The Great Gray Alicorn

Authors note: This chapter is REALLY long, and is entirely to set up for the next chapter.

I slammed my faithful hammer in the ground, it just whistles by Celestia's cheek a fraction of an inch. The princess is panting heavily, struggling to get air into her choked lungs. Before she can react I slam the back of the handle into her side, I can hear a resounding crack as the rib shatters.

The ear spitting scream the sun gooddess lets loose shatters the tranqul silence of the training ground. I sigh as I trot over to the whimpering goddess, and for the umpteenth time my horn horn shines with magic as I heal her body completely.

Celestia bats an eye lid close, humming with relief as her pain ends. She rasps in my ear, "Lord Aldric this is the thirty-second time you've easily healed wounds that should've been the death of me. How?"

I look straight into the princess's gaze, "I told you that is a tale for another time. Now get up, you have to learn to dodge. So far your max dodges in a row is three. It's been three hours. That's pathetic little Tia."

Celestia's face droops, "But Lord, I am trying as hard as I can...maybe if you stop being so rough..." Celestia trails off, finally noticing my gaze turning to anger at her suggestion. I very slowly step closer and closer to the princess, with each step, my gaze catches her eyes in an unyielding duel.

I finally get close enough where I can feel the breath from her snout tickling my own before I let out in a low growl, "Never doubt my teachings Celestia. This is how I was taught, and this is how I've taught thousands of others. Its not the training, its you."

I take a step back, releasing her from my unflinching gaze before I continue, "I know exactly why its so difficult to you. Alicorns are naturally strong, and you have never been pushed to your limit, so when I started making you truly work for the first time..."

I trailed off, casting my magic out to take a look at the time. I couldn't keep the grimace off my face. Celestia looked at the ground, shame in her eyes. I gave her a small smile, "Do not fret Tia, I will be able to prepare you. Have faith in me, and continue to try to the best of your ability."

I spun around and trot towards the damnable vault I guard so closely. "I will transport you back to your chambers in Canterlot. Rest. You need it. I will lower the sun, raise the moon and bring your sister here."

I didn't even allow Celestia to respond before zapping her off to her chambers. I grimaced up at the vault doors, I could feel my brother Sidric laughing in there. I could feel him, he thinks he'll simply storm through Equestria...no, not this time my dear little brother. Not this time.

....

Sidric groaned in pleasure as did the mare beneath him. He could feel, the utter bliss rushing through his limbs. He found it exhilarating and there was only one thing that could push him over the edge. So, with a sickening squish, he plunges a dagger right into the mare's side as he dismounts her. The chosen son of Slaanesh whispers into the ear of the panting mare as her blood pools beneath her, "Was it good for you too?"

Sidric laughed as the light left the mares eyes. Oh well. He had work to do anyway. "Messing around * gasp * instead of working again? * wheeze * It's a wonder any work gets done, little brother." The familiar rasp of his older brother fell upon Sidric's ears as he left his tent.

Sidric glanced at his brother, the giant was easily three times the size of him. The little scraps of armor Ulfric wore were rusted and falling apart. The only whole piece of amrour was the helmet that hid his entire head, save for the horn, which was cracked and discolored. Pus and black blood oozed out of his sickly green body, maggots writhed in his flesh and flies swarmed around him. Sores and boils covered the massive Alicorns body and even his wings were not spared, as tattered and torn as they were.

Sidric rolled his eyes at his older brother, "Oh come my dear Ulfric, what's the point of work if you don't take a break every now and then?" The chosen son of Slaanesh giggled as he trotted past the massive Alicorn.

Ulfric grunts and flares his wings, sending a cascading shower of pus and maggots all around him. The disgusting shower stops just short of Sidric's luscious coat and deviates at the last second. "Break through the accursed barrier Sidric. We children of Grandfather Nurgle grow tired of waiting. All of Equestria needs to embrace Nurgle's great gifts."

