//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Ahriman's Answer // by SuperSaiyanDiclonius //------------------------------// Two Hours Ago Greetings Ahzek Ahriman said the Ethereal Equine. "So, you are this 'Spirit of Harmony'...what separates you from the other parasites of the Warp?" Ahriman interrogated. My food. The creature said. Friendship, by it's nature, cannot be forced. And thus, I am incapable of sustaining myself through Conquest and Corruption. Ahriman blinked. An honest answer with sound logic...from a Warp spawn!? "...well then...am I now to believe that I must devote myself and my servants to strengthening your presence in the Warp in order to cure the Rubric Marines?" Ahriman asked, fishing for the catch. No, as long as you bring no harm to my subjects, I will help you. The Spirit clarified. "...It can't be that simple." Ahriman stated, even with the abnormal nature of this Warp spawn, it couldn't be this easy. The Spirit gave an apologetic sigh. It is against my nature to ignore those in need, but the children of Isha chose to reveal my presence to you now because Equestria will soon be in grave danger. And I cannot cure more than the Rubrics you brought to me unless you protect my subjects. Not because I wouldn't help you, but because I would starve and perish. Ahriman sighed himself, of course this was the Eldar's machinations...but why? " If the Ruinous Powers can breach your defenses, then how do those pompous knife-ears expect me to stop the will of the Gods? And what do they gain from it!?" I cannot answer the latter, for the whims of Ceogoragh are as mysterious to himself as to all others. As for the former: The Primal forces that define the modern Age cannot destroy me directly, and my power protects my subjects from their servants, so they are working to expell this world from the Warp...into real space...in Imperial territory. A dark chill ran down Ahriman's spine as he tightened his grip on his Black Staff. The instant an Imperial probe discovers a world of alien witches worshipping a creature of the Warp, all hope of curing the Rubric would die with them... unacceptable. "Very well Warp Spawn, in exchange for your... Generosity, the remnants of my Warband will preserve your followers." Ahriman declared. The Spirit of Harmony smiled and nodded before fading away. Ahriman's senses returned to the present, and he took notice of the Changeling still trying to pass herself off as a Rubric. The Black Staff rose and fell and the open minded creatures of Equestria were all rendered unconscious. If Jerrik had already engaged the Xenos, hostages would be a grim necessity to rebuild the burnt bridges. As Ahzek Ahriman made his preparations and recalled his forces, Chancellor Neighsay had amassed a small mob to swarm the downed alien war machine that had bombarded Ponyville before Tempest tore it from the sky. Neighsay led 40 creatures from the Royal Guard towards the Roc sized metal monstrosity that validated his every fear. Slowing his approach and directing four Dragons and four Griffins to investigate. The eight flying creatures approached the exposed flank of the machine. Four tried to open the large door they found while four made their way up and over to the other side. Suddenly, the Griffin nearest the glass face of the machine double checked something before turning to the mob. "Hey! There's a pilot in he-" The Griffin was silenced. A blood red beam of light shot forth from the cockpit and struck her head. Whatever vile spell their Sorcerer cast caused the poor creature's head to violently explode like a water balloon. The Ponies, Hippogriffs, and Changelings began screaming in horror, but the nearest Dragon had a far more useful reaction. With a fearsome roar, the blue beast slammed itself into the cockpit and tore out the foul creature within. It was some form of hairless ape with a pale white face being the only part of its body that wasn't covered by it's uniform and its obscured by a large helmet. The ape shrieked in the Dragon's claws. It's alien staff shot more hateful beams of light, but the Dragon's near indestructible hide barely registered the light's warmth as the Dragon tore away the annoying weapon and threw it. Neighsay and the others watched as the vile thing pulled out a knife and tried to stab it's captor, illiciting a bellowing belly laugh from the Dragon before it seized the ape's offending hand and bit the blade off his weapon before daring him to try again. Part of Neighsay wanted to seize the monster before it could best it's captor, but another part sought to study his new foe while it fought against a more dangerous creature whose safety was not the Unicorn's priority. The ape growled and reached for something on his chest, but he only succeeded in pulling a piece of it off before simply punching the Dragon and spitting on him before simply snarling curses in its foreign tongue. The Dragon believed it's foe had given up, but Neighsay suspected otherwise. Deciding now was the time to act, Neighsay seized the device the ape had reached for with his magic and ripped it away from the apes vest, throwing it clear of anycreature present. Not a second later, the device exploded, and despite how far it had been thrown, shattered pieces of the evil device tore into two Dragons and a Griffin. The Griffin went down clutching it's flank. One Dragon got a hole in its wing and the other had metal shard lodged in her face. The other creatures in the mob went to help the wounded while the Dragon holding the invader stared blankly at the sight of the blast that most certainly would've killed him. Neighsay, however, stared blankly at the invader itself. They're willing to kill themselves...just to cause more suffering... "...e's starting to wake up. Make sure she doesn't move." Tempest groaned as she stirred, but something held her still. She pushed against it until a gentle hoof pressed into her. "Don't struggle, we're almost done patching you up." Tempest tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't obey her...and they hurt. "Wuh...what happened...what hit me?" "We don't know. Some sort of projectile. We pulled... pieces of it out of your eyes." The unseen nurse explained. Tempest went cold. "M-my eyes?... W-what's wrong with my eyes?" She heard the creature swallow nothing as it tried to find the words. "One of the invaders shot you in your eye, and whatever the projectile was, it punched through your skull and out the other eye...they both burst and...we couldn't heal them. It was all we could do to keep your face together." Tempest fell limp. It wasn't the first time she was permanently maimed, but she never thought she'd have to go through this again. Would her new friends abandon her too? Was she completely useless now...was she cursed!? "...why?" Tempest whispered. To her nurse, herself, or the universe, she didn't know. Jeremiah marched up to the circle of Transhumans without fanfare. Transhuman dread no longer affected him, and he didn't see anything special about these mutants besides the fact that they paid him. "Not to question your tactics Lord Ahriman, but decoy bombings work better if you don't give the enemy time to recover." "We have made an error in judgement. We require the natives cooperation if we are to cure our brothers." Ahriman explained. "What!?" Shouted Jerrik among others. "This Warpspawn is... different. The short explanation is that I cannot subdue but it is willing to cure our brothers so long as we bring no further harm to its worshippers. Which means we will have to establish a presence on this planet and convince the Legion to bring every Rubric to us so we can cure them. But if we cull the Xenos populations on this world, the Spirit would sooner destroy itself than aid us." Ahriman explained. "Well...that would've been nice to know before we bombed them." Quinton stated. "So what now?" "Fortunately, the Alien's religion teaches the virtues of forgiveness and understanding. If we can prompt a ceasefire and explain the horrors of the galaxy, it is entirely possible that these naive creatures will simply...forgive us." Ahriman explained, shuddering for how wrong the concept felt. "These creatures dwarf even the Eldar's psychic might. How do you expect to quell their wrath?" Jerrik asked. "The Warpspawn's defenders were nothing more than children basking in their God's presence." Ahriman explained, pointing the crystalline Castle behind them, to the window where Jerrik first noticed signs of life. "I have rendered the young ones unconscious and taken them hostage. We will make this known to the aliens at the first opportunity to open negotiations." Ahriman explained. Before another question could be asked, static burst from Jeremiah's Vox Hailer. The mortal mercenary seized the device and listened in. "Heh, looks like you'll get your chance. Damn horses grabbed some of my men and are attacking my artillery. They're already returning fire."