It had taken me a while to get relevant information from Flint with how belligerent he was being. Now unconscious I hefted him up under my left arm to allow my right arm to keep acting as my buster arm.
I briefly wondered if I should really follow this plan. Apparently there were still some golems around that weren't destroyed by our fight and with an unconscious body I wouldn't exactly be able to move at an optimal pace.
It didn't help that my plan required me to look for hostages within the Crystal Palace. At least, as far as I knew, there were ponies kept as lab rats within the place. Flint had said as much before I was forced to carry him.
The trek down the boulevard was slow and methodical. Since the citizens had been evacuated by Flint the previous day towards one of the mines it was just me, the guards and whatever golems were left standing. The slagged remnants of all the golems left an eerie shiver down my spine even though I was pretty certain I had metal bones and I didn't have the circulatory system to actually have that.
Then all hell broke loose as several pegasi guards dive bombed my position. Spears flew down at improbable speeds… though not as fast as I could react to. They flew in easy to predict patterns which Nana fed into my brain as I dashed through the hail.
Before I could get closer to the palace a huge energy shield appeared around it held up by fifty unicorn guards. I didn't wait for the pegasi to catch up as I reeled back my fist and shot it directly through the shield cracking it instantly. I didn't expect that it would have been that easy but with the thaumic meter barely reading over twenty five hundred joules of energy. That meant that it should have taken more than one punch to destroy it.
My fist was glowing at this point. A light metallic blue light emanating from my fist which disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Unable to fully devote time to this new phenomenon I dashed into the now fallen over unicorn group leaving them behind as I made my way into the palace.
Earth Ponies immediately jumped for me… only to be tossed aside as I dashed through them. The few that clung to me were scraped off whenever I got close to a wall. A few even tried to get Flint out of my grip… to no avail.
I was flung back from the palace door as two golems worked together to punch me out of the way. It took a few seconds for the stabilizers to get me back into position but I was lucky enough not to drop Flint. I took a few jumps back as the golems charged forth attempting to rush me down… only for my buster to go off melting the two down to slag.
Timing was everything during my infiltration. The harder I pushed the more coordinated the group became as ponies came buzzing in forcing me to use my limiter whenever firing shots. Crowding around the golems like meat shields I was forced to switch to Storm Tornado and release, firing a shot to get all the ponies off my back.
The golems dug their feet into the crystal roads making certain to keep from being flung away by the storm. As the winds died down and the ponies flung away impacted against the buildings nearby I switched back to my buster taking out the golems within seconds of the other. The fact that very few golems were being sent to replace the fallen ones made me think I had resoundly trumped their supposed advantage.
From the few questions I asked about the Equestrian chances during war I found that the only reason that the Crystal Empire was able to encroach on their borders were due to the golems. Every single battle was won by them because of the golems. I hoped that I could get enough of them before Hurricane signaled his troops. If at their best they could handle twenty golems I was going to wipe them out before things got too dangerous.
I immediately dashed around the promenade searching for any golems that still managed to survive during the battle against Flint and I. There were so few meandering around mixed in with ones that were trying to end me. None of them got any closer at this point as I fired indiscriminately without worrying about the pony guards since they were still trying to peel themselves off of the walls.
I didn’t find any of the assassin golems while I was fighting through to the palace but I managed to destroy the last of the regular egg shaped golems. With those out of the way I decided it was time to raid the palace. Flint was still motionless in my left arm even though all the jostling and still breathing thanks to Nana’s sensors. Even without Cinnamon to guide her in treatment she was still capable of seeing the status of whomever I was around.
“Thanks to Sage Harpuia and Fighting Fefnir we have managed to increase the range of our sensors. The Thaumic Sensor has picked up several guards within the palace but they are fluctuating in magical energy… their vitals are also nearly nonexistent. We have been looking over the data we have recovered from our battle against the first assassin golems we have faced. We have come to a… chilling explanation for why they were what they were.” Nana explained clearly though she seemed to have trouble further articulating her thoughts.
“Master X… there is no easy way to say this but Goring Corundum is a monster unlike any I’ve seen since. All the golems within the palace seem to be growing from within the bodies of pre-selected guards. We can’t tell how just yet but there seems to be a power source directly near the subjects heart. The records Nana has provided have shown us this act directly.” Harpuia stated crossing his arms in a manner signifying that he was displeased with the information he received.
