//------------------------------//
// Chapter 32 - Ready For War 
// Story: Twilight Daylight: Psera, The Legend of Legends 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

It didn't take long for everything to be back up. The LiVAM signals were rerouted to a secondary station in Rayray. And all news and conversations were centered around the CPC ruins, the "PDS Flaw", and Queen Arcadia Nova. Her face was plastered over any electronic device out there, as she feared. Every single channel had her face alongside an image of injured ponies. Which was around five hundred. And all hooves were pointing to the Queen. Making her out to be the bad pony.

Once everything was lifted, Celestia called an emergency meeting that afternoon with the other members of IHT into the cafeteria. Their base of operations. They all knew what it was for.

Their table was centered in the middle of the room surrounded by the Princesses of Equestria, Madam Singe, Queen Novo, and the others. Their eyes were focused on the LiVAM above their table high on the wall. On Queen Arcadia's face. And listening to the audio from a mare.

"For those just tuning in, Queen Twilight 'Arcadia Nova' Sparkle has admitted that the Psera Detection System was built with a flaw. A flaw that many believe had an outcome for the thousands of deaths from the blasts that created the devastation of the CPC in downtown Cop. No word yet from the Congress about the restitutions for this flaw, nor any word from King Shimmering Madun, Her Majesty Molten Ice, or the Queen herself."

Celestia sighed and looked forward to Queen Novo. But her words were for everyone. "From what I was told, she has locked herself in her office," she informed them. "No one is allowed to disturb her."

Cadance leaned on her left hoof and grumbled, "Out of the mistakes Twilight has made, this is... The biggest."

Celestia shook her head and lowered it onto the table. "How will this affect the war?" She grumbles.

"May I deliver my input?" Celestia's head shot up and looked towards the right end of the table. Her Majesty Molten Ice was approaching from the entrance with a smile on her face. Despite everything she still manages a smile. Celestia could only wish she had that mentality.

Luna perked up and answered, "Of course you may, your majesty."

"Luna, you of all ponies should know I prefer Molten away from the eyes of Psera's diplomats." Molten sat down next to and towered over Madam Singe. Her eyes trained on all the ponies at the table. "I am sure it will not cause any delay in our plans for the war. According to everything that enters through my door, we are still going to send a spy out early tomorrow morning. To cover and scan Equestria so we can finally make an offensive strike. We will not have to worry about the PDS's Flaw. If Queen Arcadia was not worried about it since the date of creation, then I guarantee we do not have to worry about it after. From what I understand, the flaw was so small that only fish could get past it. Or a dead body."

Just thinking about all of this... This death was making Cadance squirm uncomfortably where she stood. Her husband was used to it as a soldier. But not her. Luna asked, "Do you know of any repercussions?"

"From the government, no. All she did was not inform us of a small hole that the enemy took advantage of. It could have happened to any of us. Just like she said, it was not thought of as relevant. But the enemy took advantage of it. The worst she would get is a chewing out from The Senate Board privately. She just didn't inform us of it. That's it. The citizens may not be so forgiving. So she may be in danger because 'she allowed monsters to get past our defense.'

"You know how it goes, they look for the root of the issue and blame it. And Twilight is the root. A lot of lives were lost in that building, as I'm sure you know. It's the eighth largest building in Area measurement behind the castle of course. So my suggestion to you is, just get ready for tomorrow. We're starting the real war."



Twilight was preparing for her own battle. It took a few hours. Well past the time for Fresh Dawn to go to bed. And she was still in front of the brightened table underground doing what needed to be done. Getting the sword that Madun made her to be way more effective than any other weapon here on Psera. And so far... It was turning out great.

Using the Blue Gold, she forged it down into scalding hot gold and applied a thick layer of it to the blade. While the blade cooled she began adding more functions to it; a spring loaded injection within the pommel. Maheera would never see this coming. She melted more of the substance down and inserted it into a small canister hidden within the pommel carved over with protection and activation runes. Then a small tube was drilled into the blade itself. After that, her weapon was complete.

She lifted it up with her magic and admired its surface with narrowed eyes. The light danced off the luster of the blade and exposed her face of anger through the darkness of the lab. An expression she never thought she would have.

