If this world had any good, then it's just as dead as our past.
Anonymous Techno-Barbarian of the Everfree Dust Bowl.
This area of the Northern Wastes was deserted more so than most areas of Equus. Almost all avoided it, feeling an unnatural pall of fear and heartbreak if they ever entered it. Those few strong enough to continue on found that this feeling all came from a single source. One that even the most hard-bitten rad-mutant avoided at all costs.
The Crystal Ruins.
No one knew what they were. Some said it was the shattered and broken remains of a once-great city, one that had fallen even before the horror of Old Night had fallen on Equus. Others had darker theories.
But for the first time in uncounted years, two individuals made their way to the ruins with a single-mindedness, even if only one of them knew why they were going there.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Midnight asked as she looked around at the ruins before them. "I mean, what could be here after so long? And why here?"
The midnight blue Pegasus barely came up to the shoulder of her companion. Her companion's features were harder to make out for she wore a long cloak that hid her features, all save for a pair of lavender wings at her side.
Her friend smiled, even if Midnight couldn't see it. "Something that I buried here a long time ago. I can only hope it is still here." She could feel though that Midnight still was not convinced. "Middy, I know you do not believe me, but have I ever led you wrong before?"
Midnight rolled her eyes at the use of her nickname. "No, but there's a first time for everything, and your following is growing. They're worried about you."
Her friend smirked. "Oh, and you do not?"
Midnight smiled up at her. "I've known you my whole life. I know you don't need it. But this place gives me the creeps."
And it was true. This place gave her the creeps in a bad way. Even being with her friend could only help so much. And Midnight had known for as long as she could remember. Her very first memory, in fact, was looking up into the mare's face. A face that radiated love, warmth, and compassion.
The next moment, the newborn filly had wrapped her hooves around the mare's legs and had never let go since. In a way that was. To Midnight, she was more than just a friend. She was the mother she had never known.
The other mare pulled her close into a comforting hug. "I know, but we are almost there."
As they pulled apart and began to enter the ruins, the elder looked around, seeing the ghosts and memories of a long-dead past all around her. She still remembered the city in its prime, all the adventures she and a group of friends she still loved thirty thousand years after they had passed had here. An errant gust of wind blew her cloak off her flank for a moment revealing her cutie mark, one that had lost its meaning a long time ago.
A Fuschia star, surrounded by five smaller white ones.
Sometime later the two came to, what Midnight assumed, had once been the center of whatever the ruins had once been. All that was left now though were massive pieces of shattered crystal lying in huge heaps all around them.
As they came underneath one such heap, she heard something crack under her hoof. Looking down she saw that she had stepped on more crystal shards, but smaller than the rest around them. Whatever they had once been, they now lay broken and dirty with age. "What was this place?" She finally asked as she looked away from the broken shards.
Her companion halted. "It was a city once. Once one of the most beautiful on all of Equus. It fell." She stopped as her breath hitched. "Long ago."
Now Midnight was curious. "Did you know it? Sounds like you did."
"Yes." That was all her friend said before she resumed walking leaving Midnight to catch up.
Soon the two of them found a stairwell leading down. It was so well hidden that if she hadn't been led right to it, Midnight would've never found it. After a long descent, they finally came to a landing with a single door. With a purple glow, the door opened with the sound of rusty hinges, and Midnight felt her mouth drop.
For as far as the eye could see, shelf upon shelf was heaped with books, data crystals, and what looked like very old-fashioned data slates. Tables were scattered here and there for those who had need of them. Midnight did not think it was possible for this many books to exist, and in one location at that. The Unspeakable King of the Pan Lunaic Empire made a habit of destroying any and all knowledge he or his armies found.
As they entered the room properly, lights flickered to life along the ceiling. Following her friend, Midnight tried to take in all that she could see, but there was so much here she didn't even know where to start.
One thing though stood out, a name that kept repeating itself, and a symbol she recognized. "She finally had to ask. "Who was Twilight Sparkle? Her name's all over the place."
That stopped her companion dead in her tracks. "She was a very great pony. Once upon a time." She turned to face Midnight. "Midnight, I must ask you to forget that name. Erase it from your mind."
Midnight was shocked. "Why?"
Her friend finally removed her cloak and tossed it onto a nearby table. "I have spent generations erasing any and all knowledge of that name. Twilight Sparkle." She paused as her tears fell. "Died long ago."