“I’ve talked with Cinnamon, Master X and unfortunately… these souls could not be saved. With how deeply the crystals have been embedded into their circulatory system they would go into shock falling into a catatonic coma… before their hearts explode from the stress of it all. Had we any of our technology at our beck and call we may have had a chance to make this more manageable but… we don’t. As far as we can see this world has no technology to speak of and the appearance of golems belies something far more anachronistic than any of us are comfortable with.” Fefnir gloomily muttered before running his palm over his face.
‘I figured… is there any good news at all?’ I mentally signaled as I rushed into the main hall of the palace.
Two of the guards instantly burst open from their flesh shell revealing two more assassin golems who immediately charged out for me. I switched to Homing Torpedo and managed to stop them from getting any closer. The crystals shattered next to their… hosts leaving the grisly reminder that this was most likely a whim that Corundum had. I still didn’t know his motivation outside of thinking golems were the next step of evolution.
When I looked back on things I remembered that Sigma, as he first started out, wanted to prove reploids were more than machines. They were alive. Living, thinking creatures that deserved to exist. When he came back though… revenge was all that kept him going. He was a poor choice to represent reploids as a whole from the games I played so long ago. As time went on it felt as though who I was as a person and X were melding together and becoming whole.
I had long ago managed to calm the human side of my mind enough that I didn’t need to block it out with the mechanical side’s logic. It didn’t mean that I was better though. The human side chose to relinquish rationality within magical pony land so long as we were here and apathy towards things was the only choice to make. That… was disheartening on both halves. There was enough empathy though that I still cared.
I still remembered my family. I still remembered the crazy father I had. The caring mother I was bred from. The stern uncle who trained me. The family out of this reality I had unfortunately left behind due to some small oversight on my own wants and desires. I had taken up a mantle. I had become more than I was in a world not unlike my own. One filled with the same temptations man had faced throughout their existence.
Greed… Power… Status… Honor… Unification… Knowledge… War. Each one a motivator in their own right which sustained this entire world in ways I had seen many times so long ago. Only a week or two within Magical Pony Land, patent pending, and it felt like a lifetime ago. I had fought… I had to kill regardless of whether it was mercy or not. I had enlisted myself in a war I had no part of just because those I had befriended needed my help. And for that I was changed. I had become something more even as X.
“We’ve found several signatures of ponies with said implant but none of them are active. Should we hurry we may just be able to save them.” Nana quickly broke me out of my revelry.
Musing on the status of my own nature would have to wait till the Crystal Empire was free. I traveled upstairs where the signals were located having to face more assassin golems breaking out of their… disgusting prison.
“Is it ready!?” Diode called out within one of the sub basements of the Palace.
“Barely, Sir!” A guard quickly saluted. “We’ve had to muster our forces back to the palaces since that crazy golem from earlier has broken into the confines and is now destroying the last of our golem forces. At this point there are nine assassin golems left at the edge of the city trying to keep the borders secure. Most of the citizenry was evacuated to one of our mines by General Flint Shard. Also nopony has seen hide nor hair of King Corundum.”
“Don’t worry about it! Is Experiment G4N7H3R prepared? We have to lead the golem down here as soon as possible.” Diode hissed as he rounded on the guard.
“Yes sir. Though… are you certain sir? This could kill you.” The guard placed a hoof on Diode’s shoulder. The glare he received caused him to pull away and bow his head muttering apologies.
“I won’t die. That golem will be destroyed before anything happens. Just get out there and lead him down here. Now!” Flint screamed causing the guard to roll back from the force of his voice. “Now! Now! Now!”
The guards quickly raced away to confront the blue golem and lead him down into the sub basement. Diode stood in front of the experiment his eyes widening and shining when he looked up at it. With the sub basement being near the size of a the first three floors of the palace it left a lot of space for the experiment he and Corundum worked on. His own contribution to the pursuit of evolution, in his own way though.
“This is the real way to get things done.” Diode harshly stated while he thought of Corundum’s methods.
