//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: One more time ! // Story: The Khronos empire // by Cyrusquest //------------------------------// The chapter resumed after the conclusion of previous chapter as the battle rages on and grew worse when Khronos unleashed the very first Bio-Alicorn known as Soul Breaker. After hearing Soul Breaker's introduction, Golden Glimmer just gave a death glare and arrogant grin. "Well, just stay there and watch!! Arm artillery!!" she ordered. "Aye aye!!" they obliged as they loaded the shell into the artillery. "Ready!!" they said. "FIIIIRE!!!!" roared Golden as they fired the enchanted shell across the sky and soar toward Soul Breaker. Soul Breaker's eyes gave a sudden spark, galloped through the ground, jumped and did a backward somersault, kicking the enchanted shell toward the artillery. Golden's eyes widen in shock. "EVERYPONY GET OUT NOW!!!" she screamed as she grabbed two crew and flew out of the bunker, which got destroyed along with the gun and Celestia Trooper. Because of the enchantment, the explosion pushed Golden and the crew across the air and landed hard on the ground. "Ugh.....is....everypony okay?" asked Golden as she stood up sluggishly. "I-I'm okay." panted one as he shook off the pain. "I think I broke my hoof." groaned the other as he clutched his right hoof. "Well, we're alive. That's important." frowned Golden and they nodded in agreement then they all heard multiple artillery fires and they gazed at the battlefield. "Let's see if he can survive a whole barrage." she hoped. Soul Breaker swiftly evade 4 artillery shots and punched one, causing a detonation but that allows another shell to impact him, only to emerge unscathed. He then dashed toward the artilleries as all Celestia Army and allies are gunning him down with the Deers sprouting vines to bind him. Soul Breaker draws the energy sword from his Duel Sword Gauntlet which shapen like Elder Scroll IV's Shadowrend Blade with clear-vertical line. He slashed across the entire battalion and artilleries at supersonic speed, cutting through them as if they were just paper then land before Golden Gleaming. "Resistance is futile." Soul Breaker began as he stood in bipedal stance. "NO ONE IS A MATCH FOR ME!!!!" The glow of the flaming debris reflects through his lens. "I, Soul Breaker, will de---" "Yeah, yeah, yeah! You're going to destroy me and my people for resisting the Khronos Empire, blah blah blah, chit-chat, chitty-chat." mocked Golden as she made a mockery face and Soul Breaker remained stunned. "Look babe, if I didn't care back then, why would I be interested now!? Beside, I'm going to enjoy killing you for what you did to my family!!" grinned Golden in a sadistic pleasure. "Likewise." frowned Soul Breaker on the killing enjoyment part as he took battle-stance. "YOU TWO GET TO CELESTIA!! WARN HER ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING!!" ordered Golden Gleaming. "YES MA'AM!!!" they exclaimed as they ran off from the battlefield. "No escape for the enemy of Khronos." frowned Soul Breaker as he dash toward the crew but a golden blur zoomed way ahead of them, created a sonic boom and zoomed back instantly, landing an impacting mule-kick that send Soul Breaker rocketing backward and smashed through the remains of the bunkers. Golden Gleaming land on the ground with the Khronos Blade Guantlet attached on her free-space hoof. "Hey!! This dance is between you and me, babe! Don't chicken out." sneered Golden as she extends both blades and stood bipedal. Soul Breaker emerged from the debris and snorted as he stepped forward. "You are something. Very well, then you die alone." frowned Soul Breaker as he extended his wings and created a sudden gale. "Let's dance!!!" grinned Golden as she flapped her wings and dashed toward him. "Ha ha ha ha!!" laughed Soul Breaker as he charged in as well. Two blurs charges across the battlefield and met in the center as both of them to collide their blades together, sparking then produced a powerful gale that blew the debris away then Golden got parried by Soul Breaker's fierce strength and he swung his second blade, Golden blocked and parry him aside then they start swinging their swords at such intense speed, clashing the blades repeatedly that any remaining structures or materials got slashed apart, even the ground got fissured