Once again, Mac found himself as the center of attention. He tapped his hoof awkwardly on the table, waiting- no, hoping for somepony else to continue the meeting. When it was obvious that even the freaking rulers were looking to him for his part, he sighed in defeat: and spoke up.

“You know, you make a good argument, but I’m not fully convinced that the direct approach would be wise, your Highness.” He stated flatly, taking all seated by surprise. “Look: he somehow managed to clone himself, several times over, to the possible end of outmatching every troop of guards you could send. I agree with Twilight's suspicions, he used the mirror pool.”

“Our unit is highly trained, Stranger,” Shining Armor snorted, placing his helmet on the table, “and I doubt that any amount of clones could take all of us down.”

Mac rolled his eyes, but smiled lightly. ‘At least it’s better than Clone Boy…’ he thought. ‘Come to think of it… "Stranger" is even kind of cool!’

“That may be, Armor,” he continued, refocusing on their discussion, “but I’m sure no one wants to lose the amount of lives I know him to be capable of taking… and that would be just one of him…”

He glared intently at the Captain of the Guard, and spoke sternly: “With five clones, he wouldn’t just kill you. He’ll crush you, grind you and your precious Crystal Empire into powder, roll you all up into paper, and smoke you!”

Shining stared at him in guarded disbelief, and Cadence looked ready to faint. Pinkie was just trying her best not to giggle.

“We fought more than twenty, and we survived without injury!” Twilight shot out, glaring indignantly at the Stranger.

Mac’s glare intensified, and grew more distant. “Was a single Tirek that easy to defeat?” He finally asked after a moment’s pause, lifting a hoof to massage his lowering forehead.

Twilight winced, she knew better than to say yes. Fighting Tirek had drained her energy beyond whatever exhaustion she had felt before, even when she had been given the powers of three Alicorns.

“Then you know that defeating this monster should never have been that easy, let alone twenty of him…” He looked around, making sure they were all thinking what he had to say next. “I know him…

“He was toying with us.”

At those words, the room fell silent once again, and any hope of furthering the meeting for a while was obliterated.

“What purpose could he hope to gain by simply toying with us?” Celestia finally demanded.

“Have you learned nothing from my misadventures, Sunkist?” A merry voice chuckled from… somewhere. No one could really place its location when it spoke, but everypony knew to whom it belonged.

“Discord…”

At the sound of Luna’s disgruntled sigh: a burst of confetti fell from the chandelier above them, before it took the form of a bipedal… thing that now stood on the table before them. The thing remained uncharacteristically still, glaring daggers at Celestia.

“Discord, if you don’t mind, could you sit down?” Fluttershy asked calmly.

Discord, who begrudgingly did as he was told, was a strange creature indeed: Mac noted that he looked like a toxic waste dump spilled into a zoo, and the resulting abomination walked into the nearest costume shop. He bowed courteously and gave a pleasant- albeit unnerving –smile.

“Well pardon me for being excited, but it’s been a while since I’ve been summoned to a meeting that was so vital to Equestria’s future!” Discord practically sang.

“When exactly did anypony invite you before?” Applejack jabbed, cocking her brow at the Draconequus.

“Never in the history of ever, and always! That’s how long it’s been! Ooh, this ‘friendship’ thing is really starting to rub off on me!” Discord chortled, slowly bloating himself, and shifting colors until he looked like a taller, rounder version of Spike. "Carney the Dracosaur is ready for a meeting!"

Celestia and Fluttershy simultaneously lifted their hooves to their mouths to conceal their giggles while the others rolled their eyes.

“What dost thou mean by 'we haven’t learned anything'?” Luna huffed.

Discord summoned his old throne at another end of the table, and rested his fingertips together: “Well, Moonie, I think in your teen angst stage, Nightmare Moon missed Villain 101.” He stated dryly, smiling as Luna snorted at the reminder. “Rule One: Pickles are only to be reserved for Tuesdays!”

“Uh, Discord? I don’t think—“

“Whoops, wrong list!” Discord chuckled, waving his hand dismissively at Fluttershy's interruption. He scratched his beard with his eagle claw thoughtfully. “What was it again... oh! Here we go: Rule One! Make sure your ultimate goal is either complementary to your entertainment, or your own sense of justice.”

