//------------------------------//
// 171 - The More Things Change... 
// Story: An Extended Holiday 
// by Commander_Pensword 
//------------------------------//

Extended Holiday
Chapter 171: The More Things Change...




Fives years came and went, almost flashing by. Things remained mostly quiet. Neither Unicorns nor the Pegasi darkened Unity’s door for the entire time. Ponies continued to stream to Unity seeking protection, safety, or simply a means for a fresh start. Sometimes, a band of Gryphons showed up looking for work as well, and were integrated into Unity’s ever-growing populace.

Hurricane’s recruitment drives were highly successful, and the army’s ranks swelled with new cadets. All were put through training and drills. They were trained hard, despite the peace, and the results were obvious. Unity had several scores of highly disciplined and incredibly well-armed soldiers.

Clover’s mage college was also established in the interim. Within, groups of battle mages received high-end education in the art of battlefield magic. Foci and spells were appearing every day in new and interesting ways as the craft was pushed to new ideas and new heights.

Anderson’s flock had grown quite large. Music and prayers constantly filtered from the church as the Gryphon had a service three times a week, and Heinkel had one on the weekend.

Ainz’s tomb had grown to enormous proportions, thanks to his unending workforce. The whole thing was sealed in a dimensional spell that kept anyone from entering or leaving, except by means of the door. As such, the Diamond Dogs were completely unaware of the mass of undead entombed beside their mine. Over time, creatures appeared in the tomb not of the undead persuasion. Ainz assured Hammer Strike each was safely bound under him. Each was apparently a master in different aspects of dark magic and dark magical science.

Tarefson, for his part, kept himself mostly to the tomb. He’d taken over one massive chamber as his own, inside of which he kept a coffin, a chair, and nothing else. He spent most days sitting in the dark, as if waiting for something.

Binding slowly fell into his role as administrator of Unity. While he kept his spellcasting sharp, and was often seen in the company of his erstwhile companions when not working, he was most often found behind his desk scribbling away at paperwork.

Luna had asked to be placed within the military at the base level, and to be trained as one of the rookies. Hurricane refused at first, but eventually Hammer Strike convinced him, and luna learned about life in a real army. Possibly thanks to her genetics, or possibly thanks to life with Hammer Strike, she took to it earnestly and easily. She rose quickly in the ranks on her own merits. She spent most of her free time stargazing or smithing, and she’d come a long way in her craft. She smiled for a full week when Hammer Strike had personally tested one of her daggers and declared it, “passable.”

Yharon’s feathers continued to grow and shine. His scutes thickened along his chest, and the dark hide around his horns and face toughened as his features became more refined. Age had granted new development as his tail grew spikes, and new pulsing crevices developed where the flow of his magic followed his heartbeat. With the growth of his new appendage came the increased requirement of combat training. Control was key, if he didn’t want to accidentally damage one of the buildings. He could still fit inside buildings, but the mass his body had accumulated was beginning to cause some difficulty when he navigated the halls and furniture. Fortunately, Clover was able to teach him a spell to help modify his size to make it easier on him. With puberty came a massive spike in his magical power, and so Yharon had to balance his combat classes with magical manipulation. The Dragon eventually became so skilled that Clover offered to have him assist in some of her beginner courses.

Celestia, meanwhile, had yet to discover her place in Unity. Yes, she could bake, cook, debate, study magic, and even teach, which proved to be her favorite activity. But despite this and the family connections she had enjoyed, something just didn’t feel right. She was distracted when her brush touched the canvas, even going so far as to accidentally paint a casual observer. She gradually became more pensive and solitary, sticking to writing in a scroll or reviewing notes and journals their mother had left behind in the tablets.

Poultice Solution and his mate had taken great solace in the demise of Bleeding Heart. And while it didn’t lessen the pain when they lost their little filly, it did allow them to close the page on that dreadful chapter and open the way to the beginning of the next one. The two rekindled their spark and eventually brought forth new life. They named him Muninn, after the manner of the old tongue, that he may always be a reminder to them of what they had lost and gained. When the colt wasn’t playing with others or helping in the gardens, he would often visit his sister’s grave to speak with her.

Clover thrust herself into her lessons, and not just lessons with Hammer Strike. She threw herself into lessons with Ainz and his compatriots, adding dark magic into her retinue with ease. She spent weeks fine-tuning enchantments with Binding, and even researched into Earth Pony and Pegasus magic. She bought every book of magic she could from wherever she might find, be it Gryphon, Minotaur, Roo, and even one or two tomes from the Kitsune Empire.

Her relationship with Hammer Strike had changed. It wasn’t love; not at this time. They both realized and acknowledged that, but found comfort and release from the stress of their lives in each other. They had an unspoken rule not to talk about what was happening between them in front of others, and things seemed good.

And after the saga of the vampires, good was positively brilliant. Every member of Unity pledged silently to make each day count. And by Faust, they were going to do it.





Hammer Strike sighed to himself as he exited his forge. He had just finished a few new pieces of equipment for the guard, and was now needed elsewhere. Clover was out near his personal training fields close to the mines, based off his rough estimate of the time.

He blinked a few times as he exited the house and looked over the town with a small smile. He nodded to himself and turned on the spot, then strode toward the training fields to join the mare. Occasionally, he would give a nod toward some of the guards he passed as they saluted.

It didn’t take him long to finally arrive at his training grounds. Clover had already started practicing some of the earlier bits of training, forming aspect crystals and breaking them down with ease, shaping them with barely any effort.

“I hope you didn’t have to wait long,” Hammer Strike commented as he drew near.

“Not at all.” She smiled at him as she reformed several aspect crystals into a severely detailed sixty-four-point pentagram.

“Let’s see.” Hammer Strike hummed to himself. “I’ve covered most of the general stuff. Perhaps we can look into some artifice work now. I can show you the methods of making objects and equipment using thaumaturgy.”

“That sounds useful.” Clover grinned. “I wonder if it could be combined with mage artifice?”

“It most certainly can.” Hammer Strike gave a small smile. “Remember, despite being separate from magic, it can tie itself to magic and other miscellaneous fields of influence.”

“That could potentially create severely potent magical items. So, where do we start?”

“First, we need to start on the basics of it.” Hammer Strike reached into his coat and pulled out a few objects. “Let me show you the process of tying it to magic in the first place.”

Over the course of an hour, he showed Clover the methods of tracing magic and how to differentiate between user, world, and battery. He made sure to give a valid example of each for her to break down in her own time to further her knowledge of the art.

Like many other things, Clover took to it like a fish took to water. She had already grasped most of the basic and intermediate concepts by the end of the hour.

“Now, as for the whole effect part, that’s a vastly different concept. But it should be relatively the same as standard magic artificing.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “Relatively being the key word.”

“And key words can change everything,” Clover concluded.

“Exactly.” Hammer Strike nodded. “We’ll cover more on that tomorrow, however, as I’m positive it will take quite some time to go through everything.” Then he sighed.

“Yeah, it would be good to take a break.” Clover smiled. “You busy?”

“Not entirely. I’ve got a few pieces of platemail to have finished by the end of the week, but I’m mostly clear on that already.”

“Is that where you got the shavings in your beard?”

Hammer Strike raised a brow before shrugging. “I’d guess so. I suppose it is time for me to trim my beard.”  he commented, rubbing the edge of his jaw.

Clover grinned mischievously and wrapped a hoof around his neck. “You can trim it later.”

“Oh, my.”





Hammer Strike yawned to himself as he entered his house. It was later in the day than he anticipated returning home, but it wasn’t like anyone would complain. He gave a wave to Celestia, Luna, and Yharon as he entered the house and made his way toward his bedroom.

Passing by his bed, he entered his bathroom and, by habit, took out a few knives in preparation. Looking in the mirror, he noted that he did have some grey specks stuck to his beard in several sections. He frowned and brushed through the hairs in an attempt to clean up his beard, only for the specks to remain.

He sighed as he leaned closer for more detailed scrutiny. Finally, he realized the source of the problem. Those weren’t metal shavings in his beard.

His beard was starting to go grey.

He furrowed his brows as he looked over his facial hair for each section. It was only incredibly small patches and singular hairs, but it was there. He took a step back and examined himself further in the mirror. He didn’t appear to show any other major signs of age, but that typically did come later. His frown deepened as he thought over his potential cases.

“I can’t let that show,” he muttered. “The potential outcomes would put worry in some citizens. Celestia, Luna, and Yharon, too. Though whether Celestia and Luna remember the medical cube is up in the air....” He hummed to himself.

“You’re overreacting,” Harmony noted as she materialized by his side.

“Perhaps. But it holds some truth. If the citizens of Unity were to see me aging, they’d focus on what’s to come, a successor, etcetera.”

“Is that not how the order of things is meant to progress?”

“In a normal way, yes.” Hammer Strike nodded. “But you should know me well enough by now.” He stood and made his way toward the basement.

“And how often do you intend to renew yourself like this?”

“As many times as needed,” Hammer Strike replied as he made his way down to the level where the medical cube was held. “No matter the risks. No matter the pain it may cause me.”

“You will need to let things go one day, Hammer Strike.” Harmony sighed. “I just hope you’ll be able to when it comes.”

“I will eventually, but today isn’t that day.” He smiled sadly at Harmony. “I have to wait for the Doctor, who I’m positive is searching for a valid point in time to land. After that, we’ll see where life takes me.”

“Wherever it does, I’ll be waiting for you.” And then the projection did something he had never experienced before. She strode up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

“Well,” he chuckled. “We did end up making a tie.” He gave her a small smile as he placed his hoof on the lock of the cube. The door opened quickly with a sharp hiss as the system engaged. He stepped inside and strode through the airlock and general decontamination. The inside of the cube hadn’t changed a day since he established it.

Taking a breath, he looked to the center of the room and steadied himself before moving toward the console.

“Let’s see. General revitalization,” he muttered, tapping away at several inputs. “Sounds about right, yeah?”

“Is there any other kind?”

“Not really.” Hammer Strike glanced over the other options and reined in his emotions. “Mostly stuff about augments, and I think I’m fine in that regard.”

“Then shall we begin?”

“I’d suggest you perhaps not watch the process. If it’s anything like previous experiences, then it’s not a pretty sight. Yes, you’re an embodiment. Yes, you’ve probably seen similar from your time before coming to the mortal realm, but I’d still prefer you step out for a little bit, all right?”

“If that’s what you wish.” Harmony nodded and slowly faded from sight. “See you on the other side.”

Hammer Strike nodded. Once she was gone, he activated the machine. The medical table’s restraints clicked open for him to place himself within. Taking a shaky breath, he moved onto the table, ensuring everything was in place before it all clicked shut.

“It’s for the better,” he muttered to himself as the tube above whired to life.

“It’s for the better.” He took a breath as the tube cracked open and a needle of fluid came down and pierced into his neck.

“It’s … for the better,” he slurred as the sedative kicked in, rendering the world dark.





Hammer Strike groaned as consciousness returned to him. He was still on the table, though it no longer held him in place, having released him some time ago. After a moment, he turned himself over, landing on his hooves with a wobble as he regained his footing. “That’s a strange feeling.” he muttered aloud. “Harmony, it’s done.”

“And how are you feeling?” the manifestation of order asked as she materialized within the chamber.

“Honestly, a lot better.” He stretched to work out the kinks. “Feels like a weight has been lifted off me.” He looked to Harmony and frowned. “Did you…?” Then he looked down at himself and around the room. “Did you get shorter?”

“No. You grew taller.”

“Did I?” Hammer Strike looked around once again. “It … does seem like it. How much else did I change?” he asked as he approached the terminal and began to review the results.

“You mean other than looking younger against the natural order of things?”

“Yes.”

“Not that I can see, but you could always call up a mirror and look for yourself. I wouldn’t be surprised if that feature was included as a part of this device.”

“It does have a mirror, but I’ll look after I read the report of what was done. Based on the data here, It looks like I picked the wrong option? I’m actually not one hundred percent sure, but it appears the revitalization was focused on Alicorn care, which means it read me on the unhealthy side in terms of my growth.” He frowned. “It also removed some augments, apparently, mostly stuff that appeared to have burned out or malfunctioned.”

“Do you feel different as a result?”

“Notably better, actually.” Hammer Strike grinned as he moved toward a full length mirror. He noted that besides the increase in height, his mane had fully returned to a darker brown, and his fur appeared healthier than it once was.

“You certainly are handsome. I’d be careful about that, if I were you. You might just draw the eye of some mares you don’t want courting.”

“Don’t remind me.” Hammer Strike sighed. “Especially those with political gains in mind,” he muttered.

“Best answer to that is to find someone who isn’t like that, then. Even if it’s in name only, it will save you a lot of grief in the long run.”

“Probably.” He sighed again. “I just realized something. This is going to be interesting to explain, if they start asking questions….”

“Then I would figure out an answer to tell them, if I were you. Perhaps something to do with phoenixes? They do tend to renew themselves after a number of years.”

“That could work, utilizing the energy of a phoenix through thaumaturgy to revitalize someone.” Hammer Strike hummed as he put on his coat, noting how the sleeves had become too short before moving toward the airlock. “That’d potentially work.”

“Though I trust you have no intention of actually trying said feat.”

“...Right, yeah, I wouldn’t,” Hammer Strike replied as he exited the medical cube.

“You know I can tell when order is disturbed, including with your conscience, right?” Harmony deadpanned.

“Of course,” Hammer Strike replied with a faint grin. “But you made the contract, and that means you get to stick with me.” He chuckled as he made his way topside.

“True. Let’s hope I don’t regret it the next few centuries.” She smirked and followed behind.

“Celestia, Luna, Yharon,” Hammer Strike called out as he entered the house proper. “I miss anything important?”

“You mean other than another delegation of Earth Ponies coming to join the community?” Celestia asked. “One of them has a … curious quirk. They seem frightened of the slightest perceived disturbance to the point of screaming, then fainting.”

“We first discovered this when she saw me,” Yharon noted dryly as he dug at an ear with one of his claws. “My head is still ringing.”

“Sounds about right.” Hammer Strike sighed. “It’s been a few hours since I went down there, right?”

“Three and a half, give or take,” Luna noted.

“Better than expected.” Hammer Strike hummed. “I suppose I should prepare my next lesson with Clover. If anything comes up, I’ll be in my study.”

“Yes, Sir.” Yharon nodded, then yawned. “Anyone else feeling a little tired?”

“Can’t say that I am. Though something does feel odd.” Celestia tapped her chin with a wingtip. “I can’t quite put my hoof on it.”

“Did he look different to you?” Luna asked.

“He looked relaxed,” Yharon said. “Other than that, … I’m not sure.”

“I suppose we can ask him at dinner,” Celestia noted. “At best, he’ll tell us the truth. At worst, he’ll tell us to leave it alone and accept that if he did something, it’s fine.”

“That … does seem to be how he normally operates,” Yharon agreed.

“In the meantime, how about a sparring match to wake you up, brother?” Luna smirked, and Yharon gulped.





The air was solemn as Anderson stood before the pulpit of the congregation. The pews were silent, the many Ponies riveted as the Gryphon took a drink from a flask, then sighed.

“Brothers and sisters of Unity, it’s with a sad heart that I stand before you lot today. I stand before you, because I have heard of those who seek to spread the good word of Faust to their neighbors in our community. And that desire is a good one. But such desires should not be allowed to cloud our judgement, nor drive us to blows.

“Aye, word has reached me of conflict between our neighbors. Betwixt Pegasi and Unicorn. Between Earth Pony and Pegasus. And between Earth Pony and Unicorn. It’s even gone so far as to pull some Gryphons into the fray.”

