The Khronos empire

by Cyrusquest

Chapter 5 : From The Ashes, She Rose

In the next morning, after Chapter 2 and prior to Chapter 3, a sudden whip snapped the air, startling the prisoners of Canterlots, including the Princess of Ponyville.

[Twilight's POV]

The sudden whip crackle startle me awake. At first, I wanted to tell me myself that everything that happens was just a nightmare but the yelling of the Khrono soldiers and the crying of the ponies harshly reminds me that it was real.

"Wake up, you! Time to move on!" yelled a Khrono Soldier, who is a unicorn, as he dragged me out of my sleeping spot.

"Hey! Take it easy!" I complained as I was still a bit drowsy.

"Eh, put a cork in it!" scoffed one of the Khrono Soldiers. Now that made me cranky. I woke up with my heart racing with fright then replace with drowsyness and now anger. We all resume in our what seems to be an endless voyage. I have no idea where are they taking us except we kept heading south, entering the Badland. I was hoping for the best but when we reached our destination, it was worse then I thought as it send chills down from my spines all the way to my hooves just by seeing it. It was a huge mining facility! I could see all type of ponies from different culture of Equestria. I even saw the Slave master, whose armor he wore was like any theirs but obsidian-black and the helmet with faceplate related itself, like something out of a nightmare. I pictured it like a skull that was bleeding from the entire eyes, runs down through the cheeks to the snout and projecting fear to anypony that sees him or her. almost like he ripped somepony's skull off and wore it like a trophy.

"Welcome Commander! What brings you here?" asked the Slave Master. It's a stallion and his voice sounds very still yet menacing. I overheard the soldiers refers to him as Slave Master Scar.

"I brought you more slaves!" answered Commander Steel.
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"Ahh, as usual. Take them to Site B-4 and do make them feel at home. Keh heh heh." chuckled Slave Master Scar. The soldiers took us to a section of the mine where they will put the Slave Master Seal on our right flank Cutie Mark. It was cruel and painful, as if we obtained a new Cutie Mark with force. I screamed in pain as I received the Slave Seal as well. I gazed at my right flank on the seal that ruined my Cutie Mark. It was the Khrono Empire's seal: three gears in a triangle formation, a plasma sword and the helmet on the center, with said helmet looks futuristic with neon-green visor and has the wing of terror spread open. Seeing the seal of those tyrant makes my stomach do cartwheel as it sicken me. The soldiers took us inside the site and then they removed our chains, gave us pickaxe and shovel then forced us into labors.

"Get to work, you worms!" yelled the slave master. All the ponies, including myself, began to work, hoping they won't kill us. From afar, I notice somepony...it was Fluttershy. For a brief moment, I was filled with joy of seeing her but joy was immediately drifted into saddness as I saw she was in a slave auction, along with Sweetie Belle, Minuette, Derpy, Bon-Bon, Rose Luck and other mares. I can see Slave Master Scar presenting Fluttershy to the buyers.

"Who want this beauty, eh? She is healthy and strong worker!" Scar opens Fluttershy's mouth open to show her teeth. "Also has good teeth. She'll be a great maid or field worker!" Many start placing higher bets against one another for Fluttershy and Scar had an amusing face, enjoying of seeing them fighting for a slave. Knowing Fluttershy's very sensitive heart, her eyes are consumed with saddness as tears flow down across her cheeks, her face expressed fear and she was trembling to further prove her gestures. One of the buyers finally bet a higher numbers of Bits then the other. Worse, that buyer also bought Sweetie Belle.

"Sold to the stallion whom brought glory to the Empire of Khronos, General Tiberius! Now move it, slave!" Scar pushed Fluttershy harshly and she panicked.

"NO! P-P-Please, I-I don't want to go with him! I don't want to be a slave! Oh dear Celestia, please don't abandon us!" cried Fluttershy as she was being pulled away.

