Lady Zephyr preened her wings while she waited on the mountain top. Her beak picked at the black feathers covering her wings and chest. While she worked on her secondary feathers along her left wing, she saw one of her undyed feathers falling to the ground below. She stopped preening and looked as the blue feather slowly drifted to the ground, lying to rest next to a blood stained fang. Her lover’s fang… stained with the thrice cursed blood of the blackhearted beast that had murdered him. The large griffin extended her wings releasing a screech of fury, which could only be known by one who had suffered the loss of losing half of their own soul. Her cries of despair filled the air, as storm clouds rolled across the horizon blotting out the sun and releasing thunder and lightning. Each beat of her mighty wings unleashed a whirlwind that slowly circled the mountaintop in a never ending maelstrom. The storm clouds quickly turned into a raging blizzard, dumping a seemingly endless mountain of snow onto the earth far below her. As her blind rage gave way to despair, the griffin shed bitter tears. The storm above her head died down and showered her in a gentle rain, weeping with her in sympathy for her loss.

“Do you still mourn for him?” a deep baritone voice asked.

With her tears washing away the dye from her face, Lady Zephyr’s golden beak was now stained black. “Why did you want to see me?” she asked.

“Lady Zephyr, I just wanted to see how you’ve been,” the voice said, “I haven’t seen you since the last moot.”

“Well look at me,” the griffin screeched, “I’m a complete wreck. I can’t even control the weather properly anymore, and there’s a famine starving my griffins!”

“My people have suffered as well as a result of the famine,” the voice said in sympathy. “Perhaps you would care to avenge yourself upon the beast who wronged you?”

“I would love nothing more!” Lady Zephyr cried. “But I just can’t face him. Every time I fly over the ruins of the Diamond Vale, I smell my love’s scent burning from deep within him.”

“Ah,” the voice said in understanding, “Lord Darkpaw’s essence has bonded with the usurper and now you desire him?”

“Yes,” Lady Zephyr confessed, “it’s cruel and maddening. It’s as if Discord himself has wounded me with his poison. I hate him, yet with all my being I desire to be with him.”

“Truly a tale of sorrow,” the voice said sympathetically, while placing a claw gingerly around the grieving griffin. “Truly, Discord himself could not twist fate so wickedly. It’s been said that opposing elements have the strongest attraction and repulsion to each other. I thank creation, that my opposite is not a goddess.”

Lady Zephyr began laughing at the thought of her visitor and Lord Triton together in a tryst. Thinking of the pure ridiculousness of it all brought back a flood of memories to her. Back when Darkpaw had been her enemy instead of her lover. She placed her talon to her beak in horror, when she realized that she would eventually be overwhelmed with a burning desire for her love’s murderer. Eventually she would give herself freely to him to sate her own perverse desires. Her mighty talons gripped the mountain and she released a frustrated cry, born of a tortured soul that had been wronged by creation itself. As her lamentation filled the air, it shook the mountains all the way down to their roots.

“What if I told you there was a way to avenge yourself on him?” the voice tempted.

“Then I would call you a liar,” the grieving griffin huffed. “The beast cannot leave his domain, not until he’s been released from his banishment. And while he’s in his domain, not even Celestia herself could defeat him.”

“You would think that now wouldn’t you,” her visitor said, his voice laced with the hint of a cruel edge.

“Just get to the point already, and leave me to continue my grieving in solitude you wurm!” Zephyr said, clearly agitated.

The voice dangled a crude iron amulet in front of Lady Zephyr’s beak. The combined scents of her lover and his murderer made her burn with desire and anger. “What’s this supposed to be,” she demanded. “Some cheap trinket?”

“No,” the voice said, “it’s the key to getting justice for your love and ending this blasted famine.”

Lady Zephyr saw the magic emanating from the amulet and the charms attached to it. What she thought had been merely a cheap trinket actually contained infinitely more despair and rage than even she could fathom. Maybe even enough to drive somefeather to madness and do something stupid, maybe something really stupid. While looking at the amulet and the mottled feather and broken horn dangling from it, the amulet’s magic mingled with the otherwise mundane objects making her quiver in anticipation. In anticipation of the kill or mating she couldn’t be quite sure, perhaps even both. “Alright, so what do I have to do?” she finally asked, her mind made up.

“Do?” the voice roared, its raucous laughter filling the air over the mountains almost as if the creature had heard the funniest joke in all creation. “Why nothing, I just wanted you to know that his downfall was at hand.”

