Many months later...

The Storm Isles

Underneath the rolling storm clouds below, the waves violently crash into the rocks that stood as barriers for the brown isles itself. A lightning strikes onto a bird on flight, practically scorching it in shock and sending it downwards to the dirt below. Aside from the boring and dull landscape void of green, there were black colored towers that bordered around the isles.

At the top of each tower, there were the Storm creatures that would serve their loyalty to their one and only true master that had been given to them: The Storm King. Each of their blue-dotted eyes stare out towards the ocean and the sky for any intruder that would dare try to cross onto the land of their king, let alone cross the airspace. Only one incident had already happened with the Griffon delegates years ago when they came to them for directions. Oh, how wrong they were to think the Storm King would be so humble to offer them back a way to the Griffon Empire. They were held imprisoned for months, and only through the Empire did they convince the Storm King to release them.

The Storm creatures, also referred to as Mooks by the Storm King himself, stand there with their spears raised high in protection of the Storm Isles for it was where their prophecies were created and their origins a beginning. They all witnessed it, and though they don't know whom left it there, saw the egg that contained the Storm King himself merely as a baby. They raised him to become the ruler he would one day be, today.

Past the border wall of black and the towers was possibly the largest tower of all for the isle itself. The tower was like a castle, spiralling towards the sky and featuring longer spikes on its tips at the top. The flag featuring the Storm King's symbol blows in the wind with a few tears, but even the Mooks knew that when it falls, that is when the Storm King will make the orders to replace it.

Yes, there were children that were bred within the Mooks society. They would play roughly amongst themselves in brawls, and as usual would go to school. All education within the field was the majority that any other school system would have, but with the message that they will serve the Storm King for as long as he lived. After the education and the passing into their older years like any other normal adult Mook, they were sent to be trained under the Storm army and recruited as soldiers.

Even then, they could sense a different change in the air since the months had passed. They all could remember that one day when the Storm King returned from Abyssinia in his plans of conquest...

Upon arrival, the Mooks gave their everlasting praise to the Storm King who would deliver them to a world under his reign that he would conquer the world and give them the freedom to roam outside the isles with a superpower army and a spell to truely make him a "Storm" King. He had brought home with him an unexpected outsider that they were surprised to see.

Introductions were made for the broken horned unicorn, going by her own name "Tempest Shadow". He had proposed to them that she would help him as the new commander in his conquest to dominate the world under his one and only law. Besides from the prisoners he captured that were the infamous Celaeno and her pirates whom he would no doubt would give them the roles as cargo haulers forcefully, the Storm King sent the unicorn herself on a quest.

This quest itself, was to retrieve a staff that had been passed down in legend on the Storm Isles for a very long time. They called it the Staff of Sacanas, a lost artifact that had been kept within the caves of the volcanic territory east of the isles: Mount Thunderroar.

In the present time as of now, the Mooks look above in the clouds to see one of the Storm King's airships returning. Big difference though, they contained the pink markings that resembled the commander making her return to the main isle. Some watch as it makes approach towards the docks above on the tower, while others continue to go about their business with going to get groceries for the family.

Being that they shown great loyalty, no tax would be given to them which would be seen as a benefit to them.

On the docks and around the Storm King's tower, there were royal Storm guards standing there with much tougher armor than even the normal Mooks would have. These special ones were those who no doubtingly impressed the Storm King with their talents and abilities to show they were willing to defend him and his kingdom at any cost. They were much tougher, yes, but held a more strict personality.

Inside at the top of the tower and one floor below the roof that oversees the Storm Isles, there was the throne room itself. The royal guards both stood there at the double doors with two standing by the big chair itself where even the big guy himself would be sitting as he was now.

That Storm King himself... his throne was spun around to watch the outside and he patiently waited until the return of his commander. The fingers on both his hands are pressed together, as those arctic blue eyes observe the wealth of his kingdom and the expansion to the North Isles that were in complete development. A bolt of lightning shoots down from the clouds in the view and strikes onto a random piece of dead grass that were uninhabitable for any other being.