"Oh, but you're going to have fun! Now move!" grinned Scar and his sarcastic tone made me snort in anger. Fluttershy is my dearest, best friend and nopony ever mistreat her like that. I tried to see Fluttershy's "master" but I couldn't get a good view as I was noticed of not working, striking me with the whip. I resumed working with my heart aching in pain. At the same time, they start betting Lyra.
I can't tell how many days has pass but day after day, the work gets harder and harder, our hooves are bruised. I don't think we can last another week. But then I saw something that calls my attention. It's an Earth-bound pony! He was trying to escape! A guard tried to stop him but he grabbed a piece of wood with his mouth, swung it and smash it on the guard's face, blood shoots out of his mouth. It was a sign of hope, knowing that if he can escape, so can we! But that hope was gone when we all saw he got blasted by an Alicorn, his body rolled down and splashed in the mud pile. Scar approached us with a sadistic grin.

"Anypony else wants to die? No? Then get back to work!" he boomed. Everypony resumed their works without any hope left in them. It completely convinced them that the Khrono are invincible, stronger then Sombra or Tirak. I then muttered...
"There's got to be a way out of here!"

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The scene moves far away from the Badlands to the ruins of Canterlot. The alicorn that emerged from the supposed-not-function Crystal Mirror, Sunset Shimmer, was galloping her way across the ruins to save any remaining ponies from Canterlot. Her running speed is like a soaring wind, making her the fastest pony on ground.

[Sunset's POV]

"I hope I can reach them in time!" I said to myself. It is very confusing. I've only been in Equestria High for months, which it was equal to 1½ day here, and now everything is in ruins. I don't know what is going on here or where are Princess Celestia or Luna, but I must save the ponies and figure out who cause this destruction. Then I heard somepony was crying. It sounds like a mare. I don't know what to do: either help this mare or save the other ponies. It was a hard decision.

"Oh Sweetie Belle! It's all my fault! *sniff, sniff* I shouldn't brought you here! I should've left you with Mom or Dad or even Granny Smith! OH WHY! *sobbing*"

Wait! That voice...I recognized that voice! I made up my mind and changed directions, right at the destroyed store that sells dresses. I stepped inside and searched around the broken room.

"Hello? Uh...Hello? Are you here?" I called out as I search for the voice. Then, I spotted her in the corner where it used to be a Dressing Room. She was very scared, as she pinned herself against the wall strongly. She was covered in concret dust and her makeup was ruined, eyeshadow moisted with her downpour of tears.

"Please don't hurt me!" she whimpered as she looked at me like I was some kind of a Grimm Reaper. Despite of being the pony, her coat's coloring, her mane, her eyes, her Cutie Marks...even her British accent all matched to my friend, Rarity.

"Rarity? Don't worry, I'm a friend of Twilight Sparkle!" I told her. I'm not sure if Twilight mentions me to the pony counterpart of our friends.

"My name is Sunset Shimmer. I can help you to find...Sweetie Belle, is it?" I asked. The moment she nodded her head, there is no doubt about it that there's a pony version of Sweetie Belle and, just like my Rarity, she cares her sister more then her makeup or dresses. However, Rarity gazed at me like she doesn't trust me and remain pinned against the wall.

"Aren't you the Sunset Shimmer who was Celestia's former student who becomes obssessed of becoming a princess, that one day she disappeared? And the same Sunset Shimmer who stole the Element of Harmony Crown and escaped into the Crystal Mirror, wrecking havoc on the alternate dimension?" she asked me while eyeing me with dislike. Yep, it seems that Celestia must've explained my bad history. It hurts when I have to hear my past again.

"Yes, I am she but I have learned more important things then just being an alicorn...like friendships. I wish I can explain but there's no time if you want to save Sweetie Belle!" I told her.

"How do I know if this is a trick? I can't trust you just because you claimed to be a friend to Twilight! I-" I silence her by putting my hoof on her mouth.

"There's no time to prove if I'm Twilight's BFF or sister from another mother! We need to save our friends and I mean now!" I told her. She remained silence as I lower my hoof then she nodded.

"Y-You're right. *sniff* We need to save our friends and my sister!" she stood up and wiped her tears, though it made her coat more messy with her moisted eyeshadow.

"Alright." I smiled. We head out to the door with caution then I check the surrounding of the entrance, making sure there's no sign of these mysterious armored ponies. "Coast is clear." I whispered as I grabbed Rarity's hoof and, using my new wings, I flew across the land at the speed of light. Rarity screamed of my sudden burst of speed but to everypony else, it was a complete silence. We set off to find our friends, let's hope we reach there in time!

