Demilitarized zone, along Talon River; near Nod base complex -- Twelve years after Celestia’s disappearance
Luna overviewed Nod base from the hillside. Poor messengers with humvees were killed on sight, and whole base began mending defenses now. She sighed. “We tried. Tsar, thou lead this army now.”
‘I knew this would happen.’
Along the hillside there were dozen riflepony squads, zone troopers and zebra alchemists behind dozen of APCs waiting for word to action. Our snipers were positioned in the forests to suppress any militia getting closer.
“Ok. APCs, you carry rifleponies to enemy gates. Alchemists and zone troopers, you cover our APCs. Snipers will handle any flanking from the enemy. Twilight, you assist-”
“No,” Luna interrupted, “she will not engage.”
“What? Why?” griffon leader asked confused.
“Twilight did everything she could and was asked to. Losing her here would not benefit us.”
Griffon clenched his talons. “But she would help us tremendously.”
“Have faith in thine units.” Tsar nodded. “Come now Twilight.” I did so. Obedient.
I really wanted to participate. Countless attempts of begging her to allow me in battle only earned me spectator’s seat next to Luna on some random cloud.
The battle began, and casualties were already visible; Nod militia and artillery already took out first rows of APCs with rifleponies inside. GDI snipers were doing better, reducing numbers of militant squads on the battlefield out of cover.
“I must be down there and helping them,” I complained. Luna shook her head. “All this pointless deaths can be prevented if I was there.” Luna considered this for a moment, before shaking her head once again. “Why?!”
“They fight only because you gave them means to. We merely sparing thine life,” She replied after long while.
“This plan would have failed anyways. And if it did, would you just leave?”
“Aye,” Luna replied instantly without hesitation.
My anger increased. “Don’t you care about your ponies?”
“We do. But they art already dead once they decided to take upon this task. But it’s thine fault they did so.”
She was blaming me. My blood was boiling, but before I could say anything, something massively loud disturbed us. It was big, dark flying metal, shaped like an arrowhead. Its hatch opened and released black cylindrical object that then, upon hitting the ground, exploded.
Then, I saw the battlefield again. Nod naval ships released many new militant squads. Forest that our snipers were hiding was being burned. There were a lot of smoldering and unmoving vehicles within piles of other dead ponies and zebras of GDI and Nod alike. And the handful remain of GDI army were being surrounded in Nod base, flanked on all sides by new Nod war inventions.
“Then it’s concluded, we lost,” Luna decided. She dismissed everybody, some of these zone troopers were most of my own royal guards.
“I won’t let this happen, not again!” I roared as I leapt off the cloud. In a flash my armor appeared and with a touch of magic canes transformed into my guns. “I must save everybody!”
My descend was softened by unfortunate militia pony that instantly died with a crunch. Four more around him lost footing to my SMGs’ blades. Eyes of sculptures of the guns began glowing softly.
The rest of Nod units fell to coma from my spell, but my muscles tensed and felt like they were lit on fire. ‘I should stop using that spell on so many targets. I’m not doing favors sparing Nod lives, either.’
Shots zoomed past my head and few bounced off my armor; Nod ships unloaded new arrivals that were shooting at me.
With a teleport I appeared on deck. Ponies reacted to that too slowly and few unfortunate soldiers fell to the blades. Alice’s cat eyes shimmered red and began giggling maniacally, and Thomas’ serpent eyes shimmered blue and began hissing melodically.
And both of them fired. I screamed, the guns firing in a wide arc and bullets piercing and burning flesh of so many.
After a barrage of fury, I ascended, aiming bullet-tartarus at flying arrow-like metal constructions. Bullets pierced the hull of the first and it finally gave up in sparks and black smoke. Two other such flying objects met the same fate.
Below, Nod was done with purging the forest in flames, cobra artillery were bombarding the base now, and new vehicles and units advanced through the breach.
“No! I won’t allow!” My descend shook the ground and momentarily dazed Nod’s advance, and soon they were reduced to smoldering cans and bags of flesh, as my SMGs cheered with glee.