Arcadia lowered the sword into the case and closed the lid. Then used the dial on the front to seal it tight. Everything was ready. Almost. Her eyes shifted up to the large golden wheel. The elephant in the room with twelve places on the edges. The circuitry running through it. There was no telling what was on the other side. But she knew one thing:

Going through it to protect the ones she loved was worth the journey. She didn't account for the flaw of the PDS to be discovered this quickly. But it did. And now here she was making an early morning departure, going on a trip with destiny.

Twilight set the crate down holding her sword and walked around the table for all of the controls for this device. Her greatest device yet. A device any creature really shouldn't have. But she did. That was all that mattered.

She stopped behind the main console that spanned the entire wheel and stared at all the grayed-out buttons. When this was turned on, all of these buttons and levers would as well. Bringing more light to everything here.

Everything was cleaned of all the harmful energy, right? Then the PPE was no longer needed. Twilight pulled the zipper down and shuffled it to the floor. Followed by her hoof covers, mane cover and airtight goggles. The bag on her tail was removed too. Then it was all stashed away behind her in a wardrobe. Now everything was ready.

Queen Arcadia grabbed her box holding her sword and proceeded to make her way upstairs. But not before turning one last look to the lab behind her. To all the texts and spells she's amassed over the years. There was no telling when she would see all of it again. If she ever would.

With one last sigh, Queen Arcadia tapped her two hooves together loudly. One by one, the massive lights above shut down until the only source of light was her glowing aura surrounding her package. The weapon she was going to use to end this war.

Arcadia expanded her magic and slowly closed the doors until they locked into place. Locking down her laboratory. Then finally made her way to the elevator. Her hooves trotted with determination across golden floors. Then trotted onto the steel of the elevator.

As she ascended, Twilight's mind went back to the very first time she and Madun ever sparred. And the moments after it.


A Year Ago


Birds tweeted overhead, the air smelled of flowers. The sounds of metal clashing and shots firing rang out through the air. In the back of the famed Castle of the Gods in Psera was the one area where citizens were restricted until the afternoon. The training region. An outside field similar to the one the Crystal Empire held that allowed the Guards and soldiers to train.

There were sandbag dummies, plenty of bullseyes, and a pit that allowed hoof to hoof combat. Including resting benches. Two members of the Arcadian Elite Royal Guard stood to the entrance of this pit and just watched purple wings dance through the air along with a swinging staff.

Twilight ducked, lowered, and teleported behind Madun when he tried to brush his wings at her neck. Then lifted her rear hooves and knocked him to the ground muzzle-first. The Guard on the left sighed behind his mask and dropped a single silver shim into the outstretched hoof of his partner.

Madun spat a few grains of sand out of his mouth and rose back to his hooves in a battle stance. "That was good, sweetheart," he admitted. She was standing to the side with three of her hooves on the ground and the other holding her weapon of choice, wearing a purple protective suit of armor. Complete with a training helmet. Madun had on something similar, except red in hue.

Twilight grinned and countered, "As much as I adore your flattery every day sweetie, now is not the time for you to be giving me compliments." She twirled her staff and got back in position. "Since you're back up, I assume you want more."

"Apparently." Madun readied his own weapon of wings with wooden blades in them. Then charged for Arcadia. She just watched him run and glanced up to the sun. It was a beautiful day, but that's not why she noted its position.

When he was right where she wanted him she tilted her head so the sun's rays bounced off her helmet at a certain angle and flashed into his eyes.

She knew she got him when he flinched. So Twilight used her staff to swipe his legs out underneath him. Another point. Another shim into that Guard's hoof. The one giving it away grumbled deeply under his helmet, "Okay, this is not fair. She has more experience."

The one taking the money grinned out of sight and replied, "Yeah, well you should've thought of that before placing the bet."

Twilight used her magic to place Madun back on his hooves to face her. His fur was matted due to sweat. And his body was getting dirty. Twilight on the other hoof was as shiny as a foal.

She whispered, "Have you had enough, King? Or do you wish for more?"

Madun grunted and dropped his staff. "You win." He leaned in and pecked Twilight on her forehead. "You've gotten really good, Twily."