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#Badland Mining Facility#

[Twilight's POV]

It was nighttime, at least that's what I heard since we're so deep inside that I can't see the daylight. I was very tired from digging pits, yet I still have no idea what we were digging for except there was a few veins of umbrum, which it cause my mind to race. I don't want to think anything worse so I went and managed to find one of my friends, Lyra. She was telling me of her dreaded experience with her new slave life and I feel very sorry for her. Usually, she always spend times with her dearest BFF or studying about Humans but this...this is cruel for her. Everytime when I go to sleep, I kept remember that my brother is dead. *sobbing* Oh Shining Armor, why you have to die? I can't bear to think about what happen to you, yet always thinking how it happen. A Khrono Tropper came to my cell and dragged me outside with his magic then brought me to Slave Master hut.

"Here she is, sir!" he said as he dropped me flat on the floor, like he doesn't care.

"Tsk, tsk. That's not the way to treat a princess." Scar said that, make me cock an eyebrow.

"She is just like the rest of the other ponies: weak and pathetic!" he said, which makes me mad.

"Know your place, solder! I'll have your skin rip off and give it to those savage creatures outside!" Scar boomed at him and fears appears on his face, enough for me to crack a grin. That shows that they are the same as everypony else.

"Sir, yes sir! Won't happen again, sir!" he stated, not wanting his skin gets ripped off.

"Good. Ahem...now, Princess Twilight, it's good to meet you at last." he said.

"Oh really?" I sarcastically asked as I stood up. "We just met a few days ago." I reminded him.

"Hm? Oh yes, but back then I didn't know that you're a princess." he admitted.

"Well, you know it now." I said as I gave a serious face.

"Please, do take a seat." He offered me a seat on his left. I took the seat and sat down but I don't trust him at all. What could he want from me? I have got to get ready to strike, just in case.

"Tea?" he offered me a tea pot, which I noticed it belongs to a rich pony. "I assure you it's great, instead of that cheap Canterlot one." he said, which I felt offended, annoyed and angry.

"Oh really?" I scoffed.

"We only have the finest of everything, including this Umbrum ore." he stated as he began to remove his helmet and reveal his face as he drank his tea. I can see he has brown mane and cream coat, has a scar that travel across his left eye to his right cheek, which I now understood the reason of his name, and he seems charming and menacing at the same time. And the mention of Umbrum ore...the thought of Sombra raced through my mind.

"What do you want with me? Is it my power that you want? If so, then you have to fight me for it!" I stated as I got up and drop in fighting stance. The guards were about to intervene but Scar stop them by lifting his right hoof. I believed he wanted a one-on-one battle.

"If I want your power? My dear princess, if that was the case, I would've kill you before you even got up from the floor. We Khronos don't hesistate to kill, I want to give you an offer. I want you to be...my friend. I assure it would worth all the time being." he said. The guards start laughing like they just heard a good joke. I didn't understand so I straighten up and re-phase his words. I noticed he used the word 'friend' in a different tone, the laughter of this and the looks of their eyes. I suddenly understood and I never felt so, so...I can't even find the right word.

"How dare you! To ask a Princess that such a thing! I-"

"I understand if you don't want to, but I guess I could ask another mare, maybe that derp-eyed one or better yet, kill her little filly...slowly." Scar said with a evil smile. I couldn't bare the thought of them killing Dinky or anypony else. I rather give my own life then make my friends suffered for decision. I guess I have no choice... Some Princess I am...

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#Outside the Mining Facility Walls#

[Sunset's POV]

We flew across the sky. I remember how my friends back at Equestria High stated that when I flew at this speed, I look like a flaming comet. We finally arrived at the mining facility, where these Khronos Empire took the prisoners to mine the Umbrum ore. We land in the far distance and I looked at Rarity and she seems very freak out and her mane are messed up. Guess I forgot Rarity is not a Pegasus so she couldn't support such velocity.

"Alright, we're here-Oh hide!" I panicked as I dragged Rarity to hide behind a boulder. There are Khrono soldiers everywhere. They are securing the perimeter from the watch tower with thermal scanner. I can't believe it...Now how are we going to get in. "Terrific, just what we need!"

"We can pretend that I'm a prisoner and you be one of the Khronos Trooper, say you're taking me inside for whatever they pit the captives to do, right?" asked Rarity.