“Why can’t I take part in this scheme?” Lady Zephyr asked, incensed that she was being teased with the promise of vengeance, but being denied the opportunity to enact it. “No other has a greater claim to vengeance than I!”

“Lady Zephyr you were there, and you know that Lord Darkpaw foolishly disregarded the laws of creation in the heat of the moment,” the voice gently rebuked her. “In fact by rights Celestia deserves to share his fate, yet she was spared for some reason. Perhaps the godling desires her for his mate?”

Lady Zephyr’s mind filled with rage. He was her mate! Or rather his predecessor was. Celestia would rue the day she tried to steal him away from her. Willingly she swore by the moot. “Never!” she cried out in a frenzy of blood rage.

“See, this why you can’t assist me,” the voice said with a dark chuckle, “were you to be alone with him for even a little while, you would have a nest full of young before the day was out.”

“Then why have you darkened my domain and taunted me?” Lady Zephyr cried, her soul full of mourning for her lost love, and a new found desire for his murderer.

“I want a guarantee you won’t interfere with my plans,” he said, kissing her tear stained beak. “I know how much you desire revenge on the beast that did this to you, but you also desire him as badly as a drowning pony desires oxygen. Eventually you’ll come to his aid.”

“What will you give me in exchange for not helping him in his hour of need?” Lady Zephyr demanded.

“Well aren’t you the greedy one?” the voice teased. “If I didn’t know you any better I’d say you might be a dragon under all those feathers. In exchange for this boon, I’ll give you the skin of Lord Darkpaw and his skull, plus whatever’s left of the human when I’m through with him. To let you complete the set hmm.”

“What makes you think I would desire the human?” Lady Zephyr said, her beak salivating at the thought.

“I can smell your lust and greed from here,” the voice said condescendingly, while its owner looked down at the bloody fang at Lady Zephyr’s feet. “Also I can also smell your lust upon Darkpaw’s well used fang. The aid I offer to you in this regard is a mercy.”

Knowing that her secret shame had been discovered sent Lady Zephyr into a flood of tears. “I just miss him so much,” she cried. “His scent, his warmth, his…”

“I get the gist of your meaning,” the voice said, while giving her a hug.

“I will aid you if it frees me from this… this…” Lady Zephyr said, unsuccessfully trying to find the right words.

“I believe torture is what you were looking for,” the voice offered, his burning scales giving warmth to the flustered griffin.

‘All right I’ll do it Lord Ouroboros,” Lady Zephyr promised in desperation.

Lord Ouroboros picked up the amulet and used his magic to enlarge its chain to fit securely around his neck. “Lady Zephyr I promise you will soon be freed from this torment,” he said, before leaping off the mountain peak with his magnificent wings stretched wide.

“I truly hope so, I truly hope so,” Lady Zephyr said, while reaching for the fang to once again relieve herself of her burning desire for both her dead lover and his slayer.”

As Lord Ouroboros flew high over the peaks of Darkpaw’s Spine, a gift that the former Lord of Earth had given to the Lady of the Air he roared with laughter. His plan was coming together beautifully. His moment of triumph was interrupted by a beautiful phoenix gliding in his wake. Looking at her magnificent plumage he narrowed his eyes. “What did you want?” he asked cautiously.

“Lord Ouroboros, I’ve only come to collect my due,” the phoenix said, her silken voice revealing an experienced seductress.

“Lady Suzaku,” Lord Ouroboros rumbled, “I’m not quite sure I know exactly what you’re referring to.”

“Don’t you dare!” the phoenix screamed, her feathers catching fire in her rage. “I did my part, now time to pay up.”

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you mean,” the great dragon said, while raising his scaly brow in apology.

“You know damned well know what you promised for my aid,” the flaming phoenix said, before flying right into his face.

“Auggh!” Ouroboros roared, as he fell to the earth with his wings tangled up in the fiery tendrils of the flaming phoenix.

Together they fell until they landed into a section of woods with a thunderous crash, throwing both earth and trees high into the air. Lord Ouroboros was stunned by the impact and desperately needed the restorative fires of his volcano. He attempted to fly away but found that he lacked the strength; the vengeful earth was slowly draining him. In desperation he attempted to burn down the forest to rejuvenate himself, but found that was even too much for him. He was about to give up any hope of escaping the Earth’s clutches when he came up with a most ingenious idea. Picking up the flaming Lady Suzaku in his cruel claws, he used her as a club against the trees starting a raging forest fire. The phoenix flapped her wings in a desperate attempt to escape the viselike grip of his powerful claws.

