they are dogs, they are clan-based and their alpha is the leader, they prefer stealing gemstones and ponies to be their slaves. That right there put them on my 'Capture or Kill' list if they are ever encountered within my kingdom, slavers will never be tolerated. And as for dragons, I can't really force them from my land but if they ever attack my city and any towns that might form up in the future then they are good as dead.

"Such a wonderful gift, thank you Forge." I said as I loomed towards the giantess of a mare and hugged her, the Skolas within me is raging against such a move while the me says to do it because she gave me an awesome weapon.

When I hugged her I felt her body tense up for a moment before slacking and returning the hug, for a giant pony that is rippling with muscles and is well...pretty much a roided out horse with a magical horn she can be very soft, that fur of hers is soft on what little comes into contact with my skin. But of course she is also sweaty as hell and just coated my armor with horse sweat, it could be worse, she could be in heat and covered me with both musky smell and sweat.

I am glad I can't smell anything with my rebreather on cause when ponies sweat it is bad, I mean imagine a gym full of sweaty dudes, now magnify that by five, or better yet just dunk your head in a gym bag full of dirty clothes that haven't been washed in a while. To ponies that is a normal bad funk but to me, it is pretty damn nasty, almost enough to choke me out but not enough to render me disabled.

Breaking off the hug I saw for a moment a smile on Forge's muzzle before it vanished and her frown returned, this girl is never happy I swear to god, its like something crawled up her ass and died.

"Now Forge, is there anything else you will need down here? Extra helpers? More tools perhaps?"

"Nah, I'm good down here big guy, now get your ass back upstairs, I'm sure little miss gossipy Quill has something to yammer on about with you." and there is the Forge I know and love, all tough and gritty while still remaining soft where it counts.

Leaving the forge-mistress to do her work I left with my staff in tow, my shrapnel launcher taking a backseat for now as I climb the stairs back up to the surface and from the looks I am getting from the servants working at the castle and from my own staff, I can assume that they can smell the strong sweat stank that Forge left on me.

Shining Pearl, my treasury manager and also one of the few crystal ponies I have seen that actually wears clothes on a daily basis. Pearl is a unicorn mare with a grey coat and an electric blue mane done up in a ponytail (bu-dum tist) with matching electric blue eyes, she wears what looks like business attire that consists of a white long-sleeve shirt with a black business suit over it. This girl is very serious, takes her job seriously, has no humor and she does not like Quill at all, those two are like exact opposites and when they are in the same room they grate on each others nerves before one of them snaps, mostly Pearl snaps first unless something upsets Quill during the day.

"My Kell."

"Ms. Pearl."

"I have this last month's tax reports in your office and I will have this month's tax reports to you by tomorrow morning." Pearl says as she levitates her cup of black coffee to her lips and takes a sip before levitating it back beside her.

"Excellent, thank you Ms. Pearl."

"It is no problem my Kell...and it would seem that you have visited Forge this evening."

"Is her sweat really that strong that you managed to pick it up?"

"My Kell, I have grown up with Ms. Forge since we were fillies, when I was playing with my dolls she was playing with the colts strong hoofing them into submission and she always was one to let her actions speak for her then use her head and her words to solve a problem. She was a troublesome filly back then and she is still a troublesome filly, but only now she is larger than all of us, stronger than any stallion here besides yourself and her magic is not something to sneeze at. Growing up with her taught me to always stay on her good side, regardless of what was going on because I value my neck a lot more then others, her temper is one of the things I have learned to not be the center of focus for along with her anger. By the time we got our cutie-marks and grew up she was signing up to be a royal guard but got rejected for being rough with the recruits, giving the instructor a black eye and for knocking out the recruiter by bucking her in the face while I was busy taking lessons on how to be a banker for my family's bank." Ah yes, I forgot that Ms. Shining Pearl was a member of House Gilded Coin, the wealthiest noble family in the Empire and seeing how their daughter now works for the 'King' they have a close connection to me.

"Naturally her sentence from the old rulers would have been several years in prison for assaulting a royal guard but instead decided to use her anger as an apprentice blacksmith and several years later she becomes one of the best smiths there is, followed by Sombra's usurpation of the throne and our banishment to now, his death and your rule. It would seem her temper and isolation from everypony else has done something to quell that anger of hers but if she was to see the stallion she has her eyes on talking to another mare like myself then she just might show that anger of hers in a way that just might warrant imprisonment or an execution." Shining Pearl says as she looks at me with a piercing stare, I am wondering why she is doing so but then again that is pretty much her normal stare.

"Wow, that is rough...whoever gets her is in trouble. That's a real ball buster right there." I said as I start to think on who could possibly be the center of her affection.

"Indeed, although I have heard that there are some stallions that like to be dominated by a strong mare but then again if they ever got in the same bed with Forge then they just might give up on coitus in general."

"I doubt that any stallion would give up sex if they had to spend a night of bumping uglies with Forge, they might feel scared of messing up when they are around her at best. And at worst they are pretty much her bitch." I said as I think about who could the poor sucker be.

"Such a way with words my Kell, although would a little bit of common courtesy be nice when talking with you? Your words are sometime... vulgar and crude, I am sure as a Kell of whatever it was that you used to rule had much better mannerisms then this?" Ms. Pearl says as she blanches back a bit, she is way too uptight for her own good, she might need to get laid if she is to ever unwind and relax.

"Ms. Pearl, being a Kell has nothing to do with mannerisms and language, we have a massive crew to keep in line, we don't have the time or patience to be all nice and tidy, it's a tough and gritty world out there." I said as I see a passing patrol of six guards, four of them are holding the new glaives while the two in the middle are holding large crossbows with their magic.

"Ruffians then, well at least you are more civilized than Sombra ever was, just make sure that you don't accidentally set this kingdom on fire." Pearl said before trotting past me before stopping.

"And before I leave you to your duties, do try to clean yourself off, I think I smell something more than just Forge's sweat on you...but then again knowing how insufferable that mare is that is probably just old sweat mingling with the new." eww...that is gross.

"Will do, have a good evening Ms. Pearl."

"And you to my Kell." and with that said we went our separate ways, I went to my room and Pearl went...wherever it is she is going to.

For a daughter of a noble house I have yet to see her try to paw for my affection and win me over to marry her, maybe she already has her eye on somebody else?

Pony showers are grossly too small for me to use so when I had to first use them I had to strip myself down to nothing, squat and shuffle my way in, but now that we have more construction materials that was then used to renovate my bathroom to fit my body height and shape and a bit of my standards as well. From a room of royalty it then shifts into what is pretty much a sauna and by the gods it is an amazing bathroom, wood floors, scented candles, self-cleaning bathtub and lastly an armor stand to hold my heavy ass protective body armor.

When I arrived to my room I immediately went straight to the bathroom, stripped down piece by piece and scrubbed each piece down with the thick brush that was placed in here for me.

I learned a few months ago that when my craving for a snickers bar came around I asked one of the servants if they knew if there was any candy stores within the city and they pointed me to one but when I got there I made a fatal error.

You see these ponies are in an area where everything takes on the properties of crystals even though they are still whatever they are before the transformation, and well their candy are also like crystals, their lollipops are crystals on a stick, they have the pop rocks but without the pop, rock candy necklaces, and god-forbid they even have ice-cream but it's not entirely crystals, its more like a...what's the word I am looking for...oh yea, its like a slushie of sorts but it doesn't melt and turn into a sugary drink.

And now because I didn't realize that at the time I am now stuck with a bag of rock candy that I can't even eat because my thin-needle teeth would probably miss and I might choke on it. I do not want a tombstone that reads 'Here lies Skolas, choked to death on a piece of rock candy.' and I sure as hell will never hear the end of it from the people in the afterlife.

Once my armor has been cleaned of horse sweat I donned it and went back on my daily routine of checking those under my command, walking the streets to talk to the citizens, train in the courtyard with the guards, give Forge new ideas, give the eggheads in the smart house the family-friendly ideas to better the empire and lastly having my afternoon tea with Pearl as she tries to teach me manners which so far is failing badly. I was never one for the exquisite manners or acting like a nobleman at an expensive party trying to be somebody I am not.

"You know my Kell, you may not be the best in showing polite manners but at least you know how to treat a mare with respect and kindness, but you do need to work on your dancing, you got two left hooves."

"My mother raised me right, showing respect to women was one of the key points she hammered into me along with being nice to them. And as for manners I know about them and how to use it when I need to but when you're trying to teach me all of the different forks, spoons and knives that are associated with a noble party then I just might use the wrong one to make a point."

"Please don't my Kell, they would show you the correct utensil to use before killing you with it."

"They can try to kill me but they won't live long enough to enjoy their spoils."

"That I can believe, you have the undying loyalty of your subjects."

"Do I have your undying loyalty?"

"Yes but I won't take an arrow for you, I rather not have blood on my nice suit."

"Glad to know that you care about me Ms. Pearl."

"Mmhmm...*sip* good that you know, if it wasn't for you then this kingdom would be falling apart at the seams with a power mad unicorn sitting on top of the drained husks that was once his subjects."

"Then it was a good thing that I came in when I did, it would be a shame if Sombra did anything to damage that pretty face of yours." I said with a hint of flirtatious intent to mess with the treasury accountant.

"Oh my, is my Kell trying to be make a move on little ol' me? Oh what would your subjects think if they find out that their king was courting his master of coin? Oh such scandalous behavior will surely raise questions on such a thing began! I can see it now 'The Emperor of the Crystal Empire courting his Master of Coin? Will we see a new Empress to stand beside our Emperor or is this a concealed fling!'."

"Yeah, the city criers would do such a thing but each of them would add their own spin to it, I know for a fact that one of them would shout that I am seeking a harem, another would say that I am being bound and gagged while we do the deed, and probably that I am a monster that sucks out the brains of my victims turning them into zombies."

"Kell it can't be that bad..." Pearl said before I gave her a flat stare, somehow she got the picture and continued, "Okay it can be that bad, it was just one time that they did that."

"Pearl they said that I was sleeping with the two baking twins and Glittering Quill, I don't even know how they made up that one but that is still making me cringe."

"Oh hush you, we all know that you got a good laugh out of it." I hate to admit it but I did get a good hardy laugh out of it, I think I might have scared a few of the crystal ponies when they heard me laugh.

"That I did, but for now we must cut our conversation short, it would seem that I am going to be late inspecting our new auxiliary recruits." and with that said I got up and did a small bow to Shining Pearl before pushing in my chair and leaving her office and walked down to the training field.

It was during my walk to the courtyard did I feel a disturbance, like insects crawling all over my skin and before I could figure out what it could mean it was gone. Maybe it was just my body reacting to that bag of crystal rock candy I had earlier.

Far from the Empire's border, several ponies and a young dragon crested over a snowbank and set their eyes upon what was supposed to be a cold, decrepit city but instead they saw a shining beacon of civilization standing alone against the blizzards of the Frozen North. A colossal transparent pink and light blue dome surrounding the city and beyond with the edges of the barrier a mixture of reclaimed land and glittering snow.

"But...how?" a confused Princess Cadence said as she trotted ahead of the other ponies, too shocked and confused to fully comprehend what she is seeing. "Why would Sombra activate the crystal heart knowing it would just banish him out of the empire?"

Shining Armor and the rest of the guards that have been assigned to him are in the same boat as their princess, they were told about the empire and who was in charge but they knew little about the heart.

"Maybe he was growing bored and turned it on to see what it would do?" Spike said as he rode on Twilight's back, his stubby legs wouldn't have allowed him to trudge through the thick snow.

"Spike you don't understand, if he turned it on then he would be outside of the barrier...and out here with us." Twilight said as everyone around her realize that with the dome on that King Sombra is out there with them, probably is already watching them right now.

While everyone was realizing what was just said, one pony thought it was a better idea to run ahead over everyone else and go straight to the giant glowing dome.

"Princess Cadence, wait!"

Shining Armor and the six mares behind him snap out of their musings from the shouting of a guard as they look to see Princess Cadence taking flight and heading straight to the Crystal Empire.

"Should we go after her, Captain?"

"No, I am sure she can take care of herself, with Sombra outside of the barrier we have to take care of ourselves for now, get into a circle formation around the elements and keep them safe, I will lead us in." Shining said as the other guards saluted at him before moving around the mares and started to look around.

"Cadence what are you getting yourself into..." Shining mumbled to himself as a gust of cold wind slashes across his face, making him wince at how sharp it was before pressing forward with the guards, girls and Spike in tow.

While the equestrian ponies slowly made their way down the snowbank a figure lying just beyond their line of sight slowly slides where they were standing earlier and looks to where they are going before following after them, keeping some distance to not be detected.

Sharp Tack was having a great day, his date with his marefriend went well last night, he got kissed on the cheek and had a pleasant dream before waking up the next morning and found that he was given a promotion to private first class from his old rank of private. He went from patrolling the empty halls of the palace to patrolling the walls and streets of the city and he loved every second of it.

It was on his new patrol route did some strange happen to him, you see being an earth pony with a yearning desire to fly has him constantly daydreaming about flying with the birds or with the pegasi guards with a pair of wings of his own. And with him on the wall he was just a few steps away from having a rather short flight but it would be a flight nonetheless for him although he would be in a lot of pain if he did so.

During one of his many daydreams was he snapped out of it when he saw something flying right at him and he was not prepared to see that it was another pegasus coming over the gate and he thought it was just a scout coming back from a long range patrol but when he saw that this pony was not slowing down per orders but instead sped up.

"Halt! State your intentions!" Sharp shouted as he raised his glaive in a defensive manner but was promptly ignored by the speeding pink pegasus.

When Sharp tried to get the unknown flyer to stop he was once again ignored, and when the flyer was within distance to see clear details he saw the strangest of things in his entire life right next to seeing the new king of the empire.

As the pink flyer got closer he saw that this pegasus also had a horn on its head and when Sharp could see the color of its eyes he noticed that the fly was not a feminine looking stallion, but instead it was a mare and the same race of pony that once ruled over this kingdom before Sombra usurped the throne.

Before he could even question what he is seeing, the flyer in question flew right over him, ignoring his shout to stop flying and land, and kept on flying until she stopped and landed right in the middle of one of a busy markets that dot the city.

"OH buck...Bastion is going to have my flank for this..." Sharp muttered to himself before taking his glaive and took a few steps towards the edge of the wall, and one step too many and promptly fell over the side of the wall.

"Oh bollocks! Oomph!" Sharp was about to be in a world of pain if it wasn't for a giant mare that just so happened to be standing right next to the wall when he landed.

Looking at the mare in question he saw that it was a gate guard and she was looking at him with the look of amusement on her face before she turned her head back to a different guard that was on duty with her.

"See that sister, I told you that I can get a stallion to mount me, except this one is doing it wrong." the giantess said as she laughed heartily, almost throwing the private off her back and onto the crystal stone below her.

"Hammer, I don't think that this one is trying to get you to form the eight-legged beast, it more looks like he is in a hurry to get away from you." her sister, Morningstar said as she trotted toward Hammer, snickering under her breath as Sharp Tack started to panic at what might be happening to him soon if he doesn't get off of Hammer's back.

"Nonsense! This stallion is eager to please a mare and I am sure he wants it as well as I do." Hammer said as Sharp Tack tries to scramble off of her back.

"N-no! There is an intruder that just flew over the wall and landed in Diamond Square!" Sharp shouted quickly as he started to grow pale at the thought of one or both of the giant mares having their way with him, he is too young to die by a crushed pelvis.

"*sigh* Fine...you get off easy this time. Sister you want this one or shall I go with our little jumper here." Hammer said as she gives a flirtatious wink to Sharp Tack who kept getting paler.

"I got this one, you need to cool yourself off before you jump on a stallion without his permission." Morningstar said which earned a snort from Hammer before turning back and pushed Sharp Tack of her sister's back and onto the floor.

"Come on little pony, we got an intruder to catch." Morning said before grabbing her large spiked mace from the wall beside her and hefted it over her back.

With a nod from Sharp Tack the two guards raced off toward where the pink intruder has landed.

As soon as the two guards started to gallop toward the marketplace Hammer waited a few moments until they vanished around the corner of the street before going on top of the gatehouse, and promptly grabbed the alarm horn and blew it, letting the horn emit a loud, bellowing sound that started a chain reaction throughout the city.

"Did you hear that?" a startled Spike said as he gripped onto Twilight's neck tighter as the loud blaring sound raced through the tundra lands around them.

"Yes, we did Spike, that sounded like an alarm. Cadence is in trouble!" Rainbow Dash shouted before lifting off and flying straight to the barrier, going through it without any trouble before disappearing from sight as the barrier blurred her appearance as she becomes more distant from the rest of her friends.

"Dash! Wait! Ah buck..." Twilight said as she raised a hoof in an attempt to talk her out of making a rash decision but was too late.

"Do we go after her or stay with them?" one of the guards said as he looked around, feeling a bit scared at the fact they just lost two ponies although they left by choice to go straight to the barrier and the empire that lays within.

"We have to get to the barrier now, we don't know if Sombra is out here with us and we won't stand a chance out here in the cold." Shining Armor shouted over everyone who was starting to get worried/ freaking out and when everyone turned to look at him and when they realized that he was right they picked up the pace right up to the barrier.

Pressing a hoof against the transparent barrier he waited to see if there was anything that might react to his presence but instead he felt nothing but warmth. Once he found that the dome wasn't going to harm him he pressed through and came out the other side on soft snow that has thinned out right at the edge of the dome.

As soon as he went through the dome it was quickly followed by the rest of the guards, Twilight and her friends and Spike whom all looked around expecting the worst to happen but instead felt the warmth of the sun beating on them and the gentle breeze across their muzzles.

"This...isn't what I was expecting." Twilight said as she looked around, clearly confused and in awe at the same time

"Come on, we have to find Cadence and Rainbow Dash!"

And with that said the group of equestrian ponies galloped towards the city in the distance, unaware that right behind them was a pony wearing pale blue armor, crystalline goggles and a pair of ski's.

Once they were gone from sight for a second time the crystal pony in question ruffled through his pack and pulled out a finely crafted horn before pressing his lips and blew it twice, alerting those that can hear it.

Intruders are within the Crystal Empire, and they are armed.

Landing in the middle of a busy market with dozens of crystal ponies big and small surrounding her on all sides looking at her in a mixture of awe and confusion, unsure of who she is and where she came from but one thing was certain for them.

This was an alicorn, wearing royal attire and she was alone.

Once the crowd got an eye full of the strange royal pony they went back to their business but kept an eye on her, suspicious as to why she is here in the first place and what her intentions are.

To Princess Cadence she was flabbergasted, why were these ponies so happy, why are out and about in a merry fashion when King Sombra is still alive?

"Excuse me, miss" the pink alicorn asked a passing crystal pony in front of her whom stopped and looked a bit uneasy before stopping herself to talk to the strange alicorn. "Where is King Sombra?"

"He is in the palace sitting in a jar by the throne." the mare said, her hoof scrapping against the floor feeling unsure about this situation she is in.

"In a jar? Has he gone insane?" Princess Cadence said as she raised an eyebrow, confused as to why Sombra would be sitting in a jar.

"No, his ashes." the mare said simply as she looked around herself, still not sure if she should be talking to this stranger. "Emperor Skolas killed Sombra after he shot him with a black crystal shard then he set him on fire! He ran him through when he had his back turned and then he had his body turned to ashes and are now on display next to the throne."

Princess Cadence visibly blanched away from the mare as she stepped back away from her.

'How can somepony so easily kill another and then mutilate his body by setting it on fire! This Emperor Skolas must be several times worse than Sombra! How are these innocent ponies not cowering in fear while this monster still lives and rules over them!'

When Cadence had enough room she took flight yet again but this time she heard the sound a horn being blown but she shook her head and flew straight to the palace, in her head she had to put a stop to this new threat before it could harm her little ponies.

"Aw damn it! She isn't here..." Private Sharp Tack said as he and his temporary partner Private Morning Star come to a complete stop in the center of the market, looking around for any sign of the pink intruder. The blaring of the warning horn behind them sounded off, instructing every single citizen of the Crystal Empire that there was an armed intruder within the walls.

"Wait a second...a feather...she took flight!" Morning Star said as she looked at the feather before turning her eyes from the crowd on the floor to the open skies above them.

"There! She's heading to the palace!" Sharp Tack shouted just as a passing patrol came around the bend, immediately moving through the masses of civilians before stopping in front of the mismatched guards.

Once the pair told the guards what is going on they quickly stormed through the crowd and headed straight for the palace, knowing that this unknown alicorn intruder could be a threat to the empire and to their emperor.

It was when they started to march through the front gates of the palace did they hear the sound of the horn a second time did they realize that something is very wrong here and every single guard and citizen had to mobilize.

They can only hope that the emperor can hold out long enough for help to arrive.

"What do you mean you haven't heard of me!" an annoyingly nasally voice shouted as the one that was being shouted at spoke back in a calm yet bored manner.

"I haven't heard of you, big deal. You're not a citizen of the Crystal Empire and so you can not enter while we are under lockdown."

"But you have heard of Princess Celestia right? Or Princess Luna?" Rainbow Dash said, hoping that the giant mare that is standing bored in front of her would at least know about them.

"Nope, can't say that I have heard of 'em." Hammer said as she leaned against her giant war hammer, trying very hard not to yawn at the outsider that is hovering right in front of her face or worse smack her face in with her hammer.

"How have you not heard of either princess in this back end city!" Dash finally snapped as she waved her hooves around, trying to be expressive but to Hammer all she is doing is flail around like a foal.

"Cause we don't care much for the outside world, and if you dare insult my home again I will shove this here horseshoe so far up your plot hole that you can taste the metal." Hammer said with a snort before rearing her head back and spat out a glob of spit over the wall.

"Rainbow Dash!" a voice shouted from below the two and for a moment they looked around to find out where it originated from. When they finally looked down they saw a friend and a strange respectively, although the guard standing watch at the gatehouse saw several more strangers along with five guards acting as an armed escort.

"So that was what the alarm horn was about, I just thought the scout that found you ponies was just tooting his horn cause he found this one and the pink intruder that flew over the walls earlier." Hammer said as she looked over the group, her massive stature clearly scaring one of the unarmed ponies into a petrified stance, a two of the four guards are shaking while holding their metal spears in their hooves.

As they stood there looking at each other Hammer returned her gaze to looking over the horizon, being on watch as a temporary replacement until reinforcements arrive to cover her position so she can go back downstairs and stand by the gate like she was supposed to be doing.

"So?" Twilight Sparkle spoke up, hoping that she could try and get them inside without causing any trouble.

"So what?" Hammer snorted as she looked at the purple unicorn below.

"Are you going to let us in or are you just going to be standing there staring at nothing?" Rainbow Dash said while trying to blend in but she was immediately picked out of the group when Hammer stared right at her.

"I could let you ponies in, but..." Hammer began but she stopped, she knew what she was going to do next.

"But what?" Twilight said, hoping that she has finally reached to the hardheaded mare.

"But I won't." Hammer said with a grin.

"And why not if we may ask?" Rarity spoke up, wondering if her refined, noble flair would let them in.

"Because we are under lockdown until the pink intruder is captured and imprisoned." that got everyone's attention in an instant.

"WHAT! You can't do that she is a princess of Equestria!"

"She failed to respond to a command from a sentry that was manning this wall at the time and she flew over instead of landing and coming through the gates. Per our orders under the revised military articles she is to be treated as either a smuggler, spy, saboteur, or an assassin until further notice or she has been classified differently by a ranking officer or from the emperor." Hammer snarled at Rainbow Dash, that rainbow tart was getting on her last nerves which isn't much to say the least.

"Why I outta-" one of the guards below started to speak up but was silenced by Shining Armor, he knew his wife wanted to do what was best for the enslaved crystal ponies but if they don't do this right and defeat Sombra before he can be a true threat then they might instigate a war that Equestria isn't prepared for.

"Stay here until it's over, there is nothing we can do without provoking the crystal ponies." Shining Armor said as he looked at the walls, wondering if there is a way to sneak over without getting spotted but was interrupted when something slid right by him and the rest of the ponies that came with him.

As the group of equestrians looked at the strange crystal pony he revealed himself to be a scout as his pair of ski's, covered muzzle and goggles could indicate along with the long cloak that covered his back up to his tail. Wearing light blue painted armor with what looks like chains appearing underneath it. A pair of wings fluttered out from underneath the cape as he pulled up his goggles to see better now that he isn't being hindered by the blizzard beyond the dome.

"Ah, how nice of you to drop by little scout. Do tell me that it was you that blew your alert horn earlier and not some other tosser out in the wastes." Hammer said with a bit of a smile, she just loved talking to the scouts, she could be out there herself but she is too heavy and is not a pegasus to get the full potential out of the ski's.

"Aye it was me, although I had to keep my distance and blend into the snow to remain undetected." the scout said as he shook off a clump of snow that was laying on top of his head.

"I see, well come on up then, those equestrians have to wait it out until the intruder that broke through is either captured or wasted, until then wanna sit here with me and watch these outsiders?" Hammer suggested as she shifted her stance, letting her hammer hold her weight up as she relaxes a bit.

"Eh sure, my report back to Bastion will be its usual shortness with the exception 'found a group of equestrian ponies marching to our fair city armed with out-of-date spears and armor', I wonder what his face will look like when he reads it."

"Probably like the same when he reads everyone else's, stoic and cold." Hammer chuckled as she remembered when she gave her last report to Bastion, how that old pony read it over and dismissed her. That old stallion needs to drink a beer or two to relax.

Before they could continue talking two quick bursts from a horn coming from the palace, signaling everyone that the problem has been taken care of.

"Alright let em in, stay up here and make sure they don't try to teleport or fly over." the giantess said before grabbing her hammer and started to make her way to the stairs leading down.

"Got it Hammer, don't hurt that pretty face of yours on the way down." the scout said before spreading his wings and flew up the wall and landed beside her.

"Compliments will get you somewhere but not anywhere near this hot piece of flank." her voice shouted over the wall as she went down a flight of stairs to the ground.

"We shall see."

While they were busy talking to each other the ponies below heard every single word and were now trying to figure out what was going on, Twilight was busy covering Spike's ears, Rarity was shaking her head in disappointment, Fluttershy still petrified in fear, Applejack and Rainbow Dash (who was still a bit pissed) were snickering and Pinkie Pie was busy playing with her mane. Shining Armor on the other hand could only shake his head with a smile, he knew that the interaction between the two different divisions was common but he never guessed that such conduct would happen up here. His guards on the other hand were laughing a bit, they have been there before, flirting with other guards and got the same response.

It didn't take long for the large gate to slowly open up, lifting upwards a few inches before being pushed inward. Once the gate was open the equestrians saw for the first time what was hiding behind the walls and for the first time they were in awe.

The streets were made of crystals, the buildings were made out of crystals, trees lined the streets and they too were crystalline in nature but the thing that caught all of their eyes was the ponies. They were just like them in appearance with the exception that they are sparkly and gem-like in appearance. Another thing that caught their eye was the occasional very tall and bulky ponies walking around, some of them carrying heavy cargo on their back and sides and the one standing in front of them with a small contingent of guards behind her.

Trotting up to them was a massive mare in gleaming crystalline and metal armor, holding a weapon just as tall as her with the head of the hammer being as big as Shining Armor if he was sitting down. Her grey-ish blue coat mixed with a red and orange striped mane, a pair of deep green eyes staring at the equestrians with an uncaring gaze.

"I am Lieutenant Hammer and I shall be your escort until we arrive at the palace. Here are the ground rules, no magic, no flying, stay with the group and do not go running off to see the sights, no questions, and most importantly if you try to leave the group you will be arrested for refusing to follow the instructions of a Crystal Officer. Are we clear?" Hammer said with authority in her voice and once the equestrians gave a series of nods she turned around and took the lead as the crystal guards surrounded Twilight and her friends along with Shining Armor and his guards before moving forward.

Once they started to march through the streets of the Crystal Empire the equestrians started to look around, taking in the impressive sight that is the crystalline buildings and ponies. Each pony in the group besides the royal guards were looking at everything around them, trying to remember different things that they believe is important to them.

Rarity was staring at the modest dresses and suits that the civilians were wearing, wondering how they were made and the style of the clothes.

Applejack was looking at the crystal trees and wonder if they had an apple orchard of their own that made crystal apples, she was wondering if they tasted any different or had special properties when it comes to normal apples.

Rainbow Dash was grumbling to herself, how did that giant mare not know who she was or even the princesses of Equestria! It was like she wasn't even raised right to know who was responsible for raising and lowering the sun and moon But she was more pissed off that no one knows who she is.

Fluttershy is shaking, still afraid of the crystal guards but she is mostly afraid of Hammer due to her impressive size.

Pinkie Pie was too busy staring at a candy shop that was selling crystal candy of various flavors and shapes.

Twilight was taking mental notes on the crystal ponies of both the normal size and of the giant variety, wondering how exactly there are giant ponies, how the street lamps is pretty much a gemstone lying within a metal cage, and so many other things that are going through her head right now.

Spike was busy staring at all of the gems and crystals, his stomach growling quite loudly as he remembers that he forgot to eat breakfast that day.

Shining Armor was looking at the guards, they all wore armor that he has never seen before, it looked more advanced than what he had during his time as the captain of the royal guards, their weapons look much more advanced than theirs and the four unicorn guards that are marching beside them are holding fairly large crossbows that are better seen as a stationary weapon then one carried around.

When they arrived at the front entrance of the palace and went up the stairs they were warned to be on their best behavior and if they refused to follow that rule then they would be spending a lovely night in the dark cells below.

What they were expecting was a captured Princess Cadence being held in chains with a nullifying ring on her horn and her wings tied up.

What they weren't expecting was the equestrian princess to be held on the lap of the emperor, being petted like a cat by a four-armed being wearing strange armor with four glowing pale blue eyes.

"Uh...this is...you know what, this is exactly what it looks like."

Recovering before the Storm

Dining with the Kell - Edited

Edited by Aerigim

Sitting upon my throne I stared at the crowd of foreign ponies, looking at them all as I kept on petting the 'Princess of Love' Cadence as if she was a trained house cat.

How this came to pass, well we would have to go back thirty minutes.

THIRTY MINUTES AGO!

It was around the time I had finished talking with Bastion, apparently he wanted to know some of the tactics that the Fallen would use in battle and I told him what we usually did. We go in fast, hit the enemy hard from all sides and we leave just as fast. The enemy would either be dead at the point in a state of shock because they were not prepared for such an assault. Our tactics work better when we know the terrain we are about to fight on, we work better if it is in an enclosed area and we had the area rigged with explosives. Seeing how we don't have access to gunpowder we would have to go with the classic boobytraps of saw blades out of nowhere, spikes, arrows from small holes, the classics.

