Reign of the Diamond Emperor

Three days passed without any notable issues. I slept deeply in my bed, made of solid wood and canvas, a luxury I relished despite its simplicity. My sword and crossbow were always within reach.

My personal quarters were far from lavish. I appreciated the simplicity and utility of my room. Three complete sets of armor adorned the back, ready to be donned at a moment's notice. A small wardrobe held a few spare clothes. Next to it, a mirror overlooked a basin of fresh water, regularly replenished by the servants so I could present myself at my best.

In one corner, a massive chest sat, containing a veritable fortune in gemstones and jewelry that had belonged to the previous leader.

The floor of my room was paved with dark stone, imbuing the place with a sturdy and solemn atmosphere. Wall-mounted torches cast a soft light, creating dancing shadows that seemed to sway to the rhythm of my will.

A large, solid wood desk was placed near the window, where I could observe the surroundings of my underground fortress. On this desk, a fresh copy of the map of Equestria was spread out, dotted with markers and strategic notes. Blank scrolls were neatly stored in a corner, ready to receive my orders and plans.

In the corner of the room, a secure chest held my most precious and personal belongings. From time to time, I opened it to remind myself of the path I had traveled, from a mere tomb raider to the future emperor of another world.

A noise at the door pulled me from my reverie. I opened my eyes with difficulty, my fatigue still present. I began to dress, uttering a simple "Enter, Bandit." The iron door creaked open with a heavy groan that gave me a slight headache. Bandit, out of breath, stood before me.

"Speak," I ordered.

"Scouts, ponies, guards... they were searching," he articulated between gasping breaths.

I was relieved to have my back to him at that moment. I couldn't allow him to see the concern on my face. I hurried to finish dressing before donning one of my suits of armor.

"Alert my personal guard. I want to see the soldiers at the entrance of my kingdom!" I commanded, my tone firm. The situation called for swift and decisive action.

I arrived at the entrance at the same time as my personal guard. My brain was working at full speed, analyzing the options available to me. We were at least an hour's walk away from the ashes of the hamlet, and I couldn't afford to directly engage the potential forces of Equestria. The presence of a pegasus who might escape or even their disappearance could come back to them with a much more imposing army. It would only draw even more attention to us.

I needed to act with caution and intelligence. My nascent empire couldn't afford a premature confrontation... The bold but potentially effective idea came to me quickly. After all, these ponies and soldiers might not be as accustomed to the caves and the topography as my men, who had lived in these undergrounds their whole lives.

I turned to my soldiers and quickly explained the plan.

"We simulate an old cave-in further down, silently blocking the entrance so that even if they find it, it will be impossible for them to penetrate inside. Make sure to do this with caution and leave no trace of our involvement."

My guards nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. They immediately set to work, dispersing to implement our plan.

In twenty minutes, the entrance was sealed. I considered making this method permanent, if only I could find a way to create a secret door. These ponies were definitely troublesome.

I designated two men from my personal guard to keep watch over the entrance. Then, I turned to the rest of my troops, most of them just emerging from their beds.

"Tonight, we'll need to create a concealed entrance and exit for our scouts. I want to know what these weaklings are up to and when they leave. Corporals, I charge you with organizing guard rotations until tonight," I declared imperiously.

They seemed a bit confused, but they understood the gravity of the situation.

"I want the guard to change every two hours. Be vigilant and make sure to report any suspicious activity," I added, reinforcing my order.

My men nodded, showing that they understood the importance of this mission. I had to make sure we wouldn't be discovered before we were ready to face any potential confrontation.

My entrance into the throne room was filled with fury, the steel door deforming under my strength. If any other pony than my Fallen had been present, they would have endured my wrath for no reason other than their existence. I settled on my throne, reaching for one of my numerous books.

"Are you well, Master?" Fallen asked from the makeshift pallet I had arranged for her. I looked at her, wondering why these creatures seemed devoid of any survival instinct.

I took a deep breath and then exhaled deeply. It was crucial to control my anger. "Yes, Fallen," I replied, tapping my knees with my free hand, a signal for her to come and perch on them.

