Harmony at Mind

The Arrival

        Princess Celestia watched as the visitor spoke, for an alien, he spoke with years of wise consul. The alien called Ahriman began to flicker, so did the rest of them, their weapons now pointed at the guards. And they flickered, and soon they vanished into thin air. One moment they were introducing themselves the next moment they’re gone. How could this be?

        She called the nearest guard, “Guard, send for a search party to find these bizarre creatures, I want to know more about them.But make sure nobody else other than the Element Bearers know about this anomaly, all right?”

        “Yes your majesty.” he replied.

        Then and there a search party was sent off to look for the Thousand Sons. You might be wondering where they ended up, well, that question is easy to answer. It’s a safe place.

Somewhere outside Ponyville

        Ahriman landed with a thud on the dirt. His insides felt like they were liquified poured out and put back in. Gladly, he arose, seeing something off in the distance, it was a settlement. Finally, he had arrived in paradise, a long needed paradise, really. He arose, the motorized joints of his armor whirring clicking back to life. So were the others arising.

        “Gather yourselves, there’s something...off to the north, looks like a settlement. Speaking of regathering, do we still have the cargo?” he asked.

        There was no answer, instead a crate was placed before him.

        He thought, normally these guys are eager to learn and follow me like sheep to sheperd but what makes them so docile today? Perhaps its the alien world, the peace and the horses, must seem to them that my true intentions are not clear, even after ALL THESE MILLENIA! Or perhaps it’s the instant teleportation, eh, it always throws people off.

        “All right, let’s move out, no doubt they’ll send a search party after us.” said Ahriman.

        The cabal moved onward like a steam train, a great contrast in the Equestrian plains. Predatory animals made way for them, nothing dared attack them. A few merchant carts stopped by, all of them dropped dead in fear of the sorcerers. After about an hour something was learned: there were three kinds of these aliens, a kind that flew like pegasi, things with a single horn: unicorn, and the standard naked horse.

        Soon, the settlement was in sight, just a hundred meters, a wooden sign read:

Welcome to Manehattan

Population: 45,200

        “Brother Acheron,” said Jacopo, another sorcerer, “how do you think the residents will react to us? For we were warriors trained to forge interstellar empires, I do not think any xeno on this world knows war.”

        Acheron responded, “Well, can’t we all change our forms, after all, there are many Pavoni amongst us. Say, greet them, then some of us will morph into their form, watch this.”

        Acheron’s hand began to quiver as if about to burst, blood began to seep from it, the skin slowly disconnected from the muscle. Then the muscle trembled and fell off like a scab. Revealed was a blue hoof!

        “Wha! Well, actually you’re a Pavoni so I guess you can do that with ease.” said Jacopo.

        Soon the forms of the ponies appeared, they still had the element of surprise. Ahriman stopped. So did the rest. He turned around and said. “These creatures are not going to cooperate if we go in like this. So, we all know how to do Pavoni spells, right? Well, we go in to the village,er...city in their anatomies, you all think that’s good? Good.”

        The cabal exchanged worried glances under their helms. And they did as he indirectly instructed. All of them morphed into ponies. They shared a similar stature. They were all unicorns. On their flanks were the ouroboros. But Ahriman had a blazing sun on his right. Their eyes black as night, and power and intellect beyond measure, they proceeded.

        Indeed it was a city, somewhat like a pre-heresy Imperial spaceport. The streets were hustling and bustling and the ponies went about their business. As if by instinct, the cabal knew where to go, the city hall where the mayor dwelled. This was going to be like another campaign during the Great Crusade. They proceeded onward to town hall, ignoring the fearful glances of citizens. Off in the distance there was a shipyard, obviously it was a port city.

        At the city hall, they met the mayor, a young mare going by the name of Ginger Grace.

“So, you guys are not from here, what can I help you with?” she asked.

Ahzek Ahriman said, “The two rulers of this land where are they, and could you arrange some transportation to the city where they live.”

Stunned by the strange pony’s ignorance of his surroundings she replied, “You mean the Princess Celestia and Luna, yes they live up in Canterlot, and YES I could get you and your buddies outside a train ride, all I ask is that you tell me where you’re from.”

“You sure about this, my armor and weapons don’t tell you enough? Very well then. My brothers and I come from a distant land to the east called Prospero, oh it was beautiful green land full of trees, teeming with life. In the population there were a majority of unicorns. One of us, a great one, our king, Magnus the Red, a great ruler. One day strangers arrived, they were from the south a place called Terra, the head of the strangers was known as the Allfather. The Allfather was a godlike being even more powerful than Magnus, who was His long lost son. With the Allfather was an army of super soldiers called the Thousand Sons, I was one of them. Magnus quickly accepted his father and we set about conquering new lands. But then a hundred years later came a Great Betrayal one of the Allfather’s sons, Horus rebelled against him, Magnus attempted to warn the Allfather, but the he suspected Magnus the traitor. And sent Leman Russ, another son to kill off the Thousand Sons. We held out for days in Prospero, they set fire to our land, on the brink of defeat Magnus teleported his whole legion to the moon. But we suffered horrendous mutations on the moon and I came up with a spell that turned most of the Legion into dust and trapped the souls in their armor forever. I saved yet damned the Legion, and so I was sent into exile with my “buddies outside”.” said Ahriman.

“WHEN did this happen?” Grace asked.

“Only a few months ago.” he lied again.

Exchanging glances, Grace led them out the city hall, and had a guard send the sorcerers to the train station. And they were off to Canterlot.