Sparks, embers, flames and fire was all that was seen. The sky was turning into a blaze and the earth scorching red. His partner looking up at him as he tried to assist her. Mythic was kicked in the side, increasing his blood lose as his lungs barely held breath and his mouth released the crimson tide. He hit the ground with a powerful thud and rolled into a pile of stone. All he could think was one thing. "How could I let this happen?"
Two Hours Earlier
Mythic sat on a bench inside the magi tower of Codut, the capital city of Albion. He looked outside a window and sighed as he saw a large cloud slowly rolling forward across the sky. He wore a white rob with gold trimmings. Victor opened a pair of double doors, the creaking made Mythic look to him. "Do I really need to wear this?" He said in depression.
Victor rolled his eyes as he walked on the wooden floor to Mythic. He placed a hand on his shoulder and motioned his head back out the window. "This was the cloak their King once wore during visits on the battlefield. It will give the people a light in the dark that is coming." Victor takes in a deep breath. "I talked to Jika. She has all the armed forces ready and sent messages to the nearby towns and villages. She is making it look like world war."
Mythic gave a slight smile, finding humor in Victors words. "Well that is what this is. Only there is way more riding on this than just one home." He held the frame of the window tightly. "And I am no solider."
"Well you got that right, you are no solider." Victor placed a hand in his pocket and held onto something. The door opened again and Jika stood in steel armor with her sword and helmet at her waist. "But she is." Victor said to Mythic, making him turn his head ti the door.
Luna was standing next to her in the same blue uniform she wore the first time she came to this land. Between the two was Queen Ula, the ruler of Codut and all of Albion. She was young, only being nineteen. Her hair was black as night and her skin tone tan as bronze. Her green eyes focused on Mythic and Victor. She walked into the room with her green and brown gown dragging behind her. She stopped in front of the two and bowed. Queen Ula than spoke with a soft whisper. "Thank you once more for warning my people. We would have been complete caught of guard. I am forever in your debt brave one."
Mythic looked to her with a slightly blushed face. "Well than you Queen, it is no trouble at all." Mythic said with a smile.
Queen Ula stood back up with her eyes trained on Victor. "Why is the child here? He should be with the rest in safety." Queen Ula stuck her hand out for Victor to take. "Come along little one."
Victor glared at Queen Ula and moved her hand away. He than growled at her. "I am no child, I am Victor, eldest son of-!" Mythic placed his hand over Victors mouth.
As Victor struggled to speak, Mythic smiled apologetically to the Queen. "Sorry about that your Grace. Victor here is just a bit excited. How are my friends doing?"
"Oh, the other seven are doing their own parts." Queen Ula said as she retracted her hand. "I have them preparing the woman for battle, getting medical supply ready for use and escorting those who will not be fighting to safety." Ula turned to Jika and Luna after speaking to Mythic. She walked over to the two and stood by their sides.
Jika bowed to her Queen with respect. Once she stood up, she looked to Mythic who was still holding Victor's mouth shut. "We will be in the war room. Meet me there in no less that three minutes. The Generals and Lieutenants are gathering for a plan of action." The Queen and Jika left the room without another to say. Luna however stayed in the room, closing the door behind her.
She walked across the wooden floor to Mythic and gave him a hug. Mythic returned her affection with a kiss on the lips. "Mythic dear, this is going to be just as bad as what happened to Ponyville. Are you sure you are ready?" She looked into his eyes.
Mythic placed a hand on her head. "Luna we will be alright, nothing bad will happen." Mythic gave her a faint smile. 'This is going to be hell. I have to look strong though. Luna is strong, just worried for me.' Mythic let go of Luna and looked at Victor. "I'll see you guys after I am done in the war room."
As Mythic walked away, Luna turned to Victor. "Victor, you know things most don't."
"That's what I tell myself at night." Victor looked away and picked wax out his ear. "You are worried for your sister?" Luna nodded. "Well let me tell you something. She is a big mare Alicorn thing. I am sure she is just fine."
In the war room, Jika stood with three Generals and six of the Lieutenants. Mythic opened the large wooden door. The room was made of marble with no windows. The walls dawned scarlet red curtains that had been tied to tall and polished pillars, ten in total. The center of the room was occupied by a large round table with a perfect replica of the city. "He finally arrives." General Tullius said with a hint of annoyance. "What took you so long solider?"
Mythic walked to the war-map. He stood with his hands behind his back, knowing how to present himself to a degree. "I am no solider, General." He said with respect. "I am a simple young man who is ready to fight to keep the peace."
