The Great Gray Alicorn

Chaos. They very word sends shudders down my spine, it makes my blood run cold with a mix of fear and hate. It was over six thousand years ago that the whispers of the dark god Slaanesh began to corrupt my brethren.

I still despise myself for not realizing it sooner, for not being to stop the madness that was brewing in my beloved Equestria...for not saving the Alicorns.

They marched...seemingly from no where, yet from every where. Alongside the twisted legions marched the demons,depraved hateful beings from the Warp. Chattering maniacal hordes of cultist ponies, possessed Alicorns and blood thirsty demons marched upon their own brothers, their sisters...their very families.

Fifteen years...fifteen blood soaked, fear fueled years I led what was left of us against the dark hordes of Chaos. I still wander how those infernal beings managed to find Equestria, as shielded as it is from the predations of the accursed Warp.

In the end, I was forced to drastic measures, for all of Alicorn kind, save for the foals Luna and Celestia, had fallen to the taint of chaos. I created an army of steel and stone, an army that would not falter, that would know no fear...one that could not be corrupted nor tainted.

The golems.

With the golems at my side, I clashed against the forces of chaos right on the fields outside Canterlot. After seven days and seven nights of fighting the demented hordes of the fallen, I knew that I could not wipe out the chaos horde. So, I charged straight for their strongest spell weaver, my own brother... Uldric the great crystal sorcerer and killed him.

My own brother... sweet Equestria forgive me after all these years it still stings like a fresh wound.

After the foul deed was done, I fled to the back of the fighting and prepared a great spell. I prepared a tomb for these depraved creatures and then sealed the blood thirsty hordes of chaos away inside. Upon this vault I weaved a great many more spells, so many enchantments that even now, I still cannot remember some of them. But the greatest...every millennium, the vault is transported entirely to a new, remote location. Great wards fly out, masking the very presence of it. But I knew one must stay with this vault of the damned, keep it sealed...keep it shut...it would be a thankless duty, but a much needed one.

So I stood guard at the vault of Chaos.

And here I stand six thousand years later.

I am Alrdic, the Great Grey Alicorn, the silent guardian against chaos, a secret protector of Equestria, and this is my tale. Heed well mortal, for chaos can consume all.

…

I stood upright, the sand sucking in my hooves as I gazed across the desert. Celestia's sun scorched high above, pounding me with its unrelenting waves. With a wave of my horn I opened another scrying portal to check up on each of the elements of harmony and both Celestia and Luna.

All were milling about their daily lives...all safe.

I gave myself a congratulatory grunt and closed the scrying portal. I trotted around and scowled at the vault that has driven me away from my kind for so long. It stood thirty feet high, brass and iron double doors wrapped from top to bottom in chains. Intricate golden runes were carved in seemingly random places. They weren't random, I put each their as an enchantment to bolster its defenses. The door was by itself, nothing behind it or below it, it simply hovers in mid air.

A sudden gust of wind blew more sand into my face, forcing me to scrunch my eyes. I hate this bloody desert.

A bright glow pierced the thick clouds of sand being blown about. I allowed a well earned grin to plaster my face, I could already feel the air pulsing with ancient magics.

The very air itself begins to hum as the ancient enchantments I weaved so long ago prepare the vault for another hop.

A sharp bark of laughter escaped my throat as the humming grew to a roar and a flash of light exploded out from the door.

…

The tingling feeling of teleporting dissipated almost immediately upon arrival. I slowly stood up on all four hooves and glanced up. The vault's teleportation left a smoking crated in the earth, a good five feet deep and twenty feet in diameter.

“What is the meaning of this?”

My eyes shot open and I glanced at the lip of the crater. There stood Chrysalis. Ah yes...the changelings were launched into the Everfree.

I glanced up at the changeling queen and sneered. “Leave this place weakling queen.”

Chrysalis's scowl turned into a furious snarl, “HOW DARE YOU ORDER ME! GET HIM!”

A small group of changelings, about ten, surged forward from the lip of the crater. I sighed, fools rushing to their deaths.

My horn glowed and with an audible pop, the one thing that has never failed me flashed righti n front of me. My faithful hammer. It was a massive hammer, bigger than myself, the head weighed about three hundred pounds by itself. The head was ornate too, solid silver and carved all over with intricate runes cast with the intent of breaking apart magic barriers. The handle was a dull bronze and was a good six feet long. My hammer...my faithful hammer 'Righteous Fury'.

The changelings charge ground to a halt about fifteen feet away as they stared wide eyed with fear at the massive hammer.

With a grunt I clenched the handle of Righteous Fury in my mouth, and with a roar I jumped the distance between me and the group of changelings. The lead changelings eyes grew wide with terror as the sight of me filled its vision and with a slam.... a puddle of blood oozed out from underneath my hammers head.

