> Destiny: The Five
>  by THOSEideas
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eris walked through the dust of the moon and slumped against the rocks. Her mind had been scorched and cursed, she and her team had been caught by the Son of Oryx and he has no mercy. That beast had caught the fire team of six and slaughtered them with hast, as if he had something better to do...




"Is everyone prepared?" The team all nodded and prepared for the long drop down into the inner depths of the moon. The team didn't know how long the drop and they couldn't see the bottom because of all the fog that the Hive seem to be able to create.

"Does anyone else hate the color green?" Eris turned towards the warlock that was looking down into the massive hole, obviously not scared of heights. 

Warlocks were the most knowledgeable of the Light that resurrected all of their bodies, also the most annoying. They constantly corrected you if you got something wrong and always chose the most boring fighting tactics, but the most safe.

"Hell no, I love the color green, especially when it squirts out of the necks of those damn Hive when you blow their heads off." Shin Malphur...a hunter himself, hunters were usually quiet and introverted which helped with how they chose to fight the Darkness. The hunters were the quiet and stealthy, the silent and deadly fighters of Guardians the ones who scouted out the field so the Titans could lumber in and destroy anything in their path. Titans, the beasts of the Guardians, they had two inch thick armor and carried the biggest guns they could find, loud as hell. 

The team was just going in to the unexplored area to explore it, and then get out of their without dying. They had no clue what was down their, and the entire team realized that it was a suicide mission. The information that they could gather, however, could change the course of the war and free the Solar System from the darkness that coursed through it. It was just like a fairy tale.

"Alright chums, lets do this...Wooohoooo!!" the rest of the team chuckled at Shin as he jumped straight into the massive crater, he did have a sense of humor. Eris and the rest of the team all took a running start and jumped in with various styles. Eris herself did a swan dive and rocketed ahead of the group as she dove head first and caught up with Shin.

"You know...I probably should have checked my equipment before I jumped..." Eris struggled to turn her head towards Shin as the wind tried to force it backwards. Eris had heard his voice through the intercom that was in their helmets, which also meant she couldn't see his smile.

"Doesn't your Ghost do that?" Ghosts were the beings that traveled with the Guardians, they were pure light. The Ghosts had focused the Light and coursed it through the dead bodies of beings to revive them and make them fight for all of life. In one way they were assholes, and in the other they were one of the most helpful things to have. inside their tiny bodies they could store impossible amounts of data, as well as take the technological coding of something and store it in their bodies to use for another time.

"Well...Ok good, he did do it. TO THE LEFT!!" Eris whipped her head forward just in time to see a Hive bridge approaching her at an alarming speed. She yanked her body to the left and altered her course so that she didn't splatter her guts on the ground for the Hive to eat. She also noticed that the four team members behind them were taking a slower    pace, letting the two daredevils do the hardest stuff.

The team had been falling for three minutes before all of their Ghosts warned them to slow their descent and ready their jump packs. The Warlocks and Titans would have an easier time landing without injury because they had jump jets that they could accurately control. The Hunters on the other hand had ones that they could use once and that had an immediate and single use effect. This caused massive strain on the body and could kill you, didn't stop the Hunters from doing it though. Shin ignored the advice from his Ghost as usual and sped up, dumbass. 

"He's going to die..." My Ghost said into my ear "What is he thinking?" Eris just watched as Shin used his jump jets, and made himself go even faster, he then used a second burst which she didn't think was possible, and was know a blur as he sped towards the ground. Eris used her jump jets and jarred her teeth from the sudden slow of her decent, she carried on by feathering her jump jets until they ran out and she dropped the rest of the twenty feet. 

"Oooof!" Eris got up from her kneeling position and looked around for the bloody corpse of Shin's body, but instead she saw him kneeling on three dead Hive corpses.

"Took you long enough, this kind gentleman here broke my fall and would you believe it? his friends decided that they wanted to make out with my gun! How could I resist their pleas?" Eris looked above the Hunters shoulder where she could see his Ghost floating and visibly shaking. Eris was about to say something but was interrupted by the rest of the team landing safely on the ground. The team gathered together and re-checked their equipment for damage, even Shin did. 

"Alright team, from here on out, hand-signals and minimal chatter." Everyone followed Eris' lead as she went down one of the many tunnels in search of hidden secrets. 

They had been traveling for about two hours before the tunnel reached into a massive cavern that had no lights, not even from the eyes of the Hive. Shin silently walked forward and knelt in the entrance for a couple of seconds until his body vanished into thin air. Hunter trick, one of them was invisibility why hadn't her Ghost given her that ability? she was slightly jealous.

The rest of the team waited patiently until Shin came back with the all clear. In the distance Eris saw a bright, green, glowing light travel up from a single point in the floor, it then proceeded to swirl around the floor until it formed a circle with an interesting pattern. the bright light that traveled up suddenly was lifted and Eris heard the deafening roar of a massive being as the stick of light smashed down in the ground.

"RUN FOR YOUR FUCKING LIVES!!!" Shin came running back towards the entrance at full speed and jumped clean over the team as he retreated. Eris and the others took the hint and opened fire on the general area of the being as they slowly backed up. The beast roared again and charged towards them, each massive step it took shook the ground and messed up the Guardians shots. as the Guardians reloaded they started sprinting away from the beast but it was closing in fast, too fast. As Eris turned around she saw Shin channel all the light he could spare into his Hand cannon and fire off the most explosive and deadly rounds she had ever seen in her life. The beast visibly staggered as the three rounds penetrated his Chitin armor and sunk into his bod. Shin's gun smoked and extinguished itself as the heat from the bullets caught the gun on fire.

The team starred at the Beast as it slowly righted itself and smashed it's sword into the ground causing a shock-wave of green fire to spread outwards from the Beast. The Guardians all jumped out of the way and landed safely back on the ground.

"Eris!! That is no normal Hive, that is the Son of Oryx! we need to leave, now!!" Eris' Ghost shouted into the intercom so that all the Guardians could hear. as soon as the other Ghosts heard, they started doing calculations to figure out their percentage of survival, all of them came up with the possibility of only ONE person walking out alive. The Fire team looked at each other and all nodded. Eris was forced back as the other team members pushed her back with their backs.

"Eris...we all agreed that if such an occasion arose, you were going to be the one to survive. Do not thank us, you will be faced with the troubles of remembering what happened here, and teaching others of our sacrifice. Now run while you still can!" The quietest of the team had turned around and stiff armed her away from the rest forcing her to stumble backwards and away from her friends.

Eris silently nodded and ran through the tunnel as tears started forming in her eyes, all she could here were the sounds of gun fire and the persistent swearing of the Guardians as they strung curse after curse on the Beast that was going to deliver their fate.

"DIE YOU FUCKER!! ROT IN HELL, I WILL BE WAITING THERE TO PISS ON YOUR CORPSE...reloading...BUR-" Eris' Coms shut off as she heard a massive explosion and felt a shock-wave pass through her. Eris turned around to see the tunnel collapsing on itself and started sprinting towards the opposite end, her friends must have blown up the tunnel so that she could escape. She will never forget them. 
> Descent: Shin Malphur
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shin Malphur saw the Beast charge towards them and knew that he had to end this fight, now. Shin pulled out his rocket launcher and shot the roof of the tunnel above him causing a blinding white flash to explode from the barrel of the launcher. Shin's last thought was that he hadn't said a proper good-bye to Eris, oh well, this will be one.

Shin watched as the rocket hit the roof and exploded, sending rock and shrapnel flying everywhere. Shin closed his eyes as the shock-wave hit him and knocked him backwards, he knew the rocks would soon kill him. Shin fell backwards and waited for either the rocks to hit him first, or for him to hit the ground. 

...

Shin opened his eyes to see the stars above him and the moon shining down at him...the moon? he was just inside of it! Shin was also vaguely aware that he was falling, fast, but to where? Shin struggled to turn his body around in mid-air but managed eventually. As Shin faces the planet he was falling towards, he saw a massive cloud coverage approaching him and obscuring his view of the surface. 

"Um, Ghost? The fuck just happened?"

"I'm...not sure. We seem to have been teleported to another realm entirely. But first lets work on getting you out of this free fall."

"Take your time..."

"Ok, well we don't have a link to your Jump ship, or your Sparrow. So we are going to have to resort to your jump jets...which will probably kill you from the whiplash anyway."

"You are not helping, can I breathe here?"

"Yes, It also appears that we are above a large body of water, promises of life."

"Yipee, if we live through this I will personally help you get samples of alien life forms. So when should I use my fist boost? and then my second? Why didn't I get a parachute?"

"You should use your first boost at three hundred feet and your second at one hundred feet, If we land in water then you have a thirty percent chance of survival...not bad from a near orbital drop."

Shin just grimly stared at the cloud coverage as he spread himself out as much as he could so he could slow himself down. Shin entered the clouds and came soaking wet out on the other side. Shin gasped as he saw a vast wast land of sand stretch out in front of him, but thankfully right below him was an even bigger expanse of water. As Shin fell he observed a cluster of beings look up at him from their position on the beach, hopefully they were friendly, and didn't dissect him. 

"Use boost one at a forty-five degree angle in 3...2...1...now!"

Shin pivoted his body and launched his jump jets in perfect time, but he almost blacked out as his chin slammed into his chest. 

"Almost there...this time at a perpendicular angle in 3...2...1...now!" Shin launched his second jet and had much less of a jolt from the opposing force, but he still had to stick a landing. shin didn't need to here his Ghosts advice as he straightened his body out and prepared to pencil dive into the ocean, this was seriously going to screw with the natives. They were either going to treat him as a god or as an alien. Either one was not good, oh well. shin pointed his boots downwards and pierced the water with the force of a drop from five hundred feet. Shin felt his right leg ram up into his hip bone and break, he also felt his right arm dislocate as it whipped upwards and was nearly torn from its socket. Shin's pain only intensified as he hit the bottom of the ocean and sprained his left ankle.

Shin had almost six hours of air in his suit, but his helmet had cracked as he slammed his face into the rocky ocean floor. Shin wasted no time with his pain but instead popped his arm back into it's socket and started clawing his way across the ocean floor towards the beach. Thank goodness that he had taken the time to train his body to hold up to fifteen minutes of air, he was going to need every last second he could get.

"You have about a tenth of a mile to go, it is possible to make it."

Shin struggled to stay conscience as he almost blacked out from the pain and from lack of oxygen. Damn, he was going to die from lack of air after all the battles he had been through and an orbital drop without a parachute. Shin's vision started turning black as his last dregs of oxygen were used up to keep his arms moving, Shin saw the light of the sun shine through the water and give him one last push. Shin used every bit of strength he could muster as he pushed himself through the water towards the surface, towards air. Shin's head broke the surface of the water and he took the biggest breath he could before he started to sink back down from the weight of his armor. He had air now so he redoubled his efforts by using his left knee to push himself along the ocean floor faster. Shin was maybe ten feet from the shore when he saw splashes approaching him through the water and saw four-legged creatures dive down towards him and lift him towards the surface. If only they hadn't touched his left leg then he may have maintained consciousness as he blacked-out from the pain that they caused him.





Shin felt pain travel throughout his body as he was jolted awake. Shin took a second to remember what had happened to him, he still couldn't believe it. He had been on the moon...now he was on an uncharted planet? Was he teleported? Shin opened his eyes to see white fluffy clouds traveling through a soft blue sky, he definitely wasn't on earth any more. Shin tried to move his head so that he could observe his surroundings but found that his head was secured in place. 

"Ghost? Are you there?" Shin whispered as quietly as he could, he had a feeling that acting as if still unconscious was a good idea. He waited for his Ghost's reply but none ever came, that could mean two things. One, it was dead or taken away from him, two, it was hiding so that it wouldn't be killed or taken away.

Shin resorted to listening to his surroundings, thankfully his helmet enhancer still worked, even from the water logging. Shin heard a sort of muffled stepping sound, and lots of them. If he was being carried by the natives of this planet that meant that they had four legs. So judging by the sound of the foot steps there had to be...five of them, maybe more. He really hoped that he wasn't being carried away to be eaten, he would take a couple with him before they cooked him alive.

Hey daddy? Can I see it now?" 

How was any of this possible? He was on an uncharted planet, that had breathable air, earth-like features, sentient beings, that spoke fucking ENGLISH!! What the FUCK was happening to him?! Shin acknowledged that he might be going insane, but it didn't feel like it. How would he know? He's only been revived after being dead for maybe a millennium, thats not something you just accept.

"Shush! You don't want to wake it, plus, we don't know if its hostile, or how it got here..."

"That makes two of us." Shin couldn't resist the urge to say that, at this point he didn't care if he died. He would probably make it out alive like he did two times before.

"Yes it doe-...wait, who said that?" The sound of steps stopped as the beings halted their advance and stood looking at each other. At least he assumed they were looking at each other, he couldn't really see any of them.

"...It wasn't me."

"Or me."

"I didn't say anything"

"It was Daisy mellow!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Alright you two, knock it off! Daisy? Was it you?"

"No!"

"Alright, then who was it?" Shin could feel the air tense up as all the beings came to the same conclusion at the same time.

"It was Chocolate cake!" Well...almost everybody.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Oh give it a break will you?! Alright? You caught me, just make those two SHUT UP!!" Man I hate kids, especially alien kids who speak the same language.

All the beings poked their heads into Shin's view as they stared down at his helmet. Shin stared up at the faces of the aliens, they were horses! Horses that could talk! But horses were extinct, and they were native to Earth...how...

"We all heard it speak right? I'm not the only one?"

"Yes you heard me speak now would you please untie me?" Shin was starting to get annoyed that he was strapped down and unable to defend himself, he felt exposed.

Speaking, apparently, made things go in the wrong direction of quick encounters, Shin had forgotten that because he had a helmet on they couldn't see his mouth move. So all of the...horses...stared down at Shin in wonder, they couldn't figure out how he had made sound.

"Look. If you let me go I will show you what I really look like, I have a helmet on and you can't see my face. I promise I don't bite." Shin watched as the horses looked at each other skeptically, then they walked off and whispered to each other at what they thought was a safe distance.

"What should we do? It didn't seem hostile when we pulled it out of the water."

"True, but it is an alien and we don't know why it fell out of the sky. It could be here to kill us all!"

Oh for peets sake! Shin reached his hand as far down his leg that he could and felt the hilt of his knife still secured in its sheath, bingo. Shin pulled it out and in one quick motion cut the straps holding his wrists down and then proceeded to cut himself free.

"Daddy! It's escaping!" Oh shit...

Shin cut the last binding from his leg and slid off the make shift wagon he had been on. As soon as Shin dropped the inch or so onto the ground he immediately regretted it. The impact was an unforgiving reminder that he had a broken leg and sprained ankle. Shin hobbled unsteadily away from the horses and reached up to take his helmet off.

"Hey! Come back!"

Shin didn't stop his retreat as he finnaly got the last clasp off his helmet and took it off. Shin turned around to see the horse slide to a stop as it saw his real face. As He took his helmet off his vision cleared a little, now that it wasn't obstructed. Shin's long white hair fell down to his shoulders and he sighed after taking a deep breath of the nice crisp air that filled this planet, much better than Earth's.

"Are, are you...ok?" The stallion (now that Shin could pick out details better) asked him with a slight hint of fear in his voice.

"Never better...except I have been, being dead definetly has its perks."

"D-D-Dead?"

"Yeah, you know, when someone passes on, no longer lives." Shin stared at the horse as it looked at him with confusion, not surprising, he had just told him that he had been dead once.

"Name's Shin Malphur, but you can call me Shin for short." Shin limped back towards the stallion with his hand out for a handshake, only for the stallion to scurry back.

"W-What do you want? Why are you here?" The stallion had retreated to the other horses and tried its best to look big and cover the others.

"To be honest...I have no idea how I got here, I was on the moon fighting whe-"

"YOU WERE ON THE MOON?!! QUICKLY CAST A SLEEPING SPELL!!" 

Sleeping spell? Shin oloked at one of the bigger horses and saw a horn sprouting from its forehead, a Unicorn? Wow that's wei-

Marshmellow cream saw her spell hit the creature in the chest and it fell asleep immediately, dropping it's...helmet, and crumbling to the ground. They needed to get it to Princess Celestia as soon as possible.

> Awakening
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia was in a hospital room, leaning over a very confusing patient. The ponies that had brought it in told her all that happened to it and them. Apparently this alien could speak their language perffectly and survive a drop from the moon. Princess Celestia was quite sure that that was an exageration but she hadn't heard or seen what the ponies had.

Celestia had ordered for it to go into immediate medical care and be strapped down, just in case. This time however, she had used magic to confine it. 

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to please stop leaning on the patients leg."

Princess Celestia looked down at her hooves and saw that she had indeed been leaning on it's leg. She also noticed that it was it's broken one, woops. 

"Doctor? What have you figured out about it? Gender? Magical aura? What?"

"Well...I now for certain that it is male, as for it's magical properties...they are impossible."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, to put it bluntly, it can give life to something dead as well as take it away from something living in an instant. It also has a second mind."

"So you are saying that this creature can give life to something once dead?"

"As far as I know, from what my scannin spell told me it ia almost as old as you."