Tullius, with his short grey hair and darkened skin, gave a quick huff in amusement. He looked to the others, all women and back to the map. "I thought like that too and one point in my life." He rubbed his ramp-like horns, beaten and roughed. "Jika her tells me you can use magic. Even without the use of horns." He looked up to Mythic, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He didn't let it distract him from the mission though. "I'll be seeing much of it, for you are going to be the first line of defense against this enemy."
The room of officers looked at the General as though he was mad. Jika, on the other hand, nodded with the decision. "A wide choice, Sir. Mythic Rune here has fought these monster many time, as I was told. He should be alright in the frontline."
Tullius smiled to Jika. "Why thank you. Glad to here his partner say so."
Jika gave him a confused look. "Sir?"
"You heard me Lieutenant!" General Tullius barked. "I know you were with him for all this time and I also know you have fought these Corrupt."
Jika and Mythic gawked at General Tullius, the former reacting first. "Who told you that, Sir?" Jika asked.
The door to the war room opened once more and Victor stood in the center. "I did, I want you on the line." He said in a almost demanding tone. He looked to General Tullius, with a heavy brow. "General, the time is here. Ready the women, the enemy is upon the walls."
In the armory, Rainbow Dash who wearing battle-maiden's armor, was busy stacking spears in weapon-racks. She muttered, feeling as though she was being treated unfairly. "This is totally unfair!" She yelled out. "Mythic, Luna, hell! Even Jika Storm gets to fight and I don't! This is total pony cr-"
"Watch yer mouth, Rainbow!" Applejack said from the other side of the room, in the same armor. She carried a large crate on her shoulder over to a near-by wall. "I know yer feelin' mistreated. But this here fight just ain't ours." She bent her knees and slid the crate onto a stack. She dusted her hands and turned back to Rainbow Dash. "Do ya, really think Mythic would just have use down here?"
"She is right you know, Dear." Rarity called from a grindstone behind a pillar. She was hard at work sharpening the bladed weapons for the Albion troops. Rarity stopped and stood up from her stool. She turned around the corner with a glasses on her face. "This is not our fight, especially not mine. None the less though, we are involved now. And as the Element of Generosity, I will generously assist these mar- I mean women in their fight. Even if that means I must work the grindstone and sharpen the weapons."
Rainbow Dash crossed her arms with a defiant motion. "Well whatever, I can fight damn well. Also, why does Pinkie and Fluttershy get to do the easy work with Bonsia!"
Rarity thought for a brief moment and came to a completely logical answer. "Well for one, Fluttershy is not all that cut out for this stuff. I mean she is great with cleaning, but she is better with the more medical and treatment aspect. She and Bonsia are getting medicinal supply read for use, as well as other items needed for the troops."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes up and concluded it was a reasonable answer. "What about Pinkie Pie?"
"Well she is helping get the children and those who can't fight to safety. Also here in this place?" Rarity pointed to the racks of weapons, freshly sharpened.
Applejack nodded in agreement. "I agree with ya on that one."
Rainbow Dash huffed. "Well were is our book worm run off too?"
Hidden within the royal library, Twilight and Aries were hard at work. Mostly Aries, believe it or not. The Demi-Goddess held her crystal ball in both hands. She focused hard on it in an attempt to find the one Mystic of Albion. "Damn it all to my father's ass!" She whined. "This is not working! You'd think it'd be easy. Nope, it is totally hard!"
Twilight as next to her at the long, stone table. She was flipping through a leather covered tome with a rune on it. "So if it is so hard why not just let your brother do it?" She asked, not looking away from her literature.
Aries sighed. "This is my domain, my Mystic to find. There is something blocking me though."
Twilight rolled her eye to the side and looked at Aries. "Could it be the Corrupt coming? Some sort of barrier to stop you?" She reasoned.
The Demi-Goddess shook her head with frustration. "No, this has been happening for so long now! When their were more Mystics I could find them easily. This last one is the hardest though, it's like something as stopped me from finding her." Aries took the ball and displayed it for Twilight to see. Inside was a mist of silver and blue hues. A small light started to glow purple with a tiny ball of orange floating around it. "This on here is Mythic Rune. I can only know that because his Mystic blood was awakened. I can only see someone from another world if they have been awakened."
Twilight nodded as Aries continued to explain. A second ball of light began to glow. It was pure white, clean of traits. "Now this is the Mystic of Albion. See how the light is pure white and void of anything? This means they are still sleeping, their blood I mean." Aries focused a small fraction of her power into the crystal ball. Around the Mystic's avatar was suddenly a barrier of dark orange color. "This is stopping me from reaching this Mystic's identity."
