The Great Gray Alicorn

The group followed silently behind Celestia. Every pony was lost in their thoughts, including the Princess. Celestia was more...depressed than anything else. Yes, Aldric slaughtered those Diamond dogs, but if what he said was true...why hasn't he been there with them? Why wasn't he there for my sister and I when we needed him? What was so important about that damn vault?

“Princess?” Twilight's voice shattered Celestia's small amount of concentration.

“Yes my dear Twilight?” Celestia replied without looking over her shoulder.

“What...what do you think Aldric meant when he said, 'I do not protect THEM from you, but protect you from them'? And why has he kept hidden all this time?” Twilight asked rather timidly, quite out of character for the curious unicorn.

Celestia thought for a moment without stopping, “I don't honestly know Twilight. But I DO intend to find out.” Celestia was determined....far more determined to get to the bottom of this particular mystery. She WOULD find out what was in this vault that would cause an Alicorn to guard for it for so long and ignore the rest of the world.

The group continued the silent trek, each lost in their thoughts as to what Aldric was doing. What was in the vault? What was in that vault that would drive the Alicorn to abandon Equestria? Why was he so hell bent on keeping them away? Why?

….

Luna's words echoed in my head. “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.” Why? Why would she say that to me? I grunted after thinking about it.

I had no idea why she would say that but I turned back to the vault.

“About you...the enchantments should have warded EVERYTHING away from here.” I said aloud.

The thought of the diamond dog cultists pried itself into my mind. Where on Equestria did they come
from?

Is Slaanesh whispering again? Or is it another one of those damnable gods? Has any pony else fallen? Equestria forgive me! I have become to lax.

I quickly scryed all the areas in Equestria where chaos had reigned, the depths of Ever Free, the wastelands to the far west. Every where chaos had waxed strong.

But...nothing.

How did the diamond dogs even discover chaos? HOW HOW HOW HOW? WHO? WHAT?WHEN? WHERE? WHY?

The questions burrowed into my skull over and over. They drove out every other thought, every sensation, each question demanding an answer that I didn't have.

Then a realization struck me. Of course. How could I have been so blind?

I whirled around and galloped right up to the vault. After five minutes of close astute investigation, examining each and every individual seal it was perfectly obvious.

DAMNIT!

My questions...every single one of them answered in an instant. There was a weakened enchantment allowing small slivers of magic through the vault door. Slivers of magic a lot like...whispering.

I gritted my teeth. Sidric the quicksilver Alicorn...chosen son of Slaanesh....brother...How did you get around my wards? Why did my other enchantments not warn me about the weakness in defense?

There was only one thing I could do. I needed to prepare Equestria for the return of Chaos.

“Celestia.”

…

An Unknown shack...

The room was dimly lit by an eerie purple fire. The scene inside was...gruesome to say the least. Zebra's...griffons...ponies, countless beings were chained to the wall. On their bodies...the star of chaos had been painted in blood. Each corpse, has a gaping hole in their chest...right where their heart once lay.

A low guttural laugh shatters the silence and the purple flame flares, casting an eerie glow over the blood soaked floor of the room.

“Yessssss my master Sidric. The seeds...have been planted. There are few that serve us, serve you! Serve Chaos!! It is hard to gather believers!!! Yes, yes, yes! For the great gods of chaos it SHALL be done! We swears it! The Elements will be killed! We swears it!”

…

Gather the Elements. The voice shattered Celestia's sleep. “Wh-” QUIET GIRL! Fetch the Elements of Harmony, do as your elder bids if you wish to know what lays within the vault I guard. Aldric's voice rings throughout her head.

“Ho-” GO NOW!!!! THE ELEMENTS!!!

…

Twilight poured over another book, quickly throwing it over her shoulder with an audible grunt of frustration.
Spike gently tugged on her fur, tearing her from her concentration. “Twi...is everything okay?”

Twilight sighed, and sagged deeper into her chair. “No Spike, nothing's okay. I wish I could say they were. But they're far from okay. In The Everfree today we met an-” CRASH!

“By the will of chaos...you must die Twilight. May the blood god find your skull worthy of his throne.” A voice hissed.

Twilight and Spike stared at the entrance, both of their eyes wide with utter terror as...something stomped into their home. It was clearly a griffon once, but its hide was covered in...stars. Eight pointed stars were carved into its flesh. One eye was blood shot red, the other had the same star etched into it instead of a pupil.

