(to be)Edited
By
Blazikenking
and (to be)Revised
By
Cades the Sharkbear
Okay this is the final for this story but not the end of it. I've got another ten years of information to work with. Also I'm suiting up the mane six with armor since they are going on a mission to save Artemis. Enough of this it is time for the story to continue.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter 14: Spiral Ponies and the battle for the Crystal Empire
Spike and the mane six were heading back to Ponyville proper with the locator rifle. During the walk the group began the discussion, but really an argument, of why they aren't using the rifle to go to where the colossi are, again. Twilight pointed out that the only reason they were able to beat Chrysalis was because of the Queen's lack of knowledge of how both the magic surge would affect her and having her friends with her doing what was right. Dash then countered that by saying that is the same reason they need to save Artemis. Pinkie then interjected by showing them a page in her book that all agreed to talk to the princess about this.
----
Celestia was back in Ponyville's city hall going over reports form ponies that were able to avoid the fog. Mata Nui was right, the order of Makuta indeed had resources that Equestria lacked. With Sombra in their ranks it add more concern, he could build any building that he wants from crystal. Not only did they have an army that outnumbered the equestrian forces, but they now had a way to make a base at any moment. With all this information at her hooves many would say she had the advantage of knowing her enemy, but she had only dealt with a war on this scale a thousand years ago when Luna became Nightmare Moon.
While the sun princess was deep in thought there was a knock on the door to the room that she was occupying for the time being. Putting her thoughts aside and putting her regal face on she spoke.
“You may enter.”
When the door opened Celestia's regal face turned into a smile seeing the six mares and dragon enter the room. These were the heroes that have done everything they could to help save Equestria from dangers; be it the possessed version of Luna, the chaos that is Discord, or the might of Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. Each held an element of harmony, even Spike had qualities of all the elements, and with them they have bested any challenge that came their way. With a slight sigh, knowing that she had to hide information from them, the princess got up to greet her guests. As she approached them all seven of them bowed to her. Celestia in turn bowed back to them. As if as one they all rose.
“It is good to see that you all are alright and were not harmed by the creatures that took Nightmare Moon.” Celestia said smiling.
“Princess, I'm sure I speak for everypony here that we want to help save Artemis.” Twilight said with the other six nodding their heads in agreement.
“Are you sure you want to do that Princess Twilight? While I know you and your friends can handle yourselves in a fight, but you are not soldiers.”
“We know that princess but we have found a way to protect us.” Twilight said calling Pinkie. “Thanks to Pinkie's unique book, I have found a way to not only protect us but we can use them to save Artemis.”
Pinkie then pulled out “A Comic Relief’s Guide to the Fourth Wall and What May Come From It.” Celestia was skeptic of this and the cover of the book didn't help it. The cover's yellow speech bubble that had text on it, “I'm getting a video game with a M rating.” Knowing not to judge a book by it's cover she waited for Pinkie Pie to come to the page.
“Here it is,” Pinkie said lifting the book up with her hoof. “these are what are known as Spiral armor. These are worn by explorers in a universe that fight to learn more about their world and the armor gets stronger as they go on their journey of discovery. There are also more such as swords, hammers, and other weapons but none looked like they could be used by anypony that isn't a unicorn.”
Celestia was surprised by how detailed each of the sets were described in the book Not only in color and material , but also strengths and weakness. This astounded her on how well this book knew this and raised this question.
“Pinkie Pie where did you find this book?”
“Let's see,” Pinkie said putting on a graduate’s cap with a light bulb on top of it. With a few minutes of gestures and almost lighting the bulb, the bulb clicked on. “My interdimensional pen pal sent me it after he learn about me at the biyearly fourthwall breakers meeting which is why I'm gone for a few weeks out of the year. He is antihero and is rather rough but fun. Anyway since he travels the multiverse he started compiling information on the different universes, excluding parallel universes, into one book so he and others can use it to help in times of distress.”
Just then something clicked in Twilight's head.
“Wait you're telling us that you have met creatures from another universe?!?!” She yelled in surprise.
“Well ya.” Pinkie replied nonchalantly. “I don't talk about it because it could cause some ponies think that I'm crazy...well crazier.”