I was getting sick and tired of seeing Corundum’s work. Over twenty guards had been used for his sick little project and whatever empathy I had was quickly starting to falter. It was as if the abyss had appeared in front of me and asked me to gaze deeply into its eyes. I ignored that and continued towards the signals. When I reached the final point I broke through a heavily reinforced door… into a room covered in bloody tables with several vivisected ponies strapped to them. Flint seemed to small something foul and his face matched even with his eyes closed.
“Wake up. It’s time for me to settle my part of the deal.” I quickly placed Flint on the ground as he opened his eyes and stared up at me.
“I gotta hoof it to you… I didn’t think you’d be able to do it. Especially when the regular guards tried to stop you.” Flint grunted as he rubbed his side where I held him.
“I don’t stop easily. I’ll find this Diamond Shard for you so long as you make certain these ponies escape. I don’t know if we can save them but I’ve sensed that their Crystal Resonators, as you described it, have been inert and deactivated.” I mumbled out as I gripped the bars of the cell they were in ripping it off the hinges with a grunt of effort.
“Yeah. I’ll keep up my end of the bargain. Knowing Diode he probably headed off to the sub basement to wake up his project.” Flint admitted as he slowly looped some roped through the chains of all the ponies in the cell. They were each wearing metal collars that were attached to the wall. I ripped them out of their moorings… my mind seemed to be burning as I looked around the room.
Several of the tables held instruments caked in blood and not sanitized. The bodies left under the sheets had long been drained of their bodily fluid allowing it to pool and congeal on the floors. I picked up a scalpel slowly rubbing my thumb against it… the blood wiped off onto my hand revealing brown stains underneath the new red ones. Corundum used it, most likely, recently.
“What was Experiment G4N7H3R again?” I growled out accidentally bending the scalpel into an unusable state and letting it drop back on the tray.
“Diode’s baby as he called it. It was made to fight against the dragons. Supposedly he lost his family to dragon attacks… but my trips into Equestria under assumed names allowed me to find out that he had no family in Cloudsdale.” Flint quietly stated as he finally got all the ponies gathered outside the cell. They didn’t make much noise either… which worried me about their chances to survive.
“Great. I’ll get the foal back from wherever they hid her, you find a defensible position to keep these ponies in. They deserve to rest so if you find anything to let them lay on keep them comfortable. If the Equestrian Forces come in… what are you going to do?” I leveled my gaze at him keeping my eyes focused on his. He tried to match my gaze only to falter and turn away. With a sigh he answered me.
“Who is Diamond Shard?” I pointed my buster down at Flint ready to fire.
“She’s my… sister. Taken for Corundum’s experiments as he called it. I joined up for a chance to find her and save her. Wouldn’t you believe my luck though? I finally found her and would have saved her had I never met your sorry flank!” Flint wheezed out as he finally could feel his hooves again.
“You made your choice. Regardless of whether you believe in the concepts of good and evil, you chose to attack other ponies to save her. While I’ll commend you for trying to save a child I condemn you for how you went about it. Especially with that bomb you tried to plant.” I growled down at him.
“It was the only way I had. Either I followed till I could get Geode out of the way or she would be dead and warped into one of those monstrosities.” Flint argued back.
“Was it worth it?” I questioned… my glare softening as I looked at him a near broken pony.
“No… it wasn’t. I’ve lost completely and they probably think I’m dead. Just… just end me already.” Flint stated as tears fell from his cheeks onto the bed he was currently trapped against.
“Let’s make a deal…” I quietly stated to the sobbing stallion before me.
“I will surrender myself to their custody informing them that I’ve made a deal with you. You will handle my incarceration and determine what is best for my punishment.” Flint sighed even deeper than before.
“Don’t worry… my punishment won’t put you on the chopping block like the others would want you to be. I believe you can earn forgiveness. Though I won’t be easy on you either. I already can tell that no matter what either of us does we won’t always see eye to eye but we agree on one thing at the very least.” I chuckled as I headed off for the door back into the halls. I had a signal locked for one particular unactivated crystal though it seemed to be heading downstairs.
“And what is that X?” Flint glowered slightly though I could tell by the position of his ears splayed down he had come to the same conclusion.
“Children must be safe from monsters.” I stated before exiting the room and dashing down the halls.
Flint sighed out once again. He agreed though he wasn’t one to talk about being fair to children. He knew what he did… even if it was to find his sister. It would take his entire life… but he would pay the debt he incurred no matter the cost.