He peered intently at the parishioners, never singling out any particular individual, but making sure that each held his attention, and that he held theirs in turn. “Many here believe Faust to be a divine matron and mother; flawless, perfect in every way. And it’s good to think so. What child doesn’t think the world of its mother when she shows such love and care? Why wouldn’t that child wish to show that same love to their friends, to adopt them, to unite them as a whole?” Anderson laid his talons on either side of the pulpit and braced himself. “But as children grow and learn, they inevitably come to know more of the world, of its cruelties, of its realities. The dream is stripped away, and as they learn, they come to see that the world they knew and the beliefs they held may not have been entirely true. As many of us who have faced the hardships of life have learned, our parents are not perfect. No mother or father ever is. So it is with every family. And so it is with the gods.”

A low murmur rose up from the congregation.

“As you all know, I am a Gryphon. I was raised in the traditions and beliefs of my forebears under the Winds, gods who did and do exist just as much as Faust or Sleipnir. Now, there is a tale in our history that many of you children may not know. Perhaps some of you have heard of it in your … discussions.”

Some of the mares and stallions flinched at the word, and Anderson continued.

“Our race, the race of the Gryphon, has been around for a very long time. We came into being long before you lot were conceived. It’s why we call ourselves the second born, because Faust created us after the Alicorns.

“And like any mother, Faust took great care in our making. It is not entirely clear how she crafted each of us. Whether from stardust, the earth, the sky. We don’t know. What we do know, however, is that at some point, the great god Sleipnir offered a single hair from his own mane to contribute to the making. And it is because of this hair that we as a people carry such warlike tendencies. Our instinct tells us to hunt, to prey, to dominate. And in those early days, we did so with reckless abandon, as any child is wont to do with their initial instincts. Whether it be to suckle, to cry, to yank at the mane, to cast magic wantonly, to conjure wind storms and eddies with a few beats of our wings. Each of us has these phases through which we must pass. And our parents must weather the storm of these phases as they teach us the proper way.”

Anderson’s head drooped as his glasses flashed. “Unfortunately, our mother Faust was not an experienced parent at the time. And when she saw us act in accordance with those impulses, she was filled not with patience or understanding, but an overwhelming horror. Whether it was that she believed we could not be taught or simply that she was afraid to hurt us, or perhaps some other reason we have not yet conceived, we do not know. What is known to us is that she chose to abandon us, we, her second born, to face those instincts alone with neither hand nor hoof nor wing nor horn to guide.

“We Gryphons were monsters back then: primal, uncivilized, lost. Until our cries of sorrow and wrath were finally heard. And shortly after, they were answered. Five voices answered. Five voices called. And five voices claimed.

“From the north arose the mighty Wind of Wrath with its cold wintry breath. He tempered our people’s rage into a tool for us to control, and provided the harsh discipline we required to keep us in check and force us to grow.

“From the east came the Wind of Knowledge, whose vast stores gave us the tools necessary to craft the beginnings of a nation and civilization with laws and order to govern. 

“From the south came the gentle Wind of Love, whose soft caress gave us the succor we had been denied by our first mother. She taught us the value of caring for our own, for respecting the bonds of family and friendship, and the chance to respect other life, even if we proved superior to it.

“From the west came the Wind of Competition. He taught us how to settle conflicts between ourselves without going to war. He turned our drive for dominance into the fuel that would propel us to become better and stronger than our fellow created. We would endure the tedium of study, the rigors of labor, and find joy in the thrilling excitement of competition and the hunt.

“And last of all, the fifth Wind, the Immutable Aspect, the Keeper of Balance, Gatekeeper of Life and Death. This Wind taught the Gryphons the value of life, the sacred nature of blood, and the heavy burden that came with shedding it without cause or reason. It taught us the importance of avoiding depleting our hunting grounds, and the necessity to acknowledge the sapience of other races, no matter how crude they may appear, because they too were born from nothing, and they too had a role to play in the eternal cycle that the fifth Wind represented.

“Without these five gods, we would not stand before you today. We would have destroyed ourselves long ago. And to deny their involvement would be to deny the existence of any god, for even Faust herself acknowledges their existence.” The pulpit creaked under the force of Anderson’s grip as his talons dug into the wood. “This abandonment is why many of the Gryphons you encounter today refuse to convert. Our mother abandoned us. And she weeps with regret at that choice. But she cannot take back her decision, just as we cannot take back our own actions, nor the consequences that stem from them.

“My reasons for converting are my own. But there are few, if any other Gryphons that will give her the chance to be their mother again. And before any of you go and say this couldn’t possibly have happened, you should know one of the reasons I converted is because I heard her apology. I saw her regret. I was shown the kindness of her children, you children. And she begged me to help you lot stay on the path, not for her sake, but for yours. That’s what I’m doing now with this sermon. So, I’m going to be real with you for a moment and let you see just a hint of what I show the heathens that dare to strike out against the innocent of our Mother’s flock.” He grinned, baring his teeth as the light reflected off his glasses and he drew himself up to his full height. “And I carry a warning. Death will come on swift wings to whoever dares disturb the peace. Our Mother wants the harmony we showed united against the vampire scourge, against the wicked forces of the Pegasi that sought to murder and plunder for their own selfish aims. She wants that same vigilance against those who believe themselves to be higher and mightier than their fellows.”

He withdrew a single silver throwing knife from his robe. “It is the sacred duty of myself and all those who walk my path with me to punish the demon, the heretic, and the false god. Also, any daft cunts that might be part of that.” He threw the knife with expert accuracy at one of the walls. Its shaft vibrated ominously. “So, in short, if you want to teach and discuss religion, that’s fine. But the moment you go trying to start a crusade or force someone else to agree with you, if the contract you bound yourselves to doesn’t kill you, I will. And I’ll have Faust’s blessing while I do it.” He lowered himself and relaxed his predatory pose, then smiled peacefully at the congregation. “So, I’m glad we got that settled. See you lot at the next sermon. Also, if any of you are interested, I’m holding a basic course on certain aspects of monster hunting and self-preservation techniques you can use against the lesser creatures of the night. You’ll find the flyers waiting on either side of the door on your way out. Looking forward to seeing you there.” He smiled beatifically and raised his arms and wings in benediction. “Faust bless and keep you all.”

The congregation was sober as they departed, and Heinkel calmly removed the knife from the wall to return to her tutor and mentor. “I think they got the message.”

Anderson sighed. “Doesn’t make it any easier. I hate having to use fear. And I’ve still got another three sermons to go.”

“Shall I get you more brandy?”

“That … might actually help, yes. And Heinkel?”

“Yes?”

“Bring a whole barrel.”

“... Yes, Father Anderson.”





Hammer Strike stood at the head of the meeting table. Before him stood everyone in the inner circle: Clover, Ainz, Binding, Hurricane, Lord, and those Hammer Strike had cleared to join with them.

“I’ve called this meeting to instate a new method of dealing with currency, rather than just lumps of gold weighed out haphazardly.”

“I wondered when we would get around to that,” Binding noted. “Which system have you chosen to go with?”

Hammer Strike lifted a golden square plate up for the group to see. “Slates. Nice and simple, and…” He turned the slate over to reveal the number five on the back. “Weighted and marked appropriately.”

“All gold?” Clover asked

“Correct,” Hammer Strike replied with a grin as he placed it on the table and proceeded to slide one out to each council member.

“Last I checked, you thought gold was, and I quote, ‘So entirely bucking useless, it’s not even funny. It just looks pretty,’” Clover commented.

“Yes, but most societies are using it for currency. So, unless you want a currency that only works here…” Hammer Strike sighed.

“Unity also has more gold ore available than most areas,” Clover countered. “Wouldn’t this make outside currencies worth significantly less by default?”

“That’s why we have to manage the currency flow, to keep things at a leveled rate without … breaking anything outside of Unity.”

“So, your plan is to introduce these slates in order to lessen the amount of gold creatures need to carry?”

“To assist in its carry capacity and storage capacity,” Hammer Strike explained.

“How will we introduce these, then?” Ainz asked.

“That’s the trick.” Hammer Strike sighed. “It’ll most likely be introduced through our bank/treasury to civilians as time progresses.”

“Which reminds me, we really do need to see about getting a proper head of treasury for Unity,” Binding said.

“Finding someone for the job is the trick.” Hammer Strike hummed. “I wonder if Yharon would be up for expanding his knowledge in a different direction….”

“Would he be able to resist his species’ traditional hoard lust?” Binding asked.

“He’s not a standard Dragon,” Hammer Strike reminded. “His instincts are different than a scaled dragon. From what I’ve been able to gather, while he has some urge to collect, it’s not a hoard instinct.”

“If he can develop the necessary skill set, I have no objections,” Binding replied. “What does the rest of the council think?”

“It seems acceptable,” Ainz said.

Clover nodded.

“I suppose,” Hurricane added.

“It is reasonable,” Lord said.

“I’ll bring this up with him when I see him.” Hammer Strike nodded. “This should help clear up civilians’ bags and assist them in future endeavors. Beyond that, we’ve also got a new business starting up, surprisingly. A local brewery.”

“Branching out from wine, are we?” Clover laughed.

“Who’s the Pony in charge of it?” Binding asked.

“Barrel Rider,” Hammer Strike replied simply. “You pulled him in sometime a few months back. His family’s just now looking into starting it up.”

“I hadn’t noticed any hopps farms.” Clover shrugged.

“They’ve been checking around and gathering for the time being. Seeds and supplies. They’re starting to get everything rolling, though, so production will likely begin within the next few months.”

“Well, that will bring business to the tavern.” She chuckled.

“Definitely.”

“Would be nice to see about getting honeyed mead again,” Clover said. “Wine is too fancy for my tastes.”

“Saves me from having to make it.” Hammer Strike wilted slightly at the comment. “I’ve only got so much time to dedicate to it.”

Binding looked knowingly at Hammer Strike and Clover, but said nothing on the matter as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and smiled. “That’s one more advantage we’ll be able to have over the other groups. The higher quality we produce, the more dominance we’ll be able to demonstrate from an economic standpoint.”

“You realize at this point we’re going to be drawing more attention than we already do,” Ainz noted.

“There’s no point in hiding ourselves anymore. It’s time to expand and ensure everyone under us prosper from it. We’ll, of course, keep our secrets. But beyond that, we’re already a target. There’s no point in attempting to hide our expansion,” Hammer Strike said.

“Would this have something to do with the correspondence you’ve been sending out to Cookie?” Clover asked.

“Based off the outlook of their civilian votes, they … want to basically be absorbed into Unity.” Hammer Strike sighed. “We’ll see how things go and work on that afterward.”

“Have they all agreed to be bound by the contract?” Binding asked.

“The vote isn’t complete yet, but it appears that almost everyone is in agreement.”

Binding sighed. “I’ll get to work on the necessary expansion in the archives. How many more are we expecting?”

“If they all agree to the terms, roughly eight thousand.”

“... Clover, I may require your assistance,” Binding said.

“What do you need me to do?”

“I may require some more of those spatial manipulation charms to create the extra space in the next filing cabinet.”

Clover nodded. “I’ll get to work on them right away.”





Hammer Strike had not had a chance to visit the so-called “Adventurers’ Guild” since he’d put the land aside for it. The building was a large squarish structure painted a light blue with Adventurers’ Guild on a sign in the front. Inside, visitors found themselves in a wide open front area. Near the back of it was a desk where guild associates would handle business, be it handling paperwork, paying out for completed jobs, or taking contracts for new jobs. Signs clearly stating prices were visible at the desk, and at a few places on the walls. A passage behind the desks led to the offices were bureaucrats and officials would do their thing to keep things moving forward. Jobs would be judged and assigned priority. Prices would be decided. And the guild’s fee would be deducted upon payment.

The rest of the open area was basically a large lounge set in two levels. The first level was set with simple wooden tables and benches. There was a kitchen and bar nearby that would sell food and drinks, as well as supplies if need be. This first level would be for travelers looking for simple jobs or for small-time monster hunters looking to make quick cash.

The upper level was more finely decorated. Comfy chairs and couches had been placed around. There was a kitchen and bar up here as well, but it offered a slightly nicer fare at a discounted rate for those taking the more dangerous jobs. Hunters on the second level would need to be invited or have the appropriate tag to ascend the stairway.

As to be expected, available jobs and contracts would be displayed on both levels with the upper level displaying more dangerous tasks, both actively broadcast Unity’s ever-constant bounty on vampires, as well as a notice to not touch the undead found directly outside the city. There was also a notice for the practice tomb.

The practice tomb was a brilliant collaboration between Ainz and Hammer Strike, a small arena-like underground cavern that would produce monsters of various types for rookies to fight in a controlled and relatively safe environment.

The building was still new as Hammer Strike looked it over. The front was still unstaffed, and only the guildmaster was currently on duty.

To Hammer Strike’s surprise, Jostling Joyance had turned down the guildmaster job when it was offered three years earlier. The vampire hunter admitted he still had a target to hunt, and set out soon after, but not before offering Hammer Strike the name of someone he felt would be a reliable substitute.

Speedy Wagon was a surprisingly strong built pegasus with a butter-yellow coat. He had a long golden mane of wild hair and wore a purple suit with a green cravat and a bowler hat. Hammer Strike was … doubtful on their first meeting, but Speedy Wagon was proving to be well versed in both monster lore and business. When Hammer Strike opened the door to his office, he found him looking through resumes.

“Any good recruits for the guild?” Hammer Strike asked.

“A few. Just trying to narrow it down,” the Pegasus said. He pointed a quill at one pile. “Front desk.” Then he pointed to another. “Backroom.” And finally the last. “Kitchen staff.”

“You seem to have your work cut out for you.” Hammer Strike chuckled. “But, Jostling spoke highly of you.”

Speedy Wagon chuckled in return. “He would. Rarely has a bad thing to say about anybody, that one.”

“Fair point. But there is a difference between saying positive things about someone and praising them.”

“Anyway, I’ve sent out a few messages to friends in the business in other areas, and took the liberty of having some signs made for nearby towns,” Speedy said. “I think we should have plenty of business coming in soon.”

“That’ll certainly prove useful.” Hammer Strike hummed as he glanced over the resumes. “Considering all the reports I’ve been hearing about our surroundings, this place is bound to get quite some use.”

“Most nobles only hire hunters when they’re desperate. Otherwise, they just lock up their personal assets behind walls and doors and hope it’s enough. I hope this idea catches on.”

“As noted, considering our environment and the … minor power gap I may or may not have left behind, there will certainly be business.”

“We might actually be able to push them back.” Speedy Wagon chuckled. “Get them to work together for once.”

“We’ll see how things go from here, yeah?”

“Yes, we will.”





“Hammer Strike,” Ainz’s voice reported through their connection, “your guest seems to be waking up.”

“The Changeling?” Hammer Strike questioned.

“Yes.”

“I’ll be there shortly.” Hammer Strike frowned as he placed his equipment down. He had been curious as to the reason this changeling had been kept alive. Sure, he was beaten nearly to death, but he was kept alive in the end. Why would the vampires have done such a thing?

It didn’t take long for Hammer Strike to arrive at Ainz’s place of operation. “All right, Ainz, where’s he located?”

Ainz led Hammer Strike through the tomb to a small room that looked somewhat strange by comparison, being a standard white colour and containing actual medical equipment which would have little use to a place full of undead. The Changeling lay on a nearby gurney. A single shackle had been placed around his right forhoof, but otherwise he was unbound. 

