//------------------------------// // The Uncrowned King // Story: Guardian // by Thule117 //------------------------------// Seldom in history, recent or distant, had Canterlot, capitol city of Equestria, been this crowded. From all across the land, tens of thousands of visitors had come, so many that the city scarcely had room for them all, the roads and alleys filled to bursting with the jubilant throngs. Parks, streets, and even the royal gardens, had needed to be converted to makeshift hotels, through the use of a combination of tents and magic, to accommodate the seemingly endless stream of guests flowing into the city. From Manehatten to the Dragonlands, from Fillydelphia to Griffonstone, and from Appaloosa to Yakyakistan, countless dignitaries and celebrants had come, all seeking to pay respect to the soon to be crowned: King of Equestria. Across the city, the streets reverberated with the sounds of celebration. Noble and commoner alike, rubbing shoulders in hopes of catching a glimpse of the princesses long lost betrothed. The Breaker of Beasts, The Conqueror of the Ursa, The Protector of the Kingdom, The Hero of Heroes. Titles such as these, and rumors without end, swirled through the air like pollen on the wind. One popular rumor, claimed the long lost king had the power to destroy a mountain with a flick of his finger. Another, swore that he had stopped a volcano erupting by simply glaring at it. Still others, brazenly declared that he had once pulled the stars from the heavens and turned them into sheets for princess Luna's bed, and made a pillow of woven sunlight for Celestia to lay her head upon. At times, it almost seemed the ponies of Canterlot were trying to outdo each other, as to who could tell the most wild tale of their new lord. Nor was it just ponies. The dragons claimed that Ember intended to request she be allowed to join Derran and the princesses' herd, in hopes of hatching a clutch of dragon demigods. The griffons said that Derran was the living reincarnation of the Idol of Boreas, come back to lead the world to glory. While the yaks had proudly proclaimed he was the avatar of one of their war gods from ancient times, and that prince Rutherford had come to humbly request the honor of being his equerry. The changelings had declared that as the one who had finally ended Chrysalis's reign of terror, King Thorax had come to offer Derran his entire kingdom as reward. These and many other tall tales, spread like wildfire, each more ridiculous than the last, and all told with the firm conviction of those who don't care if they're right or not. From the white marble spires of the palace, to the alabaster walls and purple tiled roofs of the noble estates, banners and pennants hung flapping in the breeze. Each one prominently displaying the runic insignia of the Doom Slayer, alongside the princesses cutiemarks. While in the sky adjacent to the lofty mountainside capital, hovered the majestic pegusus city of Cloudsdale, the entire floating metropolis having been flown to the capital, so that its residents might properly honor Equestria's newest leader. Rainbows lit up the sky with color, as the Wonderbolts wrote the Doom Slayer's sigil across the infinite blue in contrails of dark cloud, that sparked with lightning. All this and more, in preparation for the guest of honor's arrival. Beyond the clouds, the atmosphere was shot through by a daytime aurora of unprecedented majesty, courtesy of the Crystal Empire's Crystal Heart. The joy and happiness of the ponies there, having kept their kingdom's mystical treasure blazing for over a week since Derran's victory. In the main plaza where the king was to arrive, the mood was one of feverish excitement, as the finishing touches were placed upon the location. The main thoroughfare leading to the palace from the plaza had been completely cleared, save for the wide sidewalks packed with ponies, dragons, changelings, griffons, and yaks. A brilliant red carpet, covered the white quartz cobblestone street leading from the plaza to the castle's marble steps. The steps further leading up to a second elevated plaza in front of the castle gates, where, overlooking the entire city, stood a platform upon which were positioned five magnificent thrones. The thrones, four of pure white marble and one of onyx, were each carved with the cutiemarks of one of the princesses, inlaid with gold, moonstone, and crystal. Save for the onyx one in the center, which bore the sign of the Slayer, the symbol resplendent in blazing ruby. Already, the princesses, the friendship council, and the leaders of various foreign lands and species, stood assembled, dressed in their finest formal wear. Smiles adorned every face, as the princesses took their seats, in preparation for the start of the festivities. Nearby, off to the side atop a raised podium, Shining Armor waited. Fishing out his engraved golden pocket watch, a wedding gift from his parents, he again checked the time. After glancing at it for a few moments, Shining returned it to his military dress uniform's pocket, going over for the umpteenth time, the lyrics of the song that would accompany Derran's entrance. Shining had asked for the duty of musical herald specifically. Perhaps it was some degree of lingering guilt for what he had said to Derran the night before he faced Chrysalis, despite Derran insisting all was forgiven. But he couldn't help but feel he needed to do something, anything, to thank his dear friend, and soon to be king. Derran Grandel. . . in a moment when Chrysalis had almost taken everything from Shining Armor and Cadence, Derran had charged headlong into danger to take it all back on their behalf. As far as Shining was concerned, a song was the least of what he owed so wondrous a champion. Looking over to the position of the five thrones, Shining saw Cadence smile at him, as she held a giggling and squirming Flurry heart. With her mane done up in traditional Crystal Empire fashion, her braids and curls shimmering with woven in gemstones, Cadence almost seemed to glow with joy. The effect was further magnified by the glittering blue dress she wore, the hem, collar and sleeves, adorned with countless colorful crystals. Smiling back, Shining took a deep breath as he looked out in the direction of the plaza, where Derran would soon touch down. In the brief time Shining had glanced away, the crowd had grown still larger. Ponies even having taken position on the rooftops and balconies lining the street of the so-called 'Royal Mile'. The crowd only increasing further, as bleachers made of cloud, were pushed into position above the rooftops, pegusai, changelings, dragons, and griffons, rapidly filling the enchanted seats to capacity. Further down, the royal Canterlot guard took positions, flanking the brilliant red carpet lining the streets. With spears held high they wore grim and serious expressions, but Shining, having once been their commanding officer, could see how nervous they were, and he didn't blame them. Derran's actions had made it painfully clear, that the EUP Guard was, at best, obsolete, and at worst, glorified window dressing. Knowing that a single stallion, had utterly crushed an army they wouldn't have even been able to so much as slow down, had not been good for moral. Granted, had they, or the rest of Equestria for that matter, known about the army of literal super soldiers sleeping beneath their hooves, it probably would have been a lot worse. However, it had been decided that that particular part of Derran's story, was not yet ready for public consumption, despite the citizenry having been told pretty much everything else, in a number of royal press releases. Still, despite their private concerns, the guards did their duty, and Shining doubted they had much to worry about in any case. Derran wasn't the type to throw ponies out on the street on a whim. As the streets and sky filled with onlookers, Shining turned his gaze to the various foreign dignitaries standing alongside the princesses thrones. From the Dragonlands had come Ember, who had actually been here since a day or two after Derran's victory. She had come accompanied by hundreds of Dragons, who had then knelt before Derran and the princesses and begged their forgiveness. However, Derran and the Equestrian royals were quick to establish that Ember had nothing to apologize for. The few remaining changeling survivors of Chrysalis's army, having nowhere left to go, and thoroughly terrified