"I see." Twilight muttered under her breath. "Well this is of the utmost interest. I think we should both examine this. Perhaps it is a not entirely a separate entity that is causing this. Perhaps this person knows what they are and are hiding from you. I mean, just look at what is happening outside." Twilight pointed to an open window, the sky was pitch black as a night with no light.
"I suppose that is a possibility" Aries agreed with Twilight. "It would be much easier with Victor here." Soon a guard in steel armor came up to the two sitting at the table. "What is this about, Madam?"
The guard stuck her head out for Aries to take it. "Quick child, the boy Victor says the enemy is at the wall!"
In the Alchemist's lab, Bonsia and Fluttershy were accompanied Luna. "So they have started the planning already?" Bonsia asked as she pulled the leaf off a flower for her brew.
Luna nodded her head, her bangs covering one eye as it slipped out of placed. "Yeah, I left Mythic awhile ago. I haven't seen Victor though." Luna moved her hair into place.
Fluttershy, grinding leaves in a mortar and pestle, lifted her head from her work. With a wipe of her sweaty forehead, she gave a smile to Luna. "I saw him not to long ago actually. Just before you showed up he said something about taking a nap somewhere. I had left to get water, so I have no clue where he is."
A solider ran in the room, a whole unit passing the doorway. The guard went up to Luna and gave her a salute. "Madam Luna, the boy Victor as requested you come to the city wall. He says the enemy is upon us and they need you."
Luna returned the salute to the guard. "I'll be there in a moment, go get armed." The woman nodded and ran out the door. Luna approached Bonsia and Fluttershy. She gave them both a hug. "Now both of you do your parts well. I'll be sure to play my part too." Luna then let them go and jobbed out the door.
Bonsia was left there, standing in thought. She gave a fake smile and turned to her ingredients. "Making medicine, that is always my part." Bonsia said under her breath. She plucked the pedals off a flower to be ground into the next batch of tonic. "I wish Victor had another part for me."
A yawn was heard from a pile of hay in the corner of the lab. From within the straw rose a Demi-God, he had a piece of the straw in his mouth and rubbed one eye. "Who called me?"
Fluttershy stopped grounding the mortar and looked to the sleepy Victor. "Victor? Shouldn't you be at the city wall with the others?"
The tired boy rubbed his butt. "Why would I be there?" He opened his eyes to see figures run passed the door. "Oh my Father! Are we under attack already?" Victor sniffed the air. "Yes, I can smell the danger...And also something foul like, wait a second." He gave the air one more sniff, twisting his face. He looked at the hay and then at the girls. "Where is this hay from?"
Bonsia pointed out a window, to the stables. "We got the hay from the stable. It is better to use it than with rags because it saves fabric. You just throw the hay on a spill and sweep, easy."
"And this is how the Black Plague began in the world of Albion." Victor said under his breath. He quickly took the straw out of his mouth and spat on the hay as he stepped out of it.
"I must ask once more, why are you not at the wall?" Bonsia asked.
Victor dusted himself off, finding a small 'pellet' on his back. "Eww. To answer you Bonsia, I have no idea what is going on. I talked to Mythic, walked down the stairs, talked to Flutter baby right here." Fluttershy tilled here head at the term, Flutter baby. "And then she left to grab something or other. That is when I dived into the pile of hay and took a few nice minutes of napping."
Bonsia was at this point, extremely confused. "Well if you didn't give the warning, who did?"
Codut City Wall
Mythic, along with Jika, stood on the top of the city wall. They looked over to the other side to find nothing but a large thunder cloud. "What is this?" Jika said in confusion. "Where are the corrupt?"
"I don't know." Mythic answered. "Victor said the enemy was already here." Mythic turned to Victor, who was standing next to him. "Victor, where are they Corrupt?"
Victor looked up at Mythic with a smile. "Well they aren't here, now are they? I said the enemy was at the wall, not the Corrupt."
Mythic bent down to Victors level and looked at him in the eye. "Look Vic, I know you are old as shit but that isn't an excuse to go crazy now." Mythic squinted as he stared at Victor. 'Something is up.'
I concur, Sir
'Brain, run a full diagnostic on Victor.'
....Done Sir, also we are royally fucked.
'Why do you say that?'
"Get away from him!" Shouted a voice in the distance. Bonsia was on horse back, along with Applejack, Rarity, Twilight and the newly found Pinkie. Bonsia rushed off her horse and tried to move through the army that had amassed at the wall and gate. "Get away from him!"