Then, barrage of bullets and explosions met my shield, piercing it and bouncing off my armor and guns that I was using to cover my head with. But then, it stopped.
“Stop!” A shout pierced the gunfire. “Princess Twilight is showcasing us her new toys for us.” It was a decoy of Silver Moon. “And as much as we like it, you’re not worthy of our time and ‘expense’. So, if you want this useless slum, have it.”
“I hate you!” I threw Thomas at him, it gone through him doing no harm. I was puffing rapidly with rage and tiredness.
“Yeah, whatever. And Kane wanted me to tell you that this means war.” With that he disappeared and Nod troops withdrew as well.
“Thank you for rescue,” voice behind me said. I turned sharply with a swing, startling a large griffon.
“Where are the rest of our units?”
“Sorry to say this, but I’m the last that survived,” tsar said. Alice impaled the ground just inches from Terror Feathers in my furry throw.
The next thing was me wailing.
~~~
Canterlot, Pony Capital -- Fifteen years after Celestia’s disappearance; royalty meeting
In the last three years Nod managed to overrun and conquer all of griffon lands. GDI army disbanded, and alone I couldn’t fend Nod’s expansion. Zebra tribes under attack. Diamond dogs in hiding. Staddler’s naval projects never realized.
And our meeting had only three of us: Terror Feathers, princess Luna and myself.
Another desert fell off the table as I dragged the tablecloth, forcing it with my hatred-fueled magic into a knob and then shredding it to pieces as if it was the very sin to blame for everything.
“Would you stop?!” Terror Feathers shouted at me. “We’re discussing crucial matters here!”
“Whining,” I said simple, not bothering to stop what I was doing. Luna did try to stop me before, but her now weak magic just fizzled against mine.
“Nod is enslaving my griffons!” I didn’t listen to anything else he had to say after that.
‘What if there’s a way to save everybody without further losses.’ My mind went to work, imagining n amount of possibilities to go about defeating Nod and consequences that may follow, until it settled on one. ‘This must work.’
“I’m going to fix everything!” I cheered loudly, not suiting the grim moods of two other attendees. Then, with a teleportation spell, I was gone.
~~~
Twilight’s Castle -- A year later
Before me stood what little, so called GDI army, I managed. They were gathered in the biggest room my castle had. There were no meals, and everybody wore their combat gear, as instructed.
I cleared my throat and then coughed audibly to get attention. “I thank you all for joining me today.” I flapped my wings to ascend and make myself visible. “You all know the risks and sacrifices it needs to be done for this to work, as was stated in invitation. But I’ll remind you again.
“Nod is conquering everything, starting with griffon lands, and now they are plundering Prance. They have number advantage against us. But I found an alternative to that. And you all will be the final sacrifice to end this pointless conflict.”
I summoned a hologram with my magic, it showing a reddish flying rock in black void. “This place is ‘the Storage’, I call. Your souls will be bound to this realm, and once you die you will remain here.”
The image changed to a blocky structure with curved edges and two cylinders that ran through it and were entrances. “‘Barracks’. Here when you fall in battle, with help of Tiberium, you’ll be renewed and resummoned back to reality from the storage in mere seconds. But based on your equipment, respawn times will vary.”
Image changed again, now it was of another structure, this one a taller curved box with a crane and way bigger entrance. “‘War Factory’. This structure quickly constructs our vehicles, and drivers of these vehicles will respawn here, as well.
Hologram imagery changed again, now it showed a vehicle similar to APC’s design but bigger with different attachments and purpose. “‘Mobile Construction Vehicle’, or MCV, it’s the mobile version of main hub for all building processing. It transforms into ‘Construction Yard’ which within set radius can instantly build our structures. It’s fast and eliminates the needs of unicorns to stain themselves in meddling with Tiberium processing.”
It changed one more time, now picture of a structure with glowing sapphire gem on top of reinforced bulky metal. “And lastly, ‘Power supply’. It magically powers itself to produce more magic for itself and these structures to operate.