of Equestria's Guardian, had surrendered unconditionally to the princesses. Afterwards, they had been all too happy to explain, in excruciating detail, the alliance Stormfang and his followers had made. As for Stormfang himself, his body was found atop the cliff where he and Chrysalis had observed the fight, his head taken off at the shoulders, his face frozen forever, in an expression of fear induced lunacy. For her part, Ember herself still looked a little nervous, standing with Spike and Thorax next to Twilight's throne, but was smiling nonetheless. Other leaders of note were Prince Rutherford, who had come at the head of a contingent of nearly one thousand ceremonially armed and armored yak warriors, as well as numerous members of yak nobility, artists, musicians, cooks, craftsyaks, and a large cohort of other civilians, who wished to personally pay homage to Derran and the princesses. As for the griffons, lacking a true formal government or leader, they had swiftly elected a frazzled, and thoroughly terrified of the idea, Gilda, as their new queen. Mostly on the grounds of: she was friends with two members of the Council of Friendship, who had declared she was responsible for spreading friendship to griffonkind. Therefore: this was her problem. Gilda had spent most of her initial time in Canterlot in a state of shell shock, before begging Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to help her find a way to get fired. She had been less than pleased to find out that one cannot simply 'fire' royalty. She had then despairingly floated the idea of starting a war with Equestria, so Derran could just end her misery. And her mood was not helped when Dash and Pinkie had then started addressing her as: 'Her Royal Supreme Majesty Grand Pooh-bah Gilda the First'. Eventually she ended up chasing a laughing Pinky and Rainbow around Canterlot, screeching oaths of vengeance, till Grandpa Gruff dragged her off to get ready for the ceremony. Then there was Thorax, leader of the New Changeling Kingdom. Honestly, out of all the others, Thorax seemed the most excited to be here. The entire hive had turned out with him, each singing, sometimes literally, the praises of the one who had taken down Chrysalis for good. Granted she was still alive, but locked up in Tartarus, with her magic completely suppressed, and her mind shattered, she was hardly a threat. Several of the best doctors from across Equestria had been called in to review her condition. They had stated that while it was possible she might recover, the odds were exceedingly low. As it stood, her mind was only barely able to function on the most basic level. Chrysalis was only just capable of feeding herself, and a group of nurses and guards had to be assigned to Tartarus to care for her. Fluttershy, ever the compassionate one, had suggested that maybe she could take care of Chrysalis, but Derran had been adamant in his opposition. Chrysalis, invalid or not, was a being to whom deception was like breathing, and Fluttershy was ill prepared to deal with her, if she were to regain her senses. Even if the odds were massively against it, the possibility of her recovering remained. Derran declared that he refused to allow the former changeling monarch even the tiniest chance of escape, maintaining that, if-and-when, Chrysalis ever awoke, it would be in chains. On arriving and hearing of his former queen's condition, Thorax had, in a surprisingly cold manner for him, backed Derran to the hilt, as had all of the princesses save Twilight. Twilight had endorsed Fluttershy's idea, more out of loyalty to her friend than because she believed it would work, citing Fluttershy's success with Discord. However Derran and the assembled royals had not been moved. Chrysalis, despite having ample opportunity, had never once shown remorse for her actions, and there was little reason to think that had changed. Not to mention that, unlike Discord, she had attacked with intent to kill. There was a difference, Derran had said, between being merciful, and being a fool, and Twilight had, if slightly reluctantly, agreed. That line of thought swiftly brought Shining Armor's gaze to his sister, who was positively beaming, in a simple but stylish yellow dress, trimmed in white lace. She had maintained that she still intended to date Derran for at least a year or so, before deciding if she would join him, Luna, and Celestia at the alter. But at this point, Shining was starting to wonder why she was even bothering. Much though his brotherly instincts rebelled against the idea, Shining really couldn't think of a finer stallion than Derran to stand at his sister's side. Add to that the fact that Shining was at least ninety five percent sure Twilight had had a crush on Celestia when she was younger, and that she and Luna got on quite well, and Shining seriously couldn't imagine why she didn't just say 'I do' right now. Still, that was Twilight for you, she never went into anything without a plan and careful study if she could help it. Besides, Shining would be lying if he said a part of him wasn't very relieved, that his sister wasn't rushing her and Derran's relationship. Inevitable outcome or not, a solid year of making sure was hardly a bad idea. It was at that moment, Shining's attention was redirected to his surroundings, the town bell striking the hour, as excited whispers and pointed hooves, drew attention to the sky. At long last the hour had come, and all had to admit, it did not disappoint. An awed hush fell over the crowd, as the ceremony began. Amid the clouds, and escorted by a phalanx of pegusai in gold and onyx armor, polished to a mirror finish, came a massive flying carriage. Pulled by ten pegusai, five of the rare bat winged variety favored by Luna, and five of the more common feather winged variety, the carriage was a work of art. Made of lacquered and polished ebony wood, it moved through the sky on enchanted wheels of iron and oak, the wood stained a glossy black, with spokes of shining gold, wrapped in silver wire made to look like vines and leaves. On the carriage's sides, was an inlaid golden filigree, resembling branches of oak and olive, artfully circling the crimson rune of the Doom Slayer. On the back of the conveyance, was a beautifully rendered outline of two ponies rearing up and supporting a crown with their outstretched forehooves, the crown made to look as if it was crafted of flames of scarlet, gold, and obsidian. In front of the carriage, just behind the ponies pulling it, and wrought of purest gold and silver, were statues of ponies balancing on their back hooves, as they threw their forehooves wide to the sky in celebration. Their metallic manes like fire, and their expressions rapturous. The top of the carriage was decorated with yet more gold and silver, in the shape of flickering flames, that seemed to ring the top of the conveyance in fire, while in the exact center of the roof, was a raised decoration in the shape of a shining golden crown, set with four massive rubies that seemed almost to catch fire, as the sun was reflected within them. Ponies, griffons, dragons, yaks, and changelings, let out expressions of awe, as the carriage descended in a long gentle slope from the sky. The guards alighting first, swiftly securing the area and getting in formation around the plaza. The carriage landing as smoothly as a falling feather. With a nod of her head, Celestia signaled Shining Armor and the band to begin. Instantly, drums and trumpets rang out across the city, swiftly followed by a synthesizer and electric guitar. The sounds blending into the tune of a D'nurean song, chosen by Celestia and Luna personally for the occasion. Taking a deep breath, the prince of the Crystal Empire, began to sing in a magically magnified voice, as the door to the carriage opened. . . . Song: Heart of Steel by Beast in Black He exited the carriage with an undeniable grace, smoothly straightening up to gaze out at the crowds, the massed throngs, awestruck from his appearance alone. He wore a military dress uniform, consisting of an immaculately pressed double breasted black coat. Fastened by golden buttons and trimmed in golden thread, the shoulders were decorated with buckled epaulets of black, gold, and crimson. The large folded cuffs of the sleeves were held secure by golden cuff links set with rubies. Meanwhile, the wide lapels of the coat folded outward to show a bit of the scarlet dress shirt beneath, with a high black collar