After that I went straight to my room to look over the tax forms and when I opened my door and my mind was screaming at me that something was wrong. When I left my room this morning I had locked the door after fixing my bed, when I came back just now the door was unlocked, the bedspread was slightly messy, and resting on my nightstand was a used condom...

"What...the fuck...who the fuck was fucking on my god damn bed!" There was only one person that is allowed to leave behind a used condom and it was me, whoever did this is gonna be scrubbing the toilets till Hell becomes a crowded mess.

I don't know who did it but they almost got away with it if they locked the door, fixed the bedspread and threw away the damn used condom but no, they fucked it up and now I am left with a used fucking condom on my nightstand. Whoever was fucking in here must have been holding it in for a while cause that thing is like an almost full water balloon. A very gross, nasty water balloon but still a water balloon...I swear to god if I find the bastard responsible for this there will be hell to pay.

Once I had disposed of the half full condom I proceeded to have a small mental breakdown. I was mentally screaming, thrashing, grinding my teeth and shouting at the heavens, hoping that whoever did this doesn't get caught because the things I will do to him will be highly unpleasant for both him and myself.

As soon as my mental breakdown ended I proceeded to leave my room and go straight to my throne room to have the word spread that someone defiled my room by fornicating in it and having the audacity to leave behind evidence of the act.

Storming into my throne room I started to shout and yell at everyone that was present which just so happened to be Glittering Quill, Bastion, Ms. Shining Pearl, a strange pink pony, a few nobles and a few civilians and of course a small contingent of guards.

"WHO THE HELL IS SO BOLD AS TO GO INTO MY ROOM AND FUCK ON MY BED!"

Everyone in the room turned their heads and looked at me, there was only two times that I have ever yelled at somebody, the first time was when I ran out of toilet paper in my bathroom, and that day was a trying time because I had to help Bastion train a new group of guards. The second time I had to shout was when I accidentally startled Forge and she mule kicked me in the nuts or well, where my nuts are located at the time which just so happen to be inside of my body instead of being external. She left a horseshoe sized dent in my crotch region and that dent is still there for everyone to see if I were to lift up the false loin cloth.

"WHO HAD THE AUDACITY TO HAVE SEX IN MY ROOM! THERE ARE LITERALLY OVER A DOZEN EMPTY ROOMS WITHIN THE CASTLE TO USE BUT INSTEAD THEY PICKED MINE!"

"How did they break into your room?" Bastion said as he looked at me, trying hard not to laugh. I don't see how this is funny, I don't go into his room and fuck on his bed and leave a damn reminder of what happened.

"I DON'T KNOW HOW BUT I SWEAR IF I FIND OUT WHO DID IT THEY WILL BE GETTING LATRINE CLEANING DUTY FOR A YEAR!"

"WHOEVER DID THIS COULD HAVE AT LEAST CLEANED UP AFTER THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF LEAVING A FULLY LOADED CONDOM ON MY NIGHTSTAND!"

"Umm...my Kell?"

"WHAT!"

"We have a...um...a foreign visitor here."

And just like that my anger was snuffed out and replaced by my usual calm, cool demeanor returns to me but for all intents and purposes I have dropped the ball on this one.

"Uh...sorry about that...someone did some unsavory things to my room when I wasn't around."

"It's okay, but uh can we get down to business already?"

"Oh yes, yes! Yes of course." I said before taking my place on the throne, my staff in my upper right hand as my lower right grabbed the armrest on the throne, lower left followed suit as upper left just hung itself over the side.

"Now, *cough* what business do you have with the Crystal Empire miss...?"

"Cadence, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of Equestria, and I am here to reclaim my throne."

And just like that I started to laugh, and by laugh I mean I laughed very hard, very loudly and also for a very long time.

The reason for my laughter is that this pink pony thinks that she can reclaim her throne when she hadn't even had her butt on it for even a second. I did my research while I was here in the first few months, before me was Sombra whom was killed by me, and before Sombra was two 'alicorns' to whom we still don't know their names. Apparently they got usurped when Sombra put on something called the 'Alicorn Amulet' which granted him pretty much godlike powers, the downside was that it corrupted the shit out of him and rendered him into a megalomaniac power hungry tyrant who met the unfortunate fate of pissing me off. Sombra apparently lost the amulet after he threw it to the side, saying that he didn't need its powers, not so wise seeing how well he is currently doing at this very moment.

By the time I was done laughing my ass off I had to wipe a fake tear from my eyes, I apparently can't cry for some reason, maybe the Fallen had no real use for tear ducts.

"Sorry, sorry...you see I would love to give you back your 'throne' but there seems to be a problem about that." I started as I spun my staff a bit, a bit bored that I was already getting an usurp attempt by a single pony who 'claims' to be a princess let alone have a 'claim' to the throne.

"But there seems to be a problem with what you're requesting."

"And that problem is?"

"That you have no legitimate claim to the throne. You are an outsider who just arrived to a foreign land claiming something that is yours when it clearly isn't. I will hear your case but it will be automatically rejected."

"I am a Princess of Equestria, this province is still a part of Equestria and it was given to me by my aunt Princess Celestia. These subjects are mine to protect, not yours, and I came here to free them from King Sombra's control!" Princess Cadence shouted as she made her way up to my throne, my guards were about to intercept but I waved them off subtly, I want her to get closer.

"Well congratulations, you came all the way up here for no reason, sorry you got here and didn't get your reward that you were promised. You arrived here a year after Sombra has returned, you wouldn't have had an empire to rule because he would have either drained the life force of those that were still here which just so happens to be approximately four thousand crystal ponies. You would have arrived to have seen either a desolate city filled with the skeletons of those you were supposed to protect, their rapidly aged bodies barely clinging to life as Sombra sucks the life out of those that are left or what you are currently seeing, someone who beat you to the punch and saved them all from a grisly fate."

"I would have done something to defeat Sombra! Just because he is a master of the dark arts does not mean that I could not have beaten him! I was trained to fight against the foul magic that he has by Princess Celestia herself and I would have dethroned Sombra without having the need to kill him!"

"Oh really now," I said with a hint of amusement as I stood up and completely towered over the pink alicorn princess by three feet. I found that the average height for the crystal ponies is roughly four feet and three inches tall, Princess Cadence here is roughly five feet eight inches. I am standing tall and proud at eight feet ten inches tall, and by looking down at the alicorn I can see that she is now scared that she thinks she can bully me into giving up my throne.

"Do you really think that he would have let you come in, stroll right up to him and give him a one-two hit and reclaim the throne?

You were a year too late and even if no one was touched by his black magic you would still have to deal with a live tyrant in your possession, the citizens starving,cold, and weak from being imprisoned for a few hundred centuries and are looking for a leader to guide them to a better tomorrow."

"I would have given them a better tomorrow! As the Princess of Love I would have-" I cut Cadence off as she was about to ramble on about how love can help them.

"Do you really believe that love alone can help them?Do you think that love can help cure a sickness of the body? Can love feed the masses that are on the point of starving to death? Can love stop a coup from happening and throwing what little of a stabilized government into anarchy?" I said as Princess Cadence started to back down and lowered herself into submission, apparently she thought that love could unite the people to her cause.

Love could do that but it would be the first step in helping the kingdom but love can only do so much to help.

Kneeling down I pick up the the princess of love and walk back to the throne before sitting down and started to stroke her mane.

It was during the fifth month of my rule did I find out that ponies, regardless of size, loved to be petted like a cat and/or dog, they kicked their back leg when you scratched behind their ears, they nuzzle you when you scratch or rub their necks/chin, happy panting from belly rubs and they relax when you stroke their mane with a brush or hand. I don't know why they do that but it is amazing that it is easy that someone with hands can easily calm down or incapacitate a pony by petting them like a pet.

Once I was back on my throne I let my staff lean against the chair, my lower right arm scratching her chin, lower left stroking her mane and upper left scratching her ears. The result: a very calm, complacent princess who was pretty much jello in my hands.

"There, there princess, it is not your fault that you failed your aunt, you didn't know that I was here before you but you can assure her that I am treating them well and keeping them fed and safe. With Sombra gone you no longer have to worry about a power mad unicorn using dark secrets to harm those around him, and with my several dozen decades of leading experience I can guarantee that these ponies will be kept safe from harm...unless they bump their shins on a table, I can't help them with that." I said as I kept on petting Cadence who was right now happily enjoying herself.

It was at that time when I signaled for the horn to be blown on top of the castle to tell everyone that the situation has been solved. What I should have done was let the princess go and be on her way but she just looks so adorable right now in a strange, small creature sort of way.

Before long I was about to set Cadence down and let her go on her way but before I could put that plan into action the door to the throne room opens up to reveal Lieutenant Hammer and an entourage of guards with a group of un-crystalline ponies in the middle of them and all of them were now staring at me as if I did something wrong.

They were staring at me and Cadence in confusion, one was in anger while I was trying to figure a way out of this and Cadence looked embarrassed.

"Uh...this is...you know what, this is exactly what it looks like." I said as I looked at the group of ponies continued to stare at the two of us.

"What are you doing with my wife!" the white stallion in purple armor shouted as I realized that the mare in my lap was married.

'Oh balls...'

Lifting up the married mare I moved her to the side of the throne and placed her beside Glittering Quill before standing up, straightening myself out I proceeded to walk slowly up to the white equestrian pony in purple armor before looking down at him.

"I assume that the pink alicorn behind me is your wife, is that not correct?" I said with the air of command around me, I looked at him before my eyes went to his guards, studying them, trying to see if they are even worthy of being guards, two of them are visibly shaking in fear.

"Yes, Cadence is my wife and I would like to know why you had her in your lap."

"I had your wife in my lap because I was trying to soothe the pain of failure from her, you see when she showed up she was expecting to be facing Sombra, not me, and when she saw that he has been defeated long before any of you showed up she then had the audacity to try and claim the throne for herself when I had already done so a year ago."

"But this land belongs-"

"To me and the Crystal Empire. Do you really think that I would allow Princess Celestia and Princess Luna take this land for themselves after they had failed to properly defend it from Sombra the first time?"

"How do you know about-"

"One of the perks about being the ruler of a kingdom is having access to records and historically accurate books that are not censored."

"Anyways when your two benevolent princesses fought against Sombra they failed to dispel his connection to the Crystal Empire because he bound himself to it and the Crystal Heart, which at the time was fueling his powers further along with a cursed artifact that made him on par with them. If two alicorns who supposedly control the sun and moon couldn't completely defeat a single unicorn who had the same power strength as them what hope would you or Cadence or any of those with you had against him hmm?"

"We would have given him the boot and sent him back to that abyss he came from!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she tried to take off but she was stopped when Hammer looked at her and snorted, the giantess shaking her head only once and the rainbow maned pegasus crossed her hooves and let out a *hmph*.

"What would the alicorn of love, five royal guards, six civilian mares and a baby dragon have done to a powerful unicorn that received a majority of his power through an artifact, absorbing the life force of his subjects and a lost power amulet. None of you have the same power or strength to be on an even playing field let alone have a snowballs chance in hell to survive a few minutes against him."

"Oh yea! How did you defeat him then?"

"Easy, I let him shoot me in the chest with a black crystal and when he let his guard down and turned his back against me cause he thought he had killed me in one shot, I stood back up and ran him through with my swords before lighting him on fire."

"That's barbaric!"

"Honey fighting isn't glorious, it isn't glamorous, its bloody, and it is horrifying. Whether you are fighting up close or from afar you are taking someones life, you are cutting them down and fully knowing that you are taking a life just so yours can continue."

As everyone gets quiet I look at the baby dragon for a moment before ignoring it, it can't do anything to me anyways, the six mares are just as useless, the other four guards are fodder against me which only leaves the white unicorn and the pink alicorn as a threat.

"My point stands, none of you are capable of killing another living being while Sombra would have no trouble doing so, your lives would have been forfeit and where would you all be then. I saved you all the trouble of executing a tyrant and ruling a kingdom."

"Today all of you will be staying in the guest wing, including your guards, tomorrow you will be returning home back to Equestria and telling your princesses that the Crystal Empire is its own nation under one banner."

"All of you will have two guards as an escort and if you want to go somewhere you must first tell them where you are intending to go before departing, they will tell you where you can not go and what time you must be back here. If any of you break the rules then you shall be spending the rest of your day sitting in the corner with either a giant dunce cap or four hours in the stockades with a sign around your neck that says 'I am a rule breaker.', and I rather not humiliate a foreigner today." I said before sitting down on my throne, giving my staff a light twirl and waited for their collective response.

It didn't take them long to all agree to the terms I have laid out before them, Princess Cadence went back to her husband and they two were having an awkward moment together while I was busy trying to figure out his name along with those in his company.

"Excellent! Lieutenant Hammer, assemble an escort for each of the equestrian ponies, one ground and one magic and initiate security protocol beta. If there is a breach of security then I will hold you responsible for it Lieutenant." I said before a servant trotted up to me and handed me a folder, it was Shining Pearl's assistant so this folder I am holding must be this month's taxes.

Seeing how thin this folder is must mean that everything is in order and not a single citizen has had to ask for assistance or extra time to pay up. Hammer left the throne room by the time I started to look through the tax folder and after a few minutes she returned with the required guards.

Once all of the ponies received their respective guards they introduced themselves, I heard a few of them but I was mainly listening for the name of the white stallion which was Shining Armor, a fitting name for sure since his armor doesn't look like it has seen a single sign of battle.

When the equestrians separated to go do their thing I let out a shuddering sigh, I can only hope that those ponies don't do something stupid within my kingdom, common sense is hopefully a thing here and I rather not tell their families that they died because they were being incredibly dumb.

"My Kell is something the matter?" Quill said as she looked at me, concern in her eyes as I drag a hand across my mask covered face.

"Quill, I know for a fact that one of those equestrian ponies is going to screw up, it is only a matter of time."

"Do you have such little faith in those ponies, sir?"

"Yes, their princess refused to listen to my guards if what the horn that was blown at the wall means anything, that horn is meant to be used if an outsider has breached the walls. Seeing how she got here without an escort of guards then that means she didn't obey anything that was said. Princess Cadence broke a few laws by breaching the wall and ignoring the orders of a crystal guard, but I am willing to overlook it this one time, if she does it again then she will be thrown into the dark cells."

"Should I have that written down and sent to the guards that have been assigned to her?"

"No, I will tell her when it is time for dinner, tell the kitchens that we have guests for tonight and tomorrow morning. And also invite Forge, Shining Pearl, and Bastion."

"What of your new spy master?"

"Chroma Gem? Are you sure you want him to be there? Remember what he did last time he was at dinner?"

"Yes, sure he may have poisoned an entire noble house with an experimental sleeping potion but you know he didn't mean any harm."

"Quill, he put the sleeping potion in my soup and knocked me out for two days straight."

"You got better!"

"One of these days Quill...one of these days I swear you will find a way to get on my nerves." I said with a slight chuckle, I know that Quill is trying to make me smile and be cheerful but sometimes she tries a little too hard.

"Quill, just...*sigh* just be yourself my silly little pony." and with that I patted her on the head before leaving the throne room and heading straight for my room, hoping against hope that nobody else went in there and defiled it.

"Can you tell me your names?"

"My name is Cop-"

"It's Private and Private, ma'am"

"Please! What harm can come from me knowing your names?"

"The part where we would get latrine cleaning duties for going against protocol. The Kell ordered it so and his word is law."

"Augh! You stallions are impossible!"

"We try our best, ma'am."

"I am Princess Celestia's protege! Does that mean anything to you two!"

"Nope, you may be a princess's star student but that holds no weight here, you are not of noble blood, you are not a diplomat, merchant master, military officer or a member of the court. Wave your false title elsewhere and to those that actually care, I also bet you are not used to being told 'No' by anybody seeing how you are Princess Celestia's 'Protege'."

And with that Twilight shut up, her attempts to gain some insight on the Crystal Empire was shot down long before it could even take flight as they went to the library outside of the palace.

"So none of you heard of me either huh."

"Nope."

"Aw come on! It's Rainbow Dash! Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria!"

"Being a fast flyer means nothing if you are not coordinated, disciplined, and trained to fly properly instead of putting your wing power to its fullest."

"I so have all of those things and more!"

"Then prove it."

"Fine I will!" and like that with a flap of her wings Rainbow Dash shot into the sky and started to do tricks for the ponies on the ground.

It was when she was doing a triple barrel roll with a corkscrew did she finally mess up, her wing cramped up at the worst possible moment and went spiraling out of control before crashing into a tree, colliding with several tree branches before coming to a complete stop between two branches.

"Hehe, Rainbow Dash, more like Rainbow Crash. That will teach that hothead some humility and if it doesn't then it sure as hell knocked her down a peg or two." one guard said before flicking his horn on and lifted the beaten up pegasus out of the tree and onto the floor.

"Come on Quick Stitch, lets patch her up before taking her back to her room and let her sleep it off." the other guard said before getting some help with Rainbow Dash, the unicorn guard using basic healing magic for any light wounds she has acquired before the pair started to head back to the palace.

"Here we are Miss Applejack, the empire's orchards, please do try to not disturb the workers while they tend to the land and don't ask any questions about anything." Applejack's escort, Sweet Tart, said as she stood by the orange earth mare, her partner, Sharp Tack who is greatly relieved that he no longer has to be in Hammer's presence where there was a chance of being emasculated by the giant mare.

"Ah reckon I could do just that, no reason to upset the big fella on the throne." Applejack said as she started to look around the orchard, the two guards tailing her are keeping a close eye on her while also looking at the crystalline trees surrounding them.

"What a mighty beautiful sight this is."

"It sure is, I used to work in this orchard for a few years when I was younger."

"You used to work here?"

"Yup!"

"Why'd ya leave?"

"I left cause I wanted to have a purpose...I don't really know why but the farm life didn't feel right for me, I joined up with the crystal guard as soon as I came of age and I have been here ever since."

"Uh huh, well sugarcube I can't say the same about myself but I prefer the farm life, nice and simple work without much excitement 'cept for the occasional parasprite infestation or timber wolf creepin' out of the woods."

"Seems like you got your hooves full down south, I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks hun, wish you luck to since there is Celestia knows what out there."

Applejack and her two escorts explored the different orchards that dot the acres of land that has been reclaimed, occasionally seeing guard patrols on the ground and scouts in the air. The farm pony talked for a while, some of it was with the farm workers and some of it with the guards, before long she decided that it was enough talking for now and just wanted to enjoy the beauty that was the crystal orchards.

"Miss Fluttershy can you please answer me, you've been standing there for the past thirty minutes." a guard said as she looked at the frozen buttercream yellow pegasus.

"Private, I think this one is scared stiff. Should we just take her to her room or to the medical-wing and get her checked out?" the other guard said before poking the pegasus in the side which does nothing.

"Nah, I am sure she will snap out of it eventually."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then this will be an easy job for us then won't it?"

And it was an easy job, they stood like that all the way till it was time for dinner to start.

"Miss Rarity? Are you done in there yet? You said you wanted to visit the fashion district but you have been locked in your room for the past twenty minutes now!"

"Just a minute dears!"

"You have exactly one minute or else we will be staying here till it is time for dinner!"

"Just hold on for one second!"

Looking at each other then the door, both guards look around and agreed they would flip a gold coin to see if they should kick the door down and see what is taking so long or just wait it out. Before they could enact their plan the door opens up to reveal an ivory white mare with a well taken care of mane wearing a sundress with a matching sunhat, apparently she decided to try and blend in with the population.

"Well boys, shall we be off." Rarity said while fluttering her eyelashes, trying to seduce or at the very least get the stallions that are her escort to be more willing to let her get away with doing whatever she wants to do.

"Right this way Ms. Rarity." the guard on her left said with a small smile gracing his lips but before Rarity could press with her little ploy the guard was quickly yanked to the side.

"Private, remember what the Kell said, stick to the plan or else its latrine cleaning duty for a year! I did that job last week and let me tell you it is not an easy one!"

"But come on Prismatic! She's hot! We could show her the sights, tell her about ourselves and maybe go to a bar, the Kell would be none the wiser!"

"If we get caught disregarding his orders then I am throwing you to the wolves to take the punishment, cause I am not having any part in it."

"But Prismatic, she is hot!"

"I have a marefriend and I will not disrespect her by dealing with some strumpet from the south! Either you obey the Kell or you will find yourself patrolling the wall!"

Hearing everything that was being said about her Rarity kept her distance away from the unicorn guard, knowing full well that he won't say a word to her but when the other stallion walked beside her to say something they were interrupted by the others cough, signalling for them to keep on walking.

"Friggin idiot."

Their trip into the city was uneventful to say the least for the two guards, Prismatic Shard had to keep his lower ranking friend in line the entire time they were out escorting Rarity around the empire.

Once every single equestrian pony was gone from the throne room except for Shining Armor and Cadence and their escorts. They tentatively looked at each other before the white unicorn nodded at his wife and took a step forward and started to talk.

"Now that we are alone, Kell, I wanted to ask you a few questions if you could answer them for me please."

"I may answer your questions, but if I find the questions you are giving me are not to my liking then I will simply refuse to answer them."

"I understand."

"Good, then let us begin."

"When did you defeat Sombra?"

"Exactly one year ago."

"Hmm...that is roughly the same time that Discord escaped..." Shining Armor muttered out but I managed to catch it before he spoke up again, "How did you get here?"

"I walked." I knew it was a smart ass answer but I just had to do it.

"What exactly are you?"

"I am Eliksni." I can't find any other way to put this out but hey, at least this is being done on my terms.

"Where did you come from?" And here was the first question I will not answer.

"I...can not answer that question other then simply saying that I am not from here." I can't exactly tell them I am from Earth for a few reasons but the main one is that I can't tell them the name of the planet the Fallen are from cause even I don't know, even picking through Skolas's memories shows nothing.

"Alright then...can you tell me about your gua-"

"No."

"But-"

"All you need to know Shining Armor is that my guards are fully capable of protecting this kingdom from any threat be they foreign or at home."

"One last question."

"Shoot."

"Why was my wife on your lap?"

"Simple. She was there because I was comforting her failure on trying to claim the throne for Equestria. Let me ask you something Shining Armor, have you ever led anyone before?"

"Yes, I am the captain of the royal guards in Canterlot."

"And as the acting captain have you ever had to make a choice that could potentially put those in your command into harms way?"

"No."

"Then you truly haven't been placed in an impossible situation where lives are at stake and your decision alone determines who lives and who dies. Sometimes your friends are those lives that have been placed in harms way and any error in judgement or failed last second decision and you will have to deal with the consequences of your failures for the rest of your life, no matter how long or short it may be."

"Have you been-"

"Yes, several times, and none of it was easy. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and often times we must make the hard choices that can make or break us, I myself had to do it several times during my long life, the Whirlwind that shattered our world, the Eos Clash, the Battle of Iris and the Cybele Uprising. Several thousand lives were lost because of me, but several thousand more were spared, its the cold calculus of war, a few die here so a lot more survives there."

"How do you deal with it all?"

"I don't, the pain of lose has already numbed me to the point of keeping a distance away from those I am afraid of losing but

sadly that is one of the prices we pay for when we rise into a position of power." I said while feeling...hurt? Defeat? Agony? I don't know why I am feeling this but I know that myself have never personally felt that...it must be from Skolas.

Sensing my mental distress the pink princess starts to speak up but I hold my hand up, silencing her as I stand up and take a step forward before stopping right before my throne.

"I think that is all for now...you two may go, explore, talk...we shall talk further at dinner, for now just leave me be." and with that both equestrian ponies and their escorts left my throne room but before they could close the door I slammed my upper right fist into the throne, breaking it in half as the inner Skolas within me took over and vented out its anger in the only way it knows how.

Quickly scurrying out of the throne room in fear that they might next be the target of my anger they left me alone and in my loneliness I let out a frustrated sigh. Skolas's plan to unite all of the houses under a single banner has not only failed but those that are under his command have either deserted him, left him and those with him to his fate and joined the House of Exile, or are now fighting for control over what is left.

'Everything will get better, everything will be better.'

"Stop her!" a voice shouted from the kitchens as I made my way there for my mid-afternoon snack of two apples, usually food I eat would not have any taste or be good for me but such things I can't resist, I will eat just to keep up the appearance that I am like everyone else.

"No no no no no!" I heard one of the chefs shout as I round the corner to see a pink pony bouncing around, evading my guards at every turn.

"Stop her before she dents the pots and pans!" a different chef shouted out as the guards try to tackle the pink mare but fail utterly.

"Halt in the name of Skolas!" one of my guards said this in a loud, commanding tone but sadly that meant nothing to the pink pony.

"Weeeeeeeeeeee!"

"Quick grab her!" another guard said and before they could grab the pink pony I interrupt them by speaking up.

"Is there a problem in here gentlemen?" I said as I looked at the kitchen staff, the pink mare's two guards and six guards from a passing patrol

were all now looking at me.

Everyone was quiet as I walk into the kitchen, looking at every single guard then to the kitchen crew and lastly at the pink pony whose tail is wagging like a dogs and she had such an adorable look on her face.

While I was staring at the pink pony everyone in the room had only one thing going on in their head.

'We are so getting fired for this.'

"Uh...no sire there isn't a problem here!"

"Are you sure? Cause from where I am standing it looks like you have a problem here."

"Uh...uhh....yes sire, there is a problem. The pink earth mare who goes by the name Pinkie Pie has refused to listen to us as she ran off and explored the castle before stopping here. I take full responsibility for this sire."

"Don't worry Sargent Club, I will take care of this." I said before walking over to the pink pony sitting on the floor, still smiling happily and without a care in the world.

Kneeling down so I can get closer to the pink pony I saw that her smiling and tail wagging did not waver for even a moment, is she really that clueless of what I can possibly do to her?

"Pinkie Pie." I said in a gentle manner, trying not to be scary to the little non-crystal pony.

"Yup thats me!" the pink pony said with glee as she wagged her tail faster then before.

"Can you please stop bothering the kitchen staff and listen to my guards?" I asked the little pony as I watched her face scrunch up a bit, my guess is that she is trying to contemplate that order.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said in a happy tone, my guess is that you just have to ask her nicely.

'Wow that was quick...such innocence can not be corrupted.'

"Come on, time for your punishment." motioning her to the door I watched her stand up but I thought of something else I can do to her as punishment.

"Okay..." Pinkie said, now realizing what she has done and before she could say anything else I grab the pink pony by lifting under her legs.

Taking the pony to the throne room I proceeded to do the same thing I was doing to Cadence earlier.

I thought that it was adorable when Cadence tried to hide the fact that she was enjoying but this pink pony, my god not only was she enjoying every second of it but she was giggling, snorting and laughing as I petted her like a house cat.

Petting the pink party pony is an easy task, she relishes in having her belly rubbed, her ears scratched, her chin scratched and her back petted. I swear this pony is overly enjoying this because the sounds she is making is rather...raunchy to say the least, all of her moaning and groaning, constantly flipping around end over end, is this what cats like?

The other ponies that are in the throne room are either ignoring the sounds she is making, ignoring the fact that I am treating her like a house pet, or just ignoring her in general, a few can't imagine that she isn't there and are instead treating it as if she wasn't here at all. Running my court while petting a small pony went by smoothly as one can hope with the exception that a few of the ponies that show up ask why she is on my lap or if they can have a turn.

The few who asked who she was I simply answered that she is a foreigner from the lands of Equestria to the south of the empire.

To those that asked if they can have a turn, I told them that they would have to wait till tomorrow. I got a few complaints from those that showed up, I guess they didn't want to wait for their turn. Do they even know that I am pretty much treating them like a cat while I do this?

It wasn't long before the guards returned with their escorts in tow, the buttercream pegasus seems to be moving on her own power but whenever I see her looking at me she hides behind her mane and quivers in fear. As for the other ponies the rainbow maned pegasus has bandages on her legs, snout and wings. The orange earth mare is happily talking to the injured pegasus while munching on an apple. The white unicorn mare was frowning a bit as her two escorts are bickering like an old married couple. The lavender unicorn mare is reading a pamphlet with a smile on her face, I guess she went to the public library and had a blast if the look of extreme boredom plastered on her guards faces is anything to go by. Then lastly Shining Armor and his wife Princess Cadence, those two must have been talking about me because they were staring at me with mild concern but their eyes immediately went from me and straight to Pinkie Pie along with the other ponies.

"This one is helping me relieve my stress, it is working wonders." I said while petting the pink pony, even while wearing leather and metal armor I can still feel the softness of her fur.

None of them questioned it until Applejack, the orange farm mare spoke up.

"Uhh...why is Pinkie Pie sittin' on your lap like that?" and the unspoken question that is on everyone's mind is released into the wild.

"Because she was messing with the kitchen staff earlier and was not listening to her escort's and a passing patrol of guard's command to cease and desist, this is her punishment." looking at the farm mare then to the pink mare in my lap, this pony is teeth rottingly adorable.

I wonder if I can weaponize cuteness?

"That doesn't look like much of a punishment from the way I see it." Applejack says, it makes sense that it isn't a punishment but I rather not have her publicly shamed or placed in the dumb corner.

"Eh, it's keeping her calm and in a content state, I'd rather have that than have her bouncing around causing mischief and discontent among those working in the kitchens." I said as I looked down at Pinkie Pie, she was lying on her back, my hands scratching her tummy and her chin at the same time, her hind left leg kicking repeatedly in content.

"Fair enough I suppose." Applejack said before finishing her apple in one last bite, pretty much eating the entire thing.

Silence reigned supreme in the throne room but was removed when a servant came in and said that dinner is ready.

Getting up from the throne with the pink one in tow I walked off of my throne before heading straight for the door, the dinning hall isn't that far away and it is high time that I enjoy something other then snacks or crystal candy.

Eating dinner with nine strangers is a bit odd, no one was talking and those that were are either talking to their friends or are trying to talk to my staff and are being ignored until I gave them the 'go-ahead' which set in motion something I couldn't stop.

"So...Skolas is it?" I nodded my head the lavender unicorn as she continued, "I am wondering, what exactly are you?"

"I am Eliksni, but to the other races we have encountered throughout our existence, their languages translate it to 'Fallen', and in the end we have taken that name as our own as we have lost much of ourselves over the centuries." I said while tapping into Skolas's memories of the past for me to use.

"What exactly have you lost?" Rarity says, now generally intrigued by what is being said.

"Our homeworld, our people, our bodies, our history, and what little of our culture we have left." It is fun using someone else's memories to keep up a facade.

"How did all of this happen to your people my Kell?" Shining Pearl asked me, bless that strict mare's heart.