“My lady, why do you try to take your leave so soon,” Lord Ouroboros said in mockery, while swinging Suzaku into the trees with careless abandon.

“My… my Lord,” Suzaku begged, her beautiful ruby eyes crying from the pain of being so cruelly mistreated, “this is no way to treat a lady.”

“That’s right, Lady Suzaku,” Lord Ouroboros spat, “if there was a lady present she wouldn’t be treated as such.”

“But I did all that you asked,” Suzaku pleaded. “I’ve inflamed Lady Zephyr’s lusts, I’ve engorged Lord Triton’s passions for honor, and I’ve even cast a veil of doubt over Princess Celestia!”

“The human,” Lord Ouroboros’s roared. “Why does his heart not burn with a desire for vengeance?”

“I don’t know my lord,” Lady Suzaku apologized, “I did the only thing I could think of, by making his servant betray him in desperation.”

“So that was you?” Lord Ouroboros said, releasing his steely grip from the frightened phoenix. “Very well, I shall not kill you for your failure. You failed to deliver the human into my grasp, and now he’s entrenched himself so deeply into the Earth that it will be impossible to root him out. Now I can’t even touch the ground outside my hoard anymore without being drained of my essence.”

“We had an agreement though!” Suzaku said, her body flaring up into flames once again.

“I’ve already paid you with your life,” Lord Ouroboros said. “Speak to me again and you shall lose even that.”

Lady Suzaku hung her head in shame and flew away. “But you said you would love me and make me your wife…” she lamented as the raging fire consumed the forest.

Lord Ouroboros inhaled the smoke and ash from the inferno; he smiled as he felt his strength returning to his body. When he was strong enough, he launched himself high into the air away from the vengeful earth and its hateful siphoning tendrils. Looking at the sorrowful phoenix flying towards the west, Ouroboros maliciously laughed. “Who would ever love a fool like Lady Suzaku,” he thought. “Perhaps he would consider marrying Celestia or even Lady Zephyr despite her deplorable condition. But a whore like Suzaku who had sold her honor for a cheap trinket like love was beneath contempt.”

Far beneath Lord Ouroboros, a pair of grey eyes saw the weeping Lady Suzaku and the burning forest. Choosing to remain unseen, it simply wept for the loss of the forest and in sympathy for the broken heart of the sorrowful phoenix.

“This is never going to work,” Shaw moaned.

“Darling,” Showboat said, trying to keep her concentration on the spell she was casting, “stop fussing, you’ll disrupt the enchantment before it has a chance to set.”

Shaw sighed in resignation; he certainly didn’t feel any different now than he did ten minutes ago. “Are you absolutely sure this will work?” he asked.

“Of course love,” she said, while the magic in her horn died out. “I would never allow any harm to come to my big brave griffin.”

“Showboat…” Shaw whined, “you’re embarrassing me in front of the guys.”

Showboat stamped her hoof indignantly and flicked Shaw on his beak with her tail, before exiting the room.

Used to her tantrums by now, Shaw rolled his eyes in exasperation. He followed after her to reassure the mare that he still appreciated, loved, and even worshiped the ground she walked on. He wondered to himself how the hades had he allowed this little pink unicorn to wrap him so easily around her hoof? After about ten minutes of begging, groveling, and other humiliating acts, he finally managed to convince her to rejoin the group.

Opening the door to join the others, Shaw heard Sir Stouthorn, Clover, and Slick talking to each other. Once they saw him enter they immediately stopped talking. “Ugh,” he thought to himself, Showboat certainly has me on a leash.

Seeing his discomfort, Seafoam floated over to the griffin. “Shaw?” he asked, “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah it is,” he murmured.

“Oh good,” Seafoam said, “cause we’re just about ready to try sneaking into the meeting.”

“Hey Seafoam,” Shaw asked, “do you ever get the feeling your life is all planned out for you and out of your talons, er fins so to speak.”

“Well,” Seafoam said, “ever since I was a foal, my clan and family had hopes of me joining the Order of the Lawgiver, and that’s a lifelong commitment. So I guess I so.”

“Any regrets?” Shaw asked in curiosity.

“Regrets in serving Sir Stouthorn, and the Lawgiver?” Seafoam asked, while looking at Shaw like that was the craziest thing he had ever heard. “No, never. Serving them both till my dying day is my fondest wish. Why do you ask Shaw, feeling reticent about your choices?”