I would have continued my ‘lecture’, but soldiers within room were giving me looks that told me they weren’t listening to anything I was saying.
“Fine then.” The floor began aglow with red runic symbols that then set all the soldiers on fire and instantly to red ash that glowed for some more time after.
Dark magic what it was; forbidden practice throughout the world. It invited feeble minds with promises of power and its easy use, and it also darkened pony’s mind and bred ill-will upon own sanity. But I was stronger and it was temporary anyways, I reasoned.
Nausea hit my guts and I emptied a gallon of my breakfast and blood. Yes, and there was a traumatizing price for resisting its vile attempts to consume oneself.
‘I’m an alicorn, I can endure this. I must, to save everybody.’
~~~
One of Nod bases along Talon River
I overviewed the base from a cloud curtain. It housed small amount of militant squads and some new Nod units and vehicles.
And we were busy, too, with ‘Predator Tank’. This highly armored slow-moving vehicle – our light artillery tanks – now ready.
‘Let’s take this for a test drive.’
I flared my horn, linking control of MCV to unpack into construction yard. It did so in abandoned Nod base that we won for a cost of GDI dignity and lives of so many soldiers, and my royal guards. Now suiting as overgrown Tiberium-rich resource dump.
Building matrices sparked to life and power supply shimmered within construction yard perimeter. Refinery was instantly built next; harvester went to its job as well. Then barracks and war factory followed.
Within few minutes of summoning units from the storage, the army was looking fairly decent for an attack. I linked my brain for control over the units, but my horn ached and my vision blurred with blood, and it failed.
“Ugh.” Not strong enough.
I descended on the ground. “Ok. Follow me for an attack,” I ordered as my armor appeared and canes transformed into SMGs.
There was slight hesitation from the troops, and one reasoned, “Wouldn’t it be better for you to stay somewhere safe while you march? We’re expendable and you… well, not.”
“Expendable?” He shrunk over my glare. “Weird way for you to word it. Heroes, I would say. But they owe me holes in their bodies and equipment.”
I froze when that last sentence escaped my mouth. Yes, I was angry on Nod for what happened to my royal guards, but then again it was my fault, but it was Nod’s fault for starting all of this. They killed so many of us, and I killed so many of them, and even now orders left my mouth for more killing. And for what purpose? An ultimate resource that’s renewable and could last forever, and it was everywhere and accessible to everybody. But if Nod hadn’t attacked, this wouldn’t have started. But worst of it all, my close involvement.
“I-I…” I dropped my weapons and collapsed on my haunches. “This is so wrong. We mustn’t fight, it’s pointless.”
That soldier in zone trooper armor patted my shoulder. “I believe princess Luna thinks the same. But we do this to stop them. You didn’t go to such lengths just to give up now. Your heart is the right place, my princess.”
“But we can try to talk and reach consensus without any massacre.”
Zone trooper removed his hoof from my shoulder. “And I know from experience that with some people it’s impossible.” He turned around and joined the rest of his group and army. “We await your orders. I’ve delivered my honest recommendations.”
I stared intently at the hill and Nod base behind it that I couldn’t see. ‘I think it’s way past negotiations at this point. Wouldn’t find common tongue with the brutes now that fuel is poured,’ I assured myself.
“My orders stand as it is; follow me to engagement.” I ascended on top of the hill. “Predator tanks, hold this position on the hill. Snipers, take cover behind them. APCs, garrison alchemists and flank enemy base from within the forest. The rest of you, follow me straight to the gates.”
Our approach and our battle cry were hard to miss, and Nod were already arming barricades and garrisoning soldiers on base’s reinforced walls.
Many zone troopers and rifleponies already fell, before my blades could make the first impact. Armored unicorn fell to fatal injury, spasming molten sparks from her horn. “Take cover.” And she exploded, taking lives of many GDI and Nod units and scorching half of my face.