“Twilight we can discuss this later we still have a filly in danger.” Rainbow Dash said trying to keep it from another distraction.
“Your right Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said calming down then she turned to her teacher. “Princess please let us do this. Form a tactician point of view if a small group is able to get into the enemy base then we could at least have Artemis.”
The other six looked at Twilight with confusion. Twilight looked back at the with a tilted head.
“What when Shining Armor came home from the royal guard academy I read some of his books one of them “The Art of War” by Sun Mule.”
The others just stood there not saying a word until Spike spoke up.
“Twilight what haven't you read.” Twilight gave him a disgruntled look. “Never mind.”
“Twilight you are right this maybe the only time to do this when they think we would be on the defensive. I must warn you either Sombra or Icarax, the pony that attacked earlier, is mostly guarding her.” Celestia said drawing attention back to her.
Seven “What!?!”s came from the ponies and dragon followed by a slew of questions of “How did he come back?” “Why is he helping this Icarax?” “Where is the girl?” That last one went ignored and Celestia started to explain what had transpired over the past two days.
“...by the time Shining Armor was able to find you word came that the empire had been attacked. He left to attend to the empire and Cadence.”
Twilight understood now why he brother had to leave now, but there was still one thing left to attend to.
“Princess do you think that if I use the elements of harmony to bring six set of armor out of that book?” Twilight said bringing it back to the reason they were there.
“I don't see why not the materials should be easy to get we just need time.” Celestia replied looking at the book again.
----
Pain. Or was it burning? Was it the corruption? Or was it in her head? Artemis couldn't tell time due to the darkness of the room. The necklace was still a light even when she wasn't using her magic. Icarax must have had Sombra turn it into a parasite and slowly turn her magic. Anger was the first thing on her mind then worry and finally dread. She was a monster, no matter how many times she changed her name or her look. She was Nightmare Moon, destroy of Equestria and held of the Makuta. But she is also the daughter of Princess Luna, somepony who by all rights should have shun her the moment she came out of that mirror but instead Luna gave her kindness and even protected her from Celestia. Just then Artemis noticed the crimson eyes of Icarax appear once again.
“What now you overgrown bug?” Artemis said getting tired of only seeing the eyes of the order member.
“You were right Luna did come but a Panrahk chased her off. Now Sombra is leading an army of rahi and rahkshi to the Crystal Empire to do what you failed to do.” Icarax said in an arrogant voice.
“The Crystal Heart will keep the army at bay long enough to get my mother and the other princesses there if they aren't there already.” Artemis said still putting on a brave face.
“Like any good warrior I have tested any defense that the enemy has and have made it so I can not lose.” Icarax said without even a hint of concern.
“You still won't win, greater ponies have tried and failed.”
“Flattery of your own experience what change my mind.” Icarax's eyes then go from piercing to lust. “You know somepony with a sicker mind would have done things to you.”
“I know where you're going and if you even try I will end you.” Artemis said with her horn glowing a bright crimson.
“I plan on you doing that.”
----
“It is times like this I wish I knew how to use magic to run faster.” Takua said to himself trekking up to the giant oak tree that Turaga Matau left the air toa stone. “Why is it that everytime I get close to finishing something there is always stairs there to hinder me.”
----
“Okay we got every we need to craft the armor and shields. Now all that is left to add is the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight said looking over the six piles of martial. In the past hour the mane six, with Spike's help, were about to get all the martial that the book listed. “Once that is done my magic should have an alchemical reaction to form the armor to the ponniequins.”
“Not to downplay any thing but we need to get a move on here.” Rainbow Dash said getting annoyed of Twilight's monolog.
“Sorry,” Twilight said with a sweat drop. “Here we go.”
On go Twilight's magenta magic lite her horn and her wings appeared as the six piles of martial were encased in her magic and formed them into six spheres. Each of the purple spheres began to stretch and squish into the armor and shields. As each of them began to get more solid the elements of harmony floated to their respective spheres. With one final white light the shields and armor was formed onto the ponniequins.
Several wows and oos came out of the seven's mouths as they looked over the six newly made armor.