by the clashes then they vanished, creating a deep crater as they took their battle to the sky, breaking the sound barrier. Soul Breaker caught up with Golden Gleaming and she did a downward slash, Soul Breaker parry it and exchanged it with a 40º slash, follow up with 110º swing, which Golden evade each swings and counter with 56º slash, thus bringing them up close for in-close clash but allows her to use her mane as a lasso to entangle him and threw him back down to the ground, impacting and creating an earth-shaking explosion. Soul Breaker stood up, extends his wings and slapped them down, creating a powerful gale as he rocket back up to sky, becoming a deranged blur and rammed against Golden at full force, sending her spinning backward before she regain flight and cringed as Soul Breaker moved in and swung his sword, she blocked it and cause an air-shaking tremor then she dash away and Soul Breaker caught up as they exchanged another powerful blows then dash away as they resume their powerful clash until they dash toward the ground and exchanged another clash before parting away as Golden land on the pillar and Soul Breaker on the trench then they dashed toward each other and collided, creating a fierce explosion and they land on the opposite side of each other, just for Golden's sword gauntlet to shattered apart from the collision. Golden turned and snarled at Soul Breaker, who turns around and faced her, aware that his left gauntlet got damaged and cannot project the blade anymore. "Very impressive. No Pegasus ever stand up to me this long. I wonder why." he frowned. "Hehehe....if I kill you, that means I'm one step closer of slaying Khronos." grinned Golden. "Foolish mare..... No one can best my King and even live!" he snorted. "Oh? Then why he's not fighting this battle? Guess Celestia' enraged state did a lot more damages then I hope. He'll be a easy kill." sneered Golden with thirst of blood. "Hmph. You have no idea who you are really up against." he shook his head of her foolishness. "... Then let's find out!!!" yelled Golden as she flapped her wings and unleashed a shockwave, zoomed toward Soul Breaker and he swung his hoof to cut her but she immediately stop and ascend to the sky, evading the swing then dash back down, to the right then kicked across his cheek, vanished as he retaliated and start flying around him at great velocity, creating a tornado then she dash in and used the Khronos sword to slash him several times but he blocked the last swing then punched her into the ground, disbursting the tornado by the impact's force. She stumbled over the ground and leapt back on her hooves as Soul Breaker land before her and swung his sword but she blocked the blade then commands her mane to sharpen into a blade and repetitively stabs Soul Breaker, phasing him and lose balance then she shoved him back as she dart across the trench, grabbed the deployable Type .99, load it as she trot at great speed then she jumped, turn around and start gunning Soul Breaker as she flew away. Even though the bullets had no effect on the Bio-Alicorn, it forced him to remain in blocking stance so she can create distance then Soul Breaker fired his energy blade and stabbed her chest plate but thanks to its density, it didn't penetrate and Golden soon ran out of ammo. Before Soul Breaker exit his stance, she flew in closer, grabbed the muzzle of the MG and clubbed it against his head, stunning him then used her mane-like blade to slash his remaining gauntlet. "YES!!!" grinned Golden as she zipped behind him and caught him in Full Nelson then ready her blade. "SAY YOUR PRAYER!!!" she yelled as she prepare to impale his throat. "No. You say them!" frowned Soul Breaker as he swung his head back and bashed her, stunning her then break away from her grip, bear-hugged her strongly then dash across the sky, breaking the sonic barrier once more and they collided into the front entrance of the bridge that leads directly to the Two Princess Castle, creating a big explosion of debris, dust cloud and trees across the proximity. Golden Gleaming lays on the ground and gasped in pain as her armors protected her from the impact that should've kill a mere pegasus. "Thanks....Discord....for this armor..." panted Golden in pain then Soul Breaker stood up without a visible damage and glanced at the castle then he placed his right