Many of GDI forces laid dead, infantry served only as distraction for predator tanks to pierce holes in their defenses and eliminate Nod vehicles.
Four high caliber bullets hit my head and I fell. Through blurry eyes I saw my attacker falling to his death, as well. He wore magical enchanted leather armor that actively changed colors, reflecting upon the terrain. Where it failed was only at close distance. His weapons were weird, clearly designed for earth pony to use on two hooves, and if were to compare to GDI weapon designs, they were small.
‘And what we come to? Two decades ago we would never considered killing anybody, and now we’re designing more and better means to kill each other.’ That though raised something. My head wasn’t hurting; bleeding, yes, but injury wasn’t fatal.
I rose to my hooves, battle ringing in my ears. ‘Alicorn durability is something.’ Thomas and Alice hummed cheerfully, ready to unleash bullets upon foe. GDI forces managed a breach to Nod defenses and were clearing and securing the base.
‘This is a success, then.’
~~~
Weeks later
Over the past few weeks, GDI army cleansed the land free of Nod with flawless success and swiftness; bases obliterated, Nod forces cower in fear. And we took over intel of some Nod war inventions.
On top of a hill stood large, grinning griffon and purple alicorn princess, admiring smoldering husks of many destroyed Nod bases. “We couldn’t save all the slaves, and I’m sorry to say that Nod used some griffons as suicidal units. But I can safely assure you that all Nod bases have been destroyed and griffon lands are yours once again.”
“That’s the most I could have expected.” Big smile locked on tsar’s face and tears ran freely. “Revenge is sweet. I only wish I could’ve been here, decapitating heads of my foes, like in my youth.”
His exclamation soured my mood. “I don’t enjoy fighting, and even less killing,” I said.
“And yet, you’re best at it. Your efforts brought us this far,” he reasoned.
“We couldn’t find Nod leader Kane Hooves or his second-in-command Silver Moon anywhere, but sources claim that they’re at ‘The Shrine’, black ops are investigating this intel further at the moment.”
Griffon looked at me in the eyes. “I don’t understand why Luna can’t see your resourcefulness.”
~~~
Twilight’s Castle, dining room -- year later; royalty meeting
Big table was adorned with various maps of Equestria, Prance, griffon lands and all neighboring countries that Wailing Arrow brought. Each map circled all activity of black ops units around more Tiberium-populated areas. Each circle was marked in different colors; white for no civilization around that area, green for non-hostile civilization around that area where Tiberium wasn’t being harvested, blue for non-hostile civilization that harvested Tiberium, brown for hostile civilization that weren’t associated with GDI or Nod and weren’t harvesting Tiberium, red for all Nod guarded zones and civilizations that followed Kane’s beliefs.
“So much red,” I summarized. Most neighboring counties around Griffon Lands were full of red circles. Half of Equestria were circled brown below and including Badlands and Changeling Wasteland. And Prance drowned in blue circles.
“Yes. And MCV is en route to clear these infestations.” He guided his hoof through three griffon neighbors’ counties. “But really Twilight, what is that thing?”
“You’ve seen it, and know all about it I have said.”
“I know you’re exceptionally smart, but how do you achieve this.” He put his hoof around his chin, rubbing it gently.
“Magic.”
“Not really ordinary magic-”
“Have you tried negotiating with locals around these areas?” I cut him off to change the topic.
He removed his gaze and nodded to princess Luna, whose mood dropped visibly. “We tried, but damage hath been done; We art no longer caring and respected, as is told. And those that follow Kane would rather perish, defending their lands and beliefs, than accept merging with us, or even staying neutral and out of our ways,” Luna said, dropping her powerful voice by few decibels.
“And she got shot, too,” Terror added, “nothing much compared to our little one here.”
“Pony’s good on promise,” diamond dog Wag voiced. “Now on another; my hounds now keep leaving gem mines. And us want forget mining wrong gem instead of emerald.”
“In due time,” Luna assured. She then locked her eyes on me, all while minotaur and zebra leaders and my sister-in-law voiced their concerns next. But these were muffled and forgotten as I felt tingling sensation on the back of my head where Luna’s eyes pierced me.
