Chapter 1: A Not-So-Open-Door Policy
Chapter 1: A Not-So-Open-Door Policy
King slouched on the throne, observing the wreckage surrounding him. The room was a mess, with broken pillars and shattered glass scattered about. Outside, the royal guard had surrounded the castle, but he knew they couldn't stop him. He needed to find a way out, and his gaze settled on a magnificent phoenix perched in the corner of the room. Engaging in a staring contest with the bird, he hoped to elicit some kind of response.
"You wouldn't happen to know the way out of here?" he asked.
The phoenix responded by turning its head to the side and letting out a small caw.
King sighed. "Where is that sex-crazed bard when you need her? Probably in the brothel or something…" he muttered.
He turned to the stallion in the corner of the room, who had been given a black eye as punishment for not following directions. Though the stallion had given him some useful information, the man found the creature's overall presence irritating. "Blue–" he began to say, but was interrupted by a loud voice outside.
"This is the royal guard! We have the place surrounded! Immediately surrender and release your hostage!"
King paid little attention to their warning. "Blue, can you stop crying for a few seconds? I only hit you twice," he said to the pony, who continued to whimper in the corner. He thought to himself that maybe he had used his visage too much. "Oh well. Hopefully I didn't break the guy's mind. That spellcaster could have been useful; I think she had calm emotions."
As he gazed at the broken stained glass windows depicting the castle’s history, he noticed the persistence of the guards. "Nine hells, they’re annoying," he muttered. He looked back at Blueblood, recalling that the creature was a unicorn, a race he found odd but new. Jumping dimensions wasn't new to him, but this was not a place he had been before.
As King rose to his feet, he declared, "It's time to go." He walked out onto the balcony, now holding the whimpering Blueblood over his shoulder.
"By the goddesses' tits!" he exclaimed as he took in the breathtaking view for the first time. "Are we on a fucking mountain?" He marveled at the mixture of urban and rural landscape that extended for miles beyond the castle's confines.
His moment of peace was short-lived as he noticed the army of guards closing in from all directions. He couldn't help but smirk as he observed the humanoid ponies around him. "If you removed those weird-looking ears, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from humans, other than the odd hair color," he muttered under his breath. He glanced at his hostage, a blonde-haired stallion in a white suit with an unusual tattoo that he had been informed was called a cutie mark. "You're a good example of their strangeness," he said to Blueblood, who continued to whimper and cling to him.
Before King could think any further, he was interrupted by the loud stallion who seemed to be giving him orders. "Put down Blueblood, take several steps back, put your hands on your head and lay on your back," the stallion shouted.
It took the man only a few seconds to find the pony using some kind of magic to amplify his voice. As he looked down at him, he saw a blue-haired knight in full armor, with an emblem of a six-sided star on it. King hated to admit it, but the knight was very good-looking; almost beautiful. From his short time here, every creature seemed to be attractive, even the males. The brothels were probably having a field day somewhere.
He leaned over on the balcony, looking bored, and slightly hanging Blueblood over the edge because of the angle. As soon as the guards saw this, they tensed up. He could even see some of the pegasi calculating whether or not, if he dropped Blueblood, they would be fast enough to catch him.
He then noticed the spellcasters' hands glowing, most likely holding spells for a quick rescue, but he had a tight grip on Blueblood. The only way he would fall to the ground was if King let him.
"No thanks; I'm not in the mood for surrendering!” he called with a smile. “But I'll grant you the mercy of allowing you all to surrender to me! I promise to treat my prisoners humanely!"
He knew that if his party were here, they would disagree with that assessment of his treatment of captives. But the look on the royal guards' faces was absolutely hilarious. They looked shocked, surprised and disbelieving.
This act of defiance in the face of overwhelming odds gave King a few good minutes to survey the landscape more closely. He could easily see that there was a crowd of more ponies gathered outside of the castle, as this balcony was designed to be a central point where the leaders could address the citizens. Even now, he could see a gathering of ponies just beyond the limits of the Royal Guard's perimeter, most likely there to trap him.
"Perfect! I'm giving the citizens a show," King thought to himself. He knew that the Royal Guards and even the princesses wouldn't be able to keep this under wraps. Hopefully, they'd not be too angry about the embarrassment he was about to give them. It wasn’t the first time he'd embarrassed a soldier, after all.
With his plan already in mind, he looked back down towards the stallion who seemed to be talking to somebody. "Time to go!" King announced, abruptly cutting off the stunned stallion.
Without further warning, he hurled himself towards the ground, with Blueblood's terrified screams echoing behind him. Four pegasi scrambled to catch them, but it was already too late. "Should've acted quicker," King thought, as he plummeted downwards.
The four winged creatures reached for King, but he didn't wait for them to make contact. Just as he neared the ground, he defied gravity and began to float downwards, gently carrying Blueblood with him.
The pegasi were taken aback by King's sudden maneuver and two of them crashed into other guards, while the other two managed to come to a jolting stop mid-air.
King barely registered the chaos he had caused, striding past the fallen guards without a second thought. "Ha! That was a blast, right, Blueblood?" he taunted, only to be met with a silent and trembling stallion.
He started to walk towards the legion of ponies, smiling smugly at the captain. "Hey, cutie."
The captain was taken aback and started to blush slightly before hearing a couple of giggles from his fellow soldiers. The look the stallion's face bore was nothing short of pure hatred and spite as he pointed his blade towards the creature.
King snorted. "If you dare, I will strike you down for your insolence."
The pony waited with his blade raised, ready to defend himself.
"I'm going to keep walking. You are either going to strike at me and risk hitting Blue, or you're going to let me pass."
Before the stallion even had a chance to respond, King continued to walk. The stallion raised his blade but didn't strike, allowing the creature to walk right past him.
As the stallion gritted his teeth, he knew that he couldn't take the chance of hitting Blueblood. His princess would not blame him for protecting the city in her absence, but the loss of her nephew would weigh heavily on her, and he did not want to be the one to tell her it was his fault, even partly, for the loss. Even if she wouldn't blame him, he would still blame himself.
"Let him pass," he ordered.
As the other soldiers heard the command, they immediately moved out of the way of the creature. The man could see the anger, spite, and even a hint of helplessness in their eyes, knowing that they couldn't strike down the arrogant creature that was making them all look like fools.
King seemed to revel in their hatred and disgust. Those who knew him were familiar with his habit of riling people up to force a reaction out of them; usually not a good one. It had caused him and his party trouble more times than he could count, but it was a habit he had not been able to break since he was a child.