hoof on his right ear. "I have located the castle." said Soul Breaker. "Excellent. Bring it down." ordered Khronos. "Yes master." he nodded then Golden immediately stood up and spread her wings. "HEY!! WE'RE NOT FINISH!!!" she yelled as she charged toward Soul Breaker. "We are far from finished." he said as he turns around with his hoof held out and land a direct punch against Golden's breastplates, creating sparks as held his arm back and thrust it forward, producing a powerful impulse that propelled Golden across the area and impacted the tree, creating a shockwave that shattered the tree and she continue crashing through 4 more trees until she impacted the giant boulder, creating a massive crater and shattered it apart as she remained stuck in a pegasus-shaped hole and she gave out a bloody gasp of pain as her armors got penetrated and fractured her ribcages. Elsewhere, every civilians heard the explosions and saw Soul Breaker at the bridge. "Oh Sweet Celestia!! The enemy is at the bridge!!!" exclaimed a mare. "What are we gonna do?! What are we gonna do!?" asked the stallion. Zeus heard the ponies panicking and turned to see them in panic. "What's going on here?" he asked. "They have reached the bridge. Why the troops didn't stop them from reaching here?!?!" demanded the medic. Back at the battlefield, Soul Breaker approached Golden in a calm pattern. "Hmph, guess your comrades are as weak as the flies, aren't they? They didn't support the air pressure when I used my speed to break the sound barrier but for some reason, your armor was able to support my punishments until now. Hehehehe...." grinned Soul Breaker. "AAAH!!! Urrrgghh...." she puked blood then groaned in agony. "You....You b-ba--!" "Best you?" asked Soul Breaker, even though she was going to curse. "I know. Let me end this quick." he said as he used his telekinesis to held her in a choke hold. "It's the least I can do." he sneered. "Z-Z-Zeus...." gasped Golden. Speaking of Zeus, he was pushing the civilians aside as he tried to reach the front. "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!! I MUST ASSI--" before he finish, he finally got in front and saw Soul Breaker choking Golden Gleaming. "NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! GOLDEN!!!!" screamed Zeus and his body suddenly produce a powerful electrical aura that all ponies stepped away from Zeus then he rocket across the field at such lightning speed and headbutted Soul Breaker, producing an electro shockwave that propelled him across the sky and impacted the ammunition shack, ignited the gun power and the whole shack exploded in flames. Golden dropped down and Zeus caught her. "Gold, are you okay!??!?" he asked. "AAARGH!!! MY RIBS, THEY'RE BROKEN!!!" she cried in pain. "Don't worry, I got it!" he said as he used a healing spell. "C'mon, c'mon..." muttered Zeus then he succeed of repairing her ribs but she is still wounded by the punch. "Zeus...." moaned Golden with a weary tone. "What?" he asked. "B-Behind you..." gasped Golden. Zeus turned around and saw Soul Breaker emerging the flaming debris and suffers no damages excluding for his left shoulder pad, which fractured from Zeus' tackle. "Enough toying around!!! I'm going to kill you all!!!" snarled Soul Breaker as he used his own magic to construct a battleaxe. "TIME TO DIE!!!" he roared. "NO, YOU WON'T KILL ANYPONY ANYMORE!!! FOR I, ZEUS, WILL END YOU!!!!!!" roared Zeus as he start channeling his magic and electricity to construct a new pair of wings, made of pure electricity. "I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT TRUE ALICORN POWER IS!!" he flapped his wings and created a shock wave as Golden shield herself, propelled himself forward and read his electrical fist. "What?" muttered Soul Breaker then he swung his weapon but he missed and he land a powerful uppercut, creating an electro shockwave that send Soul Breaker rocketing through the sky. "UGH!!! I'M....INJURED!?!?!" cringed Soul Breaker in rage then saw Zeus coming toward him like a lightning bolt and start throwing electrical consecutive punches, bashing Soul Breaker non-stop and he guard up to withstand the attacks but to his surprise, his armors is being torn apart by Zeus' sudden power boost then he caught his right hoof and delivered a power punch, phasing Zeus and he counters. Everypony watched as two lights clashes