Rarity, being Rarity, began to look over her armor to see if a stitch was out of place. The helm had a strip of raised plating with two points coming out of the top left and right with a rectangle opening and a hole for her horn. Her armor had a metal plate with padding under it with hoof guards. The shield was on the right shoulder and it was a medium circle. While she was no arms and armor expert, she was a fashionista and she used that to her advantage.
“I must say while the armor is a little drab you have done well Twilight, but why are all the armor and shields gray save for the elements?” Rarity said noting the lack of colors on the armor.
“According to the book the armor gains most of it's color from the users, the gray acts as ascents form contrast from the bright colors of the armor.” Twilight said reading from the book.
“Like this.” Pinkie said getting into her armor.
Pinkie's armor was bright pink with a helm that had a “M” shaped open to allow her to see, on top are dull pink scales, and light pink fins on the back of the helm. Her body armor was much the same in terms of color with tan hoof covers and a tan belt. Her shield was on her left shoulder and was dull pink with a green eye in the upper left of the shield.
“I see so all we need to do is put them on.” Twilight said looking at her own armor.
With that each one of the armors gained the colors of the ponies that wore them. Applejack's was suit to her to the te. The thick brown hat was much like her normal hat, her orange poncho with an apple design down the front and back of it, and the under armor was silver with plating heavy on her hooves. Rainbow Dash's helm had a top with her mane colors with red and purple forming pig tails with the rest of the helm cyan. The silver bands on her upper legs and near the base of her wings that broke up the cyan of the armor with silver shin guards. Her shield was now on her left shoulder and was a small cyan circle with a rainbow center. Rarity's armor was now pure white with royal purple details. Fluttershy's armor and helm looked like a timberwolf but the light pink fur and yellow base made it easy for her to be told apart. The brown lines that formed rectangles that added to the armor. Twilight was the last one to put on her armor since she had to recast the spell to hide her wings. Her armor and helm were much like those of the old unicorn clover. The dark purple of the cloak and hood matched her coat well with the magenta details on them both looked. Under that was a silver under suit that could protect her better. Her shield was that of an owl and on her back.
“I must say we look rather fierce.” Rarity said looking at her armored friends.
“I do wonder though why Fluttershy and me don't have a shield.” Applejack said looking at the others shields.
“I think it is because you and Fluttershy are either treating others when injured or rushing in to clear the path.” Pinkie said reading her book some more.
“Okay guys we need to get a move on who know what could be going on.” Rainbow Dash said flying towards the door.
----
Explosions and flames licked the barriers that the unicorns put up around their squads as the rahkshi began to get through Shining Armor's barrier and the crystal heart's barrier that destroyed a good number of them but the guards were still outnumbered ten to one. Thanks to Princess Luna they knew that as long as there was several unicorns in the squad one could hold the barrier, another could heal while other either took a respite or fired magic at the backs of the rahkshi. The battle was at a stall mate with the makuta forces not gaining an inch. Then the crystals began to appeared over the battlefield, and that changed the flow of the battle. Many of the cadets and guards were crystal ponies and it took the normal equestrians to rein them in. The crystals began to form around each squad and left them imprisoned.
Sombra looked over his handy work and smile not only had he taken down the defenders but it left the Empire defenseless. The army began it's rush for the castle with rahi and rahkshi going by air and land. Sombra could feel the victory in his magical grip. Then three beams of magic knocked twenty rahi and rahkshi. Sombra looked at the two alicorn mares and unicorn stallion.
“Well look at that the moon princess, the crystal princess, and the odd duck out.” Sombra said looking at the trio.
Shining Armor was the first to attack and used a knockout spell on a stone ape that was about to strike him. He then used his magic to form a hammer and began to knock anything that wasn't equestrian. Meanwhile the princesses went for Sombra. Crystals tried to pin them down and dark magic flew at them. Pink and Blue auras shot at the dark unicorn. Using his ability to go into crystal Sombra began to shoot magic from different crystals and dodge the princesses' attacks. The Princesses were dodging and shooting the crystal, while this was going on Shining Armor began to use the hammer to break out the squads.