With a cruel grin, he decided to rub some salt into the wounds of his captors. "Happy to see my little ponies today. Being locked in the dungeon for two days has made me stir-crazy," he taunted, his laughter echoing through the courtyard as he approached the gates. "Come on now, I don't have all day. Lower the bridge."
Despite his provocation, the soldiers remained rooted in their ranks, wary of the fearsome reputation of the man before them. They had learned their lesson after the first few royal guards who had attempted to stop him from escaping his prison ended up collapsing after just one punch. Their golden armor had been no match for his incredible strength.
If he had to grade their combat prowess, he would have given them a solid C-; they were effective in groups, but individually, they were nothing but jokes. He could easily take on ten of them at a time without breaking a sweat, and he didn't even have to use any of his ki.
Though, to be fair, he had made use of some of his magical items. It was amusing to watch their reactions to the tools of his trade. Surprisingly, most of his gear had been left with him, with the exception of his bag of holding, which he had managed to secure during his escape.
It was odd to him that the ponies in this world seemed to know so little about magical items, given the evident magical abilities and artifacts he had encountered so far. But he didn't dwell on that thought for long; he had bigger things to worry about than the ignorance of his captors.
The sound of crashing metal rang out in front of him as the drawbridge fell to the ground. As he stepped onto it, he could feel the wood settling beneath his feet. Two days of captivity had been too long.
"Well, it's been fun, but I’ll see you all later," he arrogantly sneered, already anticipating the freedom he’d just regained.
Suddenly, a bright flash and a loud boom erupted from a rune on the bridge. King braced himself as a magical flash bomb went off in front of him, blinding him.
As soon as his eyes adjusted, he found himself face-to-face with three pegasi charging towards him, all wearing blue outfits with a thunderbolt decal down the middle. One aimed for Blueblood, while the other two lunged for him.
Without hesitation, the white-maned one leaped towards Blueblood, wrapping her arms around the stallion. The orange-maned mare’s sweeping kick and navy-maned stallion’s punch were aimed straight for King.
He merely smirked and chuckled, "Back off."
The orange mare managed to dodge, but the white mare's arm was dislocated, and the stallion was slammed into the ground with incredible force, causing blood to spurt from his mouth.
The two Wonderbolts and the collected royal guard watched in shock as two dark emerald arms emerged from nowhere, surrounded by a band of smoke. King's smile widened as he taunted, "Surprise, you’ve forced me to spend some of my ki. Maybe I can have a little fun, after all."
Without wasting another second, King charged towards the orange one with a flurry of punches, forcing her to backpedal.
The white mare swiftly clambered back onto her feet, and with a quick burst of speed, she rammed into King with a flying tackle, taking him by surprise.
He quickly regained his composure and grabbed her, throwing her off of the other side of the bridge, causing her to hit the ground hard.
The stallion jumped in to attack, but King sidestepped and delivered a vicious kick to his side, sending him crashing off the bridge.
The royal guard had seen enough. They drew their weapons and rushed towards the man, ready to take him down.
As they approached, the smoke surrounding King's arms began to coalesce, forming a dense fog that obscured him from view.
His fist slammed into the bridge, collapsing it with one shot. In the chaos, he vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the sound of his laughter echoing through the air. Frustrated, the royal guard realized that their target had once again slipped away.
The guard captain quickly moved to the edge of the collapsed bridge to locate the target, but before he could do so, the orange-maned mare flew down to him. "Captain Shining Armor, what happened? The ambush was perfect."
Shining looked impatient. "Was the information you gave us faulty, Spitfire?"
Spitfire wanted to give the captain a piece of her mind, but years of military training gave her a greater level of self-control. "We didn't know he had that kind of magic. He used it to force us away from him."
“The report said the creature had no sign of magic,” the white-maned mare added as she flew over with the unconscious stallion. "That monster dislocated my arm and then summoned some kind of evil-looking arm thing. We had no idea he had that ability. But we can yell at each other about our failures later. Right now, we need to secure Blueblood and capture that creature."
Spitfire let out a breath of irritation. "Thank you, Fleetfoot. If you would, please take Soarin to a healer?”
Fleetfoot nodded. “I’ll make sure to do so. In the meantime, I saw him grab Blueblood again when he collapsed the bridge.”
Shining nodded, his expression turning grim. "Then we need to move quickly. He won't have gone far with his hostage. Spread out and search the surrounding area. I want every available guard on this. We cannot let him escape again."
The royal guards quickly dispersed, fanning out in different directions to search for any sign of the man and his captive. Spitfire and Fleetfoot took to the skies, scanning the area from above, while the other guards combed through every nearby house and building.
After half an hour of searching, Fleetfoot and Spitfire landed near Shining Armor, frustration etched on their faces. "We lost him, sir," Fleetfoot groaned, her voice filled with annoyance.
Shining scowled. "We can't keep letting this happen. We need to find him before he does something even worse!"
Spitfire nodded in agreement. "We'll keep searching, sir. We won't give up until we find him and bring Blueblood back."
Shining nodded. "Good. We'll continue the search, but we need to be careful. This man is dangerous and unpredictable. Keep your guard up."
The royal guard continued their search throughout the night, but there was no sign of the man or his captive. They searched every square inch of the surrounding area, but it was as if they had vanished into thin air.
Shining Armor returned to his office, dreading the letter he had to write to the princess. "How am I going to tell her that some alien creature came and took her nephew? We have to go help, but we have to do so quietly. This embarrassment will go down in the history books as the day an entire battalion of stallions was easily escaped by a creature that had started the day locked in the dungeons. This is not going to reflect well on us." Feeling frustrated and helpless, he lowered his head into his hooves.
Suddenly, his door burst open and a young stallion rushed in, panting heavily. "Captain, we found something! A witness who saw the creature and the prince!"
Shining Armor jumped up from his desk, suddenly feeling a surge of hope. "Where is this witness? Bring them to me at once!"
The stallion nodded eagerly and hurried out of the room to fetch the witness. Shining Armor waited anxiously for the knock at his door. "Come in," he called out, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness.
The door opened to reveal a middle-aged mare, looking frazzled and scared. "You're the captain of the guard?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.
Shining Armor nodded, motioning for her to come closer. "Yes, I am. Please, tell me what you know about the creature and the prince."
The mare took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "I was walking home from the market when I saw a dark figure dragging a young stallion towards the forest. I couldn't see the creature's face, but it had these strange, glowing eyes. It was like nothing I've ever seen before!"
Shining Armor listened intently, feeling a sense of unease growing in his chest. "Did you see where they went?"
The mare shook her head, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't. I was too scared to follow them. But I heard them talking. The creature said something about taking the prince to Ponyville."
Shining Armor's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Thank you for your help. Please, return to your home and stay there until we can ensure your safety."