With a flick, I spun the hammer around slamming it into two more changelings. The satisfying sound of bones crunching echoed throughout the small clearing. The others turned to flee, screaming in utter terror.

I grunted as I hefted the hammer in my teeth and spun, with careful timing I launched the hammer at one of the changelings. With a splat the hammer slammed dead on with the changeling as the others fled behind into the small changeling army.

Murmurs of panic swept through the ranks of changelings behind the queen. Chrysalis herself went slack jawed, her eyes wide with fear.

I slowly trotted up to my hammer, every changeling, even Chrysalis shrinking in fear. Stepping further and further away from this damnable gate. With a grunt I hefted the hammer up in my teeth, and without turning around slowly stepped back towards the gate.

The eyes of the changelings grew wide in utter surprise as I neared closer and closer to what I was guarding.

“W-what are you doing?” Chrysalis ventured cautiously.

I said nothing, and dropped my hammer to the ground. I sat on my haunches, only now realizing that blood stuck to my coat, matting the fur of my coat. I grunted, and raised a single hoof, towards the forest.

Chrysalis spared a fearful glance in the direction I pointed, and with a quick turn back to me began to bow. Without raising her head, the queen backed away slowly, the rest of her changelings followed suit. Minutes later, I was alone again.

…

“Did you feel that Luna?” Celestia asked her sister, her unflinching gaze never leaving the EverFree.

The Princess of the Sun could feel her sister nodding. “Do you have any idea what is was sister?”
Celestia blinked, she knew what it felt like but couldn't believe it. “It felt like Alicorn magic Luna. Really powerful Alicorn magic, more so than what it takes for us to raise the sun and moon.”

Luna stepped from hoof to hoof nervously, “Alicorn magic sister? More powerful than ours? Should we investigate?”

Celestia nodded slowly, “I already sent a letter to my faithful student. We leave immediately to meet her and the other elements. We may need them.”

Celestia could feel her sister nodding in understanding. The sun goddess herself gulped, whatever caused such a massive influx of magic, she desperately hoped it was friendly.

….

This was extreme cause for worry. I slammed Righteous Fury down, completely annihilating the corrupted Diamond Dog that was once there.

“BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!” another diamond dog jumped forward to meet me. The creature had the symbols of chaos etched into its very flesh, its mouth was foaming and its eyes blood shot.

With a spin I slammed my hammer into it, sending it flying.

I silently prepared myself for the next charge, but when I turned I found a crater littered with the corpses of several dozen cultists. I glanced from side to side, this was unbelievable. How could I not see these cults forming?

I continued to survey the carnage. At least fifty corrupted diamond dogs had emerged from the surrounding forest, screaming their guttural praise to dark gods.

I studied each corpse...well what was left of each corpse anyway. Righteous Fury did a wonderful job of making a mess of everything.

I decided, I was going to instill fear into whatever came close to this clearing. I would make it very, VERY clear, to steer away from this damned vault. With this goal in mind, My horn glowed with magic as I lifted several dozen blood soaked corpses and trotted into the forest.

…

Celestia wrapped a hoof around her beloved student as Twilight let loose another torrent of her lunch. She wasn't the only one as each element hurled forth their lunches at the sight before them.

A diamond dog was impaled on a branch of a tree with its lower half smashed, an eye ball hung loose from its socket and strange unearthly markings were carved into its flesh. Blood drenched the ground beneath it and continued to drip from the corpse.

Underneath it, was a simple carving in the tree where the corpse was impaled on.

Leave. Was all the sign read.

“Wh- * wretch * who or what would do something like..like this?” Twilight asks cautiously, waving a hoof at the carnage before her.

Celestia shook her head, unable to understand or even comprehend the violence that occurred here. The sun goddess trotted around the tree and froze.

“Closer your eyes, each of you, You too Luna and Twilight grab hold of my tail. Each of you line up and grab a tail in front of you.” The sun goddess barked.

The elements balked. What would make the Princess practically shout orders like that? They looked to each other and silently agreed they didn't want to know. The seven simply did as ordered.

When each element was ready, Celestia steeled herself and slowly began to walk forwards. She shuddered at the site. Blood soaked the very earth in puddles and she took very careful detours to avoid stepping in any. Bodies were hung from the trees, brains and organs spilling out. Bone showed. So many diamond dogs impaled on trees, seemingly in a pattern... a circle around...something.

Celestia shivered despite the warm, humid summer air. Why? 'Why' was the only question the princess could ask herself as she skirted around yet another pool of blood.

Celestia blinked at the sight before her as she passed the last hanging corpse. “Alright you may open your eyes, DO NOT look behind you and come up here.” Celestia barked.