Saliva dripped from the Griffons beak, and low guttural laugh escaped its maw, “We promised Sidric all the elements will die...and die you shall!”

The griffon pounced and as it began to descend on Twilight...a golden aura encased it, trapping it in mid pounce.

“Twilight, hurry! We must gather the other elements.” Celestia barked from the doorway. And in another flash of golden light, the griffon vanished.

…

Fluttershy dove to the right. With a thunderous crash, the corrupted minotaur barreled past her. “CHAOS CONSUME ME!” The beast roared. Fluttershys pupils dilated with fear as the minotaur stalked towards her.

It had an eight pointed star burned into its flesh, and pierced into his flesh were chains complete with...pony skulls. Fluttershy whimpered as the minotaur stalked forwards, each step rumbling the whole cottage.

When the minotaur reached her, the beast raised its meaty fists and prepared to strike, right as his eyes made contact with hers...Fluttershy, out of fear, used her signature 'Stare'.

The minotaurs arms dropped to its sides as it became lost in the gaze of the peagasus. “G-go to sleep if you wouldn't mind that is...please.” Fluttershy squeaked. The minotaur did as it was told, laying down the beast quickly began to snore.

An eerie bluish glow surrounded the minotaur, and with an audible pop, the minotaur vanished. Fluttershy practically jumped out of her coat.

“Fluttershy. It is I, Luna. Come we must gather the other Elements of Harmony. Our sister has already gone to fetch Twilight Sparkle.” The familiar voice boomed throughout the cottage from the doorway.

…

Pinkie launched another cake at her assailant. “RUN!” The party pony shouted to the cakes, who immediately made a dart for the door with their foals.

The nameless zebra, with an eight pointed star seared into its hide, dodged the cake and zoomed towards his target, a blade gleamed in his mouth.

Pinkie's Pinkie sense kicked in, and Pinkie Pie soon began to dodge and weave through stab after stab...that is until Pinkie slipped on a cake.

A hoof slammed into the party mare's chest, knocking the wind out of her. The zebra laughed, “You are just about done, for tonight I will have a little fun!” The knife came sailing down, Pinkie's eyes snapped shut... and nothing happened.

Pinkie dared to open an eye and found a pan had smacked the zebra upside the head. Twilight peeked over, “Come on Pinkie. We've got to get the others. Luna's already after Fluttershy.”

A golden aura enveloped the unconscious zebra and he vanished with a 'pop'.

Pinkie's head bobbed up and down, completely speechless for once.

…

Applejack gave the critter another buck. The...thing...what ever it was howled in pain. And Big Mac gave the thing a second buck.

“What in tarnation is that thing Big Mac?” Applejack drawled, unable to contain her disgust. The thing reared back up, the multiple maws all over it dripping with saliva, fanged teeth clacking together unevenly.

“Ah don't rightly know sis...but what ever it is..it sure is ugly.” Big Mac gave it another buck. The thing reared back..and struck with a tentacled limb. Big Mac sailed through the air until he smacked into an apple tree.

“Big Mac!” Applejack cried out, terror constricting her voice. Big Mac groaned. Good. He was alive at least.

Applejack whirled around to the monster gurgling towards her, a sickly glow to the eight pointed star etched into its flesh. Applejack bucked it again to no avail, the creature simply ignored her and wrapped its tentacles around her. The monster raised the struggling farm mare above one of its gaping maws and began to lower her into its maw...

“UNHAND MY FAITHFUL SUBJECT FOUL MONSTER!!!”

…

“Get back you ruffian! Out! Out! Out!” Rarity screamed desperately, using her magic to throw...hair brushes at her assailant.

Said assailant cocked an eye brow, “You throw hair brushes...at a servant of chaos?” The griffon reared back and prepared to strike.

“WHY ARE YOU YELLING?” Rarity whined.

The griffon blinked in surprise, the eight pointed star burned into its chest rippled as if alive.

“Why are you trying to kill me?” Rarity continued to whine. The diva whined and whined, making the griffon cover its ears with its claws.

“KHORNE PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP!!” The griffon bellowed before taking off through the window it crashed through.

The door to Rarity's room slammed open and Twilight glanced around the room in surprise.

“Wait...no weird guy going on about chaos?”

Rarity shrugged, running a hoof through her mane. “He simply couldn't handle the complaints of a lady I'm afraid.”

…

Rainbow Dash veered to the left, flapping her wings as hard as she could. The mare spared a glance behind her. How in Celestia's Equestria with these guys able to keep up?

