//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 // Story: 64 vs. Equestria // by Jman9877 //------------------------------// Chapter 29 Knight POV I had bought myself some time…… With Princess Celestia being consumed by that devilish creature it was a miracle that I even managed to escape that encounter alive. Although I was alive, I was chained with a collar to the Throne, which now had the same charred, burning look as Celestia’s skin, along with the walls of the Throne Room. With every step she took towards the Palace she was causing more and more destruction, taking random ponies that were slow enough to get caught by her magical grasp, and turning them into those rocky, melting zombies. They turned other ponies into the monsters as well, using simply a touch to burn them, and the burn mark simply spread throughout the body, until the molten rock simply overtook their entire body, turning them into those molten monsters. The only reason I was spared was because I knew the most about Project 64’s anatomy, knowing where he was most susceptible to injury, along with his physical traits, abilities, and tactics. He loves to cause diversions, using illusions to disarray his opponents view on the battle, either allowing him to escape, or incapacitate. He also loves to strike using quick and precise attacks, rarely striking directly and often used counters and parries in his fighting style. With these two statements I managed to keep Celestia sated until we reached the Palace, who once against turned on me, asking about his magical augmentations. I knew very little about his magical ability, but I did know this. Without any type of magical catalyst to help artificial magic flow through his body, his body will eventually break down, not being able to handle the inorganic energy. I was flanked on both sides by the newly dubbed “Nova Guards”, which were Royal Guards simply encased in that horrible Molten infection, it didn’t even look like they were having any direct thought, and simply followed whatever was told by Celestia, which was something I had strived to do for over 10 years. “KNIGHT! FOLLOW ME THIS INSTANT!” Celestia yelled, standing from her Throne and walking forward, pulling a chain attached to my collar. “Yes Princess Celestia….” I grumbled, following against my will. “YOU WILL NOT ADDRESS ME BY CELESTIA ANYMORE! SHE WAS A WEAKLING, AND I WILL NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH HER! YOU WILL CALL ME SUPER NOVA THIS INSTANT, OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED SEVERELY. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!?” I cowered under her bellowing, feeling the heat of her body which had slightly lessened blow against my fur, making me sweat even more. I nodded quickly, and felt her tug against the chain, continuing to pull me. “May I ask where we are going, Super Nova?” I said with a growl. She reared her head at me, and stared into my eyes with her fiery orbs. “THE ROYAL WAR ROOM, DEEP WITHIN THE CRYSTALINE CAVERNS.” Super Nova said, turning back to continue walking forward. I looked at the walls as we walked, and saw the melting and molten rock which now painted the walls. Walking by windows I saw that some buildings also had the same charred and burning look, courtesy of Super Nova’s magic. It seemed that the magic as slowly being transferred by slow moving Lava Zombies. As they walked over unaffected patches of land, it slowly turned it into the same molten texture, and then stayed that way. Once passing through a few remaining corridors we came to a small platform, now donning Super Nova’s solar cutie mark. We both stepped onto it, and with the pull of a lever, the platform was slowly descending, going towards the nearly never used War Room. We saw the useless mineral crystals as we descended, and I saw them reflect the flaming light coming from Super Nova’s mane. The light show was nearly tantalizing, but it was obvious that Super Nova didn’t care. “WE’RE HERE.” Nova said, stepping off of the platform, into a Room filled with maps and flags adorning the walls, and one large map with several marker flags covering it. “Why are we here? We have no immediate invasion plans, and we have no reason to defend from another nation?!” I spat towards Celestia, wanting to see her reasoning behind this. “WE DO HAVE AN ENEMY, AND HE HAS IN FACT INVADED EQUESTRIA. THE ONE CALLED P-PROJECT 64!” Super Nova yelled, mane slightly flaring her mentioning of the name. “WE MUST PREPARE AN ATTACK ON HIM, AND ALL WHO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH HIM. SUCH AS DODGE JUNCTION!” “As much as I would love to destroy that hick town, we are under agreement that we will not attack Dodge Junction, due to the bargaining chip they gave us. They gave us information regarding Project 64, and we look away from the help they have given him in the past. Any attack on them would be a declaration of a civil war.” I said, not even wavering at her tone. “I CARE NOT OF PAST AGREEMENTS; THEIR TOWN WILL BURN UNDER MY RULE! THEY WILL BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THOSE WHO WILL EVEN THINK ABOUT CROSSING ME!” Super Nova’s mane began to flare higher, and I began to feel the effects of the now immense heat radiating from her. I began to sweat even more now, and saw my fur began to slowly char. My eyes widened at the