Legend of the Titans Chapter II Preview · 12:19am Aug 7th, 2013
Righto, here's a preview for Chapter II. I gotta say, the surprising acceptance of this fic is kind of putting pressure on me to step up my game, though this might not be a bad thing. Anyway, here's the unedited beginning to it. Grammar lovers beware.
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CHAAAINNNNG – CLACK! CHAAAIIINNNNG – CLACK…
CHIKA-CHIKA-CHIKA-CHICKA-CHIKA-CHIKA-CHIKA-CHIKA….
TING-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK…
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Twenty Years Later - The War on Chaos
Two Thousand Years Before the Coming of Nightmare Moon
Far Beneath Canterlot…
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CHAAAINNNNG – CLACK! CHAAAIIINNNNG – CLACK…
CHIKA-CHIKA-CHIKA-CHICKA-CHIKA-CHIKA-CHIKA-CHIKA….
TING-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK-TOCK…
The sounds of gears and machinery filled a massive stone room, echoing off its walls and into the ears of its sole occupant. The mask-clad stood at one of its walls, busy scraping a series of complex mathematical equation into it with a single, steel-clad hoof. After a moment, he stopped, before relaxing his chest slightly. His ear was perking upward following the sound of echoing hoofsteps. He soon dismissed it, however, before continuing with his work, even when the origin of the noise moved right behind him.
He was a stallion Earth Pony wearing an old set of golden armor. Essentially, a normal looking, though archaic soldier. However, he had two distinct features: his strange, black eyes which seemed to consist of smoke, rising up out of their holes, and his casual, though slightly... off voice.
He chuckled. "You know, Slade, I know you like pulling the whole mysterious badass act, but if someone wanted to, they could have-"
Slade quickly shook his head. "I can recognize your hoofsteps easily, Captain Black. I knew it was you."
"Even with all the noise?" Black asked.
"It's essentially music to my ears at this point."
"Oh-?" he smirked. "Alright, then tell me this: what if I wanted to? Are you sure you can trust me enough to keep your back turned on me?"
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"Hmmm?"
Slade narrowed his eyes. "A scorpion may sting a turtle, even if it dooms itself in the process," he sighed. "But will it sting another scorpion without proper... motivation?"
"You're sure about that?" he grinned. "What about a scorpion without a soul?"
"I've explained this to you before," Slade said calmly. "You do have a soul. It's just been... redirected a bit."
"You know what I mean."
Slade chuckled slightly, giving an amused groan. "Then I'd invite you to try, if I weren't a little busy at the moment..."
At that, Captain Black gave an annoyed grunt, before moving next to the masked assassin.
"What are you busy with, anyway?" he asked.
"Busy work," Slade muttered dismissively. "Do you have something to discuss with me?"
The demon-like pony shut his eyes, sighing deeply.
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"Bad news?"
Captain Black took a deep breath. "Yeah- plan's gone bad."
Slade froze at this, narrowing his eyes in thought, before shrugging. "So it did. How?"
"Take a guess," Black chuckled. "Who's been leading the war effort against Discord for such a long time?"
Slade paused for a moment, his mind plunging briefly back to the past.
"EEEP! THOU ART MAD!"
"LET US HIE, THEN!"
Slade actually chuckled yet again. "It always comes full circle," he said in a bemused tone.
"You're not even angry?" Captain Black said, more sarcastically than anything. "And here I thought you'd actually show some emotion for once!"
"..."
Captain Black rolled his eyes. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"
"Yes: it was apparent that the Black Orb didn't have the same effect on Discord as it did for you after the first year..."
"Probably missing the catalyst," Captain Black shrugged. "I had just got done dealing with ole Clover the Clever's little tumble at the time. Doesn't mean much to me now, though."
"Exactly," Slade nodded. "Discord was vicious in a few ways, oh yes, but his antics were still too... what's that word- trollish? - to tip the balance as far as we wanted." He gave a grunt. "The artifact fluctuated slightly, however, and I gained a slight bit more insight into its functions. I've actually begun to detect a pattern..."
"What kind of pattern?"
"There seems to be regular events that... peek its interest - every thousand years or so."
"Are you serious?" Black asked, raising his eyebrows. "Oh wait - stupid question. The only time I've ever seen you crack a joke, even gallows humor, is when you're talking about your future plans or whatever."
"..."
"Ah."
"One thousand years from now, Captain Harness..."
"You could just call me, Black, you know..." he grunted.
Slade chuckled. "Doesn't have the same ring to it."
Black's eyes widened as he grinned in anticipation. "Now I know you're onto something good..."
"Indeed," Slade nodded. "Every thousand years - I don't know why - but every thousand, there is always something that goes horribly wrong in these lands. Quite punctual. For instance: one thousand years from now, there is going to be a cataclysmic event. I don't know what, but I know it will rock the foundations of Equestria, and a force of good will switch sides."
Black shrugged. "Sweet. I'll bring the chairs. I guess it'll be enough to activate the artifact, right?"
"Possibly... possibly..." Slade mused. "But I want more than that... I might even need to have more than that. It will have to wait another millennium."
Black raised an eyebrow. "You really put the long in long term, you know that? What the hell are we supposed to do for that long: play chess?"
"I have a few ideas," Slade shrugged. "You don't have to be a part of them, if you don't want. But I could use you..."
"Huh? For what?" Black asked.
Slade raised his hoof. "The first part of my plan involves waiting for the second great coming cataclysms, or series of them, I believe. We will... assist with this endeavor. This should be enough to activate the artifact for a substantial period of time. However - I'm not sure it will be enough to accomplish what I want."
"And that is..."
Slade narrowed his eyes. "I need you to spread something for me. All over Equestria, all over time... all legends have a beginning, and in this world: this one will begin with you."
Black narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Slade gave another, sinister chuckle. "Let me tell you a story, Captain Harness."
Black gazed at him in shock, before letting loose a sinister cackle. "Oooooh hell yes. This... really is going to be good, isn't it? I'm all ears."
"Good," Slade nodded, before slowly sitting down. "Listen closely, Captain Black. You'll need to hear every detail...
Our story starts a long, long time ago. It is about five heroes who stood up against the face of evil... and who will one day do so again. Do you understand what I'm saying? It is a tale of past and future. A legend that will ring for two millennium."
He smiled behind the mask, a strange twinkle in his eyes.
"This... is the Legend of the Titans."
A preview to the second chapter to a story I still need to read. This is like insult to injury. . . .
1267305
Haha, no worries. It's going to be a bit slow going at the rate I'm at...
1267310
Well, good thing. School starting is going to screw me over with my fan fiction reading schedule.
DAMMIT WHY DO YOU TEASE US?
Oh man, I can just tell this is going to be awesome. I'm really excited to see how this goes.
You really weren't kidding when you said you drew a lot of influence from These Black Eyes, were you?