Cadance The Crystal Princess

Storm King's Realm, A few hours after the second attempted invasion

Storm King was still in bad mood, and that mood had remained ever since his second fail invasion to empower his Staff of Sacanas.

While his army were able to inflict some casualties on the ponies and the creatures at Canterlot, almost all his army were either incapacitated or killed by the ponies and the Crystal Imperial guards, leaving him only five dozen of his soldiers and five to six airships left in his disposal. To make matters worse, two of his generals had been killed in the confrontation.

As he fumed while sitting in his throne, fidgeting his staff, the sound of the throne room's doors opening and closing caught his attention. He looked up to see his last general timidly walking toward him. His face was etched with a mix of fear and uncertainty, knowing his king's wrath could fall upon him at any moment.

"Ah, general, how are we looking? What is your report?" The Storm King asked with icy gaze, causing the general to shrink back in fear before composing himself.

"Not good, my King. We are low on troops, supplies and airships. The ponies and the Crystal Imperial guards in Canterlot managed to incapacitate or killed almost all the troops. We’re barely holding on with what little we have left.”

Storm King’s grip tightened on his staff, the magical artifact sparking with raw energy. “What about the captives we have caught? Any way we can train them to fight for us?”

The general shook his head. "The captives we have managed to catch during our conquest on the south side of Equestria are too injured or weak to be of any use, my King.”

Storm King's eyes narrowed, his frustration growing. "So, we have nothing?" he growled, the room crackling with the energy of his barely contained anger.

The general swallowed hard, his fear evident. "Uh... unfortunately yes. Other than five dozen of soldiers and five to six airships, we have nothing."

Storm King slammed his staff on the ground, sending a shockwave through the room. "This is unacceptable!" He roared. "We need a new plan, something to turn the tide in our favor! I will not be humiliated again by those ponies and Crystal Imperial!"

The general flinched at the king's outburst but managed to nod. "Y-yes, my King. I will see what we can come up with. Perhaps we can regroup and find new allies, or seek out resources in uncharted territories."

The Storm King’s eyes flickered with a dangerous glint. "Do whatever it takes. I want results, and I want them soon. We will crush those ponies and take what is rightfully ours."

With a final, fearful glance at his king, the general hurried off to begin his desperate search for a solution.

"Wait!" The Storm King's icy voice made the general stop in his tracks before turning back to look at him. "If you see Grubber, tell him to come to me as soon as he can. I want to have a full report on the resources from him."

The general quickly nodded his head before rushing out the throne room, closing the doors behind him and leaving his king alone once again.

After the general left, the Storm King sank back into his throne, though his mood remained as dark as ever, his mind deep in thought.

The Storm King slumped in his throne, the weight of his failures pressing down on him like a boulder. His mind churned with thoughts, each more desperate and furious than the last. The once formidable and fearsome ruler now faced the bitter reality of his crumbling empire. The memory of the battle in Canterlot replayed in his mind, a bitter reminder of his humiliation. He had envisioned a swift victory, the Staff of Sacanas crackling with the power of the alicorns, but instead, he had been thwarted by those insufferable ponies, their relentless guards and the Crystal Imperial forces.

Storm King clenched his fists around his staff, feeling the raw, untamed magic within it. It was supposed to be his key to ultimate power, yet it had brought him nothing but failure. The loss of his troops and generals weighed heavily on him. They had been his best, his elite force, and now they were gone, leaving him with a ragtag group of survivors who were as disheartened as he was.

His thoughts turned to his remaining resources. Two dozen soldiers and a handful of airships were all that stood between him and complete annihilation. He knew he needed more than brute force to turn the tide. He needed cunning, strategy, and perhaps even allies. But who would ally themselves with him? Who would join his cause when his own army lay in ruins?

He considered the captives they had taken. The general’s report echoed in his mind: too injured or weak to be of any use. His hopes of training them to fight for him were dashed. The Storm King gritted his teeth, the frustration boiling over. Every plan, every backup had crumbled to dust.

His mind raced through possible solutions. Uncharted territories, new alliances, hidden resources – all seemed like long shots, desperate gambits that could just as easily lead to further ruin. Yet, he knew he could not afford to sit idle. Time was his enemy now, and every moment wasted could brought his foes closer to his doorstep.

The image of the ponies, creatures and the Crystal Imperial forces battling against his army with ease flashed before his eyes. Those meddlesome ponies and creatures had thwarted him again. They had an uncanny ability to rally against impossible odds. He hated them for that. If only he could harness that kind of loyalty and resolve among his own followers.

A new plan. That’s what he needed. Something bold, something unexpected. But what? He couldn’t afford another failure. His resources were depleted, his troops demoralized, and his enemies emboldened by their victories. He needed to think, to strategize, to outmaneuver his foes in a way they wouldn’t anticipate.

As his thoughts spiralled, the throne room doors creaked open, interrupting his reverie. The general entered, his face pale and tense. "My King." He began, his voice trembling, "I have searched everywhere, but I couldn't find Grubber. He... he's gone. I think he might have be killed back at Canterlot."

"WHAT?!" The Storm King’s roar echoed through the chamber. He glared murderously at the general, who gulped and took a step back, his fear palpable.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, the Storm King spoke again, his voice a dangerous whisper. “Get out and leave me alone. I need to think. And order the remaining troops to prepare the defenses. We might have company in the near future.”

The general quickly vacated the throne room, his relief evident as he escaped the Storm King's wrath. Alone once more, the Storm King propped himself up against his throne, trying to quell the rage that threatened to consume him. His grip tightened around his staff, his knuckles white with the strain as his staff crackled with magic.

He was definitely in a very bad mood.