Twilight furrowed her brow. "Care to elaborate?"

Scoffing, Discord bent his head down slightly, smirking at the youngest of the Alicorns. "Fine, how about this?"

Without missing a beat, he reshaped his head into an egg- saying something about 'communicating on her level'- and held up a small card, before unfolding it...

And unfolding it...

And unfolding it...

And unfolding it...

Soon, he was sitting on top of a giant origami dragon that nearly took up the room, patting the head of the 'creature'. Discord looked down at his confused audience- brains just the way he liked them: scrambled -and flashed a toothy grin.

"A dragon steals gold, right?" He asked, before trailing off. "Well, gold, and gems... and nice, cold caves... and pretty mares raised by apple farmers... and they tend to be fond of kumquat sandwiches with pickled tomatoes for bread, I'll wager you didn't know! Do you know what'll happen if you try to steal a dragon's golden kumquat?! Eesh!"

“Discord," Fluttershy inquired gently, "what’s going on?”

Discord’s shoulders slumped down, and his head hit the table with a loud crack. He looked over to Fluttershy with a morose expression.

“What? Must something be wrong when I want to help?” He muttered, just barely quiet enough to be heard by all.

“What do you mean?” Luna asked.

“I mean I want to help!” He barked, setting himself in an upright position as his fists hit the table. “Is that so hard to understand?”

Everypony flinched at the uncharacteristic outburst, and watched as he slowly lowered his head.

“Forget it,” He chuckled, almost bitterly. "I've tried my good deed for the day..."

With a flash, he was gone.

“I’ll go talk to him,” Fluttershy offered, before walking off down the hall.

“Fifth door on the roof!” Luna shouted.

“I know, thank you!”

Everypony was thoughtfully silent until Fluttershy returned two hours later, alone and somber.

“What’s going on?” Mac asked.

“He’s upset, is all,” Fluttershy stated, “and he has some thinking to do. He doesn’t want to risk going after this monster himself after… last time.” She shuddered.

“I understand, he doesn’t want to be sweet-talked again. But I assume he had something important to offer?” Celestia asked.

“Yes: he wants to tell you about what he saw during his years in the Outlands. He thinks he knows what Kietelethar is most likely looking for, and why.”

“Well?” Luna questioned, growing impatient.

Suddenly, the room grew dark, and started to morph into the scene of a palace. Discord's voice rang through the vanishing hall:

"The ride has now come to a start, please feel free to stand up and flail your arms, but don't come to me if you lose a head..."

Kietelethar stood silently in the ruined tower, looking out to the great Citadel. His hood hid the saddened look in his eyes, and the remorseful grimace on his face.

‘I never meant for him to become like me,’ he thought miserably, ‘there was a reason I sent Scorpan in there with him…’

“Papa, Papa!” the young creature cried out with joy, running to Kietelethar’s side. The little one’s lion-like mane bounced as he ran, and his rather pony-like face was beaming with a wide grin. He flapped his bat-like wings, and flew into the awaiting arms of his father:

“My dear Scorpan!” Kietelethar, called happily: ruffling the Imp’s mane.

I want you to wrap your tiny minds around what you are seeing here, if you can. See the regalia that adorns our latest foe? Yes? Good, now shut up and let me talk.

At this point in time, Kietelethar was the king of a distant land known as Mythos. Odd name for a place, I admit, but I think you can see why I came here. Such wonderful-looking residents...

“Are you ready for your trip, my son?”

“Yes, papa!” Scorpan exclaimed. “But…”

“Tirek?”

“He’s unsure, papa,” Scorpan said cautiously, “he says he doesn’t see what this new land would have to offer, besides resources and slave labor.”

A viewpoint I used to share, too. Oh, the foolishness of youth~.

Kietelethar’s brow hardened. “Where is he?”

Scorpan shrank at the sight of his father’s façade. “I-In the garden, papa.”

Kietelethar stood, and motioned for Scorpan to follow. He descended from his throne, set his crown aside, and walked out through the great doorway.

