Demeaning. Absolutely unacceptable! I have never felt such contempt for my master in all my life, as he's sent me to die in the name of this backwater universe's local deranged maniac! Above all else, the oaf expects me to hide these two apes while we infiltrate only the most guarded, well-protected castle in the most fortified city in the world! Why so fortified, you ask? Bacause Malideus destroyed every other pony settlement, leaving all the smart ones to flock here, where resources are now BOUNDLESS! I swear, it's as if Malideus WANTS to die! I don't know what I did to anger you, Master Terridax, but please, TAKE ME BACK! I don't want to die here! Suddenly, though, my lament is cut short as we near the city walls, the blindfolded one, Illkurok, I believe, digs his caws into the rock wall, then grabs me and his partner. And soon enough, we're climbing. I haven't been here a week, and I'm already going to die. Master, why have you forsaken me to this idiot!?

"Hey, bug, you remember the plan, right?" Illkurok asks, interrupting my thoughts like the blundering monkey he is, as to be expected from anyone in the employ of Malideus.

"Of course I know the plan, you made me repeat it to you over nine thousand times!" I retort, and Illkurok smiles, and lifts me higher, to my shock. Oh Terridax, what is this primate doing!?

"Just making sure, leech... 'Cause you're going up first!" Illkurok says, and I immediately panic.

"W-wait! Isn't throwing me a bit extreme!?" I blurt, and Slizt catches up on the outburst, and replies:

"You're hanging with devils, now; extreme isn't in our dictionary." Slizt says, and I feel a sudden rush of air as I am flung into the air, and as I fall, I pray to what ever god or goddess that is listening that I don't die, because lord Terridax has clearly left me for dead. And then, suddenly, I land on a straw roof, or rather, THROUGH it, and crash onto a dinner table, shattering several plates, and cracking my exoskeleton. And then, as I get back on my belly, I see that I'm in a house of some kind, in a (thankfully) empty dining room. So, that done, I try to get off the table, when I hear someone shout, and I hear hoofbeats as a pony is running toward me. So, I leap off the table, and slide under a cabinet, hoping to have not been seen. Then, I hear the steps go past me, looking for whatever may have made the hole in the roof, and I slide past the unwitting homeowner, out the window, and into the street, then a back alley.

I prayed... and I received, it seems. I'm alive, if in some pain, and I can now finish my goal and hopefully glean some information, get out, and go home. Now, I just have to wait for the signal, which should be some explosion or another, judging by the usual habits of devils.

*BOOM!!!*

I hear the explosion go off, not even two seconds after I'd escaped that house, and sure enough, I saw ponies rushing out of their houses, all flocking to the burning wreckage of... of...

The house I'd just escaped. Indeed, there, as I saw, was the house I escaped from, now a husk of it's former self, and burning in an impossible inferno. Did... the devils intend to... no, they're not that smart. That depraved, yes, but not that smart. And an attempt on my life... they'd need serious smarts to pull it off without Malideus calling them out on it, and they still need me to get into the castle, so this just had to be a coincidence. Like I said, though, I needed to concentrate on the task at hand, so I can finally be done with this. So, without delay, I slid out from my shadows, and slithered into the street, darting from box to stall, stall to alley, alley to trash can, and so forth, evading all detection as I went. I had to make it to the castle alive, and the best way to do that was through the shadows... or...

Suddenly, I hit something hard, knocking me backward, and I look up after I recover my senses. However, what I see does not please me: A guard, and a big one. The guard then looks down at me, and shouts in exclamation:

"What the..? Hey!" The guard shouts, and he tries to grab for me, but I slide between his legs, causing him to trip, and as he falls, I get a brilliant idea of how to get into the castle undetected. In my current state, I'm not much use if I get caught, which the devils will certainly get me. But if I was a guard, I wouldn't have to even worry about hiding. Ah, just like master Terridax would think! So, as the guard struggles to get up, I steel my resolve, and rush up his leg, up his back, and finally rest on his head, preparing to bite down, and begin the process.

"What...? Hey! What are you.. Erk!" The guard manages to spit out, before I take his mind, and decide to test my capabilities, seeing as I've never done this before, and this whole prospect was new to me. But, It can't be any harder than controlling a Rahksi... right? So first, I tried talking.

"A-hem... Testing, testing, one two three, Assuming direct control." The body says on my behest, and I almost jump for joy at my minor victory. Now, I could see through this guard's eyes, so I could hide under his helmet, and I could move him, though my inexperience was underestimated, and the body's 'walk' looked more like the zombie dance from 'Thriller'... done by an actual zombie. But still, I made it work, and so I take my leave of the area, moving the host forward, and trembling with joy all the while. Why, this was going to be so easy after all! I don't know why I was worried in the first place! If all goes right, and it will, I won't just be in good with Malideus... Maybe, if I play my cards JUUUST right... I might be the one ruling Equestria... But that's a thought for later. Now, there was work to be done, and minds to be bled dry. If only Master Terridax could see me now...

So, after a while of failing at walking, I finally reach the castle proper, and show myself inside, meeting no resistance from the current guards standing watch, seeing that, as far as they were concerned, I was a guard. So, I made it inside without a hitch, and entered the main foyer, which, for all intents and purposes, was magnificent: Resplendent white columns, all arching up clean walls, with rather extravagant drapes flowing down. Why, in all my life, all I'd ever seen was the dreary, black halls of Terridax's lair... not that there was anything bad with it! It's just that this place seems so decadent, so well-made... Why would Malideus burn it all down? As I wonder this, though, I suddenly hear something behind me that makes me almost jump out of my exoskeleton:

"Hey you! What the fuck are you doing motherfucker?!" I hear a deep voice say, and I stop dead, and throw the body's hands up, in a gesture of surrender.

"I swear, I just back from patrol, and nothing else! You gotta believe me!" I cry through the host, and the characters behind me go silent, and then another speaks:

"That's for us to decide. Have you been drinking tonight, or something, soldier?" The unknown assailant asks me, catching me by surprise. What? Drinking? Drinking what?

"Uhhhh..." I catch myself saying, then I hear the faintest sound, like someone snickering, but before I can see who it is, the first guard barks another order at me, making me jump slightly:

"Alright, if you're not drunk, then start walking! Straight line, no bullshit." The guard says, and I begin to walk, when something catches me awry: I have seen many, many ponies before, even guards, and none of them have used such vulgar language in all my memory. I find this indeed odd, but in my fear, I do not call them out, lest they discover my true intentions. Then, as I finish walking a few feet in a straight line, I hear silence. Then, I hear that sound again, that distinct sound of someone trying not to laugh, but from behind me, where the guards were. Then, as if to confirm my suspicions, both characters simultaneously burst into raucous fits of howling laughter, and I turn around in anger to see... Slizt and Illkurok, both rolling on the floor, wearing guard armor. And they were laughing at me.