each other in the night sky at the speed of sound then Zeus and Soul Breaker clashes each other at non-stop as they travel across the forest then Zeus land a roundhouse kick that greatly phased Soul Breaker, back away and fired energy beam at Soul Breaker, weakening him then Soul Breaker vanished, move in at the speed of sound and start bashing Zeus non-stop but he created small shields that block every blows then, using his magic, zeros into his torso as he appears before him to swing his battleaxe and land a direct, full-charged punch, combined with the magic reticulated and produce an ear-deafening shock wave that fractured his whole body armors and his face plate shattered as he gasped strongly and blood pours out of his mouth with his eyes turned red with dark-red veins by the pressure and pain then rocket away with wind aura before he slow down with his winds, somersaulted and rammed his hooves into the ground, slowing down his knock back then gasped once more and glared at Zeus as he moved in and ready his electro sword. "C-Can't.....l-lose to y-you!!" he growled. "Too bad for you!!!" he frowned as he brought his sword down but Soul Breaker used his magic to construct a duel-bound sword and blocked his attack then counter the alicorn but he vanished, reappear behind him, grabbed his wings and rammed his right hind hoof against his back. "KHRONOS TOOK MY WINGS!!! NOW I'LL TAKE YOURS!!!" he roared as he completely ripped his wings off, spraying blood out. "AAAAAARGGH!!!!" he screamed in pain before receiving a powerful kick that send him crashing on the ground. He sluggishly tried to stand up but his body is broken and began to crawl away, heading toward the castle. "M-Must....d-destroy....the...the....c-c-castle.... C-Can't....f-fail....m-my master..." he panted then Zeus turned him over with his levitation. "Hey, where ya going?" he asked. "He....he...hehehehe.... A-All hail....KHRONOS!!!" he grinned as he activates the self-destruct system. "Oh no you don't!" frowned Zeus as he generated a massive output of magic and conceal him within a powerful silence bubble. He then exploded into an explosion that rivals a nuclear bomb but the bubble of silence deafen the sound and tremor and reduce its strength to that of a mere grenade. He dissolved the bubble and Soul Breaker is nothing but ashes. "Phew.....that was close. Wait a minute!" Zeus turned around and made a quick analyzation of his battles and surrounding. "That....was....AWESOME!!!!!" he fist-pumped. "Oh, got to get back to the others!" he said as he trot his way back quickly. He arrived at the Two Sister Castle but to his shock, Khronos himself arrived at the castle with another new class in the game, Zealots. Zeus noticed Discord taking care of Golden Gleaming. "No....how?" asked Zeus. "The perk of being a god." scoffed Discord. "Do tell." smirked Khronos as he approached to Celestia. "You wish to fight with me once again, this time I'm more then prepare!" frowned Celestia. "Tsk, you have received all the praise from your people, no? So did I. Surrender, there's no reason for us to fight." said Khronos. Celestial's eyes widen and one began to twitch then she grew enraged, her mane suddenly emblazen with flames and she slammed her front hooves, nearly set the plants in flames, causing the lesser Khronos Trooper afraid. "REASON?!?!?!?! I HAVE MORE THAN ONE REASON TO KILL YOU AND END YOUR EMPIRE!!!!" she roared. "You have no army. I have beaten you. I do not wish to kill you for we must keep the universe in balance. Think about your people and your allies. Are you willing to sacrifice more of your people, just to kill me? LOOK AROUND YOU!!!" Celestia gazed around and saw that the Two Sister Castle is completely surrounded, inside and outside. "This is what you're planning to do: You strike me while Luna is outside and ready to strike my troops, since it's nocturnal and she'll have the boost of power, allowing her to strike them all in one swipe, Discord used his chaos power to confuse my troops to kill each other, he will also teleport everyone away from here. By the time I realized that you distracted me, it'll be too late for me to act. Making a very successful escape from my grasp." frowned Khronos. *What?! How did he know that was my plan!?