The sun shines over a small town. Little foals and fillies play, a couple trots happily through the streets...
Celestia sits in a small, cake shop and chats with her little sister. Everything is perfect, everypony enjoys the life they have. But then a shot. Everything falls silent. A single black biped creature stands before the town. It holds a small weapon in its right hand up in the air. Smoke comes out from the tip of it. Behind it, flying machines of immense size advance towards the town. They drag a wall of fire and destruction after them. Everypony tries to flee from the inevitable, except Celestia. She looks at the warships in terror even as the wall reaches her. She closes her eyes, but...doesn't feel any harm.
As she opens her eyes again, the town buildings burn and a river of blood runs through the streets. It is so high that just Celestia's head can be seen. The sun is concealed by red, brown clouds.
"Luna!", she screams, but no answer.
As she tries to fly away, something graps one of her hindlegs and drags her into the red river. She straggles but ultimately failes. For a moment, there is just red and distorted voices. The blood river seems to grow deeper and deeper by the second.
After the alicorn finally manages to get out of the red river, which is now a sea, nothing remains from the town. There are no houses, no noises. Nothing but an ocean of blood. Not even on the horizon is something else. A perfect, flat, calm red. The sun is there, yes, but it looks so orange and...wild.
"She is heartless.", a familiar voice judges.
Celestia turns aruond. From the blood rises a creature of pure darkness. A shadow, long buried and forgotten. A pair of blue dragon eyes looks at her. The princess wants to say something, but another voice is faster than her.
"She knows no mercy.", another voice adds. Again, it sounds familiar. Something or someone from the past.
Another shadow ascends from the red ocean. This thing, unlike the other, has green dragon eyes.
"She will pay.", the next voice says.
The creature that rises from this call has a form. A black biped with red eyes and a sword in one hand.
"She will pay the highest prize.", all the monsters say in sync.
The blood flows away and reveals countless bodies of every creature in this world. But one catches Celestia's eyes in particular. Her sister lies there. Completely dry from blood, just like Celestia. The biped steps towards her, its sword prepaired to finish the unconscious alicorn.
"No! Don't you dare harm her!", Celestia screams.
She tries to attack the monster, but two chains with blue and green flames forced her to stay where she is.
"Your past sins will be her end.", the green and blue eyed shadow say together as if they were one.
The biped shadow raised its sword and-
"No!"
Celestia sits upright in a bed, wet from her sweat. She wants to stand up, but a stabbing pain in her chest and wings keeps her in it. She moans shortly and then sinks back into the pillow under her head. The opened window showes the night sky. The room itself seems to be completely normal for a hospital. The opened window showes the night sky. On the bedside table lies a card and a letter.
The alicorn levitates the card with her golden magic and looks at it. The front shows a picture of her, Luna, Cadence and the main six. She opens it: Get well soon, Tia! All of them signed the card. That forces the princess to smile.
Next the letter. It was written by Shining Armor.
To her Highness Princess Celestia,
I am sorry for addressing you like this in your current state, but there are matters, which need to be discussed as soon as possible. The high council of Equestria has declared war on the humans and their changeling allies (If this is true, then the humans have a network of spies and assassines on their side). They have already begun to fortify their defenses at the Golden City. We don't know much (since every knowlegde about humanity was lost along with the Golden Way facility), but this is what we do know:
1. Humans are extremely well organized and trained.
2. Humans prefer long range combat rather then direct confrontation.
3. Humans can adjust and react very fast on new threats (Do they have a hivemind?).
4. Humans use machines rather then warbeasts (what makes them more reliable).
If you read this then please, provide us with any information that you have.
PS: My wife Cadence informed Luna about your injuries. She is very busy at the moment but I am sure she will visit you.
Your loyal captain and friend,
Prince Shining Armor
The door to Celestia's room opens and four ponies come in. A nurse, princess Luna, Soliton Wave and Potent Potion.
"Sister, how do you feel?", the younger alicorn asks.
Celestia gives her a weak smile.
"I'm fine Luna, I just had a...rough night."
"A rough night? You're lucky to survive. An entire airship fell on you", Soliton says.
"What happened? I just remember this odd sound..."
"Airstrike. The humans call it airstrike. It means an attack with their flying machines like a helicopter or a jet.", Potent Potion explains.
Potent Potion was the leader of the project 'Conversion of Hope' and studied human technology. Soliton Wave studied their society and history. They are the only members left from the science team. Everypony else died either on earth or in the Golden Way facility.
"Potent Potion, you studied the capabilities of the humans. What will they do next?", Luna asks.
Potent Potion scratches his neck.
"Well, they won a lot of ground so...they will begin to establish a base. A shelter and command center."
"How long until they attack again?"
"Very long. Humans fear everything that they don't understand and they just met a species just as cruel and heartless as they are. They won't do anything unless they understand the changelings in every way possible", Soliton answers.
"And they don't know anything about our world. They will progress very cautiously", Potent adds.
"I don't understand...Why did the humans team up with the changelings? I thought humans hate every other creature", Celestia asks.
"We can't answer that but we know that the humans will turn on the changelings, ones they are done with us", Soliton says.
"The greater evil always destroys the lesser evil. It has always been like this", Luna replies.
"Hm...I think I might just have found a way to stop the humans!", Soliton shouts.
"How?!", Potent asks.
"We stop evil with greater evil. Discord, the lord of chaos."
Everypony looks at Soliton Wave in shock.
"You can't be serious! The last time Discord 'helped' us nearly destroyed all of Equestria!", Potent shouts.
"Have you a better idea?! He is the only one capable of dealing with the humans and even if he is defeated, the humans would do us a favor. Look, I don't like this either, but it's the only option that we have."
"Did I somepony just say help?"
The door opened again and Discord comes in, wearing a doctor's outfit.
"Don't you worry princess! Dr. Prof. Dr. Discord is now here. So, were can I cut something off?"
"Discord...How nice to see you.", Celestia says with a forced smile.
"Oh, Tia. Polite as ever, even with a hole in your chest. Tell me, who has done this horrible, horrible thing to you?"
"You don't know already?"
"Of course I do. But I want to hear it from you, just because."
"The humans attacked and conquered the Golden City. We wanted to liberate it again but failed miserably."
"I wouldn't say 'miserably'. You did pretty well. For creatures who are stuck in the middleages."
"Enough of this! Will you help us now or not?!", Luna shouted angrily.
"So rude! I just wanted to ask if you need my help but now...", Discord says as he opened a door in the middle of the room.
"Okay, I'm sorry!"
"Sorry Luna, but my ears are not what they were anymore. What did you say again?"
"I said I am sorry.", the aliocorn said annoyed.
"Well, then I would love to help! Oh, humans! Guess who's coming!", he sings as he fades into one of his random doors.