Princess looked down at the creature with a new sense of respect, before it was the respect of not knowing but now it was the respect of awe. This creature had the power to give life, Cadence, Twilight, Luna and herself compined couldn't do that. Just as Celestia was about to ask the doctor another question she was interrupted by the door opening to reveal her sister.

"Luna! Thank you for interrupting your sleep, but this is important. As you can probably see, we have an unexpected visitor from the moon."

Princess Luna stopped at the foot of the bed and gazed at the creature that had a hard outer shell that protected most of its body besides its head. 

"What is it? Is it some sort of beetle?" 

"We were hoping that you could tell us what it is, it said it came from the moon."

"There is no life on the moon, I would now if there was and also you said it spoke?"

Celestia filled her sister in on what they had learned of the creature, unforunately Luna had a lot of questions that couldn't be answered.

"So is that its shell or is it some sort of armor?"

Princess Celestia looked at the doctor for approval before Celestia reached forward to get a closer look herself. She found what looked like seams in the hard outer shell and little clasps that held them together.

"Is this organic doctor?"

"Not according to all of the scans I have done."

Princess Celestia reached forward with one hoof and fiddeled with one of the clasps until it openned and relieved some of the pressure on the creatures chest. With renewed vigor she used her magic to undo the rest of the ones she could find. For a cople of minutes she struggled with the last one until it popped off, causing the creatures chest to expand and spill water everywhere. Celestia jumped back as the water spilled onto the floor and soaked the hospital bed. 

Luna grasped the Chest piece of the creature and lifted it up to reveal an expanding, fleshy chest with bruises and scares covering it. 

"So this material IS some type of armor, interesting." The Doctor proceeded to remove the clasps on the front hooves of the creature. Another interesting thing was that the creature had five things sticking out of each hoof. There was a lot to be learned about this creature. Celestia went to release the clasps on the creatures leg but was interrupted by a robotic voice.

"Don't touch those ones,"

Celestia looked up at the doctor and was met with the same confused look, they both turned their gaze towards Luna who was staring at something else. Celestia followed her sister's gaze to see a small, hoof-sized ball floating in the air with a single eye that was in the center of its body.

The ball had eight spikes sticking out of it's body, four on each side.

"Ummm, who are you?"

"I am the Human's Ghost." 

The doctor gasped as she finished cadting a spell on the Ghost. 

"That is the magical aura! That is the aura that can give life! But it can't take it away."

"No, I do not have that power, that power belongs to the Human you are currently studying."

Princess Celestia stole her gaze away from the floating orb and looked back at the...Human. So this...Ghost, gave life and the Human took it away? Interesting couple.

"Now before you explain what you are, I already know, You are a highly intelligent race that can control 'magic' as you call it. I scanned all of your files that you kept, I admit I am a little slow at reading but I did it as fast as I could."

"Wait, you went through all of our archives? How?"

"Simple, I just went through the gates and scanned everything."

Celestia sat down in the nearest chair she could find, this was going to be a loooong day.





Celestia stumbled through her room doors and shuffled towards her bed. Once the Princess was close enough, she fell face first into her soft matress and just layed half-on, half-off of her bed. Princess Luna and herself had spent the entire day talking and comparing things with that annoying little ball. The thing loved to talk, it would drone on about something that was completely unimportant. No wonder the Human killed things. Celestia groaned as her body finally relaxed for the first time since the Human came here. Apparantly the Humans were a peaceful race towards eachother ever since something called the Traveler came to their planet. 

The problem was that Humans wee almost extinct because they were being hunted by creatures of pure darkness. Celestia still wasn't sure if she should release the human, so instead she had moved him into a cell, a comfortable one too. She had also told a courier to tell all the guards that they had a special visitor and he was to be watched constantly, It would have to gain her trust.

Celestia struggled to pull herself the full way onto the bed and fall asleep, her body gave up when she managed to just slip inside the warm covers when sleep took over.





Shin groaned as he woke up, his head hurt alot. Shin reached up to his head and found that he had a bandage wrapped around his head. He must have been knocked out, it wouldn't have been the first time he had woken up in a strange bed in a strange place. Shin looked around the obvious prison cell he was in, it had bare stone walls and no windows. Soooo, he was captured huh? Puuuph time to blink.

A trick the warlocks had taught Hunters was the ability to blink, or a short range teleport. Very useful in these situations. Shin walked to the opposite wall of the door and got ready to teleport, he ran forward and jumped once then activated the blink...

Shin went sailing theough the air and smashed into the solid metal door and broke his nose. What the hell? Shin staggered backwards squeezing his nose and crumpled when his broken leg failed him. The Light may speed his healing by a massive amount but it wasn't that fast. Shin just sat there and looked at the wall in confusion, why hadn't his teleport worked? Shin took his hand away from his face and it was covered in blood, that's when Shin realized He wasn't wearing any of his armor. 

"FUCK!" Shin looked down at what he WAS wearing, it wasn't much. He was wearing his dark green thermal long-sleeved shirt and a pair of grey sweat pants. Shin reached down the front of his shirt and pulled out his dog-tags, thank goodness they were still there. When Shin had been revived the only way he could remember his name was from the two steel plates hanging from his neck. 

Malphur zon Shin
DOB 7/18/14
Russia, Sochi
Corporal SU

This was what had given hope over the years, many who had been revived woke up and didn't know their names which traumitized them. He was a lucky man. Shin got up and limped back to his bed with his nose bleeding freely, it would go away soon from the Light. Shin looked back at his bloody hand as he put his dog-tags back under his shirt, the blood had smeared and crusted a little making his hand slightly stiff. Oh well. 

Shin didn't even bother trying to go back to sleep, his mind was filled with the information that had been crammed into it without warning. An extinct species on an uncharted planet, who spoke the same launguage as him, and used magic. Thats what he saw right? As if in answer a voice spoke from outside his cell door.

"Yes your majesty, right this way."

Majesty? Was he going to be executed publicly by a queen? Wow, this really was a fairy tale. Shin heard steps outside his door and remained seated, trying to appear calm. The door opened to reveal a mid-night blue horse, that had a horn and wings to boot. He also noticed that it's mane seemed to defy physics by floating through the air from a wind of its own.

"Greetings...Human. What have you done to yourself?" Shin looked at the horse who was (judging by voice alone) a mare and then back down at his hand and smiled a little.

"Well, you see, I tried to escape and that didn't go well...as you can see."

"Well please do not feel as if you have to. Please, will you join me for a walk?"

"Um...yeah, sure." Shin was not expecting that, 

Shin stood up and looked at the mare with an equal gaze, It stood with its head the same height as his but it's horn gave it an extra two feet of height. Shin and the mare stood for a silent minute as they both looked over the other with thorough concentration.

"Shall we go? We have a lot to learn about each other, especially because you came from the moon."

The mare turned away from Shin and walked out the door leaving him to stare at the image that was tattooed on her ass. It was a crescent moon, it was identical on both sides of her body which must have been a pain to do, no pun intended. Shin shook his head and followed the mare out of the door, as he stepped out of the cell the guard growled at him and glared. Shin didn't give him much attention besides looking him over and grunting. He was wearing medevil armor and had no weapon visible, not much of a threat.

The guard who had taken Shin's grunt as an insult grew angry very fast.

"You have a problem Alien?"

Shin turned back towards the horse slowly, this horse wanted a fight, alright.

"Oh I have no problem personaly with you Mule...just that your armor isn't protecting some of your important bits and you don't have a weapon to defend yourself."

"Call me a Mule?! Well I'll make you fear us!" The horse lunged at him with his left hoof and tried to punch Shin in the chest. Shin stepped to the side and forward so that he was to the left of the horse's arm. He then pointed his fingers and jabbed into the ponies arm pit causing the tendons to pinch and knot together. He then kicked out the horses left leg so that he started to fall from being unbalanced. As the Horse's head started falling towards the ground he brought his right fist in an upper cut and slammed it into the Horses jaw. The fight lasted about fige seconds and Shin walked away with a bruised fist, horses jaws were REALLY hard. 

As Shin turned around to walk in the direction of the mare he was confronted with the scowiling face of the mare herself.

"Why did you do that?"

"That horse started it..."

"I don't care how you handle arguments from where you come from but that is not how we handle things here. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Shin had to admit that was a little inappropriate of him, oh well.

"However, you do prove an important point, the guards armor doesn't protect some important things. You will help us with that as payment for the crime you just commited."

Shin groaned but nodded, he could tell this was a place with little violence and it was built on second chances. If these horses were humans then this place would have collapsed a millennium ago.

"Also, we are ponies, not horses."
> Adjusting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ponies? ~snort~ oh ya, that was much better. 

Shin walked along side the...pony, and was having a really hard time concealing his amusement. Apparently the pony beside him had noticed his ill fated attempts.

"Why do you laugh?"

Shin swallowed his amusement and glanced over at the mare next to him, which turned out to be a mistake. After seeing her completely serious face staring at him intently he broke down into howls of laughter. She was actually serious! Ponies! He was in a land filled with Ponies that spoke english and used magic. He must have gone insane.

"What is so funny?!"

The mare started to chuckle as the Human next to her fell to the ground and held his stomach as he exhausted his air supply.

"Wooo~snort~you have no idea what~HAHAHAHA!!"

The mare continued to gawk at the Human as he filled the castle with his jubilant laughing. After about five minutes Shin sat up in the middle of the hall where he had fallen and wiped the tears away from his face. 

"Heehee, I needed thaaaaaaa-oh, was I that loud?"

Shin had looked up and saw that he was surrounded by Ponies of all colors. Some where pink, yellow, red and sometimes blue, he was in a world filled with rainbow colored ponies that used magic.

"BWAAAAHAHAHA!"





Clestia woke up to the sound of somepony laughing their flank off, Guuuh! How come she never got a break? Celestia slid off of her bed and didn't even bother remaking it, as soon as she banished this pony from returning to the castle she was going back to sleep. As Celestia walked out of her room she looked up at the moon and groaned, she was supposed to be up in fifteen minutes anyway, oh well.

Princess Celestia angrily trotted towards the noise and every step she took it just grew louder. At least she wouldn't have any trouble finding this pony. As if in answer it stopped, really? Celestia stopped and stood in the middle of the hall, where were all the guards? 

Celestia cast a worried glance around her until she heard the laughter again. She was now running towards the noise, for all her days of living in the castle she had only run theough the halls twice before. She was pissed.

Celestia expected many things when she rounded the corner of the hall, but what she saw wasn't one of them. She saw all her guards and staff forming a circle around something; she saw Luna's horn sticking out of the crowd and it was right in the center. If this was Luna's fault she was going to send her to the moon again...well no she wouldn't but still...

Princess Celestia gently forced her way through the crowd and made it to the inside circle. She saw the Human in a fetal position, clutching his stomach and laughing his heart out.

"WOULD YOU BE QUIET!!!"

The Human stopped laughing and stared up at Celestia with tear stained eyes and a surprised look on his face.

"Do you know how late I stayed up talking to your damned Ghost! Way past late!"

The Human's face cleared and he chuckled as he stood up and wiped his face with a blood stained hand. Blood?

"Huh, you have no idea how long he can talk for, where is he by the way? I hate to admit it but I miss him."

"Luna was supposed to fill you in on everything, why didn't you?" Celestia turned her angry gaze back to Luna.

"You blame me? You gave me thirty minutes to tell him everything about Equestria! Poor planing on your part Princess Celestia." Luna rarely used Celestia's title unless she was angry or being annoying.

Celestia glared at her sister, then shifted her gaze towards the ponies that surrounded them.

"What are you all still doing here? Get back to your posts." They all hurried to follow her orders, not even bothering to ask what the thing that had been laughing was.

"Now, Human if you will excuse Luna and I, we will go raise and lower the Sun and Moon."

Shin stared at the white pony apparently named Celestia, had she said raise the Sun? Shin watched as the two ponies walked to the nearest railing and stared up at the Moon. He saw (Luna he was assuming) horn glow and then saw the Moon slowly fall towards the horizon. Shin's unbelieving eyes followed the Moon as it sank below the horizon and the sun took it's place. Unfortunately, Shin hadn't stopped staring when the sun started to rise, so he got a full frontal assault on his eyes.

"Damn! How the hell did you do that?!"

"What do you mean? We were changing the time of day."

"Yeah...I noticed, but HOW?"

Celestia and Luna gave Shin bewildered looks as if he should have known the answer. Was this an everyday thing? Was their magic that powerful? That is so OP.

"Anyway, I have the Day court to attend so Luna will tell you everything you need to know. Oh, please keep your voice down the next time you laugh. You woke up the whole castle."

Shin nodded and bowed, just like the Awoken do back on Earth. Fortunately, Shin had the mis-pleasure of meeting the Awoken queen so he knew how to handle royal figures, even if he was just a soldier. Celestia dipped her head briefly and walked away down the hall.

"Sooo...wheres my armor?"





Shin looked up at his armor, it had a crack in the helmet where his head had struck the sea floor and had several tears throughout the softer areas. Where was his ghost when he was needed?

"Hey Luna, where is my Ghost?"

Luna looked ar Shin and shrugged, great. The walk here had been mostly uneventful and Shin had asked as many things as he could think of, like:

"Do you have any enemies?"
"Do you have Guns?
"How about electricity?"

He was so original, but hey, his life had been built on protecting people, so he was planning to protect everyone he could, including ponies. Shin looked back to his armor and found that his Hand Cannon was holstered on the thigh of the right leg.

"Did anyone touch that?"

"Yes, but we couldn't figure out how it worked."

"Did anyone stare down the long end of it?"

"I believe so...why?"

Shin just shook his head and pulled his armor off the rack and slid it on with practiced ease. Luna observed him the whole time and watched how he carefully laced his cape around his neck. His cape had a story of its own, now it had the right to say it had been dropped from orbit. Shin didn't even know what it was made of, but it hadn't torn a single time since he found it in the hands of a dead Hive scum. 

Shin fit the last strap on his arm and finished puting on his armor. The last thing he had was his helmet, but he kept that off and pinched it between his hip and his left hand. 

"So you are telling my that in all of Equestria you don't have enemies?"

"Well we do have change--"

Luna was cut off as Celestia's voice summoned everypony to the court room for a meeting, she also said that the guest shouldn't come. Shin amiled as he knew what the meeting was about. 

"Is there anywhere I can wander?

"Absolutely, here follow me and I will show you our gardens."

Luna led Shin through the Castle and out into a massive garden complete with statues of all sorts of wierd creatures. Shin looked around until he saw a bench and sat down on it, his leg was still bugging him. Shin let his mind wander as he sat in the peaceful garden and listened to the birds chirping. That was something he had missed from Earth, the persistant birds had survived everything the Darkness could throw at them and spat in its face.

Shin lost track of time as he stared up at the sky and saw ponies flying from cloud to cloud, sometimes moving them other times sleeping on them. Whatever. 

Shin sat in the silence and was about to get up when he saw a pegasus flew down to him (luna had told him about the different species in Equestria). The pegasus had a bland green coat and small beady eyes which he used to stare at Shin with intent.

"You need to leave here, Human. Do not be alarmed, I have been observing you for sometime, and I must tell you to not trust the ponies you are living with. They are untrustworthy and rule this kingdom with fear and an iron fist. Come with me and I will show you what the Hive can offer."

Shin slowly sat forward and rested his head on his knuckles as he rested his elbows on his knees.

"Did you say the Hive?"

"Why yes I did have you heard of us?"





"...so do not worry about accidentally speaking about the Human, we have ensured that it is impossible for you to betray the secret we all share."

Celestia finished her speech and sat back down on her throne, all the ponies in the room were the ones that worked in the castle and knew about Shin. Celestia had plans to keep this secret inside so that she didn't worry about panicking ponies. Thank goodness she had remembered to alter the memories of the ponies who had witnessed his arrival. 

The ponies in the room had all agreed to keep the secret and willingly had the spell cast on them. Now it was Luna's turn to give her speech about what she learned from the Human.

"Morning all. Now before I start, I want to warn you all that this Human seems to like to be-"

Suddenly the Court room doors were kicked in and there stood the Human dressed in his full body gear with his 'Hand Cannon' as he called it, in his right hand. But what was even more surprising was the bland green pegasus drapped over his left shoulder. Shin walked down the middle of the room and the ponies rushed to get out of his way as he approached the two Princesses. 

"I feel...I was denied, critical, need-to-know...information. Mind explaining how a part of the Hive happened to get on this planet?"

Everypony in the room stared at Shin as he threw the pony at the foot of the throne and looked at Celestia. 

"How could you forget such an important detail? I mean they are only the most threatening force alive in the universe, they are partially responsible for the condition of my planet. Granted they looked different, and didn't talk to you, they just wanted to kill you."

Celestia shifted her gaze from the Human to the pony at her hooves. Hive? What was he talking about? Unless... 

Celestia cast a revealing spell and released the magic that was hiding the true identity of the pony. Instead of a pony laying there it was actually a changeling.

"Ah, that looks more like the Hive I'm used too. Should I have killed him? I mean, I figured we could try interigating him so I knocked him out instead."

The ponies who had heard Shin looked in horror at him, kill?! Had he really meant it? Shin was completely oblivious to this reaction and was busy staring at Celestia. 

