A stirring in Equestria

P.L.

It was a mostly sunny day above the Everfree forest. The bugs were buzzing, the birds calling, and the manticores were prowling. One particular manticore could be seen above, crashing through the underbrush below. He was a strong specimen, as far as the plants below his great paws could tell. He moved forward, causing as much destruction as

possible. Just daring anything to cross his path. He came to a clearing in the forest, suddenly stopping abruptly. His eyes shifted back and forth, nose beginning to work furiously. Something was wrong, very wrong. A sound came from behind him. He turned abruptly and loosed a bone rattling roar. Birds for miles flew from their perches and the ground vibrated below his feet. When he had finished, he waited. When no response came, he carefully approached the bush in the direction the sound had originated from. When he was within reach of the shrub, he swung at it with a mighty claw, tearing the entire bush from the ground.

Once the garden menace was gone, he immediately noticed a small furrow in the ground. About two meters long and only a third wide, but it was deep, about ten meters to the bottom. He walked to the left side of the small rift and looked straight down. Dirt and gravel were still falling down the sides. Even as he watched, he felt the earth beneath him rumble. He backed up a few feet quickly and eyed the hole. The rumbling grew in intensity, slowing building. The trees around him began to shake, their leaves falling all around him. And still the rumble grew. If anything could unnerve the manticore, this was it. He dropped to the ground and held his paws atop his head.The rumble, still ever growing, began to split the earth a little farther at the ends of the rift. Suddenly the earth opened, a great crack was heard as the earth was split in two. For miles in each direction the earth was sundered. Continuing until the ends were no longer visible and the crevice was at least a kilometer across.

As quickly as it began, the shaking began to die off. Only when the rumble had stopped did the manticore shakily get back to his paws. He slowly approached the edge of the newly made cliff. When he looked over the edge he was greeted with nothing. the bottom was no longer visible. He squinted his eyes, trying to glimpse the bottom. As he looked a red glow began to grow along the length of the rift. He didn't notice it at first, but when he finally saw it, it was too late. Red light burst from the great rift. Blazing forth with what sounded like an impossibly load roar. The light hit him force in the face. He loosed a roar in pain. His voice all but lost in the storm of noise around him. His was immediately set ablaze, instantly incinerating his glorious mane. He fell backwards only his back, his paws hopelessly clawing at his face. The fire turned from its current red and orange to an eerie green. And with the change in color, the skin and muscles began to literally evaporate

straight from his bones. He began to howl in unimaginable pain, but soon his howl was lost as his lungs burnt away. His skeleton fell to the ground, and he was no more.

The light died away. The unnatural roar slowly growled to an end. The skeleton on the edge began to twitch. Red glowing orbs came to life in the recently vacated eye sockets. The newly reanimated manticore rose to his bony paws and took its first breath of un-life. A voice echoed through the air, "You are the first of my new army. I will destroy this world once more" followed by a low growling cackle.