And he wonders how the Mooks survived on their own...

Aside from his nostrils and the other mooks breathing, there was only the sound of the wind outside of the tower along with the crackling of thunder that followed after each lightning strike no matter how far the distance it was seconds away. There is the faint sound of the doors opening and closing in the halls as well to fill in the silence.

He knew very well of Commander Tempest's return when the word had gotten out to him from a channelled message in the clouds that shown him the light of the mission he gave to her being complete and was to return those days soon which he expected on time as he thought.

Takeo... he stands guard next to the throne of the Storm King. He remained a mystery for many of the mooks, but the Storm King had a very long and well-known memory of how he stumbled upon the winged human boy in the first place. Some could say his wings were given to him in a freak experiment, or that he was given them as a omen that he would regret since he got them.

Only both the yeti-satyr and the human knew of their meeting for the first time, but was never explained to the Mooks as even the king knew their minds so dumb would not be able to comprehend the tale of how the Storm King found Takeo, took him in and raised him as his honored warrior.

Same eye color as his own master and king, he had joined him in the wait for Tempest's return. Ever since the word had been spread as far into the Storm Isles that another human had existed in this world, Takeo himself was interested to knowing more about this other 'winged' human that was said to be located within Equestria - something both the Storm King and Tempest had on target.

From behind the throne the King sat, the doors had opened up slightly. By how far it had opened from the light it shone on the wall... both the King and his Warrior knew the short mohawked figure entering in the doorway judging by the shadow itself.

Grubber...

That little hedgehog was coming in today for probably the eleventh time much to the dismay of them both. Takeo's eyes could catch the sight of his master wanting to groan heavily and place his hands onto his face if this was another question from that creature about all kinds of food, whether it being snacks or just... any kind of food at all. The winged human turns around and looks to see what the small creature wanted from his king.

A sigh is heard from the Storm King. "This is the eleventh time you have come into the throne room to ask of something from me, isn't it?" He asked with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

"Your Almighty," Grubber says as he kneels down on one small chubby leg before the throne with its back turned on him. "This is different news to inform you about."

"Oh?" The Storm King looks to be pretending to care about whatever the little dimwit would tell him at any moment. "Let me guess... I have a massage therapist now." He sounds sarcastic in the tone of his voice when he spoke again to him.

The mohawked hedgehog shook his head. "No, Your Highness. It's mostly to do with Commander Tempest. She has returned from her journey." He confirmed to him as the Storm King kept an ear open.

A pause was heard from the Storm King at first as his head rises up from slouching forward with his hands pressed together. A smile begins to appear on his face, and he twists around in the throne, slamming a fist onto the right side of the throne's armrest. The image of the outside displaying all of the Storm Isles was replaced with that of a simulation that resembles lava flowing downward.

"Well, ba-da-boom!" The Storm King announced with excitement in his voice and that full-grown smile on his face. "Send her right in! If she's back after a while, she must have found the staff to make me a true king."

"The Staff of Sacanas, sir." Takeo informed him, being that he didn't state its actual title.

The yeti-satyr stood up out of his throne and raised his left hand to his winged warrior. "Ah-ah-ah," He interrupted the human further. "I got it. Shouldn't be a problem now."

Both of the throne room doors begin to open up, and the shadow of that familiar broken horned unicorn begins to form into the light from outside. Proudly he stood, the doors opened up all the way thanks to the support of the Royal Storm guards. The light reveals more of Tempest's face, along with that scar on her right eye as from the result of the attack that had caused her to lose her horn.

"Commander Tempest," The Storm King said with a chuckle as she approached with something covered on her back in a cloth. "It is good to see you again after many months."

She smiled back at him. "As it is to see you too, your Highness." Her head turns around to bite the cloth that hid the item itself, revealing that staff itself before the king's own eyes.

The staff itself was that of the basic in its body, shaped almost like a cross between Poseidon's staff in the seapony kingdom of Atlantis below the surface of Equus' oceans, and a large tree twig. Only difference: there was a light blue gem that was included on top of the staff, that without power to source the item. Being that Tempest had a broken horn, she couldn't possibly use her magic to levitate it over to the Storm King. One of the Mooks that was assigned to work with her, had to take it off her back and bring it forward to him.