"Well I must congradulate you for capturing a Changeling alive, but no, you shouldn't have killed him. Also, what are the Hive?"

Shin sighed with relief, the Darkness hadn't struck this planet just yet. That lifted a huge weight off his shoulders and he holstered his gun back to its place on his thigh.

"As soon as we find my Ghost we are going to have to have a serious talk between all of us. We have had too many half hearted attempts at it and that has just confused everyone. Why is everyone looking at me?"

Shin shook his head and turned on the spot, starting to walk towards the door. He wasn't stopped but he felt all the stares on the back of his head as he rounded the corner and his cape whipped out of view.
> Adrift: Dorish Manik
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dorish Manik pulled out his heavy machine gun and unloaded all eighty bullets into the thick skull of the beast as it ran faster towards them. If Shin didn't take the shot soon then Eris would die as well. Dorish threw down his empty weapon and pulled out his shot gun. Dorish didn't bother aiming as the Beast was so close there was no way he could miss. Dorish popped two shells into the chest of the Beast and couldn't squeeze off anymore because of the explosion that knocked his gun out of his hands. Dorish looked behind him and saw the rocks tumbling down towards him, Shin had done it. Dorish closed his eyes and waited for the crushing impact of the rocks falling on him...

Dorish felt so cold, was this what hell felt like? Dorish openned his eyes to see the moon in its full glory as he floated through space. 

"Hey Ghost? What happened?"

"It appears that we have been teleported to an entirely different galaxy, maybe universe."

"Oh...nothing special then? Huh, thought that maybe I would have died, guess not. So um, I'm going to freeze to death, that sucks."

"Yes Titan, you are going to freeze, any famous last words?"

"Hmmm...not yet."

"Shall I shut off your heating unit so that you have the possibility of being revived? Although I doubt you will be found, seeing as we are not going to be seen by anything that understands your body."

"Meh, better then slowly freezing and suffering. Yeah...shut off my heating system."

Dorish could hear the click as the heating was cut off, he then felt the full force of the vacuum that surrounded him.

"H-H-Hey G-Ghost-t-t? T-T-Thanks f-for e-everything, but y-you are s-still a b-basterd."

"No problem Guardian, I will watch over your body then travel around until I find a suitable replacement. It seems you are going to end up on the moon after all."

"F-F-Funnnnyyyyee...."

"Good night gaurdian."





Slaughter them
Burn them
Eat their hearts
Gone? Where?
After them!
Feed on their flesh
Good my child
Kill all creatures in your way
Eat them, feast
Find the Human
Destroy the Light
Cast the planet in Darkness
Feed, Feed, FEED!!

Celestia gasped and sat up in her bed breathing heavily, that was either a nightmare or a vision. Luna burst through the door and stood there looking at Celestia.

"What was the Vision?"

"It...It was of a voice, a terrible one, one that sought only to destroy. It was commanding something, It commanded something to kill a Human, filled with Light."

Celestia looked up at each other as they both knew who the voice was talking about...

"Shin..."





Shin was sitting at in a bar, and observing everything that went on around him. Currently he was sitting in the rafters where all the strobe lights and all the electrical stuff was. Below him was an oblivious two hundred ponies as they all danced and drank together. The only pony that knew he was here was the DJ, if thats what you would call her. She produced some funky music that had a very high bass, it was so high that it rattled his bones. If his leg had still been broken then the bass would have jiggled all the loose bone fragments and caused him excruciating pain.

He was invisible and watching because the DJ had asked for extra protection. She had asked for a guard because she had recieved a death threat and was worried. Before the Princesses could order someone to go, he had offered, he was tired of being confined in that castle. He was also glad to get away from the ponies because after that loooooong talk he had had with Celestia and Luna he was now asked questions by all sorts of ponies.

Shin just shook his head and continued to watch the crowd as they moved and swayed to the beat, he will admit it wasn't bad music. Shin turned his focus back on the DJ as she was completely focused on her job she hadn't noticed the pony that snuck through the shadows towards her, shin only noticed the pony because its coat gave him away as he walked in front of the back enterance exit sign. 

Shin got onto his two feet and crouch walked along the skinny rafters until he was above the DJ, ready to act if he needed to. The pony approached the DJ and pulled what could only be described as a knife, so much for that. Shin was about to drop down but stopped when the back door openned to reveal a two legged skinny being that didn't hesitate to pounce on the nearest pony, which happened to be the would be assassin. The being immediately tore out the ponies throat and ate the flesh, it then ran on all fours to another pony and sliced open that ponies throat spewing blood everywhere.

This had all happened in two seconds, the time it had taken Shin to fall to the ground and pull out his gun. Shin knew exactly what had killed those two ponies, it was a Thrall, a servant to the Hive. Shin took one shot and exploded the Thrall's brains all over the surrounding ponies, then the thrall hit the floor from its attempted jump at a pony, which happened to be the DJ. Shin walked to the body and stomped on its spine, breaking it. The Thrall then started to disintagrate, its life force crumbiling to ash.

Shin looked up from the pile of ash and looked around at the ponies that were looking at him out of pure terror and amazement. Shin holstered his weapon and walked out of the building through the back exit. The Darkness had found Equestria, that was not good news.





Princess Luna sat in her room and observed the sleeping spirits that surrounded her, they were all peaceful. She was happy to sit there and watch over her ponies, they all deserved a good nights sleep. Luna took a moment to look up at her beloved moon, it hung peacefuly in the sky and shone its soft light down on Equestria.

Luna was slightly worried about Celestia's vision but was determined to not let that effect her. So instead she gazed up at her loving moon. Luna felt a sharp pain in her head. Luna gasped and stared up at the moon with a more critical eye, if she focused she could pick out small details on the moon's surface, but only on the moon. If what she had felt was true then she had to find it quick bedore it faded. 

She found it, and she couldn't believe it. She needed to find Shin, now.





Shin sprinted through the streets of caterlot dodging looks and stares that ponies gave him as he passed by. So much for secrecy. Shin ran and vaulted over the back of a pony as it stepped out in front of him, geez look both ways. Shin ducked a pony threw a pot at him, wow, 'look an alien! Must be hostile! Quick get the pots!' Genius. Shin had to blink through a wagon as it attempted to block his path from getting to the castle. Needless to say, these ponies were desperate to keep him from getting to the castle. Shin kept running as he teleported and landed squarely on his feet.

Shin made it to the gates that had two guards blocking the entrance, unfortunately these were not guards that had known about him so as soon as they saw him they threw there spears at him. Really? Shin dodged on easily and the other one blunced off his shoulder, bruising it. The two guards buched up and prepared to fight him as he approached. Shin was ten feet away from the door when he jumped and kicked one of the guards in the jaw, hard enough to change Shin's trajectory in mid-air. Shin used his blink, teleporting him inside the castle. 

Shin hadn't planned to fall on his left shoulder or slide across the waxed floor to slam into the wall, but he did. He DID plan to get inside the castle with haste and find the princesses and tell them what he had found. So when he got up from his position and ran off down one of the halls to find them, the two guards from outside chasing him only helped speed him up. Shin looked over hos shoulder to see both of them sprinting after him, damn ponies are fast. Shin rounded a corner just in time to turn invisible and hide. 

When the two guards rounded the corner they only found an empty hall with no rooms. They immediately started searching behind every curtain and vase, trying to find him in vain. Shin smiled as he stood up from his position in the middle of the hall, hiding in plain sight. He then sprinted off back down the hall and continued his search for the Princesses.

Shin rounded a corner to see the door into the court room, better place then any to start. Shin ran to the door and blinked through it, that thing is so useful. Shin teleported into a room that had three ponies dressed in suits standing before Celestia who was sitting in her throne, looking impossing as ever. 

"Enough chit-chat, Celestia I got something pretty damn important to tell you." 

Shin paused his jog towrds the throne when the three ponies turned around to see an alien standing in front of them. Two fainted on the spot and the one on the far left peed himself. 

"Wow, am I that scary? I mean I get that you don't know what I can do to you but kids don't even faint when they see me. They just point and stare in wonder.

"Oh Celestia! It talks..."

The last pony's eyes rolled into his head and he fainted, laying in his puddle of pee.

"Really? Anyway Celestia we have to find Luna."

"Thank goodness you came when you did...they were endlessly chatting on about something that I don't care to remember. Lets go find Luna. Oh, there she is."

Luna burst through the doors and stopped, huffing for breath in front of the two of them. She took a minute to regain breath and finally managed to speak.

"Boy, am I out of shape, Anyway. Shin! There is a man on the moon!"

Shin stared at the Alicorn for a couple of seconds before he realized that she was talking about a real, physical man, not just craters. 

"Wait...what? How? Show me!" 

In the excitement he completely forgot about the Hive and the Darkness that was slowly approaching Equestria. What ponies were blissfuly unaware of was that the Darkness had already planted the first seeds of death on the planet. It had begun its nest in a suitable place, and it had found a native ally, what that was very powerful and was to be feared. Together, Equestria would fall.



> Recovery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shin ran after Luna as she sprinted down the halls of the castle and rounded corner after corner. They met a set of stairs that led upwards, Luna simply flew up them where as Shin used his jump jets to get up most of the steps. Shin landed awkwardly on the last pair of steps only to get up and sprint after the retreating mare. Shin rounded a corner and almost slammed into Luna because she had stopped for some reason. Shin looked over Luna's shoulder to see his ghost floating in the middle of the hall.

"Where have you been?! I could have used your help a long time ago!"

"I was building a jump ship link, you can now summon it."

Shin stared at his ghost for a second, he built a jump ship link? Out of what?"

"How did you build it?"

"Oh simple, I used your saphire wire and the metal I found around this planet. There was everything I needed."

"Oh, well, Summon it for me and then after that fix my helmet because it needs to be air tight on the moon. Luna, could you point out where the man is located? The general area is fine, I will be able to find him."

"He is located at the crater that ends the tip of the 'mare in the moon's' horn." Shin looked up at the moon and noticed a pattern of craters that made what looked like a unicorn's head. Puns, puns everywhere.

"Ok thanks, now ghost? Don't leave me alone this time, please?"

"Yes guardian. Jump ship is ready, now about that helmet..."

Shin looked out one of the stain glass windows to see his jumpship materialize and it's engines roar with life. Shin activated the call signal in his helmet that transferred him into the seat of the cock pit. Shin's body felt like it was being split and a second later he found himself in the chair of the pilot seat and he clicked the various buttons that activated the thrust and destination he needed. 

Shin looked through the view screen on his left to see Luna staring at his ship with a very confused and surprised expression. Shin chuckled and then pulled the yoke in between his legs back, activating the initial surge of power to the thrusters. Shin felt the immediate activation and his head slammed back into the head rest and he sped off towards the moon. Shin was also aware of the sonic boom he created about three seconds after launch, hopefully he didn't shatter anything. 

"Ghost? Helmet statis?" 

"Amost...done. There, you have air supply of about six hours, don't waste it."

Shin flipped open the case that covered the hyper drive initiation button, this would get him to the moon in minutes. Shin pressed the button and strapped himself in as tightly as possible, the five seconds of warning counted down and then the hyper drive ripped a hole in the universe in front of him, creating a worm hole for him to travel into. Shin's ship passed easily into the rift and he relaxed into his seat and waited for re-entry. 

Shin closed his eyes and relaxed for the first time since he came here, what had happened to him? Shin vaguely realized that he had only slept once the entire time he had been here, and he was knocked out. Shin promised his body that he would get some sleep when he got back to the planet. During this time, he also had an idea.

"Hey ghost, would it be possible to get back to earth? Now that we have the ship?"

"I have tried Guardian, I even put in the galaxy cordinates but the ship couldn't find them, I actually believe we are in an entirely different universe."

Shin kept his eyes closed but he frowned as he tried to get that into his tired brain. How? Why was he sent here? What purpose did he serve here? 

"Prepare for re-entry guardian."

Shin openned his eyes and grabbed the yoke once more, there was always a jolt from coming out of a worm hole. As usual, when they escaped the worm hole he felt the ship rock and twist from the pressure change. With difficulty, Shin managed to keep the ship straight and continue on their destination on the bright side of the moon. Shin watched as the beautiful moon zoomed towards him, he slowed his speed as the moon's gravity started having a bigger impact on the ship. 

Shin angeled his ship at a forty-five degree angle with the moon's surface and started coasting towards it.

"Ghost, do a life scan on the surace of that crater, we need to find him quickly, unless he has gear then he is long dead by now."

Shin wasn't sure if the man was a guardian or just a civilian, if it was a civilian then there was no hope.

"Scanning now. Yes! There is a single life form, but it is dead. However, the suit it is wearing has preserved its body rather well."

"Teleport me to the surface."

Shin unbuckled and felt his body split again as he was transferred to the surface of the foreign moon. Shin landed softly and found that the moon had the same amount of gravity that earth's moon had before the Traveller appeared. Shin gave an experimental jump and found himself soaring through the air for a while until he landed with little effort. Shin chuckled as he remembered the black and white videos of humanities first steps on the moon, they had those big fluffy whit suits that restricted a lot of movement but his suit clung to his flesh like a second skin. 

Shin brought the coordinates of the life form up onto his radar and headed in it's direction with long bounding strides. Shin counted how many seconds he was in the air for and found out that he was air borne for around three seconds each time.

Shin jumped over the indent of the massive crater and started heading up the other side of the slope. The body was laying in a slight indent from where it had landed and slid through the moon dust. Shin stopped his bounding gait and started taking shorter more prescise steps. Shin stopped a foot away from the body and stared down at the the thick, red and white, armor that covered it, a titan. Shin knew exactly who this was, this was Dorry, the loud Titan that never stopped talking. He was also an Awoken, an alien race to the humans that followed the darkness across the universe and fought with the humans to purge it. 

Their exotic blue skin had always fascinated him, but wheever he asked them they would always reply with how wierd his skin was, he stopped asking. Shin knelt down and did a quick scan of the armor, it was still intact. Shin then scanned to find if Dorry's ghost was still there.

"Yo DG? You there?"

"Yes...how? I do not know. Never the less, I need your help to return his body to civilization so that I can revive it. I captured his soul so that it wouldn't disapear but I can only deny it for so long."

"Heh, you won't find any other humans but you will find sentient beings that can help. Ghost? Teleport Dorish's body into the ship and program the ship to go to the city."

"...done."

Shin watched as the body disapeared from his view and watched as his ship turned and blasted off towards Equestria. Shin was confident that his Ghost would tell DG everything he needed to know. Now he just had to wait for his ship to come back and get him, to bad it was only a one seater. Shin sat down on the Moon's surface and looked up at Equestria, there were so many similarities, yet so many differences. Shin leaned back and layed down, closing his tired eyes.

Shin openned his eyes when he heard a slight whisper in the wind, wind? Shin looked around and saw a faint green light start to spread outwards from its position in the middle of the air. The green started to get so dense in the middle that it turned black and continued to expand outwards. Shin had a vaque idea of what this was but had only witnessed it once before in his life so it wasn't a very clear memory. Shin slowly stood up and took a step away from the anomaly and saw two other identical things appear in the air beside the first one.

The first object grew to about seven feet tall and six feet wide until it froze in place. Then the black in the middle of the object cleared and rippled as it took shape; into three shapes. Shin gasped as he saw a massive leg step through the opaque black and land on the surface of the moon, the rest of the body falling behind it. 

"Dear God no...NO! NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! GHOST HURRY THE FUCK UP!"

Shin may have not recognized the Hive portals, but he did recognize what stepped through it. The son of Oryx had set foot in Equestria's solar system. 

Crota, the beast who had unfinished business with the Light that had stolen his prey who had foolishly fallen into his web willingly. His scout had given him valuable information before it's untimely death, information that would feed him and his kin for years to come.

Shin pulled out his gun and disn't waste anytime shooting all eight shots into the body of the beast that caused him and his comrades to die. Shin reloaded his weapon as Crota looked up at the pesky fly that kept bitting him as he tried to devour it. He then let out a brutal and rock cracking laugh as he swept his sword from his back and slammed it point down into the dust at his feet. By this time the other two portals openned and Crota's personal minnions stepped into the new feast, hungry for flesh.

The Thralls that appeared first looked to their god and then without a second glance rushed at Shin to begin their long sought feast. The Acolytes, who were more sentient and personal then the Thralls, pulled out their weapons and positioned themselves in front of their god to fire upon their prey. Then there was the Knights and Witches, they were the personal daughters and sons of Crota himself, they were massive and had been given their own power. The knights were able to control the darkness that encased their bodies and create shields of impregnable black to protect and restore their bodies. The Witches were all female, as the Knights were all male, but hey could summon a cloud of darkness to encase anything that sought the power of Light and smother it in eternal black.

Shin stared at the army that appeared before his eyes, he was but one guardian about to face the wrath of the Hive God himself. Challenge accepted.

Shin pulled out his two throwing knives and threw them both at the fifty or so Thralls sprinting at him. One knife caught the lead Thrall in the throat causing it to stumble and fall down, tripping up the ones behind it. The second knife flew over the head of the first one and landed square in the forehead of a Thrall. Shin then pulled out his prized possession, the cursed and feared gun that slew all but the most powerful Hive. The Thorn.