He looked around with glossy faceted eyes blinking several times.

“You’ll have to forgive the shackle. Safety and all that.” Hammer Strike sighed. “I don’t know your current standing with the other Pony tribes, but you’re safe, so long as you aren’t hostile. And yes, we can tell, even if you try to hide it.”

“Where am I?” he asked slowly as he continued to blink.

“Unity, if you know where that is. If you don’t, we’re basically in between all three Pony nations. Though that’s soon to change.”

“The vampires?” he asked as his eyes widened. The memories were slowly returning to their host.

“Most of them are dealt with, including their leader. Their coven is scattered and broken. You’re safe here.”

“That's comforting,” he said. “I am Ki—” His face fell as he corrected himself. “Former King Bane of the Hercules Beetle Clan. I … suppose they must have got me pretty good. How long have I been out?”

“You’ve been out for a number of years, at least five.”

“They must have really let me have it, then.” He gave a dry chuckle.

“Beaten to a pulp, and yet they let you stay alive in some manner. Though, some questions do arise from this new information.” Hammer Strike hummed to himself.

“Well, ask what you will. I'll answer what I can, but I won’t lie.”

“The big question I have is the king part. I don’t have too much knowledge on Changelings, but I honestly have never heard of a king Changeling.”

“I don’t think you will hear of another for a long time,” Bane said sadly. “You could say i’m the last. My strain has been repressed. And as far as I’m able to tell, I’m the only survivor of the queens’ purge.”

“Purge?”

“You obviously are aware of the queen strain. I’d surmise you know about their control over the hivemind and the physical form of the changelings in the hive. Originally, we kings existed as their counterpart. Our job was to prevent total suppression within the hives, control how much free will the drones had.” He took a deep breath. “About a century ago, the queens decided they no longer wanted a check on their power. The king and prince strain was made severely recessive to the point its chances of surfacing ended up one in the billions. Then, over time, living prince and king strain Changelings like myself were singled out and killed. I barely escaped my hive with my life.”

“Only to be captured by that Elder Vampire.” Hammer Strike frowned.

“I imagine, given my regeneration, he thought of me as a conveniently nigh-endless blood source.” Bane shrugged. “I tried to escape, but, well, that's what led to the state you found me in.”

“Had to have made some ground if they beat you that badly.”

Ban smiled weakly. “I almost got away. Had I had another hour before the sun set, they wouldn’t have found me after they woke up.”

Hammer Strike hummed in thought. “Well, they’re unlikely to get their way into Unity. Even if they do breach the walls, we’ve got plenty of charms, sigils, and a crazy enough priest to fight them hand to hand.”

“With my wounds healed as they are, I imagine i could get away from them anyway,” Bane said. “My … skill set lends itself to stealth and information gathering. It’s how I escaped my hive. I made myself a non-person.”

“Certainly a useful set of skills.” Hammer Strike frowned. “Something we’re lacking in as well,” he commented over his connection to Ainz.

“Thank you for your kindness,” Bane said. “I know my race has done little to earn it from Ponies, but I do appreciate it all the same.”

“We don’t judge by species here in Unity, unlike a majority of the Pony civilizations currently. We saved what living we could from the vampires’ keep and offered citizenship for those who could be saved.”

“Well, if I can be of service—” The changeling let out a small cough. “—Once I’m healed, please don’t be afraid to ask.”

“I’ll make you a deal. If you’re truly that good at gathering intel, once you are healed, I have some tasks I would like to assign you. If you’re willing to join Unity, that is.”

“Can I give you my answer later? There is … a lot to take in.”

“No worries. If you have any concerns, Ainz will be capable of contacting me.”

The former king nodded tiredly. “Thank you.”





Chancellor Puddinghead peered over the stacks of papers she’d dropped onto the table in the council chamber. “So, these here are the names of all the Ponies that voted to join Unity. As you can see, the vast majority of us agree this is the next logical step to take, given the strength you’ve demonstrated previously and the distinct lack of defenses we have against the other tribes.”

“This is going to make things interesting…” Hammer Strike sighed as he looked over everything.

“As in a big headache for you and that stallion with the glasses?”

“I … don’t exactly run things like you do,” Hammer Strike noted. “Not only is it a change in who’s in charge, but a change in how the system works.”

“And you think we’re not going to be able to change?”

“Not that you won’t, but that it’s going to be an interesting challenge, especially to manage. I might have to get some individuals to assist me in keeping tabs.”

“Like a local guard?”

“That, too.” Hammer Strike tapped his hoof as he thought it over. “The equivalent of managers to watch over sections of the lands, report back to me for items and other required provisions, increase of the guard to watch over the borders…” He muttered aloud as he thought over everything.

“And I’ll need to bind every single one of them to Hammer Strike and his contracts,” Binding added. “That will take time to process.”

Puddinghead shrugged. “Not really. If there’s one thing we’re good at, it’s organizing. We can probably finish signing those contracts of yours in one day, provided you can give us the paper and the whole magic part doesn’t take too long.”

“I’ve never worked with this many Ponies at once. I may be able to try a group binding, but certainly not for that large of a number at once.”

“How many can you do together?”

“Reasonably? Probably something along the lines of a group of ten to twenty at a time.”

“Then that’s how we’ll do it. I’ll oversee the line, and you bring the magic mojo.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Hammer Strike turned to the side. “Lord, are you there?”

“I can be.”

“Do you think you could manage replicating a magical contract made by Binding?”

“Easily.”

“I’m going to need you to come by, then.”

There was no effect. Lord was just suddenly standing in the room.

“Binding, I’ll need you to show Lord the contract. Make sure everything is nice and squared away, and we can get this done at a nice reasonable pace.”

“I always have spares. Give me a moment, and I’ll retrieve one.” He disappeared in a flash of light, then returned a minute or two later, panting for breath as he laid the contract on the table.

Lord picked it up with a hoof and in front of him a circular rift of total darkness formed, he placed the contract inside it.

“How many?”

“Roughly eight thousand,” Hammer Strike replied.

Lord removed his hooves from the rift and gestured to an open area of the chamber. The rift widened as it moved to the ground, then began to rise slowly, revealing multiple stacks of paper forming a cube roughly four feet high.

Binding gaped at the sight. “Transmutation on that large of a scale, using the air around us and the contract as a base form?” His horn glowed briefly, and the stacks reciprocated. “You even replicated my magical signature!”

“I have access to resources much farther beyond that of mortal-born spellcasters,” Lord said simply.

“Clearly. Is it safe for me to analyze them in greater detail?” He eyed the rift warily.

“The contracts are fine,” Lord said. With a shift of his hoof, the rift vanished. “They are no different than if they had been written out by your hoof.”

“Incredible. Simply incredible,” Binding said as he picked up a sheet and carefully examined the material.

“Why do I get the feeling he’s not going to be very talkative for the next while?” Puddinghead asked.

“Plenty to examine,” Hammer Strike replied. “I’ll look into preparing a cart to travel between the cities to get these dealt with.”

“Was that everything?” Lord asked.

“That should be. Thank you, Lord.”

With that, Lord vanished, just like he’d appeared.

“So, are you coming to us or do you want us to come to you?” Puddinghead asked.

“We’ll come to each settlement. Makes life easier on everyone.”

Puddinghead nodded. “I’ll make sure to let them know to expect you.” She pulled out a map and smacked it on the table. “This’ll give you the approximate location of each of our settlements. Just make sure you try to keep it to Earth Ponies in your escort. Folks are still a might skittish after everything they’ve been through.”





“Wait your saying Ponies actually believe we sang carols in that cave?” Clover laughed. Currently, she and Hammer Strike were alone at his large wooden table. Through some means, Clover had actually procured some mead and had insisted on sharing a drink with him. “That is just hilarious.”

“It’s sure sounding like it.” Hammer Strike smiled. “Everyone always has their own take on events they’ve heard of.”

“We were half crazed with hypothermia and probably just a bit water drunk at the time. We spent most of the time seeing who could make Private Pansy blush a deeper shade of red. Dirty jokes, limericks, shanties. You name it, we did it.”

Hammer Strike chuckled. “Being on Death’s door would do that,” he commented before glancing off to the side and shaking his head.

“Yeah, I'm surprised the commander didn’t try to set them straight, but I guess Ponies need hope.” She took a long pull. “I’ve heard murmurs they want to set up a holiday. Can you believe that? What would they call it, ‘The day of the six Ponies who got Lucky’?”

“Hearth’s Warming, actually,” Hammer Strike replied automatically.

“Wait, what?”

Hammer Strike hummed as he looked over to her before it dawned on him. “Oh, yeah, they … yeah.” He rubbed the side of his head. “Yeah, I don’t have a cover story for that.”

Clover narrowed her gaze. “What aren’t you telling me, Hammer Strike?”

“Ex divinia etiam, there’s so much I don’t talk about.” He sighed, then looked Clover in the eyes again. After a moment, he took a breath and plunged. “Do you want complete honesty?”

“I think if any of it involves me, I have a right to know,” she countered.

“I mean, technically, you are around then, so fair enough.” Hammer Strike shrugged to himself. “How do I put this…?” He hummed. “I’m not exactly from here.”

“That much, I gathered. You’re not exactly the common Pony.”

“I’m not from this period of time,” Hammer Strike elaborated. “Technically, I’m kinda scattered about the timeline. The Doctor sure finds that ‘fun,’ I can promise you that.”

“So, you come from the past? The future?”

“Future. I’d give it a rough estimate of … three thousand or so years.” Hammer Strike sighed as he took a drink.

Clover gave a low whistle. “That's a long time to be displaced.”

“Displaced by the Alicorn Empire.” He frowned. “Ripped from friends and family, then tortured for seven years.” His eyes dimmed for a second before returning to their standard brightness.

“If it’s too painful to talk about…” Clover started.

“No, it’s fine,” he insisted. “I’ve long since quelled that hatred and pain. It just takes me a moment to … adjust to those memories when I dig them up.”

“So then, how am I alive three thousand years in the future?”

“Mostly because you end up with a … ‘slight’ jump into the future due to events out of your control. I can’t say too much or the paranoia kicks in.” He paused. “For you, not me,” he clarified. “Just know that you’re fine.”

“And in this future, Ponies celebrate a holiday based around a random act of magic?”

“To put it as simply as possible, it’s a gentle story of the beginning of everyone unifying together. Which appears to be my doing….”

“Is there anything I should be aware of?”

“Well, you aren’t dead, and you work for me still. Funny enough, considering I’ll have no recollection of this.” He blinked. “Jeez, now that I think about it, you get to see me in my younger days, without the augments.”

“Augments?” Clover cocked her head in confusion. “You’ve mentioned them before. What are they?”

“I’m sure you’ve realized Pony eyes don’t glow.” He chuckled as he shifted the color of his eyes to green. “Or change color. The Alicorn Empire was an advanced civilization. Way too advanced for their own good. Augments are machines, both science and magical in nature, that are implanted into you to ‘enhance’ yourself. Those seven years of torture I mentioned were them implanting roughly….” He took his time to run the calculations himself, rather than letting the augments tell him. “Some, twenty-five into me? When most test subjects would die after… one. Two if they were lucky.”

“That ... that sounds like it was terrible.”

“It certainly was.” Hammer Strike’s eyes shifted back to blue. “Imagine someone screaming in your head, and multiply it by at least twenty-five. I could hear each augment in my head telling me what they were reporting.” He sighed. “Thankfully, I was given something that deafens it, keeps it quiet for me to manage, unless I want to hear it.”

Clover nursed her drink and frowned. “They really were monsters, then, huh?”

“They certainly were.” He looked her dead in the eyes. “And you know what? Only eight of them didn’t deserve to die.”

“And how many of those eight survived?”

“That I know about? None. I took Celestia and Luna to the mainland, where we were all supposed to meet, but … their parents never made it. I’m the closest thing they have to a father.” He gave a gentle smile. “Closest thing I’ve had to daughters as well.”

“That's why you're so close.” Clover nodded. “You’ve been through a lot.”

“Yeah.” He nodded slowly. “I miss them all. My friends and wife, too.”

“Just one?” She chuckled. “I figured someone like you had a whole herd waiting for him.”

Hammer Strike chuckled. “No, no. Most of them are out for money and power. She was the only one who didn’t seek either.”

“Well, good to hear she has taste.” Clover smiled and took another drink. “I do hope she’ll be okay with what we’ve been up to.”

“She told me once that she didn’t mind as long as it was genuine.” He chuckled. “Ex Divinia etiam, I can hear the others, Grif especially. ‘Good for him. Someone’s got to keep him from working to death.’”

“And what are your thoughts on this … thing we’ve started?”

“Honestly? I’ve felt alone. Ever since I was pulled back to this period of time, I’ve felt alone, like nobody was there at my side. Celestia and Luna were growing up as I tried to press on, assuring them that everything would be fine. I don’t feel that anymore.”

Clover actually blushed from those words. “I-I honestly haven’t had a lot of experience with relationships before, but if you’re up for it, I’d like to see where this could go.”

A gentle smile curved the Earth Pony’s lips. “I wouldn’t mind in the slightest.”





Twilight gaped at the monitor. “Clover?”

“And my Strikey Wikey? Oh, I think I’m going to faint.” Rarity swooned on her hooves and fell into a pile of pillows quickly levitated into the area by Vital Spark.

“Well, that explains a lot,” Vital said. “She’s been holding back for a long time. It must have been torture for her.”

“It wasn’t her Hammer Strike,” Grif said. “Celestia and Luna have probably been holding back a lot, too.”

“True. And they’ve been doing it longer than Clover, considering when they discovered the start of your guys’ timeline,” Vital agreed.

“Only question is how deep this well runs.” Grif shrugged.

“Oh, this is going to be fun. I’m sure they’ll be so happy that the timelines have finally caught up,” Pensword added.

“Regardless, it’s clear we have two facts to look at here. First, Hammer Strike is clearly the real founder of Unity, and thus Equestria as a whole. Second, that Clover is likely going to become his wife, and quite possibly the mother to his children. That could have interesting ramifications in the long run,” Vital noted.

“Ramifications?” Grif chuckled. “Vital, this has all already happened. Whatever ramifications there are, they already happened.”

“I’m referring to potential descendents in our time, Grif.”

“Yes, which will be fun as all hell to track, since most family trees can only trace back to the end of the Discordian era, in case you forgot.”

“I’m still guessing we may need to put some people on it.”

Pensword cleared his throat. “I’ll ask Dakota when we get back to the present. Family and family tree lines are very important. And this will be something I can help with. You all know that was my specialty before we came to Equestria, after all.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll take you up on that offer, Pensword. I’m sure we can make some inquiries together. And maybe I can perform a form of dowsing to help the search. If we can get ahold of items that represent the two of them symbolically together, it might help us to locate them without records.”

“Twilight, I want you to think about what said items would be involved with and then tell me if you really want to get close to anything like that.” Grif chuckled.

“... I was referring to a sample like their hairs. The unique fusion of those kinds of magical auras is bound to leave a specific imprint in the bloodline.”

Grif shrugged. “If you think it will work.”

“Only one way to find out.”

With that line of questioning exhausted, Grif turned his attention to the mare that was most impacted by this revelation. “Are you okay, Rarity?”

“Just … just processing,” Rarity said shakily. “All this talk of children and descendents. If that does happen, then that means I’m going to be a grandmother. I haven’t even been a mother yet!”

“I guess.” Grif shrugged. “Not entirely sure how you’d count that.”