Dark blue hoof descended upon my shoulder, forcing me to jump startled. “Sorry. We seek to speak with thee. Alone.”
I nodded and, after excusing ourselves from the meeting, we made our way somewhere private. Empty library served such purpose well. “What is it?”
“We seen thine progress,” she began, “We were wrong to regard thee weak.” She tilted her head and looked at me in the eyes. I was happy, not for what I did, but that Luna herself was trying to apologize.
But then her voice boomed with venom, “And now We know that thee art untrustworthy. Really Twilight, dark magic? We no ignorant, no wonder thine strength arose greatly.” She sighed deeply. “Why?”
I stared at steaming cup with hot coffee that I served myself and Luna before our chat, and eventually weakly said, “I want to save everybody.” That was the only honest truth that escaped my mouth.
That earned me pitiful look from Luna. “Aye.” She lowered her head in deep thought, before replying, “We know how it feels. But we cannot allow thee repeating Our mistakes done so long ago. And it does involve the very forces thou rely as of now.”
“Nightmare Moon,” I stated, Luna nodded. “Yeah, I know; deep sealed with history now. But you never told me the full story before that.”
Luna looked at her mug and then around the library. “Fine. We’ll need more coffee, though.”
~~~
Millennia ago
Hapless earth pony stallion with brownish coat and simple leather barding got impaled on the back with a levitated spear as he tried to leave the massacre, suffered many other non-fatal cuts and bruises all over him. Many other earth ponies met similar fates as unicorns in stylized chain and plate armor purged and stabbed the opposition.
But such flawless slaughter was halted as countless many spiky bubbles showered the advancing unicorns like a morning breeze. Pegasi areal assaulters loosened the projectiles off their saddlebags onto the field below, scoring few unicorn kills and making the rest of them shout profanity and look like metal-shed hedgehogs.
And on top of the hill, surrounded by invisibility shield, stood two young alicons.
“So pegasi joined too, again,” Luna said as she winched the nth time after another pony got severely hurt.
“Yes,” Celestia confirmed as she tried not to shy away from the scene.
In between the two ponies floated Discord, providing regular irritation for them with sticking talons and paws of his mismatched limbs and battling evasive maneuvers of pony ears. “Hopeless I say.”
“This is horrible,” Luna said.
“And one time use,” Discord added, dodging another slap from Celestia’s ear, “but toys they invent just for diminishing the opposition are something. It’d be a shame if something happened to it.” An explosion exploded through the field with fire following the sound fast behind in molten glory. “What’s next then?”
“Next we’re going to stop this!” Celestia suddenly declared, firing white beam from her horn that scattered into many threads, each for every fighter.
Fighting ceased, every pony was paralyzed and slowly evaporating and then returning home. Another pink beam followed and trees and wildlife reborn to bone, then flesh, then body and smart living and breathing animal, and from sapling to healthy vegetation that was just before the fighting.
“Done.” Celestia cut her cast and sighed deeply.
“Boring!” With a snap discord disappeared.
“You can’t be doing this every time this happens,” Luna said somberly to her sister.
“What else can we do?”
“There must be a way.”
~~~
Books, knowledge: the answer to deepest desires and needs. Magic: the answer to all. Magic: the tool for everything. Magic: power. Power: everything. But at a cost.
Door failed off its hinges as roar of forceful magic followed it. “I will not allow!” A white bearded pony with jingling cape and hat jumped out of the breach and slammed Luna off a runic circle that she was draining vile magic from.
“Another half-brained-magic-powerful being that’s what we don’t need.” Stallion removed himself from Luna and table debris that they both slammed into. “But was predictable.” He watched Luna rise as he continued. “You’re already an alicorn, gone through the ascension and with your sister became something better than anything.”
“It’s nothing if I can do nothing.”
“We’ll find a way without the need of you poisoning yourself.”