The mare nodded and quickly hurried out of the room, leaving Shining Armor to ponder his next move. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to save the prince and capture the creature. But he also knew that they had to be careful; he didn't know what kind of powers or abilities the creature might have.
As he began to formulate a plan, he heard another knock at his door. "Come in," he called out, hoping it was good news this time.
The door opened to reveal a group of royal guards, all looking grim and determined. "Captain, we're ready to launch an attack on the creature's location. We've gathered our best warriors and we're ready to fight to the death if necessary."
Shining Armor nodded, feeling grateful for their loyalty and bravery. "Thank you, sirs. We'll move out at once. We must rescue the prince and capture the creature before it's too late."
With that, the royal guards set out on their mission, prepared to do whatever it took to protect their kingdom and their princess.
As Blueblood opened his eyes, he saw that he was on a train with a terrible headache. "Where am I?" he asked, attempting to remember what had happened. He only vaguely remembered going on another one of his benders and passing out drunk somewhere.
He kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, before a voice rang out with a hint of arrogance and cynicism. "Well, to my memory, you're still my hostage," the voice said.
Blueblood's eyes shot open to see the man who had taken him, casually eating a chocolate bar. "You want some?" he offered.
Blueblood screamed and passed out again. King shrugged his shoulders, knowing that he had at least a couple more hours until he reached his destination. "Ponyville… How interesting," he muttered to himself as he took another bite of chocolate and looked out the train window
Chapter 2- Rookie Mistake
Chapter 2: Rookie Mistake
As Ash woke up the next morning, she anticipated enjoying a grand feast with her companions to celebrate their recent victory. She was thrilled to have been able to revive her love and gain recognition from the elves, despite being only a half-blood.
However, her expectations were shattered as she found herself in a poorly-designed summoning circle, surrounded by an abandoned castle in the middle of the forest. To make matters worse, her eidolon was not responding to her call, indicating that she had been transported to a different plane of existence while she slept.
Frustrated, she shouted, "Whoever summoned me here had better pray to the Seldarine, because when I find you, I'm going to skin you alive!"
As she surveyed the circle, Ash couldn't help but be impressed by its construction. She was a savant when it came to summoning entities, having a perfect accuracy rate, so she knew this circle shouldn't have worked. There were no protections, binding measurements, or even a barrier spell to prevent any summoned creatures from breaking free and wreaking havoc.
Furthermore, there were no command symbols to attempt to control the creature either through force or diplomacy. Any creature, no matter how minor, could have simply snapped their fingers and left or walked away. Even an imp could have flown away or teleported themselves back to the Nine Hells.
Puzzled, Ash mumbled to herself, "How did the summoner do it? They're obviously a novice. There's not even a symbol for a specific creature. Without a proper symbol, this would end up completely random. It could have summoned anything."
As she examined the circle more closely, she realized that, while it was similar to the magic she practiced, there were uncountable different oddities, weird lines, and unfamiliar symbols. This circle and its magic were utterly foreign to her.
Ash took a moment to inhale deeply, and immediately sensed something amiss. "Wild magic," she thought to herself. Despite the poor design of the summoning circle, the sheer amount of wild magic present rendered any minor summoning talent irrelevant. If she didn't know better, she would have mistaken it for the Fey, but there was a discernible difference. She could feel the magic pulsating through the trees; whispers of an unnaturally natural energy.
Outside, she muttered to herself as she walked, surveying her surroundings. She decided to take action and cast Detect Magic in the area. To her surprise, her senses lit up. Everything around her was infused with magic, from the air and rocks to the trees. There was not a single place in the vicinity where magic had not infected the environment.
"The magic here is raw and chaotic. A mere twig from this place could yield enough magic to make thirty health potions," she marveled, taking in the surroundings. "Yet, there's a familiarity to it, like my people could have once lived here." Ash laughed, then cast Detect Magic once more, gradually making her way towards the castle.
Suddenly, she sensed a much stronger, more distinct aura of magic. It was not chaotic like the others, but darker and more ominous. "This could be promising," she thought to herself, intrigued by the possibility of discovering something new. A smile crept onto her face as she headed towards a broken tower, eager to explore this new development.
She ascended the decrepit stairs, eyeing the corroded and collapsing structure warily. It appeared as though it could fall apart at any moment. However, as a seasoned magic user, she could sense that this place had been reinforced by magic, making the chance of it falling apart as likely as Lolth apologizing and leading her people back to the proper path.
As she surveyed the area, it became evident that most of the damage was wrought by the elements and the passage of time. The forest had reclaimed the building, suggesting that the inhabitants were forced out before they could repair it and regain control of the area.
Reaching the top of the stairs, she encountered a narrow hallway leading to two large doors at the end. The malevolence emanating from behind the doors was weak outside, but now it felt stronger. Although it wasn't enough to put her in immediate danger, she was still on her guard. Without her summon, she may not be as powerful, but she was certainly no weakling. She strode confidently down the hallway towards the doors.
Opening the door, she found herself in a grand throne room, a stark contrast to the dilapidated state of the rest of the castle. The room seemed to have been preserved, with the two thrones still standing tall and proud. Broken windows and torn banners littered the floor, and an odd-looking device rested in the middle of the room. As she looked around the room through her monocle, she could tell that great sources of magic had been used here.
Ash approached the thrones, seeing stronger traces of the corrupting magic that she had sensed earlier, intermingled with a third, almost celestial magic that seemed unfamiliar to her. The combination of these energies was unsettling, and she could feel a sense of curiosity growing within her.
As she investigated the area, she followed the scorch marks on the ground, leading her to the spot where the largest concentration of the celestial-like magic had been used. The area was marked with a clear impact point, and the ground around it was blackened from the intense heat. A faint trace of tainted magic could be felt in the area around the wall, but her attention was drawn to a corner of the room where the bulk of the corrupted magic seemed to be emanating from.
As she approached the corner, she moved a nearby object; a helmet with a moon-shaped symbol on it. Ash immediately realized that this was the source of the malevolent energy in the room.
She reached for the helmet, but was hit with a powerful force trying to invade her mind. Thankfully, her trusty Ring of Mind-Shielding activated, blocking the intrusion and protecting her from harm. "I see you have a little bite in you. Luckily, I always keep my ring on me. Worth every penny for its sealing abilities," I muttered to myself.
Despite the failed invasion attempt, she could sense that the helmet was still trying to communicate with her. Instead of using force, it began to send untapped and unfiltered emotions her way. Anger, hatred, and spite, all wrapped up in a deep sense of fear. Ash realized that whatever this object was trying to tell her, it must be of great importance for it to risk incurring the wrath of a summoner by trying to enter her mind forcefully.