The Thorn was powerful enough to punch through most enemies and pierce the ones behind the the first. Thorn was cursed because the guardian who had created it had terrorized the last Human city and was killed by none other then Shin Malphur himself. Shin had taken the gun from Dredgen Yor as he lay bleeding in the streets, his last words had disturbed Shin enough to persuade him to not use it.

"It's name had been Rose...to clutch things that are beautiful and that you love, will cause pain not only to you but that object. I have not understood these words until now..."

Shin blinked away the memory of Rose turning from a lively and warm red to a sickly and dead green, the color of the Hive themselves.

Shin brought up the pistol and fired the clip empty, it was impossible to miss the mass of Thralls Approaching. Shin winessed his rounds shred through the Hive and continue on like a hot knife through butter. The Thralls who didn't die immediately were eaten away by the acid that Thorns projectiles left behind. Nine bullets, fifty deaths. 

Shin reloaded Thorn as the Knights slowly took steps towards Shin, where as the Witches floated above them all and cast their black magic at Shin. Shin dodged backwards and side to side to avoid the spheres of darkness that popped up all around him. To touch the inky black clouds would cause him to loose focus and fall to the mercy of the Knights and their swords. Shin shot three bullets of Thorn into the brain of the first Knight and causing it to crumble in its sprint towards him. The second Knight that Shin shot at let one bullet get through its guard before generating his shield to stop the bullets in their path, they could learn.

Shin unloaded the rest of his bullets into the Witches that were observing the battle from the air, they went down easily. Shin returned his attention to the remaining three Knights a little too late. One Knight got close enough to swing his sword in a two handed, downwards stroke at shin. Shin jumped back as best as he could but didn't manage to escape the sword as it sheared through his chest armor and split it in half. Shin layed on his back and stared at the gaping cut in his armor, it missed him, and his air tight membrane, his luck was still with him. 

"Guardian!"

Shin looked up and got the wind knocked out of him as the Knight slammed his foot down on his chest, he then raised his sword in an executioners manner, ready to kill. Shin scrambled with the massive foot on his chest and he repeatedly stabbed it with his spare knife, desperate to escape the grasp of the Hive. The Knight just stared down at him and started to plung his sword downwards when he stopped. 

The knight took his foot off Shin's chest and got in a ready stance as he stared past Shin at something beyond his view. The knight then flew backwards as a brown and purple blurr slammed into him and caved its chest in. The blurr got up from its position in the moon dust and shacked off the residue of Chitin chips from the Knights natural armor. Shin stared at the Pony as it spread its wings and stood guard in front of him, while two other ponies helped him up onto his feet.

Shin was told that Luna had a special guard that held power much like Luna's but just less potent, he didn't know that power included breathing nothing. 

"Thank you, now lets get out of here."

"Not so fast stranger, we came here by volunteer, we came to buy some time for the princesses to cast a teleport spell to bring you home."

"How long will that take?"

"About five minutes sir."

"That's too long...we will all die, just leave while you can." The pony on his left laughed at Shin before looking at him with a half hearted smile.

"You don't understand, we came here knowing full well that we will die. To get here we had to channel our life force into magic to get enough to teleport us and save your ass. We have only around a year to live anyway."

Shin looked at the three guards that stood protectively around him, all were wearing purple toned armor and all had bat like wings. These were indeed the Lunar Guard he had heard so much about, they weren't guards, they were full born soliders to kill and protect without a second thought. All of tem deserved the respect that they weren't given.

"What are your names? If I live I promise to remember them until the fated day I do die."

"Well sir my name is Sheared Fate, that is Lost Glory, and this is my twin brother, Twisted Fate." Sheared Fate pointed from left to right at each of his comrades.

Shin slowly nodded and stared up at the remaining two Knights and one hundred or so Acolytes that had regrouped and were slowly advancing towards Shin and the Lunar Guard. Crota silently observed until he left his story-high sword stuck in the dust and raised his open hands up towards to the sky. He then summoned the darkness within him and cast his dark-green magic, summoning five more portals.

"Alright, well, you guys worry about the Hive that come close to us and I will kill as many as I can before they reach you. Also, how good are you at dodging?"

"If you are worried about projectiles then stop now because our armor is magicaly protected against them. We just need to worry about the big ones with the swords."

"...no, you need to worry about all of them."

Shin had lost many guardians and friends when they underestimated the Hive, he had nearly lost his life to them, he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. Shin and the Guards formed a triangle and prepared for he onslaught of fire that was about to come. Crota, being the evil genius he was, had summoned the five portals all around Shin, surrounding them. The only true way to escape was to be teleported and the only person there to have that one-way ticket was Shin, and it may have expired.
> Strength
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Give me the strength of the rising moon. Give me the truth of a princess' boon. And when the last star winks, loyalty, sends me to the shores of noon. We fight against the rising sun, to burn in failed attempt. Our mind will seek out war, while our body is content.

Shin listened to the Lunar guard sing the three lines over and over. Each time they repeated it, they fought harder and harder, not letting a single Hive reach their goal. Shin shot all of his rounds, each and every bullet, for each and every type of gun he had. He had resorted to his knife and his last grenade. He was going to save the grenade for the right moment, or until they were all going to die.

True to the guards word, the wards and spells on their armor protected them from the projectiles but not to the claws and swords of the Hive. Shin slumped down in the middle of the three ponies and sat on his sorry ass, there was a short break from the onslaught of Hive, giving both sides time. Shin looked around him and saw all three ponies still standing and looking at the Hive, they had fought for three minutes, one minute and Shin had doubled his kill count for Hive. Shin knew that after the break they were dead, there was no way that they could survive, the witches were going to attack. Once the witches cast their black magic on the group, they would be poisoned, unable to breath, half blind, completely exposed.

"I would like to thank you three for your sacrifice. However, it seems that it has come to an end, the witches will soon cast their magic over us and immobilize us. There will be no way to avoid it, the other Hive will block us from running, too bad we can't kill that smug looking bastard over there..."

"Sir...if what you say is true then you are right, we have died, but I don't believe we have died for nothing. We will kill every Hive minion we can before we fall, we will make them remember us."

"They will indeed..."

Shin was positive they would, Crota had remembered him, and that is what caused all of this to happen. Shin couldn't help but wonder what Crota would do if Shin escaped again. That was unlikely to happen though.

Shin looked up at the Hive as the witches went up into the air and started casting their spells. Everything for Shin went cloudy, his ears started to bleed and his lungs screamed for air. Shin also felt pain lance his body as the poison stabbed at all of his nerves. Shin fell to his side and curled into a fetal position, trying to make his body smaller in the vast cloud of darkness that surrounded him. Shin forced his eyes open and witnessed the guards as the darkness engulfed them too, they started to twitch and cling to themselves. The guard in front of Shin openned his wings and stamped his hooves in the dust, he then looked to the sky and roared.

"OUR BODIES WILL BEND!! BUT WE WILL NEVER BREAK!!"

The guard then stamped his front hooves harder into the dust and cranned his neck forward and parralel to the ground, stretching it. The guards' bat wings spread out wide, they stretched so far that the leathery membrane ripped and split into tatters. The back legs kicked outwards and stretched to their extent, before the skin on the back of the legs tore open as well. It's chest grew outwards and stretched the skin so that all his ribs were showing. Then, the pony openned his eyes, revealing the glowing white orbs to the fast approaching Hive. He openned his mouth as his fangs grew longer and longer, eventually growing so long that they almost stabbed his lower gum line.

Shin watched in seering pain as the tears in the back legs started producing an inky black spine, filling up the gap it had made. Shin also noticed that the wings had grown larger and the membrane was replaced with a thin coating of the same inky black substance. The guards' ribs grew further and eventually they tore through the skin and revealed more of the inky black substance. This pony had transformed into a terrifying beast that stopped the Hive in their tracks.

"...you do not realize, my liege. Darkness is what gives us power...I have been bathed in it, and now I shall kill..." The former guard spoke with a raspy voice and had to take deep breaths every few words as if he was out of breath.

The former guard then ran forward and drove his hoof through a Knight who had gotten a little too close. The hoof pierced through the Chitin armor, through the spongy flesh, and smashed its spine, killing it instantly.

The Hive watched as their brother died in front of them, and only from a single swing. They took a second look at the former guard and then shot at it with everything they had. The guard ran towards the nearest Hive and tore its head off with his fangs before turning around and bucking another in the chest. All the rounds that were fired at the guard either bounced off it's armor or was absorbed by him.

Shin heard a noise behind him and struggled to turn around from all the pain he was in. Finnaly managing, he looked up to see the guards that had been behind him were now fighting the hive and were both transformed like the first one. Shin watched, mesmerized as they flew/jumped from enemy to enemy and killing them with ease, even the witches were taken down. Shin heard a roar and turned to see Crota slamming his sword, blade down, into the ground. 

At once the Hive turned tail and retreated towards him, they never retreated. Shin watched as the three guards slowly formed a "V" in front of Shin and slowly walked towards Crota. Crota didn't laugh, he didn't sneer, he didn't do anything besides summoning three portals behind him and stepping back to where he had come. They had fought off Crota's army, for now.

As the last witches disappeared through the portals the darkness that surrounded Shin disappeard and left him in relief. He could breathe properly now, he wasn't in pain and he could see clearly, there wasn't much more he could ask for. Shin sat up and looked at the three guards as they walked slowly back to him, each guards eyes starting to go back to normal. The lead guard took a staggering step and fell face first into the dust, the others close behind him. Shin tried to stand up but his leg seized up and he fell too, instead he started crawling towards them, he didn't care if they had gone completely berserk, they had saved him and many others.

As Shin got closer he saw blood starting to pool and freeze as it flowed out of the three bodies. Shin crawled faster, until he reached the head of the first one. Shin didn't have any perspective when he saw the guards transform but he didn't think they had changed this much. The guards head was the size of his torso and head combined. Needless to say, they had grown massive.

Shin reached forward and pulled himself up to the side of the pony, he quickly checked if he was still alive and found him barely breathing. Shin sat up and lifted the pony's massive head and dropped it into his lap, this caused him to flutter his eyelids a little. 

"Wake up, you aren't dead yet."

"...I wish I was...did we do it?"

"Heh, I didn't do it. You three did, and you did one hell of a job too."

"...what happened?"

"You started to absorb the darkness, it changed your body, but it also may have killed you. During your peak moment, you absorbed the bullets that hit you, but it appears that they actually did cause damage, judging from your wounds..."

"...I'm going to die aren't I? Well...It's not a bad way to go I guess..."

The pony's breaths started getting shorter and shorter, before eventually they stopped completely. Shin felt tears forming in his eyes as he looked down on the peaceful creature that fought until he couldn't stand anymore, pun intended. Shin hugged the head in his lap and cried, he had never cried over any other people he knew when they died, he didn't really know why he was crying now for creatures he didn't know or understand.

Shin didn't notice the flash, or the piercing stab that went through his body as he was teleported back down to Equestria. He did notice, of all things, the gasp that echoed through the room he was in. Shin hesitantly looked up to see Celestia, Luna, and eight other ponies he had never seen before. The pony who had gasped had been a purple-ish colored mare that appeared to be an Alicorn. She looked from the guards bodies and up to shin before she covered her mouth with a hoof and stared at him with anguish. 

Shin slowly reached up from the pony's head towards his own, where he undid the clasps that held his helmet. He then slowly removed it and dropped it to the ground where it made an echoing clang and rolled in a slow circle. Shin looked up at the ponies that were present and showed them his sunken eyes and tear stained cheeks. Even Celestia broke her usual stony-expressionless mask to show emotion.

"I wish to sleep, for a very long time. Make sure these guards are given a hero's burial, if such a thing exists, they deserve it."

Shin gently lifted the head off his lap and placed it onto the marble floor before he got up and headed for the nearest exit, he just needed to be alone for a bit. 

Shin pushed his way through the double doors and walked into the empty hall of Canterlot Castle, he didn't really know where he was headed but he didn't really care either. Shin walked down the left side of the hall and stopped as he reached a doorway that held no door, it was the doors to the gardens. Shin walked outside and looked up at the peaceful sky and sighed as he breathed in fresh, clean air. One thing Shin discovered quickly about Equestria was that everything was better than Earth, even the air tasted better. Shin kept walking, not really paying attention to where he was headed, he was just happy to be off that forsaken moon. If he never returned to it, it would be too soon.





Shin's Ghost silently followed Shin as he walked through the gardens, he was worried about him. However, the Ghost knew that Shin would recover eventually, he always had. The Ghost had observed everything that happened on the moon, after he had returned Dorish's body he had started a return trip to the moon, just in case the teleport didn't work. As he had gotten closer he could sense what was happening around his guardian, he even felt what was happening to the Lunar Guard as they were infected with the darkness. Something him and DG would have to investigate later. 

The Ghost watched as Shin approached a bench and layed down on it, his legs sprawled carelessly over the edges. Shin then drapped his arm over his eyes and sighed in contempt, Shin could find anything comfortable after what he has been through. The Ghost felt his guardians consciousness slip away and he fell asleep in minutes, he deserved every second he got. The Ghost floated above Shin's sleeping form and vowed to buy him time to rest.
> Shift: Shimarak
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The creature ran through the forest constantly glancing over it's shoulders while pulling its right leg close to it's body. The creature groaned as the searing pain flared up in its wings, they were both broken and were hanging limply at its sides. In the distance it heard the howiling and barking of the wolves. With renewed vigor the creature limped as fast as it could towards the mountain in the distance, if it could get high it could escape. The wolves chased behind, enjoying the thrill of the hunt for the wounded pray.

The creature reached a rocky outcropping and reached upwards with its long claws to grab hold of the ledge. It screeched as it bumped its wounded hind leg against the rocks, the bite mark openned up further. The creature smelled its blood fall to the ground below it, that would surely attract the wolves attention. With a final heave the creature pulled it's body over the ledge and continued on with its escape, the wolves would have to go around the out cropping which would buy it time to get to the mountain.

The creature stumbeled along and nearly passed out as it let it's wounded leg drop a little too low and it hit a root that stuck up. The creature ignored the pain as best it could and clicked its beak in annoyance, it was a predator, not the damn prey that ran away. It promised itself that if it got out alive it would kill every last wolf it found. The creature burst from the tree line and onto flat plains that led up to the mountain in the middle of no where, it had gotten to safety. The creature heard the growl and howl of the wolves behind it, the creature turned to see four pairs of glowing eyes peering out at it.

Cursing slightly, the creature hobbled towards the still distant mountain, the wolves steady on his tail. The creature shreeked as a wolf bit down on it's tail, the creature briefly turned and ripped its claws down the face of the wolf, which let go with a yelp. The creature turned and ran on it's three remaining limbs, finnaly it reached the mountain base. The creature wasted no time to pounce upwards and start clawing its way upwards, a wolf started doing the same. The creature turned and snarled at the wolf before whipping it across its muzzle with its tail. The wolf dropped down, without any food. 

The creature pulled itself over an edge and found a ledge that was big enough for it to lay on. The creature sprawled itself on the ledge and started to clean its wound, it was a nasty one. The creature couldn't do much seeing as it had a beak instead of a mouth with soft lips and a soft tongue. The creature was a griffin, and it was on its last legs, literally.

Shimarak, the son of Chief Chimuley, was stranded on a ledge in the middle of no where, destined to die of starvation or infection.

"Damn it all, why did those blasted ponies have to invade! We were just fine where we were!"

Shimarak ran a claw through his golden feathers and sighed as he realized he was a goner. His father was dead, he had no brothers or sisters, he was the last of the royal Gryphons. Doomed to die on a fucking ledge without any honor. Shimarak looked to his right and saw a boulder about the size of half his body, at least he could kill the wolves. Shimarak grapped the boulder and pushed it towards the edge, before pushing it he looked to see that sure enough the wolves were staring up at him, waiting. 

"Eat this Fuckers..."

Shimarak gave a last shove to the boulder, sending it tumbling down the cliff and smashing the wolves before they had time to react. They had time to let a surprised yelp and let out a satisfactory crunch as the rock crushed their bones to dust. Thoroughly spent, Shimarak sat down and leaned against the rock face before closing his exotic pure white eyes, his black pupils sliding closed for the last time.





DG franticaly scanned the surrounding area for a suitable body for Dorish Manik, just a scrap of a bone would be enough to re-create a body. Sure, he could have used some from the graveyard but he wasn't about to reanimate someones lost loved one, that would be wrong on so many levels. He needed a body to house the soul of Dorish, a body that is physicaly able and mentally suitable for the functions of Dorish's capacity. Ponies wouldn't do, they had the mental capacity, but the complex physical and magical abilities would destroy Dorish rather than save him. 

DG had given up searching the city and was now currently scanning the mountainside, anything could be hidden there. Sure enough, there was a small hone that rested on a ledge about half way down the mountain, from his readings this bone was a little awkward, physicaly anyway, mentally was fine and it didn't have any complex magical signatures. DG grapped the bone fragment in his aura and brought it to the clear area at the mountains base, he needed room.

DG quickly started infusing Dorish's soul into the bone, the infusion created a linkage that would start creating life within both objects, soul and body. DG monitored the process and started drawing the dust around them that contained the proper minerals to recreate this body, it was a very complex and delicate procedure. 