"Ha! This sod... the leech actually believed we were arresting him!" roared Illkurok, the oaf.

"Oh, that's too rich! Come on, leech, can't you hear a devil holding back his laughter!? Jeez, what a doof!" Slizt laughed, and I felt myself shaking in ill-concealed anger as the two stopped laughing, got up, and dusted themselves off before patting my host on the back as a sign of merriment.

"How... did you know it was me?" I ask through the host, and Illkurok shrugs, gesturing toward Slizt.

"Slizt made some doohickey that can read thoughts and brain waves, bro. Thought it'd help us locate guards, or find you if ya got lost or something." Illkurok says, and Slizt beams at the mention of his creation as I marvel at the ingeniousness of it. Yes, I was VERY unnerved at the thought of an obviously unstable and dangerous creature such as Slizt reading my thoughts and intercepting my telepathy, but indeed, it was rather... smart, shall we say. At least now they can identify me from the other guards by my thoughts...

"And that rather spazmatic gait with which you move your legs. See, I refrain from calling it 'walking', seeing as that would imply a steady, efficient movement, whereas what YOU do is more, say, shambling, jerking, twitching, or even just simply throwing one hoof in front of the other. No offence meant, of course. Just pointing out a note." Slizt says, interrupting my thoughts. Okay, now I'm starting to take back my thoughts of the device being ingenious. Now it's just annoying, much like its creator.

"Alright, break's over. We came for info, be that in the form of plans, notes, maps, or in Leech's case, stray thoughts." Illkurok says, and Slizt turns attentive for a second, and looks down a hallway at seemingly random.

"Hmm... fine. I'll check the west corridors. Illkurok, You'd be best off checking upstairs, since high ground is your forte', and Leech here," Slizt says, jerking a thumb at me, to my chagrin."... Will check eastern corridors. Clear?" Slizt asks, and Illkurok suddenly gets defensive, and stands tall, puffing his chest at Slizt.

"Who said you were in charge, nerd? What if I want the eastern corridors?" Illkurok asks, glaring at the opposing devil, but Slizt just gazes back at him with a bored expression, having found absolutely... how did Malideus say it... 'No fucks to give', I believe?

"Alright, Illkurok. WOULD you like to take the eastern corridors?" Slizt replies flatly, and Illkurok hesitates a moment, scratching his horned chin, and replies after a moment of thought:

"Uhh... Which way is east again?" Illkurok (unsurprisingly) asks, and Slizt sighs, hitting his snout with his palm, before responding:

"Just go upstairs, Illkurok. Leech, go that way. That leads to the guard quarters and has the quickest way to the throne room." Slizt says, pointing at the entrance behind me, and I suddenly find myself struck with a very odd question.

"How could you possibly know that, devil?" I ask, and Slizt answers me with remarkable speed:

"I did thorough area ultrasounds and bio-spectrometric scans on this place an hour before we pranked you here. Plus, it says so on the sign." Slizt says, and he then points to a small plaque beside the hall entrance, with clearly reads 'Guard barracks, bathrooms, and shortcut to throne room'. At that moment, I swear I did what more fleshy creatures call 'blushing'.

"Oh." Was my only reply.

"Now, if you two nitwits are finished having a dick-measuring contest with me, I can safely call myself the winner, and you two can kindly get to pissing off. Sound good?" Slizt says, and Illkurok grumbles something incoherent and flips the steampunk-wearing devil his middle finger, but still marches upstairs nonetheless. And then, as Slizt finally turns to walk down the western corridor, to Terridax-knows-where, I finally turn to the eastern corridor, not very pleased with this outcome. I have been insulted, terrified for my life, and bossed around by a minion. I swear, if I live to see this through, I can only hope Terridax comes back for me and burns this world to its bedrock. It would only be fitting, after all.

However, as I attempt to 'walk' down the eastern hall, I soon find that what Slizt said was right: I am not good at walking in this body. Surely, as I see, it's becoming increasingly obvious that if I continue moving on this body, I will be caught before I can learn anything. But if I'm on my own, then everything could be deemed a potential threat. I think on this for a minute, and I soon reach a reluctant decision. Finally, I detach myself from the host guard, and get away from him as fast as possible, before he wakes up.

And now, in hostile territory and very vulnerable, I at least have the option of stealth, and I try to make the most of it. So, sticking to the walls and shadows, I slide down the hall, looking into several empty rooms along the way. But all the while, I feel something is... off. I can't explain it, but whenever I can, I keep checking behind me, expecting to see someone following me, but I can't see anyone. It's unnerving, to be sure, but I keep my steely resolve, and press on. If someone IS following me, I'll surely find out soon, or at least lose them. After all, I am a master at hiding, and no living thing can track me for long.

So, that in mind, I scan the hall before me one last time, and slither forward, still not quite sure what to look for. A barracks? A planning room? I have no idea.

'Maybe if I find the princess herself first, I can search her brain for any promising leads on what's happening here. If anyone does, it's got to be her.' I say to myself, and with a destination in mind, I go forth with renewed haste, eager to get to the throne room quickly, before anyone realizes we're here. However, even at my surprising speed, the hallway seems to stretch on forever, though I have no problems with any guards. In fact, I don't see a single one; it's as if they all... vanished. But why? Surely the princess would have guards swarming the area... Maybe she didn't expect Malideus to get this far this time...

'Or maybe the devils screwed up and got themselves captured...' I think to myself with a slight chuckle. If this is the case, then that may complicate things, but at least they drew away the gua...Woah!

*CRASH!!!*

I just manage to stop short of a sudden death as a pedestal inexplicably topples over, hitting the floor in front of me, and I jump back as the vase it carried fell as well, almost crushing me like the pedestal.

"... I... What..? What was... What just happened!?" I stammer to no one in particular, so I don't think anyone hears it. But still, that was scary. Out of nowhere, a giant, marble structure just up and falls over, almost crushing me, and the vase with it. If I had been any closer, I would have been reduced to a crushed shell and a puddle of ichor in moments, or at least trapped, and easy pickings to be captured or killed. Now, my first thought is to move on, but something is very, very wrong here. That pedestal just tipped over and fell, without any stimulus or reason, like some invisible force just pushed it over. Now this, and before, I had the dreadful sense of being followed. By the masks... Someone wasn't just trying to follow me... Someone is trying to KILL me!

