Chapter 23: Insight
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Emperor Dommik Blueblade walked down to hallway in silence, his thoughts wandering to and fro. It had taken exactly twenty four hours for the news to spread. A single day in order to strike fear into the hearts of his kin, his subjects. He scowled in irritation. This was all because of the Demon in Metal; that blasted human!

Dommik balled his hand into a fist and thrust forward. A ball of scorching fire erupted forth and vaporized a nearby pillar. A chain reaction ensued as the pillar crumbled, bringing most of the wall with it. Dommik huffed and continued on his way, stepping over the debris.

He suddenly stopped when he heard something peculiar. It sounded like metal scraping on stone, and if he listened closely, he could hear a grunt of exertion. He looked up at the door and smirked knowingly. This particular section of the castle acted as a holding area for... 'special guests' and was usually heavily guarded. The Emperor looked down at his wrist, where a magical watch lay, and figured the time was around three in the morning.

Right in the middle of the guard rotations.

Ever so slowly, Dommik walked over to the door and silently opened the observation slide. He was met with nothing but blackness, causing him to scowl. He took a few steps back, smirked to himself, and summoned another fireball. He figured that if he was going to take his anger out, the best place would be here. The scraping stopped for a moment as someone, whispered on the other side of the door.

"Did you girls hear something?"

With a feral laugh, Dommik launched the massive ball of destruction. The fireball smashed into the door, sending wooden shrapnel and some stone cascading into the room. Heat singed the hallway as the fire blackened what remained of the wall.

Four voices screamed out in fear, one in pain. Dommik kept his smirk as he slowly strode through the door and into the dust filled holding room.

"Is everypony okay?" Came a squeaky voice from the corner of the room. Dommik held his position in the door, unmoving.

"Y-yeah. I can't see anything though! What the hay happened?" Another voice, this one raspy, called through the gloom.

"G-guys, I think something is wrong with..." The third voice sounded weak and quiet. Her words slowly became inaudible as she talked.

"Holy horsefeathers! Someone help me out here! Applejack, hold on!" The raspy voice sounded panicked. Dommik figured it was a good time to step in.

All movement stopped and everything went quiet as Dommik's footsteps clunked slowly into the room. The air seemed to become heavy with dread. The Emperor's smirk turned into a sneer.

"Oh no..." A timid voice whispered.

'Oh no indeed, little ponies.'

"So, trying to escape where we?" Dommik looked around the assembled ponies, refusing to call or identify them by name; they were just animals after all. A blue pegasus mare with a rainbow coloured mane stood off to his left. Her featherless wings twitched as she lowered to the ground in fear. Beside her stood a pink pony with equally pink hair, the latter of which was flat against her head. A massive, ugly scar ran along her cutie mark resulting in a deformative look; the fur-less skin around the wound was red with infection. Looking to the right, Emperor Dommik spotted an all to familiar white unicorn. She looked weary and an inhibitor ring was latched firmly to her horn, her tail was torn to shreds and her barrel was wrapped in hastily put together gauze. Behind the white one was a cowering yellow Pegasus with a pink mane and timid features. Her head was covered as she hid behind the unicorn. Just like the blue one, her feathers were also plucked, leaving nothing but a bit of skin and bone.

He heard a groan and promptly looked down. The last equine, a tan coloured earth pony, was half buried in rubble. Her forehead was bleeding profusely from a piece of debris. Her foreleg was twisted the wrong direction and her eyes were squeezed shut. The pony was in a very delirious state, causing the Dark Elf to frown. This would not do, not if he wanted the plan to come together.

He conjured a shield across the enlarged entryway before kneeling down beside the battered pony. He saw her open her eyes for a brief moment, though they remained unfocused. Dommik smiled down at the pony, but it never reached his eyes.

Quick as a snake, he wrapped his entire hand around the ponies face. She thrashed about, but it was for nought as Dommik was to strong. A quick glance showed that the rest of the ponies had backed away in fear, even the esteemed Element of Loyalty.

Dommik caused pure energy to flow through his grip along with a touch of a healing spell. He gave a small chuckle as the pony began screaming in pain; the thrashing intensified. He saw tears pouring out of the closed eyes of the pony below him; his chuckle turned to a laugh as the equine convulsed.

After another minute, the Emperor deemed the pony healed enough to live. Quiet sobs wracked the animals body. Her rear legs were likely dislocated or broken from the debris, but that was fine in his books There would be no more escape attempts from this one. The others in the room still needed a lesson, it would seem that he hadn't broken them enough.