“Not really,” he said. “I mean I’ve been enjoying our little adventure together. It’s just that things seem to be moving so fast. I’m used to flying where I want, no limits yah. But lately, I feel like I’m being moved in ways I can’t understand.”

“Well I don’t consider myself a very clever pony,” Seafoam replied, “but if you’re happy with where you are, does it really matter which path you took to get here?”

Looking back over the past ten days, Shaw tried to think of anything he regretted. When he saw Showboat’s supple flanks his wings threatened to rise. “I actually only have one regret I think,” he said.

“Oh really what’s that?” Seafoam asked in curiosity.

“Never beating the tar out of that insufferable Prince Blueblood,” Shaw said, while nosily scraping his sharp talons against the stone floor.

Immediately everypony in the room winced in pain. “Aroo,” howled Shanks. “Why mister griffin are you so mean to my ears. What Shank’s ever do to you?”

Shaw’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry everyfeather,” he apologized, “I kind of got carried away there.”

“Outrageous noise old chap,” Sir Stouthorn said. “We need to leave now if we’re going to make it to the meeting undiscovered.”

“But won’t ponies get suspicious if the six of us walk in announced,” Seafoam asked.

Showboat let out a melodious laugh. “Oh Seafoam, your innocence and naivety is so refreshingly cute,” she said, with a dazzling smile.

Seafoam began blushing to Shaw’s annoyance. “Don’t get any ideas kid,” he said, draping a wing protectively over his mare.

“Oh darling,” Showboat said, while scolding her lover, “you’re so cute when you get jealous.”

“Well the plan is pretty simple,” Slick said, pointing to a crude layout of the castle he had made from his trusty deck of playing cards. “We’ll wait here.”

“You mean by the queen of hearts?” Clover asked.

“No that’s the bathroom. This,” Slick replied, pointing towards the card adjacent to it, “is where we’ll be lying in wait, an empty storage closet.”

“How will we get our marks to enter the closet to spring the ambush?” Shaw asked.

“Darlings,” Showboat said wiggling her tail and firm flanks, “that’s where I come in.”

“What do you mean?” Clover asked.

“Oh a lady has her ways…” Showboat replied with a wink and sly smile. “Just be sure to throw the powder in their faces when I get them into the closet.”

“Oh, of course,” Sir Stouthorn said. “But I feel this plan is lacking a little something.”

“What do you mean?” Slick asked.

“I’m not sure,” Sir Stouthorn replied, “it just feels wrong to be knocking out diamond dogs without giving them a chance.”

“Unfortunately the plan doesn’t really allow for challenging them to a duel,” Showboat replied. “This seemed the best way to go in unnoticed, like Clover thinks we should.”

Everypony in the room looked at Clover inquisitively. “Well, Lord Jormungandr seems to think that this needs to happen,” he said, “so I’m following along with his scheme, well whatever it is.”

Shaw felt annoyed. All these deities and their Celestia damned ridiculous plots and intrigue. What he wouldn’t give for a deity that was straightforward. “I have a simple question,” he said.

“Yes,” Clover replied.

“How do we know that Jormungandr isn’t just sending us on a wild pony chase?” he asked. “I know Celestia and Luna are pretty benevolent to you ponies, but Lady Zephyr can be extremely petty sometimes and Lord Ouroboros can even be worse. And judging from what we’ve heard about the Slave King, he’s basically Tiroc reborn.”

Everypony in the room opened their mouths in shock when they heard Shaw invoke Tiroc the unmentionable’s name. Even the bravest and most foolhardy soul thought twice before uttering that name, lest they invite calamity. Truly there was no greater taboo among polite society.

“Shaw!” Showboat said in anger, “How could you! You’ve just cost us all our good luck.”

“Aye lad,” Sir Stouthorn agreed. “Tis a terrible omen to say the word of curse during a quest.”

“Well the Slave King is pretty vengeful,” Clover agreed, “but Jormungandr said something that makes me believe he only wishes to help us.”

“What’s that?” Shaw asked eager to know the mind of the winding one.

“He told me that ‘Celestia isn’t the only one who loves her ponies’,” Clover said, “and that ‘there’s strength to found in others, that you’ll never know alone’.”

“Aroo,” Shanks barked, “the winding one is good, and he sent the dream bird to warn us that the bad dogs were coming.”