Midnight pointed at the symbol and then at her friend's flank. "But that symbol-"
"Lost its meaning a long time ago. It is nothing but a symbol of a long-dead past now," the mare replied as she pulled out a seemingly random book.
As she did, a section of wall pulled back, revealing another tunnel beyond that stretched out into an unknown distance. Lights flickered on along its length showing nothing but pristine white walls. "Go on ahead, I will be along in a moment," the mare continued, giving Midnight a smile.
Midnight gave her a dubious look, but finally nodded and trotted down the tunnel.
Her companion stood outside the door a moment longer, looking over the stacks of books and the memories they held.
Then the mare once known as Twilight Sparkle turned away from her past for the final time and headed toward what she hoped was a brighter future for all of Equus.
Midnight had not gone far before Twilight caught up to her. As they trotted down the corridor, she could feel that Midnight was holding back a question. "Middy. I know you have to have a million questions now." She paused and gave her a look. "So come on, spill it."
Midnight sighed. She did have a million questions. A million and one actually. So, she started with the most obvious. "How're all those books here? They've had to have been down here for a long time. Hay, how did nopony find them?"
Twilight smiled. "There is a time-locked stasis-seal on the door. It is keyed to my magic and that of a few others. But they are nowhere to be found. We put them in place when this was still a city. It is off for now, and it will start again when we leave."
Midnight nodded. "And I doubt anyone's been here since the city fell." She looked around at the spotless walls. No other doors lead off from it except the one they'd entered by. "So where does this go anyway?"
Twilight sighed. "A backup plan I never thought I would have to use. But my primary lab was rendered useless centuries ago."
Midnight blinked. She knew Twilight was far older than she looked. But she rarely talked about her past for some reason. "What happened to the first one? Where was it?" She asked.
Twilight rubbed her snout irritably. "In the Everfree Dust Bowl. Back then though it was a forest. Luckily I have an obsessive-compulsive attention to detail so everything there was replicated here."
By this point, the two of them had come to a stainless-steel door. There did not seem to be any way to open it though. Twilight gave it a look. "And that includes the defenses I put in place for it as well."
Midnight took a step back. "What sort of defenses?"
Twilight waved a hoof. "Oh, you know, the usual. Doors, magic, and a few ideas of my own." She paused before giving Midnight a sheepish smile. "Oh, and watch out for the automated weapons batteries."
Midnight was about to ask what she meant by that last bit when two panels in the ceiling suddenly opened and two magicannons slotted out, their targeters locked onto her.
"... meep!! Was all she could squeak out in response.
Twilight smiled. "Relax. As long as you are with me you will be fine. I designed this so only those who came with me or just me could get past this point. Now comes the easy part."
With that, she stepped up to the floor. As she did, a suite of sensors in the walls, floor, and ceiling began sweeping her body to confirm her identity. Air samplers tasted her breath, body-mass sensors registered her weight, and radiation detectors measure the decay rate of isotopes in her blood and bones. Over a hundred such measurements and genetic markers were compared against real-time data logs to ensure it was really her and not some imp trying to get in.
Finally, the door slid open and allowed them to pass through. The cannons continued to track Midnight until she and Twilight had passed through the doors before rotating back up into inactivity.
The first Midnight noticed was the major drop in temperature. Her Pegasus heritage allowed her to shake it off, but it still came as a shock. But what she saw next made her mouth drop in surprise. They had entered a vast cavern, the far walls so far away she couldn't even see them. Next to them, a ramp descended into the darkness.
Midnight craned her neck over the edge, but there was no bottom visible. "So, now what?" She asked.
Twilight sighed. "Now comes the hard part."
How long had it been since they had entered the maze? Midnight did not know. She had lost track of time since they had entered this place. Hours, days, weeks, months maybe? It can't have been years even if it felt like it sometimes. "What idiot thought putting inverted gravity rooms in here was a good idea anyway?" She grumbled as she and Twilight took a short break in a side chamber.
Twilight shot her a hurt look. "Hey, I resent that remark. I thought it was a good idea at the time, sue me."
"If we ever get out of here I might." Midnight grumbled as she ruffled her wings. "I think most of my feathers are still a few corridors back. Are we even close to, whatever you're looking for?"
Twilight sighed as they stepped back out into the corridor and turned in a new direction. "I do not know. I designed this place to make it very hard to find the center and there is no way to map it either."
Midnight was only half listening while she watched out for more traps. Even though this section looked safe, experience had taught her looks were deceiving. More than once one of them had tripped a hidden pressure plate activated all kinds of unpleasant things.