“Lieutenant get all of the squads to the castle and have all unicorns either heal the wounded or hold a shield around the building.” Shining Armor said to a gray unicorn in gold armor who nodded. The two parted ways just as a Panrahk fragmented the ground the two were just standing.
Shining Armor shattered the Panrahk spine destroying the Kraata inside. He then used his magic construct hammer to bash and break the rahkshi's staffs as they started to circle around him. If not for his mastery of both a personal shield spell and weapon construct he would have been poisoned, fragmented, superheated, struck by lighting, or crushed. By now the magic construct was fading in strength and the piles of metal at his hooves Shining Armor began to run towards the castle. The rahi that remained ran after him, some shot poison at him while other shot spikes at him. Even in his armor the waning shield was clear in his mind and as he entered the barrier around the castle his own shield broke. Once inside a burning from his flank caused him to fall to the ground. With several unicorns rushing towards him, Shining Armor saw a spike in his flank.
“Your Majesty are you alright.” one of the crystal ponies said bowing to him.
Even with the pain in the flank, that was the spike, Shining Armor kept a calm face.
“I'm fine soldier and when there is a battle going on I am a soldier like you not a ruler.” Shining Armor said with stern tone. “Clear private”
“Crystal, sir.” the pony said.
“Well looks like being a prince hasn't change ya must ah Armor.” A night guard said in normal attire but his colors were bright blue and a mane of yellow.
“Wild, I didn't know you were here.” Shining said looking at the bat winged pegasus.
“I came after Princess Luna sent word to her guards. Me and a squad of batwings arrived just as you had the soldiers retreat here.” Wild said looking around at the soldiers around him. “Well this is starting to remind me of your wedding. Invading army, soldiers stuck in one spot, and you're unable to move.”
“One thing different here there is angry mother fighting for her daughter.” Shining Armor said as a crystal pony and unicorn began to look at the spike.
“What did you knock up your wife and have your kid taken for ransom? That sounds like a bad comic book plot.” Wild said wanting to laugh.
“I'm talking about Princess Luna.” Shining said then he felt a tug on the spike. “Careful it might have a barred tip.”
Meanwhile Sombra noticed the lack of rahkshi on the field. He did see the scrap metal of them and laughed a little. Icarax wasn't wrong in the fact that rahkshi of that low of level, while able to fight, they would be be crushed by the enemy. They were meant as a distraction to set the stage for the co da grace. The ground shook as the two colossus appeared on the edge of the crystal empire. Even dodging the two princesses he smiled. The elites would make short work of the two and after that he would get some relief.
Luna notice the two giant out of the counter of her eye. From what her niece and nephew-in-law told her these were the same beings that took her Artemis. Luna changed her flight path and made a be line for them. Sombra saw this and was about to enjoy the show of the lunar princess being crushed by the Vahki elites when the last of the royal house of the crystal empire managed to hit him with some magic. Hissing Sombra retreated into his crystal giving Candace a hateful look.
Back to the princess, who was living up to the name “Nightmare Moon”, that was not only was fighting the monsters but winning. The kranua tried to swat her with it's staff but Luna used her magic and royal armor to slice it's arm off. Luna thought that would cry out in pain but the arm just reformed from sand. While Luna was taking this information in the kraahu split into thirds and tried to box her in. Luna knew enough to not to let the information overwhelm her. From what she could tell these creatures could not fly and that was her best chance. Using her magic she rocketed up pass the two and was well above their heads. Just as she thought they had a few tricks up their sleeves so did the moon Princess.
The soldiers watched as the two princesses took on their opponents. Cadence was tracking Sombra and shattering the crystal that he disappeared into while Luna was using her speed and magic to cause the two elites to crash into each other.
“You sure know how to pick them Bub. From what I've seen of the other royals they wouldn't raise a hoof to help an old mare.” Wild said looking at the two royals fighting and then back to Shining Armor who had a cot under him and was in the sitting position.
“Well most of them let the power go to their heads and forget that they were once humble. I mean look at Blue Blood.” Shining said getting a nodded from Wild. “Besides my sister's an alicorn and she choose to stay with her friends. So it must be something that comes with being an alicorn.”