He found his elder son sitting beside the Grand Fountain, the centerpiece of the gardens of the kingdom, and stomped up to him.

Tirek shot up with a start when he heard the first thundering paw-step. And he looked up to his father: an impenetrable wall of scales, fur, and armor. And looked longingly at the cape which should soon fall from his own shoulders, as heir to the throne.

“Prince Tirek?”

He refocused his attention to the small Chimera standing beside him, and scowled menacingly.

“Your services are no longer required, Crystals.” He snapped, pointing away with a thick finger.

“Don’t you want to talk some mo--“

“I said you’re to leave, Chimera!” Tirek barked, causing the creature to turn tail and run off like a shot.

Kietelethar chuckled warmly.” I see you’re getting along with your future subjects?”

Tirek scowled. “I’ll bet I get more results then those weak-minded fools in Equestria!”

Kietelethar lowered his eyes from the fleeing Chimera, and to the frustrated form of his son. “What makes you think they are weak?”

Tirek snorted. “The very philosophies that their civilization is based on is a tactical weakness, father. They attach themselves to their subjects, so that if one is slain they will be distracted long enough to be taken down themselves.”

Kietelethar shook his head sadly. “You’ve been talking with Arimaspi again, haven’t you?”

“He says the Griffins are holding a treasure that could be of use to us, since it seems to be able to unite an entire race of greedy pigeons into a single nation.”

A rather interesting observation, I must admi-- Celly! Quit hogging the popcorn, you're getting butter everywhere!

Gracious me, I'm starting to sound like Rarity...

“And that applies to the equines…?”

“Those namby-pamby creatures took control of the sun and moon! That control used to be a sign of your divine rule!”

“I never had that to begin with." Keitelethar chuckled. "And even if I did, if they actually relieved me of such a tedious task, while not altering the cycle in the process, I still would’ve had no complaints.”

“Four Alicorns have even been sent to the earth, and The Alliance has fallen from the heavens, and planted itself like a seed. Truly this should be a chance for us to awaken the Allfather!” Tirek offered.

I doubt I'll have to explain what he's talking about to you, Lulu.

“Ignis was as much an Allfather as I am the mother of the High King!” Kietelethar shouted, slamming his fist into the wall of the fountain. A crack formed from where his scaly fingers struck, and the wall collapsed: letting the water spill out. Kietelethar ignored this, and continued his speech. “Waking him would be a bad idea, and returning to the King’s service should be your focus. Arimaspi may be an elder, but he is a fool if he thinks that the Rebellious is the key to our race’s destiny. The Equine are the King’s chosen, and they know his rules more than we. Offering them our allegiance is our only hope to reformation.”

“Why send us then, father?” Tirek asked.

“I want you to follow a different path then I did, son. So I am sending you and your brother to this land to negotiate a treaty. I will send Crystal with you as well if you so wish, my son. If their councils can be trusted, I will soon go there myself.”

Oh, how he wished that was how it ended, for it is how it should have ended. But, alas, he was there: he was there on his throne when Scorpan returned; telling of Tirek’s treachery and thievery, and receiving the crown instead. He was there on his throne when Arimaspi went on his uncouth rampage into Griffinstone, and news came of him falling into the abyss. He was there when he received word that his elder son had been imprisoned in Tartarus, the Prison Eternal, and reduced to a skulking shadow of a centaur.

He did not regret giving Scorpan the throne, for he had changed the kingdom of Mythos into a thriving monarchy, set upon the same morals as that sovereign nation of Equestria: still newly born from the separatist nations of Roam, Pegasgard, and Equesus. But he did regret that he had to lose his son in the process. It had even been an eternity since he heard from his his son’s personal council, Crystals, since Tirek cast them out of the group for believing the equines to be wise.

Until, around eight hundred years ago, a possible solution occurred to him:

“The Alliance has fallen from the heavens, and planted itself like a seed.”

Tirek had said that the Alliance, the King’s Hammer, was inside the heart of the Equestian Matriarchy. And he had heard that six of its Aspects were used to defeat the Last Draconequus, Discord. And later, against one of the Four Alicorns themselves!