He strode towards the yellow pegasus, whos eyes contracted in fear, her legs starting to tremble.

"It would seem that you filthy animals didn't get the memo." He lunged forward and wrapped a hand around the shivering ponies throat, causing her to give a quiet eep. He heard an intake of breath behind him, but other than that, nothing else happened. He leaned his face in towards the Pegasus' muzzle; she tried to lean away.

"There is no escaping this place!"

He threw the Pegasus through the air. Her featherless wings extended and the Emperor savoured the look of terror on her face as gravity took hold. The yellow equine smashed into the far wall, a sickening snap adding to Dommik's bliss.

Everything went quiet as the Emperor picked out his next victim. He took one step forward towards the pink one, but a certain multicolored pony stepped in front of him, teeth bared and featherless wings extended.

"Hm, a challenger. I hope you realize how useless this is. By being defiant, you are only making the pain worse." Dommik crossed his arms and sneered. The Pegasus gulped but held her ground.

"You are wrong, Elf! Twilight is still out there and she will help us. We will wait another decade if that's what it takes, enduring your punishments and torture."

Dommik looked around at the assembled ponies with intrigue. What he saw satisfied him. It was the look of defeat. The only one not showing it was the blue pegasus before him. After another brief pause, he took a step forward.

The pony didn't move.

He took another step forward, this time letting a small ball of fire erupt in the palm of his hand.

The ponies eyes went wide and her ears folded back, but still she held firm.

'Suit yourself.'

Dommik threw his hand forward and the fireball obeyed his command. The pegasus could only recoil as the flame flashed towards her impossibly fast. Her attempt to evade failed as the projectile smacked into her chest, but nothing happened.

"What the..."

Dommik counted to three in his head. At three seconds, the screaming started.

"Ow, ow! Somepony help!" The pegasus was feeling its effects now. The fire had burnt the upper layer of fur and was quickly scorching her flesh. The smell wafted through the room, causing nearly everyone to choke. The Emperor stood in silence, his black irises dancing with the steadily growing fire.

The cries of the Pegasus grew louder and louder before it became an unintelligible screech of pain. The little ponies friends where trying their best to put the fire out, but it had no effect. It was magical after all.

Dommik squeezed his fist, snuffing out the fire in one fell swoop. The roar of flames came to an abrupt stop, but the screams did not. He analyzed the Pegasus laying on the ground before him. Her fur was completely gone, burned away. Her skin was scorched red and black, muscle and sinew visible in some places. The mares left eye was sealed shut, seared beyond belief. the screaming slowly dissolved into choked hiccups of pain, her body twitching every once in a while.

Emperor Dommik glanced over to the side and caught sight of something metal. He swiftly strode forward in silence and levitated the object, which he saw was a pick of some sort, to eye level. He reached out and grabbed the device before turning to face the intact ponies.

"Unicorn, We know what happens when you go behind Blueblood's back. I'm sure he will be very upset when he found out you snuck away to find a tool to escape. It matters not how you got it down here unseen, for I will be taking it. None of you will escape. Once you broke out of the complex, you would have to traverse open courtyard filled with guards. Then you would have to figure out a way down the mountain with your... incapacitated friends." Dommik snarled as he stepped forward, the ponies shying back and leaving the Pegasus as a shriveled mess on the floor.

"You will never leave this place. You are animals, nothing more or less. The magic you stole from my kin is almost under my control, and there is no way of stopping me. You. Are. Nothing. Your lives are as good as over. The princess will not save you, for she is a coward. The resistance won't save you, for they are incompetent. The De-" Dommik closed his eyes and huffed, quickly catching himself from making a mistake. If he mentioned the Demon, the Human, then he would likely only give them, a bit more hope. He glanced back at them and saw nothing in their eyes but defeat. He smiled at that.

"Now, don't try anything again. There are worse punishments than physically harming you to the point of death." And at those words, the Emperor turned and left the room. Guards began to arrive finally and Dommik had faith that they could take the situation from there.

He walked for another ten minutes before coming to his originally intended destination. A large wooden door stood before him, a large black crystal positioned near the top. Two elite guards stood on either side with stoic professionalism. They saluted as he stopped in front of them. Dommik nodded in return before focusing on the crystal.

'Sombra may have been an incompetent leader, but he sure knew his security measures.'