What was worse though were the mobile sentries. Each was pony-shaped, but they were a machine, carrying weapons she couldn't even begin to guess at what they were. But what horrified her the most was that each and every one of them had been an A.I. (Abominable Intelligence). Midnight had heard stories of the Mares of Iron. Now having seen them, she wanted to quickly forget them. "Where did you even get the design for this place anyway? I don't think half this stuff was ever designed on Equus or Mares." She finally said after a moment.
Twilight shook her head. "That is because they're not based on any design Equus or Mares has ever known. They are based on a design called the Cavea Ferrum I found in a universe far from here. Designed by someone named the Firenzi Polymath."
Midnight giggled. "What kind of name is that?"
Twilight giggled too. "Hay if I know. But it is also based on a design done by one of the greatest beings to have ever existed. He designed it to guard something so vital that he put the best defenses up for it."
"Did he have a name?" Midnight asked.
Twilight shook her head as she gained a faraway look in her eyes, memories of life in another universe coming back. "If he ever did, he never told anyone. All who followed him knew him by a single title, one that fit him so well that he seemed destined for it."
"What was it?" Midnight asked, holding her breath.
"The Emperor."
Following the end of Twilight's tale, they walked on for some time in silence. Midnight's mind had begun to fill with visions of a golden clad warrior, a halo of light shining from his form. His features were indistinct, but she could feel the strength and power he radiated, yet also not without warmth and love.
So caught up in them was she that she didn't notice that Twilight had stopped until she ran into the back of her. Coming to her senses, she found Twilight giving her a smile.
"We are here," she said.
If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?
9417487
Whatever you want them too. I don't make them sound a certain way when I write them.
9417573
Well Equus has been throughly fucked up at this point. So has the rest of the galaxy for that matter. But that won't come into play for a long time yet.
Interesting. Will be keeping an eye on this.
Hmm well at the very least I guess Twilight Sparkle certainly started out nicer and more compassionate than the emperor of mankind...maybe she can manage to not make some of the same mistakes he did even if she makes different ones.
9417614
Oh she will make mistakes. No ruler can't. Luckily after 30 millennia of life Twilight's learned to make them small and not a major disaster.
Plus Midnight is usually the one to knock sense back into her, literally if she needs to.
I'm curious how you plan to pull off Warhammer crossover with an E rating. Not saying it can't be done, and it's not a bad thing, just seems weird to me is all. Guess I'll find out.
9417677
It's a placeholder for the moment. The real grim stuff won't be shown for awhile. Talked about yes. But not shown.
9417687
Ah, I see. Well, the stories good so far, so I'll give it a like and track. Keep up the good work.
A link to the artist for the cover art please
9417773
There should be a link on the cover art itself.
This looks interesting! I look forward for more.
Sentance structure needs some work.
"And it was true. This place gave her the creeps in a bad way. Even being with her friend could only help so much. And Midnight had known for as long as she could remember. Her very first memory in fact was looking up into the mare's face. A face that radiated love, warmth, and compassion."
Was a particularly egregious example. Periods are full stops, and reading it that way makes it sound weird, halting, and stilted.
Here is a slight reworking of the sentance.
"And it was all true, the place gave her the creeps in bad way and even being so close to her freind could not shake this feeling. Which was strange, as Midnight had known the alicorn for as long as she can remember, with her face being her very first memory. A face that even still, radiated love, warmth and compassion, even in such a dour place.
Why does everyone have twilight change or abandon her name in these stories I feel like it's a trope at this point. Besides that this looks interesting and I look forward to it.
Probably because its filler. The Unification Wars was nothing more than the emperor of man “conquering” Fallout-style survivors. Cue WH40k proper and the Imperium proceeds to gets the shit kicked out of them when they’re fighting actual armies.
As for the story itself, you can see how things are going to go a mile away.
9417963
For those who don't know, 40k existed way before Fallout was ever a thing. So Fallout is taking off 40k, not the other way around. And as for where this is going.
I'm going o enjoy what people have to say when I start giving it the big middle finger.
9417938
Yeah. This has always been a problem for me in writing. First time someone's said it, but I know it's there.
Thanks for pointing this one out and better way to say the same.
9418256
question thou? in what technological level are they? Because if you are going to do some sort of unification war and then great crusade how you explain then things like gene weavers of luna hoo helped emperor to make thunder warriors or that time he made prophesy about himself to the mecanicum switch led to cult of the machine. All this needed over ten thousand year of foresight to create. Or are you gonna skip thous kinda things all together?