“I’m guessing she’ll figure it out,” Vital said. He watched as she swooned into the cushions again. “... After she finishes her freakout. Speaking of which, Doctor, would you happen to have a supply of ice cream handy in your kitchen?”

“Do you have any idea how expensive that is to restock?” he balked.

Derpy promptly pouted and smacked him with a wing.

The Doctor sighed and finally relented. “Fine. Yes, it’s in the freezer. Can’t miss the signs.”

Vital nodded. “Thank you. I’m certain something cold, creamy, and chocolatey will go a long way toward helping Rarity recover.”

“With chocolate chips, darling,” Rarity warbled as she waved a feeble hoof.

Vital nodded and turned toward the door to the kitchen. “As the queen commands,” he murmured. He chuckled to himself. “After all, this is my job.”





A lone Earth Pony entered Hammer Strike’s living room under tight guard and sat in a chair while tea and cake was offered. Both were politely refused, though the new arrival was willing to accept a glass of water.

Yharon strode out of the kitchen with a refill and cocked his head critically at the Pony. “You know, you can probably drop the glamour now. Father’s got this place warded more tightly than Platinum’s treasury.”

The image of the Earth Pony flickered briefly, and was soon replaced by a heavily built Unicorn in sturdy leather armor. The Drakenfeller crest had been imprinted on both sides of the breastplate. “You have a good eye. I’m curious. What gave me away?”

Yharon shrugged. “I just have a higher sensitivity to the flow of mana in the area surrounding me. It didn’t take me long to put two and two together.” He planted himself on a chair opposite the Unicorn and stretched. “Father should be here soon. If you’re here, the news can’t be good.”

“That depends on how you interpret it.” The soldier frowned. “But yes, regardless of the way you look, there are still causes for alarm.”

“So,” Hammer Strike walked into the room. “Someone was here for me?”

The Unicorn rose and nodded respectfully to the Earth Pony. “Baron Strike. I come bearing news from my lord.”

“He never comes with good news.” Hammer Strike sighed. “All right, what’s going on this time around?”

“To put it as succinctly as possible, the Pegasi are proposing an alliance with various noble factions in the Unicorn kingdom, including Princess Platinum.”

“They’re trying to gather forces?”

“Given the unique prowess you and your forces have demonstrated both magically and strategically, the two parties appear willing to give up their rivalry for the sake of seizing your land, … and the Ponies that work it.”

Hammer Strike sighed. “If the foolish wish to die for such a false purpose, then I have no choice but to deal with them as such.”

“If you are able to overcome these forces, it is possible that you may be able to gain Princess Platinum’s ear for the service of thinning out those who oppose her rule. Should that prove true, my lord wishes that I forward an invitation to introduce you to the princess in the event you desire to open relations with her.”

“It’s not a matter of ‘if’ I can overcome their forces. It’s a matter of when,” Hammer Strike replied flatly. “If they truly wish to do this song and dance again, I will have to take matters into my own hooves this time around.” His eyebrows furrowed as the brightness of his eyes intensified.

“I will tell my lord you have said as much. Is there any other message you wish me to relay?”

“Nothing at the moment.”

The messenger rose from his chair. “Then I will return immediately and leave you to your preparations.”

“Until our next meeting,” Hammer Strike nodded.

“Farewell.” He bowed his head first in acknowledgement to Hammer Strike, and then to Yharon. Finally, he went to the door. His frame flickered briefly as his horn disappeared and his disguise returned. And then he was gone.

Yharon sighed. “Must we always fight?”

“Strife follows everyone, everywhere.” Hammer Strike frowned. “Greed is a driving force.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be. But I suppose it is what it is. Do you want me to get word to Hurricane?”

“Yeah, it’s probably for the best.”

“All right. I’ll see about telling Aunt Clover about it on the way back, too.” Yharon nodded and leaped off his chair. “I needed to run a couple of errands, anyway.”





Celestia paced fretfully outside the council chamber, waiting for the most recent meeting to end. The air rang with the rap of her hoofsteps as she counted point after point in her head. The pros, the cons, and the overall likelihood of achieving her goal. Surprisingly enough, attempting to calculate that particular factor proved the distraction she needed to wait out the rest of the meeting. After all, Hammer Strike played into the equation, and that was always an unknowable variable with all manner of potential permutations.

Though some of the outcomes left the mare’s stomach churning all the more.

At last, the chambers opened, and Unity’s council emerged. Ainz had left by his usual methods, since many in Unity were still somewhat wary of him, and he preferred to spend his time studying in private. Binding, Commander Hurricane, Chancellor Puddinghead, and certain representatives from Unity’s population emerged next. With the increase in population came the need for representatives to stand for the people and bring any complaints or requests to Hammer Strike directly. Each nodded their acknowledgement as they filed past her. Finally, Hammer Strike and Clover emerged together. It was now or never.

“Father, I need to talk with you.”

Hammer Strike looked towards Celestia for a moment before nodding. “We’ll talk more later. All right, Clover?”

“That's fine. You two go ahead. I need to look over some tomes anyway.” And with that, the Unicorn teleported away.

Hammer Strike nodded toward the meeting room. “Come. There’s nobody inside.”

Celestia followed her foster father into the room and nodded as she took a seat. “Father, do you remember when we first started our journey here?”

“Hard to forget something like that.” Hammer Strike took a seat across from her. “Why do you bring that up?”

“Well, because of the things Luna and I were able to learn on that trip. We were afraid, but there were so many incredible things we were able to see as a result. Towers encrusted with rubies and diamonds, towns and cities full of creatures we had only ever seen in notes or books, cultures that we had no idea could exist in the first place. And, well, Father, I … I suppose I miss that to an extent. I love being here with everyone, helping the city grow, teaching new techniques to the Earth Ponies from Mother’s notes, but … I just don’t quite feel right about staying here. Aside from teaching some of the younger Ponies and Gryphons, there’s not a lot that I can do. And I want the chance to be able to learn again on my own, to experience things in real life, rather than watching a reaction in a moving picture.” She sighed. “Father, I’d like to ask permission to leave for a while. I’ll come back. I promise that. But….” She looked away and left the comment hanging between them.

“... Could you delay going for a week?” Hammer Strike asked as he rubbed the side of his jaw in thought. “I have no objections besides that. Well, that and stay away from the Gryphon settlements.”

“You mean it?” Celestia gaped at Hammer Strike. “You’re actually going to let me go?”

“Celestia, dear, you’re well over twenty now. I’m sure you can handle yourself.” He smiled gently. “I may be protective, but … sometimes you just have to explore, see the world for what you can, broaden your horizons, all that stuff. I’d just like you to delay leaving by a week.”

“Is there a particular reason why you chose that time, specifically?”

“I personally need time to prepare something.” He smiled. “That, and to give you a route that isn’t going to have Pegasi on the warpath.”

Celestia couldn’t help but smirk a little. “Afraid I can’t handle myself, Father?” she asked playfully.

“And here I thought your sister was the bloodthirsty one.” Hammer Strike smirked back. “Yes, you can handle yourself, but I’d prefer to have as little death as possible in situations like this.”

Celestia smiled, circled the table, and hugged her father with her wings. “Thank you.”

Hammer Strike chuckled and returned the hug. “Get your supplies ready. I’ve got some things to gather, myself.”

Celestia nodded. “Of course, Father. I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Until then.”





Hammer Strike stood in his forge, staring at a list of materials in front of him. He hummed aloud as he worked through several ideas in his head. Classic steel, celestial bronze, eclipsed steel, mythril, he could even use some cobalt if he figured out a good weapon type for it.

“What is this?” Luna asked as she approached him slowly.

“Material list, generally everything that I have in stock, apart from … really special materials.”

“Have a special project in mind?”

“Two weapons, actually,” Hammer Strike replied with a small smile. “One for your sister, and one for you. Real weapons, non-standard.”

“Really?” Luna seemed a bit surprised. “Actual weapons made by you?”

“Yep. So, what brings you down here? I figured you already got your practice in earlier.”

“I wanted to show you something I've been working on for a few years now.”

“Few years?” Hammer Strike turned his attention towards her.

Luna produced an ingot of a dark blue metal Hammer Strike hadn’t seen since coming to the past. Lunar steel. “I’ve created a new metal.”

Hammer Strike took hold of the ingot and inspected it. “Now that’s certainly interesting,” he commented.

“Not as interesting as what I made it from.”

“Literal moonlight?” Hammer Strike asked as he continued to inspect the ingot.

“How—” Luna was dumbfounded.

“I can feel it,” Hammer Strike commented, covering his trail. “It irradiates purities similar to moonlight.”

“Well—well, yes, it’s made from moonlight. I’ve been working on the process for a long time. It takes a lot of energy.”

“What type of focus are you using?”

“My horn,” Luna admitted. “It’s relatively new magic, from what I can tell.”

“You … you don’t have a focus for concentrating it?” Hammer Strike asked with some surprise.

“A focus, by the current laws of magic, would need to be able to absorb the moonlight and focus it,” Luna noted. “I don’t think crystal or glass has the correct properties.”

Hammer Strike hummed for a moment as he thought something over. “Come closer for a second.”

Luna did as he asked.

Thaumic energy surrounded Hammer Strike’s hooves and eyes as he studied her magic for a moment before looking to the ingot. Then he took a shaving off it before focusing it into a thaumic crystal. Afterward, he looked to Luna and began tethering her magic signature to the crystal to give her a more solid connection to shifting it from ethereal to physical.

After a minute, the thaumic energy released, and he looked to the decent-sized crystal in his hoof. “Try this next time. I can’t personally test or use it, but it should work,” he commented as he offered the crystal to Luna.

“I—thank you, Father,” Luna said, taking the crystal. “I’ll test it tonight.”

“Hopefully, it’ll work well.” Hammer Strike smiled. Then he looked to the ingot before weighing the options in his head. “Mind if I keep this ingot, or at least half of it?”

“Take the whole thing.” Luna smiled. “If this works, I should be able to make plenty more.”

“Then I think I have an idea for your weapon.” He smirked as he looked to the ingot once more.

“Don’t tell me. I want it to be a surprise.” She smiled.

Hammer Strike chuckled. “Simple enough.”





Hammer Strike smiled as he set the table for dinner. It was a minor celebration to see Celestia off. He had gathered a collection of foods and drinks from multiple ethnic origins, even purchasing some imported wines for the occasion.

The dining room had been decked out in style with an ornately woven tablecloth and cheerful floating lights courtesy of Clover. Having never been ones for finery, rather than crystal goblets, simple cups and steins waited by the plates and cutlery. The bread was fresh and steaming, the fish light and flaky. Fruits and vegetables both dried and fresh provided a lush buffet while various dishes like stuffed cabbage rolls and rare flora provided that extra sense of mystery to the banquet. There was no end to the permutations of meats and vegetables available to the family.

“You really did all of this for me?” Celestia asked as she took in the spread and the beaming faces of her family.

“Well, you’re certainly going to miss the good food on the road, so I figured, why not?” Hammer Strike chuckled.

Celestia smiled. “Are we sure Father isn’t sick?” Then she giggled. “But seriously, Father. Thank you. Thank you, all.”

Clover smiled. “We’ll miss you, celestia. Don’t stay away too long.”

“And so, for the occasion, I gathered a few new pieces.” Hammer Strike took hold of his cup. “Imported a few wines that I figured are worth a try.”

“I thought you said you didn’t like wine, Father,” Yharon said.

“It’s not my favorite, but I didn’t say I hate it,” Hammer Strike countered before taking a drink. He lowered the cup and frowned as he looked to it and took another drink. “Well, that’s a shame.”

“Something the matter?” Celestia asked.

“I’d suggest everyone pour out their wine.” Hammer Strike sighed. “I’ll have to talk with the shopkeeps later, but yeah, has a distinct taste of poison.”

“Poison?” The room rang with the shock of the other occupants.

“Yeah.” Hammer Strike took another drink. “It leaves a metallic aftertaste as well.”

“And you’re still drinking it?” Celestia balked.

“I mean, it tastes a bit better with it, to be honest.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “Not like it’ll kill me.”

“Last I checked, poison was supposed to do just that, wasn’t it?” Yharon asked. “What makes you immune?”

“A lot of things,” Hammer Strike replied honestly. “My field of power and magic, augments, you name it. It’s probably somewhere on that list.”

“I think the more worrying prospect,” Luna noted, “is who poisoned the wine.”

“It was imported to Unity, so it was either a bottle in circulation that we just happened to get or someone was just trying to import it here.” Hammer Strike sighed. “I’ll have to make a system to check goods quickly to avoid poisons for the general populace. I also need to...” He looked off to the side. “Lord, I need you to investigate the market in Unity for any more poisoned goods.”

“I’ll get right on it,” the devil promised.

Hammer Strike turned back to the selection of food and drink available to them and scanned each of them thaumically. “It appears that it was only that bottle of wine.” He hummed. “The rest is fine.”

“We’re going to have to vet future tradesponies, aren’t we?” Celestia asked.

“We’ll see how it goes.” Hammer Strike sighed before looking up with a smile. “But we’ll talk about that later. Right now, it’s a celebration before you set off.”

“So, what's this all about? You having a party and you didn’t invite me?” Cayde asked as he walked in, taking Hammer Strike’s stein and taking a drink. “Huh, weird. Kinda got a bit of a metallic taste there.”

“That is probably because of the foreign substance that’s been added to the mixture,” Zavala said pointedly as he entered the room. “Our apologies for the disturbance, but we wished to add our own well wishes to the mistress.”

Ikora followed behind shortly after, closing the door behind her.

“Well, I suppose now might be a time.” Hammer Strike hummed as thaumic energy surrounded his hoof. Next to Celestia and Luna, two wrapped objects appeared. “Something I believe you’ll both be happy with.

Celestia unwrapped a gladius short sword. The handle was made of highly polished bronze that seemed to shine brightly in the low light. The sheath was white as her coat in comparison. When she drew it, she found the blade entirely made of bright steel. Sunburn had been written across the hilt in Alicorn.

Luna unwrapped a mace made of her own lunar steel. The handle was wrapped in black leather with a thong at the end of it. The head had been pockmarked with what looked like craters like the ones on the moon. Crater Face was inscribed once again in Alicorn along the neck. Luna’s eyes widened with giddy joy as she swung the mace experimentally.

“I made them as reinforced as possible, meaning it’ll be incredibly difficult to wear them down or break them.” Hammer Strike smiled. “Yharon, yours is going to take a little bit longer, since we still need to figure out the weapon type that’s best for you.”

“It’s beautiful,” Celestia said in a hushed voice. The surrounding lights caused the blade to glow as she held it. “You really think we’re ready?”

Hammer Strike nodded.

“A new weapon to protect you on your travels.” Zavala nodded approvingly, then frowned. “I still wish you would let one of us accompany you.”

“But that would defeat the purpose of the journey.” Celestia smiled sadly. “You’ve watched us grow so much over the years, Zavala, but now a new generation needs that protection. Would you keep their light for me while I’m gone?”

Zavala was silent for a time as he looked intently at the mare. Then he nodded gravely. “As you wish.”

“Besides, I need you and Icora to help with training, and Cayde for reconnaissance and stealth,” Hammer Strike added. “When the poison fails, our enemy will likely try to strike directly. I’d prefer to know what they have planned and have a means to counter it.”

“And who I need to shoot?” Cayde asked.

“Close enough.” Hammer Strike shrugged.

“All right, enough talking shop. This is a celebration. Now let’s eat!” Clover said. And that was the end of that discussion.