The Emperor spoke a quick chant, causing the midnight coloured crystal to shine a toxic green. The door slowly opened to reveal an inky wall of black. Dommik wasn't fooled and strode through with confidence. His vision turned black, but he could still hear, smell and feel. With an ominous groan, the great door closed behind him, causing the room to go deathly silent. Dommik waited, then waited some more.

''̸̠̥̈́̈́̒D̶̢̥͚̽e̷̦͗͌̏̑̕a̷̹͓̜̪̐̈́t̷̘̠͙̑͂̏̌̓h̴̢͕̦̠̘͐́̄͝.̸̼̓̈́̿.̵̇͆ͅ.̶̨̘̫͑͆͐́̑'̸̲̼̎̚'
̸͓̞͐'̸̱̫́̽D̶̰̀e̵̲͊s̷̲̟͝t̶͍̅̅r̶̥͝o̵͕̽̂y̸̨̯̓ē̷̌͜r̷̪̰̔̕ ̷̮͑̔ö̸͓͙́f̵͍͑̍͜ ̴̲̪̃͛w̷͍̍͋o̸͖̍́r̸͔̙̋͐l̸̡͔͐̊d̵̯̎ṡ̸̪̥̈́.̴̘́.̵̹̖̅̆.̸̭͆'̵̰̫͝
̴̱̹̆'̴̱̈B̸̭̫̎å̵̯͆n̸͓̠͠ĕ̷͙͝ ̵̲͌õ̵̖̮͐f̴̰̎͗ ̷̫͑t̴̰̽ẖ̶̀̋e̴͙̺̎ ̶͚̾͂G̶͇̮̓u̶̞̞̍a̷̳̐̂r̴̡͓̉d̶̯̏͘ĭ̶̝â̸͍ň̶̛̟.̴͓̲̋.̴̜̈́̕.̶͕̪̓'̴̰͔̇̆
̷͇̽͛͜'̷̘̄̈H̴͕͙͒̐ȃ̶̡͇̉r̴̦͂m̷̰̈́o̴̰̊͒n̵̡̖̂̅y̵͕͓͊ ̷̺̙̒ś̴̺h̶͎̐a̶̢͆l̸̟̿l̴̢͖̋̈́ ̴̦̯̈́n̶͇̍͛ẻ̵̻͖̀v̷̦͚͛̃e̷͉̽ŕ̸͍̬͊ ̶̥̈́́ȓ̶̬̯ẻ̸̾͜t̸̘̤͑ů̷͎̟̀r̵̠̔̕n̸̛͔̙'̸̛͙̃
̷̢̲̒́'̵̨̽A̶̩̘̒s̵̻̅̾k̴͕̿,̸̮͖̒ ̵͇̌s̴̘̹̽͘e̷̠̐ě̵̦̽k̵̺̃͂e̸͖̦͋̏r̸̭̯̄̋.̷̘̰́.̴̜̾̏.̷̳͠ ̷̭́͠ä̴̝́ṇ̴̈d̵̠̄ ̶̖͉̀̒ỷ̶̱̍͜o̶̢͙͆͂u̷͎̮̚ ̵̨̩̎͝s̸̭̽̀h̶̡͆a̵̧̞̒l̵̙̇͜l̴̩̋ ̷̤̣́s̴͙͂e̷̪̞̍ê̸̹̦'̵̮̪̾͝
̷̡̝͌'̴̮̑T̸̙͇̄̎h̸̹͛ȩ̶̗̄ ̴͙̺̀̉t̵̰̄̒r̸͖̄̉ụ̴͎̈́̎t̴̨̄ͅḣ̶̤ ̵̘͛o̷͚̺̍̊f̵̟̔͝ ̴̙̺̾̕y̴̜̔̈ȍ̷̝u̶͔̾r̸̤̾̄ ̶̮́e̶͍͔͌ṇ̸̀̋ͅt̶͚̂̀i̶͇͐r̶̭͋͛ẹ̴͒ ̶̙̺̀è̴͇̓ͅx̸̨͇̾͌i̴̗̯̿s̶͓͕̄t̴̫̟̎e̶̮̐̆͜ṅ̴̢̯̚ċ̷͈e̵̹̜̿.̶͎̈́͋.̷̡͙́͠.̸̳͚͋'̴̤̆
̴͖̈́̆'̵̡̬̈́̅N̴͇̂̋o̴͔͘͝n̶͕̻̋̈́ḙ̴́ ̵̖͇̆ő̵̹͇́ṯ̷͑h̷͙̞́͠ë̷̡͎́͌ȓ̴͎ ̴̠͒͑ṯ̸̳̈͠h̸̙̿å̷̬̣͆ṅ̷͜ ̷̝͑m̴̟̔͝e̸̜̓̋.̴̮́.̸͓͔̓̊.̵̹̍'̷̤͚͒͑

Dommik saw an orb in the center of the room, its texture blacker than the darkest black, seemingly a void in existence itself. Dommik hobbled towards it in a trance and slowly raised his hand, the appendage trembling in exertion. Time seemed to slow down, everything seemed to become dull.

