My Little Pony Fan Fiction ❯ Chaos Reborn ❯ Chapter 15

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"You all seem to be displeased with me,” Chaotic said.

 

“What gave you that impression?” Discord mused with venom in his voice.

 

“Come now, I’ve only come to help,” Chaotic admitted.

 

“Help?!” Sombra scoffed before he continued, “If you call this help, I’d hate to see what you consider hindering.”

 

Chaotic waved a hoof at him before he explained, “I know you’ve been on a quest to get the other Epitaphs to try to stop me. However, I’m not too worried about your interference. I’m simply here to help you with the main question you’ve all been asking.” Chaotic let his smile grow before he added, “you all think I’ve been corrupted, but I’m here to let you know: that’s simply not true.”

 

“Lies!” Discord yelled before he continued, “Chaotic would never resort to this much destruction.”

 

“I hate to disappoint you, but that is the truth. I’ve simply embraced how deadly my Godly power is,” Chaotic said.

 

Ahuizotl who had been slowly crouching down as Chaotic continued to talk suddenly sprang into action and charged towards Chaotic while yelling, “I’ll end this with one strike!” his right paw suddenly exploded into flames and created a large three appendage claws. He lunged for Chaotic and swung his right paw towards him. Chaotic’s smile faded as he lifted his right hoof and easily stopped Ahuizotl attack. Ahuizotl right paw slammed into Chaotic’s hoof and the flames engulfing his paw suddenly extinguished.

 

“I commend your bravery, but you must understand,” Chaotic said before he brought his left hoof up and slammed it against Ahuizotl’s lower jaw. Ahuizotl flew into the air as Chaotic followed suit and as Ahuizotl soared into the air. Chaotic continued the slam his front hooves into Ahuizotl body to keep him airborne. When Ahuizotl was high in the air, Chaotic flew above him and kicked Ahuizotl back down. Ahuizotl soared back down to the ground like a comet before he slammed into the ground. Chaotic lightly floated back to the ground while saying, “You’re nothing but a Gods lapdog while I am a true God.”

Ahuizotl lay on the ground twitching as he let out a wheezing groan as he tried to catch his breath. Chaotic watched as Sheik and Gnel ran up to Ahuizotl checking to see if he was alright.

 

“Ahuizotl, Ahuizotl! Are you alright?” Sheik asked before she turned to glare at Chaotic.

 

“Pathetic,” Chaotic said flatly before he turned and walked away from the Epitaphs. As he walked away he ordered, “Kill them and bring me the last princess. Alive.” Chaotic stopped and smiled before he turned towards the group and added, “Limbs are optional.”

 

“Bastard!” Sheik yelled as the skeletons engulfed in flames slowly advanced towards her and the others.

 

“Fire!” a monotone robotic voice ordered. There was a whistling whirling noise before two groups of the skeleton creatures exploded. Chaotic stopped and turned just as two Griffins landed in front of the group of Epitaphs. Both were holding large cylinders with eagle heads at the end. Rip Jaw landed between the two Griffins and quickly pressed the device under the skin of his neck and ordered in a monotone robotic voice, ‘FIRE!” the two Griffins pointed the cylinders at the massive army of skeletons. The eagle heads opened their beaks and each fired out four rockets. They screeched through the air as smoke trails followed them. They made contact with another group of skeletons and exploded.

 

The skeletons engulfed in flames let out bone-chattering wails before they exploded into ash. However, the ash swirled and then flew into a red circle before forming into another skeleton engulfed in flames. Rip Jaw turned to Aeolus and ordered in a robotic monotone voice, "Run. We’ll deal with these undead monstrosities.”

 

“But your weapons will do nothing,” Aeolus warned.

 

“I know,” Rip Jaw’s robotic monotone voice admitted before he continued, “But if we lose the Epitaphs. This world is doomed.”

 

“But,” Aeolus said.

 

“And besides,” Rip Jaw interrupted before he continued; “We don’t need to defeat them, just slow them down.” Rip Jaw pointed up towards a massive amount of the Claw Guard, each with rocket launchers like the two Griffins on the ground. He turned towards the large army of skeletons and added, “No go, we’ll keep them busy until you can get as far away from the city as possible.” Aeolus stared at Rip jaw before he turned towards Discord and the others.

 

“Let’s go,” Aeolus said before the group nodded and retreated back towards his workshop. Aeolus was about to follow before he stopped and added, “Please be safe brother.” He then ran off to catch up with the group.