Hammer Strike hummed to himself as he sorted through a list of weapons that Yharon would be capable of using. Based on his size and potential growth, it wouldn’t last too long, but it would still serve him for some time. “Perhaps a greatsword…” he muttered to himself.

For a moment, things felt suddenly … strange. The world tilted and a terrible tremor shook the ground before the world righted itself. The majority of his tools remained on their hooks, though a few had fallen to the ground. The likelihood of an earthquake seemed remote, given the structure of the land and the mining he’d performed previously. That meant one of two things. Either this was an attack of some kind or something very big just happened to crash nearby. Regardless, it would warrant his investigation.

Hammer Strike sighed as he exited his workshop and made his way to the surface. Taking a look around, he noted a small pillar of smoke rising from a nearby spot behind his house. He sighed once again and waved off the approaching guards, letting them know things would be fine. He rounded the corner to find an interesting sight.

The TARDIS was smoking. Its lightbulb was shattered, the housing twisted and torn. Black soot marks coated the surface at various intervals, and the doors had swung open to give vent to the gases inside the great machine. An elderly Unicorn with a shoulder-length gray mane and a golden waistcoat covered by a suit jacket shook his head sadly as he assessed the damage to the exterior. A spry young mare in a sweater vest patted the stallion consolingly on the back.

“Well, Doctor, I’d say things have been better, haven’t they?” Hammer Strike asked as he drew near.

The stallion seemed to start at hearing this. “Yes,” he mused as he wrung a scarf between his hooves. “Yes, I suppose so. Forgive me, but I don’t always do this the right way. You are...?”

“Hammer Strike,” he replied looking over the Doctor. “Is this … the first time we’ve met?”

“The first time I'm aware of,” the Doctor said curiously.

“Grandfather, if you’ve already met this Pony before, then that means this situation can’t be hopeless. Surely, the TARDIS can be repaired.”

“Without our sensors to locate the requisite materials, assuming this world even has the facilities we require for such an endeavor?”

“But surely it couldn’t hurt to try,” the mare insisted.

“I could certainly assist you in that regard,” Hammer Strike commented.

“I mean, it’s not entirely up to us, is it?” the Doctor noted.

“Shall I take a look?”

“And how would you know how to work with a Type 40 TARDIS?”

“I’ve got my methods,” Hammer Strike replied as he made his way inside the ship. The fumes that vented openly from the console did nothing to bother him. His thaumic field acted to purge the gases easily. The many circles that dotted the blank white expanse of the chamber had been cracked or shattered. The console’s wiring had been fused, its circuits blown, and several panels reduced to little more than so much slag. An ornate wooden armchair had been tossed onto its back while a single metal light fixture shaped more like a bird’s cage sat forlornly on the floor. The few statues that decorated the walls had been broken apart by several impacts with the floor and other parts of the ship, as evidenced by the many scuff marks and scratches left behind. Multiple viewing monitors had been blown open, with just one barely functioning with a jumping loop of dates, times, and locations.

“Jeez, Doctor, what did you run through?” Hammer Strike questioned.

“A paradox on top of a supernova.”

“What, the internal protective field was disabled or something?” Hammer Strike frowned as he looked over the wiring. His augments were working overtime to decipher the Tardis. While tedious in his mind, it was working. Slowly. “You even broke the auto-repair module.”

“It wasn’t on purpose.”

“I’d hope not.” Hammer Strike frowned. Thaumic fire covered his hoof as he reached out to his side. A small rift opened as he reached in and pulled out a box. Placing it next to him, he pulled out an assortment of tools. “Let’s see what we’ve got going,” he muttered.

“How are you doing that?”

“Thaumaturgy, magic, stuff like that.” Hammer Strike pulled out a small meter and started to prod ports and read it. “I … should be able to get some parts working, hopefully enough to get the auto-repair kicked on.”

“You can actually do it?” The Doctor asked incredulously.

Hammer Strike glanced at The Doctor. “Sorry, right, you don’t really know me at this point in your life. Well, when you’re older, you’ll get to understand that I’m … not quite normal compared to most of society.”

The doctor looked to his granddaughter. “Is that what I seem like?”

“Well, … not quite so sternly as you say it, but it does remind me of you.”

Hammer Strike rolled his eyes. “Never thought I’d see the day. In any case, I need space to work.” He gestured toward the exit. “Take a tour of Unity. We’ve just finished our current expansion and have a selection of locations to visit, including a library. Might be a bit out of date for you, Doctor, but I’m sure you can find something interesting.”

“You’re sending me away? From my TARDIS?”

“Yes,” Hammer Strike replied with a gentle smile. “Though, I mean, technically her being yours is almost backwards at times,” he muttered, glancing over to the center console.

“Grandfather,” the mare said gently as she pulled his sleeve. “Let him work. There’s not much we can do at the moment.”

“I suppose you’re right.” The stallion deflated. He patted the side of the machine. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back.”

Hammer Strike sighed as he watched the two leave before letting out a heavy sigh. Turning towards the center console, he placed a hoof down. “He certainly got you into a big mess, didn’t he?” He gave a soft smile as he pulled out an assortment of wiring tools and began rewiring the Tardis. His augments were thankfully able to help clear up which part went where, and his ability to forcibly shape things helped him reform anything altered due to physical trauma or otherwise.

He hummed softly as he continued to work out several bent plates of metal. It would take a while. That much, he was certain of. The issue he dealt with, however, was getting the repair module up and running. The only problem was he could only locate one part of the module.

He frowned to himself as a strange presence popped up on his radar. Looking over to the door, it was still closed, and he was certain it hadn’t been opened since he got to work. Scanning over the Tardis, he found nobody within besides himself, and said presence was beginning to grow in intensity.

His augments were spitting out data that made no sense to him as static filled his ears. He groaned and placed a hoof on the side of his head. “Ex Divinia etiam,” he muttered before turning to the center console. “Sorry, you’ll have to wait. Gods, it feels like an augment just broke or something.”

He stood from his spot and started to move toward the door before his augments suddenly cut out. He fell forward as consciousness escaped him.

He wasn’t sure how long he was out, but based off the fact that the Doctor had yet to return, it most likely wasn’t that long. Light filtered in as he opened his eyes once more. His augments had gone quiet, as per usual, and the major presence was gone.

“Hello, sleepyhead.” The voice was pleasant, chipper, and feminine. “Welcome back.”

“Hello?” Hammer Strike stood up and glanced around. It took him a moment to note the fact that the voice wasn’t coming from around him, but it almost felt like it was in his head, and it certainly wasn’t Harmony. “Who am I speaking to?”

“Have you really forgotten me after all the time we’ve spent together? Or I suppose will spend together. Time is funny that way.”

“...TARDIS?” Hammer Strike asked.

“Ah, yes, Time and Relative Dimension in Space. That’s right. Words are funny.”

“Well, I don’t have a name for you besides that,” Hammer Strike replied. “How … exactly are we talking?”

“Well, my Doctor called me the most beautiful thing he’d ever known, but that’s just flattery. I suppose TARDIS will have to work for now. Or old girl, provided you use that in the proper sense of the term. A woman never likes talking about her age, after all. As for the talking, you plan to restore my matrix and help me repair and refurbish my control room for this iteration. It seemed only fair that I return the favor, so you don’t make a complete muckup of it. I do love my Doctor, but he can be terribly helpless with the finer details of my anatomy. All this time, and he still hasn't realized he leaves the parking brake on.”

“Yeah, that explains the grinding noise.” Hammer Strike sighed.

“Truthfully, I think he enjoys it for the sake of making a grand entrance.” The voice giggled in his head briefly, then cut off. “All right. Time to get down to business. I’m going to beam you the information you need on a telepathic wavelength that will work with your implants and the modifications I’ve made to help you incorporate the knowledge. And mind when you get to my console. I’m rather … ticklish, I believe is what you organics call it.”

“Well, this certainly is going to make things interesting,” Hammer Strike commented as said information started to spring forth in his mind. After a few minutes of collecting his thoughts, he got to work, starting with the main console for the repair module.

After a few minutes of rewiring, he began humming to himself once more, moving things around, ensuring he kept his tools close, and above all else, making sure he didn’t wire things incorrectly. “So, what exactly did he put you through to get you into this state? It looks like it was more than a paradox and a supernova. Your external shielding should be capable of handling most of that impact, and your repair module would have handled the rest.”

“Let’s just say that my age was showing. I believe you would call it a stroke. Or at least, that’s the closest term I can find in your vocabulary for what happened to my systems while we flew through that.”

“So, a hiccup in the middle of those events.” Hammer Strike hummed.

“Yes.”

“I suppose that would make things worse.” He sighed.

“But not irreparable. I can and will live much longer than this.”

“Well, I figured as much.” Hammer Strike chuckled.

“And we’ve now reached the point in the conversation where you discuss making a deal with me. I believe you call it a pact or … covenant?”

“What?” Hammer Strike questioned.

“I believe the term is a favor for a favor?”

“I still don’t get what you’re going on about.” Hammer Strike shrugged as he continued his work.

Some of the gears in the console spun, followed by a high-pitched whistle to vent the TARDIS’ frustration. “You know that I help you later down the road. Why do you think it is that I always appear right when you need me?”

“I’d say lucky guess, but that’s not how things work.” Hammer Strike hummed. “I assume you’re saying we make a deal. The whole, if I need you or the Doctor, you come, and vice versa?”

“Finally!” The voice in his head sighed. “Honestly, you two are good for each other. And my Doctor does need the occasional blow to his ego. He gets insufferable when he’s right all the time.”

“Fair enough.” Hammer Strike hummed. “I mean, yeah, I have no issues with the assistance.”

“Good. Then let him think he’s indebted to you. He technically is, but we both know you need to hit him over the head with it sometimes to get him to actually help.”

“Sounds good.” Hammer Strike looked over the circuits in front of him. “All right, one down … five more to go.”





Two hours later, The Doctor pulled open the door. He stopped short as he looked around. The tardis looked like new. “Well now, I haven't seen her like this in a while.”

“Is this how she looked when you first took her?” his granddaughter asked.

“Actually, my dear, she’s in better shape now than when I first took her.”

“But … how does that make sense? Wouldn’t she have looked her best when you first saw her?”

“Because I’m a perfectionist,” Hammer Strike called out from within. Upon opening the door fully, it revealed the pristine interior. Hammer Strike stood near the center console, placing his tools away in his container. “Partially, at least.”

“You forget, my dear, she was already very old when I met her.” The doctor laughed.

“Well, a little TLC wouldn’t hurt every now and then, Doc,” Hammer Strike commented with a smirk.

“I’ll keep it in mind.” The Doctor nodded.

“I hope so, because that was an absolute nightmare.” Hammer Strike sighed. “She’ll be fine, but if you don’t give her a little care, you might end up in a worse situation next time. The only thing that she’s suffering with is that you blew out her chameleon circuit, and I don’t exactly have a replacement on hoof, so I hope you’re fine with a blue police box.”

“Well, that will complicate things.”

“Could be worse.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “All right, Doctor, I’d say that wraps up the repairs. I’ll put it on your tab.”

“I—thank you?”

“What? I couldn’t exactly let you walk scot-free out of here.” Hammer Strike’s eyes focused on the stallion. “Without proper maintenance, you caused her some serious harm.”

“I suppose I'll owe you a favor.”

“Don’t worry.” Hammer Strike made his way past the Doctor. “I’ll let you know when that debt’s settled.”

“Hammer Strike! I wanted to get your opinion on this—” Clover had just turned the corner and seemed unable to continue as she examined the area.

“What’s up?”

“I was going to ask your opinion on a new spell matrix. What is this?”

“The TARDIS, with The Doctor inside.” Hammer Strike took a step to the side, revealing the interior. “Hey, Doc, you’ve got a visitor who’s been wanting to meet you,” he called.

“And who might that be?” The Doctor asked, walking up while his granddaughter continued to examine the ship’s interior.

“Clover, meet The Doctor. Doctor, meet Clover.” Hammer Strike gestured between the two of them.

“Pleasure, my dear,” The Doctor offered.

“Wait,  The Doctor? As in The Doctor in the blue box?” Clover asked Hammer Strike.

Hammer Strike looked to the TARDIS, the Doctor, then back to Clover. “No, The Doctor with the blue police box.”

“Police box?”

Hammer Strike directed her attention to the words atop the Tardis. “Police box,” he confirmed.

“Huh,” Clover said. “Well, it’s an honor to meet you, Sir. My mentor has told me a lot about you.”

“Your mentor?”

“Star Swirl the Bearded?”

“Ah. Well, my dear, you see, I haven’t met him yet. I don't always meet people the proper way, you see.”

“That’s fascinating.” Clover smiled. “Perhaps i could ask you a few questions?”

“Perhaps another time, my dear. Unfortunately, I do need to be going.”

Clover sighed her disappointment. “Very well, but do look me up next time you’re in the area.”

“I will most assuredly do so. Now, if you don’t mind, we really must be off.”

Hammer Strike watched as The Doctor entered the TARDIS and closed the door behind him. “Hope you don’t mind waiting,” he commented to Clover.

“I’ve got time to wait.” She shrugged.

“Good, because sometimes,” a whirring noise filled the air. “He takes his time…” He frowned. “I should have warned him about the parking brake, but… eh, it’s fine.”

Clover’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Parking brake?”





“Okay, so Hammer Strike repaired the TARDIS. That … actually explains a lot about why she likes him so much,” Vital Spark said.

“Also why you owe him.” Grif smiled at The Doctor.

“Oh, that's only … part of it,” The Doctor admitted.

“What, did he have to save the universe for you or something, too?” Vital asked.

“Not quite, but, well, you’ll likely see,” The Doctor said, slightly embarrassed.

“Why did the image skip?” Pensword asked.

“She probably just skipped over the technical things to keep it from being boring,” The Doctor said.

“Does it ever take you that long when you’re running diagnostics and tuning her up?” Vital asked.

“Depends. She was fairly badly damaged at the time,” The Doctor noted.

“And I make sure he takes better care of her, since she lets us live in her,” Derpy noted.

“I think I finally see why Clover laughed about my computer,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, kinda surprised you didn’t put that together sooner, Twilight,” Vital noted.

“It is rather exciting, isn’t it?” Rarity said. “Though I wonder how this would have measured up to the Alicorns in their prime.” Then she frowned. “Frankly, I’m glad they never had the opportunity to compare. I hate to think what they could have done with technology like this.”

“They wouldn’t have had the chance. The TARDIS wouldn’t have let them, even if they tried,” Vital replied. “And I doubt she’d allow the risk in the first place.”

“Full armies haven’t been able to force their way past those doors,” Grif said, signaling said doors.

“And they never will,” the Doctor said testily. “Now can we please change to another subject?”

Twilight smiled. “Okay. How about you tell us how you and the TARDIS met?”

“Ooh, I love this story!” Derpy crowed. “I’ll get the muffins!”

The Doctor gaped after her for a moment, then sighed. “She’s going to keep nagging until I tell you, so I suppose I might as well.” Derpy returned almost as quickly as Rainbow Dash, much to the Doctor’s dismay when the sound of several crashes carried back from the halls. He sighed resignedly, then cleared his throat. “All right, you lot. Here is the story of how I became a Time Lord and met my TARDIS.”