Immediately after the post-trauma epiphany, my mind begins to race to questions and conclusions, none of them making sense. There are no guards in the corridors, so who is following me, if anybody? Who would want me dead, but be discrete about it? Oh, all this stress is making me sick... but... it's so tantalizing, being chased, and the mystery of it all is so invigorating and new! Suddenly, my mind races to one last, most probable conclusion:

There is something in this castle so dangerous and secret, someone doesn't want me finding it. But what in the world could that be? It makes no sense. The devils can't want me dead, they still need me... Or do they? That question in mind, I mentally mark them as primary suspects for this failed attempt of murder. After all, they said they had a way of tracking me, several, in fact. But what have I done to provoke them so?

Then there's Luna, she who governs the night. She could easily find a being of shadow in her domain, I suppose, since our affinities match. On top of that, she could very much use unseen telekinesis, and has every motive in the world to have me dead. But why so discreetly? Maybe not to alert the devils? How would she know they were there, if she hadn't caught them already?

And what of the Mane Six? Surely they would have the ability, the motive, and a reason to keep it quiet! After all, with all the stress their princess is under now, maybe a few enemies simply 'disappearing' would prevent further damage... Aargh, so many suspects, so few answers... I have a job to do, but if I am to survive to make it back to master Terridax, I must find out who's trying to kill me... before they succeed.

So, I change my course, and begin skulking at a slower pace. I come across more empty rooms, but I still search them, and hide when I get that feeling again. And then, after a moment of finding nothing, I exit each one, until I reach the first closed door I've seen since I got here. It wasn't massive, but it was certainly more fortified than the others were, and it had an extremely ominous feel to it, and my ichor ran cold when I looked upon it. I then tried to look for a plaque or something to tell me what room it was, and I did find a sign, but it only read:

"Authorized personnel only. Keep out."

As I read it, I begin to get an icky feeling up my back, but I know that this was the very thing I'd come for. This door... the secrets within... This is the kind of thing Malideus wanted brought to his attention! If I could only open the door, I could get in, steal what's inside (without the devils knowing), and escape, and get all the credit! This is excellent, brilliant, even! Suddenly, though, my thoughts are interrupted by the sound of armored hoofbeats, and I know that there are guards afoot.

Seeing nowhere to go, and doubting that they had the key to this door, I decided to attempt evasive maneuvers. So, sliding toward the pedestal, I quickly found the gold vase (which was made of gold, and therefor intact), and quickly slithered inside it, just as the sound of hooves rounded the corner, and stopped as I bacame comfortable. Suddenly, one of the guards yells something, and I hear them rush toward my position, and I heard the ponies lift the pedestal to its previous location, and they lifted the vase after.

"Hmm... this vase seems heavier than I thought..." One guard says, and I feel the urge to panic, but I maintain my calm as the guard sets it on the pedestal.

"Ah, the thing's made of solid gold. What did you expect?" The other guard says, and the first one sighs in acceptance.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Let's get with it, then." she says, and then the two both walk away from my location, and as soon as their hoofbeats vanish, I wait another moment, peek my head out of the vase, look around, and find no one nearby. So, I quickly tip the vase again, resulting in another loud crash, and I slither away as fast as possible before those guards come back to investigate. So, having escaped one possible scenario of certain death, I begin to slide down the hall again, hoping to find a janitor or someone with the key to that locked door, and maybe to find out who wants me dead.

I begin to think as I move, and I come up with an answer to do both: If someone is trying to kill me, they must be affiliated with whatever's behind that door. If I find the key, which may or may not be on my pursuer, they will come for me with doubled tenacity. But, there is a chance that I could obtain it secretly, and use whatever's behind the door against them! I mean, with all the secrecy behind it, it has to be a weapon of some kind, right? Or maybe some valuable information! Or maybe information on how to build the weapon!

Oh, the possibilities are endless! If I only had that key, I could find what lay within... but where to look? I can't begin to grasp an idea at first, but soon, I begin to get a vague idea: This door holds something no one else can see, so obviously, only very trusted members of Celestia's army could hold such a key. My first thought is an officer of some kind, but I immediately draw that thought back, seeing as officers seemed to be too untrustworthy with such secret information... but if anyone knew who entered or exited the room often, it had to be one of them.

So, seeing no other option, I sped along down the hall, looking into barracks for anyone with a peculiar uniform to latch onto. But, alas, as I search, my hope of finding such a pony dwindles away, and the feeling of being followed grows in its place. That is, until I see the oddest thing: A tall, ornate guard, his armor well-adorned and painted blue, with a shield insignia. I have never seen this pony before... but he seems very important. as he walks by, I slip behind another pedestal, and stalk him further, preparing for the moment to strike, when I know who he is by how he interacts with other guards. If I am to attach to him, I might risk getting caught, so I must make sure my target is who I think they are.

Luckily enough, some guards walk by soon, and I hide, observing the reactions: The other guards, upon seeing him, quickly stand at attention and salute, which is swiftly returned by the more important individual. So... I now have my mark. But just who is this one..? I suppose I'll have to find out for myself. So, as soon as the other guards leave, I slide out of hiding, catching the guard's attention.

"Wha..? Who's there!? Show yourself!" The guard cries, searching around wildly, and I stay just out of his field of vision, long enough to climb up the wall, right behind the guard, and as soon as he turned around, he only had time to gasp before I pounced, catching his face, and latching onto his head as he struggled to remove me. A valiant effort, but a wasted one nonetheless.

"Mrph! Geroff mf!" The guard cries, still pulling at me, and I feel my grip lessening, but not before I get into his head, and begin divulging information from it, seeing as his willpower was too strong for me to simply take him over. Why, it's almost as if this individual has been through such a process as this before. And as if to add to this theory, he fights me even harder, slowly gaining the upper hand in our mental duel.

"You're so annoying... I can see why Malideus wants you all dead..." I blurt, and apparently the pony heard me, because I feel him realize something, and he throws a thought back at me:

"Malideus sent you!? Should've known that snake was behind this! As soon as I wipe the floor with you, bug, I'm due for a rematch with your boss!" He says, doubling his efforts to be rid of me. But still, I remain strong, and the blue-maned oaf continues to vocalize and bump into walls while I scry his thoughts and memories through his head. They appear before me soon enough, and I quickly find myself entranced by them as the guard falls limp, succumbing to my rather potent venom.

I see in his mind many things; a younger sibling... a sister, by the looks of it... her name... is Twilight Sparkle!? This stallion's name... is... Shining Armor... and he has a wife... he fought off changelings... and he threw his wife over a balcony to kill an evil king... and he fought... against Malideus?! I can't even begin to fathom the extent of his memory at this time, so as I look, I begin to search for any memories concerning that door in the hallway, the locked one, the door that compels me so, to the brink of madness itself... Aha! I have it!

