//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Nightfall Part One // Story: The Server Admin // by Elaine_Lunaris //------------------------------// Nightfall – Part 1 Discord walked through the hoard of zombies; they were more quiet than normal. A single tent stood out amongst the hoard, the withering masses parted as he walked along the checkerboard ground. Walking into the tent he saw Chrysalis and Sombra at a table with a map on it. Clicking his fingers chairs appeared around the table and glasses of chocolate milk on the table. Sitting in one of the chairs Discord frowned. “So how are we going to get inside the fortress, the shield is still active and those ‘Tesla Coils’ are still active as well.” He sighed as the two nodded sagely. “You know what, you guys are no fun. I’m the spirit of ‘Chaos’ and Disharmony! Not a damn scout.” Chrysalis sighed. “My changelings are capable of turning into other ‘ponies’ not these ‘humans’ or ‘Minecraftians’. Therefore with your abilities to randomly move about, we can tell locations of guards and other beings on the walls.” Sombra nodded, agreeing with Chrysalis completely. Discord sighed again. “Fine I’ll do it, but as soon as we’re inside I’m going to have a little fun with them.” Their orbs all glowed and they all saw a throne room that was made of the blackest materials. Upon the throne sat a hooded figure with black wings, white glowing eyes came from under the cowl of the hood. A large black gem sat imbedded in the wall above the black throne. Torches of black fire burned along the walls, and the gem radiated dark power. The figure was pale underneath the hood, although none could see his face except his mouth and the glowing eyes. He wore a large black cloak, with a black scale from the Ender Dragon shaped into a semicircle that covered one of his shoulders. A pure black blade leaned against the side of the throne. “Ah, good to see you three again, how fares the siege of High Rockwall?” Sombra was the one to respond. “Lord Herobrine, they have as you would put them ‘cannons’ that are overlooking the entire army. If we walk into range they will open fire and obliterate the entire army in mere minutes. If we could request some spiders, we might get an edge over them if they get over the walls and disable their cannons.” Herobrine chuckled, “As you wish Sombra, I will send you the spiders. But I better get results.” He leaned forwards from his throne, finishing off in a menacing tone. “Don’t make me come down there Sombra. Or you will regret it.” The image faded from their visions, the three looked at each other in worry. What had Herobrine meant by that? What would he do if they did not succeed in their task? They sure as all hell didn’t want to find out. V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V Perspective Change Admin Walker V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V I sat leaning back in a chair with my boots on the table; my eyes were open and I had a pair of sunglasses over my eyes, and although I looked asleep to those gathered around, I in fact wasn’t. The table in front was surrounded by other ponies, people and Minecraftians that they had gathered for the U.M.H.P.H.O, the United Minecraftian Human Pony Herobrine Offense. I listened closely to what the newest Mechanist Scout Captain SilentAnth was saying. “I say we take the fight to them! We obviously have more firepower, let’s use it against them! We fire ‘The Pile Diver’ and wipe out their entire army in one fell swoop.” He tapped a finger on the little red flag that indicated where the hoard was, knocking it over. “Then we march in and take out any stragglers.” People in favor of this idea were nodding their heads and murmuring in approval that is until Shinning Armor spoke up. “Have you seen the forces gathered against us? Have you bothered to look out the widow recently? No? Then what you are proposing for us to do is in fact, a bad idea and will most likely get us all killed. I propose that we sneak around here.” He pointed to a spot on the giant map. “Of course the first thing we would have to do is eliminate their archers and spiders. After that though, things start to get tricky. I propose that we release a timed barrage from the plasma cannons to keep the hoard at bay. Then, when ‘The Pile Diver’ is fully charged we attack the main army. This way we don’t have to send anyone out who isn’t good in combat, no unnecessary losses.” Ponies, Humans and Minecraftians nodded and spoke their approval of the Guard Captains sound logic. The ones with SilentAnth spoke out their disapproval; the two sides began arguing with each other. I sighed silently to myself; over the dull conversation a single voice broke out “Will you all be quiet!” The man slammed his hand into the table for added effect. Everyone gathered stopped their talking and turned to stare. “I know what you’re all thinking right now..... Both of these ideas sound good to you, and yet they both sound like bad ideas at the same time.” The man shook his head. “We need to work together here people, not be at each other’s throats.” Everyone gathered nodded their heads in approval of the man. I smirked, just a small one, completely unnoticeable to them. Finally though someone was getting the situation sorted out. One of the Ponies gathered spoke out. “What are we going to do about the spiders though? It’s obvious, come nightfall that they will attack us.” More nods and murmurs of agreement. I chuckled then, which gained everyone’s attention. “Isn’t it obvious?” My question was met with confused stares. I lifted the shades off my eyes and placed them in my inventory. “We let them in.” Before I could continue my proposal was met with the roars of anger and disapproval of most of the people gathered. I sighed to myself