Shaw looked at the mare that had captured his heart, and sighed. Even though the perks of working for the winding one were pretty nice, he still resented that they were being manipulated into doing whatever Jormungandr wanted. “Alright, I’ll keep walking this crazy path with you,” he agreed, while pointing a talon towards Clover. “But the next time Jormungandr talks to you, tell him Shaw the griffin is unhappy about being pushed around the board.”

Clover chuckled when he heard Shaw’s complaint. “I just remembered something that Jormungandr told me,” he said.

“And what was that?” Shaw asked.

“Sometimes in order to win the game, the pieces can’t know their being moved,” Clover said.

Sir Stouthorn broke into laughter. “Ah that’s a good one Clover,” he said. “I can see now, why we need to move into the meeting unseen.”

“And why is that?” Shaw asked impatiently.

"You’ll find out at the meeting, my friend,” Sir Stouthorn said.

“Ugh…” Shaw growled in annoyance, “you guys are almost as bad as the deities we’re stuck following.”

“Shaw…” Showboat cooed.

“Yeah what,” he said.

“You’re so cute when you’re flustered,” she said, giving his beak a light kiss.

“Arggh, fine let’s go break into the meeting,” Shaw said in defeat.

“Okay, now that that’s been settled,” Slick said impatiently, “let’s go over the plan one more time…”

The black dragon rode the warm updrafts from the desert far below. Spying the broken lava dome with his purple eyes, he tilted his wings back in order to lose some altitude. Flapping his wings hard, he slowly approached the earth until his feet touched sandy ground. Looking up, he saw the crumbling entrance to the once great city, and a diamond encrusted platinum chain. His mouth watered at the sight of the great chain, but he stayed his greed. All things in this place belonged to another. The dragon knew if he went through with this plan he would most certainly be killed if his lord discovered him, and his entire clan would most definitely be banished from the dragon lands as a result. Knowing that the future of his mate and hatchlings depended on this, he steeled his resolve and pulled down on the heavy chain.

The resulting bells that rang throughout the ruin sounded like a pallbearer’s lament. The dragon knew it was too late to back out, now his fate was sealed. He peered into the darkness of the ruins and saw her burning eyes. Eyes that could pierce even the pit. No secret was safe from their owner. Although nearly ten times larger than the beast of shadow standing before him, he knew if she desired she could easily rend him into pieces. Such was the power of the creature. “Dark one, I’ve come to honor your master,” he nervously said.

The creature aptly named Nightmare studied the dragon for a moment, trying to determine if she should devour the drake that had so foolishly placed its neck between her terrible jaws. Before she could decide, the words of her master echoed through the dead city, “The Earth is generous to those who honor it…”

Nightmare bowed her head in reverence, walking back into the ruins she tilted her head back to look at the dragon. When he didn’t move she beckoned with her head, as if to tell him that he was to follow her. The dragon took her meaning and followed after her, through the broken streets and crumbling buildings. The stench of death was heavy in here, from the slain residents of the Diamond Vale and their unfortunate slaves, to the dragons who had perished during the many raids Lord Ouroboros had sent against his bitter enemy. Soon, he was inside the remains of Darkpaw’s palace. Looking down, he saw the broken remains of a diamond dog frozen in stone.

“Priest Hobbs, he was a loyal servant of the Earth you know…” a voice said, breaking the silence of this place.

Looking up, the dragon saw him sitting on his roughhewn throne of stone, and wearing that terrible iron crown. The unknowable creature was wearing the pelt of his predecessor like a cloak, obfuscating the many scars covering his body. The skull of Lord Darkpaw rested above the throne, like some macabre sentinel watching over his predecessor. Nightmare rested at the foot of the throne waiting for her master’s next command. Approaching the throne the dragon bowed deeply, “Oh great King…” he said, “I have come to pay homage to the Earth, and beg you to spare your great wrath against my trespass.”

“For what purpose have you come to pay respect to the Slave King?” the dark figure asked.

“I have risked all to come and warn you of calamity,” the dragon said. “Should my betrayal be discovered, Lord Ouroboros will devour me, slay my mate and hatchlings, and banish my clan from his domain.”

The Slave King leaned forward in his stone throne, revealing the burning brands of his former master. “Treachery certainly is abounding throughout the domains…” he mused. “Why have you betrayed your Lord? I understand that to a dragon, their honor is worth more than life itself.”

“You aided my clan in our hour of need,” The dragon said. “The gems you provided saved my hatchlings from starvation.”

“That was payment for the services rendered,” the Slave King murmured. “Even if I had saved your entire family line, you owe me nothing.”

