[-12 years later-]

Midday

24th May, 74 BNM

Equestria, North Midland valley lake

Military Fortress, the Stone Citadel.

Even after 5 years of relative peace, the fortress had still grown.

The fortress had grown, especially in wake of the Civl War's 7-year span of time. The Unicorn, an elder, grizzled black one who often wore robes to remain anonymous, urged the Nationalists and Separatists, and the Royalists, that any fortresses should remain rather neutral in these conflicts, in case the New Gryphon Empire got ideas to take back the land won in the war against them a decade before the Civil War started.

It was the one thing the 3 sides agreed upon, though the Gryphon attack never came, while the fortresses grew in size and strength. The Black Unicorn's own Citadel grew larger than the others, and improvements were always being made to it.

Above, and below its ground.

Towering grey stone and black obsidian made up its exterior, carved by magic and hoof, hoisted by Pegasi, earth and Unicorn alike into place. Foundations stretching many stories underground on the slopes of the steep valley slope upon which it rested.

Amidst the valley, overlooking a large lake, the fortress rose above its shores, a stone bridge running along the lake's edge where the fortress was, like a long porch of sorts between the fortress and the lake. The large, imposing structure formed to the mountain, sloping upwards in its many turrets and battlements, the highest point actually being a small tower outpost at the top of the valley mountain slope, connected by a stairwell.

The tallest rising part of the actual fortress was still a sight to behold, like a large spear tip penetrating the sky, 100 metres into the sky, thrusting out of the valley slope to almost come halfway up the height of the valley's steep face that it hugged. Beneath it lay many buildings, less occupied than it could possibly be, as the threat from the North was minimal right now in this time of peace.

The Civil War was over, for now. 7 years of fighting had drained the three sides, and a period of inactivity brewed, tenuous ideals of an agreement, though neither side seemed willing to budge after the damage already done, the number of dead spread relatively evenly on all 3 sides, totalling at around 40,000, maybe 50,000 dead, 10,000 of whom were noncombatants.

In spite of all this, the Fortress, and others along Equestria's north, excluding the Crystal Empire, continued to grow, just in case the New Gryphons got daring. This was merely the biggest, and most aided in its growth by magic, though given it being the closest to the territory won in the New Gryphon war, it was welcomed to be there and growing.

Yet this fortress also held a great many secrets, with its occupants, and those its master held in contact, be it active, or ones he was slowly gaining under his hoof.

Even if Siral had to ruin a few lives in the process to get them.

4 years into the Civil War, 8 years ago

Separatist provinces

8th February, 82 BNM

He met the boy, a young 9-year-old Earth Pony foal, as he travelled the road, right as he'd been looking for somebody who was wandering around on their own.

The Black and white maned Alicorn had seen the boy climbing some trees, rather well for a young Earth Pony, and decided to intervene. The faintest of magic, and the branch snapped under the boy's weight.

The boy's crying over a few scraped knees attracted the attention of the wandering Alicorn, who in a bid of sympathy came over and magically healed the bumps and scrapes the boy had, the young black and brown furred Earth Pony foal marvelling at this pony. Big, tall, and with horns and wings.

The kindly Alicorn gave him a last flash of a spell, urging the boy to be on his way before his parents got worried.

As the boy, Grey Gaithoof wandered off back to his village, the disguised Siral teleported away before he could be found.

The paranoid villagers, wary of anypony not an Earth Pony, searched the woods, but didn't find the boy's 'helper'. The boy was lightly reprimanded for talking with the oppressors they wanted no part of, hence their political sympathies.

But when the boy started falling slightly ill, they were quick to try and help him. He healed, but days later began losing his fur.

Weeks passed, and the boy became balder, and balder, his grey skin beneath his deteriorating black and brown coat exposing. As he didn't seem to be ill, whispers began to spread of a curse.

The boy began to have lashes of sudden anger, blind panic and even spasms at times. It didn't take long for word to spread of a curse by the Alicorn.

By the time the boy was finally exiled, he had been growing agitated by the constant teasing, fearful looks, and outright hate he was receiving. His own parents, devout to their staunch stand against any non-Earth pony races, had a choice to make: Remove their son for the village's sake, lest his 'curse' spread, or exile themselves with him.

For the 'greater good', they lightly drugged the boy in his sleep, and by the next morning, he found himself abandoned in the nearby wild forests, not as big as the infamous Everfree Forest, but somewhat untamed as well, and a hovel for many rumoured beasts.

