The Lord of the Ponies: The Friendship of Equestria

        Ch.36 The Fighting Dovakniik

Darkness encompassed the land of Isengard; the only light emitted from the roaring furnaces which occupied the pits. Roars, loud enough to be heard for miles from the barren land, overwhelmed the percussion of hammers, as the Dovakniik were branded with the symbol of their master, Nightmare Moon. Red hot brands charred the chitin hide of the draconian beasts; the brands left the permanent imprint of a Crescent Moon on their faces.

Howls of pain erupted from the Dovakniik as the brands made contact with their sturdy hide, but still none of the draconian Changelings backed down from the fiery steel as they watched countless of their other brethren burned by the same steel. Such was their commitment to their master: the Dovakniik would face death before disappointing Nightmare Moon.

Soon, the Dovakiik were marked, now official members of Nightmare Moon's personal soldiers. Changelings hovered about the towering beasts, as the insectoid love-vampires cautiously strapped the hardy armor to their draconian cousins. The Changelings chitin hide was impervious to most force, and now coupled with the wrought iron armor of Isengard's pits, the Dovakniik were now tank-like beings, the twelve foot beasts ready to cut down anything in their path.

***

Assembled before their queen, the first generation of the Dovakniik stood before Nightmare Moon, anxious to hear their master's orders.

"East of Isengard lies a forest known as the Hollow Shades. There stands a group of ponies who seek to destroy all Sauron and I have created. You will hunt them down, and you will not stop till they are found," ordered Nightmare Moon, "You do not know pain. You do not know fear... YOU WILL TASTE PONY-FLESH!"

The Dovakniik roared towards the heavens as they rejoiced the murderous mission that was appointed to them by their master.

Nightmare Moon turned to her left, and addressed the alpha Dovakniik, Vring, "One of the filly's carries something of great value to my master. Bring them to me alive... and unspoiled."

Vring growled; the Dovakniik's face contorted in the upset of being deprived fresh meat. The alpha Dovakniik could almost taste the tender flesh of a filly, the tiny pony's muscles still soft from its lack of maturity. But nevertheless, Vring obeyed; the alpha Dovakniik would do anything to please his master.

"Kill the others." finished Nightmare Moon. Vring was still satisfied with his orders. Mature mares and stallions would provide a much more suitable test of his, and his brother's, arm.

***

The Dovakniik emerged from the pits of Isengard, an incalculable force determined to complete their mission. The black wave of chitin and iron dashed from the barren land, and entered the sunny domain of Equestria. Unlike their Changeling cousins, the Dovakniik had no problem with sunlight.

Vring gave one last roar. Soon he would be tested in the fires of combat, and he needed to conserve his strength for the inevitable clash of Dovakniik versus pony.