Oryx

A year has passed since the war with the griffons ended, and Didact, Alad, and myself now had control over well over half of the planet, the only ones not aligned with us in anyway being the minotaurs, dragons, diamond dogs, and most changeling hives. A few of the latter approached either myself or Didact asking for an alliance and were accepted, but other than that, most are either against us or wishing to be planetary neighbors.

With the vampires, Alad's compound used in the assault on their main city was a special chemical that, with a bit of Void energy from Josh and magic from the unicorn mages, changed the thinking to where they wold follow Alad. Yes, Alad is now the leader of the vampires. A ssuch, he entered into our alliance, and we were now collectively the Shadow Kings, given Alad's working from the shadows, my control of Darkness, and Didact's ruthlessness in combat some attributed-falsely, I may add- to dark magic.

Sekana was progressing rather quickly with her control over the Darkness, as well as sword skills. I can not speak as to Balance's training, as Didact had full control of that.

I can, however, say that Didact leads from the former griffon capital and Alad from the main vampire city. Of course, those were mainly just so others know what territory we own. A few months ago, the three of us commissioned the start of a city at the center of Didact's and my territory. Having heard of this, many ponies had begun moving to that area and a small town had popped up within a few months, and it was currently the only city in our domain that was almost fully equally earth pony, unicorn, and pegasai, with a few changelings and griffons there, the griffons being ones that were noted politicians or other notable figures that spoke out against the war.

Currently, I was in my castle. More accurately, my study as I was reading over reports from unicorn mages testing out new spells when my aide- an earth pony whose name I've forgotten with time. "My lord, the unicorn nobles are pestering us for a meeting with you again," he said, his voice showing more boredom than irritation.

I sighed. "Tell them they have two choices, as before: send requests through official channels instead of thinking they're important enough to meet me without a summon, or fuck off, and lose their titles like the last group that annoyed me."

"Sir, I already told them that," he said. "One told me he would have me executed for talking to him like that if it weren't for the-false, I would like to point out-rumors that I am dating your adoptive daughter, Platinum." Ah, yes that. It turns out Platinum's family was killed so, after the war, I adopted her, with her brother now acting as a loyal protector whereas he would probably try to kill her if he wasn't Taken.

I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. "If they wish to be this arrogant, then we will need to do something more drastic than removing their titles. Have a message sent to Alad's second-in-command, and tell her to send a shipment of chemical Alpha six five eight. Then tell the arrogant morons they are to leave the castle or be executed, and are not to return until I summon them."

"Very well, my lord. Is there anything else?"

"Yes," I replied. "You have permission to kill one of them if they refuse," I said, opening a drawer, taking a patch out of it, and tossing it to him. "Show them that, and they won't question you in front of you or me again."

I could hear the grin in his voice. "Of course, your majesty."

Didact

I was in what was my current throne room, which was the war room in the former Griffon capitol, as that is where I spent most of my time. Mainly, I was coordinating defenses with Oryx's forces and Alad's science teams in the field.

Most Griffons were vocal about having a non-Griffon as their ruler, but I couldn't give two fucks. Instead, I gave a Scattershot round to the first moron to challenge me. It's a good thing he was the last of his family, or I'd have to explain the lack of a body. The few that weren't were the former Griffon generals who told their former ruler to not attack once they learned of what we were-at the time- capable of. Most had been hunted by insurrectionists in the past year, and the last two were now in the castle protected by my forces and some of Oryx's Taken.

"I want our Infiltrators in position in the Minotaur capitol," I told one of my generals at the time. "They're testing our borders, and I want them to know that's something they shouldn't do."

"Yes, sir," the General said before my aide knocked before coming in.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Sir, you're daughter is requesting to lead a small expedition force south. Again."

I sighed. "Same response as before," I replied.

Yes, sir," the aide replied before saluting and leaving.

"Sir, why don't you put her under Hurricane?" the General asked. "She'd learn tactics from the former pegasai leader, and still be safer than being in the field."

"I asked her," I replied. "Both of them, actually. Balance think's it'd be boring, and Hurricane isn't good with looking after recruits."

"Then why not with your allies? The Tenno, I think was their collective name?"

I opened my mouth to reply before thinking about it. "If I see them, I suppose I will ask if they can help. For now, though, we need to ensure ourselves and out allies don't get annihilated in another war."

Alad

"Another one?" I asked with a sigh.

"Yes sir," one of the department leads-biology, if I remember correctly- said. "Are you sure you wish to continue with this project? The clones-"

"For the last damned time," I said, "it's not cloning. That implies we are making exact duplicates. If that were the case, we wouldn't be changing the coat color genes, the mane color genes, hormone levels, and what not. No, we are trying to revers engineer a species."

"Sir, that doesn't make me feel any better," the department lead said. "We're playing God."

"Aye, and we have a god as our ally," I countered. "I'd say our asses are covered. Keep me updated on progress, and if there's a breakthrough of any note, I am to know immediately."

"Yes, sir," the department lead said, though he hesitated before speaking, then left.

I sighed, and rubbed my forehead. "Damned alicorn genetics," I muttered. "At least it'll mean Sekana and Balance won't be the only two of their race if we do this."

Author's Notes:

Just a chapter meant to show what the three are up to after the war. Next few chapters will be time skips to major points in Equestria's history. First will be Discord and how the three Shadow Kings being here will change that. After that, I'll let you all decide in the comments for this chapter:
Sirens or Tirek?