Grey Gaithoof wandered, cold, alone, growing more and more bitter each day. Eventually, he felt his patience snap, and he didn't try to resist one of his flashes of anger that had made him seem as if cursed by a demon, or 'Alicorn' as his village would call the one they thought had infected him.

And in truth, he believed it himself. An Alicorn did this, an Alicorn ruined his life, because he could.

After a blind angry spell, Grey Gaithoof awoke amidst a forest clearing. Dented trees were everywhere around him, the forest was quiet, and on the ground was the sight of an utterly destroyed rabbit hole he'd attacked in a blind fury. The dead rabbits lay half buried in the dirt.

And on the young foal's flank, as his muscles from his anger flash seemed to ripple in response [they had also grown significantly for his age since he was 'cursed'], there lay his mark.

A jagged blade cleaving a heart in two, a mark of his utter hate that made him strong.

79 BNM

3 years passed, and by the time the Civil War was coming to a tenuous peace, Grey Gaithoof had grown to a rather muscular, adolescent foal, feral in nature when he was not withdrawn into wherever he stayed.

He took his anger flashes out on the local wildlife, revelling in it instead of repressing it. He'd moved up in the world, from rabbits to even killing a timberwolf with his bare hooves in recent weeks. Not for food, but just because he could, like that Alicorn that cursed him.

Then, he met Siral.

The Unicorn had emerged like a ghost into the clearing, as the Grey skinned Earth pony boy stayed in the shadows. Words were exchanged, though not many.

As Siral gathered from what he said, as he'd heard of Grey Gaithoof's plight, his family had not even try to let him be treated, and they had cast him out, even for being touched by an Alicorn. They didn't even try to help him, not even letting Unicorns who also were Separatists help with this magic curse.

It made Grey Gaithoof hate his own family as much as the Alicorn who cursed him. He didn't realise the 'Alicorn' in question was stood before him right now.

At this point, Siral offered a deal. Grey could have a home with him, he could teach him, help him live a life worth living, and he could do what he could to life the Alicorn's curse, apparently making Grey a 'test subject' for a random spell to improve strength in their soldiers. [It had worked, at the cost of Grey's anger management and fur].

With a life having been led in the last 3 years that could only be described as miserable, Grey Gaithoof agreed, as long as he got a different name, something to cast aside the name his now hated family had given him.

Upon reaching the Citadel, still undergoing expansion, Siral gave Grey's new name.

A shorthand magical language origin name. It translated to Heart of Hate.

Odi Viscer.

Midday

24th May, 75 BNM

Equestria, North Midland valley lake

Military Fortress, the Stone Citadel.

Siral's main chamber hall

The upper levels were standard military structure, as was expected in the Citadel. Beneath its ground levels lay the true structures, some still under construction.

Siral's fortress, which as history would show, the basement levels of which would last for over a thousand years.

Now, he stood atop a small raise platform, as he addressed the 5 stood in the hallway.

"You have all suffered, but now, here we are. You are improved, by my hooves and magic, but also by your willingness to trust me, and each other."

Turning, Siral turned his gaze upon the female Pegasus, light green in colour with a white mane, and a rather sensual figure for any mare:

"Iena, once known as Emeralda Windclop, who as thanks for using your gift of persuasion with temptations of the body to gain favour in a deal with your family in the Nationalists, was exiled when your successful methods shamed them, as if they already had honour in waging their pointless war of egos and Alicorn oppression."

The light green Pegasus mare gave a small smirk, as Siral finished: "Now, you have training, beauty and skills to persuade, and infiltrate, to know how to manipulate others. Those who deserve their fates will be divided in their loyalty to each other by your tactics."

Siral had never told Iena that she never gave herself away, but Siral had seen her skill and potential, and informed of her wiles and methods of seduction to have them shame/throw her out, so he could pick her up.

Turning to the tall, but rather fat Minotaur who stood beside Iena now, Siral remarked on him: "Satio, once known as Bryce Bulliam, who refused to pay tribute to the Separatists who saw you as lesser for being a migrant, and for withholding the land and food you reared on them by beast or garden out of feeling you deserved it, not their pointless war. They took everything from you and left you with nothing, and unlike them, I sympathized with your dislike of paying tribute to things beyond your concern, and see no reason to judge you for your appearance, race or otherwise."

The Minotaur, rather shy himself, slightly looked away, though he avoided the gaze of Iena beside him, who he didn't wish to admit he had a rather immature crush on for a Minotaur, or anyone his age, being an adult.

