//------------------------------// // Conflict // Story: Today We Summon Unity! // by Chemtest //------------------------------// The ponies of Dodge Junction run and hide in fear from the encroaching Red Hive. They cower in their homes, only to have loud bangs sound and rip them to shreds. The changeling commander looks over the battlefield, “Unit three and four, equip tranquilizers, we want these ponies alive. Unit one, pick up the ponies for transport. Unit two, make sure none escape. Five and six, you have overwatch duty, have the Ver ready.” The changeling soldiers immediately follow commands, all making sure that their guns will not kill any ponies. The thestral crossbreed nods, “Remember, these are gifts from King Blueblood, we are not to lose any of them. Losing you gun is a death warrant, so don’t.” The changelings continue rounding up the ponies within the town, executing any other race. The thestral crossbreed’s eyes start to glow, and she nods, “Units five and six are to hold fire. Every other unit, abandon your duties and prepare for a counterattack. I want three lasers in every window, and a plasma in every door. Everyling else, get your guns set back to lethal.” Atreyos, Harry, Joseph, and Robin all rush towards the burning town from the rail station. The fire can be seen from far off, meaning trouble. Or fun, if you are from Inamorata. But when they arrive, they do not see any raving mad bandits, nor do they see any sign of life. All that is there are the burning ruins of Dodge Junction. Robin draws an arrow, “Keep your eyes peeled, everyone, I have a feeling that something off is about to happen.” They begin to slowly march forward, their simultaneous steps causing a firm march in the ground. But then the ground starts shaking, right behind the Speartons, in the middle of the Swordwrath warriors. They all stop, and the shaking stops as well. One Swordwrath looks around, and shakes his head, “It’s nothing.” He takes a step outside of the group, and the shaking starts once more. A giant sand worm pierces the ground, swallowing the Swordwrath in a single bite. Robin fires off an arrow, hitting it in the eye, “Archidon, fire!” The worm is filled with arrows, causing it to fall down, dead. But then a different series of sounds ring. A loud bang, a zap, and the sound of someone melting. Atreyos barely blocks a green glob of plasma, and he shouts, “Spearton, shield wall, protect the Archidon!” Robin fires an arrow into a building, “Changelings, in the windows!” Magikill minions rise from the ground as Harry also shouts, “In the doors, overwhelm them!” The other Magikill all summon their own minions as the Archidon start to fire off arrows. The Swordwrath look to their leader as he raises his blade, “Swordwrath, charge!” They all charge towards a group of changelings in the street, carrying weapons that release a projectile with a loud bang. Joseph swings his blade, cutting the projectiles before they can reach him. His Swordwrath all do the same, although not to the same effectiveness. The Spearton form a square around the Archidon, raising shields to block the lasers being shot at the Archidon, and making it so only their bow can be seen. The Magikill minions die quickly, but they are created even quicker. Even one changeling who carries a rotating plasma caster that fires very fast struggles. The thestral crossbreed looks down upon them from her vantage point. She shakes her head, “We’ll lose changelings at this point. This a pointless battle.” Her eyes glow red, and she speaks, “Unit five and six, retreat immediately, they cannot get their hands on plasma or laser!” The Archidon arrows and Magikill minions lose their mission as the changelings start to flee from the buildings. The Swordwrath meet the mass of changelings firing at them, and start to slash away at them. The crossbreed shakes her head, “Every unit, retreat. Ver located at Alpha, Echo, and Golf.” The changeling’s spread their wings and fly away from the warriors, still getting cut down by the Archidon. They fly towards the different meeting points, and fly into the mouth of the Ver. The Ver burrow back underground, and escape back to their home base. The Inamorataians look around at the burned city. Atreyos shakes his head, “If there is anyone there, don’t worry, you are safe!” A filly slowly comes out of one of the remaining houses, “Are the bad ponies gone?” Atreyos walks over to the foal, putting his spear over his shoulder, “Don’t worry, they won’t be back.” She looks up at the armored man, “Where’s my mommy?” Atreyos looks around, not seeing any more ponies come out of their house, “What is your name?” She looks around, “Dark Dawn, but I go by Dawny.” Atreyos smiles, “Well, Dawny, we are going