“Sister, what troubles...you?” The night goddess began to ask, but trailed off at the sight that greeted her. They were on the lip of a humongous crater, and at the center...was a massive door. The door was bound in chains and seemed to float in mid air. Strange glowing runes were scattered all over the massive brass door.The air cackled and hummed with magical energy around it, and seemed to invigorate the Princess's and the elements.

And right in front of the door...was a massive hammer. It was easily larger than both Princess's and stained red with blood... fresh blood.

“Stay here, I will investigate.” Celestia ordered, her voice was barely a whisper. Every pony was too struck with fear to deny any of the orders.

The Princess took one step forward, and the moment her hoof touched the ground of a crater, an ear splitting roar reverberated throughout the clearing.

Celestia looked around for the source and nearly balked in fear when she saw it. When she saw the alicorn.

The Alicorn was humongous, dwarving herself and her sister. The Alicorn was a pure, unfiltered grey yet its coat was stained with fresh blood. It's eyes were icy blue and filled with rage. It had...one wing, tattered and filled with holes, its body was coated in scars that were easily seen, even at that distance.

The massive Alicorn was standing one the opposite side of the door, glaring from just to the right of massive double doors. The Alicorn growled low and mencingly, but loud enough to be heard despite the distance. And then it leaped.
The Alicorn easily cleared to distance to the side of the door. When it's hooves touched the dirt it immediately jumped again, flaring its only wing as it thudded right next to the hammer.

Close up, the group could very clearly see its cutie mark... it was a crown with a massive hammer, the handle for the hammer went through the rim of the crown, as if the crown were an ornament, dangling around its sheath.

With another roar, the gray Alicorn hefted the hammer in its teeth, with a slam the alicorn slammed the hammer into the crater, easily breaking apart the earth. The nameless alicorn spun around in a circle, clearing every bit of stone and dirt easily with the swipe before bearing the hammer up.

And with that, the alicorn simply stared, a blood soaked hammer in its mouth, ready to strike at a moments notice.

…

My nostrils flared. Damn. How could I forget to scry? If I had remembered I could have seen this coming and prepared for it.

I had never, and I mean NEVER show myself to either of the Princess's or the Elements of Harmony unless I absolutely needed them.

My heart pounded in my chest, seemingly about to bust free of its fleshy prison. I continued to stare at them, hopefully fear would scare them off, although I doubted it.

“Why...why would you hide yourself? Why would you slaughter these innocent Diamond Dogs? What has possessed you to slaughter anything that comes near this...this treasure?” Celestia managed to ask, each question began to drip with more and more venom.

Her eyes glared at me accusingly, like daggers cutting into my flesh.

I slowly lowered my head and dropped my beloved hammer. And with it free of my mouth, I began to laugh and laugh and laugh some more. The princess glanced worriedly to her sister, the elements shrank in fear.

“Protect it? I do not protected THEM from you. I protect you from them...Celestia.” I stated.

Celestia blinked, “How do you know my name?”

“Because I held you in my hooves when you were but a new born foal. Because I've have stood guard over this accursed vault for over five and half thousand years and have constantly watched all over Equestria every day and night. I know all about you...Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy...Rarity.”

Each of the elements in turn shirked in fear at the mention of their names. Celestia balked at the revelation, disbelief written all over her face.

“Held me when I was foal?” Celestia started, unsure of what to ask.

I nodded solemnly, “Just leave Celestia. Take the elements of harmony and your sister and leave this place. Never return...forget you ever met me.”

“No!” Celestia barked, determination painted on her face.

“I do not even know your name. What is in that vault?” Celestia continued to rant.

I sighed, “I am Aldric, the great grey Alicorn, as I was once called. I will say nothing of the vault but to tell you to leave.”

Celestia clenched her teeth, “Aldirc I demand you tel-”

“DEMAND! YOU DARE MAKE DEMANDS FROM ME INSOLANT FOAL! YOU ARE BUT A FILLY COMPARED TO ME!” I roared at the top of my lungs.

Celestia balked and trotted back, fear painted into her very eyes. I sighed, “Leave it be Celestia. Go. The path back to Ponyville with the least carnage is over there.” I dejectedly pointed a hoof at a spot in the clearing.

Celestia bowed her head down, and slowly began to trot over to where I pointed, each Element in tow. Luna stayed behind though and continued to stare.

“I know not what it is that plagues you Lord Aldric...but I can tell it eats away at your very soul. You are not alone.” And with that Luna trotted off to meet with her waiting sister and the elements.

To Be Continued...

ZOMG im having so much fun with this one. Teehee...hope you enjoyed as much as I enjoyed writing. Aldric was inspired by a particular boss, props if you can guess which one. Also at the time I typed this up I was in china. I dont know when Im posting this, but my family has pretty good wifi so il upload when I have free time