~~~
Now
“[…] But I didn’t listen him. And the rest is known, with Nightmare Moon,” Luna finished her story through the sips of her fourth cup of coffee, as I respectfully remained quiet and listened. “With that, what We wanted to tell was that even the purest intentions can get twisted and ponies corrupted.”
“I understand, it will not last any longer, guilty cannot hide forever and soon this grim chapter will be despised within history books and friendship will prevail,” I announced, but that did not changed the mood of other princess.
“We can’t bear seeing you like this, Twilight.” She looked down and to the sides, before continuing, “Thou shall not be involved in this! Thine magic, Twilight, We demand!”
“What?!Why?!”
“To cure you, so shall We bear the ills of the war and corruption, not thee!” She unfolded her wings and slowly ascended in air, hovering, in the act of supremacy. “We have experience, and We do not wish you enduring such pains as We did!”
And what was I to question her?
“Okay.”
Obedient.
~~~
Twilight’s bedroom
The ball was thrown the unknownth time just to hit the crystal walls of my bedroom and return back to be thrown again.
Bounce. Empty, without magic.
Bounce. Unneeded, as deemed by Luna
Bounce. Alone, the losses of war.
Bounce. Angry that blames everything.
Explodes into butterflies. A laughing object.
“You look mighty down,” Discord said as he manifested himself from one of the butterflies. “I know what you want, and I’m your first ride ticket.” Miniature yellow vehicle with TAXI titled on the hood appeared, scattering many butterflies about and honking at me, and Discord’s head was sticking out disproportionately from the window. “Hop in!”
“No need, Luna has everything under control.” I shifted myself in bed under the sheets, as my pointless activity was interrupted. “Not that I can help with anything anymore, now.”
Discord tsked, then outstretched his lion paw and grabbed me into his vehicle. “You need some good ol’ Discord’s treatment. I’ll make it better for you.”
~~~
“What are we doing here?” Discord teleported us to Everfree Forrest. I haven’t been here for quite some time. Tiberium was overgrown everywhere possible, green and blue alike. Some of that Tiberium even moving, but at better glance… these were creatures, fused with Tiberium. “What happened here?”
“Undocumented development during your absence,” Discord answered. “I thought it would be a better use of your free time to spend here than feeling worthless, would it not?”
Tiberium, so much, everywhere, powerful, calling me; the loving touch of a sister, the gentle kindness of a mentor, the lunar might of inner dreams, and heartbeat of own body. It was fueling me, my magic, filling that emptiness.
“Y-you knew, about all of this?” He grinned and nodded. “But why are you doing this?”
He snapped his talons and a blackboard appeared, and his attire changed – which previously he wasn’t wearing anything – he wore white shirt and boxy glasses. He scribbled two curved lines with a chalk. “The time flows like this,” he described. “And in that time events happen.” He polluted free space between the two lines with crosses and circles. “But these events are also bound to repeat with similar circumstances.” The blackboard enlarged and he extended the length of two curved lines and filled them with same pattern of crosses and circles.
“What does this have to do with-Ow” I was interrupted by a ruler, slapping my hoof.
“Let me finish.” He added a spiral between two lines. “And this is many ‘outside’ factors that vary these events.” The crosses and circles traveled from their pattern onto the spiral. “And then these factors get changed by deities.” He licked his talon and smeared everything he drew.”This is insolence.” The chalk went to work again as he drew everything back to the spiral. “Order.” Then everything scattered, lines looking nothing of sort, and crosses and circles moved across the blackboard. “Chaos.” He drew large circle around everything, that circle contained every small circle and cross inside and started shrinking in between curved lines. “Influence. Control. Power.”
He turned his back on the black board and stared at me. Slowly above the large circle manifested six-pointed star to the left and crescent to the right and below the tail of a scorpion, each separated by equal distance from another. Cutie marks of mine, Luna and Kane Hooves, I recognized. “Then deities play their games for that Control,” he continued. Three cutie marks began spinning around, nearing the large circle and then receding from it, as if pulsing. “Winner overpowers the opposition and takes all.” Spinning slowed, and crescent approached the large circle closely, while star and scorpion tail moved away from it.