With a newfound respect for the power of the helmet, she carefully picked it up, ready to uncover the secrets it held within.
Ash strode back through the room with purpose, placing the helmet in the center. She rummaged through her bag and retrieved a handful of magic-infused chalk. With precise strokes, she outlined a circle around the helmet, followed by a second and a third circle for good measure. As she drew, she added intricate symbols and runes that pulsed with power.
Once the magic circles were complete, Ash reached for three candles, each a different color: black, white, and green. She arranged them in a pyramid shape within the circles. "It's been a while since I've had to draw a physical circle," she mused, "but I want to make a strong impression on this creature and show it who's boss from the start. If it were a celestial being, I might be a bit more lenient, but this abomination deserves the highest level of care.”
With utmost caution, Ash extended her hand into the circle and placed it on the helmet. As she did so, she opened her mind to the creature's voice, ready for whatever it may say.
"You… You foolish fool! What have you done?! Do you have any idea what you have just done, you fool?!"
The woman could hear the voice of whatever aberration inhabited the helm in her head and feel her anger. "I did not do anything except find this helmet, in which you seem to be trapped," she replied.
"You… You have found me? Is this a trick of some sort? I… I…" The feeling of horror and shock went through Ash's body. "What are you playing at, fool?" growled the voice. "What do you want from me?"
Ash allowed a little bit of mirth to go through her mind, knowing that the other creature could tell. "A creature that likes going straight to the point. I like it. I am down a familiar, and I need a new one. I was thinking that you are perfect for that spot."
She could feel resentment coming from the creature before she spoke. "A familiar? A familiar?! A familiar! You expect me to just be okay with such a position? You wish me to be below you, at your beck and call? I am the night! I am Nightmare Moon! The rightful ruler of Equestria!"
The half-elf took a deep breath and focused on the magical circle before her. She raised her hand, and with the helmet as a conduit, she began to chant the incantation.
The three candles flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls. They sputtered, almost exploding and sending hot wax flying in all directions. The elf closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come.
When the smoke cleared, there stood Nightmare Moon. Ash gasped in awe at the sight before her.
Nightmare Moon was a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair that resembled a river of darkness. Her mane was adorned with tiny sparkling stars that seemed to dance around her. But what truly caught the half-elf's attention was the unicorn horn protruding from Nightmare Moon's forehead.
Nightmare Moon's armor was simple, yet striking; crafted from gleaming silver and adorned with a single, bold crescent moon at its center. But it was her eyes that truly mesmerized the half-elven woman; they were slitted like a feline's, yet carried a divine depth that seemed to penetrate the very soul. They were the kind of eyes that could leave one spellbound, enraptured in their gaze.
"What? How? How did you…" Nightmare Moon started to say, but was interrupted by her own evil laughter as she looked at her newly reformed body. "You are a foolish creature. You have summoned me, Nightmare Moon, and now the night will last forever," she cackled with a smile.
Nightmare Moon pushed her hand towards the moon to use her magic, but nothing happened.
Ash raised her eyebrows. "The creatures here must be pretty uneducated on summoning creatures," she said, pointing down to the ground.
Nightmare Moon looked at the woman in confusion. "What did you do? Why can't I use my magic?!" she demanded.
Ash smirked at the question. "Because I am a proper summoner, and I made sure that as long as you're in the circle, you're pretty much useless, magic-wise. I also reinforced it to account for your power, or rather, your expected power. It's not like I had a book on you or anything. If I had to give you a rank or grade, you would be classified as a class A abomination."
Nightmare Moon struck at the barrier with all her strength. "Do not call me an abomination!" she growled.
Ash raised an eyebrow in response. "That's what you would be classified as, but you do have me curious. I can tell you have some kind of power of divine class, something you should not have naturally. Tell me, who was foolish enough to give it to you? If I had to guess, a divine child playing with forces they could not yet understand."
Nightmare Moon tried to resist the magical binding with all her might, expending all the magic she had in an attempt to break free. "You cannot do this! I am Nightmare Moon; the terror in the night, destroyer of the sun!!" she yelled as she struggled. Despite her power, the magical constructs continued to wrap around her soul, slowly taking control of her.
"Stop! I will kill you! I will destroy you!!" she screamed, hitting against the barrier with all her might. The panic only grew as the binding spell crept deeper into her core. "Please, stop!" she begged, her strength fading fast. Eventually, she was on the verge of falling, softly banging against the barrier as she struggled to hold on. In that moment, Nightmare Moon realized that she was no match for Ash’s powerful foreign magic.
Ash didn’t feel good when she did this to creatures, but she knew how important it was to show dominance if you wanted to tame them properly.
"You will allow me access to your memories." Ash completed the spell, still holding her grasp over Nightmare Moon's spirit. Nightmare Moon stared at her with a look of apprehension and hatred, but allowed her access.
Ash used her magic to sift through Nightmare Moon's memories. Ten minutes went by, but to Ash, it felt like she had lived several lifetimes. She opened her eyes and gazed at Nightmare Moon. "I see. I can grant your wish."
Nightmare Moon looked surprised. “You can?”
Ash nodded. "As part of our new bond, I'll give you a true name. Your new name is Neoma, meaning “New Moon.”"
Ash pulled out a dagger, cut her finger, and placed her hand past the protection circle. "I am not like your original summoner. I won't betray you. If you promise to serve me, we will be partners. You will not be my slave; we will help each other achieve our goals. "
Neoma hesitated to take Ash's hand. She began to see memories that were not hers, as Ash allowed her access to her mind.
She saw a different world with different wonders, monsters, magic, and gods. She saw a crying child turn into a young woman and then an angry teenager before becoming a fine adult. Before she opened her eyes, Ash saw the same woman putting her hand out.
Neoma slowly reached out, pausing and pulling away with apprehension, then grabbed Ash's hand, accepting the offer. She felt their bond, along with an unknown magic flowing through her body. The traces of Luna's magic dissipated from Neoma, and she could feel a brand new one coursing through her body.
An explosion of light revealed a small girl with cat-like eyes wearing a white dress with a small horn and tiny bat wings. Neoma looked at her childlike body with curiosity and concern. "What happened to my body?"
"You won't be like that for long,” Ash assured her. “Your first evolution should begin soon. As our bond increases, you'll grow even more powerful." She gave the new creature a smile, excited to see what Neoma would become.
Neoma felt a rush of anticipation at the prospect of evolving and growing even stronger. She followed Ash closely, ready to help her with their shared mission. "Let's track down those who summoned you," Neoma said, her voice filled with determination. "We’ll make them pay for what they've done."
