Grimwing peered outside as the ships stopped rocking. He carefully walked to the rail.
“Everything ok out there Grim?” Deckhoof called out.
“Aye,” Grimwing said as he looked at the water. It was back to its dark blue color. The pegasus stared at the water for a moment, lost in thought. What in th’ name oh th’ Sisters was that?' He had never experienced something like that before, as quickly as the roiling of the waters started it stopped. Now the sea was calm as if nothing had happened.
“Deckhoof I’m gonna see if th’ other ships are alright see if there are any damages.” With that Grimwing took off toward The Leviathan. He landed on the massive deck with a soft thud.
“That just happened right?” Quick Claw said as she stalked up to the pegasus.
“Aye,” Grimwing nodded.
“Damn and here I thought I was goin’ crazy,” she said. The gryphoness looked particularly shaken up by the event considering her tail was puffed out still. Grimwing couldn’t help but chuckle at the state of her fur and feathers.
“Ye look a bit nuts I’ll admit,” Grim said as he pointed to her tail.
“Oh hush up,” Quick grumbled as she smoothed out the fur on her tail. Once done she glared at Grimwing,” Anyway the ships fine. After all it’s a floating fortress.”
“Good. No one injured.”
“Nah,” she waved a talon through the air,” Just shaken up is all. Not every day the sea goes nutso.”
“Aye,” he turned and fluffed out his wings,” Lets continue on then.”
“Aye Aye sir,” Quick gave a mock salute, a goofy grin on her beak.
Grypons.’ Grmwing rolled his eyes and took off.
“So explain to me again Commander how a small raiding force took off with most of our slaves.”
Astral Spectrum, a dark cyan unicorn stallion with a greying blue and red mane, glared at the unicorn before him with an anger glint in his eyes. He annoyed, very annoyed. The yellow unicorn before him wore ceremonial armor stating his station as Commander. He was flanked by his two captains.
The commander gulped,” We were dealing with one of the False Gods High Priest. We did not know it would be a decoy.”
Astral nodded and remained silent, prompting the Commander to continue,” We were able to bring him down in the end of course but we were stopped from making the kill.”
“So to sum it up,” Astral said, his voice calm and even,” You lost well over a hundred good unicorns to this God,-“
“Umm False God High Priest,” one of the captains pointed out.
Astral turned to look at the fool slowly, his expression unreadable. The other captain and Commander froze on the spot. You did not interrupt the High Priest. Ever! They both relaxed as Astral smiled gently and stood up. He walked toward the captain, his purple silk robes swaying as he did so, and stopped right in front of the captain.
“Tefk qolh.”
An unequine scream ripped from the poor fool’s throat as his mind was assaulted with horrible and grotesque images. He wreathed on the ground in agony for a few moments before he fell still. His eyes were blank and devoid of emotion or thought. The other two unicorns paled at what they had just witnessed. Astral turned to them with that same smile still on his face.
“I can assure you Commander what you faced was no False God but a real one,” Astral trotted back to his cushion and settled back into it,” He is as much a god as our Beloved Princesses are. Him and all the other alicorns we have sighted. After all it was only a matter of time.”
“May I ask why my lord?” the commander asked his voice quivering slightly.
“Why yes you may Commander,” Astral waved a hoof through the air,” To simply put it they are here to judge us and bring order back to the world. To do the job our Beloved Princesses have forsaken.” He put a hoof to his chin in thought,” Now then where was I…Ah yes. When you were close to bringing the God down you were stopped but a pegasus and the rouge priestess. Am I correct?”
“Umm yes sir,” the commander gulped,” B-but we were able to lop half his horn off.” He extended a hoof to his remaining captain who placed a cloth on his hoof. The commander used his magic to give it to the High Priest.
Astral opened the cloth and gazed down at the white horn before him. It was easily as big as a unicorn horn but it didn’t have the width of a normal horn at its base. The older unicorn gazed up at the Commander, a grin playing on his lips.
“Very good Commander. It is good to know that tonight wasn’t a total loss. We may have lost slaves but they are replicable. Shade!”
A nightmare appeared beside Astral,” Yes my lord.”
“Send word to the Archmagister,” he looked down at his prize,” Tell her we have encounter one of the Gods.” He handed her the horn,” And send this to her as well. She will want her best unicorns on it.”