Just then a loud crash was heard and all the crystals that Sombra made fell to the ground with him now nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
“Looks like your wife just got a POW.” Wild said with a charming grin. Shining had a different look on his face. He began to play it through his mind, the battle had little no to injure thanks to the planning and he was able to crush a lot of them. Now both the princesses were occupied and the equestrian forces were in one place. If not for the shields the creatures, that were still there banging on them, would have had a field day with the inexperienced soldiers. Then another pounding sound was heard by the forces in the dome.
The sound was coming from the other side of the empire. A few crystal ponies wanted to run into the castle but the commanding officers stopped them from moving from where they stood. It was then the group saw two new creatures heading to the castle. The first had three heads all like the rahkshi that attacked earlier. The creature stood up right and had two arms that had shields in place of hands. It had red, green, and white armor behind each head and clawed feet. The other looked like a rider with some four legged creature. The rider looked like a rahkshi and had black armor with his stead blue in front and the back was brown.
“I knew this was too easy.” Shining Armor said looking at the new threat.
----
Takua felt like he was about halfway up the tree, but he also knew how many bios he had just ascended was still ahead of him.
“I hate it when it is just fetch quests.” Takua said to himself looking up above him. “I want some more action.”
----
“I prefer a straight up fight to all this sneaking around.” Rainbow said as she and Pinkie dodged another parole of rahkshi.
About ten minutes ago the mane six came across tracks in the snow by the colossi and noticed that they were heading towards the Crystal Empire. Everypony wanted to go to help the empire but they knew it was not their fight right now. Following them in the opposite direction of the Crystal Empire they came to the fortress of evil, at least that was what Pinkie called it, and noticed the lack of guards. Which meant that most of the forces were at the empire, but they still didn’t know who was left in the base. Twilight, being the egg head that is, decided to split them into groups of two to search for Artemis. Rarity and Applejack chose to look in the upper levels of the fortress. Twilight and Fluttershy were looking for hidden rooms. Which left the rest to Rainbow and Pinkie.
The two had checked the mess hall, forge, and throne room. During that time Pinkie had pulled out a cardboard box and put it over them. Dash wanted to say something about this but it seemed to work, when adjacent halls connect being in the shadow of something it was like they weren’t there. This left Dash flabbergasted, Pinkie just said she read it in her book.
Once the parole was out of sight the two came out of the box.
“We’re lost. We have no idea how big this place is but all we know we could be going into a circle.” Rainbow Dash said in an angry hushed voice.
“Don’t worry Dashie I still have my night vision goggles which uses heat to see and our hoof steps leave heat on the ground so we can know where we have been.” Pinkie said pulling said object out of her mane and put them on. “Strange there’s only one heat sign in that room when I can see two things on my radar.”
“What are you talking about I don’t see anything there but a wall.” Dash said giving her a confused look.
Just then a lone silver rahkshi come to the wall, before the rahkshi was in sight Pinkie once again put the box over them. PP and RD waited and watched as the rahkshi knocked on the wall. After a few minutes a black ooze appeared out of nowhere and began to form into a pony. Now Dash and Pinkie had never seen Icarax in person but when he was fully formed Dash’s mind went straight to the changeling queen. Pinkie put her hoof in front of Dash and wait because this might have something to do with the Crystal Empire.
“So the plan is going well. Now all we need is for the nightmare to return. She is close to being turned, her lack of magic use has taken longer then need but soon she will be a pawn once again.” Icarax said as the rahkshi hissed and spat. The rahkshi then made several gestures and clicks which Icarax rolled his eyes at.
“Of course Antroz would call a meeting now. Go back to the battle and make sure we do not let us lose.” He said walking away with the rahkshi.
Once the cost was clear Pinkie picked up the box and it disappeared into nothing. Dash ignore the box and focused on the wall and what she and Pinkie heard and saw.
“Pinkie when you saw that guy didn’t he look like a changeling?” Dash said looking for a way into the room.
“Somewhat but now we know where Artemis is we should get the others.” Pinkie said as she put her hoof out and a click was heard.
“Pinkie what just happen?” Rainbow Dash said as a scroll appeared in front of her.
It read: Pinkie has found Artemis have your unicorn use a teleportation spell on the scroll.