"We called it the Whirlwind...a force of great evil swept over our lands like the snows of winter, it destroyed everything within its path and when the other Fallen Houses had managed to flee we knew that day that we truly lost everything. We had to change our bodies in order to adapt to the new worlds we found, but we could never stay, not with the darkness constantly moving. The darkness came and went, twisting and turning in every which way, turning us into a nomadic race just to survive, borderline being piracy when it is dire."

"When you mentioned that your kind's bodies have changed to survive...what do you mean by that?" Twilight asked me as I see out of the corner of my eyes a hidden notepad with a quill scribbling everything down.

'Where did she get that?'

"We can no longer gain nutrients and proteins from normal food like you ponies can, we instead have to consume something else to survive." I said as I remember my Fallen Lore from the game's grimoires.

"And that is...what exactly?" Twilight said as everyone, including my own staff leans forward, wanting to know what it is that I use as sustenance to stay alive.

"I can't tell you, can't let that particular piece of information out." I said with a grin underneath my mask, sure enough I heard every single pony in the room groan.

'The only real reason as to why I haven't starved yet is that I can somehow process food of any kind and get what I need from it without suffering from any sort of stomach problems.'

"And what would happen if you left your kingdom to go on a diplomatic mission? How would those you are going to visit be able to feed you?" nice question Shining Pearl but I already had that problem solved.

"By giving me food that they have available, just because my body can't properly digest what you ponies eat doesn't mean I can't still get what I want out of it, it would just take a long time for it to work right." a lie I let out but a necessary lie.

"Uh huh...anyways I have something else to ask you." I gave her a nod, letting her continue, "You said your people were nomadic, is there more of them here with you?"

I shook my head no.

"I am the only one of my kind here, when I led the my House to rebel against the Awoken to unite all of the Fallen Houses under a single banner they placed a bounty on my head to prevent such a thing from happening, calling in the Guardians from the City of Earth to stop me. They interrupted my plans and when I started to crack under the pressure I took a more...drastic step. I broke into the Vault of Glass in search of new means to get what I wanted, I stole the gift of freedom from the Vex and used it to bring the entire House of Wolves throughout time to assist me in my endeavor, but even then it wasn't enough as I was defeated and captured before being sent to the Prison of Elders."

"It was there did I truly take a desperate course of action, within the prison was a Vex machine, The Forever Eater - Qodron, and with it I used its broken body to partially repair the Gate it was next to and used it to escape from the prison and ended up here. I can not be followed because I did a blind jump through space and time, I don't know if I have entered an alternative dimension or the distant future or past, either of those choices is good enough for me."

"I have a question of my own if you would kindly answer it."

"Uh...okay?" it seems that the young mare is unsure if she should answer me or not, time to test the boundaries a bit.

"I heard that Shining Armor and Cadence here got married recently but there was a problem, just what kind of problem was it?" I said, if what my spies have told me is correct then she should answer me that they were attacked by a race called 'changelings', I don't know what they are, what they look like or what they are capable of doing but if they can interrupt a wedding then they are definitely at the top of my watch list.

"Well, at my brothers wedding-"

'Oh shit, those two are related?'

"-they had received a threat and the entire city was encased in a magical barrier, we thought it was just a joke but then I found out that someone was impersonating my foalsitter Cadence-"

'Are you fucking kidding me! Your brother married your foalsitter who just so happens to be a princess?'

"-and when I confronted the impostor it turned out to be the changeling queen when she dropped her disguise, and she also had my brother under a mind-control spell-"

'A species that is capable of transforming into other races and can induce mind-control on others? I better watch out for these changelings, new protocols must be created and enacted!'

"-and when she revealed herself she teleported me to an underground crystal mine that was just underneath Canterlot where she was also holding the real Cadence. The two of us escaped from the mines and showed up just in time to stop Chrysalis from being married to my brother-"

'Wow, imagine that, the old switcharoo being used, instead of marrying the women of your dreams you instead get a bug queen...I can't even imagine what that would be like to have sex with...let alone getting a blowjob from one, since insects have mandibles and sharp teeth.'

"and when she revealed herself in front of everypony present at the wedding and well, long story short Cadence snapped my brother out of her control and used a special spell and blasted every single changeling out of Canterlot and scattered them to the wind."

'Wow...holy shit.'

"Interesting...and what was the changelings plans? Surely they wouldn't invade another country for no reason, having your brother married to their queen couldn't be their only plan."

"No, their plan was to cripple the equestrian guards to capture as many ponies as possible before capturing any that they find to feed of the pony's love." that actually sounds like a solid plan...maybe way too ambitious but still a lofty goal to accomplish.

"Really? Shapeshifting bugs feeding on love to survive? That is just...just...the lamest thing I have ever heard! You can't eat an emotion! It's not a solid, liquid or gas! How does one eat an emotion in the first place, that is just absurd!" I shouted, I know for a fact that one can not eat emotions, that is just silly now. Its like saying that someone can crap out gold and piss excellence.

"I know right! I still haven't figured it out either but I can only assume its like reading someones memory and eating that...or something similar, I don't really know the facts yet." My god I think this mare is a turbo nerd...I wonder if we will become friends in the future.

"What do these changelings look like?" I asked, needing to know what these things look like so I will know what to hunt for in the future.

"Oh they are pretty much insect-like ponies, black in appearance, chitinous hide on their back, insect wings, fangs, forked tongue, hisses and clicks a lot, solid eye colors and they don't have a mane or tails, oh and they also have a horn." Twilight said as she looked up a bit, trying to remember what she last saw of those bug ponies.

'Hmm...that is very easy to pick out, now if they bleed a different color then you can easily find out who is a spy and who isn't.'

"Thank you for the information on a potentially hostile race Twilight, maybe sometime in the future when relations are built between Equestria and the Crystal Empire are made you could come by and visit, I am sure there is much we can learn from each other on reasonable grounds." I said with a smile before rising up from my seat while holding a wine glass in my hand.

"To a new future with new friends!"

"Aye, hear hear!"

As soon as everyone raised their glasses in agreement we ended our feast and went back to our rooms, I went down to the crystal heart for a reason but it was for myself to know and others to figure it out.

'Now my dear sweet crystal heart...tell me more about these...changelings.'

Enduring Reunions

Security Breach

Kneeling down in front of the crystal heart with not a single soul around, closing my eyes metaphorically I let the heart hum with energy before making a connection with me, the beam of energy keeping us connected drift and dance in the air as my mind merges with the crystal allowing myself to communicate with the gem.

At first I thought this gem was just an empty vessel containing powerful, ancient magic within its hard shell, but instead it contained the soul of a being very similar to the sleeping Princess Cadence within the palace above me, it was a being of immense magic and intelligence, someone who crafted this gem to help the Crystal Empire but it seems with every connection I make with it I can see into it more clearly, I can hear what it was whispering to me, trying to get me to see what it sees.

It was communicating with me, and I was talking back to it.

I don't know who this pony was but the entire Crystal Empire wouldn't exist because of this one pony, seeking its knowledge I learned that it has learned a way to make this land a paradise for the unicorn race and them alone. A very powerful spell that needs the love and joy of the ponies around it to make a connection with it, to power it up, to keep it charged on a daily basis to turn this frozen wasteland into a fertile landscape, its crops to grow faster and in greater bounties, its mines to give pure minerals, metals and gemstones, its weather to always be fair, to always be perfect for every occasion including rain, snow and sunshine.

This spell was perfect, its connection with the empire proved to me that this land and those beyond its reach can become a paradise for all, but that was when I saw its downside, its caster had to sacrifice herself to keep it going, a price she gladly paid for to make sure her unicorns can live free from the other races, but she was wrong. It wasn't before long after her 'death' did the pegasi and earth ponies started to show up, apparently the three pony tribes was heading south across the mountain ranges of the empire and with them came death and an endless winter, they managed to stop the endless winter with friendship but those few who disagreed with that verdict came up here to start a new life.

The unicorns of the Crystal Empire at first thought they were brigands and bandits but when they proved their worth they were happily allowed entry into the city with no problem at all, adding their love and joy to the heart, allowing it to spread its gift beyond its boarders. It was when one of the unicorns that was from a noble house started to get disgruntled with the new arrivals, snarling and hating that these non-unicorns were entering his precious city, eating their food, drinking their water, claiming their land that he decided that something had to be done about these 'intruders'.

And from this one dark unicorn alone he delved into the dark arts, learning forbidden magic to subjugate those he thought were underneath him. With his dark deeds in place and those that are in his sights being drained mentally, emotionally and physically, their bodies shriveling up to the point of being nothing more than an empty husk of its former self, something that caught the attention of a pair of young alicorns.

The two alicorn sisters fought against Sombra, harming him greatly and before they could smite him down and free the crystal ponies he pulls out his trump card and instead makes the banishing spell against him spread out and affect the entire empire, leaving behind nothing but a frozen tundra in its absence, scaring both ponies for their failure to protect the innocent.

Right when I was going to ask the spirit living within the crystal I started to see something else, it was a very large changeling, something akin to a horse in shape and size but I saw holes in its legs and a small crown resting on its head and it was looking at-

The sounds of barking can be heard throughout the tunnels underneath the land above, dozens of dogs yipping and snarling at each other as they ready themselves for the raid of a life time. They were told that their alpha has found a city, gleaming with gems and crystals, rich and ripe for the taking as they were all alone from the ponies far south from their territory.

When they were told that this place was easy to rob and quite possibly get a whole new bundle of slaves to add to their own stockpile, they finally had a means of paying off their debt to their higher ups in Dimondia without having to fear of being sent off to the salt mines in the deep deserts near Saddle Arabia. The sounds of swords being sharpened on whetstones, maces being swung to test their weight, clubs and hammers being checked for any weakness in the shafts, dogs baiting each other on to see who is getting first dibs on the treasures they will be bringing back.

GONG

With the signal made the dogs now scrambling into their packs, their alphas barking orders at them to get in line and prepare to dig up. The barking only grows louder as the first group of diamond dogs starts their climb upwards, paw after paw of dirt, rocks and bones being shoveled down past the other dogs.

It doesn't take them long for the dogs to breach the surface, their paws uplifting the glittering cobblestones of the road and sidewalk, piles of dirt being tossed up and out, coating the surrounding exit with filth.

All throughout the crystal city emergence holes start appearing, and it wasn't before long the first horn was blown that was followed by the first cry of pain and anguish.

It was the beginning of an invasion of which that was not seen coming.

A group of diamond dogs claws through the dirt and surfaces right next to the royal palace, thinking they hit the jackpot they all scramble out of their hole only to be spotted by two guards, thinking they got numbers on their side they make a mad dash to the guards, thinking that with their overwhelming numbers that they can induce fear into the two ponies but instead see that they are not alone. A strange figure with four arms was kneeling down in front of a heart shaped gemstone, and it was glowing with a powerful warm aura that drew their attention long enough to make them redirect their plan, to steal the heart stone and capture the guards if it was within reason.

One dog in particular, Maxi, this dog had black fur with pot marks of brown with white highlights and this was his first raid. He wanted this to go right so he did what was natural and went for the most expensive looking thing there is and ran straight for the heart-shaped gemstone, he barely managed to duck under the wide swing of the stallion holding a glaive with his mouth and wing, the blade was just an inch away from cutting him in half he hadn't had ducked at the right time.

As soon as the other guard made her appearance he was already at the heart and snatched it off its raised pedestal before quickly turning tail and running back to the hole he came from.

What he didn't know is that as soon as he grabbed the crystal heart he as broken the connection between the crystal heart and the empire along with heart to the strange four-armed being. As soon as the heart was removed from its stand the pink and pale blue dome that surrounded the empire and bathed it in its serenity of life shattered, the magic that held everything together is gone, and with it comes the harsh, cold gale winds of winter.

Once again the Crystal Empire is clouded in the harsh winters of the Frozen North.

But this time these ponies are prepared for war against an enemy that dares to steal their home away from them.

The first thing that I feel is something clawing at my body, trying to remove something from me and as my eyes open up all I saw was a white expanse of nothingness. As I feel the thing clawing at me increase in ferocity my eyes started to focus more quickly, color started to return to me and blotches, and when I thought that the thing that was stripping me of valuables had finally found what it was looking for my vision returned to me and I saw that it was a dog, it was snarling and growling at itself as it tried to remove my gold crown from my arm but as soon as I let out a snarl of my own it let out a yelp of terror, looking at me as I glare menacingly at it before my lower right arm grabs it by the wrist and breaks it.

Snarling at the thieving dog I slowly pull myself up while holding onto the dog, as soon as I get onto my knees I cocked back with my upper right before punching the dog in the face, the force of the blow completely cracking its skull and jaw, effectively killing the beast as shards of bone penetrate into its brain.

Throwing the dead dog aside I looked around, my balance has been shaken as I try to find what has caused my sudden unconsciousness but when I looked around I stopped, frozen in shock as my eyes lock onto the source of my sudden slip into darkness. It was the crystal heart, it was gone, and there wasn't a single sign of where it is.

"Kell!" a voice shouted at me from behind and as I turn around I see Bastion galloping right at me before tossing my staff right at me like a spear before coming to a halt a fair distance away to trip a passing dog holding a rusty looking maul in its paws.

With the staff coming at me I wait for it to get closer before my reflexes kick in as I reach out with my upper right arm, grab it right at the middle point before spinning it around and clocking a passing dog across the muzzle, cracking it and rendering the rogue beast knocked out cold.

Letting loose a loud snarl, high enough for those under the palace and close enough to it to hear me I raise my staff before pressing the button, turning it into a spear as my smaller arms pull out their respective shock blades from their sheathes. My roar was clearly heard by the dogs and when they saw my height they all started to shake in fear but if it wasn't for their alphas they would have fled in terror, instead they are whipped back into shape and once again go on the offensive.

I don't know what is going on all around the city but I can only assume that we are being attacked from all sides and that we have no means of knowing how many of the enemy is already inside the walls wrecking havoc.

"Push them back! Send them running back to whatever hole they crawled out of!" Bastion shouted over the sounds of battle raging on all around them, a unicorn ran by him before shooting a sphere of magic at a passing dog, the sphere collided with him, forcing him down onto the floor in pain, the sphere not once letting up as it prevent him from moving without risking any more pain to be added.

To Bastion the capture of enemy combatants was not high on his list of important matters right now but at this very moment anything to reduce their numbers would be greatly appreciated.

"The dogs are all over the city!" a guard shouted just before cutting down a retreating dog with his sword, blood seeping out of the fresh wound as the dog gave one last whimper before having a sword rammed through its neck.

"Then put them down like the beasts they are and snuff them out! If they want to start a war then they have earned themselves one!" I shouted as I kicked a dog in the chest, throwing it back several yards and into a building, cracking the masonry before falling over in a heap, dead or unconscious I don't care.

"Batter up!" I shouted before clocking a dog that wasn't paying attention to me at the time as he was more focused on Bastion, my staff reeled back and let loose as it arced around and cracked the bipedal dog upside the head, effective ripping it off the base of its head as I watched it go sailing off into the distance as the body falls over. I could have made it a donkey punch but this was too much to pass up.

Turning back I see a dog running right at me, a long two handed mace in its hands as I side step out of the way as the head came down, cracking against the crystal floor. Tsking at the dog in shame I proceeded to cut his arms off as he had overextended them just to get a swing at me, the shock blade easily cleaving through flesh and bone as the dog steps back in shock, howling at the pain of losing both arms but his howling comes to a stop as I bring my other sword up and rammed it into his open mouth, the sword coming out the back of his head.

"Looks like they can play dead after all."

"Hey boys! Fetch!" I yelled with an evil grin on my face as my upper left arm reaches back and grabs one of my shock grenades off my belt and with a bit of effort I chucked that son-of-a-bitch as hard as I can, and like a baseball pitching champion that fucking thing flew far and all of the dogs stopped what they were doing to see what was flying by, their baser instincts kicking in for a second before shaking it off and returned to fighting for their lives.

One dog on the other hand wasn't so smart, he jumped into the air and caught the grenade with his mouth, holding the stick end in his mouth, right as it stopped moving the grenade detonated, blowing his entire head off along with his neck and a part of his torso.

"Follow the stick little puppies!" I yelled again but this time I threw my staff but with the blade extended out, turning it into an ornate spear of death, the long piece of metal and crystal flew through the air before colliding with a dog's lower abs and embeds itself into some poor pony's door. The dog tried frantically to pull himself off of the spear but his legs wasn't responding to him until he met his end by receiving a maul to the face, the octagonal shaped mace crushing his muzzle, breaking teeth and cracking his skull open like Gallagher at a watermelon contest.

I don't know who lives here but whoever does, I owe them a new door, this one currently has blood and brains splattered all over it.

"Don't let them through! Protect the civilians!" I hear Hammer shout right behind me just as she puts her namesake down on top of a dog, the hammer pretty much caving its skull in, digging down a good two feet before pulling out, the body all but crumpling in on itself.

'Note to self...do not anger giant mares, they will crush me.'

The process of helping my guards fight back against the dogs was a long and tedious process, there was just as many dogs as there was crystal guards, if not more but it was all the same to me, they pissed me off.

"Beat 'em down! Force them to play dead forever!" Forge shouted as she charged right by me, a pair of metal axes float beside her as she thunders right by me, chasing three diamond dogs as they haul ass to get away from her. The giantess was splattered with blood and she looked like she was enjoying herself.

'I wonder what Forge was doing when all of this went down, probably was asleep early or something.'

A FEW MINUTES AGO

Forge was down in her workshop, working on the new project that has been given to her. It was a strange contraption that truly made her wonder whether the stallion upstairs is either mad or a genius, a weapon like this that can fire a heavy object over a great distance and cause horrendous damage to their enemies is unheard of other then a unicorn magical barrage.

While she was busy on constructing the lower chassis to hold this new weapon of war she heard for a moment something rumbled and it wasn't her stomach nor was it the door that was on its last legs due to faulty hinges. Thinking that it was nothing the giantess forge-mistress went back to work hammering out the chassis piece but stopped again when she this time saw the disturbance turn into a problem.

As she trotted over to the source of the rumbling it erupted into a shower of stone, dirt and rocks before revealing a diamond dog head poking through the opening.

Without even thinking her horn turned on and grabbed the nearest heavy crossbow from its stand, loaded it and shot the dog in the head, the arrow going through the side of its skull before embedding itself into the rock on the other side.

"Get the hell out of my house!" Forge shouted before tossing her crossbow aside to grab a metal bucket from the refinery and scoops out a bucket load of molten slag before dumping it down the hole, the sounds of howling and screams of agony can be heard before she gets a second bucket load and drops that down as well before tossing the bucket aside and went for her personal weapons.

Kicking off the lock that was on an inconspicuous trunk her horn glowed again but this time staying on as she levitated out a pair of axes made of old wood and metal, the hoof-carved wood had drawings all around the handle and haft depicting the life of its wielder, and ax head had old stenciled glyphs forced into the metal, the words having no direct translation into any known language but to her it says one thing clearly.

'Your blood will decorate my body and your bones will be my trophies.'

The sounds of more screaming echoed out of the foundry as the dogs were pulled out of their tunnel and were mercilessly butchered by the blood-frenzied mare, her shouts of glee can be barely heard from the outside world and those that can hear it know that someone has angered the forge-mistress.

PRESENT TIME

"DIE BEAST!" a dog shouted as he smacks me across the chest with an ax, the blade shattering into over a thousand pieces as I looked down at him with contempt. Dropping my swords I grab him with all four of my arms, my upper ones grabbing his arms while my lower ones grabbed his legs. He didn't even know what I was going to do before I placed my foot on his chest and pushed, hard, his body being ripped apart as I held onto his removed limbs before tossing them aside.

"How about no, and besides, you dropped these." I said while grabbing my swords and went on somewhere else, the dog was staring at the night sky as his heart slowed down before giving out.

Grabbing random weapons that have been dropped by the knocked out and killed dogs I was holding an array of rusted, but sharp weapons. I was holding a claymore in my upper right, an ax in my upper left, a sword in my lower left and a mace in my lower right, in all this would be awesome if it wasn't for one little thing.

"God damn piece of shit weapon! Who thought it was a good idea to take a degrading weapon into battle!" when I went to take a swing with my ax the head of it came undone and flew off the wood, goes sailing over a few houses before crashing into somebody's window, leaving me with nothing more then a stick which was then used to bash the intended target upside the head.

Whoever supplied these dogs with these weapons, either it was from their own hands or was given to them by a 'generous' giver who wanted to get us angry...or maybe I am overthinking this and these dogs are just raiders as their species were called by the crystal heart.

And speaking of the crystal heart, where the hell is it?

Maxi was heading straight for the treasure room with the crystal heart in his hands, he can feel it hum with energy and power, small voices started to echo in his head but to him he just thinks that he is hearing things. Pushing a door open with his shoulder Maxi saw other dogs carrying other prizes in their paws, he saw gemstones, gold objects, a bag of gold coins and a few had furniture in their paws.

As soon as he gets to the pile of hoarded treasure it was his turn to throw in his acquired ill gotten goods he stopped and looked down at it.

In his hands he feels a strange connection with it, he can hear the voices clear up, trying to talk him into not throwing the heart away, to hold onto it and return it to its master.

Before he could think otherwise a dog that was behind him simply shoved him aside before throwing in his gold statuette of a unicorn standing on its hindlegs. Looking down at Maxi the dog wretches the gemstone from his hands before tossing it into the pile as well before snarling at him.

"You no keep heart gem, it goes to high dog lord back home."

And before Maxi could talk back he was picked off the floor and shoved back into line to return back to the surface to steal again.

I need to get that heart back, we need to get that heart back, without it the empire is subjected to the harsh weather that is all around us, our crops will start to die because of the cold temperatures and these ponies are already starting to revert back to their lackluster appearance and saddened disposition.

We have to end this soon and fast, I don't know how long these ponies can keep their spirits up knowing that the crystal heart has been removed from its stand.

I hope that the other guards are pushing them back to their holes so we can make a counter attack.

Private First Class Sharp Tack is exhausted, he has been fighting the diamond dogs since he first spotted them within the city limits for the past two hours, he wasn't expecting these dogs to put up such a fight let alone raiding and fighting to the point of dying to the last dog. This isn't what diamond dogs do, they usually go in, grab whatever they can get their greedy paws on then retreat, if they meet resistance they try to go around it to steal, but to actually fight back and almost kill a pony to steal valuables...

It is highly unlike them.

As Sharp Tack rounded another corner with four other guards, one was knocked unconscious when a dog came from behind and clubbed the mare upside the head with a club. Standing behind the guards pretty closely are a group of civilians, those they picked up along the way to the palace to drop them off and to find any more stragglers and bring them to safety.

Turning another corner and seeing no dogs out looting or fighting the stallion waved his hoof and was soon followed by the soft thundering of hooves as they rushed out of cover and galloped straight to the palace, the fighting there has subsided for the moment and that was when they saw the empty pedestal standing underneath the palace, dead diamond dogs littering the area as they see their Kell throwing a dog into the ceiling before letting it drop to the ground in a heap of broken bones and pain.

"Private Sharp Tack, get those ponies inside and regroup out here."

That was all I heard my Kell say to me I saluted at him and herded those we found into the palace, I pray to the gods above that we got everyone away from those dogs.

Walking over to the groaning beast I kick him over and look him dead in the eyes as I lift him off the ground and snarl loudly into his face.

"Why did you come here, dog." the dog squirmed in my large hand, trying to get away from me but all it did was agitate his wounds and test my patience.

"I will not ask you again dog. Why. Are you. Here!" I tightened my grip around his neck as he tried to claw my arm away from him but in the end he wheezed out a few words.

"We...have to pay...debt!" the dog said as I loosened my grip on this throat, allowing him to keep speaking.

"And you thought it was a good idea to attack an empire just to pay off a debt!" I shouted as several of the crystal guards that are standing watch around me glanced at each other, wondering what this dog is saying, wondering what this debt is.

"We only wanted to be free!" the dog wailed as I squeezed harder before loosening my grip.

"And now your people are going to pay the price for this transgression!" I roared as I raised him higher and pulled out my swords, having both blades pointed at his lungs and heart.

"No! Please!" looking at the fear in the dogs eyes I lowered himself down so I can see the terror in his eyes and so far it looks like he is about to shit himself.

"Why should I spare any of you dogs? You dare invade my home, kidnap my ponies, break into their homes and rob them blind and you expect mercy from us?" I asked as I looked the dog over, wondering why exactly they would incur the wraith of a nation to pay off a debt? They could have asked us to pay it off for them and in turn they owe us but instead they took the aggressive route.

"P-please!"

"I'll decide your fate when its over." I tossed him aside and looked at two guards that were waiting for me. "Take him to the infirmary, get him patched up, can't have him dying on me just yet."

Walking by the guards I entered the palace, the blood of several dogs dripping off of my armor as I walked through the halls under I stop when I see the equestrians sitting in one room, all of them together with their guards guarding the door.

"I am sorry to say this but we must cut your stay short, diamond dogs seem to have attacked the empire in the dead of night and stole the crystal heart. I am going to make sure that all of you get out alive by sending with you twelve of my Kellguard, they will make sure you get to your destination safe and sound. I am terribly sorry for this but this is for your own safety." as soon as I said that I left the room and with twelve of my high ranking guards that I have trained the hardest standing by.

"Make sure they get out of here safely, do not let them come to harms way." and with that said and done I walked off, it is time I calm the masses and assure them that those responsible pay for this unwarranted raid.

I just got the report from Bastion, it was everyone that was kidnapped from the diamond dogs, over forty ponies have been taken from their homes, including Shining Pearl. Forge knows this and she is beyond furious, I can only pray that those dogs surrender before they get killed by the enraged mare.

Wiping blood off of my face I flick the dark red liquid off of my hand before presenting myself to the scared populace of crystal ponies, the equestrians are still inside but are now leaving the palace and are heading towards the south gatehouse. The crystal ponies are scared if not even more so as they saw me covered in what must be over the blood of over a dozen dogs.

"Ponies of the Crystal Empire! These Diamond Dogs think that we are defeated, they think they have cut the head off the snake by capturing the crystal heart, your family, your friends, your loved ones and everything you hold dear!"

"You and I are all that remains but that is all that is necessary to take back what is ours!"

"For together we will rise from the blizzards of winter, together we will show those that dare think we are weak who the real boss is!"

"Those dogs think they can take your prosperity, your happiness, and your family and leave you with nothing but anger!"

"We will take that spark and start a fire which will become a great conflagration that will burn those that dare go against us into nothing more than ashes!"

"Peace! Though! Power!" I roared out as I hear nothing but the thundering of hooves, every single citizen and guard within the empire applauding, all of them letting our battle cries of their own, they are demanding retribution and I am going to give it to them.

"Crystal Guards! Arm up! Grab your Arbalests, your Glaives and your Swords! Rise up and take back what was stolen from you! Citizens of the Crystal Empire, get into the palace and hold yourselves there until our return, we will come back with those that were taken and what was stolen from us returned back to the surface where it belongs!"

"Prepare yourselves my brothers and sisters, tonight we will go down into their tunnels and flush them out! We will make sure that anyone else that dares to try this will know that our retribution will be great and the price they will pay will be high!" and with that last shout I watched as every single pony gave one last applause before scrambling, the biting cold starting to get to everyone as they worked hard to enact my plan to free those that have been captured by the diamond dogs.

Grabbing my shrapnel launcher from Forge I look at her, the giantess was wearing her old armor from her tribe, the blood-stained furs and metal plates gleaming dully in the moonlight, this mare has taken several lives and her blood is boiling with rage. Those dogs have not only injured Bastion but they have foalnapped Shining Pearl, her only friend beside myself, Bastion and Glittering Quill, and she was not going to be showing any mercy to those dogs.

Walking over to one of the uncovered holes I feel electricity coursing through my armor before jumping down the hole, only the occasional sparks of electricity can be seen as I fall down the hole.

Sparky was having a great day, their raid was off to a great start and tomorrow in the morning they will go back up to the surface and resume with their raiding, they have enough to pay off their debt but now they wanted more, they know that the crystal ponies have more treasure up there, more gems, more gold.

The doberman was patrolling the hall that held the tunnels leading to the surface alongside with seven other dogs at the back of the group, all of them were the ones that didn't manage to snatch anything from the homes or grab a pony on the way back but they did manage to distract the guards long enough for others to do so.

It was during their patrol did they hear something out of the ordinary and started to move straight to the source of the sound.

They were not expecting me coming down from above, my body wreathed in electricity and as soon as my feet slam down into the crudely carved stone, the force of the impact cracked the stone but my slam unleashed my power as those that were standing directly in front of me was were immediately vaporized as the high voltage blast annihilates everything that is made of water. Those that were further behind the first three were knocked back, parts of their fur was singed and their metal armor crackling with an electric charge. And for those in the back they are just knocked off their feet.

All of the dogs looked up from where they were laying down and saw the most unholy sight to behold, a tall being covered in dried blood and battle scars all adorning the metal plates as if it was a trophy, and tied to its waist was a pony skull with a red horn and its new addition was on its opposite side, and it was a freshly flayed skull with blood still dripping off of it.

"I am Skolas, and you dogs will know pain unending now beg, beg for your lives!"

Drastic Action

Typical Morning in the Empire

"Kell, wake up." A voice said as I tried to ignore it, I was trying to catch up with the sleep that I lost when we raided the cave below and exhaustion was creeping up on me yet again.

"Noo..." I groaned out as I tried to cover my head with a pillow.

"Kell, I know that you are not actually asleep." The voice said as it pokes my side.

"Yes I am, your just hearing things." I grumbled as I tried to curl a bit into the bed to avoid the offending hoof.

"Kell...your awake."It said again as it pokes me another time.

"Sorry can't hear you, I'm asleep!" Honestly at this point I am wide awake and trying to buy me some time to actually fall asleep.

"Can we stop with these childish games and just get up and start the day?" The voice sounds irritated and annoyed at this point.

"I don't want to, I am too tired for this shit right now." I said as I turned my head to the side, letting a part of it be exposed to the open air.

"Sir, I am not giving you a choice in the matter." The sound of magic alerted me that whoever is trying to wake me up is a unicorn, god forbid if it is an alicorn.

"And what are you going to do about it?" I said as I started to open my eyes, the bright light of the sun breaching the windows blinding me temporarily.

"Why, I am going to use this bucket of cold water right here and dump it on your head. If that doesn't work then I will just use another bucket of cold water that I have waiting for you outside." And that right there is when I realized that I know exactly who I am dealing with at this very moment in time.

"Shining Pearl, why do you hate me so much..." I groaned as I rolled over on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as my master of coin trotted into view with a bucket of water floating over head.

"Because today is the day I teach you how to properly eat at a noblepony's party and how to act at one. I will be damned if I let you embarrass yourself and myself if I were to allow such a thing to occur." I rolled my eyes on that one, I know that nobles practically throw parties and other little things at their whim and pleasure but for me I only do that when it needs to be done, if there is a diplomat arriving or when something important happens, which just so happens to be the reverse raid on the diamond dogs yesterday.