Ash laughed at her new companion’s excitement. "Yes, we'll punish their rookie mistake."
Chapter 3: Introduction to an Interesting Duel
Chapter 3: Introduction to an Interesting Duel
When Blueblood woke up, he was slightly confused about how he ended up on the train until all of his memories came rushing back. The creature had taken him hostage, and he had been dragged all over Canterlot, being threatened and abused. Blueblood couldn't believe that even the Diamond Dogs weren't as brutal as this creature.
He quickly put his hand over his own mouth, making sure not to wake the beast up. He recalled that the creature called himself "King," and he wondered how a monster like King could have such a noble name.
Blueblood tried to remember his training on what to do if he was ever captured by a hostile nation, but his mind went blank. He couldn't recall a single thing the guards had said. However, it was unlikely that there had ever been a hostage situation with diplomats or nobles because the fear of Celestia alone deterred anyone from kidnapping a pony of the royal line.
Even the Diamond Dogs returned hostages upon Celestia's request. Even so, the only creatures they ever took were those foolish enough to venture onto their land. But this creature was either bold enough or stupid enough to walk right in and take him from the central seat of power. Blueblood attempted to come up with a plan to escape, but each one ended with him taking another strike from the savage creature.
As he stared at King, he noticed many oddities and similarities at the same time. The first thing that struck him was that the creature didn't have any pony identifiers - no horn, no wings, and his ears were not in the same place. He didn't have the claws of a griffin, nor the gills of a seaquestrian.
However, there were many things that matched up. The creature had hands, legs, eyes, and other things a normal pony would have. The weirdest thing was that Blueblood couldn't see a cutie mark. He looked at his own, on the back of his left hand, and then at King’s, assured that it was not there. He was aware that not every creature had a cutie mark, but he looked so much like a pony. He even wore rings of gold and silver on his fingers, similar to Blueblood’s set.
He was otherwise dressed in the most strange attire. First and foremost, his hair. Blueblood had seen dreadlocks before, on poor ponies that couldn’t afford proper hair care, but never had he seen the locks themselves tied back. If he cared enough to tie them out of his face and weave a few beads into his bangs, why couldn’t he care enough to brush it all out clean and smooth?
Moving down, he wore a very ornate necklace. Brass or bronze, he could not tell for the wear, but there were two garnets studded into two of the three plates at the center. Beneath that, a leather strap held closed a tight leather jacket, dyed purple with a ruffled white lining and cuffs to match. Along its edges was secured another belt, this one with brass adornments that held the clasp, almost like a harness. He wore small spaulders on his shoulders and basic bracers on his wrists.
His jacket was short, ending at the bottom of his ribs and not fully closing over his chest, so his abdomen was on full display until his belts. He wore two; a blue one made of cloth, and a leather one, studded with brass with a bronze buckle. Wrapped into this outer belt was a cloth cloak that draped almost down to his ankles, dyed the same colour as his jacket. Over this cloak on his left hip, he also wore some short, decorative metal rings, strung together with leather straps and hung from the outer belt.
Beneath that, he was wearing a pair of puffy white pants, over the top of which he wore black cloth chaps, reinforced on the edges with leather. What was baffling about his pants being so puffy is that they were stuffed into his knee-high boots.
Or perhaps boots was not the right word. From his knees to his ankles and covering the tops of his feet, they looked like sturdy leather boots, strapped to his shins with leather belts, all black as his chaps. However, these only seemed to be connected to the soles, crafted from some kind of metal; iron or steel, most likely. But the soles only covered his toes and heels, leaving the sides of his feet open to the mud and dirt and anything else on the ground.
However, what was most peculiar about the man was his magic. It felt different, almost like it wasn't magic at all. When he used it at such close range, Blueblood felt that something was off. He couldn't explain how, but he instinctively knew that what he used wasn't anything like unicorn magic.
"If you keep on staring, I might think you're falling in love."
As Blueblood's concentration was focused back on the monster, looking at its grinning face, he was paralyzed by fear and not able to utter a single word.
"Oh, come on. Don’t pass out again."
Blueblood swallowed his fear and decided to do what he did best: negotiate. "What do you want?"
King raised an eyebrow and a sinister smile crossed his face. "To crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of their women!"
Blueblood was appalled by what he heard. He thought this creature was a savage before, but after hearing that, he knew this monster was an absolute terror. He couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh.
King let out a powerful guffaw. "Oh, wow! You should see your face!"
Blueblood suddenly realized that the monster was playing with him and not taking him seriously. His years of diplomatic experience were the only reason Blueblood did not immediately explode on this monster. That, and the fear that it would throw a quick left hook at him.
Instead of stewing, Blueblood took a deep breath and counted to five; a technique that Celestia taught him. "Can you take this seriously? You kidnapped a member of the royal family. This can be seen as an act of war!"
"If what I ploughed through last night was the best your military has to offer, I could conquer this place by myself," King said, folding his legs and leaning back against the chair with a smile. "But luckily, I have a couple of friends who can help me out."
Blueblood almost had a heart attack upon hearing this. There were more than one of these creatures running around in Equestria? "How?! How did you even end up here?!" he asked, bewildered.
King raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure I said I was not from this world. And there are only a few ways to forcibly bring creatures from other worlds. Something summoned us, and it must have had a lot of power. It ripped us out of our world after a long battle. That's why I fell through the sky and into that room. Your guards promptly threw me into that dungeon, without even sending a cleric out to see if I was going to survive that fall."
Blueblood could only remember some of the reports he had read about the creature. He had thought this was something that his aunties could deal with. "Even if by accident, you entered our princess’s private room, destroying her magical protection, which should have been almost impossible. You also assaulted two guards who attempted to detain you. And to top it off, you didn't talk for three days, no matter what we tried to do."
King listened to Blueblood's tirade with a smirk on his face. "You make it sound like I did it on purpose. Falling through the sky and landing in a strange place is not exactly a pleasant experience. And as for the guards, they attacked me first. I simply defended myself." He paused for a moment before adding, "And as for not talking, I needed time to adjust to this new world. My ability to speak in all languages was delayed by something. Maybe because your words were so foreign. Who knows?"
Blueblood nodded slowly, trying to make sense of everything that was happening. "But why are you here? What do you want?"
King's smile widened as he leaned forward. "I'm here for a bit of fun, of course. And to see what this world has to offer. And who knows, maybe I'll even stick around for a while."
Blueblood couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at King's words. He knew that this creature was not to be underestimated. "What do you want from us? Why did you take me?"