"At last... I see! The key... it is here!" I hiss mentally, leering like a maniac. At last, I have found the clue to the key's location: it was on Shining Armor the whole time! Of course! It only made sense, after all, seeing that he was captain of the guard, and Celestia trusted him wholly.

"Keh heh heh... Sorry, Shining Armor... but I'll be taking this key of yours. Nothing personal... just business." I mentally laugh. So, without so much as a second thought, I detached from the drugged pony's snout, slid to his belt, and sure enough, I found a keyring!... but there was a problem:

It holds so many keys, how am I to find the right one!? How do I know where to begin before the great sod wakes up? Frantically searching, I very quickly give up on searching after I feel the body twitch, and I resort to my last option: I spit a highly corrosive acid on the ring, detaching it from its holder in seconds, and wrap my tail around what remains of it before slithering off at breakneck speed toward the door I saw earlier. At last... I was about to bear witness to something great! Something amazing! But... I have to stay cool. If I lose my professionalism now, it could well be the end of me. So, taking a quick moment to calm my nerves, I take each key (using my mandibles), one at a time, and try the lock.

The first one is a brass key, a bit tarnished, but still very shiny. Definitely a souvenir for myself once I escape. However, though the key slides in perfectly, it does not turn, so I drop it for now, a bit frustrated that this key was not the right one, but still deciding to keep it. The next key I attempt is a similarly-sized iron key, though it is far more tarnished and sinister, as though it was meant for the dungeons instead of this door. Still, I try it anyway, but the key doesn't even go in the lock, and I toss it aside, upset at its uselessness, but still undeterred. Besides, as the old saying goes, 'third time's a charm', right? So, picking up the next key, a red-painted, rather thick key with a design i'd never seen before, I try the lock one more time. The key, to my relief, slides in with a click, and as I turn it, to my happiness, I hear the mechanism turn and unlock with a dull 'thud'.

'At last! Her secret is revealed!!! The secret behind Celestia's door... is mine!' I blurt, and as the door opens, a rush of hot, stale air rushes out at me, and I feel two familiar things: A sense of unbearable dread, as if being watched, and the presence of... of...

'T-Terridax?!' I wonder 'aloud', feeling a horrible, oppresive feeling of darkness wash over me from behind the door. But, alas, I see no sign of master Terridax, or my pursuers. But I know that the latter are nearby, as I can sense them. But though they are near and aware of me, the watchers make no move, so I slither into the hot, dark room, green lights and Tesla coils being the only source of light available. The whole room gives me a faint sense of dread, as if something horrible dwells within this locked room, on top of the always-present feeling of being stalked. But I continue on despite my fears, and climb onto a table, hoping to get a better view of the room itself. on top of the table, though, I find several instruments, none of which I am familiar with, though their functions must be gruesome, and a small logbook, written in the equestrian language.

Quaint, this book... and I can read equestrian... but should I..? I mean, what horrible secrets could it hold? I... I manage to refrain from looking at it, fearing such a distraction would waste my time, and I look around the green-lit room. All around me, to my horror, are various hooks, claws, and other unsightly holding devices, some holding bits of machinery, and on another table, I see something... odd. It's... it's emanating the same presence as master Terridax, though it appears to only be a stone of some kind.

'Curiouser and curiouser...' I think, and against my better judgement, I leap from my current table onto the opposite one, and begin looking on it. On this table, though, is more than just the odd stone; I notice many papers, all of them appearing to be drawings of some kind, like a schematic, all depicting some kind of humanoid figure... a robot, perhaps? A suit? I can't begin to say. But as I turn away, my eyes fall on the stone again... and I'm suddenly drawn to it, sensing my master within its essence. And as I approach the black rock, I notice... writing! MATORAN writing! This... this is Terridax's summon sign! But how... Why..?

As I look, I suddenly feel drawn to something beside me. I turn to gaze briefly, just to identify it, and I jump back, startled, and officially transfixed by the odd... thing... that just hung there by two claws; at first glance, a headless robot of some kind, in the vague shape of... well... I don't know. Upon inspection, the odd construct bears a humanoid likeness, but the shoulders are lower, or is it that the neck is too long? Either way, the combination of these traits gives the thing a slumped, primal-looking aspect, though it's arms are thick and powerful-looking, each one bearing a holed construct of its own on the wrist area, and the right one bearing some kind of over-sized gauntlet, or some other wrist attachment.

Then, there was the body itself: Segmented, worm-like, and very sinister, with a massive, barreled chest , and a body that seemed to be made of green tubes and black metal plates that tapered down from the chest into a tail-like point, the only break in tapering being the pelvis, which bore two round-ish, but powerful-looking legs, that ended in clawed feet, two claws each, just like its hands. And judging by the neck, or rather, the groove where a neck should've been, it looked like it was to be piloted by something else... in fact... it looks like that groove... would fit me perfectly.

Just then, out of nowhere, as the parts of the robotic suit, Makuta's stone, and the security of the room came together, I was struck with an oppressive sense of horror. The suit... it was obviously to be piloted by a kraata, or something similar! But how did they find out about the stone? About Terridax, even?! This... this makes no sense! And how did they get the stone!? Terridax above, why is this not making sense!? How much else do they even know? I have to find out! So, without another thought, I jump over to the open logbook, and start reading through it. As I do, things start becoming clear to me:

Apparently, the ponies have been spying on Malideus, ceasing reports only at the end of his little 'uprising', when one spy was caught in the act by a Rakshi, and got his wings melted. He escaped, but managed to grab the discarded Makuta stone, and report back to Celestia with reports of damaged rakshi, and included detailed descriptions of their anatomy, Terridax's physiology, and... the kraata within the rakshi! It was all so convoluted... so... unreal! How could they have made a machine like this so fast, anyway? What reason would the ponies have to even use it!? And more importantly...

"Who's even in charge of this operation..?" I mentally ask, but I must have accidentally blurted the thought, because not long after I heard the door close, and there stood a pony, female, by the look of it, with a white lab coat, and lavender mane, and I recognize her immediately from the captain of the guard's memories: Twilight Sparkle. And immediately after I come to the realization, the young Twilight responds, a dark confidence in her voice:

"That would be me." Twilight says, and I immediately go on the defensive, backing away from the lavender pony as she speaks again.

"Now, what on earth is a construct of Malideus doing here, and how did you get past the guards?" She asks, and I stop, stricken by sudden offence at her accusation. 'Construct of Malideus'? How dare she accuse me as such!

"How dare you! I am no creation of that imbecile of a magician! I serve Terridax, and no one else!" I telepath back to her, and I feel her curiosity grow as she stalks toward me, making me more nervous with each step.