"Gods...why are you acting like such a bitch to me this morning..." I groaned out as I tried to grab the offending crystal pony but alas I failed, maybe it was due to the fact that she knows how to avoid my swinging arms or the fact that I know her weakness to belly rubs.

"Because you should be acting like a King...or Kell...or whatever it is you call yourself, not acting like a teenage colt who doesn't want to listen to their parents." She makes a good point, I should be acting like a Kell instead of a bratty teenager.

"And you know how I am acting like how, exactly?"

"My Kell, I went through that phrase a few years ago, I know exactly what you are doing." And right there is the proof I need that she is right for the job of hers.

"Oh...well shit."

"Yes...shit...now wake up before I start dumping ice cold water on you." Pearl had some trouble saying that one word, my guess is that for her pampered lifestyle she just can't say such crude things without it leaving a foul taste in her mouth.

"You wouldn't dare." I said as I see a water bucket hover right above me, directly out of my reach and that it was starting to tip menacingly to the side.

"Oh really?" Pearl taunted me as the bucket kept on tipping over, a small drop of ice cold water hits me between the eyes.

"Fuck it, I'm up...you win, for now." I said with a groan as I slowly start to sit up, hearing the sounds of my spine popping.

"Good." Was all I heard before looking up to see the bucket completely tip over, unleashing its icy cold contents all over my face and body.

SPLASH

"God damn it Pearl!"

"That should help you wake up faster." Pearl said with a smug grin as I try to shake the water off of me.

"I was already awake!" I shouted at the smug looking mare as she dumps yet another bucket of ice cold water on me.

SPLASH

"And what was that for?" I shouted again but this time my facial expression was more akin to the unamused cat meme.

"Well I only had two buckets at the ready, I didn't want that one to go to waste." Pearl explained to me as I tried very hard not to thrash her for doing such a thing so early in the morning.

"Your sadistic, you know that right?"

"Oh I know, I just choose to show that part of me to those that need to see it." Shining Pearl said with a small smile on her muzzle as she levitates the buckets out of the room just as a passing paid picks them up with her back and takes them down the hall to parts unknown.

"I hate you so much."

"I love you to my Kell."

After grumbling and snarling while waiting for my armor to dry itself off while I was muttering dark curses that were all directed at Shining

Pearl for defiling my bed with ice cold water.

"I see that you have looked at the tax reports I have given you." Pearl says as she looks at my work table, the box labeled 'Inbox' was for the most part empty with the exception of the the damage reports and the casualty list that has arrived last night, I gave them a once over but decided to postpone it until today.

"That I did, although I still hate looking at anything that is tax related." Cause I know one thing is certain back home and now here, only a few things are certain, death, marriage, and taxes.

"Don't we all...but before I forget why I came here for I must ask why." I was caught slightly off guard to that question as I pulled myself out of the bed and proceeded to stretch, my armor was sitting on its rack while the leather parts were still on my body.

"Why...what?" I said back as I went to my chestplate and removed it from its resting place.

"Why did you spare those flea-ridden beasts?" Ah, so this is what it is about then, the diamond dogs.

I should have known that someone would find my order to have them all captured be pissed about it.

"Because I have a use for them." I simply said as I strapped on my leg platings and with a tight click they attached themselves to the leather parts and formed a tight grip on them to prevent any looseness or from falling off in the heat of battle.

"What use can those dogs offer us? They attacked us unprovoked! They stole from us! They kidnapped us! They wanted to sell us to pay off a debt that they have obtained and they stole the crystal heart from us! Those dogs almost cast us into the cold that has claimed many lives and weakened so many more and I will not allow that to happen again even if I have to go against you to protect what we have left!" The anger in her voice is clearly evident and the rage swimming within her eyes are showing as wisps of green and black smoke take to the corners of her eyes, giving them a hellish appearance.

Wow, I knew Shining Pearl was there during Sombra's reign but I didn't know that she would be this upset that I have made a plan to deal with the diamond dogs.

"Shining Pearl, I am going to give them a choice, they will either work for us to pay off their debt of the various crimes they have committed against us or that they can rot in their cells before being exiled into the wasteland with nothing but the jackets and collars they are wearing." I said with a calm voice as I strapped on my arm coverings next, making sure that every last piece if held tightly in place.

"You plan to use them like slaves? Just like Sombra used us for his own desires?" Shining Pearl said as she took a step back, thinking that I have started to go off the deep end of the sanity pool and into madness.

"No, I plan to treat them like criminals, they will work off their crime for several years, they are just a small group of diamond dogs and I am absolutely sure that their nation will come looking for them or better yet if they find us instead, demand for them to be released which I will not allow. They are a part of the same group which means they are also responsible for ordering the raid, they risk starting a war and from what their weapons and armor entails they are poorly trained, poorly equipped and if their fighting style is attacking from underground and trying to overwhelm the opposition with numbers then they are not military minded. All it would take is an earthquake that would render those dogs buried alive and be unable to move and if that fails just fill the holes with fire, suck out the air as they burn alive." I said as I remembered a few fan art pictures of pokemon, someone uses dig, then someone does earthquake, pokemon that did dig was crushed horribly and died.

The picture was pretty damn funny from my perspective but of course there was a few assholes that said that it was cruel. I only told them to go eat a bag of dicks and fuck off, don't like what you are looking at then blacklist it and move the fuck on.

"Sir...you have thought this through to completion...haven't you?" And with a slowly widening grin, Shining Pearl saw it before I had it hidden underneath my rebreather.

"Yes, my dear Shining Pearl, I have. And I will not be disappointed if they try to sneak my prisoners out by digging into the prison but they will be hard pressed to dig through enchanted crystals that react violently to being damaged or moved without the proper counter spell." I had to make sure that the crystals reacted with the power of a thunderbolt, either stunning or outright killing the person trying to escape or break in.

"My my...such a smart stallion we have here, I am glad to know that you are our emperor instead of our enemy."

Yes, you should be glad because I can lead anyone and use their talents to their maximum use.

"Mmhmm, that and you know that you love all of this." I said as I waved my four arms all over my body, mockingly presenting it to her.

"I doubt I want any of that sir, but I know Forge would love to take a run at you." Pearl said as it hurt my manly pride.

God I think that Shining Pearl is a total ball buster.

"Shining Pearl, I know that Forge has a thing for me, the fact that she gave me a glass of milk that was slightly messy only proved it." Grabbing my staff I gave it a twirl before checking the blade to make sure it wasn't damaged or dent.

"She did WHAT!" Pearl shouted as I tried to get over the fact that Pearl shouted in anger and surprise.

"Oh you didn't hear? A few days ago she came into the dining hall during breakfast and handed me a glass of milk, I thought she was just being nice but when I tasted it, it was...off. I thought that she handed me some slightly expired milk but when she got off her seat after she finished eating...well lets just say I saw some milk on the cushion she sat on and her teats were slightly dripping." I said as I recall back to that day with a smile on my face, I don't know why but it tasted so good!

"I I can't believe that tart would even do such a thing!" Pearl started to seethe, I think this is one of those no-nos that she is trying to talk to me about.

I can't believe its not butter! Okay bad joke done for the day, onto real business.

"I can't believe she was so bold as to give me teat milk and with such a bold face as well." I said as I remembered seeing Forge just walk up to me, place the milk down right there and sit down beside me.

For all I know that could have been her way of trying to poison me.

"...I will have words with her." Pearl was grinding her teeth a bit as she forced those words out.

"Don't, I rather not have to find a replacement master of coin because Forge murdered you." It's true, this small unicorn won't stand a chance against Forge, hell all I can hope for is that if she does go down there that it would be quick and painless.

"But she-" She started to talk but I cut her off by covering her muzzle with my small hand.

"She gave me teat milk, you should be glad that she didn't go the extra mile and give me a glass of mare juice." I said and right as I did I realized that I pretty much just shot myself in the foot, figuratively not literally.

"What did you just say!?!" This time she shouted almost right in my face, she had to jump for that one.

Why don't you blow out my ear drums while your at it? Your trying to tame me into being a gentle stallion, which I am but its gentleman, man not stallion. Learn the difference cutie pie.

"Shining Pearl, I know you crystal ponies do some kinky and naughty things just to get the attention of a stallion, especially those that are in heat, I am just glad that I didn't read that strange book on mating." The title of the book is called 'Kama Sutra' pretty much pony sexuality in book form and by god is that thing accurate to a T.

In truth I did read it but it was due to boredom, let us just say that it made me want to go out there and find someone to fuck but sadly due to my position, strange appearance and the fact that I actually have two dicks instead of one and that both of them are fourteen inches long and an inch and a half wide. I have no idea on how I got them to emerge from their hiding place but one day they were there, out in the open and they were angry.

And I can't even believe that part of me is lizard like...and why do I even know lizards and reptiles have that anyways?

I can't believe I even thought of that...anyways!

"I know my Kell, although I myself have never been caught dead doing anything within those books you have found but I do know what it takes to get a stallion to do the deed when it is time for more children to be born." Shining says with a flat look on her face.

"Wow Shining...I...I knew you were calculating and cold but damn. Did you ever have to trick a stallion to even do that?" I asked as I twiddled around with my shrapnel launcher, getting some rocks and dirt out of the cracks in it.

"No. I never even felt the touch of a stallion because I am not interested in them." Huh...

"Huh..." Lesbian confirmed.

"Is something wrong with that?" NOPE!

"No, I was just thinking on how that would work...two mares...huh..." I honestly can not get that image out of my head, that book had a picture of that and I am still trying to work the mathematics out.

"Try not to think on it too hard my Kell, I rather not have you getting excited when you are in your court talking to the nobles, I knew many mares and a few stallions that would be...overjoyed to see you like that." And I know for a fact that a few of them would enjoy that sight, IE Doctor Cleanser, that stallion once looked me over just to study me, I can still feel those eyes of his lusting after me...

Cue body shivering and mental vomiting.

"Perfect..."

"Oh don't worry my Kell, I know that even if you tried to do the dirty deed with them that you might and possibly could injury them, tear or rupture something with our size alone, it would be even more of a mess if you had more then one."

I stayed quiet at that remark, cause I do know that I have two. I am just glad that I don't have three or more.

"Well then, shall we drop this discussion and move onto more important matters?"

"Yes...lets..."

"Excellent, Quill has your schedule for today, Bastion is recovering in the infirmary from a wound that we did not find until after his armor has been removed, Forge is cleaning herself off and my father is still wishing that you marry me although I keep telling him that his request will be rejected and that it is futile." Ah yes, the typical things that all the higher noble families are trying to do, get me to marry their daughters.

Why haven't I just declare that I am off limits? Would that even work and would they even listen to that decree?

"I swear those nobles are going to drive me to drink one day." I said as I thought back to my last beer I had, it was pretty much like piss water but still it had its desired effect of getting me drunk off my ass.

"When that day happens come to my office, I am sure I have a bottle of wine that you might enjoy." A goody...wine, something that must be learned and studied just to sound sophisticated when with the social elite.

"I just might go to the Prancing Pony and drink myself to a stupor." I said, that name was a straight up rip off from Lord of the Rings, it even had the same sign and everything.

"Ah, the poor stallions drink...I should have known better." What do you have against beer women? You should try it sometime.

"You only live once Shining Pearl, or in my case...maybe more than once." And if what I know about the Fallen is true, we can be revived with a Servitor or a Prime Servitor.

"Hmm...well then, let us be off and go our separate ways." Shining Pearl says before the two of us left the room.

And with that said we went in different directions, she went down the hall leading to her office while I went to the throne room.

Just another typical day in the Crystal Empire.

Equestrian Presence

Dog Deals

Judgement day, it was here and this time I was not on the receiving end.

Sitting on my throne in a manner that can clearly be read as 'boredom' to those that are on the receiving end of my angry glare.

Lining the walls of my throne room was the nobility, family members of those that have been kidnapped or those that have been kidnapped are in attendance. There was also a few nobles that have been robbed by the dogs that are in attendance here but they were for the most part, pissed off at the dogs, hating them greatly.

Sitting in the middle of the throne room was the captured diamond dogs, every last one of them was here and surrounding them was two regiments of my guards, the rest of them were either out on patrol or are resting up in the barracks or infirmary.

All of the dogs were scared, the females were holding their many children, the males were snarling or barking at the guards who in return pointed their glaives and crossbows at them in kind, a few dogs would whimper pathetically as a result.

"Order! Order! The Tribunal is now in session. The Honorable Emperor Skolas will now take over." Bastion shouted as he stomped his hoof on what looks like a small gavel thingy.

"Thank you Watch Commander Bastion, now would one of the dogs be the voice for the colony so we can proceed with the trial." I said with a bit of a frown on my face, hidden from sight with my rebreather.

One of the dogs in the crowd, the one called Maxi, steps forward and stands before me. I can still feel his connection to the crystal heart and I know that he has gleamed off of it a tad bit of intelligence and human ingenuity.

"I am Maxi, a miner for the clan in the high snow lands. I will speak for my people for this trial." the german shepherd-like dog said as he kneeled before me, the rest of the diamond dogs in attendance are standing up, looking around in fear.

"Maxi, you and your clan are for the crimes of multiple accounts of assault, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, armed robbery, grand larceny, breaking-and-entering, kidnapping, the theft of a sacred artifact, and invading a sovereign nation. Do you have anything to say on your behalf or on the behalf of your clan?" I said with power and authority in my voice, I slammed my staff down to prove a point and to instill a bit of fear into them, trying to make them submissive in order to get the desired result that I want.

"Y-yes, I do have something to say." the dog said as he stood up, trying to look me in the eyes but was looking away from me, afraid.

"Then say it, come next time tomorrow you won't be able to say anything against the ruling." I said, making it clear that this is his only chance to save himself and his people.

"We were forced to come out here to pay off the debt to our benefactors back home across the lands. Most of us didn't want to go with the raiding plan, we actually wanted to do a trade deal of sorts just to earn enough gold and gems to pay off our clan moving fees so we don't have to be dependent on them anymore." Hmm...some wanted to be peaceful while the leader wanted to be aggressive, look at how well being hostile to us is eh ex-alpha.

"Did you have an enforcer to make sure you do your job?." I asked as I wanted to know if they had one, usually enforcers are brutal, tough and they show no remorse or mercy to those under their feet.

"Yes, the capital hired a teenage dragon to watch over us, they said his name was Garble...he was always in an angry mood. He killed a few of my friends because he thought they stole from the treasury." Wow...an enforcer dragon, and brutal at that.

"And this dragon...this Garble, what does he look like?" I asked as I look around slowly, trying to gauge a few of the noble ponies that are in the room.

"He has red scales, white scales on his chest running down, and an orange frill on his head. He also has wings and he knows how to use them...he usually scares us when he starts roaring at us to get us to work harder." Man this dragon is seriously working his way up my shit list.

"Hmm...Bastion, get a guard and have them send word to the Wall...have them keep an eye out for this dragon...this Garble. If this dragon shows his face I want to know in what direction, how fast he is flying and if he has other friends with him. A dragon shouldn't be out in the cold due to it being their weakness and that prolonged exposure to the cold can be lethal...he or they if he is not alone must be hiding somewhere if they were not in the dog colony at the time of our raid." I rather be prepared for an imminent dragon attack then be caught off guard and have my guards and civilians injured or killed by a pissed off flyer.

"Yes my Kell." Bastion said before leaving my side and grabbed a guard to spread the word.

"Now then, I want to know why your leaders thought it would be wise to raid my city to capture my citizens and to rob them of everything they own?" I asked, steadily dropping all hints of anger as I started to ease myself into a kinder mood.

Being a leader I know I must show both a merciful and kind side and when things are gearing up for a more heated side, then a wrathful and harsh face is needed.

"Our leader before you executed him with his own sword, he thought that with what was on the surface and along with the ponies we would have been able to pay off the debt and more. We would have been given enough food and supplies to survive on our own for the rest of our lives...but now it seems that we won't even get to live that long." A leader that thought that was his only choice to get what was needed. The alpha wasn’t doing this out of stupidity, but out of desperation.

"Did you dogs really think that we would just sit back and allow this to happen let alone allow it to happen a second time?" I asked as I recalled that the treasury was lined up with stolen loot, some of it was in the form of raw gemstones and metal ores, parts of what looks like from that possible lucrative mine at the bottom of their town.

"No..."

"Then why would you follow his orders? If you knew what the consequences could have been then why would you follow the orders of someone who was going to instigate an incident that could very well spark the fires of war between two nations?" In truth I would have made the first strike if they did decide to declare war, if their cities was above ground then I would make it rain fire from the zeppelins we have, all five of them. If they are below ground then just map the in-and-out of the capital, plug it, and burn it.

"Because we were taught since birth to never question anything our alpha tells us to do." Huh, taught to never argue or talk back to your alpha, like the rule of never talk back to your parents unless you want your ass beat.

"So you were told to be mindless drones to someone that just so happens to be on top?"

"Yes..." Yup, I am doing them a favor by giving them this deal. Give them a limited freedom is better than no freedom at all.

"Wow...that just straight up sucks."

"Yes, it does."

Looking at all of the dogs I can see that they are scared, they are afraid, and they are desperate. They thought that if they can pay off this debt of theirs then they can live free without worry or fear...it's a damn shame that their leaders are so fucking stupid.

"Then you might be glad that I have a deal for you and your kin." I said while wearing a wry smug grin, working this contract out in its earliest stages will be hard but if I can get the crystal ponies and diamond dogs to work together then we can do many great things together.

There was plenty of grumbles and shouts of confusion, almost all of the nobility that are in attendance. Apparently they thought that these dogs deserve nothing other than either a quick execution or banishment into the cold wilds beyond the barrier.

“And what is this...deal that you speak of?” Maxi said as he stared at me with varying hints of curiosity and interest.

“You work off your debt, to the empire not to your kingdom that sent all of you out here.” I said, showing one of my many cards that I am hiding in my sleeves.

I can’t show everyone my tricks and gambits, especially to those close to me, I rather not have to make a sadistic choice if they get caught up in my plans.

“Trade one debt and enslavement for another? Do you really think that would be better off for us?” Maxi said as he looked at me, showing small hints of a snarl on his muzzle as I stared down at him.

“Actually yes, I do think so. You will pay off this debt by working for the empire for five years, working off your debt instead of having to pay with gold or gems when you could be using them yourself to better your lives.” I said as I started to weave my promises and lies together, yes they would be free from us in five years but after that what then? They would be out here all alone and they would be dependant on us, which means they would still have to keep working for the empire until they can find a way to stay on their own two feet.

Maxi was thinking it over, he lowered his head and started to think on how this will affect his people and for the most part himself.

“You want us to work for you, indentured servants, and you know not all of us are that smart, following any kind of complex orders would end badly.” That part I actually worked out, giving away free education is a sure fire way to get them to love me more, cause after all the old saying of bread and circuses are one of many ways to control the masses.

“That is why you will be doing what you love to do, whatever it is and if the job is needed then it will be done. I will not force any of you do to things that you dislike let alone hate and if it happens to be metalworking, mining, wood carving or some other trade then so be it.”

Give them a sense that they can still control their destiny, whatever that may be, and they will bend the knee long enough to have the wool slowly be pulled over their eyes and soon enough believe in the lie.

He started to think on it again, trying to find some way to see if I am trying to shortchange or outright cheat them.

“I don’t get you...why are you helping us? Every other alpha back home or here would have forced us to work hard for the bare minimum and often hurt us if we slack off or try to lie or steal. Why are you being so nice to us?” Maxi asked me as I looked at Forge for a moment, noticing that she was shifting from hoof to hoof, trying to keep herself in check before I turned back to staring at the newly elected alpha dog.

“Because Maxi, I have a heart, I am not unnecessarily cruel. When the path of the blade and blood are needed then I do so but not without trying to find a way to make it not end in a complete and total massacre. I could have killed every single last one of you back in those caves but I didn’t because I believe in second chances, all of you deserve that chance because being forced to work as slaves always doesn’t end well.”

“Now I am not giving you a second chance out of pity, no you are getting this chance to redeem yourselves, to prove that you are capable of being better than your peers, to prove to those back home that there are those that are kind and willing to help them instead of breaking them down and leaving them in squalor.” Cause giving pity chances would make me look weak and I rather not have that appearance to the international community if they ever decided to pop over and find us.

“This second chance...will it extend to all of us? Even those that are recovering from their injuries?” Why of course it would! That would be just stupid, leaving out the wounded would be like a slap to the face, ‘Oh hey you're injured and you heard about this second chance your people are getting, well guess what you don’t get it cause you're currently in the sick bed.’, what kind of idiot would do that?

“Yes, all of you will be given this chances, all of you will have to redeem yourselves with the five years of labor for the empire. The young will be exempted from this rule because they are far too young to have a hand in something like this.” Come on, fall for the bread and circuses I am dangling in front of you.

“I...I must tell this to them...they must know.”

“Take all the time you will need.” Excellent! He took the bait I was dangling out in front of him.

Turning to Forge, Shining Pearl, Glittering Quill and Bastion I waved them over and quietly started to talk to them.

“I want your thoughts on this deal, leave nothing out but do keep it quiet so only we can hear it.”

The first one to talk was Forge, naturally since she was standing right beside me at the time.”

“Are you bucking series Skolas? These dogs dared to break into our homes, kidnap our friends and family and steal from us, and you want them to work under us to pay off that debt? Are you huffing crystal smoke weed?”

Turning my head to Shining Pearl she coughs to clear her throat before speaking up.

“Well, my Kell you and I already have this talk before and I must say that this is exactly what I was expecting to come out of your mouth. My Kell, I am not sure if it is within my place to say this but if you do get these dogs to work off their debt then make sure they do it away from us because I can not trust them.”

After that was Glittering Quill and she is still the same chipper pony that does not ever seem to ever look down or sad. I think this pony is doing some sort of drug or is just naturally high on life.

“I think that they want to be good again, let them. I bet they would make the best of friends with those they have wronged! Maybe even become valuable members of the empire!”

Never change Quill, never change.

“My Kell, this is your decision and yours alone. You make the choices and we just follow through with them, no matter how strange it may be but I must say this. If we do truly plan on letting these dogs stay here then they must be sent somewhere else to temporarily live, their old homes is squalor and those are not ideal places to raise the young of any kind. If they are to thrive let alone gain any favors with us then they must first be built up and improved upon before anything can happen.”

“That I can actually agree with you Bastion, that was a part of my plan all along. We will improve their homes so they don’t have to worry about them returning to busted conditions, they will be treated for any disease or ailment that they have, and they will be fed. For the most part they might be working in the few mines we have, which it will increase the output but then they will also be on a side project for the empire...an emergency shelter far from here in case the absolute worse happens.”

I already have the ideal place set up, a mountain that is far from here and that is easily defendable because it is up a hill and from what the land looks like seeing that it is frozen, a river runs beside it.

As long as no one finds that hidden place and that it gets constructed in time then all the better.

“So do we all have an accord or must we go round about this topic till hell freezes over?” I said with a grin on my face, obscured from view from my rebreather as those that I consider my friends look at each other before they all agreed.

“Excellent…” turning back to Maxi who was standing there still, waiting for us to get done talking, it seems it is through speaking to his dogs on the matter.

“So what is our fate...emperor?”

“Your fate, is to work off your debt. Although this debt is toward your own kingdom but we are offering you a better place to live, a new chance at a better life and a second chance at having your own lives instead of being forced to steal and raid others just to survive.” I said as I waved for Quill to come over, she was holding the written agreement that I had painstakingly put together the previous night just for this occasion.

When she came over to me I removed it from her side before taking the quill and ink from her as well, she was waiting patiently for us to sign the agreement so that she can put it away in a sealed glass case for all to see, after making a copy so that one can be on display while the other is hidden from public view.

“With this contract, you will be leading the diamond dog colony that is underneath the Crystal Empire, you will be the one that makes sure that they follow the agreement to the letter. The diamond dog colony will be under our protective care until the five years are up, and once the allotted time has passed then you may choose to either stay underneath our protection or strike it out on your own. At the end of the five years the choice is yours and yours alone.”

The dog looked at the contract and read it over, he knew how to read due to his new found intelligence and with it he became the perfect leader for his clan, that and with the connection to the crystal heart I know that he will be influenced by its gift, hopefully.

I don’t know what is going on inside his head but from what his face is saying I can tell that he is actually thinking about it.

“Emperor, this contract...will you really help us get better?” Maxi asked me, he still had his doubts about this deal.

“Yes, there is much that must be done but I do believe I can help you and the rest of your clan get better here up in the frozen north.” I replied back with a toothy smile hidden from view.

Looking at the contract once more I watched as Maxi silently mouthed the words out as he looks it over and it was over because once he was done reading it he gave it a once over before taking the ink and quill from me and Glittering Quill before writing down a rather sloppy signature but it was still written in his letters.

“A new future, for my clan, and for the Empire.” Maxi says with a slightly uneasy smile but I knew that deep down that this was the best choice he could have picked with what he was given.

Putting my own signature on the contract as well I announced that there will be peace between the Crystal Empire and the Diamond Dog Clan with no name. Maxi decided to call his clan the Crystal Dogs, a name that is partial from the Empire but still showing a sign of new loyalty and obedience to me.

As soon as the contract was signed there was at first a subdued applause from the nobles but when they got the whispers of what was actually signed and the benefits of snubbing a kingdom by depriving it a colony and a mine they started to come around and give an actual applause. Once Maxi swore fealty to me and the empire the orders were given throughout the city and what was outside but still within the barrier, that the diamond dog clan is under our protection and that they will not come to harm from our own citizens.

Letting the diamond dogs leave my throne room I turned my head to see the nobles grumbling a bit before making forced smiles when they noticed that I was looking at them. They left without saying a word once the dogs were outside, they were soon followed by my inner circle leaving as well, all of them have their work cut out for them and they didn’t have time to waste.

The next order of business for the diamond dog clan was to renovate their home, to improve it and to rebuild and improve everything within the stone walls that lies below. Homes will be rebuilt with sturdier material, food will be sent below so they don’t have to ration themselves to whatever they had to spare, guards will be on patrol in heavy gear to prevent an attempted uprising if it were to ever occur.

I knew what I was doing, these diamond dogs may be under our protection and are working off their debt and their crimes but there is something about them that I can’t exactly trust about them. I don’t know why but for some reason I know that some day, some time in the future, they might try to betray us from within.

Those thoughts plagued me on the night I was making the contract, would they betray us if they were given the chance to? Would they try to rob us and make a mad dash back to their kingdom? Will they try to harm us, those that are willing to put up with them and give them a second chance at a new life?

With those in mind I made sure to pass the word to the enchanters within the Hall of Mirrors that lie just outside the palace to the south to create and enchant half of the lampposts that line the streets of the city to act as a surveillance system to keep an eye on the diamond dogs. Guards will be tasked to look at the recordings through crystal lens within the security room that was once a chamber filled with dusty blank tomes, now repurposed to act as the security room.

Until I can trust them to not betray us, they will be watched, silently, secretly, and above all else, unnoticed from the eyes of the general population.

I don’t know why but I can’t shake this feeling that I will be betrayed, not sure if it is just a feeling or maybe an omen.

But that feeling can wait for now, cause right now I have more blueprints, schematics and other plans to give to the Think Tank that lie outside of the palace. The Academy for the Gifted Minds, the only place of higher education within the city, there was a few schools within my kingdom but they were all there to teach history, common sense, the laws and other basic things that a growing pony would need to know.

A week has barely rolled over when an equestrian messenger came flying to the city, and after being checked for anything that might be used as a weapon or any other object that can be used as a spying device he was allowed in but was quickly escorted to the palace to give his letter or message and leave.

When the message arrived I opened the letter and looked it over, it was from Princess Celestia, the co-ruler of Equestria, raiser of the sun, benevolent ruler, and ex-ruler of the Crystal Empire. I wanted seriously laugh at her for losing the empire to a mortal unicorn when she herself and her sister were both undying immortals with a massive reserve of magic and power at their disposal and still lost.

Instead of laughing I instead looked at the letter, saw that it said that she has heard of what happened within the empire and if I needed any assistance.

With Glittering Quill on hand I wrote back a response saying no in a kind manner, and that if she wants to send any kind of diplomatic ponies up here to form a peace between the two nations then she can do so. I then had Glittering put a tracker spell on this letter to make sure that it actually goes to Equestria instead of it going off the grid and never to be seen again only for it to reappear and to have a bunch of spies and assassins within the city.

I can only hope that Celestia doesn’t see this as a chance to try and reclaim the empire for herself and her sister or her little Cadence, cause if she did then I would be outright furious with her. I still can’t believe that her ponies believe that her little ponies think that she and her sister can move the sun and the moon.

And now that everything is being taken care of I can now finally do what I have always been dreaming of doing for a while now.

Walking to a nondescript room that seems a bit out of the way I knock twice before thumping on the door three times before knocking one last time, the lock opening up and I walk in to see my friends are here waiting for me.

“Forge, Quill, Pearl, Bastion, Gem, you ready to play.” I said as Bastion started to pass out the cards on the table.

“Yes Skolas, we are, we have read the rules of this...card game of yours and I must say that this is rather...strange, to say the least.” Glittering said as she grabs her cards and looks at them.

“I think it's awesome, I already got a card in my hooves and I think it's hilarious.” Forge said as she snickered, showing Pearl a card that was in her hooves.

“Forge, I don’t think that having the card with the words ‘Micro Penis’ is considered awesome nor hilarious.” Pearl said and as per usual it killed Forge’s happy mood with her ungodly attitude.

“Ease up there buzzkill, let me have my fun.” Forge smirked as she chided Pearl for her proper antics at a friendly card game.

“Pearl, this game is meant to not be taken seriously. Just relax, mellow out, and take that stick out of your plothole.” I said as I sat down with my back facing the door.

“Relax? But this is a game! Relaxing could mean defeat and I will not lose to a mare who thinks taking a shower once a week or at her worst once a month is considered hygienic.” Pearl said as Forge sticks her tongue out and blows a raspberry at the noblemare.

Gross...month long body stink.

“Girls, just relax, sit back, have some fun, nothing is at stake here. Just enjoy yourselves and for the love of god no fighting.” I said as I grabbed my cards and snickered a bit, why of course I would get both the ‘Bees?’ and ‘More Bees?’ cards.

Rolling her eyes at me I watched as Shining Pearl grab her cards with her hooves and tried to figure out on what to do with them.

“Okay, name of the game is called Cards against Humanity, I trust you all read the rules, now time to pick who goes first. Who pooped recently?” Yeah….I totally said that and did not get slapped by Shining Pearl for being ‘vulgar’.