effects she was having on me at the moment, so I needed a way to calm her down a bit. “B-But that doesn’t mean we can’t attack anyway! We know names and locations! We can form a full scale attack!” I yelled, as I saw the blackened fur seize, and slowly retract back into nothingness, as I felt the temperature drop slightly, and Super Nova’s mane went back into control. “SEND A 10 MAN SQUADRON TO DODGE JUNCTION, UNDER THE ORDERS TO SWEEP AND CLEAR DODGE JUNCTION, WITH EXTREME PREJUDCE!” Super Nova yelled, giving me a quill and scroll to write the order out. I simply grabbed the quill and began to write out the order, then gave it to Super Nova who magically sent it to 10th Squadron, our quickest working group. “NOW THEN, PREPARE A SEARCH AND DESTROY PLAN TO ELIMINATE PROJECT 64! WE MUST LOCATE HIM AND HAVE HIM EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY!” “Yes Super Nova, right away….” I grumbled, walking over to the largest map and looking over it, and saw that his latest seen locations were already marked, including the now destroyed Underground Passages he used. Ponyville was marked in a big red circle, indicated that was his last know location, so he must of started moving from there, and based on the timestamps along with the circles, he has had about 10 hours of moving time, and based on his 12 MPH sprint speed, he had to have been with 120 miles of Ponyville, so I made a 120 mile radius circle and showed Super Nova. “He has to be near this radius, based on the fact that it would be nearly impossible for him too remain a constant top speed.” I said, before returning to the map. I also knew based on his endurance testing he was able to run constantly at top speed for 2 hours before he collapsed, so I took into account resting and slowing down, which meant he had to have been with a 70 mile radius, so I also marked that line. “This is the radius he would most likely be in, based on the fact that no matter how fast he could run, everypony needs a break.” I said, and watched as Super Nova looked over the map. “VERY WELL, I WILL USE YOUR PLAN AND SEND A MASSIVE ARMY OUT TO SEARCH FOR HIM! PERHAPS YOU AREN’T AS USELESS AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE!” Super Nova said, taking off the collar around my neck, and blasting me with a bolt of magic. I feared the worst and looked down at my body, expecting to see blackened fur to start crawling up my body, but all I saw was a small film of magic covering my body, from head to hoof. “THAT SPELL WILL CLOAK YOU FROM MY MOLTEN MINIONS, AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO ROAM FREELY THROUGHOUT THE CASTLE. USE MY GIFT WELL.” Super Nova yelled, before she left the room, leaving me to my own devices. I knew I had to get out of Canterlot, and away from this screwed up Celestia, so I waited followed her to the platform, and rose to the surface once again. I traveled to my chambers, and saw that my room was still unaffected by Super Nova’s evil transformation. I opened the drawers and pulled out a small dagger, a small black cloak, and a map and compass to help me navigate. I would want to head to the Kingdom of Ethaxial, which was across the Equine Sea to the West, so I could go under the radar of Super Nova. Word would spread quickly after Super Nova would dispatch Royal Guards into Equestria to search for Project 64, and many foreign armies would come to foolishly take control of the land during what they think would be a moment of weakness, only to be cut down by Super Nova, and I wanted to be as far away from everything as possible before that happened. As I was leaving my room, I felt the fur on the back of my head stand up, as if something was in the air that wanted to sneak up on me. I turned around and saw a shadow within the window, before it quickly went out of sight. I squinted as I tried to see what it was, before simply shaking my head, and continuing for the exit. I didn’t expect a large explosion to blast through the hallway I was in, blasting me down the hall, knocking me unconscious. 64 POV I set off the diversion explosives, which consisted of a stolen oxygen tank from the Hospital, and thanks to Rarity’s special talent, a Rhyolite piece spell, which was enough to blow a good chunk of the wall off of the hallway I saw Knight in. I couldn’t believe what me and the 6 mares saw when we came upon what used to be Canterlot, with the molten textures lining the city bleeding down the side of the mountain. Twilight nearly fell down in tears when she saw her Hometown in near ruin, burning from Super Nova’s evil reign. I looked down at the pin attached to my shoulder, and wondered where the hell Shining Armor was in the whole fray of things. I hadn’t seen him since I left him to fight Super Nova on his own, something I still felt slightly guilty of. After we arrived in the city, I told the mares to stay in the outskirts of the city, in a secondary shelter I had in a cave within the Canterlot Cliffs, the same cave I once shared a night with Shining Armor. This order obviously ticked off Rainbow Dash, who wanted to help me sneak into the Palace. I told her that she and Fluttershy needed to help me keep an eye on the Palace, staying above the clouds and watching for anything. If they saw something, they would report it to Twilight, and she would send a message to Vi, who would relay it