Dommik's hand touched the surface, and he was pulled into a vision.

A shrill scream echoed across the landscape, causing the inhabitants of the earth to stare into the heavens. A star of fire crashed through the sky, but something was wrong. The true sun seemed to grow darker, the wind seemed to change direction, and the tides seemed to stop in their entirety.

A mighty roar shook the earth, causing various creatures, ponies, minotaurs, various bipeds and others to flee in terror. As the falling star grew closer, the sky itself seemed to charge with lighting and grumble like thunder, mountains caught fire and trees withered and died.

The star split, one half falling into a valley, the other in a desert. All waited with baited breath as....

'̶̛̣T̵̨͙̍́́ḩ̶͔͛è̷̺̀ ̸̟͉̳̑̅̆ḩ̴̯͉̯̈́̽ö̶͉͕̮̍̄r̸͈̠̮̀̅̀̃r̶̞̙̣̞͋ȏ̴̢̦̆̋̄r̴̛̛̻̺͑,̵̛̝̱̽̌͘ ̷̩̻͖̎̒ṯ̶̅̍h̶̰͎̬͌̇̈́́è̵͈̠̗͔̒͂ ̷̧͇̈́̈̍d̸̼̒ě̵͍͉̐̔͠ś̵͔̼̞t̷̗̥̮̓̇̐ŕ̴̛͕̯̀̎ų̵̲̹̼͊ć̶̹̣̳̏͆͌t̴͎̖̊́͐̐ì̴͓̯ö̶̢́̊̎̐n̷͈͐ ̷̨̘̦̫̆̈̚a̸̧̳̖̝̾̈̌͊n̵̡̉̀́̕d̷̨̧̳͇͗̈́̓͌ ̵̛̳̘̄͛̏d̷̮͆̊ę̴͙̦͗a̷̛̟t̷̠̱͕̯̓͘h̸̳̠̉.̶͚̋̅̎̾.̴͓̤͌͂͠.̷̘̭̎̐͝'̸̮̠͚̥͒͠

Two being clashed in the air, the ensuing shockwave causing the earth to crack and the skies to split. Quick as lightning, the two beings threw a flurry of punches while midair, each connection causing more waves of force. The atmosphere itself seemed to charge and a sphere grew around the two.

'̵̻̑͛̈́͝Ṯ̶͈̝̆̕h̴̲̪̜͓̎̈͗̽ḙ̶̦̦̀͆ ̴̝̲͚͖̐̍͘Ä̵̲̩͓́̈́̒̈́n̸͖̩͂͒͌̚g̷̟̰͙̫̀̅̿͑ȩ̷͍̂l̷͍̿̉̿ ̴̠͚̞͙͑̅͠s̷͙̼̐̽ō̴̦l̵͖̙̣̇̾́̀i̸̠͖̗͋͊͝d̷̛͔͎͈͐͑̀i̴̻̮̊f̵̨̠͋͂͆̅ȋ̸͙̫̰̠̈́e̶̝͑ḑ̸͖́͌̔̈́,̷̠̓̃ ̸̗͖̰̂͘ͅt̴̜̻̼̎̈h̷̞́͋̕̚e̴͙͍̥̦͝ ̷̛͎̌̓̒D̴͎̲̭̅̈́̀̽e̸̹̊̒̉ͅm̷̥̤̻̬͛̒̋̕ǒ̴̑͊͜͠n̸̙͋ ̶̨̢̡̳̾̇̉̏ř̵͖é̵͓̫̥̆͒c̵̞̳̙̅̒t̵̟͎͉̔į̷̬̩̏̇̐͛f̷̧͇̠̤͂̐̊͝i̸̡̨͒̋́̋e̵̜̙͑d̸̢͈̱̳͒͋̇.̴̥̯͊͗́.̴͇̻͎͓̈́̊.̶̨̙̲̦̋́̎'̶͍̆̌

The creatures of the earth came together in harmony. Their strength causing a beam of rainbow to erupt forth and consume the two beings. Flashes of a future seemed to enter the minds of all those present. A shriveled bodied thing wearing a cloak made of creature skins sat upon a throne of bodies and blood. All others bowed before it.

