The Rise and Fall of Emperor Grogar
Chapter 18: Chapter 18: "That's As Far As You'll Go"
Previous Chapter Next ChapterHaving been forced to work together, Chrysalis and Tirek attempted to try and find the way to the cliff where the Storm King was buried. Both Changeling and Centaur gave each other dirty looks while Cozy Glow watched from behind them.
"Giving each other dirty looks isn't going to do anything for you," Cozy remarked. "I suggest you both put whatever is bothering you aside to focus on what is in front of us right now."
Neither creature said nothing.
"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you when Grogar learns we failed to obtain the Storm King's body."
"I'd much rather suffer his wrath than to put up with the likes of her," Tirek whispered to himself while he looked at Chrysalis. "Trying to kill me for getting in on her territory. What territory?"
"If we ever succeed in our mission, remind me to say that I had no part in taking part in activities with you, glutiness wretch," Chrysalis whispered back, having somehow heard Tirek.
Finally, they made their way up to the side of Mount Aris and approached the cliff where the Storm King was buried.
"All right, how do you want to do this?" Tirek muttered. "Don't you have magic to use to make him come back to life?"
"Keep in mind, Centaur," Chrysalis sneered as she walked towards the edge of the cliff. "That the magic I have is something you will never consume for your own greed."
Activating her horn, Chrysalis aimed it at the spot where the casket was dropped.
"It won't make any difference to me," Tirek remarked. "I have my own goals to obtain and they don't involve you."
"Will you both cut it out?!" cried Cozy Glow, her patience being tested. "Let's just get the casket and go."
Using her telekinectic magic, Chrysalis reached into the ocean and using some kind of magic radar, attempted to spot the casket. Finally, after a few minutes, she felt something hard and wooden.
"This is it," she said. "Now, if we can just…"
But they were all soon interrupted at that very moment by an authorative voice.
"That's as far as you'll go," said Dr. Strange, he and Tempest Shadow standing behind them, their weapons powered right at them. "Drop the casket back into the sea."
"There is no casket," said Cozy Glow, a smug look on her face. "So, how can we drop it back into the sea? Now, if you'll excuse us…"
Suddenly, Tempest fired a blast of magic from her broken horn, nearly hitting Cozy in the back and scorching part of her wing with a loud yelp.
"Hey, who did that?!"
"Me," snarled Tempest, but Cozy could only smile upon seeing the enraged Tempest. "And unless you surrender, then there is going to be much more where that came from."
"Tempest Shadow," remarked Cozy Glow, motioning for Tirek to step forward. "Shouldn't you be in Tartarus for leading an invasion? In fact, why should you being on the losing side? Swear your loyalty to Emperor Grogar and you can get your horn restored."
Tempest was not falling for that trick and fired another blast of magic at Cozy Glow, only for it to be caught by Tirek and chewed up like a ball of bubble gum.
"Don't even bother Cozy Glow," Tirek said, powering his horn. "They've come to stop us!"
Firing a blast of magic from his horns, Tirek attempted to strike Tempest but was countered by Dr. Strange, who then proceeded to use telekinectic powers to levitate Tirek into the air. Once he was grounded, Strange used a golden magic colored rope to have Tirek tied down.
"STOP HER!" cried Dr. Strange and Tempest ran towards Chrysalis. Leaping into the air, Tempest fired yet another blast from her horn at Chrysalis, only for it to be stopped by a quick thinking Chrysalis using a shield spell that deflected Tempest's blast right back at her.
However, this didn't stop Tempest from trying again, jumping into the air and kicking Chrysalis towards the edge of the cliff and losing her grip on the casket. Snarling, Chrysalis took to the air and slammed Tempest against a large rock. For a moment, they would all have to wait. But Cozy Glow wasn't giving up. Flying down towards Tirek and Dr. Strange, she flew into Dr. Strange sending him to the ground and releasing the bonds containing Tirek. Dr. Strange, however, had one more trick up his sleeve.
"Contain the filly," he whispered to his flowing red cape and doing as it was told, the cape engulfed Cozy in its grasp and Dr. Strange once again tried to contain Tirek.