to me. This plan was already working, with me getting word that a group of Guards were heading Southwest, towards the direction of Dodge Junction. I knew what would happen, and I knew I was the cause. I couldn’t feel bad now, I had a job to pull off, so I could stop Super Nova from causing any more trouble. I climbed up the side of the now destroyed wall, making my way towards the Forbidden Wing, where Twilight told me the Elements of Harmony would be most likely stored. I knew there would be security, but Vi and I had been training for special types of combat which prevented me from getting too close to the Ghouls, mainly utilizing blunt weaponry to push them back. After climbing up onto a balcony, I saw that there were 2 occupants in the bed sleeping. I lightened my footsteps and snuck by them, but as I walked, I realized that they weren’t molten, but the entire room was, like every other area within Canterlot. I quickly asked myself if I should wake them up, but I doubt that they would want to wake up when things are like this. “Vi, give me a locator towards the Elements of Harmony, just for a few seconds. I know how this kind of magic screws with your abilities. “O-Ok… Here they a-are, follow the line, and try to stay h-hidden. I don’t think that I could hold up a conjured weapon for too long.” Vi said, slightly garbled. Her magic was artificially put into her, so she was more susceptible to Magical Interference, unlike Twilight, who had no problem with send another message to me. “64! You won’t believe this! Super Nova just sent out what looks like an army! They’re going in all directions from Canterlot!” Twilight yelled in a hushed tone, obviously shocked at the amount of movement in the Guard there was. I looked out of the balcony, and saw the waves of Royal Guards heading in all directions, and part of me was glad. “Vi, things just got a bit easier. It looks like almost every single Royal Guard was just sent out, most likely to locate me. Heh, ironic that I was in Canterlot the entire time.” I chuckled, running out of the room and making left, following Vi’s Locator. As I suspected, Royal Patrols were down to a minimum, with maybe 4 surveying the entire Palace. Although this was great news to me, I still had a sense of urgency, wanting to get the hell out of the Palace as soon as possible. As I crouched around another corner, I saw Two Molten Royal Guards standing at attention in front of a door, obviously guarding whatever was behind it. “Vi, Quick Time please.” I whispered, as I felt time slow. I ran forward, and brought a small club onto both of their heads, but within my time, they hadn’t moved an inch. I dropped the spell, and saw the two guards slump over, as they reverted from their Molten state, into regular ponies. I observed the results, and came to the conclusion that the transformation spell only worked on conscious ponies. But it didn’t make any sense, because there were dozens of unconscious ponies in Ponyville when I stumbled into the Town. “Perhaps that was the spell activating, and they had just turned.” Vi said, making a valid point. I nodded and looked into the room which they were guarding. Inside there was a nothing but another bed room, with nopony inside of it. I tilted my head in confusion, and simply left the room, not bothering to figure out what was so important. I saw that Vi’s Locator was starting to flicker and fade, so I decided to hurry up and start sprinting, not caring if some Guard saw me. I burst into the kitchen, and saw 4 Ghoul Ponies turn their heads towards me. I quickly looked around and searched for a blunt weapon, knowing that Vi wouldn’t be able to put out anymore magic for Weaponry for the moment. I saw a Rolling Pin on a rolling counter, so I drop kicked the nearest Ghoul who was approaching me, and ran for the counter. I grabbed the rolling pin, and pushed the Counter into another Ghoul and the Ghoul who was getting up from my drop kick. The Counter pinned them both, and I pushed by another rushing Ghoul with the Rolling Pin, before bringing it onto its head, knocking the Ghoul out, revealing a Mare with a green mane and yellowish fur. I turned back to the last remaining Ghoul, and saw that he was right above me, about to advance onto me. I caught his open jaw with the Rolling Pin, and held him back onto his hind legs as he tried to get a bite out of me. I put my foot onto his chest, and pushed back, before clocking him in the head, revealing a Orange Stallion with a Black mane. I threw the Pin at the two Ghouls trapped underneath the Counter, hitting them both using ricochet, and continued through the Palace. “Vi? Can you hear me? Vi?” I said, trying to focus on both her and the fading red line going across the ground. “6-64… y—ne—top---“ I couldn’t make anything out of her words, but I knew I was near. As I slowed to a walk, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and I stood still, looking at the ground. My eyes widened as I saw a Secondary Blue Locator Line don the floor, as I felt something heavy land behind me. My eyes remained in their widened state, as I slowly turned around. Staring back at me, were two fiery orbs. It couldn’t have been a more worse time for Twilight to send me a message. “64! It looks like a fireball blew up in the Throne Room! I think something teleported!” No Shit Twilight… No Shit…