The sun was setting over the summer clouds when the jingle of bells heralded Star Swirl’s return. His stride was slow and his gaze downcast as he approached Unity. On the plus side, the place had continued to grow and develop with glaziers, woodworkers, and other crafts that had been incorporated with the addition of the Earth Pony tribe. A real economy had taken shape, and with it came a greater sense of normalcy. The Unicorn marveled at the heavy development that had occurred in his years on the road trying to broker a peace. The settlement had developed into such a large city that he had no choice but to ask directions to reach Hammer Strike’s house. At last, he reached the door and knocked wearily.

“One moment,” Hammer Strike called from within. After a few seconds, he opened the door and looked over the stallion with some curiosity. “Star Swirl? To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I come bearing a message from Queen Platinum.” Bags weighed heavily under the old Unicorn’s eyes as he looked at the Earth Pony. “May I come in?”

Hammer Strike gave a nod as he stepped to the side, allowing entry. “Though I have no room to ask, have you been getting proper rest?”

Star Swirl smiled. “When you get as old as I am, you get used to feeling tired. You just feel it more keenly when certain headaches arise. But I suppose you would know a great deal about that already,” he noted as he settled heavily into a chair and sighed in relief. “Though speaking growing old, you look like you’ve hardly aged a day.”

“I age like metal. Slow,” Hammer Strike replied. “Honestly, though, I’m pretty sure I’m older than you.”

Star Swirl raised a skeptical brow. “I don’t know whether to take that as truth or interpret it as sarcasm.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Either way, I suppose I should offer my report on my attempts with the Unicorns and Pegasi. Then I’ll give you the message.”

“The Pegasi are preparing for war again, aren’t they?”

“Those who still aren’t willing to accept the idea of living peacefully under you or coexisting. I managed to forward some few your way. I’m afraid others weren’t so lucky. The wilds can be very harsh, especially with the shadows running roughshod over the other territories. And that’s not even counting the nobles in the Unicorn courts.” He sputtered and shook his head in frustration. “Ignoramuses, the lot of them.”

Hammer Strike sighed. “If only it were so easy to sway the opinions of others.”

“If it were, we’d be dealing with a world of empires that topple every other month.” Star Swirl chuckled humorlessly. “But enough dwelling on the negatives. Degrading though it may be to be reduced to the role of a messenger, it was unlikely your guard would have allowed anyone else claiming to bear such a message through in the first place. His horn glowed, and a gilded scroll appeared in the air between the two.

Hammer Strike took hold of the scroll and unfurled it.

To King Hammer Strike, newly crowned Lord of the Earth Pony tribe and the Free State of Unity.

First off, I send you my deepest congratulations and regards for the conquest of the former federation of “Earth.” How is Puddinghead? I sincerely hope things are well for her and that the transition was smooth. It is also my hope that we may have a prosperous and mutually beneficial relationship going forward. I do hope you do not hold the recent actions of certain nobles as the views of the court. I assure you the individuals have been summarily banished for their actions. Rest assured any Unicorns coming with military might toward you are not of my sending, nor do they have my support.

I hope we might begin a mutual correspondence when time allows.

HRM
Queen Platnium. 

“Delightful,” Hammer Strike commented, before sighing.

Star Swirl sighed in resignation. “What blunder did she make now?”

“It’s just a simple letter covering her assets in case some other Unicorn nobles come by looking for trouble,” Hammer Strike explained.

“You mean to tell me she actually managed to compose something that wasn’t deliberately provocative or offensive? By Faust, she really can learn.”

“Wow, aren’t you just radiating faith in your leader.”

“I’m one of the most powerful Unicorns in the kingdom. That allows me a certain amount of freedom to criticize more openly without reproach.”

“Hey, she’s your leader.” Hammer Strike shrugged.

“You are a leader. Hurricane is a leader. Her father was a leader. Platinum is a spoiled brat who’s finally realizing for the first time that she can’t always get what she wants and that the governed have more power and authority than she thinks. The fact she managed to pen this letter means she has some small potential to grow. But whether that will come to fruition before it’s too late is something I’d rather not gamble over.”

“We can only see how things go from here.” Hammer Strike sighed. “That, and prepare for anything.”

“On that, we are agreed. By the way, congratulations on destroying that vampire. That one act alone freed a great deal more land for the other nobles to squabble over. That’s probably why you haven’t heard from many of them of late.”

“Good thing I already collected everything worthwhile from there.” Hammer Strike smirked.

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

“How is that even remotely possible? You can’t just pluck out all the gems and minerals from the ground, can you?”

“I’ve got a special team for that part.”

Nearby, familiar black flames shot up as Ainz walked through. “Hammer Strike, good. I found you. I need to ask you a question about the tomb.”

“What in the nine hells—?” Star Swirl leapt to his hooves and ignited his horn. “Who were you and what business do you have with Hammer Strike, lich?”

Ainz chuckled at the stallion’s words as he approached Hammer Strike, completely ignoring the wizard. “I’m going to be expanding downwards, and I wanted your approval before i got started.”

“As long as all the materials are deposited correctly, and the clearing team isn’t below, you’re good to go,” Hammer Strike replied.

“Good to … good to go?” Star Swirl sputtered in outrage. “Hammer Strike, you are aware that you are housing what is perhaps one of the greatest magical menaces to walk these lands, simply out of the sheer potential they demonstrate to destroy and corrupt in their twisted research efforts!”

“Yeah,” Hammer Strike replied simply.

“I haven’t hurt anyone without reason,” Ainz stated.

“Whose reason?” Star Swirl challenged.

“Mine.” Hammer Strike spoke up. “You know how liches … how do I put this, attach themselves to a higher power to continue their ascent?”

“Yes, I am familiar with the practice.”

“Yeah, it’s an interesting tether,” Hammer Strike replied. “You’re clear, Ainz.”

“How so?” Star Swirl pressed.

“Because it doesn’t need to be a divine connection or of a deity in any nature.” Hammer Strike hummed as he thought over his way of explaining it. “To put it simply, you just need someone on a much higher level than standard.”

“And?”

“So you can understand it.” Hammer Strike sighed. “Hi, I’m the one who made him like this. By his request.”

In a rush of black flames, the mask and gloves vanished from Ainz’s body. The robe opened of its own accord, showing off his skeletal chest and the pulsing red orb within it.

Star Swirl gaped at Hammer Strike. “You did what?”

“I made a lich,” Hammer Strike replied flatly. “I work on both sides of the coin, for there is no way to work only one side indefinitely. The gods above granted me a method of ensuring everyone who seeks to fight for Unity a way of fighting creatures outside their realm of potential while I worked on the lower end of things, ensuring that I had a perfect understanding of how each of them work, and in turn, an ally to further my studies.”

The light on Star Swirl’s horn sputtered and faded. “How is that even possible? You’re no god. You’re not even a demigod.”

“Because I don’t have to be.” Hammer Strike grinned. “I just have to push the rules of magic and reality, and work on that edge until I can no longer.”

“And you haven’t done anything to the citizens or travelers?” Star Swirl asked as he turned his attention to the undead in question.

“Only to Hammer Strike’s enemies,” Ainz said.

“This is highly irregular,” Star Swirl said. “Next thing, you’re going to tell me you have an archdemon in thrall.”

“Negative, Archdevils are more accurate,” Hammer Strike replied, shaking his head. “Got to get that right. It’s probably offensive to them. Asmodeus is pretty interesting, though.”

“You … you ... what?”

“Let me put this simply, Star Swirl.” Hammer Strike’s eyes brightened as he looked to the stallion. “I’ve spent countless years understanding the world around us. Arcane, light, dark, Hell. I haven’t gotten anything on Heaven yet, but Death assures me it can be boring. Light and dark mean nothing. To deal with the threats that stand before us all, you sometimes need a monster.”

“That well may be, Hammer Strike, but there are some lines a Pony simply shouldn’t cross. And how did you even have the opportunity to visit Hell?”

“That elder vampire sent me there to try and be rid of me, so I had to take a tour through all the levels to get out. Asmodeus likes his order.”

“And that means what?”

“That being sent there incorrectly disrupts order, so he has to set it straight.”

“And he gave you an archdevil as recompense?”

“Gave me an offer for anything I wanted, but I couldn’t think of anything, so, yeah. Lord’s pretty nice to have around.”

Star Swirl’s face became ashen. “I … think I need to lie down.”

“Couch is open, so have at it. I need to look into my next project, anyway,” Hammer Strike commented as he stood up. “I think Rem’s around here somewhere, if you need me for something.”

“Rem?”

“She works for Lord.” Hammer Strike looked to the side. “Rem, are you currently in here?”

“Yes, Master Strike. You called?” The blue-haired Pony appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

“I was just checking in on where you were,” Hammer Strike clarified. “Sorry to interrupt you.”

“Your needs are always more important. Though, if I may be so bold, have you considered using the communication spell Master Ainz has designed. It’s vastly more effective.”

“I have another method of communicating with you all. I was just checking if you were in the house. If not, I would have done something else.”

“And how may I be of service?”

“If Star Swirl takes up my offer, if he needs my attention, could you direct him to me? I have to get back to work.”

Rem nodded. “Of course, Master Strike.” She curtseyed and directed her attention to the elderly stallion. “If you require anything, you need only call my name and ask.”

Star Swirl gaped, then cleared his throat. “Yes, well, thank you. That is … very kind.”

“Now, Star Swirl, get some rest, all right?” Hammer Strike turned his devastating gaze on Star Swirl. “Or I’ll knock you out, so you can.”





Hammer Strike frowned to himself as he collected his equipment. The populace were preparing themselves as well, going over important information and covering all their assets. The guard started a more strict rotation, keeping every angle of Unity in check. Other towns under Hammer Strike had also been placed on alert, ensuring that enough guards were distributed across the land accordingly.

While it was different than expected, Hammer Strike had ensured that the entirety of forces were spread evenly, rather than collectively, ensuring that there were no weak points in their defense.

As for his devices to suppress Pegasi magic, he was satisfied to hear that all of them had been planted accordingly. While they wouldn’t cover everywhere, they would cover the towns, which was most important to him. With Clover having a thaumic field as well, he had taught her the process, and in turn, the two of them had worked a week straight on finishing them all up.

“Such interesting weapons you make,” a deep male voice said.

Hammer Strike sighed. He was starting to get used to unexpected interruptions. Turning towards the source of the voice, he found a large stallion standing in his forge. He wore tarnished bloodstained armor covered with the signs of battle and wore a horned helmet that covered his face completely with eyes that glowed red beneath it. On his back, a huge spiked battle mace rested, still dripping ethereal blood.

“Another embodiment.” Hammer Strike sighed. “You guys need to learn to knock or something.”

“Why would I knock? I’m always at your doorstep.”

“So you all are.” Hammer Strike sighed as he turned back to his equipment. “I’m sorry to say, but I don’t know which embodiment you are.”

“It should be obvious, given what you were just working on,” the embodiment growled. “I am War! The great and glorious!”

“Delightful.” Hammer Strike continued to tinker with his weapons.

“It certainly is.” War laughed.

“Now, is there any particular reason you’re here, or is it just because of war on the horizon?”

“Why should I not visit the largest patron of my art?”

“Because I’d prefer not to deal with this.” Hammer Strike glanced over to War.

“We both know war is where you shine,” War said.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it.”

“Some part of you does,” War pressed.

“Is there something you need, War?” Hammer Strike questioned flatly. “If not, we’re done here. I’ve got work to do.”

“Yes, work in my name.” War chuckled. “I’m simply visiting a patron of my art.”

“Do not attempt to tie me to you,” Hammer Strike had fully turned his attention to the embodiment now.

“Attempt nothing. You’re already tied to me.” War laughed.

Hammer Strike reached over, grabbing War by his neck before pulling him down to his level. “Keep. To yourself. Understood?”

“What are you doing?” War attempted to struggle.

“I’m giving you a warning,” Hammer Strike growled. “I despise you, and what follows you. Useless death because of headstrong individuals who would rather die than take a better path. Do not attempt to claim I am your patron. Though I may engage in this, I’d rather be rid of you entirely.” He finished his edict by shoving the embodiment back before turning back to his work.

War’s eyes rolled unsteadily in his head at the shock of someone actually being able to touch him. He said nothing more. The pride was gone. Instead, he vanished, leaving Hammer Strike to care for himself.

“I expected more.” Hammer Strike shook his head before returning to his preparations.

“War always was a haughty blowhard.” Harmony smirked as she materialized. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that look on his face before.”

“I don’t think anyone’s interacted with him physically before.” Hammer Strike hummed.

“You do have a tendency to throw out the rulebook when it comes to us, don’t you?”

“Well, it’s certainly not hard to manage.” Hammer Strike smirked in response.

Harmony giggled. “Cheeky.”

“Are you getting a similar effect like last time we prepared for war? Though now, there’s certainly a lot more…”

“I’ve been fed steadily for a long time, Hammer Strike. Their unity hasn’t faltered. Your contracts have helped see to that, as has the common desire among them to end the cycle that has been perpetuated among them for so many centuries. Whether there is war or not, that sense of order and harmony between them will remain.”

“Good.”





The stone beneath the winding shafts reverberated with the heavy steps of Ainz’s bony hooves. His undead hordes worked tirelessly to carve, shape, polish, and brace the passages. After so many years in service to Hammer Strike, the lair had gained a great deal more space. Floor after floor had been prepared with pitfalls, mimics, teleportation sigils, shock runes, and all manner of other countermeasures for a variety of creatures. And as a secondary failsafe, the lich had even gone so far as to incorporate holy magic in the event of an opposing undead force breaking through in search of his phylactery.

He sighed as he gestured with a hand to open two grand double doors. White walls lined with a delicate black filigree and dark wood accents offset the black marble pillars and floor. A massive round white table with a golden band circling a silvery marble center sported a black insignia that looked much like a sword framed by either two skeletal hands or a series of warped candles. Its circumference had been lined with a number of red silk upholstered chairs. His gift from Hammer Strike hovered patiently in an alcove, awaiting its master’s touch.

The hall was grand, truly a testament to his might, power, and skill with magic.

But it was also empty.

Ainz waved a hand, bringing a book to float before him. In it, names were listed of various beings he’d met on his journeys, each a gifted mind in areas of magic most would consider to be … socially taboo. Many were once Ponies or Gryphons or numerous other races, and had given up their natural form for power. Even now, he was still unsure if their own corruptions could be pushed back enough by Hammer Strike’s oaths.

Still, he had Hammer Strike’s blessing to try. Could he manage it? Bring them here and then force their souls out of the grasp of dark gods and petty demons to give them back to their original owners? Was the reward worth the risk?

Ainz gave another wave, and quill and parchment lept to action. They began to write the first of many missives, missives explaining the situation and the opportunities to be found in Unity. The requirements and what was expected of them were clearly detailed, so there was no confusion.

Ainz had an army.

Now he needed officers.





“Hurricane,” Hammer Strike called out as he made his way onto the wall. “What’s our current status?”

“They’re sending everything they have left,” Hurricane said. “I think you may have pissed them off.”

“Then it’s time I do some work personally.” Hammer Strike sighed. “When the first assault comes, I’ll be heading out. Ainz has given me a report on where their higher ups are stationed.”

“Going to decapitate the snake?”

“I’ve grown tired of this song and dance.” Hammer Strike looked out onto Unity. “It brings nothing but needless death.”

“On that, we agree.” Hurricane nodded. “Send them my regards.”

“Will do,” Hammer Strike turned toward the horizon. “Now, it’s only a matter of time.”