Three Pegasai chased right behind her, easily keeping up. All three had blood red eyes, and eight pointed stars etched into their sides and their cutie marks...were ripped off. Where they once were was a brand of the same star.

“Come Rainbow Dash. Allow us to feed your very soul to Slaanesh! Chaos commands us and we do as we are bid.” One of the pegasai cackled menacingly, his voice carried into her ear...like a whisper.

It unnerved the mare and she flapped her wings even harder, terrified for all her life. Rainbow faced down danger without even thinking about it, but something about these guys...it just scared the shit out of her.

“THOU DARE ATTACK OUR BELOVED SUBJECTS!?!?!? PREPARE TO MEET THY DOOM SCOUNDRELS!!!”

…

Where are they? They should be here by now! I paced back and forth in the crater, unable to contain my impatience when a voice shouted at me, breaking my concentration. “ALDRIC!!! I DEMAND ANSWERS!!! MY PRECIOUS PONIES WERE NEARLY KILLED AND I DE-”

“SILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLENNNNNNNNNNCEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!” I roared at the top of my lungs, my own shout making Celestia's seem like a whimper.

“I called you here to give you answers and you dare order me to give them to you?” I growled, facing the Princess in question. Both Celestia and Luna eyed the ground, embarrassment in their faces. The elements of harmony behind them all looked disheveled and terrified.

“Come here little ones.” I ordered softly. The princess's blinked in surprise and, with the elements in tow, trotted down the slope of the crater and over to me.

When all eight of sat down on their haunches in front me, I turned to the vault and began to walk closer to it. “What did you do with the assailants?”

I could feel Celestia blink in confusion, “I banished them to the moon why?”

I grunted, “Bring them here. I have need to speak with them.”

Celestia blinked, “No.”

I stopped mid stride, “You think I was asking. Bring...them...here...NOW!” I barked.

“Not until we get the answe-” “CELESTIA YOU ARE TOO FOALISH FOR YOUR OWN GOOD! LET ME INTERRORGATE THOSE CREATURES NOW! OR MORE OF YOUR PONIES MAY DIE IF I DON'T GET THE INFORMATION I NEED!” I roared, spittle flung from my mouth and I could feel Celestia flinch even though I wasn't even facing her.

A minute later, eight creatures plopped down in front of me, hooves and talons locked together with golden cuffs.

The lead griffon began to laugh, the chaos emblem on his chest blazing with life, “The little Aldric thinks he can stop cha-AHHHHHHHHH” The taunt became a roar of pain as I slammed Righteous Fury on his legs. I could feel the ponies behind me flinch at the cruelty.

“Who is your master?” I seethed, dropping the hammer from my teeth.

“S-sisdric the quicksilver alicorn whispered to me. He told me of all I could have if I just killed Twilight Sparkle.” The creature cried, tears streaming down his feathered face.

I grunted, “It as I suspected. Now tell me how many of you are there?”

“There are only a few dozen of us, but more flock to the truth that is chaos every day.” The griffon wheezed the lie, I could feel the discomfort of our audience behind us.

“I've already used my magic to extract the locations of your accursed cults. Too bad they're empty. You're the only ones. Now I have plans for each of you...” I began to say, and with a grunt I hefted my most faithful hammer.

The griffons eyes grew wide with terror, but before he could scream...I killed him. I pounced on the others quickly killing each with one blow of my hammer. I could hear the ponies retching behind me. I didn't care. This would not be the worst thing they see soon enough.

“Come.” I called over my shoulder, trotting up to the vault until I was but a mere few feet from it. The eldritch energies that permeate it crackled with life, seemingly beckoning to me.

“What do you see, Celestia?” I asked.

The princess of the sun pondered the question for a moment.

“I see a mysterious door, that has...something...trapped inside. Something that you keep telling me you'll reveal, but have yet to do so.”

I sighed, “The young are always so impatient. Very well. I shall tell you.”

I turned to face the eight ponies that served as my audience, and with a somber tone filling my voice, I began my tale. “Chaos. The very word sends a chill up my spin, and makes my blood run cold with fear.”

To be continued...

Eeyup. I am having a lot of fun with this story. Still in china, still typing when I'm not hitting the town with my family or at “school”. Catch ya later. Oh, I've also been doing proofreading and boy...WHOO HEEE, if you think this was crap, you shoulda seen what it was before hand.