9418309
Magic and technology have evolved in the 30 millennia since the show ended in this universe, So yes the Luna Selenar Gene Cults will be there when the time comes.
As for the Thunder Warriors, I might skip them and go straight to the Space Mareine Legions and their Primare leaders. And no those aren't typos. Why will make sense later.
9418253
And Mad Max existed before 40k was ever a thing and the post-nuclear war setting existed before Mad Max was ever a thing.
9418332
Exactly. People seem fused to the idea that Fallout was the first for a lot of this stuff. Mad Max did the post-nuclear world thing way better anyway.
9418342
Because Fallout (among others) introduced elements like technological vaults, government conspiracies and post-apocalyptic cults. Mad Max didn’t. So is it not fair to call this story closer to Fallout than Mad Max?
9418353
No. It's more Mad Max here than Fallout. The cults are real, but the vaults and government stuff isn't. But since this is a Warhammer crossover, it's going to be mostly based on Age of Strife Terra.
9418361
Your prologue involves “don’t call me Twilight” uncovering the Crystal Empire’s underground library in a magically irradiated area in an era where books are practically extinct. You’re arguing semantics.
I wonder what happened to Celestia, Luna and Cadence?
Hmm... I don't know why, but something tells me Twilight doesn't have much to worry about daemon wise...
Meanwhile in the Immaterium
"You know, I always knew you and I would get along... Why look, you're rock hard just being in my presence!"
Slaanesh said nothing. Discord smiled gently as an eagles claw lifted his cup to his snaggle toothed lips, his eyes glinting with his usual cheek... but something more was their that day... night... whatever. Something... old. and cold. and cruel.
"As I've said... I don't turn people to stone. Its a rule. And all rules have an exception."
Slaneesh screeched from with his new home, his quickly growing lack of sensation, any sensation, at all, began to take its tole. It had been but a few minutes... long enough to brew a pot of tea. An eternity.
"And you... you thought about Fluttershy in less then a flattering manner."
Discord's lips drew back across his fangs to morph into a wolfish grin, and his words, while soft, echoed and shook the timbers of the non existence in which they sat.
"... And the same goes for the rest of you lot. Remember who runs this fucking show... and do make sure to leave my little ponies be."
9417963
Here's what I'd like to know. Do you even care for the story at all? Or is this just commenting for the hay of it?
9419008
for what its worth, I liked it
9419013
Thanks. It helps hearing people like it. And I know more like it than don't. How? Upvotes outnumber the downvotes. And those are probably from trolls who downvote everything that isn't utter garbage.
9419008
I do, but I also see a lot of stories with good potential bog themselves down in attempt to be "original".
Why does it matter if I compare your story to Fallout? Is this supposed to be a pan-galactic, inter-dimensional, biological child soldier story which concludes with mud ponies being lobotomized and turned into door openers and the unicorn master race ruling over a collapsing empire?
So is Midnight like Twi's Malchador or something?
9419091
This will end up going all over the galaxy. None of the rest will happen thankfully, I'll leave those to the shit fic writers. I'm trying to be better than that.
9419149
She will be. It's not evident now, but being so close to Twilight for as long as she has, has changed her beyond that of any normal Pegasus. Midnight doesn't know it, but Twilight has her suspicions that's the case.
I love the dark tone that has been set.
9419291
Thanks. You think it's dark now? I haven't even told the tail of how Twilight and Midnight first met. That little bit with her first memory as a newborn should give a hint that it won't be plesant.
Or at least the buildup to it anyway.
9419316
Nice avatar by the way. And I don't doubt it.
9419066
Yeah... but really, you should write for yourself first and foremost. Now that is not to say you should block out criticism, but at the end of the day, there's a difference between popular and good
I like it so far. Just how far will this story go? Will we get to the point where twilight is stuck in stasis on her golden throne while her empire decays and dies around her?
Are bits of Fallout in this fanfic too? Due to it being a post-Apocalypse Nuclear Wasteland Future? Plus, the Ponyhood of Steel and Enclave could be a quick source of power armor for the Thunder Warriors/Space Mare-ines.
I'm guessing that Midnight is this universe's version of Malcador. Considering how ridiculously powerful he was, is it safe to assume that she's going to become an alicorn?
9950614
She is Twilight's Malcador. No alicorn Midnight though. I have plans to show that she's not even a regular Pegasus anymore.