In their fight, Chrysalis and Tempest continued to use whatever they had to try and defeat one another. Punches and blows against each other weren't bringing them down.
"You are strong," gasped Chrysalis, firing a blast of green magic at Tempest, hitting her in the chest. "But not strong enough."
"I beg to differ," Tempest said as she leapt back at Chrysalis, slamming her against the side of the rock.
"Says a pony who committed atrocities," laughed Chrysalis and she used her changing powers to transform into Instant Justice himself, voice and all. "Now, I'm going to finish what I started and you won't stop me."
Despite the fact that the likeliness of the pony who hunted her like an animal was standing in front of her, Tempest wasn't giving up in the slightest.
…
Meanwhile, aboard their private jet, Steve, Sam and Wanda were making their way back from Mount Aris when an alert came in through to them.
"Cap," said Sam, motioning for him to come over to the cockpit. "Looks like there is trouble in Mount Aris."
Looking at the alert, Steve saw the fight that was going on at the cliff.
"Well, no shit," muttered Steve. "If that daughter of Thanos never interfered…"
"Cap, Language!" cried Wanda, much to Steve's shock.
"We should turn around," suggested Sam and Steve quickly nodded that they would do so. Turning around, they proceeded to confront the fighting that was going on. Suddenly, as they did, another alert came through, this time from S.M.I.L.E.
"Captain Rogers," cried Fury Swipes. "You are to return to base at once!"
"But Fury," remarked Sam. "There is a fight going on at the cliff where the Storm King is buried! We should go find out what is happening."
"That won't be necessary, Wilson," replied Fury Swipes. "I've sent help to them. You and your people have more important matters to attend to."
Reluctant, Steve and his team did as they were told and returned to S.M.I.L.E. headquarters.
…
Meanwhile, Dr. Strange and Tempest were beginning to struggle against Chrysalis and Tirek. After having been contained for a short period of time, Cozy Glow ripped off Dr. Strange's cape and tried herself to go down into the ocean and retrieve the Storm King's casket. Tempest saw this happen and attempted to use magic to pull Cozy away, but was quickly subdued by Chrysalis. Dr. Strange also saw what was happening and tried to act, but was beaten back to the ground by Tirek.
"Your powers are quaint," Tirek laughed, looking down at the weakened master of the mystical arts. "You must be popular with fillies and colts."
Reaching down to pick up Dr. Strange by the neck, Tirek smiled as he attempted to kill him by crushing his head.
"But, looks like you won't be making any escapes today," Tirek laughed and at that moment, a loud roar was heard and Tirek was broadsided by a giant green monster, followed by Chancellor Neighsay, who emerged through a portal and went over to check on his master.
The green monster continued to pummel Tirek as the distraction allowed Tempest to throw Chrysalis off of her.
"Are you okay?" Neighsay asked Dr. Strange as he helped him to his feet.
"Thank you, Chancellor," gasped Dr. Strange. "Since when did you take long?"
"You told me to be in reserve, remember?"
Seeing Tempest still being attacked by Chrysalis, Dr. Strange and his pony apprentice raced to her aide, using whatever they could use to try and protect her. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't not have happened at a worse time.
"Dr. Strange, look!" cried Tempest and much to their shock and disbelief, they all looked to see Cozy Glow amazingly pull the Storm King's casket out of the water.
"You're too late!" laughed Cozy Glow, triumphantly. "The Storm King will be back!"
Having gotten what they came for, the three villains fell back and ran away from view leaving Strange, Neighsay, Tempest and the Green Monster to watch in disappointment.
"What do we do?" asked Tempest.
"For now…regroup," sighed Dr. Strange as he looked up towards the Green Monster, who was slowly starting to revert back into a human. "Thank you for coming, Bruce."
So, they all left through the portal as a platoon of hippogriff soldiers raced towards the scene.
"What's going on here?" one of them cried.
"Look!" cried another and the hippogriffs saw a sight that made them shudder.
"They have the Storm King's remains! What should we do?"
"Tell our queen," said the leader. "Tell her that our worst nightmare is about to be relived."
Next Chapter: Chapter 19: "Return of the Storm King" Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 29 Minutes