to try and find your parents. Until then, how would you like the be able to talk to the Princess?” She looks up at him, “Really?!” Atreyos nods, “Yep. We were sent by the Princess herself, and I’m sure she would be happy to keep your company until we can find your parents.” He looks to the army, “Joseph, Robin! Take care of her and prepare to go back to the city, please.” Robin nods, and smiles at the filly, “Hey, you wanna see me shoot an apple off of Joseph’s head?” She nods and smiles, “Sure!” Atreyos watches them walk away, until someone calls his name, “Atreyos!” He turns around to see Harry motioning for him to come closer. He jogs over, “What is it?” Harry picks something up from the ground, right next to the body of a changeling. He shows it to Atreyos, it’s grey exterior still shining in the light, “This.” Atreyos takes the object, and examines it, “No... there’s no way.” He points it in the distance, and pulls the lever. The thing fires off a burst of projectiles with a loud bang. He throws the machine gun to the ground, and backs away from it, “How?!” Harry shakes his head, “It is obvious that we are dealing with more than simple changelings.” Atreyos kicks the object away, “How is an Old World gun here?! Ever since the Destruction, we destroyed all of them! Hell, the Destruction destroyed most of them! What of those plasma guns as well?! They definitely aren’t from the Geneva Era! These artifacts are impossible! What tricks are you playing, Harry?!” Harry looks down, “It isn’t a trick, Atreyos. The enemy are equipped with arifacts we thought long destroyed.” Atreyos looks up at him, “What if they get the Bombs? We cannot let Equestria become the next Inamorata!” Harry steps up, “Why not? You can never answer that, Atreyos. Why not make them the next Inamorata!?” Atreyos looks in his eye, “Because they are weak, Harry. They are not warriors, they are civilians clinging to a Magic within Friendship. They are pure, and we never were. They do not have Bombs or artifacts like we did in the Geneva Era. So we must make sure they will not ever have them.” Harry speaks as Atreyos turns around, “We are going to need someone to track down the changelings. Someone smart, someone fast, someone strong.” Atreyos stops, and thinks for a second. He then continues on, “Set for Ponyville, we make to retrieve Spike and Rainbow Dash!” ——— King Blueblood growls, and punches the crossbreed to the floor, “Worthless!” The crossbreed looks up, “I only want to serve you, King Blueblood!” He glares at her, “Well, you failed, Friten! You retreated when you could’ve easily killed more of their army!” Friten stands in defiance, “I saved changeling lives!” Blueblood spits in her face, “As if I care. Changeling lives are worthless, all that matters is victory and gaining a loyal army of ponies!” Brutus walks into the chamber, and glares at Blueblood, “What the hell do you think you are doing to my soldier!?” King Blueblood turns to him, “Punishing her.” Brutus walks right into his face, “First you build weapons just like the artifacts, then you punish my soldier yourself! I am coming closer to quitting on your everyday, Blueblood!” Blueblood smiles, “And I could kill you before you take a single step out of the door, Brutus. But Friten here is your soldier no longer. No, I have a fitting punishment.” He looks at her, “You are to watch the workers in the factory. You shall be forced to watch as all these changelings you ‘saved’ are killed to make our weapon.” Brutus steps forward, “Excuse me!?” Blueblood turns to him, “You are excused.” Brutus growls at him, “You are going to kill soldiers all for this one weapon? Why?!” Blueblood turns away from him, slapping him away with his rotting wing. Brutus goes flying as Blueblood turns to face him once more, “You do not know the power of the Nuke, Brutus! With a single one of these, we can wipe Canterhorn Mountain off the map, and kill the royalty of Equestria in a single blow! Then all shall bow to me!” He laughs, “I was forged in Balefire, shaped by Zalgo, and now I carry more power than any on this world! I am made of revenge, I am born of vengeance, I am created just to spite Raven, and I shall reclaim my throne from him! He may be powerful, but he shall before the might of a combined pony race led by me!” Brutus spits out a tooth, only to have it grow back instantly. He looks at Blueblood as he laughs maniacally, and starts to rub his cheek. Yet as he sees his black armor, he remembers why he is here. Yet his resolve starts to fade as he looks back at Blueblood. He continues his laughter, with the blue glow from his necklace casting a pitch black shadow against the far wall. It is almost like two red, bleeding eyes can be seen from within the walls.