King's eyes gleamed with mischief. "I took you to garner the attention of your leaders. I want to meet Celestia, Luna, and those seven warriors that defend your land. I've heard so much about them, and I want to see if they live up to the hype."
Blueblood's mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan. He knew that they needed to be cautious around this monster. "And if we don't give you what you want?"
King's expression turned serious as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, let's just say things might turn a bit messy. But as long as everyone cooperates, there's no reason for anyone to be hurt… much."
Blueblood was worried. This kind of villain was not new to Equestria, but he had strange powers and an unknown number of allies. Maybe Discord had something to do with this, but they needed to investigate to find out, and Blueblood couldn’t do any of that while being a hostage.
"If you had waited a day, the princesses would have been back. But you destroyed their property, assaulted their guards, and disrupted the harmony of Equestria. They will not be pleased when they return from their meeting in Griffinstone. If you surrender peacefully, you may be able to spare yourself from the wrath of the two alicorns."
King smirked, about to respond, but then he heard the train whistle. "Our little chat is over for now. It's time for us to go speak to the Elements. I suggest you do not share your situation with anyone. If anyone asks, you are simply escorting a new dignitary around Ponyville." King brought back his kind smile, but the coldness in his eyes made it clear that he was deadly serious. Blueblood shivered, but nodded his head in agreement.
As they stepped off the train onto the platform, Blueblood's heart stopped when he heard a small voice. "Blueblood? What are you doing here?"
King turned his head around to see a dragon with purple scales and fiery green spines. Its hands ended in claws, and its wings were so small that King had to wonder if it could even fly. It was small, and it looked young.
Blueblood's words started to fumble out of his mouth, "What? What are you– How… Spike, what are you doing here?"
Spike looked confused at the question. "I was just saying goodbye to Twilight. She was called to the capital to handle some problems."
Blueblood couldn't see King's eyes, but he could feel them burning a hole in his head. The monster's voice was calm and collected as he asked Blueblood, "Who’s your friend? Isn't Twilight one of the elements’ bearers?"
Spike quickly jumped in. "Oh yeah, she's my big sister. Did you need her for something?"
King ignored Blueblood and focused on Spike instead, looking at the young dragon. He questioned internally whether or not ponies and dragons could biologically have kids in this reality. Without thinking, he blurted out, "You must be adopted."
Both Spike and Blueblood were surprised by the comment. King immediately realized that he had broken a social taboo by mentioning how Spike's so-called sister was a totally different race.
Spike, feeling defensive, scalded the monster with his words. "Twilight is my sister."
King liked the fire in the young dragon, but before he could say anything else, Blueblood quickly jumped in.
"I'm sorry about that, Spike. This is a dignitary from a far-off land, and he doesn't yet know the customs of Equestria."
Spike looked at King for a few seconds, nodding as it clicked into place in his head. "Sorry about that. I didn’t realize you weren’t from here. You kind of look local, but I can see now you’re not."
As the young drake started to look over the newcomer, seeming less angry and more curious, King thought to himself about how smooth Blueblood was when it came to talking. It wasn't the first time someone good with their mouth had spared him a sticky situation.
"Yes, I'm from Kindred," King smiled.
Spike seemed surprised, never having heard of this place before. His eyes lit up with excitement at the possibilities an unexplored country provided. "Do you have time to tell me about your home?" he asked eagerly.
King smiled at Spike and introduced himself. "My name is King Fullbringer. What is yours?"
Spike extends his hand to shake King's. "I’m Spike. I’m a Dragon."
Blueblood was surprised by King's civility, as he had only experienced him as a brute before.
"Blue, do you mind if we hang out with this dragon?" King asked.
Blueblood knew he had no real choice in what happened next, but he knew better than to not play along. "Of course; we have plenty of time before we have to go back," he responded.
Spike pumped his fist in excitement. Only then did he notice Blueblood's disheveled appearance and black eyes.
"Blueblood, are you okay? It looks like you have..." Spike trailed off, confused by Blueblood's battered appearance.
Blueblood quickly dismissed Spike's concern. "Oh, don't worry about me. There was an incident earlier today, and it forced me to be more rushed to finish this."
As the trio walked along, Spike had a suggestion: "If you guys are both waiting for Twilight, why don't you come to the school?"
King nodded in agreement. "If that's the best place to wait for her…"
Blueblood looked concerned as they made their way to the school.
As King, Blueblood, and Spike walked down the streets of Ponyville, Spike told King about the recent growth to the town, having tripled its population over the past four years. The market for nearby housing was soaring, as made obvious by the numerous construction projects, and it had recently added numerous amenities, including a bakery, a boutique, a farm, an animal shelter, and even a hospital.
Spike also mentioned that the town was home to a college run by Twilight Sparkle; another alicorn and one of the elements’ bearers. King was pleased to hear that there were other warriors in the town, but Blueblood tried to keep out of their conversation, apparently worried. However, he knew he couldn't interrupt Spike or the observant King, or they would suspect something was wrong.
King chuckled. “A School of Friendship? What a silly concept…” He believed that if you needed a school to make friends, then you were probably never meant to have friends at all. However, he kept that particular thought to himself.
Spike stopped in his tracks after hearing King's comment, causing Blueblood and King to stop as well. "Why is it odd to you that we would have a school of friendship?" Spike turned towards King with a curious look in his eyes.
King took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. "I guess saying it’s odd is not entirely correct, at least not from your perspective. It seems like you solve your problems with friendship, but where I come from, we tend to solve most of our problems with violence."
Spike and Blueblood both looked surprised, but for different reasons. Spike was surprised that any group of people would settle their problems with violence, until it occurred to him that he was a dragon, a race that was known for being jerks. Blueblood looked surprised because this would explain why King was such a monster.
"Is that so odd? I'm not saying every problem is solved with violence, but..."
“You know, it might be easier if some of your problems were solved with words, rather than with claws and fists. If you want, I can ask Twilight to set you up with one of her classes. The studies on the Feelings Forum are yielding some very interesting results. Not all good results, but definitely interesting.”
King struggled to contain his amusement. The thought of Greshrukk, the Red Death, being schooled in friendship by colorful-looking humanoids was so ridiculous that he almost burst out laughing. He held his tongue, of course, but it would be ridiculous to think that friendship could solve the world’s problems. Against Tiamat, what good was friendship? What could tea and cookies do against the Dark Queen?
“I have my doubts as to its viability in regards to my own idea of what a problem would be,” was all he let slip from his thoughts. “If this Twilight thinks that she can utilize the power of friendship so completely, and that it could solve problems, I would like to see her try. Even better, I’ll be right beside her when she finds that it doesn’t work.”