* gasped Celestia but maintain her cool and frowned. "Oh....really?" she asked. "I'm always one step ahead of you. The Zealots are equipped with personal inhibitors, they're ready to kill with no hesistation." smirked Khronos. Discord and Golden remains glaring without a single sweat. *Guess that explains why I can't feel my power and the sense of vulnerability.* frowned Discord. "This can't be real." gasped Zeus as he hadn't notice his construct wings dissolved upon entering the Two Sister Castle. "Well, what would you do? Hmm?" asked Khronos as he slowly raise his left hoof and all Zealots ready their magic and weapons. "Wait!! I-I surrender...." sighed Celestia as she hang her head in shame. "Well done. Arrest them all!" ordered Khronos. "Yessir!! Hail Khronos!!!" cheered the Zealots. All ponies were arrested and some were taken as slaves. In the trench, several pockets of Deers survived and fled to the deepest part of Everfree Forest. Blackthrone is among them then Starlight approached them. "Celestia!!! Oh no!!" gasped Starlight as she charged in but Blackthrone and Spike held her back. "Starlight, don't!!!" he plead. "But everypony needs us!!" she cried. "Now it's not the right time! We must retreat and protect the young alicorn!!" ordered Blackthrone. "Twilight and Cadence is counting on us to protect Flurry Heart! They lost Shining Armor but they can't stand losing her too!" Spike reasoned her. Starlight is shedding a stream of tears then she held it back, gave in and retreated with the others. Among the crowd of prisoners, Luna caught up with Celestia as she remain hanging her head in shame. "I've....failed everypony.....they all depended on me to strike Khronos down." she sighed. "No.... You did what you meant to do: Protect our people." said Luna. "No...it can't end like this...." grunted Zeus as his eyes arcs with little energy he had left. Discord watches over the wounded ponies being carried in the carriage then glanced at Golden, which they both exchanged hidden grins. #Elsewhere# [Fluttershy POV] I've been in Trottingham for months now.....as a maid of a wealthy mansion, that is. Ever since that day in Canterlot, I haven't seen my friends again except for Sweetie Belle. Oh, I wished somepony can defeat the Khronos Empire and free us. I just wonder.....my master isn't such a bad pony, despite being Khronos' slave master persay. A Khronos earthbound pony approached Flutteryshy. He has brown cumbed mane with cream coat, his uniform described that he's a wealthy pony but his Cutie Mark is hidden away, even though all ponies know his Cutie Mark is of Khronos. "Fluttershy, ah see something troubles you." asked Mr. Shard. His voice has southern accent, reminding me of the Apple Family. "O-Oh no, Mr. Shard. Nothing is wrong. I'm just doing my job." I said. I used to be very frighten of him in the past months but now I grew braver because of his odd kindness. "You missed your home, no?" he asked me with that odd kind tone again. I couldn't help but get all misty eyes and my face turned red by saddness because the thought of Ponyville enters my mind. "Yes. I missed my homes, family and friends." I said while controlling my emotions. "I understand how you're feeling." he said. How he feels??!! I shook my turns and faced him with my frown. "I don't mean to be rude but how could you know how I feel?! How anypony feels of losing their homes, family, friends, everything?! Your king destroyed my entire life and my friends!! Even if I now serve you as a maid, I will never forgive him, praise him or anything. Deep in my heart, I just wish the eclipse burns his empire like the last one few months ago." I argued with a soft tone. Even if I'm very angry, I can't make myself sound angry. I'm just too soft-spoken but Mr. Shard doesn't seems angry that I insulted his king or anything. "Well, I cannot relate to that but, I had lost several friends in the battlefield when I was in service. I had seen the horror of war. Now....I want you to forget your home. It's for the better." he said. He had a point there. The more I think about my homes and friends, the more angerier and sadder I become, so I took his words and try not to think about my friends. Then another pony enters the mansion with a lot of shopping bags. "Dad, I'm back from the boutique!" smiled Mr. Shard's daughter. "Ah back so early, munchkin?" he asked. "Yes, I came with some news!" she said. "News, what news?" he asked. "That OUR