The Pegasi knew Hammer Strike would try to take them down again, so rather than fly, they came with siege weapons. The heavy catapults and trebuchets unleashed a deadly rain from a distance, causing rocks and boulders to fling at and over the walls. The Unicorns were ready for the assault, and cast in unison on Clover’s command. The barrier they raised created a protective dome over the city and the infrastructure. On top of this, many priests and priestesses under Anderson had come out to offer their services with divine blessings and prayers of restoration to help bolster the ranks when mana became strained.

From the clouds, flaming arrows rained like, well, rain. The Pegasi, of course, had expected fire arrows. What they hadn’t expected were the massive backlashes of searing hot fire as they threw water on the flames. Each splash only seemed to spread the element, as though the flames themselves were enchanted.

Hammer Strike reached his hoof out to his side, and Baleful Eclipse materialized in his grip. After placing it on his back, he leapt off the wall, leaving the defense of Unity to Hurricane. Now? Now, he had work to do.

It didn’t take long for the Gryphons to start making sport of the attack. Some wagered on being able to slice the ropes that supported the engines and allowed their mighty arms to lob their deadly cargo in the first place. Others settled on simply eradicating the threat before the Unicorns’ magic could run out.

Many in the back ranks of the Pegasi suddenly developed a dreamy expression on their faces as they turned toward the wooded areas and began wandering into them, despite the yelling and shouting of the officers. The song was unheard by anyone else, but the voice they heard seemed to resonate in their very soul and bring up memories of long nights with lovers in the past. They walked toward it gladly with dopey smiles as soft slim figures grabbed onto them. They didn’t even feel the pain as their beautiful white pointed teeth tore their throats out; just the warm rush of their blood, then silence.

Now the Pegasi were divided among those who were seeking to protect their siege engines and those who sought to prevent any more of their numbers from being lost to the forest. The air was suddenly rent with a, “Yeehaw!” A dust cloud arose as Cayde impacted with the road, then rose and pulled off his hood to reveal his mechanical parts. He grinned as he fixed the combatants in his sights. Zavala and Ikora soon followed. Zavala withdrew a longsword with a steely hiss. It hummed as the mechanisms within warmed and it began to project an energy field on top of the sharp edge from the blade. Ikora’s body flared with a radiant magical aura that flickered between purple and blue.

“For honor!” Zavala roared as he charged.

“For Peace!” Ikora shouted

“For shooting jerks in the face!” Cayde crowed.

Bolts of magic flew in rapid succession as Cayde fired headshot after headshot. Zavala cut whole swaths of troops with his sword, and Ikora smashed bodies together, using them like clubs before she shadowstepped in a trail of magical energy to emerge behind her victims and strike with explosive force. The Pegasi struggled to regain their footing in the air as their wings flailed until they slammed against either tree trunks, burning war machines, or … well, let it simply be said that some landed in two places at once after meeting a certain sword.

In other words, the Pegasi didn’t stand a chance.

Meanwhile, Hammer Strike sighed as he stepped through the shadows of the forest until he reached his destination. Before him laid a pegasi encampment, a bundle of tents and random structures that laid across the field, hidden away behind the forest.

Hammer Strike continued on his path toward the encampment, knowing how the leaders functioned. The best tent or building of the lot most likely contained the ones running the show, so far away from the combat that they felt they were safe.

How wrong they were.

When the guards attempted to block his path, Hammer Strike didn’t even break his stride as he grabbed Baleful Eclipse and effortlessly bisected both in a single sweep. As he passed the camp entrance, the wooden fortifications burst into flames while the earthen defences melted, including the soil.

Watchtowers, storage tents, supply wagons. All erupted in huge pillars of fire as Hammer Strike passed. The searing flames were blue, brilliant, and angry. Weapons melted or burned when pointed at him. Their owners died of heatstroke moments later, and flesh fedd off bone seconds after that. The scent of fire and cooked meat filled the air as the living attempted to put out the flames, only to be consumed by them.

Fire wreathed Hammer Strike's body like a second skin as he walked, his clothing and weapon unharmed by them, but everything else that came near was decimated. His mane and tail began to congeal and glow bright orange, shifting and undulating like liquid metal being constantly agitated.

Arrows and bolts had no effect. And despite the powerful updraft provided by the sheer heat Hammer Strike put off, there was no means for them to fly. The same power that had bogged them down in Unity now arrested their only avenue of true escape. The screams of dying Ponies eventually drew the attention of the commanding officers. To their credit, their tent was uniform compared to the rest of their fellows. The only difference was that more than one of the structures had been set up together to provide enough room for strategy and coordination.

The sun’s rays had nothing on the waves of heat that radiated off the blazing blue menace that was Hammer Strike. The air rang with the bellow of Hammer Strike’s thaumically augmented voice.

“Leaders of the Pegasi Military and any officials within range, come forth immediately!”

The encampment continued to writhe under Hammer Strike’s onslaught, but the Pegasi had grown wise enough to realize their normal efforts would hold no effect. Instead, the troops circled the baron and waited on the edge of the heat waves that rolled off his body. At long last, the ranks parted to reveal a cluster of Pegasi with taller bristles. The body ranged from bright-eyed and eager to the battleworn and elder, and they numbered fifteen in total.

One look at the surrounding area left one breaking ranks and barking orders. The mare raced to the tents trailed by Pegasi in white robes with a red cross. Any injured would need to be removed. Any supplies that could be salvaged would need to be separated. There would be none left behind.

Four of the remaining fourteen took one look at Hammer Strike and flapped their wings in vain. Their necks strained. Their veins bulged. Their teeth grated. And nothing happened. Hammer Strike cut the heat and raised his weapon as five of the remaining ten charged. All of them were young and hot-blooded. Their battle cries were strong, their spirit bright. Two more struggled with one another, with one trying to remain while the other dragged him behind against his will.

Hammer Strike lashed out with the scythe in what seemed to be a single sweep. Of the seven chargers, six fell dead, their armor and weapons shorn to bits in an instant. The reluctant one fell to the ground as well, but unlike the others, he’d only received a smack with the flat of the blade to his foreleg.

“Need we continue this?” Hammer Strike called out to those around him. “As much as you all may think otherwise, I’d prefer to keep this slaughter to a minimum.”

The remaining group, including the four that tried to escape, slowly formed into a line and drew their swords with a ceremonial flourish before driving their blades into the ground. They opened their wings and bowed deeply, all while the last armed leader waved her sword to better direct her knights where they needed to be. As was necessary of her calling, battle did not matter. Life did.

“Listen closely.” Hammer Strike sighed. “I’ll keep this simple. We are done with this. There will be no more war between you all and Unity. I will give you a few options to pick from, and should you attempt to fight once again, I’ll destroy every single one of you and everything you cared for. You’re all going to pick amongst yourselves, from each of your families, and they’re coming with me. They will be joined into Unity and live their lives under my protection. Unity will take any of you, all even, if you were smart enough to make the choice. Keep that in mind. So, your choices stand as such. Join Unity or leave and never bother us again while you live on your own. Or you can die here and now. No matter what, I will take some of you. That is final.” He looked out to those around him. “So, make your choice.” The barrier around the camp vanished. “Join Unity, leave and never return, or die.”

The oldest in their number stepped forward. He raised his head and folded his wings. “It’s a difficult thing you ask of us. You defeated us. Throttled us, really. In short, we are no better than prisoners of war. The only ones of our number who can technically leave are those members of the Dove’s Wings. They are noncombatants who fight for the health and wellbeing of the injured and the afflicted, whether they be active combatants or civilians. It is said among our people that none shall kill a dove and live an hour longer, so sacred is their mission. So, with that new information, you have a decision to make. What do you wish to do with us?” He looked scornfully at the dead upstarts. “I Personally would advise having us follow the path Hurricane chose to tread before his demise. As an old warrior who’s seen more than his fair share of fighting, it’s obvious that he had the right of things. A lust for combat only leads to useless bloodshed. Though it appears the only blood in this case came from those who were felled by your blade. The others are naught but ash.”

“Then join Unity and live. Collect your families and live,” Hammer Strike replied simply.

The stallion nodded. “It will take time.” He pointed to the still dazed young Stallion on the ground. “With his brother’s death, that colt now owns the lands his sibling governed.”

“I … wha…?” The colt turned and gaped at the puddle of blood, flesh, and debris. His face paled and he retched at the sight.

“That colt’s lands are four weeks’ flight away. Give us six months to set up an advisor and a means of communication to properly govern those provinces. All significant leaders in our command structure will reside in your lands, as per your request. We only ask that you allow the Dove’s Wings free passage to also spread the message and act as witnesses to substantiate the claim.”

“Then by my authority as Thaumaturge, I issue this verbal contract.” Thaumic power erupted from Hammer Strike’s hooves. “Should you agree, from henceforth you are under Unity, and in turn, abide by it’s contract. You are given your rights as citizens, and your laws to follow with those of Unity. Should you accept, agree verbally and sheath your weapons. Should you disagree, leave. But remember my warning. I will not show mercy again.”

The remainder of the council acted as one body. A unified, albeit subdued, “Yes,” flowed through the clearing, followed by the hiss and clack of their weapons as they slid home. The older stallion chuckled. “You may have to catch our last council member after she’s finished dealing with your fires and building a new triage unit. If there’s one thing Mercy Heart taught us, it’s never get between a healer and her mission. You might lose a wing.”

Hammer Strike stomped his hoof and every fire in the encampment snuffed out in an instant.

“Or … he could just do that.” The colt rose shakily to his hooves and hobbled back to the others. His eyes were wide, and his armor rattled as he struggled to regain his composure.

Mercy Heart stormed up to the gathering and sheathed her blade. “What’s going on here? Do you know how many Pegasi I’m going to have to treat for burns now, because of you? Some of them might never fly right again!” She didn’t let Hammer Strike even open his mouth. “I count six, not including the ones who might not make it.” She snorted as she took a calming breath.

“Five hundred and sixty-two,” Hammer Strike listed coldly. “That’s how many Earth Pony foals died in your raids over the last five years.” His eyes flashed as the next statistic passed across his vision. “Sixteen-hundred and ninety-six. That’s how many suspected casualties were tallied both from active raids and post-raid injuries. All were unarmed, unprepared farmers whose only crime was worrying about their families. Those Ponies you’re so angry over, the ones who died, the ones who are injured now, they were and are soldiers. They trained for combat. They knew they could be maimed or killed. Those mares, stallions, and foals had no idea. No training, no proper explanation. They were bullied, they were driven, and they were murdered in cold blood. Your council started this long ago. And they got away with it because I was busy protecting those who were under my charge from other threats. Then you and yours became the threat when you came demanding I surrender my lands, my resources, and my people. Two times, I pushed them away. Two times, I warned your council. This is the third attempt to destroy what I and my people have built. So, I’ll say once again. You people started this. I’m simply finishing it.”

Mercy Heart gaped at Hammer Strike. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I never once attacked you or your people. Anyone who said otherwise is lying. I can bring witnesses to testify in a court martial, but given that you don’t seem to have been aware of these events, one can assume the trial would be biased from the start. Why don’t you all save us some time and tell her what you did? I could ask Hurricane to come, if you prefer.”

“Hurricane is dead!”

“No, he’s very much alive. I found him, nursed him back to health after he was beaten and exiled for choosing not to conduct the very raids I mentioned. Quite the reward for such honorable service.”

“There were witnesses—”

“Who lied for the sake of promotion and reward. Ask your compatriots. They’re bound by my laws now. They can’t act against Unity anymore. And since perpetuating this lie would damage the social structure of our home, they will either have to tell the truth or break the contract and never return. Either way, the truth will remain the same.”

Mercy Heart turned to face her compatriots. Her tone was eerily calm as she rested a hoof on her sword. “Tell me. Tell me this isn’t true. Tell me that we didn’t attack unarmed mares and foals for the sake of spoils.”

The remainder of the council averted their gaze.

“Answer me!” she barked.

“We did it for survival,” one of the councilmares finally said. “Our people were starving, our resources dwindling. We had no other alternative.”

“No other alternative. You would rather we abandon our honor and become bandits and brigands?” She lunged at the mare and struck her a blow smartly across the jaw. “We agreed to maintain our honor. We agreed not to harm any noncombatants. You gave your word!” She jabbed the mare in the stomach with her hoof and watched in satisfaction as she buckled to the floor. Then she lunged to the side in a blur to pin her the next target of her anger. “I will beat you all so blue, you won’t be able to fly for a decade!”

And she meant it. She slit the ties for their armor in a matter of seconds and shucked them like oysters, then proceeded to beat every last one of them in martial combat, all while blasting them with expletives and insults that turned even her fellow councilmembers red with embarrassment. “Fools! How could you condone that?” By this point, the remainder of the council were practically glowing with rising welts and bruises. “‘Harm neither foal nor mother who shall give birth! Holy and precious is the life of the young.’ We have honored these rules of combat since the beginning of our civilization! Is this not why we fly and fight?” Any calls for mercy that might have risen went unheeded as she berated them for every broken promise they had made to her, every time they brushed aside a concern she had brought before the body. She even went so far as to smite the remains of those Hammer Strike had killed. This continued for an hour before she finally turned with heaving chest and drooping wings to address Hammer Strike. “I will swear your oath, but I will not give up my right to discipline whoever requires it, whether by blade or by hoof. I never draw blood, unless it is necessary, but I will make anypony who dares to practice dishonor so sore, they would wish I had.”

“Discipline is different from actively attacking,” Hammer Strike commented simply. “Under my authority, everyone who has accepted is free to act accordingly. Gather your belongings. You may either leave to gather loved ones and return to Unity. Or follow me now directly if you have no such ties.”

She nodded grimly. “Let me gather my husband and our belongings. He’s a surgeon, so he should be able to help any of your troops that have been injured.” She pointed to a group of clouds high in the air. “We take our home with us. It won’t take long for me to get everything ready.”

Hammer Strike nodded, then turned his attention to the rest of those gathered. “To those coming with me to Unity, meet me at the front of the camp. To those who need to gather family or belongings or deal with the political side of things, you all know where Unity is. By the time you come along, the conflict at the walls will be settled.” Then he turned and made his way to the front of the camp.

The Council rose wearily to their hooves. They likely wouldn’t be able to move on the next day, but orders were orders. And so, having been sufficiently cowed, the remaining eight hobbled toward the remains of the tents with their tails drooping and wings dragging on the ground. There was much to be done.





“Stand down!” Mercy Heart’s strident voice rang over the clamor, though not much remained of the opposing forces that could fight. The majority had been neutralized, either killed or otherwise incapacitated to prevent causing harm. Three figures stood calmly before the gates to gaze at the remnants. “I repeat. Stand down! This war is over. We have been defeated. STAND DOWN!”

Doves rushed forward with stretchers and kits to tend the wounded while Hammer Strike walked out of the woods and approached the gates. Poultice Solution and Binding were already there as the gates pulled open to reveal several Earth Ponies and Unicorns who rushed out to join the medics in the treatment of their former enemies. These moved notably faster between injured as magic and potions were used to stitch the wounded up rapidly.

Hammer Strike sighed as he looked over everything. “Binding!” he called out. “Prepare some contracts!”

“I have them already,” Lord said smoothly as he appeared beside Hammer Strike.

“Good. Distribute them accordingly, if you would.”

The leaders were busy trying to find any remaining commanding officers still capable of giving direction while numbering a tally of the fallen and wounded that still required attention. The Pegasi commanders were amazed at how quickly and efficiently the two healer groups worked together to save the remaining troops.

Hammer Strike looked over everyone. “Could have been done sooner.” he muttered as he continued on his way to Unity. Despite their current situation, he gave a nod to Hurricane on the wall, then gestured to those who didn’t return with him.