Satio's fate was chance, but Siral had heard of many migrants suffering similar fates and chose him among many he could have otherwise picked.

Next came the elephant, or rather, dragon in the room. Golmov's sheer size had to be magically shrunken to allow him to fit into this hall for the temporary time he was here, until what was planned for all of them came to fruition.

"Golmov, who has chosen to keep his name. Humiliated by Alicorns, one princess or two specifically, by them forcing him to flee from the mountain treasure in the north that was rightfully his, as they celebrate each year in the Crystal Empire with that which belongs to him."

The Black dragon, striped yellow in places, had been shrunken willingly by Siral's magic, so he was only fifty feet long now. He still dwarfed any of the others in this hall, but not as much as his full size.

Golmov's fate was by chance, but word spread of his humilating defeat by being shouted at by Princess Celestia into surrendering the Crystal Heart. For Siral, it wasn't hard to find the dragon who likely had a score to settle with the race, and perhaps the white one and her sister, that humiliated his draconic pride.

Looking to the Grey skinned, fur-less Earth Pony stallion, the youngest one there, barely out of his adolescent years and into adulthood, Siral regarded Odi-Viscer carefully. The young stallion's grey body was marked only by his jagged blade severed heart mark, and the long trailing wisps of white hair that hung from his neck, a ghost of a mane.

"Odi Viscer, formally Grey Gaithoof, who as the one newest one here, needs no introduction."

As the grey stallion suppressed a shiver of subtle anger at his old family name.

Odi Viscer was a few years in the making, and yet he had the most potential. Earth ponies were after all one of the most easily experimented upon of pony kinds. And he had no qualms about what he did to Odi's life, as he had plans to make him more than just a servant, but a living weapon.

Siral finally turned to the last, and longest serving of his close servants. The White Unicorn mare, with a blue grey mane, and a cracked and healed, but semi performing horn on her head.

"Teal Quirt, who has decided to keep her name as well. As an accomplice and defender of an Equestrian ambassador, decades before the civil war, she was cut down in battle, her horn lost to an act of treacherous violence of infighting in Salaman. Even regrown, you are now crippled in your magic, never to reach a higher magic, let alone that elusive Alicorn status you once strived for, by a servant of a Wizard who now serves those most high and mighty of the Alicorns, the Royal Family, and the royalists in general. A servant who too, was supposed to be, in his words, an example of how 'kindness' is beneficial. They cast you aside from your magic guild, deeming you unable to meet their standards, abandoned, shamed."

Teal Quirt bristled, her hooves actually grating the floor slightly as Siral recounted her own summary of why she was here now.

Teal was by chance, and Siral had no need to alter her behaviour or past in any way. She admired his reputation, being a former Savant guild graduate and royal court magician. She was, in Siral's eyes, the most trustworthy of his servants, current or foreseeable, almost like a daughter to him in his more sentimental moments, despite her current age of 63. He had done enough magic to stave off aging to keep her in her prime, so she resembled a 30 year old Unicorn mare if anything.

Finished recalling their brief tales, Siral began: "You five, and more to come, shall be the instruments that returns this nation you once occupied, as a 'civilised one' like ponykind, a mistreated foreign migrant like Satio, or a roaming being such as Golmov, to a better time. A time, when Alicorns did not decide the rule of the land."

"A time when Alicorns did not order the land to adhere to their rule. Reshaping forests, ruling over those they have always been more powerful than, magically, politically or both, without consequence or match. Only other Alicorns, as 7 years of Civil War ended just 5 years ago showed, can or will challenge them."

"Many a wise being said that power corrupts, and now they serve their own aims. Even those more 'fair' among Alicorns serve only the citizens of Equestria that sided with them in the Civil War, be they the royal family or those 'more worthy' Nationalist families. And those in the Separatists would have those ruled positions of power be over specific pony races, but just replacing the Alicorns with others of the same race. "

"You, and others later, shall be the instruments of what is necessary. To establish a new order, in which beast and civilised can exist in Equestria, and the greater world if Alicorns are left unchecked, the old world as is now in Equestria must be undone."

"Equestria is diseased. Alicorns are a plague that commands and ruins it. They must be removed, by any means most efficient. Overthrown by converted masses, their power base crippled, their physical power drained, or if necessary, outright made examples of."

"Each of you, shall have skillsets to deal with the Alicorn problem, and power abuse in Equestria, in different ways."

"Why I have called you here, together, is to address a requirement for a promise I have made to each of you."