“Skolas...this card game is..so uncouth and uncivilized! How can you even think of playing it?”

“Because it’s a nice game, and besides, I rather play this than go to the seamstress...she is strange to say the least.” I don’t like her, she reminds me of that white unicorn mare from Equestria...my guards said that she is a seamstress and kept asking too many questions.

“You just don’t like her because she keeps hitting on you.” Pearl said as Forge’s ears shot up before folding back a bit.

Pony Emotions from Forge: Folded ears means she might kill somebody she hates or might whoop their ass till next sunday.

“No I just hate her because she keeps trying to get me to wear pink.” And I hate the color pink in my clothes.

“What’s wrong with pink?” Chroma asked as he placed his cards on the table, not even bothering to look at them.

“Uh...not a guy color unless they are flamboyant. I prefer either the shades of blue or black.” Bastion chuckled underneath his hooves as he looked at his cards.

“Pfft, you don’t have any taste in fashion.” Pearl said as she shuffled her cards in her hooves, mixing them up a bit.

“Uh, I am a guy that prefers actions rather than fashion.” I said before snicker, I had a dead babies card.

“Whatever...lets just get this started, I have an appointed tomorrow and I rather not be late because I stayed up all night.” Pearl said before we started to play.

I lost, apparently Glittering Quill is a better player than any of us, she has an excellent poker face.

Reviving the Festival

Unification Day

Unification Day.

Thats what these crystal ponies call it, the day when all three tribes united together and fought back against Discord, Spirit of Chaos and the biggest threat the world has ever seen since Grogar the Necromancer, Tirek the Magic Eater and Nightmare Moon.

This day is meant to celebrate over the victories the ponies of all races had to endure and fight against over the centuries, and each year they throw this celebration to remember and commemorate those that gave their lives to free them from their grasp.

The same can be said for the Crystal Empire, except that they mainly are celebrating me for killing Sombra and freeing them from not one but apparently two leaders. They didn’t want Sombra as their emperor because he was practicing dark magic, slavery, tortured his own subjects and drained the life force from them as well. And as for the two alicorn sisters that used to rule over them, they couldn’t beat a single unicorn that was way younger than they were, weaker in terms of magical powers, was not immortal, and was outnumbered.

That was the deal breaker for them.

When I looked into the history of the Crystal Empire I saw that both Celestia and Luna, when they were in their teenage years as alicorns, were the ruling party at the time, they thought that nothing would come after them but of course they weren’t expecting Sombra to gain power by draining the life essence from those around him. When they found out about his agenda they fought against him, they of course lost and they say the rest of it is history because I am now the ruler.

The celebration officially starts when I shoot off the first firework into the sky, naturally it has to be a big one and of course I made sure the alchemists in the crafters hall make an assload of them.

Another fun part about this celebration is the competitions and the food being served.

The crystal ponies will be having jousting, dart throwing, log throwing, melon-pulting, pie-eating contests, ice and crystal carving contests, water-dunking, hoop throwing, the works.

This day is in essence one big carnival to celebrate their freedom from tyranny.

They just don’t know that my rule so far is like that but a benevolent tyranny, sacrifice some freedoms to ensure safety for all, everyone has jobs except for the youth who are being educated and the elderly either work for fun or are relaxing and enjoying themselves. They may be watched secretly by the lampposts and street lights but it is for their own good.

“My Kell, the citizens of the empire are waiting for you.” Glittering Quill says to me as she goes over today’s events and schedules for me.

“Thank you Quill, I am on my way out now.” I said as I shifted in my armor, today is supposed to be a fun day for all.

And with that I grabbed my staff and started to make my way towards the balcony and declare Unification Day to begin.

It was during my walk there did something happen, mainly it was Shining Pearl arguing with what looks like a noble, not sure of which house but at this point it didn’t matter as it was starting to turn into a shouting match.

“You know we can’t trust those filthy mutts! They attacked us once before and we let them off the hook and now you want us to give them a chance? To what, stab us in the back and make off like a bandit with everything we own! I will not stand for this poor leadership decision that could cost us everything!” A voice shouted beyond my sight, it was around the corner it was sounded distinctly male.

“And if you don’t like it then you can kindly leave this city with everything you own, I know a few crystal ponies and diamond dogs that can use that manor of yours.” A feminine voice said back, this one I recognized as Shining Pearl’s.

“Why you insufferable mare! Why I oughta-” The stallion said just as I turned the corner and was now standing behind Pearl and staring down at the offending stallion.

“Why you oughta...what?” I said while glaring down at the stallion, the effect was immediate as he started to quiver and shake where he stands.

“Oh I uh...my Kell...we are just...having a disagreement is all.” Real smooth, trying to lie to my face and claim that it is the truth.

“You were leaving this palace and are going to spread the word that I will not tolerate those having a disagreement about my decision. It was my choice to make not yours or those that agree with you, I am going to make this loud and clear, if it wasn’t for me this empire would cease to exist. Sombra would have killed most if not all of you, and those equestrians would have been unable to do anything to stop him. They already failed once, they would have failed a second time and then where you all of you be.” I growled out, trying to keep my temper in place and to keep my intent to murder the idiot from coming true.

“...” The stallion stayed there, too scared to move let alone acknowledge my demand.

“Now unless I made myself unclear in my request, Get. Out. And spread the word.” I said in a sharp, quiet tone as he started to move fast, galloping out of the palace to do as I say.

“You know Skolas that this will have negative repercussions.” Pearl says as she straightens out her reading glasses.

“Shining Pearl, they need to learn that I will not tolerate anyone double guessing my decisions. The only reason why they are still nobles even though they allowed Sombra to keep on studying the dark arts instead of turning him into the proper authorities to be executed or exiled is that without them to keep the status quo from falling apart and that whenever I have a need for a particular job I would know which house to call upon.”

“But what about-” I cut her off as I continued to talk.

“Shining, there is something you don’t understand about this situation. If my plan fails and falls through then not only will I lose the support of the crystal ponies but the support of the noble houses as well. If I lose the support of the masses then they will call for a vote of no-confidence, I will lose the throne and then there will be infighting by those that have an eye on it. That is how this government works, all eyes lie on the crystal throne and all eyes are constantly watching me, waiting for me to make a dire mistake.”

“They are ever waiting, ever watching, but I am watching them as they watch me. I am watching their every move, learning everything about them, every little last detail, their likes and dislikes, their hobbies and places to go to relax and hang out. I know I have enemies within the empire, I know that six of them are within my court and I know that almost half of my maids are in the pocket of two of the nobles.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that-” Pearl tried to talk again but I covered her mouth with my hand.

“One of those two nobles is your father.” The icebreaker, her father being a possible traitor to the empire.

“...how did you find out-” Pearl was absolutely shocked, not only did she not know that her father has been planning something behind her back but also behind my back as well.

“I had some of my guards keep an eye on a few of the maids that was not completely loyal to the crown, one found a maid coming from this palace and went straight to your family’s manor. She came in empty hoofed and left with a bag of gold, Pearl it’s not that hard to put two-and-two together to get the result.” I said, with a guard following a maid and finding evidence is quite a heavy thing to lay onto the poor mare.

“You’ve been spying on my family!?” This of course was the thing she wanted to know, not of the other things I have said.

“Shining Pearl, I have been spying on all of the noble houses to see which one would make a move and stab me in the back and twist the knife to make sure I don’t get back up. I know that your father has been spending quite a bit of gold on reinforcing his own private guards with that of my own guards, getting some of the lowest ranking to train his, even going as far as to give them spare weapons and armor.” The real question I really want to know is that who will he support.

“But-”

“Shining Pearl, your father is gearing up for an eventuality and I am going to find out whose side he is on. You are lucky that I trust you enough to not have you relieved of your duty as the master of coin and sent back home until this blows over.”

“I-”

“Dismissed, go enjoy the celebration, and if you meet your father, tell him to pick the right side.” And with that said and done we went on our separate ways.

With that said I walked passed the stunned mare, I know that her father has been preparing for a possible coup but I still don’t have all of the variables, I need to know who he is supporting.

Me, or some other noble.

Stepping onto the balcony I can see that all of the citizens of the empire, with a small mixture of the diamond dogs melding into the crowd, are all standing there, waiting for me to start.

“My fellow ponies and dogs, today marks the one thousandth and third of the annual Unification Day! Today we remember those that fought and gave their lives to free us from the oppressive hold that was once on us all. We remember those that fought and defeated the very beings that would have spelled death and ruin for all if they weren’t stop. Today, we will drink, sing, dance, and compete to show those that have fallen that we have not let it be in vain.”

“Tonight, we celebrate their sacrifices that they have made to unify the pony tribes against a common enemy and now we celebrate the victory over King Sombra, a dark tyrant who drained the life out of his subjects just to extend his unholy life.”

“Now...let the celebration...begin!” I shouted with my staff raised in the air, the signal was given as a large firework is lit before screaming off into the sky, exploding into a multitude of colors as the festival begins.

As soon as it started I went down and started to participate with the masses.

I did not drink because there is no way in hell my PR would be able to deal with the fallout of a drunken emperor. Let alone the fact that if I got so drunk that I couldn’t walk or think straight that I might screw up badly and hurt my reputation beyond repair.

I ate what I could, the crystal version of pumpkin and apple pie was amazing, sadly my stomach couldn’t handle any more because I lived off Ether and I was not going to risk getting some sort of body whiplash effect. I still drank whatever punch or water that was on hand, that seems to not have any negative effects on my body when I do it in bulk.

When I went to the log throwing I wasn’t allowed in for the obvious reason that I have hands and that I can throw it farther than any of the ponies here.

The ring toss game wasn't meant for me, I kept over tossing the small ring past and over the glass bottles but I digress, these games are not meant for me but the very least I can do is make it appear that I am enjoying myself.

During the festive activities going on all around me, one of my agents trotted up to me and told me that Chroma Gem has located the other nobles who were against me. I told the guard to tell Chroma to have them marked, if they are to ever betray me then I want those to be the first to be arrested and sent to the dark cells below the castle. With that minor threat taken care of I went back to the festiveness going on around me.

Arm wrestling was completely in my favor until the giant ponies started to get involved. It was almost a close match when Hammer, Morningstar and Forge joined in on the fun. I almost broke the first two’s foreleg in the ensuing contest, Forge on the other hand...that was a battle of the ages.

Jousting was fun to watch although I couldn’t compete for being incompatible with the lance.

Then came the archery contest, the crossbow I was given was made for my size, I don’t know how these ponies managed to pull this off but they did. My aim was a bit off target due to it being a medieval weapon but it took me a while to get a bead down range and it wasn’t before long that I started to hit close to the center of the target.

My reward was an adorable teddy bear.

The melon-pulting is something to be desired because the thrill of shooting a watermelon out of a catapult is very thrilling, the melon being tossed, it exploding upon impact with the target, now if there was a way to weaponize plants of varying species then we would just need to put them in heavy vegetation areas.

That and I think that was an actual game...I think.

Anyways I was enjoying myself until something came up.

And by something I mean someone.

Being paraded through the street in chains, a muzzle and several wing restrainers, was a dragon. The dragon had red scales from where I can see him and from where I was also standing I saw bits of white.

The crowd of crystal ponies were cheering loudly along with some of the present diamond dogs, this dragon was fighting hard to get free from its restraints but failed to when he was knocked down by Hammer, knocking the back of his legs out with her signature weapon.

“If you want to keep roaring and throwing a fit then keep doing it, you are not going to escape justice by escaping the empire.” Hammer said as she pushed the dragon to keep on moving toward the prison entrance.

Maybe I should have constructed a prison that is far from civilization so if someone was to escape then they would not survive for long.

“But I did nothing to you nambly bambly ponies!” And that right there is a clue that this dragon hates ponies of all races.

“No...but you did kill several diamond dogs for trying to better their lives and for not working hard enough while they were in your care. That is not how you treat those working underneath you and you should feel ashamed for what you have done.” Ah...so this must be the ‘Garble’ that the diamond dogs were talking about.

“Bah! I did nothing wrong, those damn dogs breed faster than they can think! Those four should have already been replaced by some new pups by now, I did you a favor, those can be taught to not steal from a dragon!” Keep digging your hole buddy, your sentencing is being adjusted word for word.

“A dragon that just got his butt handed to him on a silver platter by a nambly bambly pony.” Hammer said in a smug tone as she pushes him again, leading him away.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you fought fairly.”

“So says the dragon with scales for armor and can breath fire.” Oh snap, shots fired.

Before the dragon can make a remark they finally get too far away for me to hear anything anymore, maybe it was for the best cause after all from what I heard from the grapevine that is the crystal guards, Hammer has been known to be rough with prisoners.

“Hey Skolas!” a voice shouted from my side.

Turning to see who it is I saw that it was Forge, and she was swaying a bit as she trots over to me. And by swaying I mean she was just barely toppling over drunk and she smelled like a brewery.

“Hey buddy *hic* hows it goin’! *hic* So glad to see you!” Forge said as she pulls me into a hug, she smelled of sweat, booze, mareish scents, some scent of stallion from those she probably roughed up or played with.

“Good to see you to Forge...you’ve been drinking.” I said as I took a brief whiff and was repulsed back a bit. She smells awful and my it feels like my nose is burning.

“Well what else am *hic supposed to do? Not have fun? *hic*” Well when you put it that way...and we are pretty much having a festival going on all around us right now...

“No Forge...your allowed to have fun, you're just not allowed to get tanked beyond reason because it will interfere with your job.” I sure hope I made the right choice right now.

“Come now, live a little! *hic*” I can totally tell that this won’t end well for any party involved.

“Ms. Forge, if I do live a little would you stop bothering me?” I asked as I stared at the bottle floating by her, I think I just might join in the festive drinking.

“Maybe.”

Welp...thats it I guess, time to join in.

“Well...nothing ventured...nothing gained.” Was all I said before taking the half empty bottle that she had somehow managed to keep levitating in the air from her magic hold and downed it.

At first I felt nothing, it tasted a bit funny but it was nothing that I couldn’t handle so I asked for more. After four bottles of hard ale and half a bottle of moonshine did my body start to feel the effects of liquor coursing through my veins.

IE I couldn’t see straight, and with four pairs of eyes it was pretty freaking horrifying. Each eye was looking at something different, nothing was straight it was all blurry and also I think I might have started to let my alcohol fueled mind take over and started to do things that I am not proud of or should be proud of.

I can’t exactly recall what I have done that night but all I can remember is that I did some wild and crazy things...I think.

What I do remember is that Forge was helping me get to my room and when we got there the door was closed, locked, and not the way I left it.

Without even the kind gesture of knocking I kicked the door open to reveal unto the world two crystal ponies screwing on my bed.

Two ponies were in my bed, I was standing there utterly confused as hell while Forge was laughing her drunk ass off.

Clear Cut, a Captain within the Guards, and Mint Julip, the Head Maid, were in my bed having sex and they were staring right at me as I slowly unhooked my shrapnel launcher from my back.

By the time they were trying to escape I threw my launcher at them, one barrel managing to singe a piece of flank on Clear Cut who let out a yelp of pain before getting up and off the bed with Mint in tow. I could only stare at the pair as they huddled together as I towered over them and gave them my verdict on the pair.

“Clear Cut...your demoted and you are on latrine cleaning duty. Mint Julip, your demoted to Head Maid Assistant, Ms. Spring will take your position and you are to follow her orders to the letter. Dismissed.” I said in my one moment of lucid thought before throwing my sheets out of my room and collapsed on my bed with a thud and groaned as I started to feel my head start to ache.

“I think I will never touch alcohol of any kind...ever again….” I groaned out as I tried to remove my helmet but I gave up on doing so when I couldn’t even get the latches to unlock.

Moaning in agony as the booze started to plague hell on my brain. Apparently Fallen biology works very fast with alcohol, it took me several bottles and a half to get drunk and it was barely two hours later that it starts to kick in, I can only guess that an hour or two later that the hangover will kick in and wreak havoc with my head.

“Move over big guy, this girl gotta sleep.” I heard Forge say from behind me and before I could even say no she pushes me over, gets onto my bed and plops down roughly on top of me.

“You serious?” I asked as I shifted my head to the side.

“What? My bed is too far away and yours is big enough for the two of us.” That is a bullshit excuse but I will accept it.

“No.” Well...this is going to be a long night.

“Come on! Not like you haven’t slept with a mare before!” And she is right, I haven’t.

“Well...I know from experience with the people I am familiar with...but not with a mare.” Yes I have slept with a girl before but a mare...I haven’t really thought of going over that particular edge. Skolas on the other hand is staying quiet...not sure if he agrees with me or is just not saying anything on the matter.

“Pfft whatever, now move over cause I ain’t budging.” Forge mumbled as I shifted a bit in the bed, trying to make room for her while at the same time trying to not really move at all.

“For fuck sakes...fine you can stay...just keep your hooves to yourself.” I gave in as I slumped back into bed, trying really hard to force myself to enter a sleep-like state of mind.

“Not shut up and sleep, tomorrow morning I got somethin' to show you.”

I can only wonder what that could be, I sure hope it isn’t one of those sexy surprises I have been hearing about from some of the guards and maids give to their loved ones.

The next morning I was expecting to wake up naked with a thoroughly pleased Forge lying on top of me.

I was not expecting to be in just my leather under armor, lying on my side, and being used as the little spoon while Forge got to be the big spoon. If I was my human size it would be more along the lines of Forge being the ladle while I was a teaspoon.

'What the fuck is going on with this pony...why is she cuddling with me and why am I the little spoon?'

Questions for later.

Seeing a Piece of the Past

Return to Sender

When I woke up today I was expecting to feel the full force of a hangover, I didn't even get to experience that feeling for some reason but it doesn't matter. What does matter is why the hell is Forge sleeping in my bed with me, why is she holding onto me like that, why does her breath reek of alcohol, and for god's sake why the hell is she drooling on my head?

Prying her forelegs off of my body I start to crawl off of my bed and land onto the floor with a thump and with a groan pulling myself up to a standing position.

Looking at myself in the mirror I can see that my eyes have shifted from its pale blue color to a more...reddish hue. There was still the pale blue in it but the outer edges have shifted to red, I guess this is part of a hangover that is just now clearing up. Seems like I slept it off last night.

Heading to the bathroom I did my daily ritual of wash my body, wash my armor, talk to myself in the mirror to remind myself of what I must do to keep this empire from falling apart and descend into madness.

Once I was done with my morning ritual I woke up Forge the only way I know how to.

I reeled my hand back and slapped her flank as hard as I can.

The effect was immediate as she woke up with a loud yelp, flailed her limbs around in terror as she let out a whinny of terror. I watched with a large grin as she kept on flailing around until she rolled off the bed and landed in a heap on the floor.

“Oh gods above...what the hell is wrong with you Skolas…” Forge said with a groan as I waited for her to get up off my floor and out of my room so I can move on with my day.

“I had to get your fat flank out of my bed somehow.” I said with a grumble, it’s almost like Forge is just trying to get me to notice her butt.

“My flanks are not fat…” I hear Forge mumble as she looks herself over while I waited for her to stand up as she takes her time just to get her faculties together.

“You’re right, they are corpulent.” I said with a grin, fully knowing what this will do to me in the future.

“Really now, using fancy words on me…” Forge said as she started to roll over of her back.

“Yes, and besides you should know that I am only insulting you so you can get yourself into shape, you're starting to get pudgy and you're not doing any favors with yourself.” And it’s true, she is starting to get flabby everywhere.

“I know you liked it when you felt my plot, I bet you’re a flank stallion!” Forge shouted at me with a smile full of mirth as I stop what I am doing which was stretching, how she knew that I like a little junk in the trunk is beyond me but I must deflect this before it gets out of hand.

“Forge, can we please have this conversation at a different time about what I am and what I am not for right now I have something of great importance to do. That dragon that we just picked up was working for the diamond dogs back from wherever the hell they are from, and I will be having a few choice words for him and his employers.” Smooth as silk.

It seemed to work because the giantess then decided to talk about something else.

“And how exactly are you going to be having that nice little chat with the big dogs?” I don’t know if it will work but I will damn well try!

“Why, with a communication gem of course, one that will be modified extensively. I will not lose this chance to talk to those that dared send a colony this far from home.” I just hope that damn thing works or otherwise I might have to send someone there in my stead.

“Uh huh...well...good luck with that...help me would you?” Forge said as I rolled my eyes as I walked over to her and helped her up, apparently she was still slightly dizzy from last night.

“Fine, just clean yourself up and get back to work...whatever you have to show me can wait for now, this dragon is at this point more important.” Way more important because that dragon can probably be my ticket to those dogs.

“Alright, but you better come down once your done because that project of yours is finished.”

“Excellent, keep it warm for me won’t you?” I said with a smirk.

“I will, just don’t expect me to do much with it though, the damn thing is confusing as Tartarus and I have no idea on how or where you learn of that infernal thing but it sure isn’t normal.” Well it should be confusing, its future grade technology.

“Don’t doubt my prowess Forge, just remember that with this, if it works, it will change everything. The power of the Golden Age and the Eliksni will bathe this land in its power.” And probably change this planet forever.

“Just don’t rely on it too much Skolas, can’t have your ego inflate bigger than your head now.”

“I take offense that you are saying that my ego is being inflated.” I said as we left the room.

The talking being over I grabbed my armor and donned it, my staff in hand and my shrapnel launcher slung by my waist I left my room with Forge in tow for the time being before going down a separate hall to go down a few sets of stairs to head to the workshop.

I don’t know how well this talk will go but with my head enchanter there who will get what I need done right, my plan to talk to the head dogs and get rid of the dragon in one fell swoop will work flawlessly.

As long as the dragon can follow directions that is.

Entering the throne room with the dragon chained and bound to the floor, I sat down on my throne and eyed the dragon before giving the signal to release the bindings around his mouth.

“Bah! It’s about time somebody took that blasted thing off of me!” Garble said as he worked his mouth, trying to get the soreness to go away.

“And that blasted thing will go right back on if you don’t answer me truthfully, now tell me why are you here within the empire.” I said, lightly thumping my staff on the ground, letting it make a loud clinking sound.

“Why should I tell you why I am here? I am a dragon, I don’t answer to nobody but myself.” Garble said with a sneer as he tried to spit on me.

It doesn’t end well.

Garble was clocked upside the head then had his restraints tightened up.

“Now Garble the dragon, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, the choice is yours.” I said in my best Booty Warrior voice impersonation that I can do.

“Pfft, what are you going to do? Nag me to death?” OH, challenge accepted.

“Okay boys and girls, he is picking the hard way. Clear Cut, go get Chroma Gem, tell him to bring the cranial probes, the enchanting gems, truth serums and the shock collar.” I could have gone with the Booty Warrior method but I have other methods on how to get what I want.

“Yes Kell.” Clear Cut saluted me before turning to leave the large room to get Chroma from his office.

“Whoa there man! I was just kidding! I will tell you anything you want, at a price.” Wow, really now.

“Clear Cut, when your done getting the interrogating tools from Chroma, go down to Forge and grab one of her toys, get the jelly as well.” Clear Cut made a gagging sound before saluting to me again, I guess he was able to think of what I was going to use those tools for.

“Okay! Okay I’ll talk!” I actually thought that the last two would not even exist but it seems I was wrong in that regard...sometimes I wish I wasn’t even on this planet anymore.

“Excellent, now tell me why are you here.” Shaking that stray thought aside I went back to business, getting the information that I need from this stupid dragon.

“I was here because somebody stole the treasure that belongs to me and my boss.” That much I know about, hell I was the one who gave that order.

“And where exactly is this boss of yours?” Come on! Tell me!

“Uh...down south, like way south, past pony land and then east across the water.” Wow, such simple instructions. He could have at least remembered how far he traveled in exact miles or in estimations.

“Hmm...they are on a different continent...this might work to our advantage…” As long as they take a while to figure out what happened I can prepare myself for anything that might come at me from them.

Staring at the dragon I got up and walked up to him, stopping just out of his reach.

“Now tell me this, how loyal are you to your current employers?”

“Not really loyal, they just pay me to keep those dogs in line, they said that I can do whatever I want to make sure they work hard and not steal from them.” Excellent!

‘Hmm...loose loyalty and no restraints on the job...perfect blackmail material against them in case they try to make any demands...’

“Well then Garble, I have a proposition for you.” I said in the most evil fashion I can possibly do which to my good graces wasn’t that hard to do. Must be easy to do evil things when you're a villain.

“And that is...what exactly?”

“You go back to your employers, tell them what happened here, tell them who took their gold and their colony, tell them that their raid against us has failed and that if they try again then they will have more than just the Crystal Empire to deal with.” I said in an even tone, trying to not make it sound like a command.

“And what makes you think that I would even want to go back?” Ah right there is the million dollar question of obedience.

“Good question, Clear Cut and Chroma Gem, step forward.”

Hearing the sounds of hooves on crystal tile coming forward I let out a small chuckle as they bring in Chroma’s hold the probes, gems, needles, collar along with one of Forge’s toys...how the hell did Clear Cut even get that?

I think that we just doomed ourselves, mostly Clear Cut for taking that…thing from Forge.

“You see Garble, the Eliksni have developed ways on how to get others to talk when they refuse to. So many wonderful, painful, joyous ways to get them to talk and now we can see if it would work on dragons.” Come on! Take the fear bait!

“You wouldn’t do this! The dragon hoard would-” TAKE IT!

“Would what? Dragons are greedy, evil, and they only care for themselves. One dead dragon would only mean that your pile of gold and gems would be up for grabs. No one would turn an eye at your death, now you can do as I say or we can get to the fun part and start pulling scales, teeth and claws from you until you do.” Come the fuck on, take the damn bait!

Waiting for the dragon to say something I grab one of his claws and start to pull on it, not enough to hurt him but to cause discomfort.

“Well? I am waiting.” DO IT!

“Alright...I’ll do it…” YES!

With a look of defeat on Garble’s face I let out a silent manly squeal of delight.

“Good. Chroma, enchant the gems for tracking, shock, communication, listening and detonation for failure.” I said quietly to Chroma who nodded at me but from the look I am getting from the rebellious dragon, he obviously heard something.

“What was that about failure?” Time to lie!

“If you fail then I will simply have to find you and take your hoard for myself.” I don’t really need a dragon’s hoard of gold and loot but then again a little gold never hurts an empire’s treasury.

“Yeah right, good luck getting to the dragon isles and finding my cave.” If you’re dumb enough to go back to your cave then I can just tag it for later travel.

“Don’t underestimate me, I have been known to get what I want.”

Especially if it is a delicious El Diablo burger from Carl’s Jr, that damn thing may burn my mouth all to hell but it is so worth it.

“Bah, I still say you wouldn’t be able to find it.”

We shall see…

“So do we have an accord, you return to your employers and in kind you don’t get executed here for murdering four diamond dogs.” I said with a shit eating grin, wondering if he can sense it.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, we got a deal.” He growls out as I smile at him.

“Excellent. Chroma, put the gems in him, Clear Cut, when he is done release Garble from his restraints.” the two nodded at me as I step back a bit,

Watching Chroma implant and magic the crystal gems into Garble was an enlightening experience. It was at first boring to see the gems glow but as soon as they came into contact with the teenage dragon they started to melt and mold onto his body, blending into his scales before looking just like them with the small exception of looking like bumps.

The gems were implanted between his wings, over where his heart should be, and in the palms of his claws.

“What are these?”

“Your reward if you do your job and go tell your boss what happened here.”

“Huh...seems easy enough to say ‘Your plan was stupid.’ but hey, I get paid to say it.”

“...Yes…” That was way too blunt for my tastes but hey, if it gets the job done then it gets done.

“Well then, I better get going then.” And with that said I signaled those holding him in place to release him, his chains snapping off of his body as they clatter to the crystal tiles beneath him.

“Indeed, now go before I change my mind and use that...thing on you…” I said as I stared at the toy that Clear Cut brought in.

Without even saying a goodbye or even a fuck you Garble left immediately, being lead out by two guards.

Once he left the room I turned around and looked at the demoted guard with a worried stare.

“Lieutenant Clear Cut...how did you get that away from Forge?”

“Uh...I don’t know, I just walked into her workshop, looked around a bit and when I found it sitting on her bedside table I just grabbed it and left.” She just leaves it lying around?

Who leaves something like that of all things just sitting there! Hasn’t anyone told her to hide that shit? I know I hide my porn whenever people come over but seeing how I can’t access the internet here let alone my vast collection of smut, I am only left with three options and all three suck.

“You better put it back, I don’t even want to know what Forge would do to me if she finds out that I was going to use that as a torture tool on a dragon.”

“You can bet that I would ask you why you have taken that from my room and why that it would be use as a torture tool.” A familiar voice said as I hear the sounds of my brain gears grinding to a halt.

I felt my spine shiver as I turned around slowly to see Forge standing where Garble used to be and I saw Clear Cut quaking in his armor.

“Clear Cut, you have my permission to run like hell.” I am too scared to turn around to look at her.

“Thank you sir.” And with that said he quickly turned tail and galloped like goats on fire.

Looking back to Forge I saw that she was laughing under her hoof, trying hard not to let anyone know that she was snickering.

“I knew that would be a satisfying punishment attachment to his previous punishment of cleaning the latrines with a toothbrush.” Telling Forge before hand about my plan has made his punishment better.

“On that I can agree with you.” Life is good.

Chroma Gem was still standing there, waiting for the next part of the plan to be initiated.

“Now, Forge, Chroma, lets go down to the workshop, let's make sure that Garble is doing as I have told him and to see if my project has been completed.” With the three of us walking together the staff moved aside, including the guards as they clearly know that the three of us together can only mean something big is going to happen.

Walking past a set of sentries that are standing by the workshop’s door we walked past it and went down another flight of stairs, going deeper under the palace until entered a new refurbished room, there was crystals mounted on the walls and floor, all of them placed in such a way that one can look in them and see what the other side is looking at.

The room was currently staffed by six crystal ponies, all of them are unicorns as their horns are glowing their myriad of colors. On each crystal mirror was a live feed from one of the many lampposts that line the city streets, the security system working like a charm.

In the middle of the room was a flat mirror, and with a glow from Chroma’s horn it slowly sputtered to life and it immediately turned to a field of white that was moving rapidly, it was soon replaced with the sound of wings flapping.

It was Garble, flying as fast as his wings can take him and that made me smile.

“Excellent work Chroma, I knew your phasing gems would work on something that is resistant to magic but this really takes the cake to work on the body of a dragon. Something that is highly resistant to have complete immunity.” I still need to test if they are immune to arc, void or solar damage.

“Not a problem if you know how to work around those sort of things, I had my practice when I was busy dismantling all of Sombra’s old traps and curses that he has left behind.” There is a way to work around resistances and immunities?