embroidered with more gold thread. At the waist, the coat was fastened by a charcoal gray leather belt, decorated with golden punch holes along the center, and a large decorative buckle, shaped like a diamond on its side. The buckle, on closer inspection, was revealed as having been inlaid with onyx, and edged with gold, with a polished and flawlessly cut marquise ruby in the center. From one of the belt loops, hung several decorative braids of scarlet thread that hung along the figure's left side, connected to another belt loop in the back. Beneath the coat, which extended down to his thighs, he wore pants the same deep black color as the rest of his outfit, terminating in polished black leather dress boots, trimmed in scarlet fabric. Across the figure's shoulders, and attached to the epaulets of his coat, was a great black cape, lined in scarlet silk, the Doom Slayer symbol stitched upon the back in vermilion thread. Worn in a decorative lopsided fashion, the cape hid the figure's right arm entirely, granting him an air of dramatic mystery, as he straightened to his full height. Hair like an ebon waterfall flowed down his shoulders, as eyes like chips of ice swept over the staring crowd. With his face set, and his head held high, Derran Grandel, the soon to be king, stood tall. His appearance instantly setting the crowd into a frenzy of cheering. From out of the carriage behind him, came the five figures of his escort, all of whom Derran had personally selected to accompany him. Wearing tabards of blue trimmed in gold, and bearing an ancient D'nurian symbol for courage, a twin headed eagle with its wings swept wide, done in golden silk, were Dinky hooves, the Cutiemark Crusaders, and, with one front leg in a cast, Derpy Hooves. Derran waited as the four fillies assembled alongside him, two on his left, and two on his right, as Derpy took position in front of him. He had initially been concerned that Derpy's injury would prevent her from walking the full distance with him, but with a bit of levitation magic, and approval from her doctor, she, her daughter, and the crusaders, were now set to take the position of honor guard. With a salute, and a faint bow to the crowd from Derran, they began to move. Striding forth with a measured pace, nocreature could deny Derran's immense presence. Power flowed from his every pore, his back straight, his expression stern, and his eyes burning with purpose. As he passed, the guards assigned to keep the crowd contained, stood a bit straighter, a few breaking out in a cold sweat, as his aura swept over them. Behind the guards, the crowds smiled and bowed their heads in respect, as flower petals, supplied by innumerable hovering pegusai, began raining down from above like multicolored snow. A pair of the pegusai at one point, flying down to place a circlet of woven flowers atop Derran's head. Derran pausing for a moment to gingerly touch his hand to the decorative circlet in surprise, before offering a gentle smile and a nod of thanks, as the two smiling pegusai retreated back into the air. As he walked forward, Derran seemed to become almost a force of nature, Shining Armor's thundering song heralding his every step. At his side, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Dinky, smiled and stared around in awe for a moment, only to recall they were supposed to be an official escort, and forced themselves to look serious for a few moments, before again glancing around in wonder. Derpy, through it all, just kept smiling and walking, merely glad that so many other creatures were celebrating her heroic friend. Derpy had, when he came to her in the hospital, wondered why Derran had asked for her to accompany him on his coronation day, saying surely there were plenty of other ponies who deserved the invitation more. Derran had swiftly declared that there were not. Citing that, despite having almost no hope of success, Derpy had attempted to save Flurry Heart, in spite of being mind controlled, and surrounded by the enemy. Fighting tooth and hoof against impossible odds, without any combat training or experience, Derran stated that she had shown more courage and honor in five minutes, than most humans showed in their entire lives. Derpy had been a bit confused by that, explaining she couldn't imagine anypony doing less for a foal in danger. It was at that moment, Derpy had been surprised by Derran wrapping her in a gentle hug, sounding as if he was holding back tears as he spoke. "You speak of deserving, yet it is I, who stands unworthy of so courageous and noble a friend as you. It is only right that you walk before me in this ceremony, for yours is the will and power of a true hero." As they continued forward, Derpy turned to look over her shoulder at Derran, and gave him a cheerful smile. For just an instant, the stern facade of the conquering lord melted, and Derran offered his treasured friend a smile and a wink, before his expression became once more like beaten iron. Derpy continued to smile, turning to look ahead once more as the procession moved forward. Shining Armor's singing continuing to shake all of Canterlot with its refrain, as the group drew ever closer to the princesses, and Derran's waiting throne. Up the path they went, ponies, changelings, griffons, yaks, and dragons, all bowing to the king as he passed, every face split by impossibly wide grins. The world of the audience became a cyclone of sound, color, and emotion. As ever on went Shining armor's song. Finally, as Derran at last reached the foot of the stair to the plaza before the palace, the crowd, no longer able to contain their elation at this moment, joined in the chorus of the song, as it reached its finale. . . . In a mayhem of demons and fire In the rage of the howling storm One and all to the final trial In the hope of a brand new dawn For the heart, for the pride and for vengeance In a nightmare of dark and screams Holding on to the promise and their quest Unified through the last ordeal Unified in the fortune's wheel Unified for a golden dream With a heart of steel! Roaring it loud enough to shake the very foundations of the mountain Canterlot sat upon, as the king ascended toward his rightful throne. The song's conclusion was accompanied by an eruption of fireworks, so intense that even the daylight could not dim them, and a cheer so loud, it actually caused windows across the city to crack, and set the crowd's ears to ringing. As at last, the king and his procession arrived at the plaza, and stood before the thrones. Derpy, Dinky, and the Crusaders, parted from Derran with a quick bow, as he fell to one knee before the princesses. His fist over his heart, and his cape billowing in the breeze, as Derran bowed his head, and offered his fealty. The princesses beamed, and none more so than Celestia and Luna. Finally, after twelve hundred years of waiting, twelve hundred years of hoping, twelve hundred years of fearing, twelve hundred years of sorrow, guilt, anger, and nightmares, their king would be crowned! True, he wouldn't be the 'official' king till their wedding, but it was the gesture that mattered. Ponies, and others across the land, would now at last be able to properly honor the stallion, who had offered so much in their defense. And Celestia and Luna? They would at last have their beloved at their side, and this time, he wasn't going anywhere. The only true regret the princesses had, was that the rest of the Legion could not celebrate with them. One day, the princesses swore that they would find a way to free Equestria's most loyal protectors from their self imposed exile, without destroying their honor. But tragically, that day, would not be today. Nevertheless, the princesses smiled, as Derran stood, and took his seat upon his onyx throne. This was it, the moment everycreature had been waiting for. As Derran sat, gazing out over the crowd, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew into the air above him. Between them, held perfectly level, was the crown of the king. Made of magically altered onyx stone and mother of pearl, the crown was both simple and magnificent. Half the crown was as the night sky, a beautiful pitched black that glittered from within, as if hundreds of minute stars and galaxies were trapped inside the stone. The other half was like muted sunlight, glowing with a pure white light, as a rainbow of colors crawled across its surface. The two halves of the crown were joined in front as a seamless piece, swirling