"Behold," She continues as the yeti-satyr grips onto the staff itself and looks at the stone at the top. "I give to you the one thing that will make you all-powerful. The Staff of Sacanas."

An expression of joy appeared on his face. "Ohhh, and this precious rock seems to go quite well with it," He commented before he would motion to move it around. "Now... I am truely the Storm-"

He stops for a moment before he could finish his sentence. He sways the staff around a few more times. "Wait... where's all the lightning strikes or the powerful winds that follow along with the staff?" The tone of his voice sounded rather confused.

"The staff hasn't been charged with magic yet, your Majesty." Tempest informed him to his own disappointment. "The only thing it requires for the full effect would be the princesses' magic."

Grumbling with disapproval for that moment, the Storm King looks back at her. "I thought that it would be already there by the time we head out to conquer Equestria." His tongue falls out in disguist. "Bleh! So much for getting a powerful item to make others cower before me."

Tempest ignored that this was the usual him being very fussy about things given to him whether incomplete or not. It was quite typical that she saw of him when she was on the king's airship. Takeo remains silent in obedience when the Storm King listens to her words.

"No fears though," She begins to explain. "When you had taken me in as the new Commander; I swore that I would help you conquer the world. With me, you're already one step closer to doing so. All you'll need is the magic that I told you about, and magic is what you'll have."

"Because you'll be heading back to your homeland Ponyland, or Horse Valley... whatever they call it nowadays," The Storm King grumbles further. "Can't exactly be called Dream Valley, can it?"

"It's Equestria." She corrects him.

"Oh whatever," He says. "I can grant you a mission that can have send you there for that mission of getting the princesses' magic. You'll have practically the entire army divisions with you. The ones who have control in other places already like Abyssinia, will unfortunately be unable to join you. Still, they'll be there just in case of an emergency."

His eyes turned to the hedgehog who looks to be chomping away at a few spongecakes and cupcakes that he had with him. Typical Grubber himself, always obsessing over food when he's not assigned on the job or doing any tasks.

"GRUBBER!"

The shout of his king practically startled the little guy, who practically had to hide all of the sweets behind him with an innocent look on his face. Tempest who turned her head to look directly at the hedgehog, gives him an unamused glance by the look in her eyes.

"Yes, your Highness?" He said nervously as he remembered the first time his king gripped onto him and practically sounded angry at him. Last time that happened, the pirates had got away with the wealth of Abyssinia and Strife betrayed them.

The yeti-satyr moves forward to Grubber, now a bit calm, but still loudmouthed. "You, my little friend, are going to help out the Commander on her mission to Equestria," He pats him on the head. "You're not exactly leader-material, but as long as you obey her and do what she tells you to do - you're going to be just fine."

Another look in Tempest's direction and that uneasy glance on her face had the hedgehog gulp nervously. "Y-yes, your Highness. I won't let her d-down."

"You're a smart little hedgehog," The Storm King chuckled as he moves away from the little guy. "Head to Tempest's airship and wait for her, prepare the troops... you know."

Grubber stood there for only a few moments before turning around towards the doors that exit the throne room nervously. By the expression on his face, this will probably be the first time that he will ever have to get involved with fighting - aside from the past childhood years in the tribe he was cast out from.

The Storm King paused in thought for a moment, and then turns to his most-trusted warrior Takeo who looked at him with the amount of respect he was taught to give to him. "My favorite: Takeo. You'll be joining with Tempest for this mission by her side. To attack the enemy and come to her aid should she need the back-up," He says to him with a vicious grin on his face. "You may have had a bad experience with her when you and her first met..."

Tempest puts on an amused smile when the Storm King was referencing back to when she first saw him, and the first time ever seeing a human before her own eyes. Being dragged through the snow was something she tried not think about especially with the threats he made about killing her if she continued to fight back.