"So Terridax is the name of that robot he summoned? How interesting. And you are his creation, you say?" Twilight asks unnervingly, still stalking forward, and I begin to lose my confidence as she approaches me, though I soon reach the end of the table, and am forced to reply.

"Y-yes, I am... and you even think about capturing me to implant to that sick machine of yours..." I respond, gesturing to the robot suit. "I will be sure that master Terridax knows of it!" I finish, and Twilight seems pensive for a moment, but then walks over to the Makuta stone, and picks it up like a plaything, smiling the whole while.

"Oh, you mean through this? Sorry to burst your bubble, but this stone only works once, it seems, and there's nopony else here to save you. So go ahead, try to call for help. No one will come, leech." Twilight taunts, leering at me with a bestial intensity. But on a side note: Why does everybody keep calling me 'leech'!? Other than that twinge of annoyance, I soon realize her intentions, and quickly lose all confidence. The devils were in entirely different sections of the castle; they weren't going to help me now. This... this is the end. Me, against a unicorn of Twilight's caliber... I might as well have been fighting a hungry Muaka by myself!

But still, I remain silent, and get ready to jump and flee at a moment's notice.

"You're twisted, pony! This suit, this lab, these experiments... it's sick! But if you want me... you'll have to catch me!" I mentally exclaim, and instead of retreating like I planned, my body leaps for Twilight, who seems as surprised as I am, and can't even get her magic up before I latch onto her face, and much struggling finally ensues. I fight valiantly against the insane princess-to-be, using my potent venom to try and subdue her, but her strength seems to be far greater than her brother's, and I sense a chemical in her system, one that seems to have been keeping her awake for weeks despite her kind's need for sleep. Suddenly, I hear Twilight laugh, and she manages to loosen me from her face long enough to taunt me:

"You think you can put me to sleep? I've had ten cups of coffee before now! You'd need a lot more than this to make me blink!" Twilight exclaims, and I curse myself for not anticipating that she would prepare herself for anything, even my anesthetic venom! But I can't give up yet, seeing as my survival rides on this fight, so I adjust my plan a little bit, and move myself into position to choke her out. If I can't drug her, then I'll knock her out the old-fashioned way! So, our struggle continues, and I soon get my tail around her neck, but in my haste, I leave myself open, and Twilight grabs me, and yanks me off of her, tossing me into the suit at full force, leaving me dazed and weak, unable to even move as she towers over me, laughing and glaring at me.

"Alright, leech, prepare for your examina-" She manages, until a loud 'clang' rings out, causing her face to go blank for a second, before she mutters something again. "Uhhhn..." Twilight groans, before collapsing on the floor. And there, behind her, are...

"S-Slizt..? Illkurok..?" I manage to think, seeing the two familiar shapes, one of which was holding a frying pan, when the two look at each other, then at me. Then, Slizt speaks up first, breaking the silence.

"Vitals are weak. Looks like the broad got him before we could." Slizt says, confusing me. 'before we could'? What's going on..?

"I don't know, I smell life from him. He's not dead, and he's still conscious." Illkurok says, and Slizt replies.

"Hmm... I see it, too. But he won't be either for long, so we'd better get moving. Take that logbook and let's git." Slizt says, and at that moment, I find the strength to get up, surprising the two, and voice my concerns.

"What..? You two... aren't you going to take me with you..?" I ask, and Illkurok smiles, a predatory, evil smile, and Slizt responds, his face expressionless.

"Well, he's really alive. Well, sorry to rain on your parade, leech, but we're not taking you." Slizt says, and I feel my hearts drop as a feeling of dread and confusion washes over me like a tidal wave.

"W-what..?! Why..?" I manage, and Illkurok finally chuckles a little, and speaks:

"Because, you're not one of us. And if you're not absolutely with Malideus, you're absolutely against us." Illkurok says, and though I'm confused and heartbroken by this turn of events, I still manage to continue. I have to know why!

"B-but... why..? I helped you devils... and your master... isn't that enough?" I ask, and Slizt responds first:

"You may have helped us get away with this little trip, but what have you really done for Malideus lately? You're still with Terridax, and we know you've been helping that robot influence the boss." Slizt explains, and Illkurok joins in after, worsening my sense of irrepressible dread.

"Plus, you're kinda useless. I mean, look at this! You managed to knock out a guard and a rank-entitled doofus, and then lose to said doof's little sister. Way I see it, Malideus is better off not worrying about your sorry tail, leech. Like I said, nothing personal. Just business." Illkurok finishes, and I feel my insides twist up in a flurry of emotions I can't even begin to describe. I've... been betrayed?

"H-how... how could you know Terridax was influencing Malideus..?" I ask, and Slizt steps forward, brandishing a small, brass box of some kind, with hundreds of little tubes, wires, and antennae protruding from it.

"This is my latest creation, the Mental-Analytic Wave Interception Device, or M.A.W.I.D, for short. With this, Me and Illkurok have not only been tracking you throughout the castle without your knowing, but we've also picked up on some disturbing thoughts, including those involving your allegiance to that Makuta fellow, as well as transmissions from his universe, which we have followed to Malideus himself." Slizt says, taking a breath, and he continues. "So, in short, we knew about your little operation from the beginning, leech... we were just waiting to catch you in a place where your untimely 'disappearance' wouldn't be questioned by the boss." Slizt explains, leaving me feeling as empty as possible inside.

"But... what of Malideus... he'll surely ask what happened..." I retort, but Illkurok just grins, and replies with grim amusement in his voice:

"Heh, Don't worry about him. We'll tell him the truth: That you, while risking your life to obtain top-secret pony information, were caught while searching a lab that, unfortunately, was simply too well-guarded, and you oh-so-valiantly gave your life to give us time to escape." Illkurok explains, his face full of malicious glee, and Slizt nods, his expression still unreadable. Then, Illkurok continues.

"...So, in a way, you should be thanking us for this; instead of turning you in like we SHOULD, we're giving you the honor of being the martyr in this situation. You'll be hailed as a 'hero' over there, while in reality, you were just a pawn for someone who underestimated us devils a bit too much for his own good." Illkurok finishes, and I remain silent, but not because I have nothing to say; I simply am too weak to do anything now, and I feel my vision going dark as my strength wanes. But before I go out, I see Slizt and Illkurok walk away, taking the logbook with them, but ignoring Twilight and the suit. Then, as they leave, my vision fades to black, and I fall into unconsciousness....

Meanwhile, from Malideus's point of view...