together into the double teardrop symbol of ancient Equestria. And in the exact center of that symbol, was the blazing red rune of the Doom Slayer, wrought in magically sculpted Ruby. Hovering in the air on either side of Derran, Rainbow and Fluttershy slowly descended, and inch by inch, the crown was lowered. The speed was agonizing, the crowd all but holding its breath, as it came down to the final two inches. Then, suddenly, held breaths, became stunned gasps. As, without a hint of warning, Derran reached up with two fingers. . . and stopped the crown, scarcely an inch from being placed on his head. While with the other hand, he resolutely stopped Fluttershy's hoof from removing the simple crown of flowers he already wore. Before anycreature could speak, Derran had risen from his throne, the crown in hand, as he looked out over the crowd with a weary smile. Removing the ring of flowers from his head, he stared at it intently. Woven of simple daisies and buttercups, it seemed a poor substitute for the magnificent crown of stars and sunlight in his other hand. Yet Derran held it up, presenting it to the crowd as if it were the true adornment of the king. "A crown. . ." Derran began, displaying the chain of daisies for all to see. "not of gold, silver, or gems, but no less meaningful for what it represents." A murmur went up from the crowd, confusion on every face. "A crown represents not power, nor wealth or status. . . it represents responsibility." The crowd now watched Derran with rapt attention, eager to see what he was getting at. "Part of responsibility, is knowing when you are unequal to a task. To look past ego, pride, and desire, see oneself in a light of pure honesty, and accept the truth of what you behold. And that is why. . . I must refuse the honor of being king." A gasp of shock reverberated across the crowd, as dozens of hushed conversations broke out. Derran raised his hand, and instantly silence returned. "A leader of nations, must ever be able to keep themselves above things like pride, and petty ego. To weigh every decision with care and forethought, unbound by the idea of personal gain. To act for the good of the many. . . over the few. This is a task that, to my shame, I have yet to truly master." This declaration was met with looks of sadness and disappointment, as Derran continued. "I can be your Guardian, I can be my beloved ladies husband, and I can be a friend and ally to all children of the Seraphim, but. . . I cannot be your king." At that, pandemonium erupted from the crowd, thousands of voices shouting out in protest or pleas to reconsider. Most were unintelligible, but one caught Derran's attention. "Please Lord Derran! We need our king!" At that, Derran once more raised his hand, the simple gesture working again to instantly quiet the crowd. Derran's expression became stern, as he fixed those before him with a calculating glare. "Why?" He asked simply. For a moment, ponies looked at each other in confusion, and Derran continued as if he had never expected an answer. "What need have you, any of you, for a king?" Shuffling uncertainly, the crowd seemed momentarily wronghoofed. "For over five hundred years, Ladies Celestia and Luna, guided this land to peace and prosperity with wisdom and kindness. After Lady Luna's banishment, and despite suffering endlessly from the loss of her beloved sister and greatest confidant, Lady Celestia led this land through a further one thousand years of peace and prosperity. Lady Twilight and the Friendship Council, even before Lady Twilight received her crown, thwarted countless threats to the safety and security of this realm. While Lady Cadence and Lord Shining Armor, defeated the first changeling invasion, and were instrumental in the ultimate destruction of the vile tyrant Sombra." Here Derran gestured at the still occupied thrones behind him. "You say you need a King, yet you live in a land already led by goddesses and heroes! I tell you now, you do not, nor have you ever, needed a king!" Derran's gaze once more swept over the crowd, taking in the expressions of sorrow, disappointment, and a few, of guilt. Then, suddenly, a pair of elegantly dressed and smiling nobles, stepped out from the crowd. Derran's gaze narrowed, as he saw Fancy Pants and Fleur De' Lys move forward, drawing the attention of everycreature in view. With a strange twinkle in their eyes, the pair suddenly began to chant. . . . "Hail! Hail! The Uncrowned King! Hail! Hail! The Uncrowned King!" Swiftly, the crowd behind the pair of noble's began to echo the chant. Looks of disappointment instantly replaced with the beginnings of smiles. "Hail! Hail! The Uncrowned King!!" Opening his mouth, Derran tried to think of a way to shut down the chant, but it was too late, the words spreading like wildfire. All those assembled, whooping and cheering, as the volume of the chant steadily increased. "HAIL! HAIL! THE UNCROWNED KING!!" Glancing behind him, Derran saw the foreign dignitaries, the Friendship Council, and even the princesses, take up the chant, each wearing a massive grin. The chant continued to spread, until from end to end, the capitol rang with the sound. "HAIL! HAIL! THE UNCROWNED KING!!!" Derran, glancing around wildly, felt the entire city shake, as the crowd roared out the chant. It took a good ten minutes for the sound to die down, as Derran glared at Fleur De' Lys. He had a feeling this little scheme was her idea, as she cheekily winked at him. "You can refuse the crown my friend." Fancy Pants declared. "Give us all the reason in the world why you're unworthy, or that we don't need you. But at the end of the day, I think we're all in agreement, that you are our king." Derran put on his sternest expression, as he glared at the Canterlot Noble. "With respect, Lord Fancy Pants, the matter is decided, I refuse the crown." At that point, Fleur De' Lys let out a delicate laugh, as for the first time, Derran heard her speak to him aloud. Her voice completely at ease, and with a faint trace of an accent. "Then, we shall all simply have to hound you until you accept." She declared. Derran opened his mouth to reply, but was just a hair too slow. "Well said my little pony." Came the voice of Celestia, as she levitated the crown of the king away, while replacing the crown of flowers back on Derran's head. "After all. . . we have an eternity to convince you." Turning back to glare at Celestia's smirking face, Derran wanted to be angry, truly he did, but for once, the man some had called 'too angry to die', just couldn't manage it. Letting out a deep laugh, Derran shook his head. "My father's blessed spirit is no doubt laughing himself to a second death right now." Derran muttered under his breath, as he chuckled to himself. "Well my love, if you are quite done trying to be a stick in the mud, perhaps you would like to start the festivities?" Asked a grinning Luna. Letting out a long suffering, but now insincere, sigh, Derran met Luna's grin with one of his own. "And may I ask how you would like me to do that milady?" He asked, as if he didn't already know. Luna arched an eyebrow playfully. "The way Equestrian's always have. . . with a song." Derran let out another chuckle. "As you wish, my beloved." He stated, as he turned back to face the crowd, taking the crown of flowers from atop his skull. Twirling it around his finger a few times before tossing it perfectly onto Rainbow Dash's head, and ignoring her falsely indignant shout of protest. Looking over his shoulder, Derran shot Celestia and Luna a look that made the pair instantly blush. "You know my Ladies. . ." Derran began, his voice containing an odd hint of mischief. "it has been an awfully long time since I sang, our song." At that, Celestia and Luna's faces lit up, their mouths splitting into wide grins, as Derran then turned his attention to Twilight. "Mayhap after today, this song will belong to one more, if. . . she deem it worthy?" He declared with a smirk, that made Twilight instantly feel like her face had caught fire. "Lady Pinkamina, if you would be so kind?" Derran asked, directing his gaze to the pink party pony. "You got it DG!" She declared happily, seeming to wink out of existence, before reappearing a moment later. "Ready as confetti teddy!" She stated proudly. Rainbow nodded, unable to contain her own enthusiasm as she spoke. "Aww yeah! Bring this house down!!" Derran nodded as an electric guitar began to play. . . . Song: Into the Night by Santana, (feat. Chad