My Little Destroyah: Rise of the Crystal King

Chapter 02 – Tale of a Brother

With the meeting finished, the griffons begrudgingly left the room with a very dark attitude. Destroyah had to hold himself back for the urge to slaughter was high. When the doors closed, they turned their attention again to Cadence and Shining Armor. Destroyah walked up to Shining Armor and removed his glistening obsidian helmet and set it on the table, making a little clack as the glassy stone-like metal alloy touched the crystal table. Shining did very much the same with his purple helmet and they stood eye to eye.

"Lunar Captain."

"Solar Captain."

Both captains of their respective guard groups shook as was tradition when one met the other, both being of great power and respect.

"So you are the infamous Destroyah. You know I fought you that day at the plant. You did a number on me. Two broken legs and this." Shining slid his armor to the side and showed a large scar running down his chest ending just before his heart. Destroyah regarded the wound for but a moment and his handiwork was written all over the scar, but it was a sad effort in comparison to the fatal blows he was used to dealing, ones where the target didn’t walk away to tell the tale. If he was sorry for what he did, he didn’t show it. He, in fact, showed more of a sign of dissatisfaction as he stared at the wound.

“You know, you should be greatly honored to wear that scar. Not many survive long enough to have one. You should consider yourself lucky!” Destroyah smirked.

“I do, but I honestly think I’ve had worse.”

“Then I am a failure as a Destroyah spawn!” They both snickered a little but neither of them laughed out of respect. With their little gag terminated, Destroyah slid his helmet back on flicking one of his ears in the process.

"You know, before that day I thought your magnificent crest looked strange, but you look a bit more natural without it."

Destroyah slid a claw along his head feeling the absence of the crest. For some reason the elements eliminated this nefarious-looking head ornamentation from his pony form. Now more pony than kaiju, he was unable to change forms anymore so such features and legendary powers were beyond his reach, something that occasionally tore at his very soul, as if killing was imbedded within him. He knew that if he wanted to, he could gain that all back, but something within him, something within the pony’s soul told him not to. These bitter extremes racked at him constantly but there was nothing he could do to avoid the conflict, not at such times. He now felt responsibility and honor, so he couldn’t just turn on the world and kill everything he cared for, it no longer felt right.

"We are not without our own scars Shining."

Destroyah gestured to the scar over his left eye, beginning just above the armored eyebrow and ending at the top of the cheek. It showed signs of fading from the part-kaiju’s regeneration process but his new form took longer to heal than before so it hadn’t complete faded.

"We received this generous gift from that infernal griffon Gilda."

The unicorn seemed to pale at the kaiju's words. He stole a glance at his wife who also seemed drained of color. She stifled a cough and gestured for Shining Armor to return to his conversation with the Lunar General.

"Um… Lunar captain."

Destroyah shifted his head and his golden eyes rotated, reflecting the light as if sparkling orbs of pure gold, towards Cadence.

"Yes m’lady?"

"Erm… well, you see, the general whom was just present, Feather Wing, he is Gilda's brother and the initiator of this whole conflict. He is looking for his sister's murderer."

Destroyah paled for a moment, his pony side taking over, but he soon took back control and his mouth twisted into a fang filled grin, the light practically glimmering off of his bone-white teeth hungering to be stained with the blood of his enemies. An unholy glimmer of unbridled demented joy rose up from his soul to the foreword gaze of his blazing eyes.

"Then perhaps we should pay him a visit."

"NO! We should not raise more conflict! There is far too much at risk here!"

Destroyah immediately flattened his ears against his skull to help block out the earsplitting shout. Cadence was the first to catch herself and readjust her position to suit the changed situation, noticing Destroyah’s slight annoyance.

"What we mean to say is we must negotiate first. He is the king's son after all and should be treated as so.

“And think of the king, his father.” Shining Armor cut in, “If he loses both of his children, things could go very bad for us. He does have a pact with the dragons and we most definitely do not want them involved.”

"Indeed, that would not be preferable."

“So you see, I mean the griffon no harm.” Destroyah stated with a twisted grin. “For now…” he whispered to himself.

“Fine, you may go see him, but if there are any reports of his death, there will be consequences!”

“I am well aware of the situation. Rest assured that no griffon will be slaughtered on this night!”

“Good, I’m glad you can see past your primordial instincts that your previous form so desperately held onto.”

"Yes… well, we will retire now then."

"Very well. General, show the Lunar Guard Captain his chambers."