I can't help but feel a sense of dread as I await my two devils and Jarvis, who have been gone since yesterday. It's so ominous, the way that this is all going. Gods wanting a piece of me, one trying to control me, and the robot I thought was pretty cool just went and stabbed me in the back, along with his leech friend. Now, I'm starting to consider cutting off all alliances altogether, to save me the pain. But, I still need who I've got, so I wait for them, three in particular. However, I do not need to wait long, because soon, I hear Mizzy approach, hopefully with good news. Taking the initiative, I speak first:

"Hey, Mizzy. News?" I ask simply, trying to avoid long conversation.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Oh, and I'm doing well, thanks for asking." Mizzy replies spitefully, and I sigh, my feelings consisting of mostly wanting to be left in peace, but that's no excuse to be rude to my accomplices. After all, it's just bad form, and leaves room for more rebellion. So, I swallow my pride for a second, and apologize.

"...Sorry, Mizzy, I've just been stressed lately. Please, don't mind me. What's the word?" I ask, and Mizzy seems to loosen up, and replies.

"Apology accepted, Mal. I know that this has gotta be tough on you. Oh, by the way, those devils you sent to Canterlot are back, but the leech isn't with them." Mizzy says, and I sigh, feeling a mix between joy for the devils returning, disappointment for losing another minion, and a mix of both after realizing he was probably a traitor. But how can I know?

"Thanks, Mizzy. I'll greet them myself." I say, and Mizzy shrugs, walking away. Then, sure enough, Slizt and Illkurok walk right up the ramp, and kneel before me. Then, they both get up, and I address them both respectively.

"Slizt. Illkurok. So, what's the word?" I ask, and the two begin their report.

"We have succeeded in our mission, sir; the information from the castle is here: They only know of your summoning of Terridax, and they are working on a suit to mimic his abilities." Illkurok says, and then Slizt takes over from there, giving me a small logbook and a continuation of the report:

"However, sir, this information was not without cost: During the retrieval of this book, a member of our team was lost." Slizt says, and I raise my hand, interrupting him.

"Yes, I can see that. Where IS Jarvis, exactly?" I ask, and Slizt and Illkurok look at each other, then at me, before Slizt answers back:

"You see, sir, during retrieval of this information, Jarvis was killed in action by Twilight Sparkle herself. In an attempt to buy us more time to escape, he engaged her, and it was only a matter of moments before he was torn apart by her." Slizt says, and frankly, I'm absolutely stunned. Jarvis... saved these two..? I thought he was a pawn of Terridax... Why would he do that..?

"Jarvis... saved you two?" I asked, still in a state of disbelief. And to my shock, the two solemnly nodded.

"Indeed. We didn't even have time to destroy the lab, though, which is why we suggest an immediate assault on Canterlot right now, so we don't risk the ponies learning anything else from Jarvis's remains." Slizt says, and I actually agree with him. Jarvis... Dammit, why do I keep losing people to these fucking ponies!? Still, I calm myself, and think. Okay... So, Jarvis apparently sacrificed himself to ensure I got this information... and the ponies are copying Terridax's technology to combat me, and will likely use Jarvis's body to further their goals. Well... if he did in fact do this, then I owe it to him to finish these pestilent ponies once and for all.

"... Right. You two, go get Kelias and tell him to make me a new H.O.U.N.D, but make this one the biggest he can. This time, I need something even Celestia, Luna, Ragnek, or anyone in that damn city can't wreck. Can you two do this?" I ask, and both nod, get up, and leave, leaving me to stew in my mixed emotions, none of them particularly positive.

Tonight, Celestia... Twilight... Luna... Tonight, you all die.

And now, to Celestia! Keh heh heh...

I looked at the mirror before me, in the armory where me and my sister Luna had retreated to to attempt something drastic once word of Malideus sending spies into our own castle had reached us. As I looked into the reflective glass, I took note of the armor I now wore, courtesy of Nathan himself, who turned out to be quite the accomplished metalsmith, even if the designs were a bit... impractical. For what I was wearing was a grand suit of armor, bronze in color and make, a strange make that involved many, many plates, and a plated 'dress' that circled my legs, and went down to my ankles. Then, as I finished looking at the armor, I looked at the helmet in my hands, which looked like a lion's head... or was it a wolf? I honestly could not tell, but it was certainly terrifying to behold.

Yes, even though it certainly did not seem practical, it certainly allowed for great movement nonetheless, and was definitely sturdy, and certainly not hard to look at. He had also made a new spear for me to use with the set, but I politely declined: My lance is all I need. And now, if Malideus was going to pull what I thought he was, I am certainly prepared, as is my sister, though she seems less enthusiastic about her armor than I...

"Sister, I understand that I have had a brief history of losing to Malideus, but... is this armor really necessary?" I hear Luna ask, and I turn around to see she has already donned her suit, sans the helmet; the set that, for all intents and purposes, looked like an obese human, though made of the same materials as mine, and with similar origin, by the look of it. An odd design, and not one that Luna was fond of, though the armor did allow good movement, and provided good protection. But still, it wasn't going to win any contests in elegant design.

"Well, I'm sorry, sister, but it was the only armor that could guarantee your protection from Malideus. At least you get a better weapon!" I try to reason, but Luna still seems against the idea of wearing it into battle.

"Yes, the hammer is a rather impressive addition to my arsenal, but this armor is absolutely ridiculous! Why in Equestria can I not have armor at least as practical-looking as yours? Or at least something thinner?" Luna asks, and I sigh, unable to find an answer.

"I don't know, sister, Nathan just said that these were popular designs where he was from." I reply, and Luna sighs, looking over her armor again.

"... Humans are an odd race, then." Luna says flatly, and I nodded, looking at my odd armor as well.

"Yes... odd." Is all I can say in reply. Even so, with this boon, we now have the means necessary to finally beat Malideus back, and hopefully defeat him for good this time... Fate willing, that is.

*BOOM!!!!*

I hear the explosion, and the whole castle rocks from the force, almost toppling us both, and leaving us both to wonder what just happened.

"S-sister, what was that!?" Luna asks, and I regain my footing, and look toward the door of the throne room.

"I don't know, Luna... but I think Malideus had something to do with it." I reply, glaring grimly at the explosion's general direction.

"...What do we do, Celestia? Do... do we fight it?" Luna asks, and I ponder this for a moment, and make my decision.

"No. Let it go. We have to prepare for an assault from Malideus, and this isn't him: that explosion was too small. Let's go prepare, Luna. Trust me, he'll come when he's ready." I say, and Luna nods in response. Then, silently, we make our way to the main lobby, to wait for Malideus. I know he's coming. He has to. And I don't think he's coming alone.

Meanwhile, with our Kraata friend...