I dashed back down the stairs attempting to find a way down to where the signal was coming from. It kept moving down in a way I couldn’t figure out. There wasn’t any sign of a cylindrical staircase anywhere close to the palace… also it wasn’t tall enough. Still the dot kept moving in a way that didn’t make any sense.
Regular guards kept storming out of the woodwork, or in this case crystal work, and led me down stranger and stranger passages. ‘Whatever floats their boats’ I supposed though it was also leading me towards the target I was after. That was not a good sign in the least. I didn’t like where this was going.
“Hey what’s this foal doing here?” A guard called out as he picked up the stumbling filly with the filthy white coat and grimy blonde mane.
“Bring her here!” Diode called out as he entered G4N7H3R and took his rightful seat.
“Here you go sir.” The guard replied handing the foal in question to Diode.
“Ah… Flint’s almost slave filly. I suppose he had good taste but he failed. Should just kill her but… for later maybe.” Diode mused as he tossed the filly off to the side of his cockpit and quickly chained her down. A pony shield made all the difference sometimes.
I finally dashed through the last few pony guards ignoring all their attempts at stabbing my by grabbing their weapons and snapping it in my hands. The few unicorns that tried to use the broken bits for shrapnel grenades were promptly shot and stunned before they could think any further than that.
I really wanted to berate them for the state of their weapons but there was a time and place for such ministrations. This wasn’t one of them. I finally found the right staircase and the blip on my sensors had finally stopped. That also filled me with dread… mostly because it meant something had stopped her in her tracks.
I slammed into the room only to come face to face with something I didn’t expect.
In the largest room of the palace was another similar golem to the one Flint had piloted against me. It wasn’t an alicorn armor though… it was a dragon. Resembling what most would assume as a western styled dragon complet with arms and legs all made of crystal standing almost triple my height. It reached a far bit down lengthwise but it was still barely larger than the windigo I had faced. In the brain sat Liquid Diode if Flint’s descriptions were right, a pegasus sporting a glazed over happy look in his eyes. Behind him I could see a tuft of blonde hair… or mane sticking out. The signal was coming from directly behind him.
“I suppose you’re X… I have to say. I’m not impressed by what I see. All these ponies have been talking about the destroyer of the Crystal Empire and here you are. Some scrawny looking golem that was most likely a failed prototype. You have got to be joking.”
“Liquid Diode! You are under arrest! As a Maverick Hunter I have come to stop you! Surrender!” I stated, ignoring all the barbs that spewed out of his mouth. That got him to glare more intensely at me.
“Very well Maverick Hunter X. I surrender to you… In a pig’s eye!” Diode stated as he fiddled around with several of the buttons most likely in front of him.
I dashed underneath the dragon mouth as a stream of purple flames flew out burning the very ground I had been standing on I immediately fired up with a second level shot at the very edge of the jaw. The blast impacted the crystal causing it to close as the fire built up within. The jaw promptly melted off revealing a small mounted cannon within holding several strange apparati holding alchemical flasks and other mixtures.
“You pest! I’ll crush you!” Diode cried out as I jumped onto the arm he wasn’t attacking with and climbing along it. He saw me coming as shoved his arm into the wall hoping to scrape me off. I took a chance and jumped onto the wall climbing it until I reached a good point. Seeing me defy gravity in a sense he angled the mouth of the Dragon Golem up towards me releasing another stream of purple flames which I quickly dashed over.
When I landed I aimed my buster at the right arm charging up Boomerang Cutter. The energy blades that flew out around me lopped it off causing the golem to back up from the sudden shock of losing its arm. I switched back to my main buster and pelted the cannon within the mouth with regular shots. The small pinging was mitigated by the cracking of glass as it caught fire and started to melt. Without hesitation Diode pressed another button jettisoning the cannon at me.
I dashed up the wall as the cannon hit where I was standing releasing a plume of fire I barely dodged. My back slightly singed by the magical purple flames left me playing defensively as Diode forewent all manner of fancy tricks and used whatever appendages the armor still had to crush me. Each was unsuccessful but his timing made it impossible to counter decently enough.
‘The dragon golem is faster than I thought.’ I quietly growled under my breath.