“It does work,” insisted Spike. “I’ve seen it, firsthand! You would not believe how ridiculously powerful she can be with her friends standing behind her. Even if they’re not lending a hand, just having them nearby makes her that much stronger!”
“I suppose we shall see when that day comes,” chuckled King.
“Indeed we will,” asserted Spike, turning to face him. “We’re here.”
King marveled at the massive building before him. Even though he was not a spellcaster, he could sense the magic that surrounded it and feel the radiating light. He found it fascinating.
He followed Spike inside. Upon entering, King paused to observe Blueblood, who rushed inside and disappeared into the building. King trailed behind him.
Spike proceeded to give them a tour of the school, showing off numerous rooms filled with strange magics, tools and various other items that King could not identify. Spike spouted endless facts about the building, its classes, and even some of the races. King soaked up every word, gaining as much understanding of the world around him as he could from every piece of information that Spike shared.
Blueblood had just lost everything. All the advantages he had were being thrown away by a purple dragon who could not close his mouth. In Blueblood’s mind, he knew that Spike was not to blame, but the situation was growing worse. He was telling King everything.
"Okay, I think I understand," Spike said, responding to an observation on a cultural difference King had just proposed. He looked confused, but Blueblood knew that whatever King had planned was not good.
"Would you mind calling everyone to the main hall, or wherever you all gather?" King smiled, surprising Blueblood.
Seeing no problem with granting the request, Spike asked, "Do you mind telling me why?"
"I want to introduce myself personally to everyone," King replied, "and in my culture, it is important to introduce yourself directly."
Spike took a minute to think about it and then smiled. "I'll send your message out over the public address system."
Spike ran off, and Blueblood turned towards King, determined to give him a piece of his mind, no matter the consequences. But before he had the chance, King smiled at him.
"You wouldn’t happen to have any magic that records audio, would you?"
Blueblood looked confused for a few seconds. "We have recorder crystals. They do audio and video. We passed them about two doors back."
King moved quickly, almost going into a flash before opening the door and seeing what he needed, grabbing as much as he could carry. "You know how to work these things, right?"
The unicorn shook his head. "But they don't stop recording."
Blueblood looked into King's eyes, and all of his defiance left him. He knew he was going to do whatever this man said, having many flashbacks to the time he brought out that thing with the evil eyes. "Yes, sir," he said as he activated one of the crystals and pointed it towards King.
"My little princesses. This video is for you from your favorite human." As King started to walk, Blueblood followed him with the crystals.
As Spike hurriedly made his way towards Twilight's office in search of Starlight, he couldn't help but think about his peculiar new friend. Although King seemed friendly enough, Spike couldn't shake off the strange feeling that seemed to permeate the air around him. He found it odd that King had chains attached to his clothes as part of the design, and the heavy scent of leather emanating from him was hard to ignore. Spike wondered what his new friend's clothes were made of, and why he wore so much metal.
As he walked past Twilight's office, Spike quickly doubled back and knocked on the door. Starlight used her magic to open it, revealing her and Trixie filling out paperwork.
"So, how did it go with the girls, Spike?" Starlight asked, looking up from her book.
"It went okay. Twilight was already starting to freak out, but I think she'll be fine by the time she reaches the capital. But that's not even the best part! I made a new friend!”
“That’s wonderful,” nodded Starlight. “Always nice to make a new friend.”
“His name’s King, and he’s a foreigner from a very distant land. I’m pretty sure he said something about touring around Equestria!”
That drew the attention of both Starlight and Trixie. “His name is King?” asked Starlight, intrigued.
Spike nodded. “He asked me to call everyone in the School of Friendship to the auditorium so he can meet them!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Starlight raised an eyebrow at Spike's mention of gathering everyone. "He’s a foreigner? Like Zecora?"
Spike paused in contemplation. "No, not really. Blueblood said he was a dignitary."
Starlight's eyes widened in realization. "A dignitary is in the school right now with Blueblood?! He must be quite important. I assume Blueblood is here in a diplomatic capacity?" She rubbed her temple, already dreading the impact this could have on their plans. "Twilight would have to cancel everything when someone so important came to Ponyville."
Spike thought for a moment. "He was looking for Twilight. They must have just missed each other when he stepped off the train. Twilight boarded that train at the exact same time."
Trixie let out a small laugh. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is now interested in this diplomat, and will be coming to this gathering."
Starlight chuckled, hoping that her friend wouldn't cause any international incidents. "Alright then, Spike. You can gather everyone up and tell them to meet in the main hall. Everyone is here today. We were supposed to do a lecture on Twilight's findings on the relationship between magic and friendship, but now I guess it's going to be on foreign relations. Do you know where this “King” is from?"
Spike was about to leave, but stopped and turned back. "He says he's from a different country called Kindred."
Starlight and Trixie exchanged confused looks, having never heard of any country named Kindred before.
As King strode towards the auditorium, Blueblood followed him closely, using the crystals to record their conversation. Despite the disturbing nature of King's words, he appeared unfazed, flashing a grin at Blueblood.
King looked out over the balcony, watching the students enter the hall. "Blueblood, as soon as I walk in, use that spell of yours to lock the doors. If anyone breaks out, I'm holding you personally responsible."
Blueblood swallowed hard but remained silent, his gaze flickering nervously between King and the camera.
"Like I said, a true test never really ends," King nodded, turning to face Blueblood and the camera.
King stepped up to the auditorium doors as the last of the humanoid creatures were entering. Blueblood trailed behind, recording the scene with growing unease.
"Friendship. How entertaining." King looked at the camera with a smile on his face. "Twilight, I have one simple question for you: What happens when you cannot solve your problem with friendship; when your enemy is uncompromising, and your strongest values have failed to stop a tragedy?" King looked directly at the crystal before turning back around and opening the door.
They were large doors, made out of heavy-looking wood. King looked around to see if there were any other doors or other ways out. There were high windows, but even they seemed to be made out of heavy glass.
King dug into his bag, placed a rod in front of the door and said some words Blueblood could not understand. They were too quiet, and he couldn’t hear them.
"Blueblood, cast a spell that will reinforce the walls, windows and doors."
Blueblood took a second to think about trying to pretend to do so. He thought about it several different ways, but always landed on one inevitable thought: The situation would only worsen if he didn't do what the man said. He quickly cast the spell, unnoticed by most of the students and teachers.
As King walked to the stage, multiple creatures were now paying attention to him, whispering and mumbling as he reached the lectern at the front of the room. Starlight, Trixie and Spike were already there, talking about the mysterious new dignitary. Starlight and Trixie looked at the creature in surprise, but Spike happily waved to him.