 

“It’ll take a lot more than these monsters to take me down,” Rip Jaw stated before he looked up at the large group of Claw Guard and ordered in a loud robotic monotone voice, "FIRE!”

 

*************************

 

Aeolus busted through the door of his workshop, scaring Twilight. She jumped and watched the group run in. She galloped towards the group while asking, “What happened, what’s going on?” she jumped again as a massive boom echoed outside.

 

“We need to leave now,” Aeolus explained before he continued, “The Claw Guard are distracting Chaotic's army to let us escape.”

 

“What?!” Twilight yelled before she said, “Didn’t you say normal weapons won’t destroy his minions?”

 

“Yes, but they don’t intend to win, just distract them until they know we’ve escaped,” Aeolus said.

 

“How will they know we’ve left?” Twilight asked.

 

“The Claw Guard has a ten-minute distraction order. They distract the enemy for ten minutes before retreating. That’s how much time we have,” Aeolus explained.

 

“Alright, I can teleport us,” Twilight began.

 

“No!” Aeolus interrupted before he continued, “That leaves a magical trail to which Chaotic can follow. I have a non-magical way to get us out of the city.” Aeolus took the group back into the kitchen and placed his right claw on the back wall. A green light scanned his claw before a small part of the wall opened to reveal a number pad. He quickly put in an eight number code. The wall shook before it split to reveal a staircase that descended into a hidden bunker.

 

“Whoa,” Gnel said in awe.

 

“No time to explain,” Aeolus stated before he ordered, “Move!” the group quickly descended into the dimly light staircase. Aeolus quickly slammed the side of his left claw into the wall in the hidden hall and a keyboard flipped down as a small portion of it revealed a computer monitor. He quickly began typing as lines of text appeared on the monitor. After several seconds a robotic female voice said, “Security system now in critical mode.” He flipped the keyboard back into the wall before following the group down as the wall closed behind him.

 

“Holy cow!” Gnel said as he looked around at the massive underground bunker. It was a massive space that could easily house all the Griffins in the city and still have enough room for a small army of Ponies. He turned to Aeolus who entered the bunker and asked, “When did you install this?”

 

“A long time ago,” Aeolus said before he added, “It was going to be used should another great war come around and devastate the land.”

 

“Do you honestly need this much space?” Ahuizotl asked.

 

“I’d let in the Griffins living in the city to save as many lives as I can, but we need to head further down,” Aeolus stated as he trotted towards a steel door in the back of the bunker. He motioned for the group to follow before he descended the second set of stairs.

 

“There’s a whole deeper level?” Sombra said in shock. There was no answer as the group continued to follow Aeolus deeper down. They stopped at a massive door that looked like a door to a bank vault. He grabbed the steel wheel and tried to rotate it. When he couldn’t, Discord and Tirek ran up and help him. The wheel whined as they spun it counterclockwise and pushed the door inward. The open door revealed a large cavern with a massive boat floating in the calm waters.

 

“Into the boat, this will take us to the port of Icarus where we’ll meet up with Rampage,” Aeolus explained before he added, “This way Chaotic can’t follow a magical trail.” The group nodded as they piled into the large boat. Aeolus quickly untied the rope before he hopped into the boat and added, “Everyone down into the cabin and stay there. I’ll be there shortly.” The group didn’t object as they went down into the cabin below. Aeolus quickly trotted over towards the bow and pushed the button next to the steering wheel. The boat roared to life and it echoed off the walls making the engine sound like a dragon's roar. He pushed the throttle up just a few inches and the boat slowly moved forward. Aeolus then pushed the throttle forward a little more and the boat started to accelerate.

 

The boat cut through the water towards a wall. Aeolus pressed another button and the rock wall split open to reveal a vast ocean behind it. Aeolus eased off the throttle and when he was sure the boat would fit through the wall. He pushed the throttle forward and the boat once again cut through the water and through the open wall. Aeolus quickly pressed the same button once they were out and the wall slowly closed behind them. Aeolus flipped a few switches and opened a small glass box on the dash before pressing down the large green button. Aeolus waited before the green button turned red before he activated the autopilot and entered the directions to the Port of Icarus. He then headed down to the cabin below. To everyone on the boat, all the switches and button presses seemed to do nothing. However, anyone outside the boat wouldn’t see the boat at all.

 

“Alright, we should be good until we reach the Port of Icarus. It might take a day or two, but it won’t leave a magical trail for Chaotic to follow us,” Aeolus said.

 

“But won’t Chaotic see this boat in the water?” Twilight asked.