"Yes m’lady."

Scorpia gave Cadence a slight head tilt before walking up next to Destroyah. He nodded his head in a direction indicating Destroyah should follow. Scorpia led the kaiju down a corridor down to his room. Destroyah's tail snaked up and twisted the knob before pushing forward slightly and letting the door swing open with a slight creek. Destroyah walked inside cautiously, scanning the room for any signs of danger as he entered. He swiveled his head around, eyes roving over the large canopy bed, to the large dresser in the corner, to the desk opposite of the bed, and finally resting on the bathroom door. Destroyah nodded his thanks and used his tail to close the door behind him as he walked inside. Destroyah sighed, happy to finally be alone. He walked over to the desk and slid off his helmet, placing it on the hard wood. Next came his leg armor that covered his shins and would usually cover the hooves of a normal pony but these left his claws exposed. Finally he slid off his breastplate and crawled into his bed, curling up on top of the blankets. He was fine at his body’s temperature, not caring to dive into their satanic deaths of the cover’s warm embrace. Destroyah closed his eyes and let sleep take hold.

Later that evening…

As the shadows emerged from their corners, night took a hold of the world. Its dark grip encircled the city, creeping up from the depths and invading everything, choking the light into nothingness. Even the gentle glow of the moon was throttled this night out in the tundra. There was a taste of malice in the air and a chill that promised its deceitful touch. There was a soft clack as the lock on Destroyah's window was opened by a knife sliding between the panes. With a gentle push the window doors opened silently and a shadow slid into the room quietly. The shadowy figure slid up to the bed that contained the kaiju and rose up menacingly. Its glimmering eyes reflected in the darkness and its wings flared out to block out any light. Its claws moved ever so slowly to the demon's neck wanting nothing but to taste the flowing green blood throbbing beneath the devilish crustacean’s armor. The figure lacked to notice however the kaiju’s tail spasm. Destroyah’s crescent blade-tipped tail latched onto the shadow’s neck and began to tighten it’s grip, attempting to choke the life out of his attacker. As the would-be assassin choked in the firm grip of the pony demon, his own eyes budged, literally glowing with their own unholy light. Destroyah calmly stared at the intruder and threw it back into the glow of the moonlight shining through the open window, reveling FeatherWing.

"Give me one reason as to why I shouldn’t decapitate you now. Amuse me."

Destroyah lashed his tail out again and latched onto the griffon’s neck, once again choking him out. Realizing that he was unable to talk with a lack of oxygen flow, Destroyah slacked his grip enough to let air rush back into the griffon's windpipe and lungs. The griffon merely sat gasping for that precious oxygen that the demonic kaiju always seemed to deny living beings. He sat there gasping for a few good minutes before he finally answered.

"You bastard."

Destroyah closed his grip just a bit more denying the griffon a bit of air but not throttling it completely as he had been before.

"Hurk! Y-you killed my sister! I will have my revenge, I swear it! You pony scum living as though you are superior to everyone else! We griffons live in poverty and despair and you trot around on top of the world as if we are nothing more than trash to be thrown away! My claws will spread your blood and the griffons will once again be in their rightful place!"

Destroyah flashed one of its trademark psychotic grins, its razor white teeth gleaming in the dark. Destroyah dropped the griffon altogether and curled back up as though it was in no danger whatsoever.

"Leave. You may get your chance on the battlefield, though I doubt it. I will forget this incident, but you best leave quickly before I change my mind."

"Why you arrogant bastard!"

The griffon thrust forward to punch the demon but his tail came up from below and slashed at his throat, sending him back though dealing no physical damage.

“May that be a warning to you.”

FeatherWing stumbled back and held his throbbing lower jaw. He snarled at the kaiju in the blackness and lunged again. Once more the kaiju lashed out with his tail, slapping the griffon clear across the face, leaving a small gash with the blow. FeatherWing’s stumbled back again with little balance, stunned by the blow. His lower back and legs caught the window ledge as he stumbled back and he fell out of the window to the floor below. Destroyah waited a few seconds to hear the splat of his body hitting the ground but no sound emerged from beyond the window. Destroyah stared out the window to see the griffon fly off in defeat. The demon grinned, hoping to devour his ‘rival’ later at some point during the war. Dark chuckles rose from the room as he rested his head back down upon the soft cushions of his bed, slumber once again welcomed him back to its dark and twisted essence.

To be continued…