as they yelled at me; I shook my head, I stood up. Everyone quieted down, confusion replacing what was rage and disbelief but moments ago. I climbed onto the table and stood in the middle, my wings tucked neatly behind my back. “Now, are you going to let me continue? Or are you going to interrupt me for the umpteenth time.” I turned towards the separate groups, staring at all of them in turn before continuing. “Like I said before I was rudely INTERRUPTED.” Some of the Ponies turned away with sheepish looks on their faces. “We let them in.....” I held up a hand to stem the incoming tide of disapproval. “But we don’t just ‘let’ them in so easily.” They turned towards me with confusion evident on their faces. I smiled at them, making them even more confused. “I say, we let them in. And when they DO come in, we ambush them.” I point to some of the buildings on the map. “We post archers inside the buildings; here, here, and right here!” Some of the groups gained thoughtful looks at my plan. “When they enter, we trap them inside a repulsion shield spell, with the top of it open. When the filthy monsters enter it, the sides of the shield will push them into the center, allowing the archers to take the cleanest shots available to take them out. If this is not the only area of attack they do move into. We should place archers in this quadrant as well, same routine. Repulsion shield, archers in the buildings, kills the filthy monsters.” I tapped a finger on the map for emphasis, many of the groups nodding and murmured at the clearly sound plan. Shinning Armor, the leader of the Guard Ponies and representative of the Princess, SilentAnth current leader of the Humans who have been trapped in Minecraftia, and the mysterious leader of the Minecraftians all looked in my direction. Shinning Armor cleared his throat. “It is a sound plan Admin. We agree with this course of action.” I nodded, determined to succeed, at the gathered groups of the U.M.H.P.H.O. “We begin at nightfall.....” V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V Three Hours Till Nightfall V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V I sat on top of the tallest tower I could find, staring off into the dwindling day. The Pile Diver stood tall behind me, stacks of ammo for the massive cannon laid beside it. The familiar clip-clop of hooves across the stone sounded behind me and I sighed. Rainbow Dash sat down next to me. “Do you think that we can get rid of them?” My gaze stared between my two dangling feet, down at the city below a thin smile raising the corners of my mouth. I shifted a bit, so that Rainbow was more comfortable beside me. I looked out towards the flickering sun that was falling out of sight. “Do you want to know what my father would say, if he were here right now?” Rainbow looked at my face, which was still staring at the city below us. “He would say one of two things, the first one being. ‘Boy, I don’t want to know what you did to get into this situation. But all I got to say is this; don’t make the same mistakes I did. Never forget what you are fighting for. For if you forget what makes you want to fight, then you might as well surrender right now.’ He always knew what to say about situations like these.” I raised one finger and pointed towards the dwindling sun. “The second thing he would say is this, ‘Spend every moment with those you love the most, for those are the times most precious to us. And it makes you look forwards to tomorrow.’” Rainbow looked at the sun where I had pointed. “He sounds like a man who knows his stuff.” A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “Aye that he was.....” “So who do you love the most?” The smile faded from my face as I raised my head from staring down onto the city. “Who do I love the most?” Rainbow nodded at me and I sighed. “That’s just the thing Rainbow..... Who do I love the most? It’s one of the biggest questions I have asked myself in my time alive. ‘Who do you love Walker?’” I shook my head the answer obvious since I had thought a long time about it. “My friends and family would be one, another would be you girls.” She cocked her head to one side. “But you only met us a few days ago. What have we ever done for you?” I snorted and continued. “In my world, we have many things. But none of them equal the amount of things I have seen in your world.” I raised a clenched fist and started numbering of on my fingers the amount of things that would help my world. “Magic, we could do so much with it. Just think of it, a new field of research, thought to never be real. And yet, I see it all the time in your world. "Rulers as kind as Celestia and Luna, if we had someone like them two leading our world, we wouldn’t be as barbaric as we are, there would be no wars, no conflicts, only peace……" "Heroes, if we had heroes like you girls on Earth. Then our problems would be solved." "The last thing that’s important. Friendship..... If I saw the level of friendship you share with the girls in our world... well there wouldn’t be anything to fight about in the first place.” I looked at the city below us and smiled. “In my world there is a ‘fictional’ show,” I emphasized the fictional part with my fingers. “It shows your world, and this has helped many people to overcome these problems in our world. So you see, what you are doing is helping us. You girls have helped my world blossom into something beautiful. And every human here can thank you for that. And yet...... Not all of them appreciate that.” A single tear escaped my eyes and I felt a wing being draped over my back, I looked up and saw Rainbow smiling softly at me. “We’ve only known each other for a few days Admin. But over our time together everypony has come to trust you. Nopony here would betray you, not me, not Twilight, nor