"What are you talking about?" Mythic yelled back at her. He noticed the lack of three others. "Where is Luna, Rainbow and Fluttershy?" High from the sky, a Rainbow hair girl swooped down and lifted Jika up off her feet. Mythic's hold reaction was to flinch as a pair of arms took him by surprise. "What the hell?" He questioned, none other than Luna. "Luna, what are you doing? Put me down."
Luna descended to the earth below, along with Rainbow Dash to place both Mythic and Jika down. Jika stumbled back. "Let go! What are you doing here?"
Rainbow Dash, folding her blue wings, stepped towards Jika with a tight fist risen. "We are here to save your lives." She pointed to Victor, up on the wall, looking down at them all. "That is not the real Victor! He is a fake!"
Mythic, hearing this felt as though it was the truth. He looked at Victor, knowing Rainbow Dash was right. "That is not my Victor." He mumbled.
"Glad to know you can tell!" Victor shouted from above, him and Aries being carried by Fluttershy. The yellow winged girl plopped the two onto the ground, Aries at least. Victor stood tall and firm. "Whoever this is he did a pretty good job at copying even my aura." Victors eyes glowed, a small flame emanating from his pupil. Victor slowly made his way to the stairs up to the top of the wall. As he climbed the stairs, he kept all focus on this doppelganger. Once both Victors were face to face, the real one examined him further.
"Why hello there, Victor." The doppelganger said in a pleased tone. "Hows it going? Life treating you swell?" He exaggerated with the swing of his arm and a smile.
Victor stopped the examination and stared into his copy cats eyes. "Who are you?
The doppelganger smile with a wide and toothy grin. "Who am I? I am Victor. Or as my family calls me, Victory King!" The title, no, Victor's real name shocked Aries and the real Victor. "I am also the King of Gods' son and brother to Aries King, my incest loving sister." He looked down at the red haired Demi-Goddess.
Aries blushed and gave the copy both of her middle fingers. "Fuck you!"
The doppelganger smile. "Why, because I look like lover boy here?" He took Victor by the face and swished his cheeks. "I mean look at that O so sexy face!" He let go, leaving a mark on Victors jaw line. "Did I mention I won all the battle I have fought?"
"Stop it." Victor muttered.
"I mean I even killed worlds full of magical beings. Ones that have now been extinct!"
"Stop it now."
"Oh, it seems I hit a soft spot." The doppelganger said with another smile. "But I mean, no one could hit your soft spot like your former mortal whore!"
"Be silent!" Victor roared, nearly sounding like a lions growl.
The doppelganger frowned at Victor and then the massively confused army before him. "Sorry folks, no more time to talk." His frown quickly turned into a big smile. "Though maybe he wouldn't mind talking about his baby brother, the one he let die. Mar King!"
A vain popped in Victor's forehead. His hand reached out and took the doppelgangers neck. Victors eyes went into a state of blood red against his green eyes. "You will tell me who you are, how you know my full name, how you know about Kye and how you know about my brother!" Victor yelled once more.
The doppelganger laughed and looked at Victor with a smirk. "I can answer this in two moves. One, I'm the one to kill them." He snapped his fingers and a Rune portal opened up in the sky. A swarm of Shadows flooding through, nearly invisible against the thunder clouds. The doppelgangers eyes changed from green, to sickly yellow. "And two, it's me cousin."
Victor had a chill sent down his back. Lightning flashed and thunder crackled. In an instant the reflection of Victor changed to someone else, a boy the same size as Victor. His hair was black with a white streak in the center. His skin was dark with wounds and cuts. He wore a white cloak with a hood. Victor was in shock, he know this Demi-God far too well. "Dom."
"Domination, bitch!" Dom smacked Victor across the face, sending him flying. As Victor landed into the side of a building, Dom floated into the air with the help of pure black wings. He turned not to chase Victor, but to look down at Mythic and his friends. "You, Mythic Rune, are here by issued one more chance."
From a second portal Talso appeared, still in equine form, with two things. In his mouth, was the beaten body of a woman in a white dress with multi-colored hair. Princess Celestia, as all of them could have guessed. Under Talos's wing, a box.
"Inside that box is the Elements of Harmony. With Talos is Princess Celestia. "Now if you join the Shard, you will be allowed to live and well will touch neither the land of the equines or Earth. Yet if you refuse, you will be fought and killed here by Talos and his handlers. So what is it going to be, Mystic boy?"