“Lord Ouroboros is plotting your demise,” the dragon replied.

“That’s no secret,” the Slave King retorted, “each of the Prime Elements with the exception of Lord Triton are secretly plotting against the other.”

“But this is different…” the dragon said, almost afraid to say what he knew.

“Come whisper into my ear if you are worried that someone may discover your terrible secret,” the Slave King said, growing tired of this fearful supplicant.

The dragon approached the Slave King’s throne and whispered something inaudible. Once he was done he backed away.

“How despicable,” The Slave King growled, “to think that wurm would stoop to even those depths. I thank you for the knowledge dragon; you have proven yourself a friend to the Earth. Go with my blessing, the Earth will not forget you in your hour of need.”

“Now that the secret has been revealed I dare not leave your domain,” the dragon said worried for his safety.

“Why not go to Celestia the Radiant?” the Slave King asked. “Truly her benevolence knows no bounds. She would aid you without cost.”

“The pony lands make you soft and weak,” the dragon answered. “Our kind needs more to thrive.”

"Very well,” the Slave King said, drawing upon his power. “However, I warn you the price of serving me is great, and there’s no going back.”

“I understand,” the dragon said in sorrow. “It’s the price I must pay for betraying my lord.”

“True,” the Slave King agreed, “but with the loss of your old life I grant you a new one in recompense.”

The dragon bowed his head, closed his eyes, and waited. The Slave King approached the dragon and reached out his hand, then pressed a finger against the dragon’s black scaly brow. The Slave King’s body filled up with power that slowly entered into the resting dragon.

The dragon’s purple eyes shot open as pain wracked his body. His scales cracked and fell away, while his bones reconfigured themselves to suit his new form. His wings began atrophying, and eventually fell away. His now soft unprotected skin began hardening until it gleamed like obsidian. While his jaws lengthened, allowing for even more teeth.

The Slave King looked approvingly at his newest creation. “Rise, and greet the world my servant,” he said. “Because you have abandoned the skies to willing serve me, you shall be called Nidhogg the Devourer. No longer shall you require gems to eat, but you and all your clan shall gain sustenance from the Earth itself. Now go Nidhogg, and offer your clan the choice to serve me or to suffer as pariahs of Lord Ouroboros. Those that choose to serve the Earth you shall breathe on, and they shall become like yourself. Those that choose to remain can go with my blessing. Now go my servant, and fulfill my will.”

Nidhogg tested his new form. Although he missed his wings, he knew their loss was a small price to pay for the guarantee of his clan’s survival. Nidhogg bowed then exited the throne room. Spying some granite he was suddenly overwhelmed with an intense desire to feed. Smashing his head into the impenetrable stone he was amazed to find himself swimming through the earth like a fish in the sea. “Incredible,” he thought to himself, “it’s almost as if I’m still flying through the air.”

“The Slave King felt a bit winded, after having expended so much of his essence. Returning to his throne to meditate, he looked down at Nightmare’s disapproving face. “What?” he growled. “I’ve gained a valuable new servant and hopefully his entire clan. Additionally, I have learned Lord Ouroboros’ secret and now know how to defeat him.”

Nightmare glared at her master with contempt. Her eyes seemed to accuse him. “You’ve gone soft, and weak. You should destroy Lord Ouroboros and stop wasting your time with these meaningless schemes,” she seemed to say.

The Slave King thought about the accusations. While it was true his rage had previously been pumping him full of power, now he was just feeling weakened. Perhaps he had been overly generous with Nidhogg. When he looked at Nightmare she scowled in return, “Why is the pup still alive?” she seemingly demanded.

“I have a plan in motion…” the Slave King tried objecting, but found his excuse wanting. If he truly wanted the last Gem Biter dead, Scourge could easily make short work of him consequences be damned. He was almost tempted to contact Scourge, when he remembered what he had sworn with Celestia at the moot when she had whispered in his ear.

“Nightmare I shall be patient, and abide,” the Slave King declared, from beneath his iron crown that only seemed to be getting heavier by the second.

Nightmare snorted in disgust at her master’s weakness and skulked off into the shadows, leaving the Slave King alone.

“I shall abide…” he whispered.

The Closet was a bit cramped, but it was manageable. Sir Stouthorn stood at the ready waiting for the last diamond dog to be lured into their little ambush. When the door opened, he threw a handful of the powder into the unsuspecting dog’s face. The hound’s eyes rolled back into its head, while its body immediately seized up. Grabbing the diamond dog before it could fall to the ground, he began restraining and gagging the unconscious dog.