"... Ugh... What... Where... am I..?" I ponder, seeing only darkness around me. Where am I, anyway? I... I don't remember... and my head hurts... what is this place...? I try to regain my bearings, but all attempts are thwarted by a lack of information or memory of this place. But despite this, I feel calm... tranquil, even. I just... have to get up... So, I try once. I find myself on my back, so I try rolling over once, and fail, but I try again, and find success on the second attempt.

That done, at last, I look around, my vision blurry, but it quickly adjusts, and I see... tables... test tubes... a rock... where am I? More importantly... WHO am I? I try to remember how I got here, but I have absolutely nothing, not even my name. Even my species is unclear to me, though I do seem to have a widespread vocabulary. Suddenly, interrupting my thoughts, I hear a soft groan, and I look over to see a... creature, of some kind, with purple fur, and wearing a white lab coat. A doctor... here? In this dreary, ominous place? It appears to be a lab of some kind... Could it...

Could I have been born here? It only makes sense, after all. but if this is my birthplace... then what is my name? Seeking an answer, I look around the room, past the unconscious scientist lady, and finally behind me. Then as I look, I see something: A humanoid figure... like a suit. a strange suit... and I feel drawn to it.

I look at where the head should be, and I see it would fit me perfectly, so ignoring the strange scientist for now, I slide toward the strange construct, and slide right into the groove in between the shoulders, and I fit right in, like I was meant for this suit. Could it be... could this be what I was made for? To control this suit? I don't know... but I like this thing. It feels natural. suddenly, plates in front of the neck raise, and I feel something clasp around my back, and I panic at first as the suit springs to life, causing the arms to flail, and they break the chains, so I fall. But as I land, I calm down.

I then begin to turn my head, and soon realize that the neck plates move with my worm-like body, giving me a field of vision.

"Huh... cool..." I think, but I soon cringe as the 'thought' booms out into the room, from the suit itself! It... it allows me to talk. Rather inconvenient for more private thoughts, but whatever, I'll fix that later. But right now, I need to find out...

"Uhhn... Uhhhh..." the scientist lady groans, and I suddenly remember that she's hurt. So, without another thought, I move my legs, which takes a while to get used to, but I manage with startling quickness. It's like I've done this before! Anyway, I then begin to walk over to the hurt scientist, and I shake her still body with my hand, inciting another groan, and the girl's eyes twitch, but stay closed.

"Huh... Hmm... H-hang on..." I mutter through my suit, and I move my left arm under her, and hoist the unconscious creature over my shoulder. Then, without delay, I walk over to what I assumed to be the exit, seeing as there was a door, but when I try to open it, I find it locked. Well, damn. This kid's hurt, I've no memory of anything, and we're trapped in here. If only I had a... wait. As I look to my right arm, I notice something: a large mechanism of some kind. If it is what I think it is...

"I... guess I'll have to find out..." I state, and without another word, I point the massive gauntlet at the door... and I'm nearly deafened by a massive explosion, one that rocks the whole place, and leaves a massive hole in the wall.

"Tre' bon... wait, what?" I say, wondering what I said, and in what language. But eventually, I decide that it doesn't matter, and I lift the unconscious scientist lady up again, and step outside, looking around. This place... these white halls, big, well-lit windows... it almost seems surreal. But still, despite my feelings of awe, I march on, still toting the strange creature, and I eventually find a couch, setting her down on it, in hopes someone will find her.

So, I walk away, hoping to find an exit to this place. This place... that seems so familiar. But I can't remember... I can't remember anything, try as I might, not even my own name...

'Kanden...'

The word drifts through my mind, and I catch it, reading it, in a sense. 'Kanden'?... This word... what the hell does it mean? I try to think on it, but as I do, the word keeps repeating in my head, and I soon begin to wonder... could that be... my name?

"Kanden... My name... is Kanden..?" I ponder aloud, holding my head to the side in a gesture of puzzlement. "... I like it... It's catchy." I finally say, deciding that word to be my name. I don't know a lot of things, though, like my purpose, my origins... I mean, there's no way I was made in such a simple lab as that one. I have to know who and what I am... but before I can do that, I first have to find an exit from here... wherever 'here' is.

However, as I begin to look for an exit, I hear something behind me... hundreds of 'somethings'. Curious, I turn around, hoping to see what the hell was making that noise... and I immediately wish I hadn't.

"Huh..? What the hell?" I say, and soon I see a whole army come running at me from the other end of the hall. And I don't know why, but I don't think they're here to give me directions. Finally, the group of golden-armored creatures is upon me, and they all have swords drawn and pointed at me, making me feel very uncomfortable.

"Halt! On your knees, creature! Now!" The one in front yells at me, and in my confusion, I simply stand there, look from side to side, and tilt my head quizzically.

"Are... you talking to ME?" I ask, pointing to myself. Suddenly, the lead creature lunges at me, swing his sword in an attempt to cut me.

"I said ON YOUR KNEES!!!" The creature yells as he swings, and I dodge the first swipe by instinct, and the next swing ends with his sword catching my shoulder... and immediately shattering. Okay... so these guy aren't friendly. Guess that means I don't have to be, either. So, cracking my mechanical knuckles, I tower over the flabbergasted armored creature, and give my polite response:

"Alright... How 'bout YOU get on YOUR knees, bitch?" I ask, leering at the terrified soldier. Suddenly, the soldier scrambles away, and the others jump back, obviously terrified of me.

"Uh... maybe we could just settle for 'hands up'..?" another soldier asks, and I turn my gaze to him, and watch as he and everyone next to him shrinks away from me like scared pups. "... Or maybe not..." He finishes, and as I finally turn around to walk away, I turn my head to make sure no one cheap-shot's me, and seeing no one attempt it, I walk away, completely unhindered. Soon, I find the giant double doors that simply HAD to be the exit, open them with little effort, and walk into the outside, finally free of that bland, wretched place.

But still, I have no answers to my questions, and that frustrates me. But I have to make due, maybe find somewhere to hide outside of this city. Soon enough, I find my answer: As I walk through the abandoned streets, I notice many pieces of paper, all bearing a face on them... or close enough, anyway. I look and see one by my feet, so I reach down to pick it up, and I find I read this odd language quite well, for some reason. So, I read the paper, and find the answer to at least one of my questions:

"Wanted: Malideus. Location: Everfree Forest, to the south. If found, report to Princess Celestia immediately, do not engage. Reward for capture, dead or alive: 100,000,000 bits. Preferred dead."

"So... this Malideus character is wanted here... And for quite a handsome price, too..." I ponder aloud, re-reading the reward; one million 'bits', whatever those are, and maybe the respect of whoever's in charge here... I could do that. But with a reward so high, he must be immeasurably dangerous. Maybe I should capture him... or maybe join him..? I'm not sure. But either way, I need answers, and this guy, dangerous as he is, might just have them. Or, if I end up shooting him first, I could take him to this 'Celestia' character, and have HER tell me my history? Well... either way, I win.