At this, the 5 were listening more intently. Siral paced on the platform before them, remarking: "In my many years, I experiment, I trial, and I have means of enhancing you all as I promised when I first met you. But, I require you to be in constant contact with me, we can no longer be as freelancing as before. As of now, consider this Citadel your home."

As a few odd looks went about, regarding the stone chamber as a reflection of their new 'home', Siral finished:

"But most importantly, some of you have roles you can fulfill, and some are better off remaining here, safe, until your time comes."

Addressing them each once again, Siral remarked: "Odi Viscer, your temperament and talents are not suited to the plans, yet. A need for direct action will come, but for now, you are to remain here as you already have since we met, free to wander only among the Fortress grounds."

Odi nodded his grey head, the young stallion happy nothing changed. Turning to the portly Minotaur, Siral remarked offhandedly: "The same applies to you Satio, your talents are best served here, but you will be useful later. And from what I gather, the Citadel kitchen staff welcome your help at any point."

"As long as he does not taste too much before its served..." Golmov murmured, the large dragon's rumbling voice carrying the mild tease across the room. Pausing, as he saw Satio look embarrassed slightly at his belly, while Iena and Teal Quirt grimaced at the poor 'humor', and Odi Viscer suppressed a slight smile, Siral remarked to Golmov:

"And you, while I'm sure you won't dislike what I need you for, you will be kept busy. Before I even think of using any magical enhancements on any of you or others, like anything I have done in my long life, I require test subjects. Anyone living will suffice. And being a dragon, as long as I can change your scale colour between attacks, nopony will bat a suspicious eye at a dragon snatching up civilians and vanishing over the span of a year."

"How many?" Golmov inquired, while Siral replied:

"Dozens, no more than a hundred. I shall inform you of the details in private."

Golmov's toothy maw seemed to grin slightly at this, before Siral turned to Teal Quirt and Iena, the white Unicorn and light green Pegasus listening:

"Teal, you may disguise yourself, while you Iena I shall do myself. I require eyes and ears into places in Equestria, as it never hurts to be short of spies. Your analysis of nobility Alicorns on how to sow doubt will be most beneficial Iena, while you Teal, will be most useful with a different matter."

"What might that be?" Teal inquired, brushing a part of her blue/grey mane aside as Siral rumbled:

"There is an academy in Canterlot I established, you went there yourself. Sow rumours of my return among the students each time you go, and that I seek to appear only to those who go to the academy guild in my name. All the while though, I wish for any knowledge on an old friend of mine. Starswirl the Bearded."

With that, Siral waved a hoof to them all, remarking aloud: "That will be all. We are close, and by our will the downfall shall begin. We are ready, all we need is to have enough tests to ensure your enhancements will only help, not harm you, and to know the ways to bring Equestria down. Only after success, can we build a better Equestria, and a better world in turn."

"Before any of you depart for your tasks, I recommend taking 2 weeks of leisure time. Any opportunity to better know each other, given how much you all are important to the grand scheme. Unity, is paramount. Only together is success a guarantee."

"Must we?" Iena asked cautiously, to which Siral remarked rather impatiently:

"Yes. Now I order you all to take 2 weeks' leisure time. Equestria shall plunge away from its tenuous peace when I organise it, with your help, on a time of my choosing. Differ from Equestria and be cooperative at least, however you choose. Build on what bonds you may have between each other, or grow new ones, whatever suits the need for unity between you all."

Siral knew that unity was key between these 5, and the others to come, be they more of these eventual high level beings he was to enhance in future, or simply ones he'd recruit to his cause, like those of his old magic academy he wished Teal Quirt to spread gossip to lure them to him.

Any amount of unity alone would be stronger than Equestria was even right now, in this most tenuous peace.

Later that day:

24th May, 74 BNM

Equestria, North Midland valley lake

Military Fortress, the Stone Citadel.

Astronomy tower room

Shortly after the meeting, as she was perhaps the highest 'ranked' among them, Teal Quirt had been called to Siral's astronomy tower for a quieter meeting. The subject matter was not something they had yet to discuss though.

After all, it was brainstorming sessions like these between them, master and loose servant/trainee, that had led to them finding individuals like those after Teal. Individuals wronged by any Alicorn related woes of varying kinds, who also had specific skillsets motivated by those woes more than before.

But it was now that Siral had, admittedly, asked help of Teal Quirt once again.

On the blackboard, which he normally used to sketch star movements, he had drawn up a makeshift series of words, denoting many political undermining strategies or approaches.