Sidric rolls his eyes despite the fact his back is turned to the giant, "Patience brother, Aldric is responding to my attempts to break through and is purposely allowing us to get through. This concerns me greatly, for I am no rush to dive into what ever trap dear Aldy has set for us."

Ulfric grunts and begins to trot off, "Tread carefully little brother, I would hate for someone else to kill you before I can kill you. Especially Aldric."

Sidric smirks and in a barely audible whisper he retors, "Oh how I long to carve into you dear brother Ulfric. But fortunately for you, I have need for your brutish strength and inability to die."

After Ulfric leaves Sidric, the fallen alicorn turns to the vault doors he is far too familiar with for his liking. He scrutinizes the double doors that have trapped him for so long, analyzing every detail as he has done for countless hours before. "What do you have planned brother? I see you have blocked all sight for me past here, as well trapped my lovely voice. But why do you still allow me to burrow out? What's your game Aldric? What's your game?"

...

I slammed Righteous Fury in the ground only for Luna to expertly dodge for the umpteenth time in a row. The princess of the night pants, sweat drenches her coat as the moon kisses us both with its light.

I grin like a fool. Luna has proven to be a genius at this. She has adapted and learned what I've taught her so quickly...I don't think I've met any who learned that fast apart from my brothers. "Take a small break Luna. You deserve it."

Luna lets loose a sigh of relief, the young princess lowers herself to the floor still panting. With a quick spell, I summon a small sphere of water right before her. She blinks in surprise as the small sphere of liquid hovers there, seemingly of its own accord.

But thirst wins out over curiosity and she presses her lips to it and sucks the water in. In a minute the whole sphere is gone. "Thank you lord." She pants out, still out of breath. I trot around her, examing every detail I can. The young alicorn begins to squirm at my examination, as if I were violating her with my gaze.

"Be calmed Luna, I'm merely examing muscle mass." I circle around, drinking in the toned muscles with my eyes. Yes. She is quite strong for one so small and young. I give her a congratulatory nod, "Good news Luna, we can advance further along with you. I need not worry about muscle training with you, you seem to have it under control."

Luna beams at me and she barely contains her mirth, "Thank you Lord, I do try my best to stay in shape." I chuckle, "Alright Luna, break's over, now come over here." Luna quickly gets up and trots to me.

My horn glows with magic and I summon forth three...weapons. One of them is a massive, ornate great sword. The blade as long as Luna herself, while being her size in width. The monstrous blade was silver, the hilt was an aged brass, simple yet effective. The grip was beautfully ornate, a solid black lined with gold.

The second was an elegant rapier. The hilt was an exquisite silver...in the shape of crescent moon. The blade itself was long and sleek, perfect for stabbing through exposed chinks in armor. I smirk, already knowing she'll choose it.

The last was...a simple wooden staff. There was nothing seemingly speacial about it. It looked like you could get it from a second hand pawn shop, being shoddy, worn out and having a few small cracks in it.

Luna glances between all three of the weapons. There was no need for me to speak, it was obvious what she was supposed to be doing. Luna glanced between all three weapons, nodding her head as she looked between each one.

Luna slowly raises her hoof and with a grin she points...at the worn out staff. I cock an eye brow at her in utter surprise. But then a devilish grin plays on my face. "Dose this look like a regular staff to you?"

Luna nods, "But considering its company and keeper, there must be something special about it. Besides...it reminds me of myself." Luna gets a sad look in her eyes, as if remembering some distant painful memories.

With a grin, my horn glows gray with magic. The other weapons vanish leaving just the staff. "Allow me a demonstration as to why this simple staff is...speacial." With a grin cocked, I use magic to hold the staff horizantally in the air in front of me.

And with a soft chink a humongous scythe blade slides out of the top, and a mirroring blade slinks out of the bottom. The left blade is facing up, since I'm holding it horizantal, and the right blade down.