After about thirty minutes the bones had been reconstructed, while the muscles, organs, viens, tissue, rapidly formed around them. DG watched in fascination as the muscles formed a body that contained very light weight bones with wings and a tail. According to his knowledge, this body was a cross between an eagle and a lion. A mythological Gryphon to be exact. DG was a little confused on how the previous owner of this body was going to change the new soul that was going to replace it. That was a bridge that would be crossed later. 

DG watched as feathers grew across the upper half of the body and fur covered the bottom, how a cross like this happened, he would never know. DG waited anxiously as the finishing touches to the master piece were completed, it just needed to breathe. Dorish sat up in his new body and took a shudering gasp full of precious air, air and heat filled his body.

"Wake up Guardian...I hope you remember me, if not...then I'm your Ghost."

Dorish looked up at the floating ball that hovered near him before sneering and swipping at it.

"Why can't you just let me die?!"

DG swiftly moved out of reach so that he didn't get hit by those deadly claws.

"Dorish! I'm sorry! I truly am! But the only way that we are going to get off this planet is-"

"Why would I want to get off this planet? And why did you call me Doreesh? That's not my name and you know it!"

Uh oh, it seems the memories of the two souls got jumbled together, the personalities is like Dorish though...was it just memories that were altered?

"Forgive me...do you remember Shin? Or even what happened on the moon?"

"Yeah, I was with Shin on the moon, and then we somehow didn't die...but...I died by wolves. I died just up on that cliff...I had been wounded and I found refuge up there, hoping to be rescued. So how was I in space? How did I die a second time?"

"It seems that you-Dorish's memories were mashed with yours. Do you feel a life force within you? A surging power that gives you strength and endurance?"

"Yeah...I do, that is the Light, right? I remember that." The gryphon looked up at the mountain and then looked to the south of it. "I also remember the way home, we better get going if we want to avoid the eyes of the ponies."

DG floated in place, stunned. What had he done to Dorish's soul? He then traveled after the disapearing form of the gryphon as it sprinted across the landscape on all fours. 

"Do you not remember how to fly?"

"Of course I remeber, but flying in enemy territory in the middle of the day is a sure way to get yourself killed."

"Enemy territory? Do you mean the ponies? They are trying to help us, they are the ones that are helping Shin fight the Darkness."

The gryphon slowed its pace until eventually it stopped entirely. It sat down on its back legs and swished its tail through the grass, rubbing under-neath its chin with a claw.

"Shin is working with the enemy?! To fight the enemy...my brain is going into over drive right now, give me a minute."

DG gave him three, he was willing to give his lost Guardian all the time he needed to get this confusing situation back under control. If it took a year to figure out then DG would wait a year, this was all his fault anyway.

"One part of me knows about the darkness while the other completely rejects the knowledge, just like the knowledge of the ponies... It's weird, my body movements are instinctive but my actions are not, right now I want to tear you in half for revenge as well as shake your hand in gratitude. GGGGRrrrrHHH!!! I'm just gonna go with what feels right! Follow me if you want."

The gryphon began its head long sprint in the direction it had been traveling before, DG was following, even more worried about the time bomb he just wired. 




~meanwhile~

Celestia sat on her throne in the main hall, staring out across the sea of ponies as they tried to ask questions or get her picture. Most of them were asking about a certain alien that ran through the streets of Canterlot and had apparantly invaded the castle. Celestia's guards had their hooves full as they pushed the mob of ponies backwards and away from the princess.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia! Do you have any wor-"

"Has the alien killed anypon-"

"Is it true that you slept with i-"

"Should we take it's presence as a threat?"

Celestia just sat on her throne and waited for the general clamor to die down before she would adress the crowd as a whole, she did not envy her sister at the moment either. Luna was currently bringing Twilight and her friends up to date on the situation as well as dealing with her dead guards. Emotional overload, or, patience test...rock and a hard place. 

"What news on the two aliens that fought?!"

Celestia's ears perked up as the last question caught in her brain, aliens that fought? She had not heard of this.

"SILENCE!!!"

Celestia stood up and shouted in her royal canterlot voice to put an end to the bombardment of questions. She hadn't used it earlier because she was worried that it would scare the ponies even further, this was different however.

"Now, who was the pony that asked about the two aliens that fought? Step forward."

A stallion took a tentative step forward and gazed up at the princess with a slightly strained expression. He then dropped down and bowed respectfuly.

"I-I did your majesty."

"Good, tell me what you know of the situation so that I may be filled in on what the public understands." The public didn't need to know that she didn't know anything.

"U-Um, well...I have heard reports that an alien burst into a club and attacked and killed a pony before proceeding to devour the flesh on the pony. However, before the first alien could kill anymore ponies, a second alien dropped from the rafters of the building and killed the first one. The first alien was around five feet tall and the second one was reported as eight. Both aliens stood on their hind legs, but the second one had the ability to use magic, which it used to kill the first one.

"Strange though, after killing the first one, the second alien walked over to it before disintegrating it and walking out of the building. It left without stopping for anything. That is all I know."

As soon as the Stallion stopped his story more ponies started shouting over the others to give their accounts on the matter. Celestia ignored them all as she ran this information through her head, the second alien sounded kinda like Shin, but what was the first one?

"ORDER!... Thank you. Now, I will tell you what you need to hear about these alien sightings, however, first you need to sit down and pay close attention, I will only say this once..." Celestia looked around the room at all the eager ponies as they organized themselves and got settled in for the explanation they had all been waiting for, hopefuly.

"Thank you, You may have heard rumors of something falling from the sky and..."




Celestia sat back in her throne and let out a tired sigh, she had gotten that weight off her chest but more was sure to pile on. She had left out the more personal details about Shin but gave the public the facts that were generally asked about, like: gender, aggression, stability, where from, purpose...etc. There were definitely more questions that were going to be asked but hopefuly she narrowed it down alot, she made some ponies get up and leave with a successful expression on their faces. Then there were the ponies who were just there to get attention, like that one mare who kept on trying to swoon the guards into letting her pass, didn't work thank goodness.

"I have adressed most of your concerns and rest assured that we are on the hunt for what the purpose was for the alien that attacked the pony. Please leave the castle in an orderly fassion, you are all dismissed."

Celestia got out of her throne and walked out of the main hall through one of the side entrances to avoid the obvious resistance. Right now she needed to plan for a possible invasion of an army that held unimaginable power at their disposal. For that, she needed to get help from every thinking creature that lived on Equestria.
> Return
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

DG chased the griffin as it sprinted across the rough terrain, dodging left and right, jumping up and ducking down when a branch or rock got in it's way. It seemed to know what to do, the surprising thing was that it wasn't actually running, it was more like a bound similar to earth's Elk. The griffin's tail swung in all directions as it was used as a rudder to make last second turns or quick dodges. DG saw the Griffin slow down as it approached a town full of ponies, it crept to the edge of the forest and peered through the leaves at a small cottage seperated from the rest of the town.

The griffin slowly crept out and approached the building with caution, moving from rock to bush as it stalked silently. Once it was near the cottage a bunny hopped into view and stopped when it noticed the griffin. The bunny stared for a second before it glared at the griffin and hopped the stairs up to the door where it banged its hind legs against it. The griffin swiftly bounded forward and gripped the bunny by the neck, about to snap its punny body. The door of the cottage flew open to reveal a yellow pony pegasus with a pink mane and tail, the mare looked straight at the griffin then down to the bunny in its claws. 

The mare snapped her gaze back up to the griffin and DG saw pure hatred and anger in its eyes, the griffin noticed too.

"How dare you take my Angel for food!! Put him down this instant!"

DG watched as the griffin dropped the bunny while transfixed in the gaze of the angry mare. The griffin then tore his eyes away from the mare and shook his head to clear the haze that was developing within it's thoughts.

"Why would you hurt such an innocent creature! How dare you try to eat my animals! Leave at once!" The mare stomped her way in front of the griffin, forcing him to gaze into her eyes once again. 

"I-I-I will..."

The griffin once again tore his gaze away from the mars before half-sprinting, half-running towards the town, cleary scared out of it's wits.

The griffin charged through the street of the town and shouldered any ponies that happened to be in its way, completely ignoring them as if they were made of paper. The griffin kept running until it heard a boom behind it, turning back the griffin saw a cyan pegasus approaching at an extreme speed, leaving a rainbow in its wake. The griffin's eyes widened a little before it smirked and faced forward again just in time to see a house that kinda looked like a gingerbread house. The griffin sped up and when it got close it jumped up onto the wall of the house before jumping off of it at an angle towards the approaching pegasus.

The pegasus didn't have time to slow down so it collided with the griffin in mid air and kept going, smashing through the second story window and tumbiling to the ground. The griffin got up and glanced at the pegasus to see that it had multiple cuts across her body and was bleeding pretty badly, the pegasus had gone through the window first. The griffin ran towards the door and smashed it off its hinges with it's shoulder before continuing through the house. The griffin jumped onto the wall and clwaed its way around a pink earth mare as she ran up the stairs to see what the noise was about. DG heard a gasp as the mare noticed the pegasus bleeding on the ground, for now completely ignoring the griffin. 

The griffin clwed its way across the wall at surprising speeds and jumped back to the floor when it passed the mare. It then ran towards the window at the end of the hall and dove towards it before covering it's face with it's arms. The Griffin didn't completely cover it's face so a piece of glass slashed above it's left eye but luckily missed the actual eye. The Griffin openned its wings when it was clear of the window and glided to the ground to land on bloody legs, it didn't seem to notice. The griffin continued to bound until it reached another forset where it climbed into a tree and waited patiently.

As the Griffin waited in the tree, it rested its front legs from taking weight. The griffin's eyes darted towards the townbefore a orange-ish earth mare bounded towards the woods with a massive red earth stallion behind her. The Griffin waited until they were directly under it's tree before jumping down and slamming it's massive hind paws into the head of the stallion, forcing its head into the ground. The Mare looked back with a shocked expression before rearing on her front hooves and lashing out with her back ones. 

The griffin dodged  the attack and grapped the mares back hooves and swinging her body into a tree. The mare hit the tree and slumped to the ground, coughing up blood. The stallion was out cold.

The griffin spread it's wings and jumped into the sky, flying south at an impressive speed. The griffin soared upwards at an angle and rose above the clouds before it landed on the clouds and started to hop from one to another. The griffin continued with his method of transportation until he was stopped by a floating purple balloon that held an Alicorn mare and a small dragon. The griffin didn't pause but instead jumped towards it and cut the ropes that held the balloon to the basket, before flying at full speed away from the  rapidly falling basket.

The griffin didn't pause to run anymore, instead it just flew at it's full speed. The griffin looked bqckwards to see a purple speck that grew larger every second, another pursuer. The griffin didn't hesitate to turn it's head back around and land on a cloud. The griffin then spread it's wings to their full extent and then scrunched up it's muscles, ready to spring away. The griffin launched off the cloud and flapped it's wings at an incredible speed, legs folded against it's body. Slowly a cone of air appeared in front of the griffin and it continued to speed up. 

Finnaly, with a deafening boom the griffin broke the sound barrier and launched away from the purple dot. The griffin kept up that speed for around fifteen minutes before it slowed down and let sound catch up to it. The griffin looked down towards the landscape below him and smiled with delight.

"We have made it."

The griffin pulled in it's wings and dived towards the ground, as it got closer movement in a grassy clearing in the distance became noticable. The griffin didn't slow down until it hit the ground on all fours and staggered under the impact. All the griffins in the clearin stared at the new comer with confusion and hostility in their eyes. A griffin walked forward and stood in front of the newcomer who had it's head bent downwards and was panting slightly.

"Who are you? Speak! Before I kill you here and now!"

The newcomer laughed and looked up at the griffin that approached him staring into the yellow eyes.

"Grovel before me citizen." 

The griffin looked in the griffin's eyes and it's own widened in disbelief.

"A-A royal! One still lives! How is this possible?" The griffin ignored the royal's command and continued to stare at him instead.

The Royal hissed in annoyance before grabbing the smaller griffin's head with his front claw and slammed it into the ground, beak first. 

"I said grovel!"

The rest of the griffins watched in silence as they saw the one-sided battle for control. Griffins had adopted a custom when all the royals had died away, whomever beat the chief, became the chief. They were certain that the new comer was their new cheif even before the previous chief whimpered and begged for forgiveness.

"You are lucky I am in a forgiving mood, now send the fastest griffins to the neighbouring villages, it seems I have a lot of work to redo."

All throughout the events, DG watched in silence and saw what he had created turn into a being of ine mind instead of two. The only thing was, he liked this new Mockin, he was drawn to the power this Griffin radiated.

"Your king, Shimarak, has returned."





Shin woke up to find a white pony face just above his, the face had a flowing rainbow behind it.

"Wha...woah! Ok. What is it?"

"We have a problem, a very large one and we need your help."

Shin looked up at the face in front of his and saw how worried and anxiois it was. 

"Alright, what do you need me to do?"

"Follow me."

Shin walked behind Celestia as she swiftly turned and headed back towards the castle from his bench. Shin stretched out his limbs and looked up at the sky to see that it was around mid-day, he had fallen asleep when it was around mid-night. Amazing what a good nights rest can do for you. Shin rubbed his hand through his hair and pushed away his long white bangs from his face, he needed to cut his hair soon. Shin looked around him until he spotted his ghost floating by his left shoulder and he nodded with consent. Finnaly, Celestia decided to tell him a bit about what was going on.

"There was an attack in a town to the south of Canterlot called Ponyville, a very important pegasus was hospitalized because of it, she won't be able to move anywhere for quite some time."

"Ok, what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to go with my sister, Luna, and find the griffin that was responsible for the attack, and I want you to bring him back."

Shin shrugged at the sound of the task, but then thought about it a little harder.

"Um, there is a problem Celestia, my weapons are now useless. I ran out of ammunition for them and there isn't anyway to get more. I will need a new weapon if I am going." Celestia stopped and turned towards him, regarding his entire figure critically.

"I have an idea for you, yes, I think it will fit nicely. You have all the proper appendages that a pony does not. However, I need to see an example of your knife first." Shin raised his eyebrow a little before handing over his last knife, perfectly weighted for throwing.

Celestia regarded the knife in her magical grasp for a few quiet moments before thanking Shin and returning it to him. She then turned around and continued walking towards the castle. Shin slid his knife back into it's sheath and continued after Celestia, trying to catch up as quickly as he could. Shin couldn't help but feel that something was going to be made for him and that he wasn't going to like it.





"...ok, not what I was expecting." 

Before Shin stood a one handed sword that looked deadly and buetiful at the same time. The sword had silvery look to it, with gold linning that ran around the cross guard and blood funnels. The blade was straight until it reached the tip where it flared out and grew into a diamond shaped point. The handle was left bare but had notches in it that fit his hand perfectly. 

"How did you..."

"Our black smiths are gery skilled at their craft, and with the aid of magic we were able to finish it in just a few hours." Celestia smiled at Shin as he stared in awe at the sword that was laid in front of him.

Shin slowly reached forward and wrapped his fingers around the hilt, feeling  how it felt. The sword felt like an extension of his arm and to his surprise felt perfectly balanced.

"Hey Celestia, why did you make the tip thick? Wouldn't that just worsen the penetration?"

"Why copied the style that your knife was in, we did it like this because you are used to it, correct?"

Shin had a thought come to him, if this sword was balanced, could he throw it?

"Hey ghost, scan the sword and get ready to re-materialize it in my hands. Ready, GO!"

Shin turned on the spot and whipped the sword in an arc down the hall, the sword flew percisely where he had aimed it, just below a painting on the wall. Shin watched as the sword disapeared right before it struck the wall and felt it pop back into his hands, this was gonna be fun. Shin chuckled and turned back to the display case he had picked it up from to see Celestia's surprised look. 

"Why did you throw it?"

"I wanted to see if it would spin properly, and if it was aerodynamic at all. Turns out, your smithy forged a perfect sword for me without knowing it."

Shin reached down into the display case and removed the sheath that laid inside, it had a similar design to the sword, except the inside was linned with a soft material. Shin slid the sword into the sheath and looked it with an admiring look, then he came to the problem of where he should put it. He didn't have a belt to strap it to and he was not going to put it on his back, it was an almost useless place to have a sword.

"If you wanted I could magically stick the sword to your armor."

"Yeah, that would be great, put it on my left hip, perfect."

With a flash of light, Celestia stuck the sword sheath to his hip and let go of it. Shin tested that it was indeed stuck there, satisfied he walked out of the room and approached Luna. In all of her glory and regal power Shin could see that she was tired and needed rest.

"Hello again Shin, I have yet to deal with the night guards who died on the moon, something I will attend to when we return." Shin could see the sadness in her eyes as she mentioned the dead guards, but as quick as it came, it left.

"I have a question: How are we going to explain that I'm an alien and how are we going to find this certain griffin?" Luna smirked at Shin.

"That is two questions, however, in answer to both of them, we are going to approach the Chiefs of the clans and propose a deal with them to find the roque griffin. You, will not show yourself until a desperate need should arise."

Shin nodded in understanding before following the blue Alicorn down the hall to the waiting transportation. Shin looked skeptically at the chariots that would carry him, Luna, and her four guards across the continet, the railings were only up to his hip.