"That could work." I smiled as I began to concentrate. My horn glowed with flaming aura then I created a puppet suit of a Khronos Trooper then I slipped into it. I looked at Rarity and she have that shock express so hilarious that I almost laugh. "Come on, let's do this." I told her. She shook her head and snapped out of it.

"A-A-Alright!" she nervously smile. I constructed some chains to arrest Rarity, in order to make it more credible. Then we march down to the Khronos Soldiers. I am going to thank Pinkie Pie for teaching me how to change my vocal tone.

"Hey, guys! Look what I've got, another slave for the job!" I said in a male voice. The guards shines the searchlight at us.

"What were you doing out there? When you report that you're going out of the facility?" he asked. Darn it, since when these jerks, who had being so invincible, began to suspect me so quickly?
"Iiieee...errr, forgot to do that?" I asked sheepishly.

"KILL THEM!" he yelled as he hoof-pointed us. Two towers that protects the front gate powers the plasma turrets and start firing at us.

"YIKES!" I yelped as I created a flaming barrier. It was no ordinary shield as it absorbs the plasma shots, channel them into two spots and discharge two searing beam at diagonal pattern, which destroyed the guard towers. "I guess the plan failed so quickly, huh?" I smirked in my normal voice as I keep my positive face.

"Oh dear!" Rarity used her magic to construct a powerful yet beautiful armor for herself. Even the armors, she wants it to be beautiful. She is very odd. "I should've taken the combat training class!" she whined. Make that double odd.

INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! ALL TROOPERS REPORT IN IMMEDIATE TO PREVENT THE ATTACK!

"Let's do this!" I used my magic to create my personal phoenix-theme armors and my two swords. "FOR EQUESTRIA!" I yelled.
"FOR EQUESTRIA!" Rarity hallored.

[Normal POV]

Sunset and Rarity began attacking the guards and soldiers that flank their surrounding. Sunset dash toward one guard and swiftly cut his right hoof off and decapitated him before he can even blink. She then barrel roll to the left and sliced clean the Khronos Soldier into two. Three soldiers armed with plasma battle saddles cornered her and start shooting her. She instantly dash up and cause them to get blasted by each other but their armors shield them from plasma burns. Sunset dove back down and flew around them, slashing the power pack that energize the battle saddle. It start screeching wildly, which made the soldiers start panicking as they struggled to take the saddle off but failed as the pack exploded and mutilated them into ashes. Sunset flew off but got intercepted by the Khronos Pegasus Trooper. He tackled her and locked her in close combat, punching her in the face and Sunset gave a uppercut, grabbed him and threw him into the searchlight, which exploded by the impact and electrocuted him. Sunset charged up her horn, lend back her head then thrusted it forward, firing a powerful searing beam that struck him hard, releasing explosive sparks then the camera panned beneath the searchlight and Sunset at the distance. A hoof dropped down lifeless, stating the pegasus is dead.

Rarity used her magic to create 10 energy daggers then stabbed 8 of 10 Khronos soldiers. Two of the soldiers that didn't got stab charged toward her, creating magic lances.

"No, um! Think think-Ah!" Rarity got an idea and created diamond runes on the ground. The soldiers stepped on the runes then suddenly, diamond blades instantly rose up and impaled their bodies, including their chests, causing them to gasp for air. Rarity continue fighting by shooting magic bolts but more soldiers kept coming. "I don't think we can beat them! We must find Twilight and free the other ponies as well!" said Rarity.

"Agreed! Let me show them what I can do." smirked Sunset as she channel the energy from her horn and began to form a large flaming sphere then toss it at the reinforcement, which exploded and engulfed them in flames, burning all but the nearby slaves.

The explosion can be heard all the way where Twilight is, and the tremor shook the whole cave.

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[Twilight's POV]

"What the?!" I exclaimed as the whole cave quake by an explosion from the distance. That explosion was very low and far but the force was so strong, we all felt it.

"WHAT IN THE HAYE !? YOU TWO!" Scar hoof-pointed at the guards "ASSIST THE OTHER TO DEFEND THIS PLACE FROM THE INTRUDER! I DON'T WANT NO PONY TAKING MY SLAVE!" he declared as he wore his helmet.