With all seven of the dogs having been gagged and restrained, Showboat lit up her horn to activate the spell she had placed on her friends earlier. “Are you sure the spell worked?” Shaw asked.

“Yes I am,” Showboat replied. “The spell is context sensitive, so ponies will see what they think they should be seeing.”

“How do we get them to think we’re the diamond dogs we’ve detained?” Seafoam asked.

“Oh that parts easy,” Showboat said, while removing one of the diamond dogs’ collars and placing it around her neck. “Their collars show their position and authority. Once we have a few of them convinced who we are, the rest of the room will follow along.”

“What if somepony points out the obvious?” Clover asked.

“Like I said the spell is context sensitive,” Showboat replied. “As long as somepony doesn’t call attention to us, or allows us to be looked at by either of the princesses we should be able to observe the meeting unnoticed.”

“What happens if we’re discovered?” Shaw asked.

“Then I hope you liked being Prince Blueblood’s roommate,” Slick said.

“Oh Celestia, I hope I’m not making a terrible mistake…” Clover murmured.

“Relax lad,” Sir Stouthorn said, “before you know it, we’ll be in and out quicker than you can say Bob’s your uncle.”

“Who?” Clover asked.

“Exactly,” Sir Stouthorn replied, motioning them to follow him. “Okay, let’s keep a low profile.” As the friends walked towards the conference room that the negotiations were being held in, they were stopped by two guards who looked at them suspiciously. “Halt, who goes there,” the first guard said.

Sir Stouthorn pointed to the collar he was wearing, while the second guard looked at the group. “Alright you lot check out, you can proceed,” he said.

“This is going better than I expected,” Seafoam whispered.

“That part was easy,” Showboat replied, “the hard parts coming up, avoiding being discovered while we enter the meeting. Fortunately the room is rather large, we’ll just have to hope the princesses backs are to us when we try sneaking in.”

“I’ve got that all covered,” Slick said with a smug grin.

“What do you plan on doing?” Clover asked.

Slick held up two scrolls one bearing the seal of Lord Ouroboros and the other bearing the seal of Lady Zephyr. “Dragon’s fire can send anything anywhere as long as you have a proper anchor,” he explained.

“You’ll still need the anchors though,” Clover pointed out.

Slick held two beautiful hairs in his claws, the first shimmered like the sun while the second glowed like the moon. “Like I said,” Slick replied, “I have this covered.”

Slick cracked open the door and peered into the meeting. He saw that both Luna and Celestia were speaking with the arch duke and some of his entourage. Spying an excellent spot where they could sit inconspicuously, he motioned to his friends. “Okay,” he whispered, “We’ll only have one chance at this. Follow my lead.”

Slick wrapped the shimmering hair around the scroll with Lord Ouroboros’ seal and belched out a red flame. Magically it disappeared into the ether. He quickly followed suit with the other hair wrapped scroll as well. “Okay they’re gone now,” he said. “Quickly follow me.”

Slick opened the door and confidently entered the large room. Inside, the meeting was in an uproar as Arch Duke Fifi le Yipyap made demands of the pony delegation. “What is the meaning of this outrage!” the arch duke demanded. “Receiving personal correspondence and then rushing out during a meeting with the Slave King’s personal envoy is an egregious insult! My lord shall hear of this.”

General Hurricane pounded his hooves against the tile of the floor. “No, what’s outrageous is allowing you miserable dogs into the city in the first place,” he bellowed. “All I see is a bunch of posturing mongrels, hoping to catch the city unawares so you can sack it!”

“Listen here you glue pot!” the arch duke snarled. “The Slave King could crush your miserable little city, were he so inclined. The greatest city in all Equestria, the Diamond Vale was destroyed simply because he was displeased. How do you think he’d respond to your insults?”

“Oh please,” Chancellor Pudding Head said, while pointing a hoof towards the arch duke, “your so called Slave King probably can’t even master his own element. So here you are stuck begging for food from your neighbors! We know your tricks, trying to get us to expend our food stores on your so called refugees.”

‘Is that so?” Yipyap said in disdain, while taking a bite from a large ruby he had just pulled out from his wallet. “Should my master wish it, he could turn all Equestria into a desert just like the badlands! Little pony, should you especially vex him he could drain the life right out from you should you ever touch the Earth.”