To the outsider, Hurricane merely scratched the side of his face, but Hammer Strike saw the confirmation for what it was.

“To those who aren’t a part of Unity, I issue this verbal contract.” Hammer Strike sighed as he repeated his previous contract verbatim to those who weren’t present at it’s initial point of implementation.

The majority of the Pegasi knew better than to try rejecting such a generous offer, especially when fixed with the glare of a very angry Mercy Heart.

“Another sound victory, Hammer Strike,” Binding noted as he approached his baron. “At this rate, it won’t be long before Unity turns into a city state.”

“So it seems.” Hammer Strike sighed. “We’ll need to start working on the other cities and merging soon, so I hope you’re prepared for that.”

“Are you referring to the Unicorns or to the other settlements that are under our care?”

“Under our care, and soon to be under our care.”

Binding frowned. “That’s a fair point. If the Pegasi were cruel enough to drive Ponies from their homes, they may have kept others for labor. Should I organize relief parties?”

“Potentially.” Hammer Strike frowned. “This is going to be a pain to deal with.”

Binding couldn’t help but smile. “Isn’t that usually how being a head of state works?”

“Don’t remind me.”

Clover walked through the battlefield, teleporting the more grievously wounded away, and came across them while separating those already dead into a pile.

“Any indication for how many were lost?” Binding asked.

“Fifteen,” Clover said. “The rest came out pretty well. It’s mostly their people who’ll need the more extreme attention.

“We have our three defenders to thank for that. Cayde seemed particularly … invested. Is he always so glib in combat?”

“Haven’t known him well enough to answer.” Clover shrugged.

“I suppose we’ll have to open our stores for the others to celebrate as well. With this threat subdued, the troops will definitely appreciate the opportunity to cut loose for a change.”

“Yeah, especially because starting tomorrow, things get harder,” Clover noted.

“True. The Unicorns will become desperate when they learn what happened here.”

“They’ll move slower, not as aggressively. We’ll probably be attacked by different houses or house alliances over the next decade or so.”

“And the various means they’ll employ will be different each time, depending on their leader.” Binding narrowed his gaze and rubbed his chin in thought. “This will take some careful planning. Though at least the defenses we’ve been incorporating over the years should prove enough to keep them at bay magically speaking for a time.”

“Only because, fortunately, Star Swirl is above wars like these,” Clover said. “Honestly, I’m not sure what we have would keep a Unicorn of his ability back.”

“Have you considered asking him to contribute to them? The defenses, I mean.”

“He won’t help us either.” Clover shook her head.

“Then it seems the time is coming for us to prepare for Drakenfeller’s arrival. I doubt he’ll remain with the court for much longer, once they begin attacking.”

“Probably not, but we can’t count on anything just yet.”

“True. I think we may need to consult with Ainz on some potential strategies to take.” He turned to face Hammer Strike. “Do you think you can create a zone with a similar effect to what you did with the pegasi, only to block opposing magic channeling, instead?”

“Yes, but I need some individuals to manage the field on.” Hammer Strike hummed. “I brought it up a while ago, but haven’t had time to test it.”

“Given the number of victories we’ve faced, we’ll either experience an immediate assault from one of the factions, which seems foolhardy, given how easily we achieved victory over the Pegasi, or they will wait and grant us the time we require. Regardless of which they choose, I am confident we’ll be able to hold them off until you can finish your research.”

“It won’t take long. It’s just the matter of fine tuning it to allow particular fields of magic to work in it. Pegasi magic, I can focus it as a generalization field, reading it in the broad spectrum, but Unicorn magic is different.”

“How so?”

“Pegasus magic can be considered under a generalization field, due to the nature of it, being a string of attributes that run common in all strains. Unicorns, however, run through a different system, and in fact, have a broad spectrum of potential they can reach, thus giving it a harder point to track. I mean, it’s not like a Pegasus can cast spells through their field of magic. A Unicorn, however, can mimic spells or create new arrays to simulate a type of spell or field.”

“So any attempt you make to limit a Unicorn’s magic would have to operate on an algorithm that’s capable of anticipating the various methods and levels of an opponent and targeting each accordingly.” Binding frowned. “I can see why you say it would be difficult.”

“I’ll make the device as soon as I can, but it might be awhile, and not without flaws.”

“We’ll see about planning defenses while you prepare it, then,” Binding said.

“I’ll deal with that after everything’s been dealt with here.”

“Very well. I’ll send the all clear to the civilians, then.”

“Twice now we’ve taken down the Pegasi with little to no casualties.” Clover shook her head in bewilderment. “It’s unheard of.”

“But not impossible,” Hammer Strike replied with a smirk.





“Oh, this is so exciting!” a large Earth Pony mare with an overly frizzy red mane grinned as a large wooden sign was levitated above a doorway and secured by Pegasi with hammer and nails. The sign read Cast and Polish Jewelry and Smithy.

“Settle down now, Polish. We still need to test the new equipment, make sure the facilities are good and proper,” a golden yellow Unicorn said as he eyed the wooden board. “Still think we should’ve gone with something flashier.”

“Now, now, Caster, it’s what’s inside that counts. Besides, do you really want to be the only business with gold enamel and diamond crusting on the building? That’s not really what Unity’s about.”

Caster sighed. “I suppose not. But you’d better believe I’m lining the inside with every piece of fancy I can make.”

Polish laughed and kissed the stallion on the cheek. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. Just like with any gem, it’s what’s on the inside that counts most. Now you see about prepping some of our stock. Don’t forget, Clover the Clever’s going to be inspecting the place soon.”

“Yes, dear.” He levitated a series of small crates out from a wagon and opened them to reveal a series of intricately carved bands of silver, gold, steel, copper, and other metals. “You got those gems ready to charge?”

“They’re in the chest, dear.”

Caster nodded. “Thanks, puddin’.”

The city had long since expanded into a large circular construction lined with streets divided into organized grids to ensure ease of travel and a continuous flow of traffic. The streets had been neatly paved, and the once-small huts had now developed into proper cottages with room for kitchens and living rooms. They had even gone so far as to build second floors to hold bedrooms and other luxuries many had not enjoyed in their time under the old systems of government.

With the rise in prosperity came a rise in enginuity to better ensure cleanliness and appeal. Beautiful aqueducts and other channels sent water flowing through the districts in record time while new plumbing afforded easier means of watering crops or gardens and supplying homes with easy access to keep hydrated.

Clothing and styles were quickly brought up to date with each family purchasing both practical and formal wear suitable for any labor or social activity. The guard would often appear on patrols through their various sectors of the city, making use of the grid-like structure to allow easy combing and simpler means of access in the event of an attack.

Structures ranging from entertainment to banking to study had been and were in the midst of construction or renovation as the population required, including the once humble churchouse Anderson had made use of for so many years. Now, the timbers of a mighty cathedral jutted into the sky in a mute appeal to the gods while craftscreatures were hard at work cutting and laying stone and mortar to help reinforce the structure. By the time it finished, it would truly be a sight to behold for the citizens and for tourists. Truly, the city had magnified into a proper metropolis, at least by Pony standards for that age.

The mage college had become especially popular as young Unicorns ventured to learn more and unlock their hidden potential for Unity’s sake, as well as for the sake of their own futures. Clover was a hard teacher, but she was fair, as were the students she had trained to teach.

The door opened of its own accord as Clover walked into the building. She no longer wore the old homespun cloak she’d first arrived in Unity with. Now she was dressed in a deep blue cloak with Hammer Strike’s insignia sewn in gold with a magenta lining. She smiled kindly at them as she looked around.

“Excuse me, are you Cast and Polish?” she asked as the door closed behind her. Her horn never glowed as it did.

Polish smiled as she approached the mare. “Welcome, welcome. Please, come on in. We’re still spiffing up the place, but we have plenty in stock to show you. Or, if you prefer, we can set up a custom order and give you a quote with an estimation on completion.”

“Oh!” Clover laughed. “Sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m Clover. I’m here to get a good look at how Unity’s first jewlers are settling in.”

Polish gaped. “You’re Clover the Clever?”

Clover nodded. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Well, the feeling’s mutual, I’m sure.” She grinned. “Honey, come on out. Clover’s here!” she shouted.

A few moments later, Caster emerged from the back room wearing a heavy apron to shield his front. “The lady herself.” He bowed his head in greeting. “Thanks for coming out to visit our shop.”

“It’s no problem. It’s good to have your skills in our city.”

“Surprised Hammer Strike hasn’t made some magical accessories of his own at this point. He’s supposed to be one of the best smiths this side of Equis, right? Though I suppose running this place and protecting all these folks must take up an awful lot of his time.”

“Hammer Strike can do jeweling and gold and silversmithing, but it’s not an area he enjoys or specializes in,” Clover explained. “Weapon crafting is more of a mixed art. Jack of all trades, master of none kinda thing.”

“That so?” Polish asked. “I always thought it was just superheating metal, hammering it, layering it, and hammering it again till you get the right shape.”

“What's the handle of a spear made from?” Clover asked.

“Wood.”

“Exactly. And Hammer Strike is often the one to make the handles for his weapons. There is also casting, gem setting, artifice, and several other crafts tied into the basics of weapon crafting,” Clover explained.

“Really?” Polish gaped. “I didn't realize all that effort could go into one little blade.”

Clover grinned and summoned her staff. “He made this.”

Caster approached and smiled knowingly as he examined the focus. “Mighty fine piece of work, that. Though the way you’re smiling, a fellah can’t help but wonder if you might not have a little crush on him.”

“Crush nothing,” Clover said proudly. “I wear his house insignia, don’t I?” she tapped the insignia on her cloak.

“I thought that just meant you serve him.” The smith shrugged. “Seen those on other household servants for nobles before.”

“You won’t see many with Hammer Strike’s crest. He doesn’t have a lot of servants.” Clover smiled. “Now, then, on to business.”





Luna had thought about what she was about to do for a while, which was unusual, as forethought was not something she put a lot of work into. She wasn’t nervous; she wasn’t pacing around trying to think of what to say. She just felt ready. Rather than a formal meeting, like Celestia had requested, Luna had left her father with a note asking him to come share a drink with her. Even now, she waited, sitting at a wooden table in her workshop tinkering with a small dagger she’d been working on.

“So, what’s the news?” Hammer Strike asked as he walked into the workshop.

“Well, I’ve been thinking about things,” Luna said as she put down the knife and poured two tankards, then slid one to Hammer Strike. “I think I’d like to go out and explore a bit.”

“All right,” Hammer Strike replied simply as he took hold of the tankard.

“I thought you’d say that.” She laughed and took a swig. “Celestia underestimated how you’d take things.”

“It was only a matter of time until you two wanted to go out and explore.” He chuckled. “I mean, you had to get tired of being around me at some point.”

“I’ve never been tired of being around you. I just feel so … contained right now.”

“Then go out and explore. Just … as I’ve warned Celestia, avoid Gryphon territory.”

“I don’t plan on heading that way anyway,” Luna said. “I thought I’d go back to the Minotaur lands for a while, maybe study some of the Thestral paths.”

“You’ll certainly be welcome there.” Hammer Strike gave a soft smile. “When are you looking to head out?”

“A week from today. Time enough to get maps, plan my route, have things ready.”

Hammer Strike nodded. “That should be good.”

“I will come back. I have too much here to leave anything behind. I just need to see it.”

“I know.” Hammer Strike reached over and gave her a brief hug. “Be sure to bring back some souvenirs, yeah?”

Luna laughed. “I’m sure I'll find you something good.”

“Now I need to think about what to do if Yharon wants to start wandering.”

“He’s a dragon. If he truly wanted to, he could probably circumvent the planet in a matter of hours.” Luna laughed. “Besides, dragons tend to be more attached to their hearths.”

“Yeah, but he’s not quite a normal dragon now, is he?” Hammer Strike chuckled.

“No, no. He’s much more terrifying,” Luna agreed, taking another drink.

“We’ll see how it goes when the time comes.” He smiled. “I bet you’re going to miss your forge within the month.”

“Maybe, but maybe I'd like to find my own secret spot,” she snickered in turn.

“I’m positive you will. Just be sure to set up a good teleportation relay. You never want one of those to break down.”

“I’ve got my own plans for that.” She nodded. “Look after Clover, okay?”

“What, you're worried she’s going to blow something up ... again?”

“No, but I figure with the way you two manage to outdo your own soundproofing, you should probably be ready for anything.”

“I’m going to ignore that comment, but will note a revision to the soundproofing,” Hammer Strike replied, taking a drink. “Perhaps thaumically next time.”

“Have you heard anything from Celestia?”

Hammer Strike shook his head. “Not really. But I suspect she’d like her own time not having to worry about home. Doesn’t bother me much, as long as she’s enjoying herself. To a point.”

“I hope she’s well. You and I both know she doesn’t have the head for war she needs sometimes.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a method of keeping tabs on everyone's wellbeing.” Hammer Strike took a drink. “Better than sending recon after both of you.”

luna laughed. “You know I'll be fine.”
 
“I’d hope so. Otherwise I’d have to start training up again for you.”

“Maybe when I get back, we can anyway.” Luna smiled. “If you have the time.”

Hammer Strike returned the smile as he clinked steins with her. “I’m sure I will.”





“Hammer Strike,” Clover called as she entered carrying a scroll in her magic. “I just received a letter for you from Platinum.”

“Joy.” Hammer Strike sighed. “I wonder what it’s about this time,” he muttered, taking hold of the scroll and unfurling it.

To Hammer Strike, Lord of Unity.

Our most royal greetings to you, Hammer Strike. We appreciate your… concise reply to our last correspondence. I congratulate you on your suppression of the Pegasi and the absorption of their lands into your own. It seems very possible peace may be on the horizon. It is to that end that I am writing you now.

As you have no doubt heard by now, many of the peerage of my kingdom have begun to have misplaced doubts about my abilities as a ruler. I fear if something doesn’t happen soon, they may react adversely to a peaceful solution. Therefore, I would like to propose a political union between our two kingdoms. A marriage between myself and you would show a great stand of unity between the Pony tribes, and I believe it would also give certain radical elements pause to rise against us. This would be a purely political move, so while consummation and an heir would be necessary, no romantic feelings need to be involved, and you would of course be allowed to keep with anyone you may already have a relationship with.

I understand this is a sizable proposal, and I would normally invite you to take your time. Unfortunately, I do not know how much of that luxury I have. I eagerly await your reply.

HRM
~Platinum.

“That self centered, pea-brained, stallion-stealing BITCH!” Clover’s body was sheathed in an aura of purple flames that gave her fur a white appearance as her mane and tail seemed entirely consumed by said flames. Heat billowed out from her body as she read the smoking parchment again.

Hammer Strike blinked as he noted Clover’s response. ‘I am really glad I made this house fireproof.’ he thought to himself. “Well, I think that sums up a response.”

Clover summoned parchment and quill. “You’re refusing,” she stated as she began writing a response. It clearly was not a question.

“I mean, that was the idea, yeah.” Hammer Strike raised a brow. “It’s kind of her just trying to save herself.”

Clover seemed to not hear him as she continued to scribble and re-scribble her response.

‘I guess I won't be writing a response this time around,’ Hammer Strike hummed to himself. ‘Or perhaps I should, to keep things civil…. Either that or prepare for war.’

Clover growled, flung the parchment at him, and stormed off.

Hammer Strike took hold of the parchment, and against his better judgement, unfurled it. After a few seconds, he proceeded to roll the scroll up and place it on the table next to him. “Yeah, I think I’m going to get to work on that response…”