He had kept an eye on the movements of the King’s Hammer ever since, until he had received word that Cerberus had left his post, and his son had escaped. He immediately left his home in journey, and had arrived in time to see Tirek be blasted back into the Prison Eternal by six equines he assumed to be the new bearers of the Aspects. And thought it strange that the seventh Aspect hadn’t yet resurfaced. But, if these six were powerful enough to send his son into Tartarus, they should be powerful enough for a swap-operation.

He had long ago decided to acquire these new forms of the Alliance, which had bared the Aspectual Fruit now known as the Elements of Harmony. Then he would send Tirek home, where he could then study under Scorpan, who had grown thrice fold in his wisdom. How he hoped that his time amassing his army on Earth would amount to enough for him to get into the village known as Ponyville, and steal the Elements.

But then, his single Equestrian spy caught his attention: he failed to mention he was already in good graces with the Bearers of the Alliance. Or, rather, Elements of Harmony. That was not unforgivable, but it was enraging.

He was brought out of his mind by the sound of hoofsteps approaching from behind him as his new number two crossed the threshold, and came into the room. An invisible force set in the doorway became stained as if with black ink as the equine passed through, and it opened its eyes: revealing two fiery orbs staring blankly at him, awaiting orders.

“Is there any news on the whereabouts of the Elements, Mac?” The Prophet asked, not bothering to turn around.

“Nothing that was new to me, my Lord.” The black stallion sighed, lowering his head.

“You’ve said that before.” Kietelethar chuckled. “It wasn’t until now that I realized what you were saying.”

He turned around, and pointed menacingly at the doorway: which still held the inky substance back. “I respected your decision to spare your friend the pain of becoming a prisoner of the Threads, but you must remember that for now: you belong to me.”

“Sir?”

Kietelethar seized the unsuspecting pony by the neck, and held him up to his toothy maw. “What news of the Elements are you withholding from me?”

Mac squirmed, but complied with the will of the aged king.

“They have been returned to the Tree, sire.”

He fell to the floor with a thud as the dragon released him from his grip: mind bending as he fought against such a thought.

“That cannot be!” He roared. “I saw them use the Elements against my son!”

“The Elements were never used against you son, sir.” Mac deadpanned: his will finally broken.

“What did they use, then?”

“Pure Friendship Energy: concentrated from years of learning, experience, and faith.”

“CHYYYAARRRGGH!!!”

The false prophet plowed his fist through the wall, and used his arm as leverage to throw the barrier into the Everfree. This 'friendship' gift from the King had proved once again to be more powerful than he guessed, now being able to not only transform one of his sons: but to also punish the other. He cursed himself for still loving such a seed, even after it was turned against him more than once.

“How do I get them back?”

“You can’t, they need to be recalled by the Bearers. And they wouldn’t risk it, they fear it might kill the Tree.”

“The Tree that grew from the King’s Hammer is vulnerable?”

“Sire?”

Kietelethar looked out the gaping hole in the side of the castle. “If I’m not going to get my son back, I’ll make these fools pay for taking him away…”

“Yes, sire.” The shadow said uneasily.

“... And that wraps up our glorious high-definition presentation. Please don't exit stage right, but do feel free to leave any and all explosives under your seats!”

Celestia raised an eyebrow as the room faded back: replacing of the majestic scenery of Mythos.

“I doubt that is how the Elements work. And even if it were, they were placed back into the tree months ago.”

“Well, you know that, and I know that,” the Stranger started, “but he obviously doesn’t.”

“But Mac does!” Twilight argued. “And if our encounters can tell us anything, it’s that he has no reason to withhold that from Kietelethar.”

“Or it tells us the exact opposite.” The Stranger insisted. “Remember, he did yell at me to get out of there, with all of you.”

“But how was he able to resist the threads?” Twilight retorted.

“Mortals are stronger than you think, Twilight.” Celestia sighed. “Sometimes, they’re stronger then us Immortals…”

"Yet even an immortal's will can be broken, sister." Luna warned. Next Chapter: Chapter Eleven: Chasing Prophecies Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 7 Minutes