"Everypony listen up!" Naga shouted at the group consisting of Atom, Cerulean, and Dark Lightning. Beside him stood Fragment looking the rest as they looked to Naga not used to this level of volume. "Last week we faced a new enemy and we nearly lost. This is because we have let ourselves get weak, so from now on every day until I say so you will report here for training, or I will cast a spell on you that causes severe insomnia." Everypony nodded save Atom, "Why are you in charge and how come you don't have to train?" Naga smiled and looked him in the eye, "Neither I or Fragment will be participating in this as we are at our pique physical condition and you couldn't hope to match it, that's why."

"Bull, you couldn't beat me ever, not even if I let you." Atom stated boldly. Naga smiled widely at this "Well then let's put that to the test. Lets see who can beat the other into submission first, you get first hi..." Atom interrupted him with a hoof charged with wind causing Naga to slam into the opposing cliff-face creating and indent. He smiled and turned around beginning to walk away. "Never turn you back on an opponent," Naga whispered in his ear and slammed his hoof into his gut causing him to loose his breath. Atom regained his breath and charging the air around him propelled his fists forward at the speed of a chain-gun, repeatedly punching at Naga. Not a single hit landed each one being blocked by Naga lazily with one hoof until he caught Atoms hoof and used it to slam him into the ground. "Oh come now is that all you can do?" Naga taunted as Atom looked up at him. Atoms coat stood on end as tendrils of wind spiraled around him. He launched into the air and came back down causing three separate sonic booms as he did. He used his front hoof to act as a punch as he descended at Naga. Naga simply caught his hoof and with a flick of his wrist sent him vertically into the air. Upon his retuning to earth Naga caught him by the neck and looked him in the eye. "Understand?" Atom nodded and Naga dropped him and continued on.

"We'll start with a class on hoof to hoof combat by Frag, pay attention and lets do this." Naga said before summoning his scythe and disappearing. Fragment smiled and raised a hoof teleporting everypony into a dark tunnel made of stone and reeking of rot of every kind. "First things first before I teach you I need to know you skill level. So Atom you may sit out due to your demonstration but you two will need to show me, Dark attack me with everything you have but use no weapons." Dark obliged and stepped forward hoof charged with electricity. He launched a punch at Frag who simply countered by spinning and slamming his hoof down on his arm. Dark grunted but followed up with several attacks none of them hitting and every time ending up on the business end of Fragment's hoof.

Eventually Frag called for Cerulean to take his place and similar events occurred and he ended up in the same position as Dark had been in. This continued for a few minutes until Frag called it to a stop, He announced that they had a good understanding and only rely needed practice and schooling on technique witch he proceeded to educate them on demonstrating the moves until they understood them. At the end of the lesson Frag smiled and said, "Good job from now on we'll practice your technique and practice some sparing but that's good for today." As he finished Naga appeared from A shadowy corner and looked everypony in the eye, "Alright by now you are probably wondering where we are, the answer, my house. This is the old castle in the Everfree where I lived until my capture and thousand year bleed-out. Good times. Anyhow I brought you all here because I have something to show you. Follow." He said before walking up the stairs behind him. As the exited the corridor they noticed immediately where they were, the old element's hall where the elements of harmony were once held.

Naga approached the column and touched his horn to it, his aura spread throughout the pillar in intricate patterns going to and fro across it. The pattern spread across the floor and reached the walls where it continued destroying vines and mold and replacing stone that had long since faded away to dust. Within a minute the castle was rebuilt to its former glory and the once sinister mood was replaced by calm peaceful one. They gazed in awe at the now recreated monument before them, "As prince of Equestria I must choose three lords to reign over the sectors of my kingdom that I cannot directly influence. And as such I have chosen you three to act as them, Fragment is ineligible as the current adviser to the royal court and member of the royal family. So when the time comes you three will take your family's and live in castles across Equestria similar to this one. And as for contact of your friends there are special teleportation chambers that allow you to go to any of the other chambers no matter the distance and return both instantaneous and painlessly. What do you say?"

Every pony responded unitedly with a resounding "Yes!". Naga smiled "Then welcome my friends to the royal court and to my home. I bid you welcome."

Next Chapter: A trap..... Estimated time remaining: 7 Minutes