"Uh, yeah I'm not getting in that, tell you what, I will fly over there and observe the Griffin's from orbit, sound good? Great."

Not waiting for an answer, Shin spun on his heels and disapeared up into his jumpship that rocketed over the clearing. Luna watched as it passed and was confused as to why there was no sound, she figured out a second later. The noise that followed the jet was near deafening, the vibrations almost shattered the stain-glass windows luckily they didn't or Shin would be in a lot of trouble. However, the noise did shake the guards and almost shatterd their ear drums, it took them the entire flight to get the ringing to stop.





Shimarak sat on his throne that was made out of the bones of a dragon, the sharp spines positioned on the arm rest and along the head rest. No griffin had sat in this cruel and commanding chair once the royals had died off, the ones who tried had suffered a terrible curse and died by drowning in their own mucus, after their eyes went blind, their tails fell off, and their wings shrivel into nothing more then two nubs on their backs. Three foolish griffins had attempted it, claiming that they were Shimarak himself, they all met the same fate. 

When Shimarak had declared himself over the crowd of watching griffins they all laughed and brushed him off as a lune. However, the chiefs of the tribes gathered in the long house that Shimarak currently sat and stated that they would follow him if he could prove that he indeed was a royal. So, Shimarak sprang up the flight of stairs to the throne and plopped himself down in his father's chair, he had never sat in it before, it had been forbidden. The chiefs of the tribes all gasped and pressed their beaks into the wooden floor while spreading their wings out sideways, the bow that all griffins performed in front of authority. 

So there he sat, his right leg over the edge of the arm rest between spines, while resting his head on the other arm rest. The chiefs were still within his long house, still in the same bowing position and shimarak made a point to ignore them for just a little longer. Shimarak took in the surrounding long house for the first time.

As it's name implies, it was very long with his throne at the other end of the main doors. The entirety of the building was made from wood and had two floors, balconies from the second floor ran along the walls of the main hall. Two sets of stairs led up to the balconies, one on each side of the hall and Shimarak could see doors that branched off of them. Behind his throne lay a set of double doors that led into what he assumed was his private quarters, which begged a question.

"You, chief with the missing left wing."

Said chief stood up and looked up at Shimarak with a questioning look in his eyes, griffins weren't supposed to talk unless asked a direct question from authority.

"Who is the Care-taker of my new home?"

"My lord, currently that would be you, but previously it was Whitefeather."

Shimarak  stared at the chief with disbelieving eyes, Whitefeather? The right claw of his father and advisor?

"You may all rise and leave, except you, left wing, you must bring me Whitefeather immediately."

The chiefs all nodded to Shimarak before pacing away from the throne and through the doors at the end of the long house. No sooner had they left that the doors openned once more to reveal a female griffin the size of him, he realized that she must be the head of the tribe, the chiefs advisor. Female griffins were larger then male griffins and had many husbands. However, the royals were larger then normal and held many more wives then one shared one. His father had six himself.

The female calmly walked towards Shimarak and looked straight in his eyes without bowing before claw. Shimarak had a feeling he knew what she was going to ask, or demand for that matter. Instead of getting into his throne in a proper way, he simply got out of it and stood in front of it. As the female came closer he saw that she was ready to have another brood, he expected this to happen but not this early. 

The female came to the base of the steps that led to the throne and stared up at Shimarak with an unreadable expression.

"I am Fyghu (fi-who), wife of chief-"

Shimarak had turned around and walked towards the doors behind his throne without a second glance at the female. If she was a wife to a chief then he would not take her away from his officers, he did not want a civil war in his claws the first day he got back. Shimarak heard a sharp hiss from behind him and the snap of wings, apparently she wasn't done.

Shimarak whipped around and slammed the back of bis left claw into the side of Fyghu's face and re-directed her trajectory towards the hard wood wall behind him. Fyghu's momentum carried her to the wall and she slammed into it, without anything to soften the blow.

Shimarak smirked as she dazedly got to her claws and took a staggering step away from Shimarak, completely disoriented. In the back of his mind he felt a creeping sense of guilt at treating her like he did, but then his conscience over rode it. Turning back around, Shimarak walked to the doors and openned them into what was indeed his private quarters, and there, floating above his bed was his Advisor, DG. A long lost friend from a planet long forgotten.
> Endurance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The griffin scratched the stone floor with it's claws and muttered to it's self as it chipped and broke the claws. The griffin shifted it's sightless eyes from one side of the darkened room and lashed it's tail back and forth. The griffin then sprang forward and smashed into the iron bars that prohoibited it's escape, too many years of darkness had caused it's eyes to dull and forget what light was. It's crime: mutiny, treason, theft, rape, murder, war crimes, torture, arsen. His sentence: an eternity of darkness. What it's jailers didn't realize was that this griffin had already been given that sentence, he was cursed with everlasting life.

The griffin cluched it's head and shreaked as a metalic clang pierced the silence, it's ears not used to the noise. The griffin removed it's claws and stared at the stairwell that lead down into the pot that held it captive, foot steps were coming. 

"Whitefeather! Today is your lucky day!"

Whitefeather heard the sound of five sets of feet, five guards to keep him in check. The jingle of keys, the metallic scrape of a lock being openned, the gurgle of a throat slashed. Whitefeather shoved the dead griffin into the nearest guard and made a stumbiling dash for the stairs. Whitefeather fell to the ground and struggled to get up from the four guards that pinned him to the floor. 

Once Whitefeather had been carried to the top he had given up, he was in no physical condition to do anything. The guards forced something onto his head and tied pieces of cold, rough material onto his body, before they carried him onwards.





Shimarak looked up from his throne when he heard his doors open to reveal a griffin being thrown into his long house. The doors closed behind it immediately. The griffin struggled to get up underneath the whiteish armor it was wearing, eventually it managed. The griffin shook it's head and then snapped it's head towards the throne where Shimarak sat.

"Do my bones decieve me? Do the bones that lay across my feathers and fur lie? Is ther once again a lord of all griffins!"

Shimarak raised an eyebrow as the old griffin staggered forward, trying to get closer. As the griffin did, Shimarak saw that the armor was in fact bones, bones of a very large Dire wolf. If this griffin had killed the Dire wolf then he was certainly experienced, and skilled. What Shimarak also noticed was that the griffin had dried blood on its front claws and it's eyes were milky white. Blind. 

"Who sits upon the throne of the Griffins and declares himself lord? Answer me!"

"Who stumbles into my home and yells at me, declaring answers?"

"Oh ho! We have a witty lord! Finnaly one with style, pizzazz! Unlike that last lord, whew he was an idiot. However, you seem to cast his shadow as well as your own. I am Whitefeather, the cursed and accused, never to live out the lies that have been cast on me!" Whitefeather just laughed at the joke he made. "It's funny cause I can't die of old age, hee hee."

Shimarak studied the so called Whitfeather with a curious eye, such a nonchalant griffin should have been killed out of annoyance long ago. This was not the Whitefeather he remembered.

"You claim to be my father's right claw, advisor and brother, yet you laugh at me. Why?"

"Oh! Excuse me! I did not realize I was speaking to Shimarak! The son of the last great royal! Shimarak the Coward can it truly be you?" Shimarak lept of his throne and pinned the old griffin to the ground with his claw he was about ready to tear this feather dusters throat out. 

Much to Shimarak's surprise, Whitefeather just laughed and patted the side of Shimarak's cheek with his blood stained claw.

"Oh boy, you would be doing me a favor if you killed me, in fact I may feign anger at you for calling me a feather duster, just so you would have an excuse to do it."

Shimarak looked down at Whitefeather with bewilderment, had he just read his mind?

"Yup I did, it's a gift you acquire when you are cursed with the job of watching over all the rulers, yet you are never able to claim the throne for yourself."

Now Shimarak was completely confused, curse, gift, watching over? What?

"I will explain in due time deary, but right now we have the problem of getting this kingdom in check, and making sure our 'neigh'bors aren't angry. Whitefeather chuckled again at his own joke.

"Fine, but just tell me this, were you falsely accused of your crimes or did you really commit all of them?"

"Oh I committed murder, but who hasn't? I mean you see a brawl whenever you walk outside into the daylight. I guarantee that every griffin has at least killed another griffin, if only once."

Shimarak grunted and let the old griffin stand up, taking a step back to give him space. Whitefeather just smiled at Shimarak before spreading a wilting wing over his shoulders and gently guided the Lord of Griffin's towards the stairs in the long house.

"Sonny, we have a long talk ahead of us, you have got a lot of problems to fix before you got a proper kingdom. Riots, armies, wives, enemies, friends, allies. More stuff on your metaphorical plate then your father had."





"You cannot blame me for your mistakes."

Shin grumbled to himself and crossed his arms over his chest as his ghost berated him for forgetting his helmet in the courtyard by the bench.

"Yah but-"

"Shin, listen to yourself, what am I supposed to do? I do not have fingers to simply grap whatever I want. You are completely in the wrong and YOU will pay the consequences."

Shin sighed and slumped in his seat, he hated to admit it, but this was entirely his fault. He was not going to go back now because that could jepordize the mission, he would just have to work without it. Currently he was in orbit around the planet and was making a pass over the Griffin encampment, judging by the scans there was minimal activity at the moment. Shin leaned forward and pressed a botton on the control panel in his jumpship, making the scans thermal instead of motion. No significant difference in activity.

"Hey ghost, I gotta piss."

Shin yelped as he hit the ground bruised his tail bone, his ghost had teleported him down without warning. 

"Thanks I guess."

Shin looked around before he undid his armor and did his buisness, once he finished he looked up at the sky to try and find the ship.

"Beam me up scotty!"

Shin waited for the familiar feeling but nothing happened. 

"Scotty?"

"I'm here."

Shin jumped and glared at his ghost as it floated above his left shoulder.

"Why aren't you on the ship?"

"Look up and you find your answer."

Shin looked up and saw two flamming objects as they streaked towards the ground and split into smaller pieces. His jumpship was completely destroyed. Shin groaned as one of the objects blew up and sent millions of flaming shrapnel across the sky. This was going to complicate things.

"How far away were Luna and her guards to the border?"

"About an hour."

Shin sighed and started trotting towards the direction that the objects landed, he was going to find anything that he could salvage. Luckily his ship had landed only three miles away, according to his ghost.

"How did it blow up anyway?"

"Don't know. It was hit from the back by what I am assuming is the other flaming object. Then the just tumbled towards the ground as you saw."

Great. Whoever had seen the objects were probably going to investigate, and that probably meant the griffin's that they weren't supposed to reveal themselves to. At least he hadn't died in the crash, for once in his life having to take a leak actually got him out of trouble. Instead of making more trouble. Shin shrugged a the thoughts out of his head and instead focused on getting to the crash site as soon as possible.

Shin ran through silently as the landscape passed him by, without giving him a second thought. Everything looked so similar to Earth it was hard to remember that it wasn't. All it needed was a mass of blood thirsty aliens that wanted to kill all 'good' creatures in the world and it would be just like home. And it turns out that, that may happen.





Kird flew around the grounds of Canterlot Castle, looking for any intruders. At least that's what anypony else would think he was doing. In truth he wasn't a tan pegasus royal guard, he was a Changeling. He had spent three years to gain complete trust with pony kind, he even fought of his brothers and sisters at the royal wedding. His mission had been to find anything that could be useful for the Queen and the Hive, it hadn't changed for the three years he has had.

Kird was about to fly around to the other side of the castle before he saw a small flash in the corner of his eye. Looking down he saw an oval shapped grey thing laying in the grass next to a bench. Curious, Kird flew down and landed next to the object, he then picked it up. He found that it was hollow and seemed to have a magical display on the inside, but he couldn't figure out the use for it. Kird shrugged and carried the object into the air, continuing to study it, maybe this was some sort of prototype. Could be important.

Kird smiled at the thought of his Queen giving him an award for bringing back some top secret weapon that the ponies were making. She would love what he found, possibly even the new comer would like it.





Kird was bowing before his Queen and the ten foot tall new comer, both were equally terrifying.


"Speak. What is so important that you abandon your post and come to me personally?"

His Queen had a sharp and demanding tone to it, meanwhile the new comer just looked down at him and rested its hands on the massive sword that stuck in the ground between its feet.

"I have brought you this."

Kird reached behind him and revealed the artifact that he had found, hos Queen simply stared at it with confusion while the new comer, looked at it with what seemed to be disbelief.

"Explain."

Kird didn't know where to start, he had no idea what it was or what it was capable of, how could he explain? Turns out the new comer had the answer. It reached forward and plucked the artifact out of his grasp, crushed it, and picked Kird up with it's other hand.

"What are you doing?" The Queen asked with bewilderment.

The new comer looked over at her and held out the now crushed artifact.

"Tracker"

Kird's eyes went wide as he heard the new comer speak for the first time, it sounded like ice-skates on gravel. Kird's eyes went even wider when the new comer threw him into the pit that no Changeling had dared go near, the sounds that came out of it were horryfing. The sounds that came out of it now were even worse.





"Your helmet was just destroyed."

"What? How? Dod someone step on it?"

"Don't know, maybe they thought it was some sort of rubbish and threw it away."

"Dang, well I guess I can manage without one for now. Do you know where it was destroyed?"

"How am I supposed to know that? Do you think I put a tracker on every little piece of armor you have?"

"Fair point."
> ALPHA-ALPHA-GAMMA: Eriana-3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eriana-3 had used all of her amunition and was patiently waiting for the explosion that would crush her metalic body and send her into files of uselesss data.

BETA-DELTA-ROMEO-ALPHA

Eriana switched her eyes back on and looked around her, she was floating in space. According to her data base, she wasn't in the solar system and about a week had passed since her last consciousness. Eriana suspected that she was only functional because of the light that fed her body with energy every cycle of her mainframe. Eriana did a mental scan of her body and found that she was perfectly intact and was functional  in every way. 

Eriana relaxed her body and shut off all power to her unimportant systems, she just floated through space thinking to herself. Eriana calculated that if she had been sent here then maybe the others had been as well, if that were the case then they had probably frozen to death in the vacum that was space. Eriana once again thanked the Human ancestors that she had been created as a sapient robot, no worry about food, water, or even heat, just what to do with her almost eternal life span.

VICTOR-BRAVO-HELIOS-ALPHA

Funny, there was a Jumpship link active in the area, perhaps this was an alternate universe of the same system, she calculated that that could be a possibility. Eriana called forth her ghost and summoned her Jumpship around her frame, planting herself in the pilots seat. Eriana set her arms to the usual function of flight controls while she allowed her mind to be distracted by the blip on her radar that indicated another ship in this area.

Eriana took the coordinated from the radar and set her eyes to them, just inside of the planets atmosphere was a Jumpship Fighter class. She set a intercept course and launched herself at it, she needed to get close to it to find out who was flying in the area. However, as her mind was distracted by the radar she failed to notice the failure in the engines as she entered the atmosphere. She did notice when the ship failed to slow down and continued on its crash course towards the jumpship. Eriana let out a disapointed waze length of noise that the Humans called a sigh, hopefully the jumpship would notice her and get out of the way in time.

Eriana watched as she drew closer and closer to the jumpship, speeding up every inch of the way. She was caught in the gravity well and she was going to pay the price for it, she wasn't worried about dying, she could just put herself back together, she was worried about the other being in the ship.

ALPHA-ALPHA-GAMMA

Eriana-3 switched her eyes back on and found that her left arm was still attached to her torso, her right was misplaced. She also noticed that she had crushed her left leg into almost uselessness, there was bits of metal and wire laying everywhere. Eriana made her body stand up and limp towards where her head was lying. She had almost lost it. Eriana lifted her head onto her shoulders and her ghost re wired it back in place and closed up the metal seams, good as new. 

Eriana then proceded to remove her leg and held it up so the ghost could fix it as well. While this was happening she viewed her surroundings and saw the two metal husks that had once been jumpships. Woops. Eriana failed to find her missing arm and shrugged her remaining one, she only needed one. Eriana than had a recurring thought go through her mainframe, why was she a she? Who had decided that she was female? Once again she shrugged her shoulder. Once the ghost had fixed her crushed leg she put back on still standing on her attached one. The ghost floated dutifly by her and welded her missing shoulder together while closing off the loose wires so that they didn't connect and short circuit her, it was pleasurable but only at the right times. 

Eriana wlaked to one of the husks and picked through the wreckage, trying to find anything useful. She found her Railgun and sighed in relief that it survived the fall. This thing was as deadly as it was to the reciever as it was the giver, it had a tendency to blow up and kill the operator, she had modified hers and was happy that she hadn't had an accident.

Eriana-3 whipped around when she flet the tremors of a foot step coming a mile off. Eriana looked at her surroundings and decided that the hill laying to the left of the two craters was a good vantage point. She quickly ran up the hill and stood with a staggered step and one armed her Railgun with a perfectly stable arm, she had locked it in place. When Eriana magnified her vision she found her target and aimed through the scope to see who or what it was. Eriana sighed with relief as she saw a white haired human running towards her position and slowly squeezed the trigger.