Golmov retrieving test subject ponies, usually of random villages nobody would miss, for the sake of enhancements to them and any supporters, and potential weapons against stronger opponents. Iena analysing potential nobility marriage plans, and which could be disrupted, and Teal going off and recruiting more impressionable magic wielders from Siral's magic academy guild, which Teal was a former graduate of, with honours, a long time ago. [One reason besides him helping her that she was loyal to him so devoutly.]

But on the board were the ideas of enhancements, many of which involved taking features and abilities of other animals or races and adding it to them, particularly any that may give them an edge against powerful magic users like Alicorns. He'd be sure to ask Golmov to pick up a fair number of Unicorns in his random dragon attack kidnappings over the next year, after this 2 week 'teambuilding' holiday that was.

But Siral had told Teal two things. First, his ideas for another being like them to be were already established, with a few target beings selected, but on the shelf for now.

It was with the second, and more immediate matter of a next servant though, Siral had hit a mental block.

To cover all the bases of this grand plan to overthrow the land's powers, one had to think of all of them first.

Around 'leader number 6' on the board, Siral had put a circle with a question mark. Turning to Teal, he asked her in this brainstorming session:

"In what ways, that we have not yet covered, can we in any way undermine current Equestrian leadership?"

Thinking, with a hoof on the table before her, Teal rattled off: "Well, overwhelming power obviously we've covered for later considerations. Sowing dissent, through adultery, bribery, basically sowing doubt. Destabilising food supplies and heightening chances of rebellion, as no people rebels on full stomachs. Theft of wealth to fund their rule, though overwhelming power ties into that. And of course, targeted assassination or crippling in lesser cases."

At the last part, Teal actually gestured to herself, as Siral had shared what he envisioned for her, which she agreed to, once she was enhanced. Siral remarked now, with honesty in his voice as he sat down on a stool, pondering to himself as he scratched his short, scraggly white beard on his black, crisscross scarred body [he said an Alicorn gave him those scars all over his body, one of many reasons he loathed them].

"The one I envision as number 7 shall feature overwhelming power, just in case things go wrong. But, the next one honestly has me stumped. In what other ways could their power be undermined?"

Reclining, thinking for a few moments, Teal Quirt remarked with some casual thinking: "Good thing you gave us this holiday. Plenty of down time to come up with ideas."

"Yes, if only the Alicorns took downtime. They could be pounced on when they least expect it."

As Siral finished this, Teal Quirt's eyes widened slightly, as she suggested coyly: "Why couldn't they be? Subtle spreading of feelings of lethargy, laziness even. They'd be helpless by being apathetic."

Sitting more upright, Siral pondered at this, as he said with some scheming in his mind, turning to Teal with some pride at her suggestion:

"You have it! But, if not the Alicorns, hard targets and resilient to magic as they are, perhaps the populations they exploit? They have no power if the population isn't working."

Siral wrote the words onto the board: "Defeat by procrastination/productivity decline."

As the black Wizard stepped back, Teal saw the potential, and wondered: "Would an individual like that need overwhelming power like number 7, and some others among us are expected to have?"

"No. You would be surprised how easily the mind can be made to wander from tasks at hand. I doubt number 6 shall require very much work to create, perhaps weak to moderate psychic magic of some sort, not much more than that."

"And what sort of being, pony or otherwise, do you have in mind for this '6th' one, if number 7 is already more planned?" Teal asked. At this, Siral remarked rather callously:

"I don't have to be as picky with number 6. Why do you think I am taking these 2 weeks more easily myself, let alone you five? I'm ahead of my schedule. If I wasn't, I'd have already sent you and those with things to do off already."

Teal Quirt's face fell. She knew there had to be a good reason Siral was in a better mood than normal. Not that she was complaining, but Siral was usually more subdued and unreadable.

Things were falling into place, and thus some procrastination on their part was actually affordable, before it would be later weaponised by the next one to join their ranks, whomever it was.

For now, 2 weeks beckoned of more genuine peace on their part, though perhaps just as tenuous as Equestria's right now considering some of the individuals among the 5 here in the Citadel, despite any bonds they already shared loosely.

Author's Notes:

I told you I'd breeze over the first part of the Civil War, as nothing truly noteworthy happens in regards to specific characters.

We do get insight into Siral the Savant's 7 [well, 5 as of now] beings he crafts as 'leaders' of his plans to overthrow the current Equestria rule and rebuild it, united but devoid of Alicorns in power. Just because they're 'antagonists' doesn't mean they antagonize all the time. [and get to know them before fate gets to them however it does.]