With a savage smile, I begin to whirl about, the moonlight dancing off the blades of the odd weapon as I weave through imaginary enemies. With a roar I leap into the air...and the scythe blades retract, only to replaced with massive spikes. The spikes run in a straight line around the top and bottom hooves of the staff. Each spike is about three inches and sharper than daggers.

With a might slam, I bring the staff down into the dirt creating a small crater. With another chink, the spikes retract and I hoof Luna the weapon. Her eyes wash over it, absolute admiration in her eyes, but I say one last thing, "The staves speacial quality...with the right pressure of magic, and the proper speel, will take on any additions you wish it too."

Luna's eyes grow wide with shock...and then shocks a grin with a mix of approval and admiration. "I like this weapon. Normally, I would be opposed to violence...but this staff feels right with me"

I nod knowingly, and with a glance to the sky...I groan. " * sigh * It's time for you to change places with your sister. Leave the staff here, I need you sleeping, not fawning over it." Luna's face turns to a pout, but before she can rebuttal, I send her off with a quick teleportation spell.

I let out a groan as I begin to lower the moon, "Now it's time to deal with Celestia. Ho boy, I wish she was as fast a learner as Luna. But beggars can't be choosers."

...

Twilight sighs, "I just don't know girls. I can't just sit here and do nothing. I NEED to have something to do to prepare for this invasion."

"Ah understand how yah feel completely Twi. Ah can't even focus on my farm work!" Applejack exclaims in her familiar drawl, slapping a hoof on her face to emphasize her discomfort.

"Yeah. I can't even focus on making parties! DAMN YOU AUTHOR!!! Curse you The Fluttershy Guy for using us as filler!" Pinkie Pie shouts, waving an enraged hoof at the sky through the window of Twilight's library.

All six of the girls cock an eye brow at the party pony, but decide it's better to not ask. Rarity turns to Twilight, "Well what do you suppose we do dear? It's not like we can simply march up to Aldric and demand something...he's a gentle colt that positively scares the manure out of me."

Every pony's eyes grow wide with shock at both the confession of the fashion diva and the language she used at the end. "Wow Rarity. Never thought I'd hear you say 'manure'." Rainbow scoffs, to which Rarity simply shrugs her shoulders.

"Well...I...I uhmm say we do go Mr.Aldric and ask, nicely of course, if he has something we can do to help." Fluttershy adds to the converstion, albeit very meekly. The group collectively gasps in shock, utterly surprised that Fluttershy, of all ponies, made the suggestion.

No pony said a word, huddled in Twilight's library as they thought. "Yeah, we're going to Aldric. He's giving us something to help with." All six of the ponies say in complete sync...which incites laughter from all six.

And with that, the six best friends gather themselves up and head out towards the Ever Free forest to bug the manure out of Aldric.

...

I scowl, absolutely no progress in Celestia's training at all. And we've been at it for over a few hours. I've only got six and half days to train her! And she's TERRIBLE! I wish I could invent a new word to describe how bad at this she is, but alas! I am not creative enough!

I squint at Celestia, she glances every where but back at me. She's drenched in sweat, coated with dirt and grime...and has almost no muscle mass. She blushes as she continues to refuse meeting my gaze head on.

Wait a second... an idea worms its way into my head. "Celestia." I bark, making her jump out of her hooves. "Do as I command. Now try to throw me with magic." Celestia blinks. She furrows her brow in concentration and her horn alights with magic...and I can feel the immense magical pressure attempt to tug on me. Yet I would not budge, the little armor that I wear is enchanted to deflect all but the most powerful magic.

I grin, "Stop." Celestia does as she's bidden, her blush deepens and she looks away ashamed. "Finally. Something you can use in combat." Celestia blinks utter confusion reigning over her, "But my Lord Aldric, I failed to throw you"

I cut her off with an upraised hoof, "Silence Tia. Your are incredibly talented in magic. I've been trying to train you for the eventual use of weapons. But I realize my folly, you are far more suited to combat as a sorceress than warrior. Apologies."