Kroeger) As the song began, everycreature found themselves instantly enchanted. The lyrics bringing blushes and grins to the faces of all, as Derran's voice rang out. Then, as the chorus began, Derran whipped around to face the princesses, beckoning Celestia, Luna, and Twilight off their thrones. Moving as smoothly as if under a compulsion, the princesses walked forward, deliriously happy expressions on their faces, as they began to dance at Derran's side. Swaying and moving around one another, it didn't take long for the Uncrowned King and the princesses to inspire others. Stomping hooves and clapping claws, every creature in the city of Canterlot began to dance. Grabbing hold of whomever was near, they allowed themselves to fall under the song's spell, as they moved to the beat. Across every face, blazing grins could be seen, as the myriad assembled species, moved to the scream of the guitar, the rattle of drums, and the sound of Derran's voice. Ember took hold of Thorax's hoof with her claw, and pulled him into her orbit. Pinky snatched up Prince Rutherford in a veritable earthquake of movement, as Rainbow and Gilda twirled in the air. Fluttershy was reluctant, till Discord, dressed in his finest zoot suit, took her hoof. Applejack somehow ended up with a laughing Fleur De Lis, while Rarity put a furiously blushing Spike through his paces like she was queen of the dance floor. Cadence all but yanked Shining Armor from his podium, practically glowing with energy, as she felt a veritable tsunami of love and joy wash over her. Flurry, meanwhile, had fled her mother's grasp, and was currently leading the Crusaders and Dinky through what could best be described as a clumsy 'mid air tango' with her magic. Through it all however, the true show remained with Derran, Celestia, Luna, and Twilight. Seeming as if a single entity, the princesses twirled and slid past Derran with a fluid grace. As he sang, Derran went to each princess in turn, looking them in the eye, as he caressed each of their faces with a hand, a smile of purest love and devotion on his face, as his voice rolled over them. With movements both precise and teasing, Celestia, Luna, and Twilight's dancing was every bit as enrapturing as Derran's song. The combination of the two elements was so enthralling, that any who looked at them directly, were struck dumb with awe. Grinning like madponies, Derran and the princesses auras of power and grace, seemed to blend together, commanding the attention of everycreature present as they took to the sky. Nocreature could say who's magic was responsible, but with flaring wings and stomping hooves, the princesses and Derran, levitated into the air. Moving as if still on solid ground, Derran and the three royals seemed so consumed with one another, that it was doubtful they even realized what was happening. Then finally, as the song wound down, the four figures began to slowly float back to earth, to the stunned, but joyous, expressions of everycreature present. And, when at last the song ended, so thunderous was the applause, that it seemed as if the city would tumble from the side of the mountain. . . . Derran, Celestia and Luna, laughed as none of the three had done in nearly twelve hundred years. After bidding an exhausted, but insanely happy, Twilight, goodnight, and giving her an accompanying trio of goodnight kisses, on a furiously blushing cheek, Derran Luna and Celestia had stayed up to talk. The energy of the partying and feasting still going on beyond the castle walls, keeping them awake and alert, despite countless dances, games, and stomachs filled with indulgent food. It was well past midnight when finally they had headed toward Celestia and Luna's chambers, yet still, none of the three felt the least bit tired. Celestia and Luna sighed happily, as they leaned into Derran, and he for his part, held them close, every step of the way. "It all still feels like a dream. . . ." Derran mused. "I still feel afraid that at any moment I will wake, and find I am still back in Hell, or on Mars." Luna draped a wing over her love's shoulder, using it to hold him still closer. "Do not fear my beloved. I can personally assure you, that this, is no dream." Celestia nodded. "Indeed, though, I must confess to similar feelings. After so long, to have you back is a dream come true." She declared, as she nuzzled Derran's cheek, while wrapping her own wing around him. Taking a deep breath, Derran let out a sigh. "I. . . I should never have left you alone. My departure was perhaps justified, but I could have at least left Michael to-" Luna swiftly shifted her wing, to press one of her primary feathers against Derran's lips, as dexterously as if it were a finger. "Shh, enough of that. You are finally home, no more self recrimination, or blaming yourself for what you could not possibly foresee." Leaning into the comforting softness of Luna's wing, Derran felt tears flow from his eyes, his voice shaking with emotion. "I missed you both so much. Even as I buried the memories of our love to focus on my mission, the pain of your loss never truly left me. It was as if there was a constant emptiness in my heart, that I was unable to understand or fill. In truth, a part of me came to fear moments of quiet, for it was when that maddening emptiness most pained me. If ever I were to lose you again, I fear I could not survive it." He declared, his voice choking, as he struggled to maintain his composure. Celestia smiled, as she wiped Derran's tears away with a hoof. "Then it's a good thing we have no intention of letting you go again." She declared. Derran chuckled, as he finally managed to regain control of himself. "Not even the Light itself could persuade me to leave your sides my beloveds. Unto the end of time, I am yours and Lady Twilight's." Luna sighed happily as Celestia nuzzled Derran again. For several minutes, they moved through the halls in loving silence, before Celestia spoke. "By the way, we like your new look." Celestia stated with a chuckle, as she leaned her head against Derran's shoulder. Derran couldn't help but laugh at that. "Ah yes, my hair." Derran declared with a self deprecating smile. "Twelve hundred years without a barber will do that." "It is quite alluring. It makes you look wild and untamed. . . like a ferocious but noble beast of legend." Luna purred, a hint of something less than innocent in her voice. "Or perhaps a strong and handsome drifter, who rolls into the life of an unsuspecting mare with gentle hooves, a heart of gold, and words of honey." Celestia nodded. "Indeed, though I admit, I myself never had any complaints about that crewcut you used to have. I found it made you look tough and authoritative, and I've always had a bit of a thing for authority." Here Celestia lowered her voice. "A princess sometimes grows tired of being treated like a flower, and craves something a bit more. . . rough." Celestia whispered, her lips scant inches from Derran's ear. Unconsciously swallowing, Derran tried to ignore the slight burn on his cheeks, as they arrived at Celestia's room. Standing in front of the door, several seconds passed before Derran spoke. "Are you not going to go inside milady?" Derran asked, suddenly very aware of the two mares on either side of him, each pressing their bodies to his, as they brushed his neck, back, and arms, with their unnaturally soft wings. Celestia gave an innocent smile. "Well I would, but I am a bit. . . worried." Derran stood stalk still, has pulse rising, as he felt Celestia's breath on his neck. "With what happened with Chrysalis, Luna and I thought it might be best to have a little. . . sisterly sleepover." Derran cleared his throat uneasily as he replied. "And. . . why should that worry you?" He asked. "We are but two helpless princesses." Luna replied, her tone like silk. "Even together, we are surely no match for whatever monsters may lurk in the darkness of my sisters boudoir." She whispered. "We require a strong knight to protect us." Derran briefly had to struggle not to laugh. If there was one adjective that had no place describing beings capable of rendering a planet into monotomic ash with a flick of their horns, it was: 'helpless'. However, all humor was driven from him, as he asked a very pertinent question. "And what does Lady Twilight think?" He asked, his voice taking on an ever-so-slight note of steel. Celestia smiled warmly, as she took a temporary time out from their little pseudo roll-play. "Do not