Terror in Equestria 9: Return of Tambelon

The Return of Tambelon

While Colgate was getting her new nation established and order was being restored to the rest of the world, a cold wind was blowing across the rocky landscape north of the Everfree Forest, the type of wind that had not been felt in an extremely long time. Accompanying this wind was a slow advance of dark magic, a magic that was bringing with it a dense overcast. Soon the very earth began to shake and the hills began to collapse as a chasm opened allowing something to rise from the shadows.

The sky darkened as a long lost city rose from the depths. After over 10,000 years of absence, Grogar and the city of Tambelon had returned. Grogar was shocked that he had finally been freed from the darkness but was also angered that he had been banished for so long. Soon though he would vow one thing, he vowed that he would get revenge on those who were responsible for his disappearance. He vowed that he would punish Megan Williams and the ponies of Dream Valley severely for this.

Not only had he returned, so did his trogal minions and Bray, his assistant. Once Tambelon had fully resurfaced, Grogar looked around and noticed that things had not changed any since the last time the bell was rung. One thing that did relieve him was that the bell around his neck which was destroyed the last time the Bell of Tambelon was rung, had returned.

He called for his minions so he could address them. Once they arrived he began, "Tambelon has returned my minions and now we must make them pay!"

Bray looked up and asked, "Make who pay?"

Grogar believed this was one of the most idiotic questions he had ever heard. He smacked Bray and yelled, "Who do you think you idiot? The ponies of Dream Valley and Megan Williams."

Bray never did like it when Grogar would smack him and belittle him but still held him in the highest regards and swore allegiance to him. He asked, "My liege, so when do you want to do this?"

Grogar cast his gaze out at his minions and ordered, "Half of you will stay here while the other half, Bray and myself will march on Dream Valley, capture them, bring them here and enslave them!"

Grogar gathered up the half of his trogals along with Bray and began their march westward toward Dream Valley. During their march west, the areas north of the Everfree Forest had not changed much since the last time he was in this world. Finally he saw the hills he always remembered, the ones he knew to turn left at. As he and his soldiers turned southward and entered the forest, something seemed different to him, the forest seemed much darker than it did in the past.

As they continued their journey south and began to enter a rather hilly area of the forest, the amount of light reaching the forest floor was so low that Grogar had to light up his horns simply so they could see where they were going. When they finally reached their destination, there was almost nothing there. He could still see Dream Castle but it was in a state of disrepair and he heard nothing but silence, a deafening silence.

He yelled, "What? Where are they, where are those cursed ponies?"

Bray suggested, "Perhaps we were gone for so long that Dream Valley is gone, maybe all of Ponyland perished."

This seemed to be a ridiculous suggestion to Grogar but the fact that Dream Valley was a decaying relic made him more open to that suggestion but still couldn't help but wonder, were there ponies anywhere else or had Ponyland and all ponies disappeared entirely.

Attack on Ponyville

Since what was left of Dream Valley was completely deserted, Grogar and his minions continued their march south, towards areas that would be much more hospitable for life than the cold wastes to the north of the forest. When they emerged, the light seemed almost blinding to them. After stopping for a minute to adjust to the light, Grogar looked off to the west and saw Canterlot. He pointed his hoof and said, "There, that place is our target. It looks like some monarch lives there."

Bray noticed that it was built up on a mountainside and wasn't sure how they would even get up there. He asked, "My liege, it is built up on a mountainside. How are we going to get to it?"

One of the trogals looked off to the east and saw what looked like a quaint village. He pointed off towards the east and suggested, "Lord Grogar, if we can't get to that place on the mountain, there is a small town to the east."

Grogar was not thrilled with his suggestion given that the city to the west looked like the capitol but when he cast his gaze to the east, he saw what he thought might be a castle. He ordered, "Alright, attacking that place to the east may not be a total waste after all."

Grogar ordered his minions to march east and as they approached Ponyville, a quaint village with a castle appeared. Much to his delight there were just a few guard ponies patrolling outside the castle. One part of him wanted to wait until night to attack but another part of him wanted to see the terror in the eyes of the townsponies as he marched into town.

Finally his urge to see the terror in the ponies' eyes won out and they stormed into Ponyville. Nopony in town had ever seen anything like Grogar or his minions. All they knew was that he had ill intentions and they began screaming and running in terror. Grogar wanted to capture as many ponies as possible but he wanted the inhabitant of the castle the most, he wanted the monarch.

As he headed towards the castle he saw the few guards-ponies present charge at him but he did what he hadn't done in over ten millennia, he lit up his horns, fired energy at them and imprisoned them in cages. He laughed sadistically as he tore the doors to the castle down and headed in, intent on finding the monarch that resided there.

The castle was strangely empty as he went searching from room to room. He was becoming frustrated until he heard a pony screaming in terror. He headed towards the source of the screaming and discovered that Bray and a few trogals had subdued the castle chef. Bray proudly presented him to Grogar and said, "My liege, we captured one of the inhabitants."

Grogar could tell that this was not the pony in charge but figured he would be better than nothing. He grunted, "Well it's about time you do something right." He then cast his gaze at the chef and ordered, "Tell me where the pony in charge here is if you want to live."

The chef was so terrified he found it hard to answer but knew he had better do so, "P-Princess Tw-Twilight is at Su-Sugarcube Co-Corner."

Grogar lit up his horns as though he were readying himself for attack and ordered, "Lead us there and I might spare you."

The Capture of Princess Twilight Sparkle

The chef did as ordered and led Grogar and his minions towards the sweets' shop. Ponies in town were still screaming in terror and by the time they reached Sugarcube Corner, most of the town had emptied out. Once they arrived Grogar marched in and found six Alicorns having some cupcakes. Immediately he knew that one of them had to be the one in charge. He lit up his horns, ready to imprison them but that would not prevent Twilight and her friends from striking him first.

Twilight yelled, "It's Grogar! We have to defeat him!"

The Alicorns began striking him with energy but they severely underestimated him. He was easily able to imprison all of them, except one. Fluttershy struck him in the eyes and was able to escape. She knew that she had to go and notify Princess Celestia since she had no clue as to where to go and notify White Magick or Colgate.

Once the other five were subdued, Grogar couldn't help but laugh. He had seen powerful Alicorns before and knew that since they were Alicorns, that one of them had to be the monarch. Before he could say anything Rainbow defiantly asked, "Who are you and what do you want with us?"

Twilight knew that with Rainbow's attitude that their captor may do a whole lot worse than simply imprison them. She realized who it was that captured them and asked, "Grogar, what do you want with us?"

Grogar couldn't help but laugh, "I want Ponyland, all of Ponyland!"

Rainbow couldn't help but laugh over his answer. She laughed, "Ponyland? That's a good one! Ponyland hasn't existed in ten thousand years!"

Grogar lit up his horns and burned Rainbow with some energy. He wanted his captives to know he meant business. He gave them a scowl and ordered, "Stay quiet and I might let you live." He turned to his trogals and ordered, "Get them back to Tambelon and make sure they don't escape!"

Twilight and her friends were terrified as they were being led in cages north into the Everfree Forest. Rainbow wanted to shout to let them go but knew better. She knew that Grogar meant business and would likely have no problems killing her if she didn't keep quiet.