Equestria Wars Episode XV: Knights of Zero

by sonicdash123

Chapter 8: The Lady of Sorrows

Charming Thunder and the others arrived at the location and sees a group of heralds with what appears to be their leader behind them. They turned to notice them as their leader said, "Well, looks like you saved me the trouble to hunting you down."

"We're not here to start a fight," Charming Thunder said. "I am here for any information that you can provide me."

"Do I strike you as someone who cares what you want?"

"Apparently you do because I am your king."

"You cannot be allowed to remain here in the Undercity. Your presence threatens the order we have fought to maintain."

"And from the looks of it, you are doing a great job," Twilight said, sarcastically. "Twilight Sparkle. Former student of Princess Celestia and princess of friendship. If it's Zero who you made a deal with, he could pull the plug on it any second for any reason."

"What do you mean?"

"When Charming Thunder, Lucina, and I defeat Zero, you won't have to answer to him anymore. All we want is to meet the Lady of Sorrows so we can convince her to help us in our cause. I bet you can make it happen."

"How do you intend on defeating him and his massive Eternal Fleet?"

"I have more power than you realize," Charming Thunder replied.

"Power. Zero gave us power only to implement so many restrictions that we are in many ways powerless." The Herald Leader turned away. Most don't even realize. But his undoing, it cannot be by your hooves."

"Why not?"

"Danny's fall, Zero's rise. It all conforms to prophecy. You however do not." The leader turned around to face Charming Thunder and the others. "You cannot be allowed to succeed."

"And I thought we were getting along."

"On my mark..." The Heralds aimed their weapons as the leader raised his hoof in the air. A hologram of a griffin appeared behind them.

"Exalted," the griffin said.

"Can't you see I'm busy here?"

"The Lady of Sorrows demands your attention now." The Herald leader turned to face the hologram of the griffin as the Heralds lowered their weapons.

"Your grip on the Undercity has become a stranglehold. You continue to act counter to the Lady's interest, most recently with the murder of her contractor; Sapphire Sorbet."

"Can this wait? I've got company."

"The Lady has decided to renegotiate the terms of your agreement."

"We made a deal!!"

"And now you will agree to a new deal." A hologram image changed to a stallion which looked familiar to the leader.

"Father," the stallion said.

"Brennen," the leader said. "Release him at once!"

"Come to the Razor," the griffin said. "You and the Lady can discuss your son's future." She then looked up to see Charming Thunder and the others. "And you. The Lady would like to speak to you as well."

"Well it's about time," Charming Thunder said.

"You could've called earlier to save us the trouble," Twilight added.

"We prefer caution over haste," the griffin said. "Your identities had to be double-confirmed, and your motives made known. The Lady of Sorrows is fully aware of who you are, Charming Thunder. And now she also knows what you're after. Under no circumstances are you to kill King Charming Thunder. Understood?"

"Understood," the leader said. The holo transmission ended as the leader began to walk away from Charming Thunder, Twilight, and Lucina. "Kill them both." One of the Heralds activated his lightsaber and leap in the air to attack Charming Thunder, but was stopped by Charming Thunder when he used the force to choke the Herald and throw him across the room. The others began to back away with fear as Charming Thunder approached.

"Anyone else?" Charming Thunder asked. Their answer was running away from him. "I thought so."

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Charming Thunder and the others were in the elevator going up to the level where the Lady of Sorrows is. Charming Thunder drew his blaster as the elevator went up and said, "The Heralds had the head start. Be ready for anything. It could be a minor war if we step out."

"I know everything about war," Lucina said as she spun her blaster in her hoof. The elevator doors opened and they walked into a room full of corpses of the Heralds. Standing at the other side holding the leader by the neck was a silver humanoid-like droid with an electrostaff on her back. Standing behind the droid was the leader's son; Brennen, who just stood there and watched.

"I know," the droid said. "You didn't get the deal you wanted. But you did get the deal you deserved. Think of it this way, Exalted. You'll fnally be with your great serpent." The droids arm surged with electricity and shocked the stallion killing him in the process. The droid tossed him aside and looked at him on the floor.

"A droid is the Lady of Sorrows?" Twilight said.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle along with Charming Thunder and Lucina. I suspected you would be here, but was unable to confirm it until today." The droid turned to face Charming Thunder and the others. "I'm curious, Charming Thunder. What would you do to the Exalted's son?"

"I would let him be leader of the Heralds," Charming Thunder replied. "He might fear and respect you unlike his father."