Oh why'd he have to use that pet name? Twilight blushed and waved it off. "Oh, I've uhm... I could do better."

"Yes, but you've excelled greatly so far." He leaned in and pulled Twilight into a kiss. Then pulled back slightly and said, "I want you to promise me something."

Twilight looked into his eyes and whispered, "Of course. What is it."

"If we ever, and I mean ever, have to go to war... Think before you do anything. Okay? You're strong, but your brain is stronger. Never fight on emotions. They will pull foolish decisions."

This wasn't the first time King Madun talked to her about war. Psera was a hotspot for riches. But had a mass of tech and weapons that no one knew about. They could honestly be stormed at anytime because no one knew this land existed, let alone inhabited. And Psera would respond aggressively. But just how aggressive was the question.

Twilight nodded and answered, "I promise." Then sealed it with a small kiss. A kiss that Twilight could still feel to this day.


[size1.5em]Current Time(Almost Ten)


Twilight will never forget that moment. Ever. Never fight on emotion. Unfortunately, that was why she couldn't say goodbye to her family. It would make doing this much harder. She would see her filly resting her birthday away with no worries protected by her abundance of toys. Then, she'd see her husband holding her in a protective embrace. She would abandon her thoughts and succumb to the pressure to wrap them both in her wings. But nay, not this day. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

Her eyes parted open as the elevator slowed, and the back of the bookcase came into view. Littered with runes. As long as she was behind this wall, she was hidden from even the most experienced of mages. But when it opened as it just did, she was eye candy.

Twilight quickly trotted out from behind the bookcase with her sword and closed it back. Then made steps to her desk. But not before a certain voice reached her ears. And a pair of fiery blue eyes popped into her vision.

Odega asked, "What is that? Where have you been, everyone's been looking for you! Don't go pulling Narmeelahs now!"

Of course she'd find her the second she was past the runes. She sees everything. Twilight walked around Odega for her desk and answered, "I've been busy. What are you doing here?"

Odega followed behind Arcadia and answered, "I've been flying everywhere searching for you. I heard about everything. How are you doing, girl?"

Twilight glanced with a smile up to Odega and answered, "It's sweet you care. I'll feel much better once Maheera's gone." She dropped the case on top of her desk and placed her hoof on top of it. "And this is going to help me."

Odega eyed this thick Ivory-white case and asked, "What is that?"

"It's my sword, engineered to take down Maheera. The big guys at Serl theorized that Maheera doesn't come here because of the harmful Blue Gold underground that I'm sure you know about."

Odega shrugged and jumped on top of a mushroom. These things were really bouncy. No wonder Twilight the Second liked jumping on these. She answered, "I know the Blue Gold is dangerous. I don't know how."

"It burns through matter. Even dragon scales. It can kill you, or can hurt you permanently if it doesn't. Maheera doesn't come here because it grows by itself and turns into standard karat gold in a week. It would damage her scales. So since she won't come here, I've decided to weaponize the gold and bring it to her."

Arcadia created a portal that she walked through and came out the other side wearing her suit of armor. Ready for war. Which meant...

"Whoooa, okay Queen Arcadia, hold on!" Odega trotted over in front of her and held up a hoof with a look of alarm. "You're not going now are you? It's ten o'clock at night, it's too dark! Besides you can't just go out there alone, Psera won't let you. Madun won't let you."

Queen Arcadia shook her head and answered, "I know you know I made a promise to Maheera since you know everything. And I'm not letting anyone else go out there onto that battlefield. I can easily get in. Maheera wants to face me alone. She might even clear a war path for me just so she can have me to herself."

Well, she wasn't wrong. It's just one pony, and the infected stand no chance against her. Of course Maheera would want a round. But Odega stammered, "I-I mean... W-Well yeah, but you have a family, Arcadia! If you lose, you'll be leaving everything behind! You'll be leaving them behind! I know you don't want to leave Fresh Dawn like that."

"Of course I don't. But they will be safe. I know they will because you'll watch over them. Promise me you'll watch over my baby for me until I return."

Odega sighed and looked away for a moment. "Twilight—"

Twilight stomped her armored hoof. "Promise me, Odega. Promise me that you'll watch over my filly until I return."