"Yeah, about that..." Takeo said, scratching the back of his head.

A chuckle that became a short laugh emerged out from the yeti-satyr's mouth, and he pats the winged human on the back. "Do not fear. I am sure that was because you had to play your part as the intimidating warrior type. You practically are, the best one that I raised after all. Anyone else would have cast you out and left you to die." He assures him. "With this mission, I have that good feeling you and her will get along quite well."

"That's what I hope for," Tempest said with a smile emerging on her face. "In fact, he is exactly the one I have in use for, when it comes to that other human in Equestria."

"Right..." The Storm King's expression changed from even thinking about that brown haired boy with that silver blade of his. "He'll need some taking care of, and Takeo's just about the right person to overpower him should he try to start defending our targets."

Tempest smiled with good intentions. "Then he is welcome aboard on my mission. Welcome aboard, Takeo." She turns and speaks with the emotionless human. "Your task: Attack this 'human' if he gets defensive. If by any means necessary he tries to stop us... kill him. It'll be a huge bonus if we capture him alive should you want that."

Moving forward, the human approached her and took her armor covered right front hoof. "I promise to never let you down, just as the Storm King promised to restore your horn." He swore that brief oath to me.

Feeling proud of him, she looks at him by the arctic blue eyes. "Wait for me at the airship. I will be there momentarily." She commanded him, with his acknowledgement and heading on his way out to the docks.

There was a bit of silence between the king and the broken-horned unicorn as the lava simulation behind the throne continues to flow for the feeling of the power between both the exiled Equestrian and the soon-to-be ruler of Equus for all time. He moves back to his throne and looks to be tapping out some sort of code onto the throne's left armrest, as if he would access a lot of secret stuff that normally other Mooks wouldn't be able to see with their own blue-dotted eyes.

It was a bag that the Storm King brought out, and he approached Tempest. He kneels down and opens up the bag for her to look inside. "You remember when I had shattered the Misfortune Malachite into pieces, didn't you?"

"All too well, your Highness."

"When you initially were on the run from me and my forces, the guards had gathered some of your magic that had been unstably let loose in the first time. With the pieces and your magic, I was able to merge them together to create these 'orbs' of magic that can assist you in making sure the princesses will be willing to give up their magic by force, should they resist," The Storm King explains to her. "It was tested a bit of time ago by the soldiers. Had to hide the orbs from them though as they started to fool around with them. Be careful with them though, they can petrify anyone into stone."

A smile came upon her face. "They will come to great use. I will see to it that they WILL give up their magic one way or another."

"Good," The Storm King grinned.

Tempest practically turned around to leave until the clearing of the Storm King's throat had caught her attention. She turned around to see the Storm King handing the Mook nearby the bag itself and silently ordering him to bring it to Tempest's airship. With that, the yeti-satyr moved forward closer to his commander.

"I know that I made my promise to help you. In return, you must help me bring full power to this staff in my hand. Should you fail, you'll know the true wrath of why I am called the Storm King." He paused for a moment. "I hope you know that deep down inside, Tempest."

"Believe me sir." She said, her tone dropping down to sounding serious. "I've wanted my revenge on them for a long time since I lost my horn and turned their back on me. I won't be betraying you anytime soon."

A smile grew onto the Storm King's face again as he brought his face away from her. "Well, alright!" He sounds rather excited. "Then you better head on your way to Equestria and get me some magic ready! I'll be here partying and celebrating early with the other Royal Storm guards until everything is ready for my arrival to show my face in Equestria!"

Turning around again, Tempest could only chuckle to herself and leave the throne room while the Storm King admires his powerless staff in patience of waiting for the magic to be rounded up.

"The princesses will never see this coming at all, and I will soon have my horn back..."

Tempest trots off towards the darkness, with only her eyes visible even when that horn crackled a bit in the darkness to show light in the darkness and that glare upon her eyes. At last, it was time for Equestria to know the Storm King's true intentions.

But it would be Tempest's time to show them, they just had to open up their eyes and see the world from where she stood among the mighty...