“Certainly it is formidable Master X. But it is not invincible. We must take the risk. Hit for hit even if we won’t have the sun to heal us we need to save that pony in the cockpit. Destroying the limbs is the only sensible plan we have.” Harpuia solemnly stated and I had to agree. With how aggressive Diode was being I needed to take a risk. Any other charged weapon would be too much and without seeing how Diamond Shard was being held within the cockpit I couldn’t take any chances.
I fell to the ground from the dash as the dragon’s left foot came up to kick me. I crossed my arms intending to block only to get sent skyward from the force. The moment before I hit the ceiling I lowered my buster arm firing a fourth level charge shot. The pink helix swirling energy beam flew straight and true severing the leg at the knee forcing the golem back into a quadrupedal stance. Then I hit the ceiling causing strong vibrations through the stalactites still hanging up above. None fell… but they seemed fragile enough that any more vibrations could start trouble.
As I fell Diode forced the golem to step forward ready to catch me in his free hand. I switched over to Rolling Shield and released its charge shot. The shield around me was grasped in the dragon golem’s hand and instantly shattered. That small moment gave me the chance to dash out of its hand and land back on the ground.
Diode growled out as he sent the tail forward. I lifted my leg at the last moment as it speared through where my foot had been before retracting once again. I was stuck in another defensive loop as I tried to keep ahead of the game. The tail was so much faster that I didn’t see it coming as Diode swiped the left claw at me at the same time.
It instantly skewered me through the shoulder and began to pick me up. I gripped the tail with my free arm and pulled back actually managing to pull it down towards me.Diode began to struggle with pulling the tail away but I knew what I needed to do. Fefnir interacted with my power systems allowing me the strength to pull the tail towards me.
With a loud shattering the tail was pulled out of the socket on the back of the dragon causing the golem to fall since it was off balance. I pulled the barbed tail out of my shoulder noted that I couldn’t lift that arm anymore. Repairs were instantly put into effect as my microfusion reactor was tapped to allow said repairs while the solar battery was kept to keep me fighting Diode.
“Two minutes sir!” Nana quickly gave me a status report.
“You Faust damned fool! You can’t defeat me! I am General Liquid Diode! I lead this nation my way! Buck that idiot Corundum who thinks you’ll be the next step in evolution! Golem Armors are the only truth that matters!” Diode started to rant as I shot off the last arm leaving the golem teetering on the last limb.
“No! You aren’t! You’ve lost!” I shouted as I switched back to Boomerang Cutter and released the charged shot severing the head from the body. Both he and the foal were stuck in the cockpit when it fell. They both rolled out unceremoniously onto the ground. Before I could dash over to the foal, Diode immediately grabbed her revealing a serrated crystal wing blade on his right wing.
“No! I don’t lose! I’ll win all the same since this is what you’re after isn’t it!” Diode screamed as he placed the blade against Diamond Shard’s neck. “Yeah… that’s right. I know you like to save ponies. You haven’t killed anypony while you’ve attacked us. I know how you think.” Diode hissed out before chuckling.
I stopped where I stood and switched over to Dark Hold. I didn’t use it yet though… the blade was too close. I needed room before I activated it. At most it would take one second to allow the effect to take place… but one second is a long time when it comes to somepony dying.
“The tornado huh? That’s rich. You think that will save you! You’re going to be a failure no matter what! Even if I lose here I’ll make you suffer!” Diode cried out as he pulled back the wing blade to get more of a decent swing to his strike.
I shot Dark Hold as the effect went out. A large monochromatic bubble formed in the room as Diode’s blade grew slower and slower by the second. A large number three appeared above me.
3
I dashed forward jumping over the wreckage of the dragon golem.
2
I got within reach of Diode’s wing and gripped it in my right hand.
1
I instantly kicked him in the chest almost as hard as I could… at least not enough to kill him from the sudden shock.
0
The time bubble faltered and Diode felt the full effects of my kick flying against the far wall while Diamond Shard fell to the floor. Her eyes were actually lucid enough to look up towards me. I looked down at her and broke the chains that were still attached to her… though with only one arm it took a bit of finagling on my part.