The large circle exploded upon crescent’s touch and all the circles scatter everywhere once again, but only for short moment. Crescent then moved circles and crosses in between the curved lines and then smeared everything haphazardly. “And that’s that.” The blackboard and his attire disappeared, after a snap, with a puff.
“But Kane isn’t a deity,” I interjected.
“No, but a player nonetheless. I’m glad you’re catching on this, even if a little bit.” He snickered. “And so my dear Twilight, what will you do? The cavalry is nearing the foe, and it lacks its head-mare, the rightful owner.”
I regarded everything he said, trying to map everything together. I shifted my head at the Tiberium, it magically flowing around me like a green vapor. I inhaled it, instantly feeling magically refreshed. I glanced at Discord and nodded. “Thank you.”
He disappeared with a snap, leaving slowly receding remnants of his laughter.
My best and the only friend. “Thank you.”
~~~
The Dunes; Temple of Nod -- Weeks later
It was questionable tactic for Nod’s main base and last remaining forces to shelter within mostly uninhabited desert, and without much Tiberium around. It was probably something to remind him of his past, closely related to scorpions that were plenty of around. Or it was tactical choice to mask the base of operations where enemy would least expect.
But evidently enemy did found it.
“And here she is.” Luna held a shield over the Construction Yard and few other not-yet-destroyed structures against volleys of exploding artillery shells. Around, reserves of Tiberium were depleted as Harvesters idled for new slowly growing Tiberium to be harvested. Between the shield and Nod’s base, littered many fallen Nod units, and GDI units five times as much. And now artillery was testing Luna’s shield. “And she’s in trouble. Follow me!”
Howls of agreement choired behind me as I stood high on sandstone cliff and hundreds of Tiberium infected animals and other infected beings struggled to restrain themselves from combat. “Lessons with Fluttershy paid off.”
I jumped off of a cliff, spreading my wings and gliding softly down, my beasts jumped to follow.
Luna’s shield flickered few more times against explosive impacts, until it failed and she collapsed on her haunches. She shielded her eyes with her foreleg, expecting the worst.
But it never came. Loud artillery shells exploded upon my shield, but even that sound was drowned by snarling of my pack.
The moment artilleries stopped to reload long enough, I released my shield. “Attack!” I barked and all of the Tiberium animals and beasts charged forward onto Nod’s base.
My shield was reinforced just briefly to absorb some few more shells. The bombardment transferred closer to the base as hungry beasts raced to their first victims.
I prepared to follow, but was interrupted by a tug by my tail; Luna held my tail with her teeth. “What are you doing? Let go!” She pulled harder until I launched over her head and onto the ground.
“Why art thee here?!” she asked frantically.
“I’m here to end this!”
“But-”
“No! I’m no inferior!” Memory flashes flew by my head of what Discord said. “I’m equal!” I spread my wings wide and with a flap dashed into the mist of battle.
Many of the beasts were shot and torn to bits, but were alive, struggling and visibly recovering, even regrowing some of their limbs as Tiberium humidity they brought healed them and fueled my magic further.
Thomas and Alice cut limbs of militia free from their bodies that pack of Tiberium beasts missed. And we were at the gates. Done with dismounting artillery, my pack was failing to tear the adamantium reinforced walls.
‘Up to me from now on then.’ I ascended in air above the walls and was greeted with barrage of bullets. Luckily, these were badly aimed and mostly bounced off my armor.
Thomas and Alice returned the greetings, befalling devastation to Nod units within the base. There weren’t many and my path was clear to the biggest and most importing building there, where Kane and Silver had to be.
Easiest entrance; I slammed through big red and black glass panels, depicting Kane’s cutie mark and symbol of Nod, shattering the glass without resistance and startling one of the ponies I was looking for.
“Kane!” I accelerated into gallop after him, but hit something invisible and indestructible just pony’s length from him. “Ugh.” I rubbed my head from the impact.