Celestia raises her head, a smile crosses her face and she looks me in the eye for the first time today. "Thank you my Lord." I chuckle, "Now if I'm going to teach you combat magic, I'm going to start with teaching you the secret to my own power. I'm a warrior and not so good at magic but when I teach you my secret...your own magic will dwarf all others."

Celestia's eyes shoot wide open in complete and utter awe. She's speechless and I laugh, "Do not think you'd easily defeat me Celestia. I would still crush you in a fight. You're too inexperienced. But follow."

I move over a good spot, under a break in the canopy where the sunlight bathes us in it's glory. I point a hoof at the sky, "Look Celestia, what do you see?" The princess squints her eyes, staring at where I'm pointing. "I see a bright light in an over whelming dark."

I guffaw, " A wise and optimistic answer, but not what I'm looking for. I see, the sun. Now tell, me where do unicorns and alicorns draw their magic?" Celestia shoots almost immediately, "Why from the excess magic saturating all of Equestria of course."

I nod, "Good, but if that's the case, then there'd be unlimited energy right? Now why do unicorns and even yourself feel tired after using a lot of magic, or a really powerful spell?"

Celestia blinks, "I...I don't know lord, we've been researching endlessly, but when ever we think we know something, we discover a new piece of data that over turns our previous findings."

I laugh despite myself, and Celestia gives an indignant huff before sticking her nose in the air. "The answer is simple Celestia. Those who can use magic, have 'limiters' throughout their bodies. These limiters, as the name implies, limit the amount of magic in our bodies. This is to prevent an overload of magic and thus, kill yourself."

Celestia's eyes shoot open, "But how do you such powerful magic? The magic you perform regurlarly should have surely killed you by now! And you don't even break a sweat"

I bark out in laughter, " Before I tell you that, let me ask one last question. What is the source of all life?" Celestia pauses in thought, and after a moment of thinking she replies, "The sun."

"Perfect! Now the reason, I can use such powerful magic without over loading and killing myself... I trained to expand my own magical limit. Simply put, I've honed my body to be able to contain more magic." I say smugly, and Celestia balks. "But that's so simple!"

"Then how would you train to increase the amount of magic that your limiters allow through? How would you increase the amount of magic your body allows you to put into a spell?" I ask, cutting off the fit of laughter that had overtook the sun goddess. Her face straightens out instantly, a sheepish grin takes its place, "I wouldn't have the slightest clue Lord."

I smile. "The answer is also simple Celestia. You simply repeat a very simple spell over and over until you would reach your magical limit. Then, despite your body's urging you not to, you cast the spell again. And then a few more times. I must be present when this has been reached, because you can very easily kill yourself."

Celestia nods along knowingly, "I understand lord Aldric, but what I don't understand, is why you kept asking me about the sun." I smile right up at the beautiful yellow orb in the sky above the canopy of the dark trees. "Because I'm going to teach you how to draw the power for your magic from the source of all life."

...

"You six can come out now." Aldric's voice rang throughout the clearing. The mane six each trotted around the bushes they were hiding behind nervously. Each with a big, fake smile plastering their features.

They were scared manure-less. Celestia looked up for a moment but continued to raise and lower the boulder as she had been for an hour and half straight. Aldric glared down at the six trespassing elements of harmony.

"And pray tell, little ones are you doing here? I gave you explicit orders to stay in Pony Ville." Aldric's deep voice boomed out over the clearing, sending a wave of fear through the six best friends.

Twilight blinked. Why was she scared? Aldric needed them to fight chaos, and they needed...no DESERVED to be trained too! With a new found courage the librarian didn't know she had, the lavender unicorn stamped a hoof and stood upright. "This is OUR Equestria too! We'll be fighting chaos alongside you anyway, so don't you think it's prudent for us to prepare too?"

The mane six each stared at their friend in utter shock. Even Celestia paused in smashing her boulder on the ground to look up at her most faithful student, a look of pride plastered on her face. But then Aldric looked her way, and the princess sheepishly smiled before continuing with the slamming of the rock.