Once she was positioned on me, I removed one of my gloves to stroke her white mane. I delved my gaze into the book I held, perusing the pages. It was a work on the history of Nightmare Moon, a story undoubtedly read to the naughty foal, but I lowered my head to look at Fallen.

"Nightmare Moon, a story from your race, Fallen?" Her fur didn't bristle; she wasn't as fearful as I had thought. For her, it must have been a foal's tale.

"Oh yes, Princess Luna is doing better, Master," she added after a few moments, blinking several times, as if trying to grasp something. I put the book away, turning all my attention to Fallen.

"Explain it to me."

After she recounted the story and legend of Princess Luna, I was sure of one thing: princesses could be corrupted. If I could push one of them to the brink... it could be a powerful weapon, but a double-edged one. However, this idea that she could travel through dreams...

I couldn't help but hope that my new slaves wouldn't dream too vividly of my face or the path leading to my kingdom...

The day passed without any other notable incidents, and in the evening, I went to see what had been created as an entrance: hollow stones that were easy to move and blended perfectly with the surroundings.

I instructed my scouts to be as cautious as possible. Even though a part of me wanted to track them down, send their heads on the next train, I couldn't afford to...

I patiently waited for the return of the first group of scouts, indicating that the enemy soldiers had set up a camp not far away... They were following the tracks that my men and I had left, and the only countermeasure I had was this makeshift camouflage.

I was running out of choices. I would sleep with some of my men at the entrance, waiting to see if the ruse would work or not. It was a night to spend on alert, ready to react at the slightest sign of intrusion, but at least, they knew that their emperor would not hide like a coward.

I stood before an old man, a respected and honorable archaeologist. My translator stood by my side, and in my hand, I brandished my trusty Luger P08, a weapon that could instill terror in the heart of any history enthusiast.

I was in his office, surrounded by stacks of documents and books in disarray, an eclectic mix of old wooden shelves and modern metal furniture. The walls were covered with maps, photos of ancient ruins, and detailed drawings of archaeological finds.

A worn world map hung on the wall, carefully pinned to mark his expeditions and explored sites, some of which were familiar to me. Beside it, a shelf was brimming with excavation reports, field journals, and scientific journals. Bookcases overflowed with dusty volumes, containing accounts of travels and works on global archaeology.

"As I was saying, I am someone perfectly calm and reasonable," I said with a glacial smirk. "But I can also be violent when I am lied to!"

"You want to steal my work and take credit for my discoveries." Hardly had I heard the translation when I burst into laughter. My translator gave a slight smile, as we had worked together enough for him to know my methods.

"Before you tell me it belongs in a museum, I don't care about fame and science," my voice turned icy. "I just want the money this treasure would bring me. But I'm not a monster, I won't destroy anything, and I'll only take what has commercial value." Surprise was evident on the old archaeologist's face, my translator was smiling.

"I can pay you," he began with a dreadful accent, searching in the bag he held.

"You can never offer enough to risk my life. I have private collectors who fund me, and if I don't bring them anything to recoup their investment..." I cocked my Luger.

My interlocutor's eyes filled with fear, and he began to sweat, a dark stain spreading on his trousers.

"Where are your researches?" I pointed my finger at the trigger while fixing him with my icy eyes.

"In the office." I signaled to my translator, who opened the desk and quickly scanned the pages of a file before nodding at me. I didn't lower my weapon.

"And the rest?" The archaeologist was sweating profusely. "Don't take me for a fool. I want your physical copies." He articulated something, and I saw my translator remove the padding from his desk chair, retrieving another file before returning to my side.

"Thank you, and tell Saint Peter that I won't bother going before him." I pulled the trigger three times, twice in his chest and once in his head.

I woke up painfully from my memories to find my sentries asleep. I gently woke them before taking them a little further to give them a lesson. Their tails quickly tucked between their legs and their heads lowered, marking their submission...

The sentries withdrew quietly following my instructions. I approached the scout, straining my ears to catch any sound. Every noise, every breath, every step, everything was potentially important at this stage.

The ensuing silence was almost oppressive. We remained still, listening, watching for any sign of activity. Every moment counted...