worry, Luna, Twilight and I, all had a nice long talk about this a few days ago. Twilight isn't comfortable yet joining us in the bedroom, but she doesn't mind if we want to. . . blow off some steam, so to speak. We offered to wait until she felt ready, but she said that after twelve hundred years of self imposed chastity, she wouldn't feel right making us wait any longer." Derran arched an eyebrow in surprise at that, as Luna nodded. "We asked if she'd like to join us tonight, but she said it was too soon for her. Between us three, I feel she might be a bit scared of not measuring up." Derran nodded, only half listening as he replied. "Have neither of you really taken another to bed since our last time?" He asked, slightly incredulous. Celestia shrugged. "I considered it once or twice, but if I'm honest, doing so felt like it would be an admission that you weren't coming back, and in the end, I could just never bring myself to go through with it. So I just got used to taking care of my desires myself." She replied. "It was much the same for me." Luna stated, her tone becoming somber. "Even after I was freed of Nightmare Moon, I couldn't bring myself to concede that you might be dead. Even with one thousand years of suppressed urges hitting me at once, I just couldn't bring myself to. . . replace you." Those words, hit Derran like a dagger to the heart. His own cruel declarations from twelve hundred years in the past, coming back to haunt him. Shaking off the effect with a degree of effort, Derran let out a sigh. "I would not have minded you know. . . . Even had you known I was still alive, it would not have made me love you any less had you indulged yourselves. You had every right to enjoy intimacy in my absence, a right to. . . move on. I care for you both more than I can describe, I would never seek to deny you such comfort." Celestia smiled, giving Derran a chaste kiss on the cheek. "You didn't deny us, we made the choice for ourselves." She stated, her voice soothing. "Neither of us regrets our decision." Luna nodded. "We knew you would have wanted us to move on, it is not your fault that we refused." She declared confidently. Derran gave a slow nod. "As long as you are happy, that is all that matters to me." He stated, his voice heavy with emotion. Celestia and Luna, both gave Derran a loving smile. "We know." Celestia declared, her tone warm, before turning playful again a second later. "Now that we've gotten all that out of the way, my loyal knight. . . ." Here Celestia put on a seductive smirk, as she opened the door to her bedroom, swaying her hips enticingly as she entered, before glancing over her shoulder with a devilish smile. " Are you ready to. . . serve your princesses?" Derran grinned, as Luna moved to stand by her sister, licking her lips provocatively. Suddenly acutely aware of how long he himself had gone without the pleasures of the flesh, Derran felt a blazing heat circulate throughout his body, walking into the room as he replied. "Well. . . I do live to serve." Before, with a smirk, quietly closing, and locking, the door. . . . Sargent John Kline, blinked sweat out of his eyes beneath his helmet, as he struggled to keep hold of his nerves. Nothing in his nearly ten years serving in the marines, nor his three serving in UN Task Force Bravo, had prepared him for anything like this. He had fought in battles all across the globe, from skirmishes against insurgents in the war torn badlands of North Korea and China, to hunting down drug cartels in the United Republics of India. He'd even fought in South America once, against a hidden compound of armed to the teeth Neo-Nazis. John had seen men blown to pieces by mines, cut down by gunfire, and even evaporated by plasma. He remembered desperately trying to hold the guts of one of his best friends inside his shredded torso, while he spent his final moments screaming and crying desperately for his mother. He'd seen the bodies of children piled and burned by terrorists, and the brutalized corpses of sex slaves tortured to death by sick bastards with a fetish for homicide. None of that, prepared him for what he was seeing now. The UAC Mars facility. . . was a true Hell. Blood and bodies were everywhere. Those few still recognizable as human, appearing in varying states of evisceration and dismemberment. While the rest. . . John couldn't even describe them. 'Monsters', was the best he could do. As no creatures such as these, held any place in a sane world. Small sinewy horrors with sharp fangs and sharper claws, pink skinned dinosaur-like monstrosities with teeth like daggers. Repugnantly obese cyclops's whose corpses were surrounded by pools of corrosive ichor. Beasts with horned heads and fiery red skin, that were as tall as a two story building, and endless other unholy creatures too vile to tell of, littered the metal corridors and chambers of the massive UAC complex. In some places the blood had pooled deep enough to get to ankle height, while in others, corridors had become nearly blocked by piles of limbs and organs. The stench of rotting meat and sulfur was so strong, it managed to penetrate even the sealed tactical suits of John and his team, as they struggled through a self contained living nightmare. "What in god's name happened here?" Asked Corporal Stiener, trying and failing to keep his voice steady, as he adjusted his grip on his heavy assault rifle. "Fucked if I know." Replied Private Ramirez. "This is some real Nightmare on Elm Street shit." He declared, staring at the mutilated body, of what might once have been a member of the UAC's private security. "Scans say there's no life signs of any kind in the entire base, or at least, the parts I can access. UAC really didn't want anyone unauthorized tapping into their net, even malfunctioning six ways to Sunday, the firewalls are insane." Specialist Yin reported, her voice clipped and efficient, though her team knew her well enough to recognize the tremor of controlled fear in her voice. "I can't believe the brass back on Earth didn't know about any of this! I mean seriously! What the fuck are these things?! Aliens?!" Demanded Private Second Class Axel, checking his plasma rifle for what must have been the fifth time. "Stow it all of you." John commanded, adding enough snap to his voice to make it clear he wasn't asking. "We were sent here to do a job, and that's exactly what we're going to do." Around him, his team gave various answering affirmatives, their helmets hiding their still uneasy expressions. "Stiener, you and Ramirez head further in and secure our rout to the facility command center. Stay together, heads on a swivel, don't be stupid, don't be a hero." Stiener and Ramirez nodded as they immediately headed to carry out their orders. "Yin, can you access the security cameras? Maybe the facility comms?" Yin shook her head. "Sorry sir, all locked by executive override. I'd need to find someone with clearance to bypass it. All I was able to pull up is a local map, and some picture files that I'm still trying to decrypt." John sighed. "Then I guess we're going in without eyes." He declared, hefting his own assault rifle. "Everyone, get ready to move the instant Stiener and Ramirez report in. "Hey sir, you notice that a lot of these. . . whatever the fuck they are, died from gunshot wounds?" Axel remarked, pointing to the nearest corpse of some eight foot ebon skinned brute, that seemed to have had its head and one arm blown off. John tried to ignore the churning in his stomach, as he glanced at the creature. "Likely UAC security teams, they would have tried to hold this area in the event of an emergency." He stated, as he turned his gaze away from the monster, and the aura of lingering terror that seemed to roll off of it like an invisible fog. Axel however, just huffed and pointed at something. "Then how do you explain that?" He asked. Reluctantly following his subordinate's finger, John felt his eyes widen as he saw what was being indicated. It was the open door near the corpse, designed to slide up into the ceiling, it appeared to have been forced open, if the sparks periodically coming from it were any indication. To John's shock, there were two sets of five indentations in the bottom of the door. "Are those. . ." John began. Axel nodded. "Spacing and size are about perfect for human fingers. And take a look at that monster's arm." For a second time, John tracked his gaze to the unsettling, eight foot creature's corpse. Nearby, was