Aldric turned back to Twilight and her friends, his brow furrowed in thought. Aldric cleared his throat, "You make a valid point. You will be using the elements of harmony on three fallen and corrupted Alicorns. You will need to be doubly prepared. Celestia, do not stop slamming that boulder."

"Yes Lord." Celestia replied tiredly, the familiar sound of a boulder slamming rang throughout the clearing, and every pony stared at Aldric in shock. Did the ruler of Equestria just refer to Aldric as Lord?

All these questions rang through the minds of the six friends as the massive Alicorn continued to trot around the little ponies. The only sounds to be heard, was their own breathing, theslamming boulder, and Aldric's trotting as he circled them again and again.

Everypony save Celestia and Aldric, begins to fidget. "Lord Aldric, why are you just pacing around like this?" Twilight asks, impatience lining her voice. Aldric snorts, "Shut up. I'm inspecting you, so I know who gets to train in what and how they're trained. Celestia, how do you feel?"

Everypony glances at Celestia, the princess is drenched in sweat and struggling to stay upright. "I'm...I'm at my limit Lord, three thousand two hundred and seventy three slams. All while keeping the boulder in tact too." Celestia gasps, pride lacing her voice.

The smile that plays across Aldric's face scares the manure out of Twilight and her friends. "Good, very good Tia, now the real fun begins. Instead of training you six, you get to observe your princess become immeasurably more powerful. Twilight take notes."

The great gray alicorn, didn't think Twilight would actually take out a quill and parchment, but when she did...the old alicorn simply shrugged his shoulders and trotted to the sun goddess.

...

I sniffed at the air, more specifically, at the sweaty mess that is Princess Celestia. Her legs wobble as she struggles to stand on her legs, all four were threatening to give out at any moment. "Now this is what we wanted. You've reached your limit, now do as I say."

Celestia nods to me. I look up at the dark canopy, bathing us in shadow and with a roar of magic and completely destroy the surrounding trees. I incinerate all the trees for half a mile, leaving not even a trace.

The ponies, and Celestia glance around in shock as the warmth of the sun bathes us. "Feel the sunlight Celestia. Relax." I watch as Celestia inhales deeply, after a about a minute her legs stop wobbling and she eases up.

"Good, now look at the sun." I order. Celestia looks up, eyes wide open. "Okay, now extend a tendril of magic to it." Celestia cocks an eye brow at me, but her begins the spell. "Okay Lord, I'm connected, there is a tremendous amount of energy." Celestia states blankly, eyes shut in concentration.

I snort, "Nice observation. It's not like the sun is a giant ball of gas and energy or anything. Nope not at all." Celestia frowns, eyes still closed in concentration. "Now that I've been training with you for over a day, I realize...you really like sarcasm."

I guffaw, "You're right. But back to the task at hand. I want you to start searching the sun, look over every square inch inside and out." Celestia grunts, "Lord, I do not mean to sound rude and ungrateful, but why are you having me do this? I've explored the surface of the sun many times and have found nothing of importance"

"Twilight take a note, apparently it's a students job to question her mentors ways." I grunt out...and Twilight's quill actually scurries across her notes. I can't help but laugh. "Okay, Celestia you said the surface of the sun. But why has it never crossed you to look at the core?"

"Oh but I have Lord Aldric. There's nothing there, except something hotter than the surface." Celestia says smugly, a smile on her face. I snort, "Wrong. Take a nice long look at the exact center of the sun. Look very, VERY closely and tell me what you see."

Celestia's brow furrows in concentration and for a minute nothing happens. And then her eyes fly open and a gasp follows shortly after. I grin.

"So...do you believe me now?" I ask, my grin growing wider. Celestia wordlessly nods.

"Good, now strike a deal with her."

...

Celestia blinked at the scene. If Aldric had told her earlier she wouldn't have believed him in the slightest...but seeing it for herself...seeing her... It was definitely the oddest thing the alicorn princess had ever seen.