“I would lie if I said it’s a pleasure meeting you, but it isn’t.” I swung my hoof mightily at that something I hit, receiving painful Ow. I saw ponies in hooded Nod apparel all around me with horns glowing and forelegs outstretched, touching invisible barrier from another side.
“There’s no escape from the Dome; shield powerful of twelve ponies’ magic that drains its captives’ magic to further reinforce itself. There’s no escape.” He momentarily glanced behind himself and then back at me. “What do you want?”
“To end this once and for all!” I released my spell and all unicorns around me dropped paralyzed. I jumped again just to hit the same invisible barrier again. “What the?”
The ponies I thought I paralyzed rose again to touch the Dome again. Kane approached one of them and exposed its head from within the hood. The pony’s head was that of undead; bone was exposed about every sharper curve of its head, and remains of its flesh were filthy and ragged, and its eyeless holes glowed green.
“What is that?” I stopped the urge to empty my lunch.
Kane kicked the zombie far to the side, only for it to return perfectly back to its position, all while he grimly tracked its movements with his eyes. “I don’t like this either.”
“You monster!” I shouted and then frantically started searching for my weapons. Unfortunately, they were behind hooded zombies and outside the barrier, slamming against it just out of reach proved that I couldn’t get them. And teleportation and levitation spells fizzled.
“You see Twilight, because of this I need you in Nod,” he addressed.
“I would never join the likes of you. Now perish!” I summoned molten fire on him, but it instantly died out as more hooded zombies approached from dark behind him.
Kane grunted. “Just hear me out.” I released paralization spell on him, but it did nothing more than collapse few hooded zombies around him and they just rose again.
‘No use.’ I calmed myself. ‘Ok, I’ll need to play this smart.’ “Why should I trust you?”
His sour and tensed mood eased a bit. “You see-”
Then, a fierce blue ray pierced the area between me and Kane and through ceiling then hooded undead and then flooring.
“What’s this?!” Kane screamed. “Stop it! Reason! Reasoning!”
“It’s not me!”
Glancing behind I saw few more of such rays, all directed from the moon. The rays quickly began spinning and enclosing to the center
“Luna?! It’s Luna’s spell!” ‘How could she?’
Upon contact in the center, sonic energy emission exploded.
Mission Accomplished -- Debriefing…
Intelligence Database:
v Brotherhood of Nod
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Militant Squad
Basic Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Brainwashed Griffon Slaves
Suicide Infantry. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures, Aircraft.
Abilities:
>> Fly
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
Shadow Team
Elite Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Stealth
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
Pyromages
Elite Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry, Structures.
Abilities:
>> Clear Garrison
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
vvv Vehicles
Cobra Artillery
Medium Artillery. Strong vs. Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Tiberium Harvester
Resource Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities:
>> Gathers Tiberium.
vv Structures
vvv Main Structures
Refinery
Resource Structure.
Processes and stores Tiberium
vvv Support Structures
Silo
Resource Structure.
Stores Tiberium
v Global Defense Initiative
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Riflepony Squad
Basic Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Black Ops Sniper Squad
Advanced Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Stealth in Dark and Garrison
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Zone Trooper
Heavy Infantry. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Zebra Alchemist
Advanced Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry, Structures.
Abilities:
>> Clear Garrison
>> Confusion Granade
>> Extra Effect on Tiberium Crystals
Upgrades: Currently locked.
vvv Vehicles
APC
Transport Vehicle. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Garrison Infantry
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Tiberium Harvester
Resource Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities:
>> Gathers Tiberium.
Humvee
Scout Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Predator Tank
Armored Artillery. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
v Special
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Princess Twilight Sparkle
Super Infantry. Strong vs. Everything.
Abilities:
>> Alicorn Shield
>> Stun Spell
>> Teleport
>> Fly
>> Pack leader
Upgrades:
>> Thomas and Alice Chaos Submachine Guns
>> Chaos Enchanted Tiberium Armor