Ṯ̴̞̥͎̀̾̃̽h̶̻̲͗̋̈ë̶͍́͝ ̶̞͝r̷̡͈̭̰͒̉ẻ̶͉͖t̷͔͐͆͑͝ú̴͔̺r̵͍̝͘ņ̴̺̤̒ ̴̢͓̻̿̉̂ͅị̶̏̚͝͝s̸̙̥̗̘̈̋̐ ̵̗̙͐p̵̰͍̀̍̉͝ŗ̶̙̦̈́̋ô̵̞̝̌̆̕p̶̠̰̮̍ͅh̷̞̥̼̃͑ë̵̝́̊ś̵̰̫͇̞́͝i̶̺̣̟̒̒e̶͖̱͒̈́̈́͜d̵̪̹͌̆,̶̡̩͌̏̚ ̶̯̲̹̈́̈͑͝y̵͉̤̌̅͊̇o̸͙̯̺̮̒ụ̷̬̆͗͛ ̵̨̜̿͌ŵ̶̠̖̤̍͒͘i̶̡͍̹͆̊̋l̸̅͊͜l̸̼̯̪̱̋̈́͝ ̴͔͙̙̝͂́b̶̘͑ę̴̹̜̄̈͋́ ̸̡͉̊̅͝t̸̮̲͇͎̚ĥ̶̭̫ͅe̷̻̯͌̃͊ ̸̨̬̯̊ͅī̸̗̪̩n̷̹͎̳̰̏s̵͎̳̦̈́ͅt̴̬̺̖̮́̓̀r̴̛̺͙͈̈́͐u̵̪̫̳̽m̵̨̬͇̝̓̂̾̐ĕ̷͈̑͛n̵̡̲̘̮͒̋ṯ̵̾̈̚.̷̧̯͕͓̎͝ ̴̮̥̻̜͌́̏

The two beings each threw something to the far corners of the earth. One seeking help, the other, a gift. An orb of blackness fell to the earth and was buried for countless millennia. Nations rose and fell, wars fought and peace taken. The orb was finally discovered, set in what would become the single greatest Empire in history.

Ẏ̶̯̼̹ồ̵̡̕u̴̹͘͝ ̶̮̖̖̄̌͛á̵̜̫͇̳͂r̷͍̱̎́ḙ̷̭̻̇̈́ͅ ̷̙̖̭̀̔͛t̷͕͚͌͂͌̽h̶̹̽̎̎̂ė̷̩͈̈́̋͝ ̴̣͙̀̄̿͝í̷̜̌̀ņ̸̫̮̓̎̒̈́s̷͈̻̳̀́̊̕t̶̡̓̉r̶̰͕̊ư̶͈͈̆̊͘m̷͇̞͔̹̎e̶͚̚n̶͎͌̎́̈́t̴̩̻̣̗̄́.̵̢̞̩̮̊.̵̰͍̏̑ͅͅ.̸̧̙̜́̈̓

Millions of Elves marched upon the earth, conquering, killing, raping, and pillaging. The magic was given back to their rightful rulers. At the front of the column was a figure... a god. It lead the forces of Elvenkind through time and space, conquering everything in their path.

I̵̯̞͑ ̷̢̢̜̇a̴̺̅͘m̷̮̃̄͜ ̷̺̳̅͑̍̀P̴̻͔͋͌̃̔ë̵̘̹̆̕á̴͇̬͈͍̑c̶̫̆ě̸̠̚͝,̸̳̻̖̅̋̏̍ͅ ̶̢̛̗̘̊I̴͍̠͉̾͆̉̈́ ̸͇͔̎͒ạ̶̑ḿ̸̜̝ ̵̲̰̎̄̿͌Ṡ̶̢ā̸̞̊͝l̸̛͈̺͚̙̀͊v̵͇̍̀̆̅a̵̛̲̐̉͐t̵̻͂i̷̤͗͗õ̶̗͎̥͚n̸̢̺̆!̷̡̛̮̖̋̈́͝

The orb finally released Dommik's mind from its hold, black tendrils and wisps of dark fog seeping back into its smooth surface. The Emperor smiled at the orbs revelation, the magical device never having failed the Empire before. It guided them through their conquest, allowing them to take back what was rightfully theirs. It would give them the power to put forward the great wipe, a plan set in motion since the discovery of the orb. All they needed was all the harmonic magic in the land.