It was a small room. No larger than Twilights and in the center was a massive bed. It took up most of the room and...was completely ablaze. The whole room burned furiously, constantly kissing everything, everything being the bed as it was the only thing in the room.

And on the bed was the weirdest creature Celestia had ever seen. It was bipedal, and had a roundish head. It had two long arms with weird...digits at the end of its appendages. On it's chest were two giant...things the likes of which Celestia had never seen before. It's hair, what would be its hair, was a living flame, writhing and dancing about.

And it was laying down. On its side from the looks of it. The thing lazily blinked an eye open to look at where Celestia was. Which is odd considering how Celestia was there as a tendril of thought rather than physically being there.

And then an extreme burning pain erupted throughout Celestia's entire body. The burning was so intense, Celestia could feel nothing except for this mind numbing reality. In desperation Celestia tried to cut loose the connection.

"What do you think you're doing cutie?" The creature asked, in an unmistakably female voice. And filled with lust too. "I'd get up, but there's too much effort involved to do that. The creature lazily batted burning eye lashes.

"I am so very thankful to you sweet, sweet Celestia. After all, you do spare me the trouble of having to move myself everyday." The female thing cooed at Celestia, and in an instant the extreme pain vanished.

Celestia would've gasped if she were actually there, "You're the sun?!"

The sun laughed, "Yes and no. I'm the spirit of the sun made manifest. And it's you dear, sweet Tia that saves me so much trouble every sun set and every sun rise." The creature rolled onto her back kicking a leg up, showing Celestia her...nether regions.

Celestia balked and the creature laughed, "Do you like this form? My brother, a sun in a far away galaxy, watches a race of creatures called 'humans' all the time. He showed me what they look like and I found them aesthetically pleasing so I took on their form. This a female body, or a woman as they call them."

The sun cupped the things on her chest with both of her claw like appendages, "Do you like these? The human's call them breasts, they're very...sensitive." The woman practically moaned the last word.

Was the sun flirting with the sun goddess? How oddly...appropriate.

"Listen, Lady Su-" Celestia began but was cut off abruptly by the sun, "Oh pish posh no need to be so formal with me sweet Tia." The woman slowly lifted herself up onto Celestia assumed were her knees,

"I'm assuming 'Ol Aldy sent you to strike a contract with me? He's such a handsome stallion...but so stiffy and grumpy all the time. Always 'chaos this and chaos that'." The sun rolled her eyes. Celestia just then noticed her eyes, a deep yellow with a fiery pupil that seemed to burn like a living flame.

Celestia smiled sheepishly, despite her not physically being there, "Actually, chaos IS about to break free again..." Celestia trailed off as the sun rolled her eyes. The sun stood up, and Celestia silently drank in the sight of the bipedal form.

The sun was tall, towering over Celestia. Her skin seemed to be burning with ever living swirling flames. And the sun took no notice of the fact that her genitals were showing. Either she didn't notice or didn't care.

The sun seemed to notice Celestia eyeing her, which was odd because, again, Celestia wasn't physically there. The sun grinned, "I already have my terms. You continued to raise and lower me every day, I am VERY lazy if you haven't noticed, and I have on other condition."

"Wait, slow down, conditions for what?" Celestia back pedaled through the conversation as quick as I could. Thr sun chuckled at the alicorn, "You originally came here to try and convince me to let you draw the energy for your magic from me right? Well I'm convinced and I'm laying down my conditions."

Celestia nodded along, "And what's your second condition?"

The sun practically purred, "Well I don't want you to think I'm a slut so I'm gonna have to make the second condition be a few dates. A couple romantic dinners perhaps?"

If Celestia could make a face, it would be one of utter confusion.

To Be Continued...

I decided this chapter would be too long if I did just one part, so I split it into two, no one wants to read a giant wall of text thats rather unappealing. Plus its going to take AWHILE, I want to give what few readers of you there are, something to keep you entertained. Catch ya on the flip side.