“And where exactly were those traps and curses?” Please tell me I wasn’t sleeping in a bed that was rigged to explode.

“In the library, the treasury, his master bedroom, his personal armory and in the throne room.” Oh thank god...wait what? The bedroom? My bedroom!

“He had trapped and cursed the throne room? With what exactly?”

“A hidden door that leads down, his magic made it so that it wouldn’t be a problem to the palace. I have been studying on ways to do the same thing but so far it has only worked on small containers and the like.” A hidden room under the seat of power...brilliant.

“Can you replicate the effects to include rooms like the ones you found or the ones that currently exist?” Please say yes, I want a magical bag of holding.

“If I am given enough time to dissect the spell, learn from it, maybe I could replicate to enchant the various rooms of the palace to be more elaborate and confusing to any foreigners.” Well thats good, but I still want that magical bag of holding.

“Then hop to it, send me anything you find in your reports, with what I am trying to recreate then we will need all the space we can get our hands and hooves on.”

“As you say my emperor.” And with that Chroma walked out of the room and went back to his office of strange contraptions and poisons.

Once he was gone from the room I turned to Forge who was snoring a bit, apparently she is not even remotely interested in anything that is magical and arcane.

Nudging her on the neck I put some pressure into it, making the sleeping giant mare fall over onto her side. The fall woke her up, it was amusing for me to see her look around in a sleepy daze, yawning while trying to figure out what happened.

My response was to tell her that she fell asleep when Chroma Gem was talking about dimensional magic rooms that exist within the palace.

Her response was to say that it was a load of horse apples.

That was a very charming responds to hear from the giantess but then again it was to be expected.

“Okay Forge, lets have that talk now.” I said while crossing my arms, the two of us walking into an empty hallway so we could have some privacy.

“Finally, now spill it, are you a flank stallion.”

“Uh………………….” That is a flat out dead yes.

“You are not getting out of this. You will answer me and you will not leave until I am satisfied with the answers you give me.” I think I might be able to get out of this but the choices on how vary from outright murder, trickery with shiny objects and even throwing pocket sand at her.

“Shamefully yes.”

And I know that none of those would work except for murder, sadly murder is bad and should be frowned upon when it’s used on a friend who hasn’t done anything to deserve it.

“Okay, are you into mares and/or stallions?” Ah yes, the ‘Are you gay or straight’ question, typical.

“Girls.” I have nothing against other guys but I don’t like em that way, I respect em, hell even like gay people but I don’t adhere to being taken to pound town.

And seeing how she say said mares and/or stallions...I haven’t hit that level of desperate need of love and affection from something that looks like a farm animal, my mind hasn’t truly that low into depravity...but if it does then I can bet that Forge would be willing to take a round or two with me.

Fuck wow, can’t believe I even thought of it like that...the hell is wrong with me.

“I will take that as mares.” God damn it Forge, there is a difference in the two, one is a hot chick while the other is pretty much a horse, I am not hitting that level of desperate need just yet.

“Now then, what do you think about-” Before the giantess could even start to torture me about my low sex life, a guard comes galloping down the hall before skidding to a halt right before us.

“My Kell! There is a group of griffons here that are under a banner and are armed and armored. I can only assume that they hail from the griffon kingdom of Griffonstone.” Oh? This is interesting, what are griffons doing this far north?

“WellwouldyoulookatthatIhavesomethingimportanttodo,lovetohavethischatbutsadlyIhaveworktodobye!” I said as I quickly moved around her, barely grazing her body and moved like the wind through the halls with the guard in tow.

Once the two of us were far from the giantess I let out an exhale of relief as the guard that brought me up here started to give me details on what the griffons had on them.

Steel armor, steel wing blades, metal claws coverings, steel swords and spears. Their helmets cover the top half of their beak while staying clear from the eyes and went down their necks with ribbed metal coverings to allow partially limited neck motions. The frontal armor is segmented to allow full motion from the legs and wings, leaving vulnerable gaps in between the limbs that was only protected by underlying leather or fabric, and as for rear protection, its virtually non-existent.

When I was told of everything that the griffons had I then turned back to large double doors leading to and fro the throne room, if griffons are anything I have read in those books, they are patriarchal, carnivores, aggressive, dominative, proud warriors and they don’t take shit from no one except from those that can easily topple them.

“Private Dew Drop, bring them in with an armed escort, give the guards the signal to keep an eye on them, do not let a single one out of their sight.” I said as I quickly turn around and jogged to my throne, trying to make it look like to the griffons that I have been waiting patiently for them.

“Yes Kell, it will be done.” As soon as he turned to go gather our...guests, I went to the throne room and sat down on my slightly uncomfortable seat, staff in hand and shrapnel launcher on my back.

It didn’t take long for the private to return with our guests, they came marching inside in unison and they were looking around, checking corners and picking out what I can only guess are targets in case they are here under hostile intent or in the event a fight breaks out.

I made sure that the skulls I have on my belt are in full view of the griffons, Sombra’s skull on my right leg and the diamond dog skull on my left.

“Presenting an unscheduled guest and company, Prince Reinalt of the Red Wood Weald Kingdom.” Private Dew Drop said as he tried his best imitation of my announcer butler who is currently on break, his wife needs him at the moment to help her raise their little foals, all three of them.

Standing at the head of the griffon guard formation was the proclaimed prince, he was wearing what looks like a grey uniform dress shirt with what looks like four medals on the left breast region, a gold princely crown rests upon his head, gilded wing blades rest upon his feathery appendages and resting on his middle underneath his wings is what looks like a jeweled sword.

The prince had brown feathers, red tips on a few of them, platinum blonde fur, hazel eyes, and he looks like has been in a battle or two with the one barely seen scar on his beak.

“Greetings Emperor Skolas, I am Prince Tisis, second son of King Bloodbeak and grandson to High King Greto Shriekwind of Griffonstone.” Huh, so that place still exists...I might pay that place a visit...I wonder what other pieces of information that I have gleamed off the Crystal Heart is accurate.

“What brings a prince of the griffon kingdoms so far from home let alone unannounced into my lands?” I said as I leaned forward a bit into my throne, my two guards that are flanking me on my sides move up as well, matching my movement.

“Why we are here because we have heard of the news that the Crystal Empire has returned from its millennia long absence. We thought that being the kind neighbors that we are, that we would come here and give aid to you since the empire has been under the rule of a mad unicorn tyrant.” The prince says and for a moment there was silence until the leg that was supporting Sombra’s skull moves a bit, letting the bone rotating just enough to be seen in the light of the room.

“Well, that is very kind of you Prince Tisis, but we no longer require aid of any kind, we have become self-sustaining and self-relying six months ago. I am sad to say this but we do not require the assistance or charity of the griffon kingdoms in which we would be indebted to.” And in truth I just don’t trust you.

From the slight grimace that was on his face before it was quickly replaced with what looks like annoyance it would seem that his plan to get the Crystal Empire to be in debt to the griffons for supplying us with food, medicine, construction materials and other things out of the kindness of their hearts. I knew this plan because that is what Princess Celestia tried to do to us when their messenger came by.

“I see, well I would like to extend a hand from the international community and to welcome you to the next Council Meeting that will be taking place in Equestria three months from now to introduce yourself and the Empire to the world nations.” Hmm….so they have something like the United Nations here...I wonder what else do they have, the same currency?

I can tell that he is forcing himself to say this because seeing how we are a contact neighbor with Equestria and that the griffon kingdoms are not even sharing a border with us that they would have to either fly around or through Equestria to get to us.

“We will come to the Council Meeting, we hope that between our nations that there will be peace and prosperity through commerce and diplomacy.” I said before giving a curt nod, not once getting up from my throne.

The group of griffons stayed there for a while, the prince trying to figure out if there was a way to screw me over but I kept staring at him, my four eyes staring into his two, staring into his soul as a shudder ran down his spine.

He turned around started to leave, his guards doing the same, I guess he was trying to find a weakness within myself and those around me but when he found nothing but a hardened defence that would not oh so easily topple to the ground with just a hostile presence.

As soon as they left I waved Glittering Quill over and told her to write down everything that she can about the griffon that came here along with what him and his guards were wearing and using. I would later check on the old history books and see if there was anything on these griffons that I can study seeing how that they are aggressive predators of myth and legends back home on Earth.

Once they were gone I went back downstairs, heading straight for Forge’s workshop/room and it was there that I found the door closed and locked but I can still hear the sounds of metal being worked on and the occasional voice talking.

I knocked on the door, waiting for either Forge or one of her apprentices to come trotting to the door to open it up and see who was knocking but when no one did I took it a step further and pounded hard on the door with my upper fists to get her attention.

I ended up denting the door but at least someone came to the door and unlocked it for me.

Walking into the workshop I set my sights upon Forge who was busy making a new horseshoe to use and when I stopped in front of her she saw me before throwing the shoe into a bucket of water. She then led me to the greatest project that she and her team has ever created in service of the empire.

Walking through the doorway and down into the heart of the workshop I laid my eyes onto what our collective memory has recreated.

Standing in the middle of the room, unpowered, dismantled in two key places for obvious reasons, was a poorly constructed Vex Time Gate.

“Skolas...I don’t know whatever it is you had us put together, but this thing...it makes all of us feel uneasy, as if this thing itself is made by beings of an even greater evil than Sombra ever was.” You are correct, the Vex are evil, like really evil.

As I look at the Vex Gate I start to walk around it, letting my hands feel the strange contraption, the real Skolas knows exactly on how to make this thing work. He knows how to get it to pull from time the things I will need to make sure that no one will ever think of attacking the Crystal Empire ever again.

“Forge, this thing is the reason why I am here. It is because of something like this that I am even here when I was needed, hell its because of this damn thing that I am not rotting in a cold prison cell waiting for some stupid guardians to challenge me to a fight to the death.” And also the reason why that I am going to cheat my way to victory instead of trying to construct everything by hoof and magic when it can instead be taken out of numerous timelines.

As I tell her more about the importance of this gate I start to push the pieces back into place, connecting it once more to the gate as a whole.

There was a faint spark of power as it hums to life, the intricate metal wires that line the back of the gate start to glow a very faint white light, the gate was waiting for the code sequence to pull anything from space and time.

“You know Forge, if this gate works as it is supposed to, everything will change...hopefully for the better of the empire and not for its enemies.” I said as I start to feed into the gate the vex code into the machine, giving it the instructions Skolas once used to take his entire House from every corner of space and time to be sent to the Terminus to fight the Guardians that was after him.

Once the last piece of vex coding went in the gate slowly lost power, its energy fading away into nothingness as Forge lets out a snort of disapproval from behind me.

“Huh...looks like it was a dud after all, come no, we have a certain conversation to-” Forge was cut off as the gate sprung back to life, the entire metal cage in the back was covered in an otherworldly white glow, the hum from the gate was loud, ear-piercing and mind numbing to the weak-willed.

Watching the Vex Gate activate and churn with power all I could do was break into a weak laugh, slowly ratcheting it up in loudness and evilness as the gate started to do what I wanted it to do, pulling the object of my obsession from space and time to my location.

As the gate kept on powering up, the energy within started to crackle and bend, the object that I have summoned starts to materialize before my eyes, Forge started to back away from both myself and the gate.

Once the object has materialized the gate immediately turns off, losing power from a single use as the small, handheld object it the floor, perfectly wrapped in paper.

“Huh...Skolas...what the hell is that?” Forge said as she looked at the small object on the floor, it was still smoking from the entry it made.

Picking it up off the floor I can feel the heat radiating off of it, the ungodly sweet savory smell of cooked angus meat, seven strips of bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapeno poppers, jalapeno coins and topped off with habanero bacon ranch sauce all held together by two fresh baked buns.

“This, my dear Forge, is the El Diablo, the world’s greatest burger back home.” I said, removing the rebreather from my face as I bring the steadily unwrapped burger to my mouth, I can just taste the juiciness in the air.

Without warning I bit down onto the delicious burger, the effects was immediate as I let out an orgasmic moan of delight as the sweet, sweet divine, heavenly taste hit my tastebuds like a freight train hitting a car going way over the safety speed limit.

I am not sure if I am disgusting Forge out or just getting a confused look from her but I was way too busy eating the hamburger in my hands. I was scarfing that burger down as if it was my last meal on this planet and by the gods it was well worth the once-a-day use on the Vex Gate.

“And that, my dear Forge, was what I was trying to create.”

“A special portal that can generate a meal? You wasted our talents and resources for a piece of meat!” Oh boy, here we go, mare has to talk crap about my grand idea just because I made its first use into something stupid.

“No, what I did was test what I can bring through time and space. I tried the smallest, most insignificant object from the multiple timelines and made it come through, what I did was an important step.” If I really wanted to test it I would have made it bring me an old fashioned grenade.

“An important step?”

“Yes, and now tomorrow we can begin with the construction of Eliksni technology, the power of arc will once again be within my hands, and soon the hooves of the crystal ponies.” And the power of Fallen weapons and vehicles.

“Are you sure it will work like that? I mean seeing that thing appear means it works but will it work on something bigger than that...El Diablo? I don’t want to see your hopes rise up only to be smashed like we were yesterday at the festival.” Ah yes...hopes being ruined like our bodies were when we were drunk.

“Do not worry about it Forge, all you must worry about is constructing several more of these Gates, I will need several of them up and running if we are to accelerate my plans for a protected empire. With a large mortar pool of Skiffs and Walkers we can without a doubt protect our lands from any and all outside influence, with the Light and Heavy Pikes we can traverse the lands without having to step onto the frigid ground and frozen water.”

“Skolas...wouldn’t any of this or any of the new ones break the laws of reality? I may not be some egghead but even I know that messing with reality can possibly destroy everything.” I highly doubt that any more gates would break reality, its not like I am dividing by zero? Right?

“Silly Forge, I am not messing with reality, I am messing with time, and I am not destroying anything, just altering things by pulling from the infinite amount of realities that exist, taking what I want and letting it sort itself out by creating a new alternate time stream from the new result. Time isn’t linear that is just how we perceive it, no time is an endless ocean going in every direction, up down side to side and all around, its pretty much an ever expanding ball that will never end until it decided that it wants to end.” Or I somehow manage to rupture space and time and destroy everything.

“But that doesn’t make any sense!” Says a pony that can grip a hammer with a hoof with no real means of actually holding the damn thing.

“It doesn’t need to make sense, it just needs to do as it was intended to do. If the Vex can mess with time and space within the Vault of Glass then I can sure as hell do the exact same thing here.” And not tear the universe in half.

And not erase my enemies from reality, I’ve seen what the Templar, Oracles, Gorgons and Atheon is capable of doing, I will not follow them in their footsteps unless it is absolutely necessary.

“I…*sigh* whatever, if I keep on trying to think on this then I might lose my sleep and my mind. Just get more of these things up and running, I don’t know how long before anyone else decides to show up on our front door but bolts and blades won’t be able to repel anything for long, especially dragons since their scales are strong enough to deflect metal.” I said as I walked around the gate one last time, noticing that the metal mesh behind it was slightly distorted from use.

“And melt those meshes down, it would seem they break down after one use.” And with a bit of a huff from Forge the back part came undone and was soon bent and flattened to be fitted into the smelter.

Tomorrow, it will be a beautiful day, I can feel it it my nuggets.

Awakening the Festival

Meet the Neighbors and Then get Drunk!

Oh joy of joys!

The Vex Gate works like a charm and it didn’t tear a hole in the space time continuum!

That means I get to keep steal- I mean taking things that I need from all the time lines!

It has been only one week since the creation of the first Vex Gate and in those seven days I have been using them to gather the things I will need to create more gates and several hundred pounds of Fallen crates filled with weapons and other valuable tools of our trade.

And of course I naturally had to haul in a crate filled with Carl’s Jr food all for myself. I just couldn’t help myself I was that needy for comfort food. The look on Forge’s face when she saw the fast food crate was priceless, she just shook her head at me and said that I am an idiot.

My response was that she loves that so called idiot and I witnessed her face flush up a storm of red.

It was worth it.

Then after that was the sorting of the newly acquired Fallen weapons and Shanks in the armory. I of course had to write down which weapon was what, what it did, how much training it would probably require to use and so on and so forth.

I almost shot my foot off with a high-powered fusion gun. Apparently I didn’t just snag Fallen weapons but also the weapons that the Guardians use as well, the Fallen themed weapons they get as rewards from missions and other shit.

After that was some other bullshit matter that I had to deal with, programming the Shanks to not shoot, explode or snipe the crystal ponies and diamond dogs that are under my rule.

On the first day after I had successfully used the gate I had it powered back on and made it produce several crates of Fallen weapons, the Shock Pistols, Rifles, Wire Rifles, Shrapnel Launchers, six Scorch Cannons, Shock Daggers and Swords, Shock Grenades and one entire MESH Layer. It was that same day that I almost shot my foot off, it was beautiful because I thought it wasn’t loaded, I was wrong cause when I squeezed the trigger it went off and grazed my foot.

Then came the second day, several crates containing Shanks of all types, all painted the colors and banner of the House of Wolves. Reprogramming them to not shoot my ponies and dogs was easy work, getting them to not shoot at the local wildlife unless provoked, to explode at the local wildlife or snipe them from the top of the walls. That and telling them to stop bothering Forge, apparently they have taken a liking to her, their digital circuits calling her the Pony Archon.

I thought it was pretty cute, the little Shanks flocking to my Forge as if she was their mothers but when I slapped her on the flank to get her to get back to work when she fell asleep on her giant anvil they all pointed their barrels at me. When they did and realized who I was they stopped, lowered back into a defensive formation before flying off.

Those little buggers may be loyal to me and for some reason Forge but when they are not patrolling outside the walls in packs of six, they are here in the workshop flying around.

On day three I warped in several crates of Fallen armor of several varieties, having to retrofit, modify and alter the armors to fit my crystal ponies and diamond dogs is a tall order to fill but it had to be done. I know my scouts will appreciate the Stealth Vandal armor, the recruits getting the Dregs and those that have been in longer get the normal Vandal, the officers will receive modified Captain armor.

Days Four and Five, I brought it more crates of Fallen weapons and armor. Arming up the guards is an important step for a protected Crystal Empire but what I need now is air and ground superiority.

I know that with the few pegasi that I have I could dominate the air against those that have no flyers but seeing how this world has a multitude of those that are capable of flying then that point is moot and weak, the enemy could just hire a bunch of flying mercenaries to fight against me. From what I have seen, read in the old history books and seen from the Crystal Heart, I would have to contend with Pegasi, Griffons, Changelings, Dragons, any hostile birds and phoenixes, and lastly the seemingly annoying Breezies.

I learned about the Breezies from a book talking about fairytales, something that should just be changed to just tales seeing how they are actually real. In essence there are two types of Breezie out in the world, the first type is the pollen-spreading butterfly-type Breezie, they are the hippies of the fairy world and then we got the tooth-collecting Breezie, the real tooth fairy and they sometimes don’t wait for them to fall out of the mouth. They are like the actual depiction of the tooth-fairy of Earth where they collect the teeth from those that have fallen out of the mouths of children and adults alike and those that are dead and eat them or in this case, use them as a source of magic.

When I saw that part I just uttered out the word ‘cool’ while flipping through more pages, trying to find where one could find them. They are everywhere in the world that has forests, dense foliage and also civilizations with teeth.

And as for dominance on the ground, well that has been easily obtained with the new Fallen weapons, training my guards to use them is easy enough, turn the safety off, aim down range, squeeze the trigger and don’t point it at friendlies unless there is something attacking them and you have a clear shot. The Scorch Cannon I had to reserve for artillery use seeing how one can just shoot the floor and turn them into a timed explosive that only gets more destructive the longer one waits to detonate it.

The training of the crystal guards to use the new weapons was a bit hard, unicorns had it easier since they just had to levitate the damn thing and put a little juice into it to squeeze the trigger while the other ponies had to stop moving, sit down to prevent any decrease in accuracy, aim down the holographic sights and use their hoof to magnetically squeeze the trigger down. I still call bullshit that ponies can even pick things up with their hooves, it should not even be remotely possible and yet they do it on a daily basis.

Day 6: I made a Heavy Pike appear. When it first appeared I nearly creamed my leather pants. In all of its glory was the great House of Wolves Heavy Pike, this single occupant hovercraft has two arc cannons built near the nose of the craft, it is more robust than its faster cousin and that when the operator tries to strafe it unleashes from its sides a bouncing Shock Grenade.

Slowly walking up to the Heavy Pike I saddled up on it, turning it on by pressing my hand on its centralized panel, its engine roaring to life for a second before rolling down to a mere purr of existence. I gave it a literal spin by going in small circles around the gate, laughing insanely in pure joy that I finally have something to ride, a way to get around faster and also a way to give my family if I can ever return home the middle finger that I was right about hovercrafts being a possibility in the future.

After that I had to find a way to get this thing out of the workshop, I had failed to ask Forge to build a bigger door for the event that something big or wide needs to get through. In the end I did what I thought was the most logical thing to do.

I blew the fucking door off its hinges and drove through.

That also may have scared the shit out of Shining Pearl, her father who was walking with her at the moment and also Forge who apparently wasn’t in the workshop when I made my round to the Vex Gate.

Telling them what I am riding was easy, I just spun a story saying that this was from my people that I had hidden away from the public eye and was about to showcase it to the general public in a few weeks. Of course the general population won’t be getting this to use, instead I have given the eggheads the ideas of a miniature train system for the city, going back and forth around the main streets to help those that are in the inner and outer edges of the capital to be able to freely move around without having to spend too much time trotting around.

And the other ideas that went to my smart tank, the waffle-iron, the radio, tractors for farming, tree-pickers for farming, sample Fallen weapons to be broken down, looked at, and finally turned pony-friendly to use and lastly the low-grade flight engines from the Shanks.

I can only hope that they can develop something useful from them along the arc weapons.

Day Seven: I brought to the land of the Crystal Empire a Servitor. And not just any Servitor but MY Servitor, Kaliks Minor, and he needed a good dust off. For some reason when he arrived he was covered in ash, scrap metal, shell casings and dried blood. I had taken him into my bathroom and hosed his metallic ass down with the shower head at full blast, it looked like that it was not amused with the strange sounds it was making.

That week was also the end of the Diamond Dog’s training and education to start their five year long redemption to the Empire. I already saw that many of them were working the streets, cleaning it up, tending to some of the wealthier crystal ponies gardens, few even worked as assistants to a few shop owners while for the most part they went to work in the few mines that we had already established, even the one that was in their underground town that I had refurbished at our expense.

I am a firm believer that to keep the masses calm and under control, one must give them what they want, a nice home, the feeling of protection, access to goods, freedoms, liberties, places to learn and relax, and lastly the feeling that they know that they are in good hands...hooves whatever.

Or as those that call it by a different name, Bread and Circuses.

“And that Prince Rutherford is the R&D Department, where everything that has been found within the artifact vaults, sealed sections of the library and even the few things that I have at my disposal that I was able to surrender for the greater good of the empire.” I said as the Prince of Yakyakistan, my assistant Glittering Quill, my two assigned guards Hammer and Morningstar, the prince’s eight yak guards and lastly my Servitor following up right behind me.

“I thought you was great warrior, was I wrong?” Prince Rutherford says in his broken language

“No my friend, you are not wrong. A Kell of the Eliksni fights on all fronts for his House, what I did was go beyond a bit when it comes to fighting for the House of Wolves.”

“Ah, something extreme you did?”

“You can say that, yes, extreme and then a bit more overboard. It was all in the name of the greater good but sadly so many thought differently.”

“You not alone, many yaks go overboard when duty calls.”

With that said we continued on with the tour of my palace. I was honestly not expecting any visitors to arrive but when the yaks came to the gates I first thought that they might just be wild animals but recalling the fact that there is a wide variety of life forms here I had to be cautious with what is sapient and what isn’t.

The Yaks just so happened to make it to the smart race in time along with the ponies, griffons, dragons, zebras, donkeys, dogs, seaponies (Bullshit but real) and whatever the hell else is out there at the time.

The peace talks between us went on for an hour, the agreeing, disagreeing, the destruction of the table we were using, the reconstruction of the table with magic, the re-destruction of the same table by the Yaks, rebuilding same table with magic, a shouting match, an armwrestling contest and lastly a body chucking contest.

I don’t know if this is how Yaks do their business but if it is then I want them to stop destroying my tables, it is very annoying to have it put back together.

“Friends between Crystal Empire and Yakyakistan?” I asked as soon as all of the stupid dominance man-to-yak thing was done with.

“Yes! Friends between us!” Prince Rutherford said with a mighty grin on his face, half of it obscured by thick fur or mane, I can’t tell which is which due to the yak’s massive stature.

Once that was said and done it was sealed with a rather strong bear hug, I can say that I thought I had heard something in my back pop but I ignored it because I had a face full of yak fur.

With the seal planted onto the peace treaty between the two of us we left with one last hoof-hand shake. Prince Rutherford and his yak guards left the following day, it was nice to finally have a friend of a foreign nation, especially one that is right on our border to the west of us, only separated by a mountain range but that can easily be worked around with a train tunnel through it.

Checking over my list of things to do I mentally cross off the ‘Deal with Yak representatives’ while ‘Ask Shining Pearl why her father is working against me and why is Forge all googly eyes for me’ and lastly ‘Use the Vex Gate to create more construction materials to make a Great Gate for the use of spawning Walkers and Skiffs and hull sections of a Ketch.’

That last one is a long shot because I don’t exactly remember how big those things are, all I know is that they are pretty damn massive.

‘I wonder what my friends are up to right now...probably moved on with their own lives and such, family is probably mourning over my disappearance at a damn convention, hell I bet my brothers are thinking I left with someone and said fuck it I’m out of here...yeah...lets go with that.’

‘Alright no more depressing thoughts, nothing good ever comes from or happens when depression kicks in. Happy thoughts!’

Its easy for my mind to wander aimlessly when nothing is happening, and seeing how I was starting to get depressing thoughts I was easily able to distract myself by thinking of what else I could make the Vex Gate make for me.

It would be funny as hell if my friends somehow ended up here with me as well. What would the odds be that all of my friends are here on this planet, doing their own things, they probably might have already a significant other or a family or both.

I wonder what they are doing right now.

Dark Cave in the middle of nowhere

“All hail the new queen!”

“Wait...what?”

Back to Me

Yeah...I bet they are living their lives right now, happy and carefree with the exception of college and work.

Checking over my neighbors I know that I have Equestria directly south of me, the Griffon Kingdoms to the southwest of me, Diamond Dogs to the Deep Southeast, Dragons are somewhere on an isle or island of sorts, Zebras are...fuck they are somewhere out there, and whatever else is out there that has yet to be discovered.

I wonder if the nations of this world believe in political marriages or some other form of alliance sealing deals other than being friends for X amount of time or some sort of short-sighted opportunistic deal.

It didn’t take long for me to find myself back on my throne, bored out of my mind as today was a slow day with the locals, seems like nobody has anything to complain about. No pony or dog saying that this or that is wrong, no one saying that they have a problem with this establishment or have something against this pony or that dog. Just absolute silence.

Well...it would be absolutely quiet in the throne room if it wasn’t for the six mares from six different noble families who are all bickering and yelling at each other. They were all yelling, bickering, throwing insults, smearing names, starting slap fights and mane pulling, at this point I would be either facepalming myself to the point where I was hoping that it would kill me or make them stop because they are ruining my quiet time.

“Enough!” I shouted at the six noble mares, all of them stopped what they were doing and were now looking up at me, their tails now between their legs, ears folded back and they were shaking badly in fear.

“Now please someone explain it to me why all of you decided to start a fight within my throne room?” Because seriously, this is starting to get old real fast.

When the six ponies stopped fighting each other I noticed that one saw that everyone stopped and got in one last whack against a mare that she was fighting against. All I can say is that this act re-ignited the fighting but it was stopped when I stood up and grabbed four of the fighting mares and held one down with my foot as I stared at the last one who was doing nothing.

“I am only going to say this one time and one time only. What. The hell. Is going on here.” And like that I set the four mares down and got off of the fifth before backing away to stare the six down.

I didn’t have to wait long for the six to speak up and explain themselves to me.

“Let me get this straight...the six of you-” I said while pointing at the six of them, “Have been fighting amongst each other just to try to get me to notice you so you can be married to me and seeing how your plans weren’t working you decided that instead of keeping me to yourself you all thought it would be a good idea to band together and just share me between all of you...am I not correct?” I was trying very, very, VERY, hard not to pop a blood vessel inside my head.

They all nodded again and I was starting to get a migraine from this crap.

“Girls, while I appreciate the fact that all of you are trying to fulfill your father’s wishes by trying to get married to me but I must once again decline. Why don’t you find a nice stallion to marry instead, trying to marry someone that is more than twice your size, and has the possibility of damaging your body if we ever get that far into the act. Sorry but it is for your own good, now please, stop bringing this subject up and go home.” Once I said that they all lowered their heads and sadly trotted out of my throne room.

I swear to god its like everything here is trying to get into my pants.

Am I really that exotic to them that they want a piece of me?

Once the day court was over I told Glittering Quill to call it in and to close it down for tonight before I left, heading for my office to begin working on what was left over from the previous day.

Sighing heavily I leaned back in my office chair and looked at the stack of paperwork that has accumulated over the week, most of this was tax related or some other form of useless devilry that would cause most people to hit the bottle just to shovel on through but me? I just stared at it with seething anger and tried very, very hard to set it on fire with my eyes but so far all it did was make a blood vessel bulge and to pass gas.

I was just glad that no one was around for the latter, it would be hard to explain why their emperor thought it was a good idea to shit themselves alone in the room while laughing quietly to themselves as if he was driven mad.

When I started to work on some complaints that a certain persisting noblemen was throwing around a knock came to the door and for all intents and purposes I told whoever was on the other side to come in.

Hearing the sound of the doorknob twisting and turning followed by the lock mechanism to click open, the door slowly swung open to reveal Forge, a few of her friends who consist of varying guards, apprentice smiths and for some reason a florist.

“Yes? Is there something you require from me Forge, or is this simply a personal visit?” I said with a bit of a groan as I look up for a moment from the current scroll I am reading before looking back down at it.

The noble who set this complaint in is an absolute idiot, put a tax on ice-cream. ICE-CREAM! What idiot would even sign such a thing as that!

“Nah, were here cause we heard that you were grinding your teeth and trying to murder that stack of tax forms to the point where it won’t be recognizable and we thought that you could use a break.” Forge said as she makes herself at home in my office, sitting down on the sofa to my left, stretching a bit as she gets comfortable.