Diode impacted against the wall sending vibrations up through the crystals. Then unceremoniously fell to the floor with a twisted wing and what looked to be several broken limbs. I pulled Diamond Shard into my arms which she returned although not quite as strongly. She felt weak… as if everything she was doing was her going through the motions. Her eyes weren’t clouded like the others were… which left me hopeful that the others could make some recovery.
“You… think you’ve won…?” Diode coughed out as he laid on the floor. The vibrations reached the ceiling while Diode barely picked himself up with his one good wing and left front leg.
“Diode… stay still and once the Equestrians come in we can get you medical attention.” I stated… though my tone may have come off… cold.
“Buck that… Maverick Hunter X. What a joke. We were coming along to a new way of life.” Diode coughed up some blood. “I had finally figured out what we needed. Ponies are the underdogs of this entire world. We are hunted by the Griffons and the Diamond Dogs as viable food or slave labor. Deer hate us for industrialization. Buffalos hate us for our expansionist tendencies. Yaks barely tolerate our diatribe about friendship. Dragons… well are dragons. Who are you to stand in our way. To make our lives meaningful.” Diode looked at me… a sad smile on his face… one I couldn’t really connect to him.
“After what you decided to do… Who’s to say you even did it the right way?” I bluntly asked. “I’ve seen plenty of other ponies who didn’t do what you did and they’ve been working towards making this world better. You decided to chop ponies up and make them into monstrosities. You can say that you didn’t touch the tool… but you let it happen all the same.”
“Fair enough…” Diode chuckled and coughed all at the same time before shuddering. “Corundum is a monster… more so than I. I never wanted to do what he wanted to make the world evolve in that way. Without being a pony we wouldn’t had done anything to solve this world… Though I suppose my way wouldn’t work if there were all these glaring weakness you took advantage of…” Diode shuddered again.
“Stop talking. We can get you checked and healed up. You need to stand for your crimes… regardless of where they led you.” I mumbled as I looked at him. He seemed to grow paler by the second.
“I’m dying regardless… Hey… X… do me a favor. End me before then… I don’t want to see the chopping block. It’ll take too many swings…” Diode shuddered once more… though I couldn’t tell if it was from blood loss or fear.
“I’m not an executioner Diode. I capture ponies. I don’t kill if I can help it.” I stated back… taking a few steps forward. His eyes twirled upward then back to me.
“You should take… cover X…” Diode stated as the vibrations finally did their job.
A large stalactite fell from the ceiling impaling Diode through the face causing me to jump back. Diamond Shard weakly pointed up as more started to fall raining down on us. Diode was a pin cushion by the time I had reached the door back up. Jumping through as the last few stalactites hit the ground I turned back to the rubble laden room.
Diode was dead… his last words a warning. I felt a bit cold but I quickly quashed those feelings for later. Diamond Shard was more important and I needed to get things done.
“And you are done my dear Crystal Shears… Don’t worry. It’ll only hurt for a bit.” Corundum giggled as he looked over his handiwork.
Outwardly, there seemed to be no changes to the young mare strapped to the table. That was only to the untrained eye though. At several joint positions on her body were blood red crystals which slowly started to turn invisible under the light. On the back of Crystal Shears neck was a similar red crystal that Corundum wore as well.
“The most beautiful mare I’ve ever seen and now you are perfect. Just like me.” Corundum sighed happily as he poured his hoof over her inert body. She was unconscious at the moment… similar to all his other failed experiments… but better. The crystal resonators had accepted her body outright making her the best candidate he had ever seen.
Corundum left the room, his job done. A guard confronted him as he left.
“Diode has failed and was killed in the battle. We found his corpse riddled with stalactites.” The guard saluted.
“Wonderful… X is on his way isn’t he?” Corundum growled out.
“Unfortunately… yes sir.” The guard cautiously stated.
“Get the remaining troops and golems ready. You’ll need to cover my escapes north.” Corundum growled out.
“But sir! There’s nothing out there but frozen tundra!” The guard cracked revealing the problems with the plan.
“No my stupid guard there is something there.” Corundum countered with a sneer.
The guard perplexed at the notion quirked their head at Corundum. They didn’t know what he was talking about at all. “What’s out there sir?” The guard asked though took a step back… which didn’t help as he was dragged into Corundum’s space.
“The burial spot of X.” Corundum explained as he threw the guard aside and sauntered to the back of the palace… ready to enact his plan laughing the entire way there.