So, with a destination in mind, I begin my trek south, toward this 'Everfree forest', and hopefully, toward some answers.

Author's Notes:

Oh shit! Well, that happened.

Oh, and if you don't get the progression with 'Kanden', or formerly 'Jarvis', and why the devils betrayed him, then read up on Ssendamthemasked's 'Casting a Shadow'. You'll get it then.

And finally, Ha! I put my biggest dark souls reference yet in here, and I'll make a bigger one next chapter! Suck it!

And now, moar godz! Because I CAN!!!

Drolluxis: Old God of energy and storms. Drolluxis appears to few mortals on his own will, but when he does, he takes the form of a swirling mass of storm clouds, with a great red eye in the center. He is a vengeful and destructive old god, but is also an ingenious creator. His alignment is with Malideus, though he does not fully trust him. Drolluxis is allies with Goblada, Behemat, and Kragda-Maul, but enemies with Luft, Klein, and Lumi.

Oad: Old god of fear, psychosis, murder, and the undead. Oad, of all the old gods, is the least talked of, next to Ragnek, and his very name is said to invite death to those around the speaker. Oad is the only Old god that still has major influence over the world, since the royal sisters cannot quell 'the basest desires and instincts of all living things'. Oad is a despicable, horrendous creature of misery and destruction, but is not without his merits. In addition to murder, Oad also grants true sight to the blind and easily led, which many mistake for paranoia, and he gives strength to the weak and underprivileged, resulting in what many call 'revolution', and he alone can reveal both the best and the worst in sentient beings. Oad often takes a form befitting his grotesque nature, appearing as a gargantuan, serpentine abomination with a long spine, thousands of skeletal legs, and a cow skull with only one red, leering eye for a head. As of now, he seems to be pro-Malideus, but this may be subject to change. Oad, like a few old gods, has no allies, and many enemies.

Lithia: Old goddess of healing and mercy, and mother of Sillia, 'new' Old goddess of Healing and Mercy. Lithia is a unique Old god (or goddess) in the sense that she alone is ignored by Ragnek, and maintains a presence on Equestria that is felt by all. She usually appears to mortals in a form befitting her kindred, warm personality: A tall, graceful female humanoid, with a chime in one hand, and a medicine staff in another. Her views on Malideus are dull, but she and Sillia both believe he can be saved, and opt to take no action against him.

Gethys: Old god of death, the passage of death, and death's destination: the afterlife. Gethys is probably the only Old god with no successor, but it is likely that he does not need one, seeing that he is effectively immune to Ragnek's influence, being the God of death. Gethys is portrayed as the silent ferryman of the dead, gathering their souls to his boat, and helping them cross over from the waking world, to the land of the dead, and when enticed to appear, he does so in the form of a tall, lanky, robed figure, with no face to speak of, it being hidden in the shadow of his cowl. Gethys has ferried many, many souls in his years, but since Malideus came, his business has boomed, and the Old god is simply happy to be as active as he is, and has Malideus to thank for that. However, this does not mean he sides with Malideus, and he will actively avoid any affairs involving the wizard, save for ferrying the dead he has slain.

Gol-Garoth: Old god of rot, filth, and pestilence. Gol-Garoth, despite his charge, is a very aggressive Old god, and his hatred of all things pristine and beautiful has led into many a fight with many empires, and he has been the ruin of all of them. Not much else is known of this Old god, but he seems to find Malideus as the perfect instrument of all Gol-Garoth stands for. Gol-Garoth is hated by (and hates) Mundas, Luft, Sylphia, Klein, Djiin-Gytaxes (surprisingly), and Lumi, but is allied with Gethys, Goblada, Tyrranax, Rusty Shackleford (also surprisingly), and his son: N'Wal'gath.

Sylphia: 'New' Old goddess of light, purity, and beauty. It is unknown who Sylphia's parent was, as they died during the sealing of Ragnek the Unmaker, but this does little to dampen the spirits of this Old god, who continues to bless many empires with the beauty of eternity, though Shoggoth, Gol-Garoth, Tyrranax, Kaijurax and N'Wal'gath constantly attempt to thwart her at every turn, by destroying every civilization Sylphia blesses. However, Sylphia still always finds a new people to grace every day, and each promise of happiness and every smiling face gives her a little more power each day... that is, until Malideus showed up. Sylphia is allied with all but a select few Old gods, and her only real outspoken enemies are Gol-Garoth, Tyrranax, and Shoggoth. Her views on Malideus are quite bleak, and if it was in her nature, she would've up and slapped the evil crap out of him a year ago. In fact, she might just be leaning toward that course of action as we speak...

Gaian-Surr: 'New' Old god of art, decadence, greed, and power. Basically, he is the politician of the world of the Old gods, and it is said that, unlike any other Old god, he was once a mortal being before he was a god. However, his lust for power and wealth was so great, his being filled a void in the pantheon, ascending him to the luxurious status of godhood. But even with his near-perfect status, Gaian-Surr still seeks more and more wealth and power for himself and his followers, and even godhood has done little to sate his thirst for gold, power, and rare and expensive wine. It is said that when he was still mortal, Gaian-Surr was a member of a race that pre-dated ponykind, Griffonkind, and any other race that exists today, a race that was so magically and technologically powerful, it drove itself to extinction after a war that almost rendered the planet inhospitable. If this is true, then surely it wouldn't seem so far-fetched if more of them ascended with Gaian-Surr...
Gain-Surr's thoughts on Malideus are not hostile, and he actually finds the wizard to be a unique asset, though the reason why is unknown. His allies are few, though few dare to oppose him outright, due to his charismatic, if somewhat intimidating, nature... Except, of course, Mundas.

Noxus: 'New' Old god of ice, cold, and justice, and son of Goblada, Old god of earth and mountains. Noxus is an extremely virtuous and zealous Old god, and he and his followers desire nothing more than to distribute cold, hard justice wherever it is due, without loopholes and technicalities obstructing his righteous duty. Appearance-wise, he appears to mortals as a tall, bipedal creature of insectile build, with segmented digitigrade legs and bladed arms. But, though impressive in appearance, his personality is quite dull, with little in the way of humor or mercy. For some reason, he despises the ponies, and supports Malideus wholeheartedly in his endeavors... for now. Noxus is allied with Goblada, Ne-Gok-Sa, and Drolluxis, but is direct enemies with Gaian-Surr, Su-Bak-Na, Keenok, Tyrranax, Sylphia, Djinn-Gytaxes, Lithia and Sillia.