All that was left was the Princess of Friendship.

Dommik laughed, hard. There was no Demon of metal in the vision. There was no loss for the Empire! They would succeed in their conquest! Everything was coming together: Everything would be consumed in the fires of the orbs imperialism. Dommik's irises widened and his eyes grew bloodshot. The orb whispered to him again, causing a twisted smile to crest his features.

Ḣ̸̯͍â̴͉̯̙̓r̵̢̦͚͕̆̓ṁ̷̛̦̈́̃ȯ̵͇̽n̴̙͔̘̣͊̚͝ÿ̶̨͓̗́͝ ̴͚̞͇̯̒̀̿͝w̸̬̟̗̪̔î̴͍͔͈l̵̨̒̌̐l̴͇̯̔ ̶͕̲̩́̿b̵̟̰̀e̸̯͆̍̇ ̶̛̹̼͎̆͘t̴̤̟̫͒̇à̶̫̆k̸͖̉ͅẹ̷̡̧̻̑́̽͝n̷̩̠̈́́͝!̵̥̰̊͂ ̶̧̭̥̈̌̽̒S̴̡̜̠͖̈́a̸͚̾̒͆̽ḷ̷̫̊̏v̸̩̈́͂ả̴̧̯ṯ̸̣͋̿̐͝i̸̻̤̅̎̑͝o̸̥̥̮͇͌͌̾n̶̼͎̉ ̴̳̭͑̓s̴͕̟̎̆͋͠ḧ̸̦͎̝͎́͑͝a̶̼̳͊͒͆͠ͅļ̷̪̾͌̈́̕ĺ̶̪̅ ̸̦̇͠b̸̝̱̬̳̓̆̊͠e̵̥͒̉̊ ̴̨̊̈́̾͜͜͝a̴̺͕̍̈́̅c̷̛͎̥͉̀h̸͙̤̗̜͗͛̕ī̵̡̝͇͌͜è̶̡̳͚́͑ṿ̶͛͐̕͜e̷͍͗̍d̷̡̥͓̂!̶̢̦̱̃͋͒ ̷̡͙̲̈͝A̶̤͝ń̷̲̤͈̈́̔̉d̴̡̧̃̆ ̷̥̯̊̃͠n̷̝̞̮̐o̴̗͚͛̈́̍t̵̩͈̏̏h̷͈̟̊i̴̝͚͎̠̅̂͆̚n̸̻̬̅g̴̗̗̽ ̷̮̳̓̓̀c̶̢̾́ą̴͉̜̻͐̋̅n̸̳̹̰͑͊ ̷̘̥͈̒̈s̷̢̨̗̮͆̔̇͝t̶̻̻̃͐͒a̶̲͙͑͊͒n̵̨̬̰̥͒̈͠ḋ̸̤̻̩ ̷͍́͋î̶̗̜̥̘̊n̴̡͂̈́ ̵̞̮͂̅o̷̠̖̺̪͗̿̄̋u̴̫͖͓̎r̵̪̗͑̈̇̕ ̶̹̞̪̗̔͋̀͌w̵͙͆͗̽̓a̸ÿ̴̜́͊̅̕͜͜!̶̙̩̟̒̓

Indeed! They would reach salvation! They will acquire harmony! With the D̴̥͎̿͗̐͝e̶͙͐s̸͖̓̕ṫ̷̪̎̏͝r̷̨̰̫͆̆͜o̸̙̩̺͂̅̍y̸̢̡͈̦̍e̶̜̼̓̓͜͜r̵͍͎̲̬͌ on their side, nothing would be able to stop them! Not a measly resistance, nor a renegade princess! No being could stand up to the combined might of the Elves and the D̴̥͎̿͗̐͝e̶͙͐s̸͖̓̕ṫ̷̪̎̏͝r̷̨̰̫͆̆͜o̸̙̩̺͂̅̍y̸̢̡͈̦̍e̶̜̼̓̓͜͜r̵͍͎̲̬͌... Not even a Human!

With that thought in mind. Dommik worked his way back to the throne. He had a populace to please, an invasion to plan, allies to undermine, and lastly...

A Princess to capture.

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