Duchess Platinum adjusted her impeccably styled mane and looked at the arch duke with cold calculating eyes. “Your Grace, please forgive these foals,” she said, waving her hoof dismissively at the others. “They haven’t the slightest inkling of what kind of powers a Prime Element holds.”

The arch duke visibly relaxed after having been so coarsely attacked by some of Celestia’s top advisers. “Why thank you duchess,” he said. “Yes, small minds can make these events so tiring.”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been rather generous with your gems as of late,” Duchess Platinum said. “Perhaps you’re wishing to increase your trading among our ponies greatly?”

“Well the Earth is generous after all,” the arch duke said, not sure where this line of questioning was headed.

“Perhaps too generous,” the duchess said, waving her hoof demurely. “Without the trade network ponies provide to the south, all your gems would be worthless.”

“Duchess, I don’t care much for your tone,” the arch duke growled. “The Slave King has no need for your trade network. If he choose he could easily create an underground network to bypass your realm altogether.”

Secretary Smart Cookie couldn’t believe her ears. The princesses had been gone less than five minutes, and war was almost ready to break out. “Now hold on everypony,” Smart Cookie shouted.

All eyes in the room stared directly at her. “Alright,” Smart Cookie said, as calmly as she could muster. “I want everypony to sit down and stop talking. I’m sure the princesses will be back shortly.”

“How dare you,” the duchess, growled.

“No, how dare you!” Smart Cookie said. “The only ponies making the decisions during these negations would be the princesses themselves. Unless you got a promotion I’m unaware of, that’s not you.”

“Listen you commoner…” Duchess Platinum shouted.

The duchess was unable to say anything more before Smart Cookie bucked her back into her seat. “Listen up Your Grace,” she said, while pointing her hoof at everypony else in the room, “and this goes for all of the rest of you as well. The next pony that gets up out of their seat before either of the princesses gets back, is gonna have words with both Bucks Magillagutty and Kicks McGee.”

The arch duke was about to say something in protest, but a glare from Smart Cookie made him change his mind. Once she saw the arch duke had decided to heed her request, she bowed her head. “I’m mighty sorry Your Grace,” she apologized, “it’s just that the princesses will be returning shortly, and these other ponies don’t have the power to make any binding agreements with you.”

Their conversation was interrupted by two bright flashes of light. Standing in the middle of the room was Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. “Everypony please forgive our absence, there was a bit of a false alarm there,” Celestia said.

“Indeed,” Luna agreed. “Some villain attempted to instigate a pursuit of the illusive snipe.”

“I protest at this treatment Princess Celestia!” the arch duke complained. “First leaving in the middle of our negations, and then leaving me to be grilled and threatened by your advisers. If you think this is how you’re going to treat us, then you’ve got another thing coming!”

“I apologize for our absence,” Celestia said, “however, it was unavoidable. I assure you we plan on speaking with both Lady Zephyr and Lord Ouroboros about the improper use of their summons.”

“Secondly, Your Grace,” Luna said. “We shall ascertain the truth of the matter regarding thy treatment and chastise the guilty ponies.”

Arch Duke Yipyap nodded approvingly, “Very well,” he said. “I just have one question left for you.”

“Yes, what is that?” Celestia asked.

“Why are your ambassadors wearing my dogs’ collars,” he said, pointing towards the Clover and his friends.

Immediately, every pair of eyes in the room stared at the interlopers. “What should we do?” asked Shaw.

“Don’t panic,” Slick replied.

Looking at the seven before her, Celestia was at a loss for words. So she said the only thing she could think of, “Honestly Your Grace,” she said, “I have no Idea.”

Author's Notes:

Gentlereader thank you for reading. Regarding the plot, my what plot twists and betrayal we've seen. Finally we see Lord Ouroboros making his move and revealing his wicked plan. But what of poor Lady Zephyr? She certainly suffers from some sort of Oedipus complex. I wonder what Lady Suzaku will do, now that she's been spurned by Lord Ouroboros. What of Nidhogg the Devourer and the Slave King's apparent weakness? Why has Nightmare grown impatient with her master? And how will Clover and his friends escape now that their cover has been blown?

All these questions and more will be answered in the next exciting chapter of the Great Slave King!

As always gentlereader thanks for reading, until next time.

P.S. The first chapter of my newest short The Conversion Bureau: The Reluctant Cyborg has been released. It the story of an unemployed cyborg forced to work at a conversion bureau. Thank you for your time gentlereader, and as always comments are appreciated.