 

“No, I activated the cloaking device. We’ll travel undetected by both eyes and radar,” Aeolus said. When he saw the quizzical look on Twilight face he began to explain, “It’s like an invisibility spell, but instead of using magic. The device bends electromagnetic radiation to bend the surrounding moonlight to make us invisible. It doesn’t use magic, so Chaotic can’t track us.”

 

“So does that mean we look like we’re floating on the water?” Gnel said.

 

“No, anything in the boat will be invisible. As long as you’re on this boat, no one or thing will find us,” Aeolus said

 

“Wait, so you don’t need magic for this?” Twilight said in shock before he added, “How?!”

 

“While Ponies use the wonders of magic,” Aeolus sated as he did air quotes with the wonders of magic before he explained, “Other races have to find other ways to sustain life. Griffins don’t have the capability to create magic, but we can use, build, and create technology. That’s how the clocking Device came about. However, not every device just works on the first try. Usually, it’s trial and error.”

 

“But I thought the Griffins used Alchemy?” Sombra interjected.

 

“Back before I was even born, yes. The first Griffins who lived in what is now Hippogriff used to be great Alchemists, but as the years passed. The cost of Alchemy outweighed the reward so my ancestors turned to technology,” Aeolus said.

 

“I would love to see the blueprints of the cloaking device,” Twilight admitted.

 

“I highly doubt this is a good time to go all tech-fan-mare with Chaotic still out there,” Discord said as he walked out of one of the four rooms in the cabin before asking, “How long until we reach The Port of Icarus?”

 

“A day and a half. That’s if we don’t run into any detours,” Aeolus said.

 

“Detours? We’re out in the middle of the ocean. What detours could we possibly run into?” Sheik said.

 

“You never know what lurks under the surface of the water,” Aeolus said before he added, “oh, I just remembered. You wanted to get in touch with Metallic right?”

 

“But, if we contact him. Chaotic could follow the magical trail,” Twilight said.

 

“Contacting the Gods will not cause a magical trail. In fact, contacting one of the Gods will place whoever is trying to talk with them in a protective bubble. Undetected by anyone or anything,” Sheik explained. The group then looked towards Aeolus who nodded before they all stood around a circular table in the cabin.

 

Aeolus extended his right talon and a glittering silver sphere appeared above it. Aeolus took a deep breath and began to chant, “I call to the God of Metal. Whose Ore allows us to create our homes, our utensils, and our weapons. Whose, metal skin protects us from the outside terrors.” The sphere quivered and floated towards the ceiling before it soared down towards the table, slammed into the middle of the table, and the light engulfed the group.

 

***********************

 

Twilight moved her arms away from her eyes and looked around. The group was inside a large factory. Light illuminated from oil-coated windows as the machines sprang to life. Large metal cubs moved down conveyor belts towards machines as their long metal arms with claws reached out to the cubes. When it entered the machine the sound of buzz saws, gears, and drills whirled inside and from the other side came smaller cubs.

 

“Welcome to my home,” a voice said with a metallic twang in its voice. The group looked around to find the source of the voice, but it seemed it bounced and reverberate off the walls and machines. Unlike the other Gods, this voice didn't echo in everyone's minds. Twilight scanned the large factory before she saw something at the edge of the lights. She drew closer and Its shape began to take form. She stopped at the edge of the darkness and peered into it. Six eyes suddenly glistened in the darkness. Twilight let out a high-pitched shriek as she trotted backward. The shadows moved and out crawled a massive silver centipede. Its large sickle-shaped legs clacked against the factory floor. Its joints creaked and groaned as metal scraped against metal. It rose up and stood 14 feet tall while the rest of its body was still submerged in the inky darkness behind it. Its mandibles snapped shut several times as their collision mimicked the sound of a hammer slamming into an anvil.

 

The centipede lowered its head as silver liquid dripped from its maw. As the liquid hit the floor, it sizzled the ground like acid. Twilight’s ears bent backward as it lowered its head to look at them eye to eye. She saw down into the creature’s maw and down its throat. Long metal arms hung from the top of the centipede’s jaw. Each arm ended in different tools like claws, drills, hooks, saws etc. Its throat was a tunnel of whirling blades. A low chuckle with a metallic Twang came from deep within the centipede as it said, “I see you got past Chaotic and his little hellions.” Its voice also had a metallic twang like someone flicked a metal strand.

 

“Barely,” Aeolus spoke up before continuing, “However, we might have ended up in a worse fate if we didn’t have your weapons Metallic.” The centipede rose back up and looked down at the group.