Now it's my chance to strike so I took. The seconds the guards left and Scar was putting his helmet on, I unleashed my full power and trapped him in the Bubble of Silence.

"Huh!?" he exclaimed but no sounds can escape from the bubble nor see him then I pressured the bubble to crush him, not giving him the chance to react.

"You destroy Canterlot, you enslaved my friends...my family! YOU TOOK AWAY MY BROTHER! There will be no friendship nor mercy to monsters like you!" I hissed with tears in my eyes as I finished crushing him. No ponies even survive my bubble of silence, a spell I never use unless I have no choice. I am very glad to put the end to this monster. I ran to the prison cell and start freeing everypony with the Slave Master keys, everypony, from earth-bound to unicorn, began to attack the Khronos Trooper and guards with pickaxe and jackhammer, impaling and tearing them apart along with the violent scream. I saw Lyra dragged a Khronos Troop to the furnace."You like replacing our Cutie Mark with that twisted seal?!" she asked as she grabbed the seal from the furnace. "Let's see how you like it! This is for Bon-Bon!" she rammed the seal on the soldier's eye.

"GYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" he screamed in pain then Lyra lend it back and smacked it against his face, knocking him into the furnance head-first. "AAAAAAAH! HELP ME! AAAH!" he screamed in horror.

"Help you?! You jerks have no souls so why should they help you?! Rot in Tartarus!" I am pretty surprised of Lyra's behavior but I don't blame her. I share the same rage as everypony else. I noticed some of the ponies stole the Khrono's battle saddles and rifle gauntlets then commence to clear the paths. I found Derpy with The Doctor and Dinky, with the rest of my friends. This is it...OUR FREEDOM!

"Come on, everypony! We must run to our freedom!" I said.

"Yes, let us get going!" said The Doctor. Everypony start running to the front gate. When we almost reach to the front gate, I saw a very intense battle between slaves and Khronos soldiers fighting each other with everything, both tools and weapons. However, the Khronos are better equipped and trained then us. I need to get everypony out of here.

"Everypony! We mus get out of here now! Forget about the Khronos. We will fight another day!" I said. I can see everypony wanted to fight but understood what I said. As for me, I try not to get shot. Almost reaching to the gate, I suddenly saw Rarity and a pony I have known from Equestria High. "Rarity? Sunset?! Is that you girls!?" I asked as I stopped in my track. Sunset easily sliced the soldier with her swords then looked at me.

"Huh? Twilight!" she was very happy to see me. Rarity ran to me and gave me a hug.

"Oh, Twilight! It's good to see you! Where's Sweetie Belle?" she asked. I felt very guilty to tell her this but...

"She...She had been sold from the Slave Auction along with Fluttershy...I'm sorry...I couldn't do anything." I apologized.

"No...No no no, it can't be!" It pains me to see Rarity with tears in her eyes but I gave her an answer to give her some hope.

"But I know who is her new master but we have to go right now or we'll never save Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy!" I told her as I shook her by her shoulders. She nodded as her answer. We managed to get all ponies out of the facility and crippled half of the Khronos. Finally freedom! Howver something, or somepony, appears before us and it was the pony I thought I had killed was still alive. He's now a blood-filled skeleton with some part of his fleshs on and he barely has any armors, some are broken.

"Do you really think I can be kill that easily? Now I have to kill you!" Scar hissed as he advance toward Sunset, Rarity and I slowly and menacing.

"W-What the-!? That's not possible!" I gasped.

"What in Tartarus is that monster?!" Sunset asked, battle ready.

"Oh it's possible! If only you had study more about, oh what's the name, a Grave-Walker!" he boomed.

"Oh boy." Sunset said, disturbed but firm.

"How dreadful!" cried Rarity as she hid behind me.

"Don't be shy! I'll make sure you all suffer!" Scar began to gallop toward us then jump and blasted our footing. It was a near miss but the force pushed us aside and we got separated. Scar spread his skeleton-like wings, flew up and began to hover. I stood up and created a magic barrier for defense.

"Rarity, I need you to get somewhere safe." I told her.

"A-Are you sure, Twilight?" she asked as she tried to be brave on the situation in hoof. Scar start blasting my barrier with dark power and it start weakening.