the remains of the arm John had thought had been taken off by a shotgun or grenade, now looking a bit closer, he felt his eyes widen once again, as he noted a series of odd marks. "I've seen men strangled enough times to know what the bruising from fingers looks like. And I've seen enough limbs taken off to know the difference between one that's been blown off, vs one that's been torn. Whoever, or whatever, killed that thing, ripped its arm clean off with one hand, then forced open a security blast door held shut with enough power to cut a human body clean in half. I don't care how tough these UAC merc's are, no human alive should be capable of that." John shook his head, not liking what he was hearing. Fortunately, he was saved from having to respond by the crackle of his comm. "Sir, we just reached the entrance to the command center. Dear god. . . this place is a slaughterhouse, bodies everywhere. I don't know what these things were fighting, but it ripped them to shreds." Stiener's voice trembled slightly as he continued. "The entrance is sealed, big door, triple reinforced titanium/hardened steel alloy, and carbon nanofilament reinforcement. Only way through something like this, is a key, or a nuke." John tried to avoid thinking about how shaken Stiener sounded. The Corporal was a veteran, and had seen nearly as much as John himself had, if he was spooked, it meant shit was well and truly fucked up ahead. Then again, it might not just be the bodies. Ever since entering the facility, John had felt. . . wrong. It was like this whole place was unclean somehow, like the feeling you get when you faintly smell a chemical you know is toxic, in an enclosed space. The sensation clinging to his body like a film of oil against his skin, never abating, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. John tried not to wonder how much his superiors actually knew about this situation. The mission had been billed as rescue and recovery, and had been cobbled together quickly, before the UAC could officially object. Technically falling under United Nations jurisdiction, John wasn't fool enough to think for a moment this was a goodwill mission. His superiors had made it very clear, that he was to get copies of any and all data stored in the UAC Mars base, rescue of base personnel, if at all possible, would just be a bonus. John knew full well what his bosses were really after, the answer to the world's greatest mystery, the source and harvesting process, of Argent Energy, the world's single source of electricity. "Yin! Axel! pack it in! We're moving out! Yin, get your hacking tools out, got a door I need opened, and I'd rather not have to blow half the facility to do it." Axel hurried to cover the corridor leading to Stiener and Ramirez, but Yin stayed put, staring at the tablet in her hand and furiously typing away. After a moment or two, John moved to Yin's side. "Earth to Specialist Yin. I believe your direct superior just gave you an order." He declared, his tone even. Yin had a habit of tuning out the world when she was focusing on something interesting. But for every time Yin's bouts of tunnel vision had been a distraction, John could count two, where her attention to detail had saved all their lives. As a result, he was willing to overlook her various eccentricities, even when they occasionally bordered on insubordination. "One moment sir, I think. . . there! I managed to decrypt those photos and. . . who. . . who is that?!" Yin asked, her tone making it unclear if she was talking to the room or her sargent. Looking over Yin's shoulder, John stared at the tablet, and instantly, felt a faint chill run through his body. The image was slightly blurred, but there was no mistaking what it depicted. A man, approximately six feet tall, and covered from head to toe in a suit of sealed armor, was shown in the process of ripping off the head of a cybernetically augmented monster, resembling a giant flayed human skeleton, with nothing more than his bare hands. John swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry as he replied. "I have no idea. . . ." Yin seemed just as unnerved, as she tried to calculate the kind of muscular force required to decapitate such a creature in so brutal a manner. "His armor has no ident tags, no IFF signal, no allegiance markings of any kind, and the design is like nothing produced by any known manufacturer or country. At least, according to the little scan data I could pull from the image." Yin remarked, clearly unsettled by a lack of anything concrete in the recording. "Black ops maybe?" John offered. Yin shook her head. "No, there's a designation label for him attached to the picture. That means he's in the system. I can't decode the label, but the UAC definitely knew this guy." John nodded slowly as he glared at the image. "Make a ghost copy of everything you find, then send it over to my personal tablet, usual decryption key." Yin glanced up at him, clearly uneasy. "Sir. . . isn't that against protocol? You could get arrested if it's found." John nodded. 'Ghost Copy' was a slang term for a secret copy of data, hidden in the code of other programs or images, and requiring a special one-time-use decoding software or 'Key' to read. "I'm aware, but I want a backup in the event things go sideways. Call it the paranoia of an old wardog." Yin nodded as her fingers flew across her tablet. "Done sir." Yin declared. "Ghost copy is being written in real time, anything we find, you'll have a backup of." John nodded gratefully, smiling behind his helmet. "Thanks Yin, now let's move." Nodding, Yin rose to her feet, dismissing the unnerving image, and placing her tablet back in her bag. John followed behind her, trying not to wonder what kind of soldier was strong enough, and crazy enough, to attack monsters with nothing but his fists. The entrance to the command center was even worse than Stiener had described. The ground was littered with so many corpses, that the cratered and pitted tile floor was barely visible. The large open room in front of the entrance, was at least as big as two barns stacked next to each other. Three of the walls broken by openings into large hallways, all clogged by debris and corpses, save for the one John and his team had come down. The fourth wall was centered around a circular armored door, big enough for three men to walk through side by side, and that looked like the entrance to a massive bank vault. Two destroyed high caliber auto turrets, were positioned on either side of it. Stiener and Ramirez stood stock still, amid the charnel ruin before the door, helmets tilted toward the ceiling. Though their expressions were hidden, John could feel the fear coming off the pair, as they gazed upward. Ramirez unconsciously crossed himself, as he clutched at the crucifix his team members knew was hidden beneath his armored chestplate. "The hell is the matter with you two?" Axel demanded. "You look like you've seen. . . a. . . ." Axel trailed off as he glanced upward. "What in the fuck?!" He whispered, as John and Yin glanced skyward, Yin letting out an involuntary gasp. Above their heads, dripping blood down onto the floor, was an elaborate symbol, made from half melted human limbs and bodies, nailed to the ceiling with bits of broken metal beams. Yin, her voice trembling, identified the symbol by reflex. "A pentagram. . . used by various pagan religions as a symbol of protection, or, if inverted, as this one appears to be, as a sign representing-" "The Devil." Ramirez whispered. Yin, seemingly unphased by the interruption, simply nodded. "Yes." She replied. John said nothing, as he stared at the bodies making up the grizzly symbol. Bringing up the zoom function of his helmet's tactical display, he examined the corpses. Appearing almost like wax, they seemed unnaturally melded together. The few visible heads were stretched and distorted, but there was no mistaking their expressions of agony and terror. Additionally, it appeared that someone had taken an inordinate amount of time and care, to carve a series of strange twisting runes onto the corpses flesh. "What do those symbols mean?" John asked, his voice muted by a fear he was trying hard not to express. Yin swallowed as she ran a scan. "No known matches in any terrestrial language. Your guess is as good as mine." She replied. "We. . . we shouldn't be here." Ramirez whispered, his voice filled with a barely controlled fear. "This, is an unholy place." Axel gave a humorless