King nodded before walking up and looking out at the auditorium full of students. "Hello, everybody. My name is King Fullbringer, and I come from Kindred. I'm here to teach you a valuable lesson," he began.
Starlight and Trixie looked confused, but the three of them were intrigued to hear what the lesson was.
"From what I can tell, your nation is built on a foundation of friendship and harmony. I can say with certainty that respect and dignity are values that I have seen in the people I have met. All of you seem to be kindhearted and trusting. My people would say that you are an optimistic society. And from what I have heard of your history, you have used this optimism and harmony to beat back the darkness. As someone who has fought a great many campaigns back home, I find these traits admirable. Your battles from history seem quite epic, and you have been able to overcome hardship without resorting to more extreme methods. This is something I find to be quite remarkable, compared to my people who constantly war against each other," King explained.
The audience gasped in awe, and even Trixie and Starlight looked surprised. King's words were a revelation, and the students were captivated by his unique perspective.
As the silence stretched on, King continued. "But while we all have strengths and weaknesses, there is always something to be learned from each other. We may come from different worlds, but by working together, we can create a better world for all."
King let his words hang in the air, watching as the crowd began to murmur. Starlight and Trixie exchanged a glance before Trixie whispered to Spike, "Did he say a different world?"
Spike's eyes widened as he nodded in agreement.
“It’s a figure of speech,” assured Starlight.
"I will now allow you to ask me questions," King announced, breaking the silence.
Starlight was the first to raise her hand. "When you say a different world, you mean that figuratively, right?"
King smiled. "No, I quite literally mean I'm not from this world."
The crowd erupted in a frenzy of noise as ponies began asking questions. Some were in disbelief, while others seemed excited at the prospect of someone from another world.
Spike raised his hand next.
"Yes, Spike," King smiled.
"You told me you're from a different country, not a whole different world," Spike pointed out.
King's smile turned devious. "Yes, I did. I am from a different country, which is part of a different world. What I said was not a lie, and if I were to have told you every detail, we’d not have time to go over even the cuisine before we arrived here. Not the whole truth, but what I said was still the truth."
Trixie was the next to raise her hand. "How did you even come into this world? And how do you know our language?"
King raised an eyebrow. "I assume you are speaking Common. But even if you were not, I can understand all languages as long as they are spoken to me."
Trixie, Spike, and Starlight looked disbelievingly at King. "There is no way you can speak every language in the world," Trixie stated, folding her arms over her chest. "Why don't you test your hypothesis? We have a room full of students, and I'm assuming they all don't come from this one country."
King raised his eyebrows in response. "You think me a liar? Excellent. Test away."
Trixie smiled triumphantly. "The Great and Powerful Trixie will show everyone here the fraud you are."
King chuckled. "You’re confident. I like that trait in a woman."
Trixie's cheeks turned red. "Do not think the Amazing Trixie will give you any mercy just because you’re a flatterer."
Spike rolled his eyes, and Starlight stifled a giggle at Trixie's embarrassment.
Trixie, who knew three languages, decided to test King's claim by speaking in the hardest language she knew, Griffonian. "Can you understand this?" she challenged him.
King responded confidently, "Yes, I can."
Trixie was surprised to hear King speak perfect Griffonian, a language she had taken two years to learn. The crowd was also taken aback.
"He didn't say that in Equestrian, he said that in perfect Griffonian," a griffin argued with a pony who claimed otherwise.
A dragoness raised her eyebrow. "What are you talking about? He clearly spoke Draconic!"
Before an argument broke out, King held up his hand. “My ability allows me to understand and speak all languages, regardless of whether they are attuned to a specific tongue or not.”
Starlight was the first to respond. "What kind of magic is that? We have universal translation spells, but they have to be attuned to a specific language! What you can do is understand and speak all languages, and everyone can understand you. Did you cast a spell before you walked in here?"
King shook his head. “It’s not magical, but a power called ki, which exists within every living creature.”
Trixie and Starlight found this hard to believe, but King refused to elaborate further at that time. As the crowd murmured, Spike discretely wrote something down, like a creature possessed.
"Alas, I did not come here to talk. I came here to do battle, and I have found the perfect battleground for my desires to come to fruition. While you may still have questions, you all are going to have to be sacrificed to my ambition. Hopefully afterwards, you can use that forgiveness I’ve heard so much about to build yourselves back up. You ponies do forgive, right?"
King chuckled at his own statement, seemingly not caring that he had threatened the whole student body. At the same time, he pulled out a quarterstaff from his bag that shouldn't have been able to fit. The long, black pole was very odd-looking. It seemed to be shimmering in some locations, almost as if it was distorting gravity.
The crowd full of creatures went quiet. They looked slightly confused at his statement before it finally dawned on them that he had just threatened all of them. Some creatures looked surprised while others looked offended.
Spike, Starlight and Trixie stared at Blueblood. Blueblood stared down at the ground, trying not to catch any of their attention.
The first to break the silence was Smolder. "Ha! Do you really think you're going to beat every student here? We outnumber you by a ridiculous ratio! Not even a fully-realized dragon lord would be able to escape this place unscathed!" She emphasized that by punching her fist into her hand.
Another six students stood up around her, ready to back her up.
King looked at the fiery dragoness. "You're cute, so I might not break too many things on you. But don't think that because you have numbers, you have the advantage."
The orange dragoness blushed slightly, then pulled her lips back to show her teeth and growled. Other groups of races; the griffons and the diamond dogs, were also growing more angry with the newcomer.
Trixie, tired of the boastful King, decided to walk up to the stage and handle this. "Who do you think you are? Threatening the stu–"
It happened in a flash. As soon as Trixie moved into King's striking range, the mare hit the ground with great force. Everything immediately fell silent. No more whispers or glares at King. Everyone stared at Trixie, cratered into the ground. There were cracks around the stage and Trixie lay flat as a pancake.
It took a few more seconds before Starlight realized what happened and quickly attempted to dive down into the pit to rescue Trixie. She was immediately stopped as King’s quarterstaff hung mere inches in front of her face. Any closer, and it would have struck her, landing her in the same situation as Trixie.
"You should really focus on yourself,” smirked King. “You are in battle right now, and in war, losing your focus is an easy way to lose the fight."
As the shock wore off, every student stared at King. One of the students stood up and shouted. "After him!" and all of Tartarus broke loose.
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I hope you enjoyed the story and the spicy clop saying was done by my good friend https://www.fimfiction.net/user/69884/Shilo_Yuuga
Author's Note
I hope you enjoyed the story and the spicy clop saying was done by my good friend https://www.fimfiction.net/user/69884/Shilo_Yuuga