 

“Yes, but your Claw Guard will not win against those creatures. Not with those primitive weapons,” Metallic stated.

 

“Then why not allow them to use your metal to make their weapons?” Twilight asked. Metallic’s six eyes all looked towards Twilight and his mandibles clanged together several times. The booming sound reverberated off the walls and machinery around them.

 

“They use too, but once they began using machines to craft their weapons. They thought they no longer needed my metal. So if they decided to disregard my gifts. I won’t produce any more metal for them. Their ancestors worshiped my gifts, but this new generation only cares about coin and ways to lower cost intake,” Metallic said.

 

“Sadly yes, the Griffin race has traveled down a very bumpy road,” Aeolus said.

 

“Enough with the formalities. We’ve come here to ask him a question,” Ahuizotl pointed out.

 

“Indeed you have,” Metallic said before he submerged himself back into the inky darkness. The sound of metal legs echoed around them as Metallic’s voice reverberated all around them as he continued, “You’ve come to ask why our brother was corrupted.”

 

“Indeed,” Aeolus said before he continued, “It might be a long shot since the other Gods don’t know the reason why.”

 

“The other Gods have lied,” Metallic stated as his voice reverberated around them.

 

“That can’t be, Cyclone wouldn’t lie to me,” Gnel stated mater-a-factly.

 

“As much as you wish it not to be true, your Gods have lied to you all. They know why Chaotic was corrupted, but they respect the one who asked them to keep silent,” Metallic said. Twilight quickly spun around as she saw something out of the corner of her eye slither through the inky darkness.

 

“So you do not respect the one that asked you to keep silent?” Sombra asked flatly.

 

“Hold your tongue!” Metallic snapped before he slowly came from the darkness and rose up. His eyes glared at the group before he continued, “I hold him in high regards, but I also know lying to you all might cause you to suffer.”

 

“So then why did Chaotic become corrupted? Sheik asked. Metallic turned her attention to Sheik before letting out a metallic twang sigh and submerging back into the inky blackness.

 

“Once all Epitaphs have been gathered, the first half of your journey will have ended. Once that happens, you will find out the answer to your question,” Metallic’s voice said as his metallic twang reverberated all around them.

 

“Do you really need to now be speaking in riddles?” Butterfly ranted before she added, “and it that riddle didn't rhyme” Metallic paid no mind to her as the sound of metal legs clanging against the factory floor.

 

“The one who first sent you on this journey will be the one that reveals the answer you seek,” Metallic said. With that, the factory suddenly roared back to life. Machines whirred and conveyor belts began to move. The lights exploded on and for the first time, the group could see the endless machines all around them. Twilight looked around at the machines that seemed to surround them. She heard something above her and looked up. She let out a shocked squeak. Above the group, Metallic clanged to the ceiling. Twilight figured Metallic was half out of the darkness when he first appeared from it, but he was easily one thousand feet long. All Six eyes seemed to start at her before she felt something wet hit her face.

 

She wiped at her face and examined the silver droplet that had landed on her face. She looked back up and her ears bent backward. More silver droplets began to fall from Metallic’s body. Suddenly, Metallic’s whole body changed to silver liquid and it roared down like a waterfall towards the group. It splashed down on the factory floor and swapped up the group and pulled them towards a single spot in the factory. Twilight tried to escape the liquid, but it acted like glue as she tried to escape, but it only stretched and pulled her back into the roaring silver liquid. Twilight felt her body turn and her ears bent backward as a large hole formed in the floor and the silver liquid rushed towards it. Twilight struggled even harder but found no give in its sticky texture. She let out a scream as she was pushed over the edge and fell into the large hole.

 

**************************

 

Twilight let out a gasp as she looked around at the common area in the cabin under the boat's deck. The others soon came too as Butterfly began to rant, “Really, why wouldn’t he just tell us instead of speaking in riddles!”

 

“I don’t know, but what I want to know: why did the Gods lie to us?” Sheik said as she sat down on a sofa and placed her left leg on top of her right leg.

 

“Cyclone has never lied to me or any of our ancestors? Who would she be protecting?” Gnel asked as he hopped up on the sofa next to Sheik.

 

“Void,” Sombra said aloud. Everyone in the cabin looked towards him as he continued, “If you remember Metallic’s riddle: The one who first sent you on this journey, will be the one that reveals the answer you seek. Void was the first myself, Discord, Tirek, and Twilight talked with before we started this journey. Also, if I’m correct: the other God’s hold Void in high regards.”

