//------------------------------//
// All ends. . . 
// Story: The Guardian's story 
// by Lon35hadow 
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	The sound of an Ice Breaker shot rang out across the grass plain the three of us stood on, and I barely saw the telltale of the sniper rifle's explosion.

"This doesn't make sense," Cybis said. "They're deploying from a distance, knowing we have snipers when they can do so close under cover."

"Agreed," I said. "Distraction?"

"That's what I'm thinking," the Warlock replied. "Question is, though: for what?"

"Whatever it is, I doubt we'll be able to handle it," I said. "Noland?"

"Still working on the tunnels," he reported. "They've got a coat of something that's slowing down my scans. If we couldn't sense Light, we'd have no idea they were here."

This had me and Cybis share a glance. "Think this might be the trap?" I asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me," he said. "But for now, we can't do anything about it."

i sighed. "Damn it," I said. "Tara, any progress on Guardian signals?"

"There, but other than our message, no traffic," she said. "Though there are active access points that I'm detecting, most in Canterlot. I'm trying to get a visual from them, but nothing so far."

"I'm liking this less and less, Josh," Cybis said as another Ice breaker shot rang out. "We made access points for our radio channels easy for the Ghosts to get in. If they can't but are reading them-"

"I know, I know," I said. "This is looking worse and-" I was cut off by the crack of a sniper rifle.

"Guardian down!" Tara said as Rhino fell to the ground.

"The hell?" I said as I scanned the area with my Scout rifle. "Anyone got a bead on the sniper!?"

"We've got bigger issues," Cybis said a she looked at the horde of Hive. "Without a sniper right now, they'll move on us with ease. Even with Rhino sniping them, we'd be overrun in the hour. Now, I'll be amazed if we last half that long."

"And taking as many of them with us is useless," I said. "They'd just retreat to their respective Ascendant realms, and be able to come back later."

"We're screwed, then," Dinkle said. "Make a name for yourselves?" he asked.

I was about to reply before the sound of someone being taken was heard, and I heard Cybis yell, "SHIT!" before I turned to him, and saw black and white energies around him before he was pulled into a black point, and a similar sound brought my attention to Rhino and the Ghosts, who also vanished.

"The fuck?" I asked before I felt a tug on my body and, before I could react, I could see only black and felt weightless for a second before I heard a voice.

"Hello, Guardian," Celestia-or rather Sekana- said, my vision still black. "I didn't expect you to return, given you abandoned my home."

Another voice spoke up. "Sister, you know what Father said about this."

"It was him and the other two that cost me everything before father found me, brother," Sekana barked. "The sword logic dictates we must take, correct. So now I'll take my revenge on the Guardians."

"But she manipulated them just like us."

"They were the ones who did the action, and we can not yet touch the Deceiver," Sekana replied. "This way, we gain three soldiers loyal to us who are on our power level, giving us a better chance. She chose them for a reason. She will fear us with them under our grasp."

"Sekana, if you do not stop this, I will tell father. Do you really wish to be on the receiving end of his anger?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Sekana replied. "Fine. I will go to father with this personally. But he will see the logic, as it is they who killed Crota, and he will wish to see them dead as well."

"At least release them. They are no threat to us while under the guard of their former allies. I will ensure they remain in the cells until Father orders otherwise."

There was no reply, but I was suddenly able to see again, and I saw I was alone in a cell in what I assume to be Canterlot with two ponies standing outside. The weird thing was that they stood on two le-. . . . .

Shit.

"It seems you are awake," the second voice said, and I saw a form materialize out from the shadows, and it was a form I recognized.

"Alak-Hul," I said.

"Even from you, that is annoying," he said. "Must you say my name dramatically? That is the one thing of pony culture I find annoying."

"It's just a thing,  sir," one of the former Guardians- a Warlock- said. "People just love being dramatic sometimes."

"I hadn't noticed," Alak-Hul said before speaking to me. "I am aware you have questions, Mote," he said. "For now, you will have to be content with Father wished to speak with you should you return, and Sekana let her anger cloud judgement. Your comrades are alive but in other cells. As for what Father wished to speak with you about, I know not. Still, consider yourself lucky. The others who continue to fight us are often killed or Taken."

In response, I said the only thing I could. "Aren't you supposed to be a prisoner on Oryx's ship?"

"Before Sekana arrived, yes," he replied, and gave no other answer.

A few minutes of bring silence later, I heard the sound of a Hive rupture opening as well as a green light to the left side of my cell, and saw the two Guardians and Alak-Hul kneel. Oh double shit.

And from the rupture and into my view walked Oryx, Sekana behind him, looking as embarrassed as a Hive wizard/pony hybrid could look. Oryx spared only a glance at me before speaking to Sekana. "You did well to bring them here, daughter, but for disobeying me, you are confined to-"

"Father, you know I would be content with anything."

Yeah, I couldn't resist. "How about shoveling shit!? While having a spell active that enhances you sense of smell!"

Oryx looked at me again while the two Guardians chuckled. "I think that will be it, actually," he said, making an obvious look of horror appear on his daughter's face. "Leave us. Each of you." Without a word, Alak-Hul vanished into the shadows, the Two guardians walked away, and Sekana teleported. This time, he fully turned to face me before speaking. Only I beat him to it.

"So why am I not here and still alive?" I asked.

"Because," he said, "I wish to make an alliance with you to kill the one you call Harmony."

And that floored my expectation of the meeting. "Uh, what?" I asked.

"I know Harmony manipulated you, even if you do not know the instances," Oryx said. "As an example, when you were in what Sekana calls the mirror world. There was no threat to this world from it, and yet Harmony gave you the power to finish a fight not even yours," he said. "She has manipulated the Hive as well, believing it would end in a way she wished."

"And that leads to an alliance because?"

"Because she has found a way to take the Taken from my control," Oryx said. "Eventually, she will be able to overwhelm my forces. You, I  have been made aware of, have allies in other universes. I was hoping they would be able to help."

"And what's in it for us?" I asked.

"Being able to live in peace here," he said. "I have no qualms with yo for what happened to Crota. He still lives in his Ascendant plane, and enjoyed having fought something that actually harmed him."

I was silent for a few seconds. "What happened while we were gone?" I finally said.

"In short," Oryx said, "Harmony arrived and told your comrades you abandoned them. The Hive and I arrived two years later, and approached with Sekana at the head of negotiations. It was bloodless, and the Guardians retained their positions as peacekeepers. The Knights you fought with Sunset Shimmer had to be killed, and Sunset Shimmer awoke, and is now learning Hive Arcana. Only a few Guardians do not follow us, and they are branded as rebels, as well as Harmony's forces. Sekana's sister-the one you know as Nightmare Moon- is among them. We have no idea where they are, so do not ask to see her."

"And the civilians?"

"Content," Oryx answered. "Do you accept my offer?"

"Only if you swear that if you capture Nightmare and the others, you inform us so we can talk to them," I said.

"I can not promise they will go quietly," he replied, "but if they are captured, I will inform you."

"Then I accept," I said. "The others?"

"Informed and said they would wait on your decision," Oryx replied. "You'll be able to leave in a days time."

"Good," I said. "Now, can I get the hell out of here?"

The Void

Harmony looked at the scene folding out before her as she watched the Hunter and Oryx strike an alliance. "Oh well," she said before smiling. "They aren't the only on-" she began before her whole body shuddered, and her eyes widened in surprise. "No," she whispered. "That can't be an echo point." She closed her mind, and looked in all the universes similar to the one she was watching, even the gender bent ones, and they showed the same thing: that world's Oryx and Guardians allying to fight her. "Damn it," she muttered. "Need to move the time table up."