The ground exploded and sent Shin flying backwards. Shin just lay still and decided to play dead, he had no idea what had hit him. Shin quickly decided that playin dead was a bad idea when the ground behind his head blew up and sent dirt flying everywhere. Shin ran forward and staggered backwards as a blinding force pushed past him and blew up the rock he was heading for. Shin raised his hands above his head and slowly turned around, trying to find his attacker.

Shin couldn't see anything and marvelled at his attackers ability at stealth, but if they were trying to kill him then they were a crappy shot. Shin sniffed the air and smelled a familiar scent, Ozone. Shin scrunched his face in confusion, it also had a metallic tang to it that reminded him of magnets. Shin knew what this was from but that was improbable, the only Railgun that he knew of was the one that Eriana-3 had...

Oh.

"ALRIGHT ERIANA! YOU GOT ME! YOU CAN COME OUT NOW!!"

Shin dropped his arms and waited for her to reveal herself, when she didn't Shin looked around him in wonder. Was it actually her?

Shin threw his arms up when a projectile went wizzing dangerously close to his man-hood, three seconds later he heard said projectile hit. Shin was scared out of his wits, perhaps Eriana had died and he had assumed wrong about her character and stubborness to live. Exo's were tough but she had a certain nack for giving death the finger.

Shin slowly turned his head when he heard a mechanical laughter that warned him somebody was there. Shin sighed when he saw Eriana walking towards him with her Railgun over her shoulder and her Warlock band give off a flash of fire that quickly traveled half way up her bicep. Warlocks were closely conected to fire and it had amazed him when he saw a human warlock with a similar arm band that burned and blakened his skin and he didn't even notice.

Eriana wlked up to him and nodded her head at him, with a sigh of relief, Shin dropped his arms to his sides. 

"You gave me quite the scare, twice. You blew up my jumpship and then you almost kill me with your stupid Railgun. Icesmasher? Slushmaker? What did you call it?"

Eriana-3 just continued to stare at him and he gave up trying to read her expression, Exo's revealed no emotion through facial movements. They simply couldn't.

"Icebreaker..."

"Ah, that's right. So...just arrive? Welcome to Equestria! The land of talking Ponies and magic. Mythology included."

Eriana shrugged her remaining arm and remained quiet for the moment, she didn't talk much. 

"Well, you comprimised a mission I was in, so now you get to help my fix it, lets hope noone else saw the crash...I highly doubt they didn't but..."

Eriana-3 and Shin hed off the way he had come, back towards the Griffin territory and most likely trouble.





Shimarak was leaning over a modern map of Equestria and Griffinidium, it included all the pony cities and settlements, as well as the Griffin dwellings. Shimarak had marvelled at how much the soft squishy ponies managed to claim from the mighty and blood thirsty griffins, further proof that the disapearance of Shimarak had unbalanced the little control and order Griffin's possessed. Whitefeather just gazed at the table in front of him and simply sat still, using his other senses to direct his thoughts and inform him of his surroundings. Currently Shimarak was in the War room of the Long house and when he opened the door a gust of dust blew in his face.

Shimarak had ignored the dust and had listened to Whitefeather's instructions to study maps and to read up on the history he missed. Shimarak glanced up at the old withered Griffin that had taken off his Dire-wolf armor and placed it upon the table across from him. It appeared that he had fallen asleep, and judging by his breathing, a very labored one.

"I do not sleep deary, I have forgotten how to. That's what happens to a mortal when he is given Imortality. They suffer. Further proof that the two Goddesses that currently reside in Canterlot are to be feared, they sleep. Meaning that they are true Immortals and have nothing to fear. The royals are the closest thing Griffins will get to Immortals, I am simply a mistake."

Shimarak returned his gaze back to the map spread out in front of him, he slowly traced a circle around the star that represented the capital of Griffinidium.

"A mistake?"

"Yes Deary, I was supposed to be blessed. But with all deals that are dealt with higher powers there is a catch. I did not realize that I had promised that I would never let a royal die by another living being. Royals were only supposed to die by age. You cursed me."

Shimarak raised his eyebrow at Whitefeather. He was the first royal to die by unnatural means? That was oddly insulting. Shimarak swore to himself that he would help Whitefeather releave his curse and return him to mortality. But that was for another time. 

Shimarak snapped his head to the door when he heard three sharp raps on the frame. 

"Who goes there!"

"My lord. An audience has been requested of you by one of the rulers in Equestria."

Shimarak glanced at Whitefeather who shifted in his seat but other than that showed no emotion.

"Tell them that I will be shortly."

"Yes, My lord."

Shimarak heard the retreating steps go away from the closed door and searched for DG who seemed to remain close but not in the way.

"DG?"

"Yes guardian?"

Once again a fragmented memory surfaced in Shimarak's head and puzzeled him before it retreated to the back of his mind.

"I need you to go ahead of me and make sure its safe, do not be seen."

With no reply DG disapeared and Shimarak could only assume that he was following the order given to him.





Princess Luna stood before the empty throne that once held a Royal Griffin, his sons and daughters would be layed out around him. Now, it stood empty as it had for hundreds of years. The last Royal had gone missing in that fateful battle for independence. Princess Luna had been escorted directly into the Long house, her guards ordered to stay outside the doors. Luna was slightly confused why she would be sitting in front of this throne when there were no royals left.

Luna's ears saiveled to her right when she heard a door openning and then closing, followed by the tell-tale wlaking pattern of a griffin. Luna's head followed her ears and she looked up at the stairs leading up to the second floor, descending was an exceptionaly big, male, Griffin that had a magical aura surrounding him. Looking back, Luna scolded herself for audibly gasping when she realized that the male in question was in fact a Royal.

The Griffin ignored her and walked up to his throne before resting his body in the cold and uncomfortable confines of the bones that made the throne. Unlike the throne, the Griffin seemed alive and well informed, not a scrap of innocence left within those cold icy eyes that stared into her own. Luna was slightly attracted by his appearance. However, her attention was drawn to the snorting and chortling of an exceptionaly old Griffin that settled his frail body to the right of the throne.

"Wow, a princess of Equestria attracted to a Royal Griffin? This will amount to only good things i'm sure."

Luna was slightly taken back by the old Griffin, he held his posture as if he was tired constantly and couldn't get rest. Where ever his blind gaze fell, death seemed to focus, yet the griffin had not been the focus of death, ever. He was cursed.

"Aye I am cursed. Finnaly a smart individual who has gathered enough wisdom and experionce to out-do me. I am honored to be in your presence."

The Griffin bowed his head and fluffed his wings out as best he could before raising his gaze back to her and simply sat motionless.

The Griffin on the throne had not moved an inch during the whole encouter but had watched her explicitly, seeking any leverage. Luna decided that since she was the guest she should start first.

"I have come on behalf of Equestria and her Citizens. We regret to inform you that one of your subjects has assaulted multiple ponies and seriously harmed A very important individual. We seem to find said Griffin and serve justice upon him, if you will be so kind as to allow us to do so."

Princess Luna carefully studied the Griffin's face as he pressed his arms into the sharp spines of the arm rests. He seemed tense and uncomfortable.

"There is a slight problem with that. You see, It was I who Assaulted those ponies."

Princess Luna was taken back that A leader of a country would perform such an act, it was not unheard of but it was a incredibly risky move.

"Then you must be the one to pay for the crimes you have comitted, or else we will have an unwanted disagreement."

Princess Luna stressed the last word to make sure that she was understood, she did not want war, but she was willing to declare it. The Griffin gave her a crooked smile that suggested that he was going to say something she wouldn't like. The Griffin leaned forward in his Throne and was about to say something when his ears perked up. Luna heard it too, footsteps on the roof. But they were wrong, there was only two thumps instead of four, Luna was sure it wasn't Shin. They would be much lighter.

"We seem to have a visitor that has no mind...I cannot see their thoughts. Truly remarkable."

Princess Luna turned her gaze to the old Griffin before she heard a deafening boom and she was showered with splinters.
> When it Fell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A metallic figure smashed through the roof and fell down into the fire that separated Shimarak from Princess Luna. The figure immediately recovered and pointed a long metal rod at Shimarak while the fire scorched and burned the creatures legs. The metal rod exploded in a ear splitting noise and launched a projectile at Shimarak in super sonic speeds. From point blank range.

"STOP"

Princess Luna watched as the projectile froze in place and the splinters that were still falling, freeze as well. Luna tried to look around but found that she couldn't even move her eyes. 

A deep black rift opened up in front of her and a figure dressed in all black stepped through the expanse. The figure stood hunched over and had a hood that obscured his face. The Pony's face had dark tendrils that extended from the shadows that covered its face. 

Despite all of the intimidating features its eyes were a warm yellow that calmed the soul when you gazed into them. Luna found herself focusing on its eyes instead of the body of the figure. 

"Goddess of the Night. I have come bearing news and a message. As this is our first meeting and most certainly not last, I shall introduce myself. I am the Pony of Shadows, according to your subjects. I am the Angel of Death, Mistaken for the true god of Death. I am the Pathfinder, mistaken for the true god of life. I am Xür, named so by the mortals who created the robot you see before you. I have many other names, but the one that should matter most to you is, The Agent of the Nine."

Luna was confused but couldn't show it due to her being frozen in place. Agent of the Nine? Who were the Nine? How did he get here (it was most definitely a stallion)? How did he hold so much power.

"I suspect you have many questions, I shall answer as many as I can without hearing them. First, at this very second I am sending a similar message to the rest of the Nine. However similar, they are different. Each of you needs to receive a certain piece of information to give you advantage without giving unbalance or favor, as is my job. Now, Because you don't know who I am or what I am, I shall start there.

"I am the God of Messengers, I have the power to rob a God of their power for a period of time to rebalance the Universe. My job is to send a message to both sides of a conflict, giving both sides a chance to win, I am the Balancer. As I am sending this message to you, the Universe is paused and currently only the Nine minds are active. To properly send this message I have robbed number six of his power and used it appropriately. 

"As I am assuming you don't know who the Nine are I shall tell you. Number One is none other then Twilight Sparkle, the Goddess of unity. Number two is Cadence, the goddess of Love. Number three and four are you and your sister, the Gods of Day and Night. Number Five is Discord, the god of Chaos. Number Six is Aetheon, the god of Time. Number Seven is Crota, the god of War. Numbers Eight and Nine are Death and Life, they have no other names."

Princess Luna was having a hard time understanding what this so called Agent of the Nine was talking about. Apparently there was Nine total gods, Five of which lived in Equestria. 

"Number Six grows impatient so I shall relay his direct message to you, these are his exact words."

The Agent of the Nine placed his four hooves around him and braced himself before raw power coursed through his body and took control of his thoughts and voice.

"Heed my voice Brother's and sister's, For I am Aetheon, God of Time. For too long the Mortals that have in-prisoned me have tried to rid me of their pathetic world. Their last attempt has set me free of their so-called Vault of Glass, not realizing that killing my body has freed my spirit.

"So I call to my fellow Gods, will you help me vanquish these mortals that look to us as mere ruler's and not the creators that we are? Or, will you take the side of the mortals and be enslaved by my hand for all of eternity? You cannot kill time, you cannot even control it properly, take my word for it. So I shall leave you with the Prophecy that I have seen from the Future, make of it as you will.

"To kill the invincible,
To hurt the invulnerable,
To control the uncontrollable, 
You will find death.

To bow before the weak, 
To praise the sick,
To slave under the slaved,
You will find death.

To strut with the everlasting,
To serve the untamed,
To worship the impossible,
You will find Life."

With the last shuttering breath of the prophecy, The Agent of the Nine regained control of his body before shaking his head to clear the fuzziness from his brain.
He walked over to the robot that still had the metal rod pointed at Shimarak, where he gently moved the firey object away from his head. He then moved the metal rod from pointing at Shimarak's head and instead at the ground between the two figures. The Agent then turned towards Luna again.

"So, if you choose to serve Aetheon then you will be transported to him, but if you choose to defend the innocent then you will meet with the others who choose to as well. Now I leave you, good-bye."

The Agent stepped backwards as the Black expanse opened up behind him and he disappeared with it's depths.

Luna felt the heat of the fire on her face again before she was temporarily blinded by a bright, white light. 
> The Reclaimer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shimarak leapt from his Throne and tackled the creature in the fire, it was hard. The creature dropped it's rod and grabbed the back of his neck while they toppled through the fire. It picked him up and threw him against a support beam for the roof, the impact caused it to shatter and bend. Shimarak shook his head to clear the fuzziness from it before running at the creature with a different tactic in mind. 

When he got close he feigned a right stroke with his claw, and the creature blocked it as expected. He then grabbed the creatures leg with his left claw and  pulled it towards him. The was set off balance and let go of his right arm to find better support, he used this to his advantage. He dug his right claw into the neck of the creature, ignoring the sharp pains that spread across his hand as the creatures flesh splintered and stabbed him. 

The creature brought up its un-occupied leg and kicked his two lion legs out from under him, causing them to both fall into the fire. Shimarak could see the red haze of blood cloud his vision and he cared for nothing but the death of this being that caused him such pain. He pulled himself on top of the creature and started mindlessly tearing away at the beasts neck. The creature punched him in the head and chipped his beak but he ignored it in his rage.

Shimarak felt something loosen and he stopped clawing, instead he grabbed the creatures head and pulled it away from its body. Sparks and a black liquid spewed everywhere as the head pulled away what looked like a webbing of veins with it. He cawed in triumph and tossed the head away before scrambling out of the still burning fire. He quickly patted out the fire that still licked at his arms and belly before turning back to his defeated foe.

A searing pain registered in his brain as a still burning log was brought down onto his head and exploded in a shower of ash and splinters. Shimarak took a step back and blinked his unfocused eyes up at the headless beast that now towered over him, it should have been dead. He backed up as the beast lunged for his neck and tried to strangle him, he quickly went on the defensive as he thought of a way to kill it.  

The beast paused and picked up its rod, proceeding to point it at him. Out of instinct he dodged to his left, behind his throne. The wall behind where he had previously been, exploded and rocked the stability of the building. Shimarak took to the air and thanked his quick thinking when his throne blew up and sent bone fragments in every direction. If he had stayed, he would have died.

Shimarak decided that letting this beast use its weapon was a bad idea, so he resumed in taking it on in hand to claw combat. He dove down and once again speared the beast, this time managing to pin it to the ground and getting the advantage of tearing its arm a couple new rivets. The beast managed to get its pegs underneath him however, and it pushed upwards, sending reeling backwards and tripping over a piece of his throne. The beast was on him in seconds, the incredibly heavy being managing to pin him down while smashing its rock hard fist into his head.

Shimarak managed to catch its fist in his claw before he smashed his other one into the beings shoulder, shearing the joint and half tearing it from the body. The being didn't stop fighting however, using leg techniques to fight the bewildered Shimarak. Did this creature not feel pain? Shimarak decided that if he was killed by this being then he would have died an honorable death. 

The beast was at a serious disadvantage, it could only use one leg at a time, and that left it's other one open. Shimarak faked a lunge at the creature before grabbing it's outstretched leg, that had meant to kick him in mid-air, and used his legs to push off the beasts body propelling him across the room. Shimarak landed and dropped the severed leg to the ground, he turned around to see the beast laying on the ground with a growing puddle of the dark liquid around it's body. 

He sighed in relief and sat back on his tired haunches. The long house was a mess. The roof was ready to cave in, the back wall had been blown out, his throne had been destroyed. At least the creature was dead. 

Shimarak looked back at the creature and watched as it slowly dissipated into nothing, replacing it was a glowing blue ball that hovered in the air. Shimarak had a feeling he knew what it was but he couldn't quite place it. That is, until the creatures body re-appeared and exploded in a cloud of fire, it's body intact with two arms, two legs, a head, and its weapon secured in it's hands. Shimarak felt a roaring pain travel through his head and a memory he never knew he had, took control of his body.





"Are you sure? Because it would be easier if we all did it."

Dorish Manik looked at Eriana-3 with a quizzical expression, she had just proposed that she would clear out a room full of Hive by herself, if she died, then she could be revived, but it was a needless risk.

"I am sure, besides I have a new trick I want to show you."

Eriana-3 ran into the room and shot all the Hive she could, she put up a great fight until the Knight that she hadn't noticed stabbed her through her metallic heart and tore her in half. Dorish had been ready to run in and revive her, but Eriana burst into flames and ignited the Knight in a blaze of fire. She then relentlessly killed the Hive without taking a single bullet in response.





Shimarak got up off the floor and was greeted with a hand pressed against his throat. Eriana effortlessly lifted him off the floor and was about to snap his neck when a familiar voice broke through the dust and smoke.

"Eriana!! Don't kill him, he may have answers we need, for Luna's sake."

Eriana grudgingly put Shimarak down and he grasped his own neck and drew in a shuddering breath. What had he become? What had he done? Where was he?!





Luna blinked back tears as she re-appeared in a room with an oval table in the center. She looked down and gasped at what she saw, it was a galaxy, stars swirling around the center and Nebulas swishing through the gaps. It was something that rivaled what she could make. 

"beautiful isn't it?"

Luna looked up to see her sister standing next to her, gazing down at the swirling masses with as much awe as Luna had.

"Tia! Where are we?" Instead of Celestia answering she was answered by a much more powerful voice.