Odega sighed and answered, "I promise, Twilight. But only if you promise me you'll come back."

She and Queen Arcadia shared a firm hug. It was surprisingly warm considering Odega was a living inferno. Odega said when they separated, "But I can't just not tell anyone that you're... You're going rogue; Off the grid to try and defeat a giant Draconequus with no help."

"I have my sword, my armor, my skills, and my brain." Twilight turned around and twisted the dial until the lid popped open. Then slid it off and used her magic to pull out the blue-bladed sword covered in runes and a glowing pommel. She eyed it with longing and whispered, "That's all I need. The battle will be won, Odega. Tell if you must, but I'm not bringing anymore innocent lives with me to be lost in this fight I promised to be in."

Odega walked over to the desk and tried to bargain with her. "Twilight, they're soldiers. That's what they're supposed to do. Fight for you."

"They'll be in a fight they can't win." Twilight turned to Odega and said, "None of them faced Maheera but me. No one has faced that big Draconequus but me. My magic is strong, but even I know that it only does minimal damage with small streams. And they all have my magic in small streams. We need stronger, something more permanent. And we're running out of time. We don't have nearly enough for tests and spying. I have developed the weapons that only I can use. And if they get in the way, they will all be slaughtered by both of us on that battleground. And I'm not risking that. So I'm going, Odega. Watch my family for me."

Twilight sheathed the sword in a lead-infused scabbard on the wall, then strapped it to her waist. She walked around Odega and jumped through the portal she was building this whole time behind her back.

Odega gasped and whipped around. "Oh no you don't!!" She yelled. Then charged forward and jumped before it disappeared. She squealed and dived into the grassy ground under her hooves muzzle first. "Ahhh... Buck."



This was it. The final battle that would determine the sanity of Equus. When Twilight landed on the ground, she landed in darkness, just as Odega said. She had no idea where she was. It smelled of smoke and dust, a howling wind whistles against the back of her neck. But she knew she was in Equestria. For one, that's where the portal was made to take her. But where exactly was she?

Twilight lifted a hoof and placed it on her head. Crown still there. Great. Scabbard? Check. Twilight flicked her ears and listened closely. The wind hitting her neck originated from... Above her. She was trapped somewhere underground. Under the level she needed to be.

She teleported one more time up ten feet in a bright flash and appeared meters above the surface. There we go. The glow of the moon broke through the thick layer of red dust and shined down on the desolate remains of Los Pegasus.

To confirm this, she looked further down and saw the tall beacons that lined the ocean for the Psera to Equestria port, and vice versa. As well as the large block of steel they gave to them.

The beach was littered with sleeping Infected ponies. Guards, dragons, civilians. She was now in enemy territory. Twilight slowly moved forward up the beach but kept her eyes on those creatures. There was no telling when they would wake up.

She passed what used to make sense, but were now similar to this slithering sandwich crossing her path. Eww, that was just... Yeah, that was wrong. That was something Discord would do. Arcadia grimaced in disgust before getting back to her mission: Finding Maheera.

"Do you like it?" There she was.

Twilight stopped moving and glared ahead. Reclining in a chair made of sand with her head leaning on a hoof. More like a throne. Smirking at her with those evil yellow eyes. She's never seen Maheera in her pony form, but has indeed read about it. She looked like a regular black-coated unicorn that blended in with the destruction of this wondrous city. But if there was anything behind those glowing yellow eyes, she had way more magic in her than an average unicorn. She and Twilight would have a fair fight.

She pointed to the passing Sandwich and said, "I call him Dust the—DOOOF!!"

Maheera speared through her chair made of sand along with purple magical energy. Twilight's horn was smoking as a result of her blast. Her eyes were narrowed, glowing with anger.

Twilight unsheathed her sword and spun it into a stance. "I'm not here to talk."

Maheera bounced up on her hooves and snarled large sharp fangs at her with red eyes. "Neither am I!!" She yelled. Then darted straight for Twilight. She responded in kind. Both of their bodies glowed different shades of their colors. Maheera's a bright Red, Twilight's a blinding purple. Then they clashed, creating the shockwave that started the real battle. The real war.