“Thank you for the offer Forge but I am busy, these forms won’t do themselves and I must make sure that they are done by morning or else I will never hear the end of it from Shining Pearl. And we both know that her nagging is legendary, it makes you feel bad for making her scold you and at the same time feel like a failure for making her to it in the first place.” For all of those that don’t know Shining Pearl, she will act like an Irish-Catholic mother to you and if you screw up she will let you know about it the moment it happens and for myself she is brutal when it comes to me slacking off when there are important things to get done.

“Eh, yeah there's that but we got booze!” Forge shouted with a smile on her muzzle as she levitates a bottle pack of twelve into the room and I immediately put my quill down and got up.

“Booze you say? Why didn’t you say so in the first place, it would have made this easier if you said ‘Hey man, wanna go out for a drink?’ my answer would have been yes.” Immediately putting down my quill I stood up and started to put things away for the night.

“Well that was easy.” Forge said with a smirk before getting back up, her job was done, all she had to do was enjoy the rest of the night.

“Because Forge booze is involved, if there is anything to make this work easier on me is a bit of liquid courage to stare this stack of bills and taxes in the eye and get it done. Now lets get this over with before Pearl decides to drop by and berate either of us for doing something ‘improper’.” I said as I quickly looked around, making sure that everything is in their proper place before walking out and locking the door behind me.

“Alright lets do this!”

Next Afternoon

I hate my life.

My head was pounding hard, I could taste the distinct flavor of vomit and shame within my mouth. My body felt like shit and that it had the crap beat out of it with a hunk of concrete stuck on a rebar pipe. I also felt that my body was being propped up because my arms and legs were hanging off of something and that my head was staring at an upside Forge, she was lying on her back on the ceiling...I mean the ground, with her legs spread out revealing everything for the world to see, and to me as well but I kept my eyes from there because I have decency and shame, both of which are at an all time low because of the things I have seen on the internet and from here as well.

I did not know that these ponies had porn and when I saw it...I tried very hard to drink the sight away and that ended with me redecorating my bathroom toilet. I don’t know how they managed to stuff like that into a book but god damn they go into such details that it would make written porn back home look like a wet noodle compared to this stuff.

Hehe, wet noodle.

Anyways! When I saw the hidden valley I pulled my head up to see that my body is covered in empty glass bottles of mead, beer, wine and what I think was something else but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Looking back around the room with what limited flexibility I had with my neck I saw that the floor was littered with bottles, I don’t know how much we drank but I can safely assume that we must have it the point where we either had alcohol poisoning or that our livers are now dead. Either one I will accept at this point because this looks like a hardcore drinking party happened with only ten ponies and one eliksni.

‘How do I keep getting into situations like this?’

That particular answer will come to me eventually but right now I need to figure out what time it is, know if anyone of importance is here and lastly to see if Shining Pearl is ready to tell me if she knew that her father is one of nine traitors who are planning to undermine my authority just to have a foreign princess take over and lead it back down the path of peace and pacifism.

‘I bet that they are plotting right now, trying to find a way to steal my kingdom from me but it won’t work, not while I still draw breath and have the will to fight.’

Eh fuck it, I’ll just sleep it off.

‘What’s the worst that can happen?’

Just as I think that the door to the workshop bursts open, a maid standing by the door clears her throat before shouting loud enough for everyone to hear her.

“WAKE THE BUCK UP! IT IS TWELVE IN THE AFTERNOON! GET YOUR LAZY PLOTS UP AND GET TO WORK!”

It did not end well for me, the sudden shout spooked me, making me flail my limbs around which caused me to accidentally toss my shrapnel launcher at a pony who caught it with their face who then let out a yelp of pain while also burning the plot of a nearby pony who also let out a yelp of pain. The chain reaction of me flailing around in confusion, a pony being smacked in the face with the butt of my launcher and the burning smell of fur from the second pony has roused Forge from her slumber, something that everyone should know to never do, and in that moment all I heard was Forge yawning before I fell over face first into the floor, breaking every single glass bottle that was on top of me and now below me.

The maid who watched all of this unfold could only take a step back and make a sheepish face while her ears are folded back.

In all there was ten ponies groaning in pain from the hangover, one was holding a bruised muzzle, another whimpering from a burnt ass while myself was groaning through broken glass.

“Oops.”

The Past Returns

The Wolves of Winter are coming - Edited

Edited by First Editor neon scar

Edited by Second Editor Exaxxion

Snow, that is all I have seen for the past thirty-six hours and not a single speck of civilization on the horizon. I don't know how I got here but one moment I was at a convention in Los Angeles and the next moment I am face first in a pile of snow with my ass in the air, not the most dignifying pose the Kell of Kells has ever been caught in but I am fortunate that there was nobody around to see me like that.

For past day and a half I have been trudging through fields of snow in a straight line, holding my seemingly real shrapnel launcher in my also seemingly real four hands, I don't know how I can even move the extra two limbs but it feels so...right? Is that the right word to use? And my extra pair of eyes and my voice and especially this body, they do not belong to me and yet here it is, a part of me now and not a single ounce of my human body remained.

I don't know how the hell this happened but if I was abducted by aliens then the people back home got it wrong about being anally probed and dissected, these damn aliens turned me into what I was cosplaying as and gave me working weapons, armor and even a fully functioning biological system to go with the alien race I am dressed as. Either that or there was some sort of 'magic bullshit' happened but seeing how magic doesn't exist I am going to go with either god being real and fucking with me, science happened, or science magic happened which then breaks the foundations of reality and laughs at my face.

The last things I can recall is the day of the convention, me giving Jayce the middle finger for dressing up as Xûr, me taking off my helmet to take a bite out of a Big Carl burger, taking off my costume to get through the metal-detector, another middle finger but this time to Gerardo for laughing at my misfortune, then the merchant with the cool looking shit...what could it possibly be?

Going back to the task at hand I kept on trudging through the fields of snow, my heavy cloak dragging behind me as I crest over yet another hill, but this time I was making progress. How did I know I was making progress?

Because this time instead of seeing nothing but snow and ice, I now see a sliver of something sparkling off in the distance.

And that distance just so happens to be beyond my reach as there are several more snow hills in between me and whatever the sparkly object is, I sure hope its a town of some kind or if I am lucky and Destiny game lore applies to this plane of existence, a passing patrol with a Sparrow or Pike.

I can only think back on how I got here as I walk forward, hoping that with my thinking done I reach my destination.

"Come on Ian, we are going to be late!" an angry Geraldo shouted from his van as I put on my overly complicated helmet, the damn thing got caught on the doorframe so I had to take it off and put it back on outside my home. I swear its like this thing just loves getting caught in the worst places ever.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Sheesh hold the fuck on, it's not like we are going to lose our reserved spot in the car lot or at the hotel we are staying in!" I shouted back at the angry driver as I left my home and ran toward the van, my buddy Jayce called shotgun and was already sitting in the passenger seat. Our ginger lady friend who we call Brave, she was dressed up as Omnigul cause why not, she is the only girl in our nerd group in college that actually plays Destiny with us when we are not killing each other in Minecraft, League of Legends or Warframe. My other three friends who are sitting in the back in order are Luke as a Titan, Kyle the Hunter and Jonathan the Warlock.

I swear its almost like this van is half heroes and half villains from Destiny...oh wait, it is.

"About damn time! Now close the bloody door so we can get going." Geraldo shouted one last time before flooring it, I closed the door as soon as we started to move and with a sigh I lean back against my chair and started to fiddle with my costume, my ass is hurting already in this thing.

Once we started moving and got on the freeway to the convention we started to talk amongst ourselves, talking about what we are going to do, who we are going to see, what crap we are going to get into. In the middle of our planning, our illustrious driver decided to torture us all by playing a song from his custom playlist and the sounds of moaning, wailing and gnashing of teeth can be heard from orbit as the song started to play.

Youtube Video

I swear to god I am going to murder him just to kill us all just so I don't have to listen to this song anymore.

I almost did end up killing him, I just had to bash him upside the head with my helmet and he would be out like a light, but then again I might get sent to hell and be forced to listen to that damn song for all eternity. That would actually be a fate worse than death.

When we arrived at our hotel room after four hours of freeway and mind-melting music I dumped all of my crap in my room and collapsed on the bed before realizing that Brave followed suit in my plan and landed on top of me, which is nice since she is on top of me but bad because she has me in the friendzone...the dreaded friendzone.

"You guys done putting your junk away? We have to get downstairs and then get to the convention center and I don't want to get stuck in that line all day! Come on get your boop in a group!" I swear I am going to shove my size twelve boots up his narrow ass one of these days.

Going down the elevator we were met with random people, I swear I can hear one of them snickering at us but I could care less about what they think of us, it's not like they can see our faces underneath all of this crap and post it on facebook.

Stopping at the front desk to wait for the rest of our little group I started to stretch a bit, can't have myself stiffen up at the wrong moment and get a cramp or worse a dead limb. Having pins and needles is a pain to get rid of and it stings like hell whenever I use said dead limb. Once we got everyone assembled we left the hotel with some swagger in our step and went straight to the convention which just so happened to be a few blocks away from where we were staying at and our wait wasn't long because we got there early for once.

I was so glad that we got there early cause if we had to wait hours just to get in I might have had to stab a fool.

"Hey Ian! We're gonna go grab some pizza in the food court, you want anything?"

"Yeah man, try to get me a stromboli if they have it, if not then sausage pizza, no mushroom or pineapples please."

"Okay man, watch our stuff till we get back okay?"

"Sure, just don't take too long, remember I got to go see some shit too."

"No problems, just make sure nobody jacks our crap."

And so I waited, and waited, and waited for another forty-five minutes before almost falling asleep until the four of them got back with my food in tow.

I think they were just waiting for me to fall asleep cause of starvation.

With food in hand and now in belly, I set out to go see what this place had to offer, and what it offered was both great in stock and disappointing in what I first saw.

I saw a booth that was about Half-life 3 and sorry to the people that love Half-life 1 and 2 but its never coming out, you have a better chance of Fallout 5 coming out then that damn game. Hell even XCOM 2 has a better chance of coming out then Half-life 3!

After that I saw a guy with a booth wearing some strange merchants attire, and at his booth I saw all sorts of trinkets, gadgets, loot and swag, even a pair of 'Deal with it' sunglasses. I would buy those shades but I want something that I would actually use for either this costume or any and all future costumes.

That was when I saw a strange looking clasp on the table right next to an amulet and a ring, thinking that would go great with my heavy-looking cloak I bought it without a second thought, the merchant letting out a creepy laugh when I gave him the money and when he gave me the clasp but I didn't care. I got what I wanted and when I fixed my cloak and replaced the clasps where I was standing but when it was done did I start to feel a little light headed.

It was at that moment did I realize that I think I might have just been assassinated in a public setting by a strange looking old man, I can only hope that I don't shit myself upon dying.

I have been walking for hours now, the sun just now coming over the horizon and with it came nothing, apparently there are dark clouds roaming across the sky blotting out the sun's warmth and light and also giving the land underneath a dark vibe. It has been exactly two days now since I arrived here and I have yet to feel the need to eat any food or drink water, I think it must have to do with the fact that I am now Fallen or Eliksni or whatever it is called, I wonder what exactly I must eat or drink now to survive.

As I trudge over the next snowy hill I finally see what I first caught a glimpse of earlier, it wasn't a shiny object nor a passing patrol of Fallen, Hive, Cabal or the Vex. No, what I saw and I am now seeing is a tall spire made of some type of reflecting material and beneath it was a castle of the same material and surrounding said castle is a city, with exactly the same building material but all of it looks dark and depressing.

Standing at the top of the hill I got a nice vantage view of the entire city, the castle stands at the center and looks like a star shape as it makes the roads in five directions that leads outward, the buildings surrounding the castle look crystalline in nature, somewhat boxy and cubic in shape and lastly very dull looking. This city has rings of buildings, all of them forming a pattern of sorts and with that pattern an easy way to move around without ever getting lost. I could use this to my advantage if I ever anger the local population of whatever lives here cause it sure as hell ain't human.

Sliding down the hill I let the loose snow carry me to the outskirts of the city, there was no walls or gates to prevent me from entering and there wasn't a single guard to block my passage...is this place deserted or something?

Walking into the city I saw that the road is made of cobblestone but of the crystalline nature, it wasn't see-through like regular crystals but it has its hardness and durability so it is clearly capable of handling my weight without cracking or shattering. With each step I take down the center of the road I can see from the sides of my eyes the partially concealed gazes of the citizens that live here and I can smell their fear, without even needing to look in their direction I can hear the residents slam their windows and doors closed, seems like these people are skittish and afraid, I wonder if it is because of my appearance or some other foreign reason?

Looking at the buildings that reside within this town I saw that between every few homes are stores of some kind, each store had some picture of attachment to it to signify what it was which is a good thing because I have no idea what they could be without that assistance. Glancing at the buildings I saw that at first glance I thought this place was normal sized but as I walk up to some random home I realized that I was wrong about this place having normal homes, the doors and windows are all smaller than normal, clearly hinting that those living here are not human...that or they are just midgets.

By the time I reached the center of the city I stopped at the castle, it was being supported up off the ground by four struts and from what I can see each one has a set of large double doors. This castle is almost like the Eiffel Tower in France but made of crystal, looks a lot better than the Eiffel Tower and also there are no annoying tourists all over the place. There are no guards or sentinels outside or inside of the castle, it almost seems that this place is lifeless or deserted. Strolling through the exquisitely decorated entrance hall of the castle I saw several paintings and portraits hanging on the wall and they all had the same thing in common, they were about a dark looking unicorn wearing a red fur cape, a nasty looking red horn and fangs.

Stopping beside the large statue that has been placed in the center of the entrance hall I can see that instead of the usual bright clear-ish crystals but instead this thing is made of black crystals, and then I realized that there are more black crystals around, they hang from the walls, ceiling and on the floor, almost like a corruption or like the Hive.

'Dirty beasts...defiling this place, those insects will learn their place yet!'

Climbing another series of stairs past the black crystal statue I let out a grumble of hatred, these stairs are far too small for me and I realized even back then they were annoying, at least I don't have to climb any more stairs.

I was wrong, I had to climb four more sets of stairs, I searched this entire castle with the exception of the room before me, this place is straight up deserted and there are black crystals everywhere. I swear if this place is infected by the Hive then I am going to be in for a fight of my life because a single Fallen can't take on a horde of Hivers...well I can since I am considered a boss but then again bosses have been known to be overwhelmed and killed by minions.

Pushing open the giant doors I slowly made my way in, my two smaller arms holding my shrapnel launcher as my larger arms pushed the doors in. What I saw next made me pause and simply stare at what my four eyes were seeing.

Sitting there on a throne made of sharp, tall jagged black crystals was a large horned horse and surrounding it are a bunch of small horses changed to the floor, walls and throne...

What the hell did I just walk into?

For King Sombra today has been a good day, the magic that has been holding him hostage within the deepest abyss of the Crystal Empire has been weakened to the point that he was able to escape, and with his return came his precious empire also. Once he left that abyss in the ground he stormed the castle and reclaimed it along with several of the citizens that lived there, reinstating his reign of terror.

Glancing down at his throne Sombra saw the several imprisoned ponies that he had captured and removed from their homes, all of them chained to where they are, unable to escape and unable to resist his advances on them. One particular pony caught his eye, it was his old captain of the guard, one he thought he had exiled from his kingdom when he took power away from its original royal ponies. Igniting his horn with a dark and insidious glow, he removed the old guard from his chains and brought him up to his face, it has been several centuries since he last drained the life force of a pony to keep himself young and powerful.

As he brought the exiled pony to his face to be drained by connecting his horn to the old one's forehead he was interrupted when something opened the giant oak doors, the loud creaking noise coming from the unoiled hinges and with it came the appearance of an unknown being.

CREEEEEEEEEEEK

Jolting up from the sudden loud sound Sombra dropped the old stallion in his magical grasp, the old pony falling down on the black crystal stairs, cutting his forehead one a corner as blood started to seep down. Glaring at the intruder, Sombra was about to blast said intruder with a bolt of unicorn might but he stopped himself when he saw exactly what he was about to annihilate for interrupting his feeding.

Standing there with the light of a candle at its back was a giant creature, it was wearing light blue armor on its arms and legs, leather underneath the metal plates as far as he can see, it had two sets of arms as the larger set is above the smaller ones, its head was concealed in a strangely shaped helmet, there was two furnaces attached to its helmet along with two strange cords attached to where its mouth should be, also glowing red as if it was filled with molten fire. Around its neck is a large ring of fur from some animal, and on its back it looks like two large tusks that obviously belonged to some beast of great size that is now being used as decorations.

This creature looks like it can be easily manipulated to suit his needs.

"Excuse me...can you tell me exactly where I am...I seem to be...displaced from my Ketch."

Staring at the large unicorn on his throne of black crystals surrounded by what is obviously slaves of small horses, and these small horses are all sad looking, they look dirty, grimy, depressed and scared shitless in both my presence and the dark looking unicorn. The dark unicorn was wearing a crown now that I can clearly see it, it was also wearing a red cloak and steel armor, clearly the signs of an evil tyrant that needs to be overthrown and replaced by a Kell.

The horse glared intently at me, obviously I have interrupted whatever it was about to do to the stallion it was holding in its grip of invisible strength, I watched as the stallion dropped down and conked his head on one of the steps, causing a fresh cut to be formed and blood to seep out of it, staining his silver coat with a red tinge.

I noted that as soon as I entered the room that all of the small horses started to back away from the tyrant, they seemed to be more scared of him then they are of me. I sure hope this means that they are more willing to work for me when I take over then fight me if they fear him more. Fear and Love work hand in hand when it comes to ruling but for me ruling as a Kell means putting insubordinates in their place and make them do something that might be seen as suicidal but these horses can't possibly do it as I have no means to bring them back without a servitor or an archon to help the process along.

"Beast, how dare you disturb my presence with your hideous form!" the dark unicorn shouted at me as I stepped into what is now the throne room.

Staring down the horse I start to take steps closer to the throne, pointing my shrapnel launcher at the unicorn as I watched a forked tongue slither on out of its layer, my own eyes glaring him down as the barrels ignited, signaling that they are ready to fire.

"Beast? I am Skolas! The Kell of Kells of the Eliksni and you should learn your place lest you find your head mounted on a pike and decorated on my Ketch!" I growled out, my deep voice cutting through the air as Sombra's own hissing tone gets reduced down into nothing more than a whimper, but he controls himself into a fighting stance upon his throne and tries to glare me down.

"FOOL! I AM KING SOMBRA AND YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR PLACE WORM!" the horse called Sombra jumped from his thrown over the injured old horse and past the other ones as he stops right in front of me, his large size comes up to my lower gut, his head just above my groin. "YOU WILL BOW BEFORE YOUR KING! I AM THE MASTER OF THIS KINGDOM AND THESE SLAVES BEND TO MY WILL!"

'Slaves? Oh you are not going to be walking out of this one alive buddy, we outlawed slavery in America 'cause it is wrong but you sir are about to take a one way ticket on the pain train.'

"You? A king? Ha! You are nothing more than an insignificant insect, your brood mother must be so proud to know that her son has done so well since he left her teat. What's the matter runt, afraid to-" I was cut off when I saw Sombra's red horn gave off a blackish glow before shooting a black bolt of crystalline death.

The black crystal collided with my chest and knocked me on my back, at first I thought this horse just killed me but when I didn't feel any pain nor felt any blood loss I looked down to see that my shields have taken the brunt of the blow and only knocked me down. The black horse though, he had his back turned away from me, thinking that he has slain me.

He has only made me angry and thirsting for his blood.

"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE THAT DISAPPOINT OR ANGER ME SLAVES! LOOK AT HIS BODY AS AN EXAMPLE AS TO WHAT I WILL DO TO ANY OF YOU WHO DARE THINK TO DISOBEY MY WORD!"

While Sombra was busy gloating over my 'death' his slaves were huddled together, cowering in fear as they fear for their lives, knowing that King Sombra has just killed someone just barely after a day of his exile has come to an end.

Getting up slowly off the floor I grabbed my shrapnel launcher and set it to burn on contact instead of explode and with my smaller arms I removed my swords from their sheaths and quietly moved behind the fool tyrant, ignoring his opponent would be his first, and last mistake he will ever make alive.

Standing right behind Sombra I thrust both my swords into his back, the blades penetrating through the plate armor he is wearing, the metal points going through flesh and bone before coming out the other end. Lifting Sombra off the ground I barely felt his weight at all as I watched his body start to go limp as I hear him let out a garbled shout of pain as blood comes gushing out of his mouth and from his fresh new air holes in his chest and back.

"But....how?" the dying king asked as I raised him to my height, moving my head to his ear before whispering.

"I am the Kell of Kells, and you are just a worm who has went against his better." I said before shoving the barrels of the shrapnel launcher into his back and set him on fire.

His silent screams of pain and agony is the last thing he ever did as his body was steadily burnt to ashes.

Shining Bastion has had a rough day, first he gets fired as the old captain of the guard then he gets exiled and before he has a chance to even get his things and leave he gets captured and imprisoned. Now here he is, laying on the throne's steps bleeding from his head and watching as his old king gets impaled by the strange bipedal creatures' twin swords before being set on fire.

"I am Skolas and you are no longer welcome here Sombra, your ashes will fuel a new reign. The House of Wolves will be reborn." the tall bipedal creature said in a deep, menacing voice as he saw along with the other slaves in the throne room watch the black tyrant burn away into a pile of ashes.

Before he knows it upon Sombra's death all of the black crystals that lined the room and castle explodes violently, turning into dust as the dark gloom that once hung over the crystal empire was released.

"So, does killing him make me the new king? Or does he have any heirs to the throne that I must remove first?" the bipedal said as every single pony in the room immediately ran away. The old stallion couldn't take it anymore and collapsed, the revelation that his old mad king was slain right before his very eyes and now the very black crystals that has corrupted him and imprisoned his friends and family are now gone.

Who ever this strange creature is, maybe he is the one that was prophesied long ago when he was just a colt that would come and save them all from King Sombra's madness.

Necessary Preperations

Into the Darkness

Small Input by me, forgot one small scene

Staring down the dogs I waited for them to obey my command and surrender and beg for mercy.

The dogs did not beg for mercy, instead they rushed at me, those that were still twitching from being shocked were the first to be cut down, grabbing them by the throats I crushed their windpipes before tossing them to the sides, letting them choke on their own blood and suffocate. Those behind them ran as best as they could but were too grabbed by me, I broke their arms and legs, letting them writhe on the floor in agony as I step over them, waiting for any more to show up with the exception of one dog, still sitting on the floor in fear but before I could make a move he got up, turned around and ran away.

'You think you can run from me? I will find you, and when I do it will not be a pretty reunion.'

Looking down at the mass of dogs quivering before me I let out a loud, guttural roar before charging at the dogs, punching, stomping, kicking and gutting them with ease.

Once they were all killed or injured to the point of not being a threat I heard the sound of magic being used and turning around I saw for a moment nothing before seeing crystal ponies being levitated down from the holes above.

"Interrogate the dogs that are still alive, we need to know what we are going up against and if they are ever so willing to have their lives spared a terrible death, have them tell a unicorn the layout of these caves." I said as I ducked down a bit in order to avoid hitting my head on an outlaying rock that was jutting on the ceiling.

Walking away from the dogs and ponies I make my way a bit deeper into the tunnel until I came to an errant three-way fork in the road, my shrapnel launcher generating enough light from the quad-barrels which allowed me to see the three new tunnels before I blindly walked down one.

"Hmm...of course they had to make this hard on me...fucking great." I muttered as I waited for the crystal ponies to assemble behind me, Forge trotting right beside me as she levitates a scroll in front of my face, a crudely drawn map was on it and it was made with the blood that was plastered all over the place.

'Huh, was expecting ink but then again seeing that this is Forge and they took Shining Pearl from us...eh I can guess that she is beyond pissed and doesn't give two shits about these flea infested beasts.'

"Forge, take a group of guards and take the left path, Bastion take the right path. Private Sharp Tack, Private Fletcher, you two are coming with me down the center. We must find where they are holding the ponies hostage, where they have stored their stolen loot and where they are all gathered, we don't know how many of them there are and how deep this place goes."

"Yes sir." "Yes my Kell." both said as they follow close behind me as I keep my shrapnel launcher pointing down the corridor, wherever this leads will surely take me to where I want to be. And I want to be at the heart of this cave system and show these dogs what it means to wake up the sleeping giant.

Left Corridor

Looking down the corridor of rock and stone that has been given to her by her Kell, the hunt for their target has begun and she is galloping at at a rapid pace down the corridor, her horn glowing brightly as she creates a ball of light attached to the tip of her horn to produce a magical lantern of sorts while keeping her axes up beside her. Trying to keep up to the giantess of a pony the guards behind her were straining themselves just to stay next to her, all of them know that as soon as they were picked to go with her that they will be seeing a lot of fighting and death. They know that the dogs foalnapped somebody of importance to her but they don't know just how important this one pony is.

Skidding to a halt as they come to a corner all of the crystal ponies turn to the right before continuing on with their charge, and it wasn't before long that they encountered two dogs standing watch by a wooden door built into the stone around it.

Before the dogs could try to get inside and alert those that are on the other side they were silenced when Forge rammed an ax in the forehead of one dog and an ax to the throat for the other dog. Both of them were killed instantly and the spray of blood that came from the beheaded dog served to paint the wall the dog was leaning against and to paint the big hellion of a mare red.

Charging through the wooden door without breaking stride she saw that there was no dogs on the other side which disappointed her greatly. Letting out a snort of anger she went back to galloping down the hall, searching for her next opponent to splatter all over the walls.

"I hope she doesn't get us killed..." Private Bitter Root muttered as he trudged through the remains of the door, turning slightly green in the face at the sight of the two dead dogs.

"Yeah...me to." a fellow guard replied back as he nudged one of the dead dogs with his sword and quickly trotted past it as soon as the corpse started to slide to the left and down the wall, leaving behind a smear of red.

"Hurry up grunts! I will leave you behind to find your own way out if you don't catch up!" Forge shouted as she keeps on charging down the stone hall, her eyes looking for any signs of dog but all she sees is rocks, torches and more rocks.

'Where the bloody hell are they?'

Wondering where the diamond dog clan is she idly rubbed her hoof on the floor, trying to figure out where exactly the dogs are located, the map she was given says that she has just arrived at what is supposed to be a fairly large room is instead a small room with six torches, three on opposite sides, two dog banners are gently moving in a very weak breeze that is coursing through the cavern.

The first banner looked new, it held the sigil of a fairly large diamond with a crown on it over a tower shield, underneath that was two pickaxes crossing each other over a mound of random gems. The other banner on the other hand was old, tattered to the point that it might as well be shredded through and through, it held the sigil of a diamond dog skull over a mountain of gems surrounded by a pickax on its left side and a war hammer with a sharp spike on its right.

'Whoever used to live here obviously still does but now are under a different banner, they better have a pretty damn good excuse for invading my home and kidnapping my friend!'

Looking at the two banners before going to the metal door Forge saw that it was locked from the other side and if she could guess it was also barred as well. These dogs did not want her to be let in, but upon investigating the door the giantess saw what looks like a mining cart rails leading directly inside and partially leading out as well.

"Someone get me a hammer, we are going to break our way in." the giantess shouted as a unicorn levitates a fairly large hammer through the gathered guards behind her and passes the weapon to her.

Without even saying thanks Forge starts to hammer the door, the blunt head smacking into the hard wrought iron door, trying to break through or at the very least dent it to the point where it could be forced open from the outside.

Right Corridor

"Commander Bastion, the Second Unicorn Regiment is standing by for orders." a moderately armored unicorn said as she stands at attention, the light blue/grey mare stood at attention as she and those behind her wait for their commander to give them their orders.

"Sargent Whistle, tell the regiment to get into Shield and Arrow formation, keep your ears open and your eyes peeled, we know that these dogs like to dig holes so keep your weight well distributed, they might make pitfall traps just for us."

"Sir yes sir!"

With the order given Bastion heard his unicorns get into formation and waited for their commander to trot into the center of the battle formation and tell them to march.

With a snort from Bastion the sounds of equal marching thundering hooves echoes throughout the cavern, alerting everyone to their presence. What neither of them know is that they are marching through empty corridors and hollow halls, not a single sight of diamond dogs until after they showed up at an unguarded thick wooden door.

Knocking on the wooden door did nothing but when he pushed the door open he was met with a spear to a face. Using his magic to deflect the spear to the side Bastion backed up and away from the door before ducking to the side to let the regiment behind him open fire with a barrage of large wood and crystal bolts.

As the bolts go through the doorway the sounds of dogs yelping in pain, maybe they should have ducked or dodged out of the way of the bolts if they wanted to stay alive.

Marching through the door with a magic barrier up, Bastion slowly trots into the next stone hall only to see that the bolts struck true and killed three dogs and wounded seven more as there are bolts embedded into their shoulders, arms, legs, chest and gut, one dog had a few bolts in their back.

"Secure the bodies, if they are beyond saving then give them a mercy kill, if they can be saved then tend to their injuries before capturing them. We need them alive for a possible hostage trade if these dogs are smart enough to know how to do one." Bastion said before trotting past them with half of his forces, the rest stayed behind to tend to the wounded and to perform their duties.

A brisk trot later Bastion found himself at a large metal door, similar in appearance to the one that Forge found but this one looks new, recently put in by the looks of it and the banners here are of only one kind, the banner holding the diamond and crown. Torches line the walls and it lit the room well enough that it could be considered the outside world in the day.

"Sir? The door is locked and there is no means to open it from our end, what are our orders?"

"That door looks too thick to break it down with a hammer or a battering ram...melt it down."

"Sir?"

"Find us the pyromaniac, get Corporal Molotov front and center."

"Yes sir!"

The old stallion didn't have to wait long as the fire-obsessed stallion trotted over to the commander and gave a salute before standing at attention, wondering what was planned for him.

"Corporal Molotov, I happen to need your...peculiar set of skills."

"Need me to burn something down?"

"Yes, I need you to melt that door down, if you can melt just the hinges so we can knock down the door that would be much appreciated, if not then melt it down to the ground."

"With pleasure sir!" Molotov shouted with glee before turning to face the opposing door with a wicked smile on his face.

As soon as Bastion took a couple of careful planned steps back and behind a magical barrier as he watched his soldier do what he does best and turn things into ash and cinders.

Watching with peeked interest the other guards look around the corner of the wooden door that was removed or around the magic barrier that has been set up and with baited awe they wait for Molotov to do his job at destroying things with fire. With a snort and a hoof dragging against the stone floor Molotov's horn glows a red color before bursting to life with a small ball of flames, drifting in and out of the sphere as it steadily grows larger, small drippings of molten heat lands on the floor by his hooves but he doesn't shy away from it.

