“And look at that!” Discord grinned eagerly as Sindri sent bolts of lightning at Angelos who in turn sent several bolter rounds right back at him causing Sindri to raise his defense or get shot full of holes.
Meanwhile, Twilight, her friends and the space marines had found out the location of the two captains. They decided they had to make their way there as soon as possible.
Discord smiled twiddling his fingers. He had his plan to evade getting imprisoned in stone when the time had come and he had deprived many able warriors from his cousins. Now he had taken the souls of two of their champions and made a new body for each of them. From the looks of it, the two space marine captains would have the advantage sooner or later.
Celestia clenched her teeth as she watched Thule and Eliphas brutally bludgeon each other with their fists as the two of them lost their weapons. The sound was not pleasant nor was the gasps, grunts and yells of pain that came from the two space marines as they brutally attacked each other.
Thule’s face was covered in blood. His good eye had been drowned in blood and he had already several internal bleedings. While that, Eliphas was in no better condition as he was covered with bruises and blood. The two champions looked as if they were ready to kill each other with their bare hands, which they indeed were. They faced each other for a moment before diving back into their brawl.
Sindri fired several doom bolts at Angelos who in turn retaliated by hurling a frag grenade right at him. The explosion disorienting him which gave Angelos an opening. Angelos in turn, fired several bolter rounds at Sindri which tore several chinks in his armor and began to back away. Angelos rushed forth with Godsplitter, intent on smashing Sindri to a million pieces when he was forced back by a literal hailstorm of the vile magic which forced him back. In an exchange of fire of bolter round and doom bolt, the two faced each other down in mortal combat. The first to make a mistake would undoubtedly the one who perishes.
Jonah Orion forced open the door to the great hall of Canterlot castle. His companions soon entered rushing to the throne room where the sounds of fighting was audible even from where they were. There they found Captain Thule and Angelos, locked in battle with Eliphas and Sindri while a crowd of onlookers watched in awe. Thule and Eliphas had dropped their weapons and were engaging in a fist fight, while Sindri and Angelos were on the other side of the room, firing bolter rounds and doom bolts at one another.
Intent on helping one of the captains, Jonah readied himself to strike, only to be blocked by two chaos space marines who came flying out of nowhere.
“Out of my way!” Thaddeus screamed as he sent his chainsword in an arc that decapitated the first chaos space marine while fired several bolter rounds into the neck of the other.
“The traitors are behind us!” Tarkus said as he turned around to see another mob of chaos space marines.
“We’ll hold them off!” Cyrus said readying himself as Martellus set up a sentry guy. “Jonah go!”
The librarian nodded, followed by the six ponies. Summoning up his strength, he sent a massive ball of fire at Sindri.
This surprise attack hit the sorcerer out of nowhere. He was not expecting someone to strike him from the rear and he had to raise his defense. This allowed Angelos to kick him to the ground. Afterwards, pinning the sorcerer to the ground, Angelos began to smash the sorcerer to a bloody pulp with every swing from godsplitter.
“Die! Die! Die!” Angelos said as he savagely bashed Sindri to pieces until nothing remained except for a few bits of armor and several body parts that splattered themselves around the throne room much to the distress of several of the onlookers.
“Do not intervene!” Thule ordered as he swung another blow at Eliphas. “His head is mine! And so will be this kill!”
Drawing his fist back, Thule sent a massive blow at Eliphas’ head knocking him back. Then charging at him, he back Eliphas into a wall where he pummeled his mortal enemy until he literally beat the life from him.
“Very good!” Discord said clapping. Snapping his fingers, the two chaos champions disappeared and the element of loyalty and kindness appeared where their bodies should of been.
“Now the last part of game....” Discord said grinning. “Is simple. Pick now. Any of your friends that died in the battle, I sent them to where they belong at home.” He said noting Cyrus, Avitus, Tarkus, Thaddeus, Martellus and Gordian.
“Now then choose...... do you go home or do you stay? But before you start remember this, by going home, the last element remains hidden. By staying... then get used to this ground at your feet. Oh and by the way, Chaos remains if I remain.”
“Those Chaos space marines!” Twilight exclaimed. “There still out there!”
“And they will be until these good fellows decide! And depending on which one they pick, they may even stay there!” Discord said gleefully.
The space marines all looked at each other until they finally made their decisions.
“I stay.” Thaddeus said. “We can’t simply just allow chaos to exist.”
“We will ALL these chaos dogs before leaving.” Avitus said.
“Chaos cannot be allowed to thrive anywhere!” Jonah said.
“We’d all be neglecting our duties we didn’t kill these chaos dogs.” Tarkus said. “I am staying.”
“If chaos is going to remain, then so will I.” Cyrus said.
“Then I think it’s settled.” Angelos said. “We are staying.”
Discord frowned for a moment but then nodded knowing that he maybe should of expected this reaction.
“Fine. One of you get’s to leave.” Discord said. “The good Apothecary over there. Now don’t worry, after I am gone, everyone who has died will be restored to life, any of your men will be sent back to where they belong. Now then take it.” Discord threw the element of magic at Twilight. “Now then..... turn me back to stone and be done with it.” Discord said waiting.
“So.... what was this question for? Seeing whether or not we’d shirk our duties?” Avitus asked. “The very thought of it!”
“No. It was only a test. I’d expect someone like you to be unwilling to help anything that doesn’t walk on two legs.” Discord said as he watched the element bearers take positions.
“Well, you passed my test.” Discord said frowning. “I will make good of my word.”
I don’t trust him. Thought literally everyone and everypony in the room but surprisingly, when Discord snapped his fingers, all the destruction, chaos and death the chaos space marines had caused was gone. Discord was gone too, replaced by a stone statue of himself. Everywhere those who died found themselves once again in the land of the living, a rather traumatizing experience as they knew and felt every moment of their deaths and the memories were rather scarring. It was time for Equestria to once again move on.
“Where’s Gordian?” Some said as they looked around. Sure enough, the apothecary was gone as was all their battle brothers.
“He sent back everyone except for us. Maybe this is the price we have to pay.” Cyrus said.
“I am only glad our chapter may live now that the rest of the 2 companies have been returned to them.” Tarkus said.
“Yes. But the loss of it’s two finest captains will be a loss it perhaps may never recover from.” Martellus said.
“I honestly don’t believe any of this.” Celestia said. “1,000 years, and I have never seen anything like this.” She looked at the backs of the space marines as they left canterlot hall, ignoring all the stares.
“Maybe we should keep an eye on them?” Someone said. “I mean they are rather.... big, scary and red.....”
“No. Let them be.” Celestia said wisely. “I don’t think they will mean any harm from then on. I just hope they can go home. Twilight, there is something I need to share with you.”