"Yes! Sunset and I can stop him, but we can't have you get caught in a crossfire! *the barrier start cracking at its breaking point* Now go!" I yelled.

"Alright!" Rarity ran as fast as she can then I turned to my friend.

"Alright, Sunset. Let's do this!" I said. We instantly flew to opposite directions as the beam smashed through my barrier then we flanked Scar and blasted him with our magic. The collision on both side cause our magic to merge and exploded, creating smoke around us. We ceased our attack as the smoke began to clear.

"Did we kill him?" panted Sunset.

"Yes, he's dead!" I panted but then Scar emerged from the smoke, alive.

"You can't kill me! I AM GRAVE-WALKER!" he boomed.

"Oh yeah? Then can you take this?!" I charging up my powers and Sunset stalls Scar by trapping him in a fire sphere but he start breaking it. My horn's energy began to spark greatly, stating it reached to Level 2. Sunset is struggling to hold him down but he broke free and move in for the kill. My powers hits the highest level then I swung my head forward and a giant energy orb formed from my horn fired a powerful focused beam that impacted Scar then it expanded, engulfing him completely and obliterated the whole Mining Facility. I collapsed on the ground as I start panting heavily.

"*hff, hff, hff...* And that's...*hff, hff...* the end of him..." I panted.

"Then let's get out of here." Sunset began to flap her wings and head off but then I saw him! I just can't believe it, he's still moving! What does it take to kill him? We ready ourselves to fight him once more. He advance toward us in a staggering movement but, before he could said a word (possibly boasting about that being a GraveWalker makes him immortal), he dissolved into pieces then ashes. It seems that his kind cannot take that amount of damage so this is the end of him, for good this time.

"Let's go. No reason to stay any longer." I said, relieved.

"It's good to see you, Twilight Sparkle. Again, that is." Sunset chuckled, recalling my second visit to Equestria High.

"Hehe, likewise." I smiled. We left to meet up with the rest then we set off to Appleloosa. Sunset told me her story of her arrival then I explained everything that happen. We finally arrived one of the Appleloosa towns but, oddly enough, there were no sign of Khronos Empires. We stood our distance, just to be sure. There were trace of battle and, from as far as I can see, there are wooden barriers and fortified buildings, and I also saw...well, what do you know? There's Rangers. That brought a smile to my face. Now we are safe with them. Soon, we'll find Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle.

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#Meanwhile in Crystal Empire#

At the building, many ponies are in the lines to the tables where the Celestia Army recruits the new members.

"Next!" said the Officer. "Alright, what's your name, missy?" he asked. Standing before him was a young filly. She has golden mane and tail that are loose, long and sharp as well as straight, her coat are as white as snow, her eyes has purple iris with golden highlights. Despite being small and thin, she is well-build and strong. Her Cutie Mark is a golden sword. She saluted by placing her right hoof on the side of her forehead.

"Golden Gleaming, sir!" she introduced herself in a cold, ruthless tone. An odd tone from a filly. "I want to join the Celestia Army and be one of the Sky Slayers, sir!" she said. The officers glanced each other in awe and surprise of the filly's tone and strength.

"Aren't you a little young for this? Sure, the Sky Slayer you may start as a filly but I don't see that's going to happen." said the officer.

"I am 14-year-old! I am in a qualify age, sir!" she barked.

"Ha ha, that you are!" he smirked like a caring grandfather when he smile. "Well then, where's your parents?" he asked.

"Dead, sir! Killed by the Khronos Empire! I shall avenge them and make them pay!" she growled.

"Orphan, eh? Well, that changes thing. We can recruit you in the Sky Slayer but once you're in, there's no turning back. We'll, in somewhat way, adopt you and make you part of our family. So are you in?" he asked.

"Yes!" she answered. All the other ponies and crystal ponies were getting impatience and began to muttering about the hold.

Golden finished singing up then she saluted him.

"Thank you sir!" she said.

"Alright, move along. Next!" he called out after saluting her back. She left the line to his right then gallop toward the fourth wall with her eyes so cold and filled with flames.

"I, Golden Gleaming, will make my parents proud wherever they may be, dead or alive. I don't care what it take. I will avenge them! If I could only remember more of what happen to my home, Stalliongard.

Comments

[Cyrusquest]

7346737

because the ch.1 was thousand words short . ;)