 

“Oh please,” Ahuizotl snorted before he added, “Inferno just tolerates Void. He doesn’t respect him.”

 

“I highly doubt that,” Sombra said before he continued, “I bad mouthed Void once. Eclipse tore into me and defended him.”

 

“When I asked about the other Gods, Cyclone seemed to give Void the highest of regards when explaining,” Gnel said.

 

“I think Inferno puts up that act because he knows how you get,” Sheik joked.

 

“What did you say?” Ahuizotl hissed.

 

“If Void does know why Chaotic became corrupted. Why keep it from us or even his Epitaph?” Aeolus said. The group then turned their attention to Tirek.

 

“What?” Tirek asked.

 

“Why not ask Void ourselves?” Butterfly said. Tirek nodded and held his hand out. He began the chant, but the orb never appeared above his hand.

 

“I-I can’t get in touch with him,” Tirek said. He tried the chant again, but like before. Nothing happened.

 

“Do you think he won’t talk with us until we gather all the Epitaphs” Gnel asked.

 

“That might be the reason,” Sombra said.

 

“Then we’ll find out another way,” Ahuizotl said before he began the chant to contact Inferno. However, like Tirek. The orb didn’t appear. Ahuizotl tried again and again and again. After the fifth time, Ahuizotl ranted, “The hell?!”

 

“It seems none of the Gods want to talk right now,” Discord said before he sighed and looked over at Aeolus and asked, “What do we do now?”

 

“All we can do: is let the autopilot guide us to the Port of Icarus,” Aeolus said before he walked over to a cabinet, open it, and pull out a few board games. He placed them on the table and added, “We can always pass the time with these.”

 

“We have a psychotic God and his skeletal armies destroying the world and you want to play board games?!” Ahuizotl ranted.

 

“What can we do?” Sheik spoke up before she continued, “We’ve got a day and a half on this boat. Might as well pass the time with a board game or two. It's better than worrying about where and what Chaotic is doing.”

 

“You can use Aqua’s power to move the ocean under us and make this oversized bath toy get there much faster!” Ahuizotl argued.

 

“And in turn, that will let Chaotic know where we are,” Sheik retorted back before she got up and examined the board games. Gnel joined her and looked at each game on the table. Ahuizotl scoffed at her response and headed up the stairs and onto the boat’s deck.

 

“How about this?” Gnel said as he picked up one of the board games.

 

***********************

A Griffin skeleton engulfed in flames slowly crept up to Chaotic, still in his Pegasus form and let out a low bone-rattling hiss. Chaotic looked from the desolate city to the skeleton and said, “So, they got away. No worries. They’ll soon come to me.” The skeleton let out another low bone-rattling hiss. Chaotic let out a laugh and added, “Worried? They are mere Epitaphs while I am a full-fledged God.” The skeleton said nothing as it slowly backed away. Chaotic paid it no mind as he started walking towards the large Griffin statue. It had lost one of its arms and the pocket watch it held had fallen and crushed Aeolus’s workshop. There was a group of skeletons surrounding the workshop and Chaotic walked towards them.

 

The group of skeletons parted and let Chaotic through until he stood in front of the fallen Rip Jaw. His Right claw was severed at the wrist, his left wing was crushed and the machinery making it up was spitting out sparks and oil. The bottom of his mechanical beak was torn off as a mixture of blood and oil dripped from the open wound and the speaker hung from its wiring. Rip Jaw shakily looked up and used his left claw to press the button under his neck skin. The speaker crackled to life as static filled the air between the two.

 

“You-you-you-you won’t win-win-win-win-win,” Rip Jaws robotic monotone voice said as several of the words repeated themselves like a broken record. The robotic voice was hard to hear because of the rising and falling volume and static that accompanied it. Rip Jaw took a deep breath before continuing, “A-a-a-a-a-Aeolus and his friend’s will-will-will-will-will-will-will-will-will-will.” The robotic voice finally cut out and nothing but empty static came from the speaker. Rip Jaw let go of the button and the speaker died. Rip Jaw simply glared up at Chaotic.

 

“You think so?” Chaotic said as a smile formed on his face. He lowered his head closer to Rip Jaw and continued, “Your loyalty to your brother is commendable.” The underbelly of his Pony body began to glow coral orange. His wings extended before they propelled him into the air. Chaotic’s smile grew as plums of amethyst flames sparked from the corners of his mouth. Rip Jaw looked up shakily at him as Chaotic roared, “That’s why I know you’ll make a great general!” before he breathed amethyst flames towards Rip Jaw.