“Do I even want to know?”
----
Artemis was about to give up, she heard the sound of the creatures march out to attack the Crystal Empire and from what Icarax told her, the new darker part of her mind said it was true, her mother tried to help the empire but she would die. The amulet took that anger and worked to this point that the true nightmare was beginning to become real and the filly to be nothing but a memory. Artemis still had the memory of how her mother went through the same thing, the only difference was Artemis and the dark part was the same. Then a thought came to her mind what if this dark part was her shadow powers? To her knowledge nothing shadow related have every turn out good. Was it because shadow was evil? No there are ponies who say Celestia gave them the power to cause war in her name. While she isn’t on good terms with her aunt, Artemis understood that it was out of safety and care for her people. While the amulet is on the shadow will grew and make it more really.
Then a flash of magenta magic appeared and Artemis could see six pairs of eyes none even close to the crimson that have constantly came to torment her. The gems that shore in the dark also gave her hope. The elements of harmony had found her once again.
----
“The shadow toa project is nearly complete we just need the half-toa to place the stones and we are set.” Antroz said looking at the bored Icarax. “I trust you have Nightmare set to be reveal to our master.”
“Ya and to bring up old business do you happen to know where the rest of the Vakhi are?” Icarax said referring to how he now had some of greatest mechanics every made by those with hooves.
“After it was clear that Discord had lost me and the others let them run wild your guest is as good as mine.”
Just then Vultraz came running with a bump on his head.
“Lord Icarax we have Toa in the base.” the shadow unicorn said out of breath.
“Impossible we have tabs on all the Toa and outside of our organization nopony else knows of this place.” Icarax said giving the former Ta-pony a disappointed look.
“But one of them was orange with green eyes and was an earth pony. That was all I saw before they hit me and knocked me out.” Vultraz pleaded with the order member. “That Princess might have found them and sent them here.”
The thought was not unlikely, but no pony in their right mind would come into the home of an enemy without knowledge of the place. Before Icarax could continue that thought Antroz spoke.
“As much as I love to see your failures if these are indeed Toa then we must crush them.
----
Twilight ripped the alicorn necklace off of Artemis as the others started to break the chains. The first one to break was the body chain, then her back leg chains, and finally her fore legs. Artemis felt solid ground under her in celestia knows how long. The mane six noticed this and Fluttershy rushed to her side.
“Artemis are you alright?” Twilight asked using a illumination spell to see how she was.
“Better when we are out of this tartarus forsaken place.” Artemis said then she saw the black shadow that was Icarax appear in the room.
“I don’t think that will happen.
----
Luna was rather proud of her self not only had she made sure that the Vakhi elites would no longer trouble her or anypony else. If one was to look behind her they would see twisted metal and sand meeting glass. There is an old axiom “If you steal an Ursa Minor best be able to fight the Ursa Major.” There is only one other axiom that other follow “To piss off an alicorn is to have the wrath of a god come upon you.”
During Luna’s ‘wrath’, the other two giant were weaken by the crystal heart but they were still able to cause several unicorns to faint from the magical straining with several Nightguard tearing metal off of the creatures making them easier for the crystal ponies to attack. By the end of the conflict only the buildings were damaged and nopony was seriously hurt, granted the ponies with broken bones would need time to heal. Cadence was able to contain Sombra for questioning on the order’s plan for later. Sombra was taking his imprisonment well, the fact he happened stop yelling did cause Shining Armor to cast a mute spell. While the empire was safe Luna couldn’t help but feel like she had left Artemis in the claws of the demon that now held her and this corruption that he talked about. Luna could only imagine what could be happen to her. One step away from changing directions and flying off to show Icarax what a mother’s rage could do a smooth mass of black appeared out of the corner of her eye. Thinking it was Icarax she accelerated to attack speed but stopped when she saw six colorful suits of armor and in the center was Artemis passed out.
---
After hours of climbing, and a nap or two, Takua had made it to the top of the tree and say the forest green stone. Once he put it in his bag with the others a thought crossed his mind.
“How am I going to get down, because I’m not walking down those stairs.”
----
A/N: no side characters this chapter but I still have one more to write before this arc is done