Once the sphere reaches the approximate size of a beach ball he then directs the sphere away from his horn, keeping control over it, and as soon as the ball of liquid fire touches the door it latches onto it like a possessive ex-girlfriend. The liquid fire starts to sizzle and pop on the door, the metal starting to glow red from the intense heat, the stone surrounding the door also starts to glow from the temperature that has attacked the door.

"Hmph, this shouldn't take long to melt into scrap metal." the dark red unicorn snorted as the door started to glow white hot with blotches of red mixed into it.

The door refuses to melt or budge, the metal refusing to turn into a pile of molten slag.

"Come on...come on!" Molotov grunted as he started to strain under the magical pressure building up within him, usually when he burns things with his magic it usually takes a few seconds but now it is well into its fifth minute and he legs are starting to shake from the strain.

Minutes start to roll by and soon the young stallion couldn't keep the spell powered and gives in, the spell waning before dispersing but the door is still covered in molten fire, the door starting to melt and bend. At first they all thought it was a failure but that was when they started to hear the sounds of the door groaning, the hinges have melted off and now it was just standing tall on its own.

With just a push of cyan magic from a different crystal guard the door slowly started to tilt away from the crystal ponies and in a few seconds it fell over, landing with a very heavy THUD followed by dirt and dust being kicked up.

"Now stallions and gentlemares, lets get this done. Capture them all, crush them into the floor and walls and restrain them, we will need them if we are to counter Forge's blind massacre."

Center Corridor

Slowly walking down the poorly lit corridor I see nothing but shadows and rocks for what feels like a few minutes until we are stopped by a wall made of stone and in the middle of it, a slightly out of place chunk of stone.

'Hmm, a cleverly concealed stone door, a little too smart from these dogs...'

"A dead end sir."

"Uh huh...that is what they would want you to think Private Sharp Tack."

"Sir?"

"The stonework, why would they make a path of stone that leads nowhere let alone make it go this long in one direction instead of making it a winding path to confuse those that sneak in here."

"So you think that this is a secret passage that leads somewhere?"

"Oh I know so."

'Cause I paid attention during those dungeons and dragons games that my uncle used to rope us into. Roll your dice to see if you find the hidden door, oh yea, I roll a natural twenty.'

Knocking on the stone wall I hear nothing for a while, just hearing knuckle on rock but as I drag my hand to a different spot and rapped my knuckle against the stone I heard a hollow thunk and found what I was looking for.

'Bingo.'

Putting my hands on the false wall I tried to push it but got nothing, then when I tried to turn it I still didn't get anything so I decided the next best course of action was a simple one. Stepping back from the wall I aimed my shrapnel launcher at it and told my two guards to step back as well.

Blow it the fuck up and hope whatever on the other side wasn't valuable and important.

"Cover your ears, its about to get loud!" I shouted just before firing at the wall, explosive flaming rounds shoot forth from the barrels, spiraling around each other before impacting the wall, the concussive force cracking the stone wall before the next four salvos continue to crack and break the wall until finally it crumbles into burning rocks and pebbles.

Stepping into the opening I force it wider by breaking the edges with my hands until it was wide enough for me to easily walk through without having to duck or crawl.

Poking my head through the debris I saw nine diamond dogs, all of them were waiting for me to show up but they were expecting ponies, not an Eliksni to be breaking through the wall.

"Ding ding schools in bitch!" I shouted before leaping into the next chamber, the nine dogs letting out yelps of terror and fear as I started to beat the ever living shit out of them.

Pro-Tip: Never fight something that is easily three feet taller then you, wearing heavy metal and leather armor, has four arms, carrying and explosive incendiary weapon, two swords and three grenades, and is currently being fueled by piss and vinegar with a hint of anger.

Pro-Tip #2: Do not be smaller then me, if I am angry enough and my brain is working properly I can and will use you like a weapon.

Grabbing the first diamond dog that was in sight I grabbed him by the ankles and swung him like a mace at the second nearest dog, the dog went down hard, being hit by something that weighs roughly a hundred pounds sure can do some damage. Throwing the dog like a spear at another dog was priceless, he wasn't as sharp as the other dogs but when you toss em like an actual weapon it can send fear into the hearts of your enemies.

Then came the beatings, punching, screaming, kicking, biting and cursing, that was all that can be heard from the room we are in and beyond it. It is a funny thing really, that I am fighting dogs and they are barking and biting me like what dogs back home would.

'I wonder what would happen if I had a dog whistle...would they all sit down and obey me or just cower in fear?'

Pushing that thought aside for now I continued on with my beatings, punching a dog in the face, punting another dog into the wall, even going so far as to giving one dog a love tap (pretty much flicking them) in the balls.

When it was over I was standing tall, proud and surrounded by whimpering dogs with my two guards standing back watching it all.

"You know you two could have helped me with this?"

"We didn't want to ruin your image sir."

"Yeah, you totally had this under control."

"Feh, whatever...now lets tie these bastards up and leave em for Bastion to pick up." I said before flicking the same dog in the nuts, the loud girly squeal of pain echoes around us, man I just love that sound.

"So boys, shall we go down the dark creep tunnel?"

Diamond Dog Colony

Maxi was panicking, his mind was alight with strange visions, sights, knowledge and emotions. He didn't know why or how he was getting all of these things but he was being bombarded by all of it at once, his brief connection with the crystal heart allowed him to feel 'different' from the rest of his people. His mind has been filled with thoughts, knowledge that he shouldn't know of let alone the influx of emotions and feelings, the most important feeling is guilt and shame at this current moment.

Sparky on the other hand his scared out of his mind, he just witnessed an ungodly beast slaughter his friend and he was the only one to survive, he ran all the way through the hidden entrance, through the checkpoint and right into the center of the colony before shouting out that there are intruders within the colony.

With that shout alone it scrambled the entire colony into action, men and women scrambling about, the male dogs running to the barracks to grab their swords and spears, their helmets and rugged plate armor. The female dogs and children quickly scrambled to the hideout in the deeper part of the colony, moving aside the center statue that was in the small town-colony and climbed down into the depths to get away from the intruders that now invade their home.

With the cry of invaders ringing in the air Maxi quickly made his way to his own hiding spot, he knew that the invaders were better then them, he knew that going out to fight them would only lead to his death or capture so he did what he was supposed to do in a situation where the enemy is about to get them, hide and wait for it to blow over. Sprinting into his home Maxi went straight to where his bed was located and lifted his up, the small bedroll being tossed aside as the rock was pulled up to reveal a hollow alcove to fit in. Climbing right on in and placing the rock right back over he kept his head down, waiting for everything to end.

And as for Sparky, he grabbed a new spear and helmet and assembled with a new group of dogs, this group this time are actual brutes, big burly dogs that know how to fight and kill and they are not afraid of anything besides the dragon that is acting as his liaison from the kingdom.

Assembling throughout the underground town the guard dogs (bu-dum tist) get into positions, hiding in barrels, behind doors, on roofs, underneath welcome rugs and carpets. Sparky was hiding in a wooden barrel that just so happens to be holding a rather large amount of crystal cherries that was recently stolen from the actually heavily protected city above.

'I hope they don't get in.'

Left Tunnel

"Fuck this!" Forge shouted as she tosses the now bent and broken hammer aside, a few of the crystal guards that were watching the whole thing were shaking a bit, they were scared that in her current state of mind that she might use one of them to be the battering ram.

Turning around the giantess started to buck the door, trying to use her strength to kick the door down off its hinges with little to no effect other then tiring herself out.

"My gods, what the hell is this door protecting?" a guard shouts out as Forge gives one last kick before stepping away from it.

Giving a sigh of defeat the giantess takes the broken hammer off the floor before tossing it at the door in frustration before leaving it alone.

"Forget the door, lets go around and meet up with our Kell and back him up." Forge shouted at the guards before starting to gallop to the busted door but she comes to a skidding halt when her ears pick up something.

CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK THUD

'Could it have been really that simple?'

Once the door hit the ground Forge turned around and galloped straight through the door to find nothing but a room with two of the same banners and six torches, but with that came a mine cart filled with raw ore and gemstones still lying within.

Ignoring the mine cart the giant hellion stormed through the well-lit corridor that was soon filled with crystal guards, following after her as they tried to keep up, the torches are starting to appear in abundance and in frequency until finally they all arrived at what looks like a part of a town and a mine at the very end of it. The opening of a fresh mine was just a few meters away from them, there was three mine carts, one of them was overturned with gems and rocks spilled out of it, and right behind it was a spear quivering in place.

'Too easy.'

Grabbing the cart with her magic she pushed it across the ground, knocking the diamond dog that was hiding behind it down before crushing it against the wall, killing it from being squished to death.

"Form up ponies! Secure this point and hold it! This is their town, hold it here and wait for the others to arrive, we don't want to take all of the fun for ourselves!" Forge shouted with glee before burying her ax into the forehead of a dog that leapt out behind a different cart, dying immediately from having its brain scrambled by a metal object.

Holding a staggered line that is currently downhill from the rest of the town is a bit of a problem but they manage to pull it off by using magic to form a decent barrier to protect themselves from arrows and rocks.

"Come on Bastion...where the hell are you!"

Right Tunnel

Stepping past several groaning and moaning dogs Bastion pulls out a handkerchief and cleans off a logy that a dog spat at him earlier after he was tied up and waiting for pick up. Stepping on his tail and going on his way down the tunnel with half of his guard in tow the elderly stallion marched on, looking and waiting for more dogs to capture to bring back to the surface, whatever their Kell has planned for them must be important.

"Sir, we got word from Forge's group, they have breached a door like the one we just cracked open and are now in a town. I suspect it belongs to these dogs sir." one of the new guards said as he stops beside Bastion, the recruit was relatively unharmed in all aspects of the word, his armor has yet to be damaged or dented in any way besides some dirt and grime.

"Hmm...tell her to hold her position until we arrive, I can only assume that the door we found will also appear somewhere in the diamond dog's hidden town. Get the dogs topside and regroup with us here, double time it private!" looking back to the dogs that are being magically lifted and hauled away Bastion could only smile a small amount as he lets out a small chuckle.

"Aye aye sir!"

The young recruit saluted before galloping off into the hall behind them all, fading from view to relay the message to the other battle leader.

Waiting for the young pony to come back wasn't very long, he came back with a new layer of dirt and grime along with a spider web tangled in his helmet, apparently he tried to leap over a rock and instead jumped into a web that still had a rather large spider resting in it. Naturally he screamed like a little filly because he was surprised by the spider, something a crystal guard should not be afraid of but then again it was his first mission and he was all jitters and nerves.

Once the last of the dogs got to the surface and the unicorn regiment was at full strength Bastion made them march on again, finding not a single dog until after they arrived at the top of the underground town, easily being able to see Forge's forces from where he is standing.

"Hmm...trying to use the height of their positions to their advantage...lets take that away from them gentleponies." Bastion said with a smile worming its way onto his face as blasts of magic start raining down onto the opposing dogs positions. The blasts of magic colliding with the rooftops and roads, sending bits of rock, dirt and throwing the unsuspecting dogs into the air, tossing them every which way as they get hurled into the walls and floors around them.

Out of the corner of Bastion's eye he spots Molotov holding a torch in his magical grip and with a bit of magical force a stream of fire combined comes shooting out, hitting a few dogs as they roll on the ground to put the fire out, dropping their weapons and a few strip off their armor to put themselves out.

Out of the other corner of his eye he sees a dog get the drop on a guard, raising his spear to make a possible killing blow but gets blasted off the guard and instead then gets the same treatment as the dogs that came before him, a heavy weight crushing his body as he falls to the floor in pain.

The point of the restraining spell is to not resist, the more you resist the more painful it becomes, and seeing how these dogs aren't that smart they thrash around and try to fight back which in the end renders them with either broken bones or torn muscles.

It didn't take them long to start pushing the dogs into the center of their small town but that was stopped when they saw a dog fall a ledge above him. The dog hit the ground hard before it started to roll down the road leading to the center before stopping at the base of a fountain.

Almost every single pony and dog looked up to find the source of the being responsible for tossing said dog almost three stories to the ground, that was when Forge, Bastion, and both the unicorn regiment and the volunteers see a tall bipedal being with four arms holding another dog before tossing him down as well.

"It seems like I missed the party, no matter. I guess I will just have to make do."

Center Tunnel

Walking down the dark tunnel was a good idea, the whimpering of the two dogs I was holding made it apparently clear that we are alone, with my shrapnel launcher acting as a torch the five of us could see what was somewhat close to us and as we marched on all we saw was stone and dirt.

It didn't last long as we eventually find a shabby looking wooden door and with a light application of force from my foot I kicked the door in, sending splinters and chunks of wood everywhere.

I don't know why but this home seems kind of...shifty to me. And by shifty I mean it looks like a place where someone would go to drop some illegally obtained goods off to earn a quick buck before bailing if the police arrives. Bringing my shrapnel launcher to a nearby torch resting on the wall I see the fire illuminate the room a little bit better, this room was lining with what looks like some of the things that was stolen from the world above, there was shiny utensils, plates, armor and weapons, a bust of Sombra's head that must be destroyed for the sake of the crystal ponies or better yet, I just might put it in a museum.

"Huh...this place seems...dull...aw well, time to get moving. Come patsy, we have work to do!" I shouted with a smile on my face which can't be seen due to my rebreather but I digress, kicking open another door which explodes into splinters and wood I see what I have been looking for, kinda.

Down below my ponies were fighting against the dogs, there was screaming, crying, shouting, barking and yelping, howling and dying. My ponies were obviously winning by a landslide, and quite literally a landslide when a unicorn grabbed a cart that was filled with rocks and tipped it over, making it rain basketball-sized rocks down the street.

'These little ponies make me so proud...it almost brings a tear to my eyes....now if only I can fucking cry! I swear to god if something sad happens and I can't let out a manly tear or two I am going to flip my shit!'

Releasing that peculiar thought from my head I look down to the fighting and decided that now would be a good time to show myself. Looking at the dog in my left hand I decided that it was time to teach him how to fly without any basic lessons, with a heave and a ho I threw the fucker out the doorway and watched as his body hit the ground hard with a THUD before rolling down the street.

Tossing the other dog down as well I then made the jump from the overlooking home before talking over the sound of silence that has filled the underground.

"It seems like I missed the party, no matter. I guess I will just have to make do."

And with that said a loud cheer coming from my ponies as they start to push the dogs to the center of the town.

We are taking our time with the defeat of the dogs, we are going home by home, searching for any stragglers or holdouts and we are surprised to find that all of the dogs are gone, there was roughly three hundred dogs when they came up to the surface and we pretty much knocked a huge dent in that number. I guess those that are down here are those that survived the raid up top, but where are the women and children?

Pushing down to the center of town with the cheesy fountain at their backs, the diamond dogs were barely holding their line, they were quivering, their hands shaking as their swords and spears wobbled in the air, they were afraid and we knew it.

"Drop your weapons, and you will be spared. If you don't then we will show you no mercy." I said while having my shrapnel pointing at them that was then accented by me pulling out my two swords, showing them that they won't be coming out of this alive if they resist.

My point was proven further when the crystal guards surrounded them, glaives, swords and glowing horns. Forge was snarling at the dogs, dragging her hooves against the stone road, her axes floating beside her as Bastion is across from her, holding up his officer's sword in his magical grip.

The sounds of weapons being dropped fills the air as they raise their paws, surrendering themselves to me as ropes are hauled around their arms, legs and bodies, hogtying them to ensure that they don't escape.

"Bastion, I know there are more of these dogs here, the civilians are missing...we need to find them." I said as I looked at the captured dogs, letting them know of my next intentions for them.

"I will get right on it sir, but for now we must tend to both our wounded and theirs." the old stallion said as we both looked at the relatively small group of injured, cuts, scrapes and bruises were a majority of the injuries that have been sustained.

"Tend to their wounded? I rather let them bleed out for what they have done, but." I said as I walked over to the fountain, grumbling the last bit as Bastion trotted beside me, ever the important military adviser that he is.

"But?" the all important question, but what?

"But I think it is best in our interests that we tend to them as well, a healthy prisoner is much more valuable when they aren't dead or weak." it is a fact that a sick or dead prisoner has no real use other then pissing off the enemy to the point where they might kill off a few of their hostages.

Looking for the rest of the dogs was fruitless, they were already gone and they were no where to be found.

My guards started to look for a means of how they managed to escape, when they found the front entrance to the town they found that it leads beyond the cave and that it eventually leads to the frozen tundra beyond the barrier of the empire.

"My Kell! I found all of our stuff!" a guard shouted as a few of the guards went to the source of the shout, the door to the treasury was slightly obscured behind a large rock.

Removing the rock and rolling it to the side we pushed open the door, expecting it to be locked but instead it was unlocked and wasn't even closed all the way. Opening the door we were assaulted by the glint of gold, trinkets and babbles, paid for in blood, there was so much treasure in here that I know that not all of it had to be from us.

"Start removing everything within the dog treasury, what is theirs is now ours." I said as the ponies started to levitate, drag and lift everything that was inside, putting gold coins into bags, levitating statues, utensils, urns and other ceramic goods out.

It didn't take long for us to find the crystal heart, it was buried underneath so much ill gotten loot that by the time we found it the world above was already starting to suffer a blizzard, the warmth that was in the empire has finally left it.

"Get this back to the surface, place it on the pedestal, if it doesn't activate immediately then wait for my return. Guard this heart with your life, we can not let it fall into enemy hands, take a small detachment of guards with you to ensure it gets to its destination safely."

With a salute from her and five other guards they left immediately, taking the heart back to the surface, all I can hope for is that it turns back on and everything goes back to normal, or at least as normal as things can get in this world.

'Note to self: Find whoever fucked in my room. Note to self two: Find a way to make a security camera to watch my room.'

We spent at least three hours emptying out that chamber, the dogs are now broke, we gained a hefty chunk of pocket money and we got the crystal heart and a strange gold pony statue, I don't know who owned that thing but I think that would look great in my bathroom holding bars of soap and scrubbers up for me. Now if only if I can find a beaver to taxidermy so it can be used to hold up a plate at dinner, that would look awesome.

"I found something!" a guard shouted and almost immediately everyone set upon him like vultures on a fresh carcass.

We descended to what looks like the barracks for the diamond dogs and found that next to it looked like a basement of sorts, breaking the lock was easy when I punched through it and opened the thick wooden door to reveal a set of stairs with torches lighting the way down.

"Huh...anyone wanna care to guess where this might lead?"

"A dungeon?"

"A safety shelter?"

"I don't know but we can find out!" I said before walking into the winding staircase, leading to only god knows where.

I was only half way down when I was called by a guard to come back up, he said he found something in the entrance tunnel that leads back to the tundra.

Going back up and following him to where he found the strange wall we gave it a push and a shove before finding out that it is a hidden passageway, a way to sneak in and out in case things go wrong.

'Damn these dogs love their hidden doors, they are like the dwarf's in D&D.'

"Hmm...go back to everyone else or go down the hidden passage or take the mystery box...fuck it lets go with the mystery box!" and for those that don't know the mystery box this time is the hidden passage, it was either that or make a mystery box and put some random thing inside of it and place it on the ground for someone to find.

I wonder what Shining Pearl is doing right now.

Hidden Chamber's Holding Cells

Shining Pearl is not having a good day, getting kidnapped while she was asleep, being tossed into a dirty cell and not having a bathroom to use to relieve oneself. On the outside she is fine, emotionless, and the picture perfect definition of calm, but in her head she is raging hard.

'How dare these mutts throw me like that I am a noblemare for Faust's sake! Do they not know how many hooves I had to step on to get this far, how many fools I had to blackmail, bribe and maim to climb the social latter! I swear if I get out of here I will show them the unbridled rage a mare scorned can unleash!'

"Hey! Shining Pearl! You okay over there?"

"Yes Clear Cut, I'm fine, although this cell could use a bit of cleaning. There is dust and dirt everywhere!"

"Well these are diamond dogs, can't exactly expect them to be clean and hygienic."

"Hey! You be quiet pony!" a dog jailer shouted as it smacked a wooden club against the jail cell.

"Oi! Prick!" that got the dog's attention and as soon as he got close to the cell door he felt something hit him in the back of the head before falling over unconscious.

With a floating crushed chamber pot floating right beside the dog before being placed on the floor, a glow of magic surrounds the key ring on the ground before floating up and unlocks the door holding the slightly not-so-pristine Shining Pearl in her room.

Once the diamond dog was rendered unconscious the key was removed removed from his possession and was used to open the door to her cell before it started to open up other cells as well.

"So Clear Cut, ready to find out where we are and find a way out of here?"

"You betcha ma'am, lets show these dogs what it means to be prim and proper." Clear Cut said as he levitates the club off of the dog and starts to make his way to the doorway leading out of the prison area, Shining Pearl was busy unlocking cells and freeing those that have been captured.

As soon as every single crystal pony was freed from their cells the free ponies made their way to the door, all of them started to mill around when they realized that they didn't exactly have much of a plan to escape other then killing the dogs that were in their way.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea ma'am? I mean we aren't exactly armed to handle whatever guards are on the other side of this door."

"Clear Cut, at first I was sure we can do this but now...not so much, we can hold out here until either more dogs start showing up or we get rescued."

Hidden Chamber

The diamond dogs have gathered into the hidden hall, the main door leading to their town has been barricaded and locked from the inside. All of them are hoping and praying that the crystal ponies that have invaded their home would leave, but upon hearing the sounds of hooves, bodies and hammers battering against the thick wooden and metal door that they knew that they have been found.

"We are trapped!" a dog shouted as the others started to yip and yelp in terror and fear.

"No we are not! Take the secret door out! They are in our caves, we can leave through front entrance!" another dog shouted back, yelling louder then everyone present in the great hall so all can listen to his words.

All of the diamond dogs started to rush to the main doors of their home, trying to get away from the retributive fury that awaits them on the other side of the doors to their back but as they scramble to open they couldn't hear the sounds of paws scraping at the door they are trying to open on the other side.

As soon as they managed to get the other doors to opened up all they saw was a tall figure, cloaked in blue metal armor with leather lying underneath it, in its hands was a ornate looking staff and dripping from his body was blood, and surrounding him was several dozen diamond dogs, their bodies eviscerated to the point of being unrecognizable. Bodies were scattered everywhere, many of them are missing arms, legs, heads and tails, but all of them had one thing in common, they were brutalized.

Youtube Video

"The Great Destroyer has arrived! The end is near!" a dog shouted as they all started to panic and backed away from me, a few brave dogs in the crowd moved forward, trying to protect those behind them but they are just delaying the inevitable.

I threw my shrapnel launcher at the first dog that ran up at me, he barely managed to catch it but as soon as he did and looked up my fist was already burying itself into his face, dropping him like a bag of hammers.

"Surrendering is your only chance to survive. Those that resist will be put down like the dogs that they are."

The next dog came up to me and with my shrapnel launcher back in my hands, and instead of shooting the bastard I instead opted to use my launcher like a bludgeoning weapon and bashed him aside and into the wall to my right.

Then came the third dog I just decided that will be the prime example of what awaits them if they keep resisting my order of surrender. Aiming my shrapnel launcher at the charging dog I simply pulled the trigger and watched the dog explode into a shower of charred meat and bones.

"Throwing your lives away like this is such a waste of life, your lives are at stake if you do not surrender to my authority."

Trying to get these dogs to give in is hard work, especially when a fourth dog tried to kill me from behind but he was stopped when he was magically lifted by one of my guards before being thrown into a wall, hopefully being rendered unconscious as I keep on striding forward, hoping to breaking their will to fight on.

"We will never surrender ourselves to a beast that holds no honor!" a dog shouted as he started to walk through the crowd of cowering canines.

The dog was wearing what must be clothes of nobility or at the very least of militaristic origins. It was holding what looks like a jeweled rapier in its paws and a jeweled dagger.

"So says a dog that raids a kingdom for slaves and gold, for the weak to try to steal from the strong and not expect for any form of retaliation to form and strike back. You are truly pathetic if you have thought that we would have let this go." I said as I started to walk toward the offending leader, the other dogs moved aside and once we were in the middle of the room they formed a circle, my two guards waited by the door, creating a barrier to prevent them from escaping.

"Bah! You think you are strong? We easily snuck into your homes and took what you did not need! Those ponies we took with us failed to fight back, worthy slaves and they can fetch a high price in the market for being of a unique origin!" man this dog just stole first place on my shit list, replacing my brother so far by a landslide. All he needs to do is steal my food from the fridge, take a shit and not flush, steal my games, steal my laptop, steal my cellphone and lastly puke on my bed and we are set.

"Your eyes must be betraying you if you have not yet noticed that I tower over you, my body is stronger then you, my armor is impenetrable. My swords are a fury made from my wrath!" I roared out as I charged forward, using my shrapnel launcher as a mace as I crash it down onto the ground, the barrels not even denting from the impact as my two smaller arms unsheathe the electrical swords at my waist as the dog deftly dodged the blow.

"And I can see that you lack any discipline or true skill."

"That's what you think, for all you know I am a master of the sword or just a fool pretending be one, you will find out soon enough." I said as I tossed my shrapnel launcher behind me, I didn't hear it hit the ground so I can only assume that my guards caught it with their magic.

"I highly doubt you are any kind of master other then a leader for those glittering ponies." taking a stab at me and easy being deflected to the side by my arc shield, I tried to reach for the blasted weapon and remove it from his grasp but he pulled back just in time.

My size and speed was being countered by the dog's well trained fighting style and speed. I might have to cheat to win this.

Oh who the hell am I kidding, if this dog is their leader then I might as well scare them into submission if they go by a pack mentality.

Dodging another swipe he lunged forward for yet another stab but as soon as his rapier hit my chest it snapped in half, the front half of the blade shattering like glass while the back half remained whole. Before he could move back I grabbed him by the throat and yanked the weapon out of his hand before ramming what was left of the blade into his throat before letting him go.

"And that is why you should have surrendered to me, otherwise you lose your life..." I started before cutting his head off with one of my swords, "...and your head. Now those of you who are still alive, you can either live in my new world or die in your old one...in fact you can live above ground or stay down here and slowly starve to death."

I let those dogs mull it over and soon enough they gave in, they knew that I would actually let them die like that and as soon as my guard ponies broke down the front door they tied every single dog up and started to walk them out but we were stopped by a surprise guest.

As the dogs walked up the stairs to leave the caves cracks started to form and as soon as I looked up and tilted my head in confusion as to why the roof is cracking I thought for a moment that we are having a cave in.

"MOVE!" I shouted as the dogs looked up to see the cracks starting to spread faster and farther until finally it gave out and something fell down and it sure as hell wasn't a rock.

Watching the dog fall I had opted to just let him drop, eat shit and probably die from the impact but instead I caught him before looking him over.

'He has been in contact with the crystal heart...it left its mark on him...he even had the smallest hint of bonding with it...I think I can use him to get these dogs in line.'

"Guards," I said as two came up to me, one was still holding my shrapnel launcher, I took it away from him before handing them the dog in my hand, "Take him with the others but have him separated from the rest when you put him in the cells. I will speak with him shortly."

The dog didn't resist or try to fight back, he just accepted his fate and lowered his head in defeat.

Returning to the surface was a bit of a problem but I decided to be the last one out so that the others can leave first and that I can be the last one out as my size would surely block the passage as I climb up.

When I got back to the surface I saw that every single pony was waiting for me and when they finally saw me they all started to cheer, glad to see that I am alive and well. As soon as I pulled myself out of the hole the unicorns sealed them up, trying to mend the damages that was done to the roads.

The crystal heart wasn't working when I climbed up but as soon as the ponies saw me their love and affection or joy started up the heart, re-creating the dome and once again bathing the Crystal Empire in its glorious warmth and light.

Now I must rest, apparently fighting, exploring and looting the cavernous system of the diamond dogs that once lived below me is a tiring prospect and must now rest in my conformable if not slightly small bed.

Hidden Chamber Prison Cells

Waiting for the fighting on the other side to be over and whatever loud ruckus was going on the other side of the heavy doors, Shining Pearl and Clear Cut waited quietly for it to end to make their escape, if it was the crystal guards fighting the diamond dogs then they can join in on the fray and assist them but all of them know that would lead to them either getting injured or killed, so instead they choose to sit and wait for it to end.

What they didn't know at the time was that by sitting there waiting they have just barely dodged the bullet of evading the wrath of someone whose job it was to collect what was due, and when that being found that its payment was missing and every single diamond dog was gone with the exception of the blood that laid on the floor as a payment of retribution.

When they heard something let out a loud enraged roar that echoed throughout the cave system and back they knew that whatever it was that is out there, it is not a dog or an Eliksni, they can't exactly recall what it might be but for now their minds are drawing up blanks.

"Clear Cut, I am going to poke my head out of this room and see if it is clear for us to make a run for it, I don't think any of us can handle whatever it is that is here. We must get out of here now before it decides to check the one room it hasn't been into yet."

"Aye, I am right behind you mi'lady." Clear Cut said quietly as he got into position right beside Shining Pearl, knowing fully well that this might be a suicide run to freedom if the beast that was roaring shows its face right outside the door.

Looking at the ponies behind herself and to to the side Shining Pearl gave one last shudder of fear before steeling herself, pushing open the heavy door leading out of the prison cells that oddly leads directly into the small safe haven that was hidden underneath the town. Upon looking up she saw a small hole in the ceiling and beneath it was several flakes of stone from where something has fallen from. Giving the room a once over to see if the coast is clear and finding out that it is, Shining Pearl gave everyone a small smile before nodding, signalling everyone that it is safe for the time being.

Making a mad gallop to the back exit where the eloquent pony saw even more blood splattered all over the walls and floor and for some reason on the ceiling where a body is strangely splattered up there and so far refuses to fall down. Stopping there and quickly turning around to signal the rest of the ponies within the prison to gallop over to where she is.

One by one the crystal ponies galloped their way to freedom, the ponies that had children on their backs had to be extra cautious so they don't accidentally drop them on their mad dash to the surface and away from whatever it is that is roaring so loudly. Without sparing a second glance back the group of kidnapped ponies huddled together and galloped as one straight to the Crystal Empire, the crystal heart was already turned back on and was emitting its rays of warmth and its barrier was back up, just a few miles away from where they have exited the cave tunnel.

There was much rejoicing when the ponies returned home, how they escaped was revealed as somewhat being left behind but when I told them that I was going to come back down there once all of the prisoners have been tossed into their prison cells, surrounded by crystal and metal to prevent them from digging out to freedom. Shining Pearl gave me a death glare for practically 'forgetting' her and the rest of the crystal ponies behind but she forgave me when I hugged her and gave her mane a good brushing.

I swear that girl is just trying to train me to be a husband for a pony or something, next thing I know she might try to teach me how to eat like a noble pony and how to act like one.

Like that will ever be the day.