“Yes my lord,” she took the horn and vanished with a dark blue flash.
Astral looked to his commander,” Prepare a group of your finest soldiers. I and my counsel of Magi will be hunting this God down.”
“Sir are you sure-“
A strong black magic hold appeared around the Commander’s neck as he was lifted bodily into the air. His hooves flailed in the air, trying to find purchase as he choked. The captain backed away, shivering from the sinister feel of the older unicorn’s magic.
“Commander I am tired of this complete lack of discipline,” Astral dropped the Commander onto the ground, who gratefully took large gulps of air. ”Now then see to it my orders are carried out and leave me. I must prepare for my departure.”
The commander and his captain scrambled to get away from the High Priest. Astral looked up at the mural of Princess Luna in glorious black battlearmor, the moon full and bright at her back. A dark smirk crossed his muzzle,” If these Gods can bleed,” he chuckled darkly,” Then they can die.”
Crashing Wave greedily drunk from his large mug. Mead sloshed around the edge of the pewter mug, staining his fur. He drained it and slammed it down on the table beside him,” Aah nothin’ better than good mead.”
“Now then,” Washcloth said from across the room,” What in th’ hay happened just now?”
Crashing looked at his Captains, worry laced in their gazes. He looked to Bovir. The alicorn was glad to see him alive. Though Swansong seemed even happier, considering she clung to the minotaur as if he would vanish at any moment.
’No use leavin’ em in th’ dark.’ Crashing ran a hoof through his mane with a sigh,” That was me other half tryin’ ta take control. Each of me kin have a darkness in em that wants ta break free. Tis our burdens ta bare. My darkness or Other is the collective rage and hunger of the Leviathans given form.”
“But aren’t they under your control?” Softstep asked, her eyebrow raised.
“They’re not under me control,’ Crashing corrected,” True they come to me call but I’m just charged with keepin’ out of trouble so ta speak. Without me they’d turn on th’ mainland and reek ‘avoc. There are some of em that aren’t restricted ta th’ sea like Th’ Kraken and Firnes. An’ trust me they are more fearsome than even th’ strongest dragons. I’m connected to them and when I was sealed in me own sea by Celestia something formed from the darkness. It formed from the rage of th’ Leviathans an’ Iv’e been dealing with this thing ever since. I’ll admit I was a fool ta push me body ta that point. Mind I wasn’t in any real threat of dyin but that Thing inside me wanted out somethin’ terrible. I had to fight off th’ unicorns and keep ‘im at bay at th’ same time.”
Bovir spoke up,” So you’re in constant danger of that beast?”
“Aye,” Crashing sighed,” Though if I could get a hold of th’ Elements of Harmony I could seal th’ blasted beast away forever but I’ve a feeling th’ Bearers ‘ave corrupted em.” Crashing’s expression turned dark and he bared his teeth,” Ta be ‘onest I think they need ta be taught a lesson.”
“Then why don’t you?” Swansong said,” I mean they have obviously been the root cause of all this. Now granted we as ponies have blame as well but lest face it when the chips were down everypony turned to the Elements.”
Crashing wave mulled around her words for a moment before shaking his head,” If they get in me way then I’ll take em out, otherwise I won’t hunt em down.” Swansong stood up to protest but Crashing continued,” Lass they have th’ Blessing of Harmony. Even if they are corrupted they still ‘old th’ Spark that made em th’ Elements of Harmony in th’ first place. In th’ scheme of things they’re like Demigods.”
“So you won’t oppose Harmony unless you absolutely have to?” Bovir asked.
“Aye.”
“And what of your other kin?’
Crashing chuckled,” Lad we won’t be havin’ ta worry bout that trust me. I’m thick as thieves with most me kin. In two cases literally considerin’ of me Brothers was th’ best navigator I’ve ever sailed with and one of me Sisters watches over nature on th’ mainlands. Though she can be right," Crashing chuckled richly and licked his lips," Wild. I can assure ye mates I won’t be goin’ hoof ta hoof with any of me-“He stopped suddenly remembering a very specific god of Storms was walking the Mortal plain now too. Blast I forgot bout Torrential. He looked at his captains,” Well there might be one who’ll give me trouble but I’m sure he won’t.” Crashing chuckled and added mentally,’At least I bloody well ‘ope so.’