laugh. "Most soldiers just call that Tuesday." Ramirez's helmet snapped to look at Axel, clearly angry. But John interrupted before he could say anything. "Alright that's enough both of you! Like I said, we have a job to do! Yin, get that door open, I don't care how! The rest of you, cover the hallways, scans say we're alone, but I want us ready in case they're proven wrong!" As his team hurried off to carry out their orders, John pointedly focused on not looking at either the symbol overhead, or the bodies surrounding him. When he got home, he was going to have a long talk with his brother, even if he was a newly minted member of the upper command chain, his little bro was in good with some of the top brass back home in the states. Whatever had happened here, and despite it being way above his pay grade, it was clear the UAC had a lot to answer for. Ignoring an unpleasant squelching sound, as he stepped on the entrails of some corpulent abomination he didn't care to look at directly, John moved to watch Yin's back himself. As she pulled out her gear and interfaced with the door's locking mechanism, John struggled to ignore the steadily growing unease pooling in his gut. Something horrifying had been unleashed here, something beyond his ability to quantify or understand. He could have easily passed off the monsters surrounding him as aliens, or genetically engineered beasts. Yet John somehow instinctively knew, that would just be a comforting lie. Whatever had happened here, it clearly went beyond a simple lab accident, or unethical experimentation. Something truly unnatural had happened on this base, something that spoke to an instinctive dread in John's soul. As he pondered, he couldn't help but consider Ramirez's assessment. In his heart, John couldn't escape the feeling, that he and his team should indeed: not be there. "Hmm, odd. . . ." Yin muttered to herself. Instantly John was broken out of his dark pondering. "What is it?" He asked, hoping it wasn't a delay. Increasingly, he wanted more and more to simply run back to the ship, and nuke this place from orbit, orders be damned. Yin's response was heavy with suspicion. "Someone overrode the encryption on this door, and effectively rewrote it. It's still locked, but now any hacker who knows even the basics could force it open. It's as if whoever did it, wanted to make sure it could be opened." Instantly, John felt a flare of paranoia. "A trap?" He asked. Yin shook her head. "I don't think so, it's a bit too obvious for that. It's more like someone wanted the door to be locked to anyone who wasn't. . ." Yin trailed off. "Wasn't what?" John asked, trying not to feel a slight stab of unease. "Human." Yin breathed out, clearly not liking the implications. "Also, there's one more thing. Our briefing said there was supposed to be an advanced AI on site, but I can't find a trace of it. Supposedly, it ran nearly everything in the facility, but as near as I can tell, the systems have all been switched to manual." "Let me guess, via executive override?" Yin nodded. "Yes, which implies that either the AI went rogue, or it was destroyed. Honestly the systems are such a mess, it could take days to narrow it down." John shook his head. "Just get us inside, Yin." He declared, as he hefted his weapon and opened his comm to the rest of the team. "Stiener, you and Ramirez guard our exit! Axel! With me!" Taking position on either side of the massive circle of reinforced metal, John and Axel checked weapons as Stiener and Ramirez took positions crouched behind Yin, facing out and into the room. "Once Yin gets the door open, Axel and I will do a sweep and clear. Once we give the ok, Yin, I want you to come in behind us and plug into the main command system, download everything. If we find any civilians, Axel and I guard Yin, while Ramirez and Steiner escort them to evac. We clear?" John demanded. "SIR!" Declared his team. John nodded. "Yin, whenever you're ready." Yin nodded as she typed in a command. "Door opening in three. . . two. . . one. . . now!" A sound of pneumatics, and the hiss of metal sliding across metal, accompanied the door shifting backwards slightly, before rolling away in two pieces into the wall on either side, at a brisk but unhurried, pace. Patiently, John and Axel waited until the nearly ten foot thick, multi-part door, was entirely out of the way, before swiftly moving inside. Weapons pointed down, but ready for use, John and Axel advanced up along a tube-like, ten foot wide metal corridor, lit from above by stark white LED strips. Several mutilated human bodies, lay inert on the floor of the blood spattered hall, John did his best to ignore them, as he and Axel advanced at speed. At the end, a second, but no less formidable looking security door, barred their path. Once more flanking the door, John opened his comm to call Yin, only for the door to open on its own. "I didn't do that." Yin immediately declared, her voice tight with concern. "Someone opened the door from the inside." John gave a quick acknowledgement over the comm, as he nodded to Axel. "UNITED NATIONS TASK FORCE BRAVO!!" John shouted. "WE ARE HERE TO EVACUATE YOU!!" Only dead silence answered. John jerked two fingers toward the door, and Axel nodded as he moved through the opening. A second later, John heard the stunned voice of his subordinate. "Holy shit! Sir, you better take a look at this!" Moving through the door, John scanned the room, only to stop his gaze dead, when he saw its single occupant. John, almost too stunned to think, managed to activate his comms. "Yin, patch me through to earth. Priority Alpha communication." He growled. Yin knew better than to question her CO when he used that tone. Setting up the connection without a word, as John stared at the being in front of him. He was badly damaged, missing an arm and a leg, that appeared to have been torn out at the socket. The front of what now passed for his seven foot tall body, was blackened and rent open by what seemed to be explosive shrapnel. Exposed wires and damaged circuitry, showed through holes in his chest. While his metallic head, lolled uncertainly against the bank of barely functional computers he had hooked himself up to. The glowing strip of light that served as a substitute for his face, pulsed faintly, as John's radio crackled to life. "This is UN station Omega One, go ahead Bravo." John swallowed, almost unable to speak through his shock. There would be a time, in the not so distant future, when John Kline would come to curse the words he spoke next. Had he but known what those words would cost, not just him and his team personally, but all of creation. Had he had even an inkling of the horrors the being before him, both had, and would, inflict on the multiverse. Had he suspected, even for the merest instant, the evil he was about to unleash. John Kline, loyal defender of his country. . . beloved brother, son, team leader. . . and loving father and husband. Would have happily killed himself and his team, without a second thought. Tragically, John Kline was no soothsayer, no fortuneteller, no diviner of the inscrutable nature of fate. At that moment, all John Kline was, was a man with good intentions. It was those intentions, and the words they inspired, that would pave a path to Hell like none before it. . . . "This is UN Taskforce Bravo, Sargent John Kline! We found him. . . we found Samual Hayden!" Soundtrack: Next Bullet by Blacktop Mojo -TO BE CONTINUED- DERRAN GRANDEL WILL RETURN IN BOOK II OF THE GUARDIAN SAGA: LEGION AND IN THE SOON TO BE PUBLISHED NOVELLA: DOOM SLAYER!!! SPECIAL THANKS TO: My two former editors, who's hard work helped make this story more amazing than even I thought it could be. BurningDusk Bronyshot My dear Friend Mike, who listens to my crazy rants and still stays my friend. My friend Kate, who was literally the first friend I ever made, and who despite having a life filled with more crazy than Pinkie Pie and Discord combined, still makes time for me. My Parents, who love and support me. My sisters, who remind me that my insanity is in fact: all natural. All my wonderful readers who offered encouragement, advice, and endless motivation to keep going. ID Software, makers of DOOM, who birthed the only lord and savior we will ever need. The MLP fandom, for being the best fandom in the world! And of course, the endlessly talented creators of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, may you walk always in the Light's grace.