"We are in Eternity, at the moment, Eternity doesn't last for ever though, so we might want to get a move on, yes?" Luna saw a being that radiated light from it, it had four arms and two legs, it also seemed to shift and change from a liquid to a soild constantly. 

"In answer to your unspoken question, I am life. Not what you expected? Ha, I aim to please. I see that my brother, Death, has chosen Aetheon's side, probably to spite me as he always does. Good to see you Luna and Celestia, I see Twilight and Cadence are fast approaching. Ooh! This is a surprise, Discord my marvelous nephew! Who persuaded you to join us? Was it that Fluttershy? Well good on her!"

Discord popped into exsistence a few feet away from Luna and scoweled at Life. He then stared down at the basket full of Lemon's he found himself carrying. Before, Luna could ask what the Lemons were for, she was interrupted by Twilight and Cadence's arrival.

Both of which seemed dazed until they saw each other and did there usual greeting.

"Sunshine! Sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

They both giggled together before noticing the rest of the occupance. Their smiles grew larger. 

"Now that everyone is here, lets get started shall we? Alright first on the agenda, is to view the battle ground. If everyone will take a seat." Life waited for all the creatures to take a seat, he even waited patiently for discord to pass out Lemonade. "Alright, I will tell you this now, my brother is going to have the time of his life with this war, even more so if they win. Which is entirelly possible. My brother doesn't care who's life he takes, even if its mine. He also doesn't care that if I die, then he dies as well. His goal is to end all life, luckily, Day, Night, Time and Choas will still exsist if all life ends. Unluckily..."

Life gave a sypathetic look a Cadence and Twilight, "Unity, Love, and War will not. So let us make out job to NOT end all life and give our subjects a prosperous and eventful life span. To the Maps!" 

The table became transparent and showed a planet with a Star and Moon orbiting it, beyond that was a multitude of other stars and planets that orbited it. "This is our battlefield, our defences range from the Sun, the Moon, and pure and utter Choas, thanks to you Discord."

"My pleasure."

"Their offense, massive world eating armies, a darkness that can block out the Sun, a foothold upon this planet that needs to be severed as soon as possible." The image zoomed in on the central planet and stopped when it found an enterance to a cave. "This is the location of the Changelings and the Hive. Ever since the arrival of Shin Malphur and his Death-defying team -my brother was as pissed as when I was born- the Hive have been growing an army, they have also managed to spawn a new type of Hive, a more fearsome beast then the likes of my traveler has seen. Which remindes me." Life stood up straight and snapped his fingers before raisng two arms above his head and two in front. 

Slowly an image of a white sphere appeared in Life's fromt hands, which he gently placed above the table and snapped his fingers again.

"To our offense, I add a Galaxy saving Army, and their beloved Traveler."
> Returning Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dorish Manik sat in the court room of Canterlot. Boy was he in trouble. In front of him lay his old armor and the weapons that once covered his body until he was a living armory. Dorish stared at the empty shell and looked down at himself, he was never going to fit in it again. However, with some clever intuition he would be able to fit bits of it on himself. The arm guard could go on one of his front...arms, the leg atmor would have to be cut in half but it could still fit on his lion legs.

Dorish still marveled at his new body, how such a creature could exsist was beyond him, how his soul was transfered to said body was beneath him. Dorish pondered all of this while he was locked up in chains and was being held in place by no less then ten ponies.

Dorish chuckeled when he thought about it, he had to learn Human history before he came to help them. From what he had been told, ponies were lame beasts of burden, dull colored and stocky. These ponies seemed to throw that out the window. Dorish was honestly glad he was out of that cursed long house, its power had taken ahold of him and shrouded his and DG's mind in shadow. An interesting thing was that when the throne exploded and was destroyed, the griffons all slumped over unconscious. Whitefeather himself cackeled and hugged Eriana as his body decayed and cell apart as he was still alive, eventually nothing was left but dust and a happy soul that was finally given freedom.

As Dorish had been escorted to Canterlot under heavy guard he saw the Griffins wake up and stare bluntly around before helping each other! The curse of the Royals had been lifted and Dorish felt his body weaken and become mortal, he was just a plane old griffin now. 

Dorish looked over at where Shin Malphur stood leaning against a pillar with his hood obscuring the top half of his face. Imposing as ever. Eriana sat in the rafters above him, her watchful eyes studied him and made sure he wasn't going to make a move. He definitely wasn't with the Ice Breaker pointed at his head!

He sighed, they were waiting for the two rulers of Equestria to come back from their mysterious journey, how long that was going to take? He didn't know.





Eris stood on one of the balconies over looking the last human city, it had grown. She gazed wistfully at the moon and had a sudden urge to shout up at it and roar her grief and fury. She barely restrained herself from doing so. Eris was broken out of her thoughts when she was approached by a Titan with shit tier gear on and weapons that wouldn't scratch a Fallen's balls if it was at point blank range.

"Excuse me. Do you know where Xür is? Its friday so I was wondering if you could tell me."

Eris silently judged the Titan with her ghostly eyes, the darkness gave her a curse and a gift. She was cursed with never being healthy again, she was gifted with the sight to see the Light and Darkness that surrounded beings. This allowed her to gauge how well a Guardian fought and if they even stood a chance against the darkness. Apparently, this Titan was formidable in battle, never being killed and never once having to be revived.

"What is your name Gaurdian?"

The Titan paused and looked at her funny.

"My name is Toland."

Eris shrugged her shoulders and turned her back on the Titan, not caring much about him.

"Xür is at the Vanguards."
She heard his lumbering steps carry him away from her, thank goodness, she had started getting impatient with him. Hopefully that would be the last she saw of him. Eris looked up at the big white spere that hovered over the city, it was actually quite beautiful but that wasn't why she tensed up and let her jaw go slack. The traveler was reforming itself! Pieces from half way across the solar system teleported to it and re fashioned itself to the broken body of the Traveler. Eris felt an impact in her chest as the last piece fell in place the traveler had become whole once more, and it was using its immense power to teleport ALL guardians back to the tower.

"I'm bac.... Woah, didn't think my theory would be right."

Eris turned around and saw the same junky Titan from before, only, he wasn't junky at all. He wore a chest piece crafted from a light absorbing material that helped reproduce the body if you died. He wore leggings made from the same material and had three hand cannons strapped to each leg. His arm guards were glowing with a radiant blue armor, pure Light energy. His helmet sported a Mohawk that split his head like a knife and gave him a terrifying appearance. 

He wore all Exotic gear, impossible...the shear amount of light energy required would consume the wearer and explode his body into a crater the size of the last city itself. She didn't even notice the Exotic weapons that he carried strapped to his back, she was just too awestruck. Toland just chuckeled.

"So, you done staring or are you gonna give me your name? I haven't been to the tower in a while...don't know anyone's names."

Eris jerked herself back into reality and saluted the obviously Legendary figure that stood before her. 

"Eria Mourn, the last of the Six that went down, in charge of the assualt against the Hive army, I assume its an honor to meet you."

Toland laughed again before shaking her out stretched hand and leaned on the railing next to her, staring at the Traveler as it cast its magic.

"So, I am assuming you plan to get revenge? Well then, I'm coming with you. I also have a few selections to make, you will like them. However, we will still be one short. A challenge which I think we will be able to handle."

Toland's weight bent the railing slightly inwards, he didn't care much though. Eris and Toland both turned to watch the guardians that had been summoned teleport into the courtyard. More and more streamed in and some looked around, confused. Six even came in and slammed their guns on the ground, before stomping their helmets into unusable pieces of junk. After much shouting at the Traveler they calmed down enough to explain that they were the Six who went into the Vault of Glass to kill the dreaded Aetheon.

Everyone patted the six warriors on the back in sympathy, they were the lead group, they would have been the first to kill Aetheon. 

The crowd of Two thousand or so Guardians dispersed as a massive gateway appeared in the center. Some pointed their guns at the portal and waited for what could possibly be an assualt, they weren't prepared for what came through. Eris definetly wasn't.





Dorish looked up from his crouched position over his armor and stared at the gateway that opened up over the ruler's throne. He had been allowed to put on his armor as best he could, he had discarded his helmet, back piece, and the top half of his leg guards. He tested his guns and found that all ten of them were in working order, he could also fit his claw into the trigger. 

The pony guards all stared at the portal in awe, as did Shin and Eriana, they all felt a slight tug on their bodies as it beckoned them forward. Shin walked over to Dorish and released him from his chains and helped him onto his four feet. He then walked to the portal and stepped through it without hesitation.

Eriana stopped in front of the portal and waited for Dorish to go through it before following after him.

The portal closed behind them.
> Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shin wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it defeniately wasn't this; a sea of guardians all pointing their various weapons at his head and with deadly expressions on their faces. They didn't even look at the other two figures that stepped through the portal, they were all woried about the Renegade hunter, Shin Malphur. They had rejoiced when he had killed Dredgen Yor, scratched their heads when Eris chose him as a fireteam member, and felt confused when he had been reported dead.

All of these reasons had them pointing the deadly end of their guns at him and wondering how he had got there. The newly resurrected guardians just went with the flow, not sure what was going on. They remained there as they were with Shin's hands above his head and a confused expression on his face. He hadn't really known why he went through the portal or where it went. He was honestly confused about the whole situation.

"What the hell is THAT!!"

All eyes turned to the voice who had broken the silence: a warlock, female Awoken, newly resurrected. She was pointing to something behind Shin and all heads turned to see what it was. 

Dorish Manik had felt awkward and uncomfortable whenever he had been in the tower, but now that he was a griffon and a formitable size compared to the average human, he felt like he was a drop of water in a volcano about to explode. 

Jaws dropped, guns raised, and eyes widened as all memory of Shin had left their heads. What was the monstrosity that had stepped through the portal?! Most of the guardians present would have opened fire if Eriana-3 hadn't stepped in the way and visually defended poor Dorish. Most Guardians who had known Eriana weren't surprised that she had lived from her reported death, and had lowered their guns under her protective gaze.

"What is the meaning of thi---" the Speaker had come out to the courtyard to explain why the Traveler had just summoned everyone there, but he had been greeted by backs and gleaming guns. Of course, everything made sense when he saw two dead guardians standing up and an impossible mythical beast standing next to them, it was all too clear.

The rest of the guardians lowered their guns when the saw the Speaker, he was to be respected and not displeased. 

"How and what are you doing here? You are supposed to be dead. And what is this creature that you have manged to bring back?" The speaker was surprised when the creature bristled its feathers and snarled at him before SPEAKING to him.

"I am NOT a creature! I am in fact Dorish Manik, Awoken Male Titan who once served her royal highnes the Queen and the White Army, defected to protect Humanity and to serve under the Traveler."

Guns were raised again.

"STOP! I will not have bloodshed in the stronghold of our people." The Speakers mask seemed to glare at all the Guardians until every last one of them returned their guns to their respective ghosts. "Now, you will need to explain further, because I do not see the familiar blue face of Dorish Manik staring back at me, but one of feathers and a beak."

Dorish calmed at the Speakers words, at least, enough to answer him without a snarl.

"I Died. My body was recovered by Shin Malphur at the cost of our new allies lives. And my soul was brought into this new body to preserve it. Thats the short story, I don't feel like I should go into more detail at the moment." The Guardians surrounding the trio all glanced at each other then at the speaker who was pondering what had been said.

"Shin. Is what he says true?" 

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"...actually, yes I would. It seems that the Traveler has called back all its children of light, including Dorish Manik's new form. You shall remain as Dorish until we can or cannot prove otherwise." Dorish gave a bow to the Speaker in acknowledgement. "Now we must proceed to plan out the new information we have recieved, the most important being, the Enemies of the Traveler have massed together, and left."

All the Guardians stared at the Speaker in utter disbelief  before cheering together and giving each other hugs and pats on the back, some even went an extra step. However, their joy was short lived from the next piece of news they recieved.

"The Traveler is leaving."

The cheers slowly died down as everyone thought about what that meant. They technically didn't need the Traveler any more, but they had grown attached to the floating orb. This news was kinda like watching your parents die, in a morbid sense. Although, it was the most accurate, the Traveler had given the world a folden Age and had brought peace to the universe. It had even given people a second chance at life, rebirthing them to protect the innocent.

"This is terrible news, yes. But," every guardian latched on to that final word with all their hope. "It has called our army to follow in its path. We shall follow it to where the darkness goes as well, it has given me a sign that this is where the darkness will fall. With it, we shall save the Universe."

Guardians put on their helmets, latched on their armor, collected their ammo, and polished their guns. They were going to war, the final stand, they were prepared to die for this unkown victim, as long as the Darkness died with them. One by one, the guardians were teleported up into their Jumpships and took off towards orbit, to await further orders.

Every guardian except eight.

Shin looked around at the empty courtyard, he saw five figures walk up to him, one was a sight for sore eyes.

"Good lord! You survived!" Shin ran forward and hugged the repulsive shadowed woman as she tried to believe what her eyes were telling her. "I wasn't sure if you had in fact lived, when you can you have to tell me everything. As I will tell you my story." Shin let go of Eris and focused his eyes on the remaining four guardians.

"Who are you? Friends of Eris'?"

The one on the far left spoke first. "I am Omar Agah, Hunter and associate of Eris'." The Guardian to Omar's left spoke next. "I am Sai Mota, Hunter and friend of Eris' nothing more." To Sai's left a Titan spoke up. "Vell Tarlowe."

Shin's eyes traveled up to the head of the Titan next to Vell, he was massive.

"Toland the Shattered, Warlock and banished for cause of madness." Toland smiled gleefuly at Shin and his shocked expression. How could he be a warlock?! His armor was too bulky and he didn't seem to be snobby at all. Although, stereotypes did have a few exceptions.


"So why did you guys all stay behind? Any important reason?" Toland voiced for all of them.

"We were told to stay by the Traveler, don't know why but I have a feeling we will find out." All four heads nodded. Shin looked back at Eris and noticed the Emotionless eyes that stared back at him.

"I will not except that you still live, not until I come back alive from where the Traveler is about to send us. Eriana! You come with me, the Traveler has asked for you. Everyone who is with me, step in front." All five Guardians stepped in fromt of Eris without question as Eris performed a purely dark Spell that would transpirt them to the heart of the abyss. "To all who stay behind, do not expect to see our faces again. For we do not expect to see yours."

Without another word Eris cast her spell and the six Guaedians disapeared in a swirl of sickly green and black. Leaving no trace of their presence besides Omar's spit on the ground.

Shin stared at the spot where Eris once stood and shook his head. Eris didn't escape from the Hive, she had died a long time ago.

Shin turned around to face Dorish Manik and the Speaker, the rest of the Tower was empty. Shin sighed and started to scavange ammo from the weapon stall. He now had use for his famed Hand Cannon, The Last Word. He even had ammo for his various side arms as well. Dorish followed his example and gathered ammo for his massive collection of firearms. They hadn't been given specific orders yet but they would eventually.

A thunderous boom drew his head to the Traveler as it shuddered and started moving. It gathered great speed and then took off into the stars, the lights of a thousand Guardian Jumpships following it. War had started once again.





Shin and Dorish sat on the railing over looking the last City and wondered what they should do. Dorish had flown around for a bit and stretched his wings, they had target practice, they even had a Arm wrestling contest. Yet they sat there bored and unused.

Shin let his mind travel to all he had experienced. He couldn't help but feel left out and still feel happy that he didn't have to go fight again. Then his thoughts traveled to the two remaining fireteam members that had gone into the Hive fortress. Eriana, Shin, Dorish, Eris had all survived but where were the other two? Were they dead? His thoughts were inturupted by a ship entering reality as it sped towards the Tower.

The ship was clearly marked as the Queen's Awoken, in Shin's mind the Queen could go to hell, she hadn't helped them at all in the past. She even looked down on her own kin if the joined the Humans to help out with the war! Who does that! And now they were probably here to loot everything.

Shin and Dorish both stood in the middle of the courtyard and waited for the eventual arrival of their guests. Three figues teleported down in front of them, a Queen ambassador and two Fallen. The Queen had some technique to subdue the Fallen into following her and to do her biding, Shin still didn't know hiw she did it. 

The three figures approached the two and stopped five feet away from them. They then spread their hands out to show they were unarmed, or in the case of the Fallen how armed they were. The ambassador spoke for them.

"The Queen has sent her highest apologies to your council, we are late for the departure. However, we have recieved word that you two will need help for your next trial. Therefore we gift you these two Fallen, they will follow all your orders to their dying end, but be warned, they aren't as fragil as they look. Ta-ta for now." The ambassador spun on her heel and disapeared into the waiting Jumpship and sped off in the direction the Traveler left. 

Shin was left staring into the eight eyes of the two fallen and their wide flat heads. Dorish on the other hand was eying their Eight arms, and the various equipment each carried. Both Fallen carried a spear on their back and two Shock swords on their hip. Two Shock pistols were strapped to each Thigh and a Shock Rifle was carried in two of their arms. A total of Four grenades were positioned on their chest and a massive battery kit covered their stomach. They were clearly there for one purpose.

Shin was just about to ask Dorish what they should do when a portal opened up the Balconies edge. 

Shin looked at the two Fallen and motioned his head towards the portal. They nodded and charged through it. Dorish and Shin close behind.