"My exact calculation. Excellent." The Lady of Sorrows turned to face Brennen. "There is nothing to stop you from becoming the new Exalted now. I expect you to honor your end of our agreement."

"Of course," Brennen said. "I can finally lead the Heralds to the glorious future we deserve. You will have your just rewards."

"Then leave." Brennen bowed and took his leave.

"What are you anyways?" Charming Thunder asked.

"I am SCORPIO."

"Why hide here?"

"The technology here is beyond anywhere in Equestria I visited. Perhaps everything will be explained when we reach your castle, your highness." SCORPIO turned to the griffin who was working on a datapad. "Continue operations in my stead. Annihilate the Heralds if you must. I will remain in touch."

"Very well," the griffin said and bowed.

"So that means you're coming with us?" Twilight asked.

"Naturally," SCORPIO replied. SCORPIO followed Charming Thunder and the others into the elevator and the doors closed. "I look forward to communicating with an intellect that rivals my own for a change."

"And what of Zero?" Charming Thunder asked.

"He has something of my master's. The severity of his error must be recognized." The elevator doors opened to reveal the Red Hood with his gun pointed at Charming Thunder as he stood in the middle of the room.

"Come out slowly," the Red Hood said as Charming Thunder and the others stepped out of the elevator.

"Who are you?" Charming Thunder demanded.

"You really have no idea." The Red Hood lowered his hood and pressed a button on his arm to remove his helmet slowly to reveal the face of Light Sparkle. Twilight and Charming Thunder gasped as Light stepped up to them. "Do you father?"

"Light? But you were dead." Cyber appeared next to Charming Thunder.

"Let's not fall out here, Charmy," Cyber said. "I might have told you a teeny tiny little lie. But come on, look at your girl. You did good. We did good. You should be proud." Cyber vanished as Twilight and the others except Twilight stepped back. Charming Thunder and Light circled around with the gun pointed at him by his own daughter.

"What's the matter?" Light asked. "Lost for words. I expected more. I'm hurt."

"Cyber sent me the recording," Charming Thunder said as tears fell out of his eyes. "I saw him kill you."

"Don't you dare lie to me! How long did you wait before replacing me? A month? A week? I trusted you. And you just left me to die!"

"That's not what happened."

"We would never replace you, Light," Twilight said.

"You always told me, father," Light said. "Focus on what you want to achieve and it'll happen. Well you know what I want, huh? I want you dead." Light tossed her blaster away and drew her vibrosword as her helmet went back down and Charming Thunder activated his lightsaber. Light leaps in the air and struck first. Charming Thunder blocked the incoming strikes as he got cornered to a wall. He ducked and moved out of the way from an incoming strike which caused Light to leave a cut on the wall. Light approached as Charming Thunder got up.

"Light, I can help you!" Charming Thunder said.

"There's no helping me." Charming Thunder laid some strikes as Light blocked the strikes. Charming Thunder force pushed her to the ground as he slowly approached.

"Cyber got to you. I know what it's like!"

"Don't pretend to understand!" Light took out a thermal imploder and threw it at him. Charming Thunder used his magic to put a force field around it before it exploded leaving a crater. The duel continued as they clashed their blades.

"Stand down, Light!"

"Don't call me that! That is not who I am anymore!" Charming Thunder broke the clash and gave heavy strikes to Light. Light blocked the strikes and the third strike caused her vibrosword to flick out of her hoof. Light tried to punch Charming Thunder, but he countered with a punch to the face which cracked the helmet now showing her face. Twilight tried to intervene, but was tackled by Lucina.

"You are my daughter, Light! You are not what Cyber made you!"

"Stop! Stop talking to me!" Light tackled Charming Thunder and Charming Thunder got above her and pointed his blaster to her face with anger in his eyes. He then got up and holstered his blaster as Light said, "You did this to me!"

"I'm sorry." Light drew her second pistol and pointed it at Charming Thunder as she was on the ground.

"You left me to rot in that cell in the Dark Forge for over a year with HIM!" Twilight approached beside Charming Thunder.

"It's not too late, Light," Twilight said. "We can fix this together."

"I need your help," Charming Thunder added. "We need you. Cyber has infected me with his probes. I need to find a way to get rid of them. Please." Charming Thunder offered his hoof to Light as tears fell from Light's eyes. She dropped her pistol and grabbed his hoof and Charming Thunder helped her up to her hooves. Twilight then hugged Light as Charming Thunder did the same. "Let's go home."