Steve or Codelord. We’re a group, and nothing can separate us.” “She’s right you know.” Rainbow and I turned and saw our friends all there. Twilight and Steve, FrozenFire_ and Codelord, Shining Armor and Princess Celestia, all of them were smiling at me. I realized that these friends will never abandon me; I smiled again at the seven friends gathered around me. Together we stared at the setting sun, knowing full well what would be coming when night falls. V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V High Rockwall Streets V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V A single man walked the dark streets, heading towards the gigantic metal doors that stood, towering over the city streets. His metal leg clanking against the cobblestone on the floor, whilst his metallic arm hissed in the cool night, arcs of lightening traced down the miniature Tesla Coils imbedded into his arm. Reaching the gate two guards crossed their spears into the man’s path. “Sorry, Admin has not permitted anyone to leave the city. This includes you Captain SilentAnth.” Steam hissed out of Anth’s metal leg and a cruel smile played across his face. He lifted his hand and twin arcs of electricity shot out of his palm to impact against the two guards iron breastplates. “You boys are way out of your league, best you get some sleep.” The two guards fell to the floor smoke smoldering of their bodies. The man continued his journey out of the city gate, his journey leading him towards the checkerboard land beyond and a single tent in the distance. Dark smile covered his face. He chuckled menacingly to the night sky; his chuckles soon broke out in to a dark menacing laugh as he walked towards the hoard below. “Time to get me some old fashioned payback......." "And this time, you won’t have anyone to save you.” V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V Hoard Camp V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V Sombra stared at the mechanical man sitting in the corner of the room, his gaze burning into the man’s eyes. Discord sat upside down in a beach chair sipping at his golden goblet of chocolate milk, he casually sighed as he sat there. Chrysalis was the only one who engaged in conversation with the man robot thing, and what they had learned had piqued their interests. Black smoke drifted around Sombra and he spoke in a cold tone, devoid of emotion. “So you are willing to let us into High Rockwall, upon the conditions of sparing your pitiful life and killing Admin Walker and his group?” The mechanical being they had come to know as SilentAnth nodded. “Aye as long as these conditions are met, I couldn’t give two shits what you three do to anyone else." Discord laughed a hearty and full blown laugh. “I like this one Sombra! He’s got spirit, and guts to think that we would agree to his pitiful, annoying terms.” The mechanical being smiled knowingly, “But do you have a choice, to not agree?” Discord scowled and his char disappeared with a soft poof, “Look here mister rusty, I don’t trust traitors, because they betray people.” Chrysalis sat in the corner with an amused expression on her face. The sounds of hissing and moaning echoing around the camp alerted them to the time. Sombra looked toward Discord. “We need to prepare, send him out.” Discord clicked his fingers and the human Mechanist was teleported away from the room. “I agree with sending him out Sombra, I take it you don’t trust him either?” “I trust them about as far as I can throw them.” The chaotic creature scoffed at him. “Come now, we both know that you can throw these Humans as far as you would like.” “It was a metaphor Discord, a metaphor.” Chrysalis gained a smug expression to her bug like features and she started humming her wings. Sombra looked over to the Changeling, a hint of confusion evident on his face. “What is it Chrysalis?” Said Changeling started beaming with joy. “They are beginning the night shift; there will be fewer guards now. My Changelings also report that there are lesser guards tonight, some of them might be slacking off.” Sombra’s features turned into a suspicious frown. “That is unusual.... Send in a few scouts, we need to know a better report.” Chrysalis scowled at the dark magician pony. “Do you doubt my Changelings powers of observation? They are the best spies and assassins that you will ever find.” Sombra walked towards the bug-mare, scowling all the while. “I do not doubt your Changelings; I am simply saying that we need more information than they might be slacking off. For all we know they could be preparing a trap for the Spiders.” Chrysalis got off the chair and hovered into the air, pointing a holey hoof at the dark pony. “And what if you are wrong Sombra, what if they are not preparing a trap and we send these extra spies in. We might be discovered and our entire plan will be destroyed all because of your foolishness.” Discord landed on the ground between the two, raising his two mismatched paws to block both of the offending parties. “Ladies, calm down would you? I actually think that Chrysalis is right on this one Sombra.” The dark smoke intensified around the dark magician. “Fine, I will trust your judgment Chrysalis. But hear me now; I will not bear the blame should this fail.” A silence descended upon the three, all of them contemplating the course of action they were about to take upon and what might be the consequences to their actions. None of the three wanted to know what should happen if they were to fail. All through this time a sinister presence was watching with interest, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, his hood obscuring any vision of his face. A menacing chuckle escaped his lips, soon breaking forth into an evil and dark laugh. “This war just got a tad bit more interesting.”