KING KHRONOS had defeated Solar Empire and their allies!! How wonderful, isn't it?!" she exclaimed. Khronos? Defeated??! No, Celestia won't surrender from even numbers. She didn't even surrender to a swarm of Changlings and being defeated by Chrystalis.... Something is not right. "Wonderful, indeed it is!" he said as he hugged his daughter. "Let's go to my studies to see the news! Oh, uh, take the afternoon free, dear Fluttershy." he said to me and I snapped back to reality. "Why are you so nice to that slave? Really, father?" she scoffed. Rich filly...pfft. "Oh dear, 'cause I want to be nice and there's nothing more than that." he said and they continue chatting in the library so I'm alone. Well, I guess I better head to my maiden room. As I was trotting down with Celestia's defeats to Khronos stuck in my mind because I am trying to figure out if Khronos used the art of conversation to trick Celestia into surrender or they are having a plan Khronos was unaware of. I unexpectedly trot to the town but hey, I have the afternoon free. Even though I'm in Trottingham, there are many things that reminds me of ponyville, from the Sweet Shop to the boutique. The apples from the Apple Acres and...the library. Khronos not only conquers our homes, he steals them as well. Just what is he hoping to gain? I noticed Khrono Fillies playing soccers in the road. I was about to enter the bakery when I noticed, in the alley, a bunch of Khronos Fillies were bullying a young unicorn whose horn was cut off from the Khronos Guard for protecting his mother with magic. They start singing: Johnny, Johnny, Hornless Johnny You can't protect your mother, Johnny 'Cause your hornless, Johnny What ya' gonna do, if they kill you? Nothing 'cause you're Hornless Johnny! "Leave me alone! I will save my Mama!!" he cried. "Wha'cha gonna do, Stupid Unicorn? You don't have magic anymore!!" one of them mocked. "I will find a way to save Mama!!" he sniffed as he rubbed his eyes and act brave. "No matter what everypony tell me!!" "Nah, you're nothing! If you couldn't protect your mama! What makes you think that you can save her now?" he asked as he hoof-pointed him. "SHUT UP!! You Khronos are bunch of cowards, taking magic away because you're scared of us! Khronos is a coward and Celestia will stop them! If she can't, then the Mane 6! As long as there's hope, magic will never go away!! I will be as brave as they all are!" he yelled. That was a brave thing he said. "Stupid unicorn! How dare you!!!" They all start beating up that poor pony. I immediately dash and stood before Johnny as I spread my wings. "Hey, why are you protecting him!?" they asked. "YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!!! DON'T YOU HAVE COMPASSION FOR OTHERS?!?!?" I screamed my voice out, letting out my anger from my heart. "He's not a Khronain like us, he's a slave! Now get out of the way, ma'am!" one of them ordered me. "MAKE ME!!!" I growled as I used The Stare. They grew terrified then one of them recognized me. "W-Wait, that's Mr. Shard's slave!! L-Let's get out of here!" they panicked and fled from the scene. I sighed deeply as it's been long I haven't scream or used The Stare then I turned and calms Johnny down. Luckily I have things to cleans his wounds. "Shhhh shh.... Calm down, I'm here. That was a very brave of you to say something about Celestia or my friends. Your mother will be so proud." I smiled. "Y-You think?" cried Johnny as his left side of his forehead start bleeding but I clean it. "W-Wait.... Are you Fluttershy? Mane 6's Element of Kindness????" he asked me. "Yes." I smiled and he cried once more as he hugged me and I comforted him by returning the hug. Then I heard a voice behind me. "It's so good to see that you're okay, Flutteryshy." Oh my Sweet Celestia and Luna!! I recognized that voice!!!! I turned around and saw a pony wearing a Light Khronos Armors with green robe that camouflage itself with the environments. She removed her mask and it's.... "T-Twilight!??" I squeaked. "Princess of Friendship!??" asked Johnny but I quickly shush him so no pony will hear. "Are you ready to free Equestria?" she asked me as she held up her hoof. I glanced at the surprised Johnny then back at my best friend. For the first time, my heart is filled with courage, determination and hope. I frowned and gave a smile as I took her hoof. "Yes!" I said.