//------------------------------// // Only truth. // Story: Hail to the king, Hail to his Horde // by Emo Rainbow //------------------------------// Medical ward: current time As Verus and Krogg worked they calmly spoke to one another about the next course of action. "Should we speak truths to the ponies?" Krogg asked his king. "I am still not sure. From what I have had to gather we can't trust them unless they can assure us a way to save Sera." Verus replied. Krogg nodded his head. He did not question the decision after all he joined the rebellion to save the planet. They continued to work until they heard an all to familiar sound. A wretched thumping noise echoed down the halls. Then came that damned voice. "BOOM!" It shouted as they jumped to the sides. An explosion hit the door causing it to shatter to pieces. Verus already had his torque bow fixed on the boomers head. When he released it a wet crunchy noise could be heard as the arrow tore through its skull. Krogg with his pistols in hand ran to his king. "Stay behind me." He said. Verus simply nodded and went behind him with his torque bow still on hand. As they walked towards the exit they heard locust letting out yells of attack. When they rounded the corner they were met with five or so drones, a Theron, two grenadier elites, and a sniper. One thought crossed both Verus and Kroggs minds. Easy. Krogg charged in evading left and right dodging as many bullets as he could. Verus shadowed him quite nicely. They reached the wave of drones hiding behind cover. It was then that Krogg mantle kicked a drone in the head, knocking him back. He killed him swiftly then arched his head backwards dodging a sniper round that would have surely injured him. Krogg felt some bullets hit his back. He jumped backwards going past a drone. Kroggs robes may have been reinforced with light durable armor, but it wouldn't last as long as his suit. He immediately shot the drone with rapid waves of bullets from both his pistols. As the drone died he saw the Theron charging a torque bow. Krogg charged at him. Meanwhile Verus was engaged with three locust drones. He shot an arrow at one drone that barely dodged in the nick of time. Only for it to hit one of his comrades. He turned to the traitor Verus only to see him drive a bayonet through his flesh. Verus pulled the trigger giving him a merciful end. He heard steps running behind him. He turned intending to blast the locust with his gnasher. What he didn't expect was to get tackled to the ground by two grenadiers. They started beating him with brassed knuckles. Verus raised his arms in a defensive position to which they took most of the beating. They laughed maliciously thinking they were soon to kill him. The left grenadier was surprised when a bullet took the other locust head clean off. Verus grabbed his knife from his chest plate and pinned down the last grenadier and slashed his throat wide open. Krogg searched more with the sniper rifle currently in hand. He had lost that Theron after it cut his arm and threw a smoke grenade. Verus stood up and walked toward his shotgun but when he bent down he heard a sound of a blade cutting through air. He smacked his shotgun out of the way as he rolled to the left. A large cleaver hit the ground where his head was just moments ago. He let go of the cleaver and took out his Boltok pistol and fired. It hit Verus in his armored forearm causing Much damage that was numbed by adrenaline. Verus charged with his knife and slashed down. Just then the Theron pulled out a knife as well and deflected his slash. He swiped horizontally at his abdomen. Verus jumped back as the Theron tried to land a hit on him. He lunged at the Theron only for him to dodge and let him fall to his face. Krogg saw his chance to get a good shot without hitting Verus. Before he pulled the trigger releasing his last bullet the Theron did a backflip. He pulled out the cleaver at the same time Krogg pulled the trigger. The Theron hit the bullet with the flat side of the cleaver sending the bullet back just as fast. It went sailing back and struck Krogg in his right unarmored leg causing him to fall. But with this action came the reaction of Verus stabbing him through the gut with his blade while he was focused on neutralizing Krogg. The Theron hissed in pain and backhanded Verus across the face. He then kicked Verus, and making him clench his gut. He grabbed Verus turned him the other direction and threw him into a window which cracked. He pulled the blade from its resting place in his body and stepped toward the locust against the window. In a mostly understandable voice the Theron said "I have saved the locust. What have you done other than bring bloodshed amongst our own kind. It will satisfy me to kill you Verus." Before he could stab Verus a gold beam shot the knife from his hand. "Enough!" A voice said. He looked to the source of the sound. There standing with her sister, the elements, and a group of guards was princess Celestia. He merely laughed. They thought they could stop him? Celestia was through playing games and shot a bolt of magic at his head. It hit him causing him to let go of Verus who then proceeded to dive away from the window. The Theron's helmet was destroyed and he looked forward to see a very pissed princess and mean looking horses. Even the ones that where brightly colored. He also noticed a very pissed kantus aiming a sniper rifle at him. It was probably out of ammo but he wouldn't dare take that chance. Especially when there is another one pointing a shotgun at him. "Well it seems the odds are in your favor. You where able to beat me and a group of the most mediocre locust. Whoop-Dee-Doo. Just know that I Viken! Shall be back to kill that traitor your protecting." He said to them as he backed up. The window shattered and he let himself fall while staring at them laughing the entire time. "Thank you Celestia." Verus said in a strained voice. "I am not through with you! Clearly we have MUCH more to discuss before I even think about making the foolish decision to leave you alone. What was I thinking!" Celestia said to him. Krogg could not get angry despite how she was talking to the king. He was too hurt. "Okay Celestia give me a moment before you blow up into a rant about the situation!" Verus yelled in frustration with a little bit of it fueled by pain. "Who do you think you are talking to the princess like that!? What gives you the right to be so disrespectful?" Said Rainbow Dash. "Silence so I may speak. Your princess has questions that need to be answered." Verus said as he helped Krogg to a chair to which he sat. "You don't tell me to shut up I'll tear you to pieces just try me freak!" She said to Verus while trying to look tough. "Rainbow Dash Calm yourself. Now Verus enlighten me and my sister as to the reasons why we should not incinerate you like the others." Luna said in a calm tone. "Well lets see hmmm I killed them so I am clearly not one of the others. Also I am your only way of finding out the origins of the storm. Lastly I am your guest and I should be treated as such." He said in a heartbeat. "Very well you make valid points, But you must still answer our questions of who they where and why they want you dead?" Celestia said. The guards accompanying her mostly dispersed except for six. Two to stand guard by the princesses and four to clean up. Verus thought hard about what to say next. He realized the time had come to tell the truth. He decided to start on E-day and go from there. Take a seat everyone this story is long. He said unenthusiastically. A pink pony jumped up and said "Oh boy I love stories!" "We have enough time. But first I need to get ready." A lavender pony said as she took out a notepad and quill. "Ughh stories? Really? This is gonna be boring!" The cyan one said in an annoyed tone. "Please Verus start." Said Celestia. Verus sighed and said "Well it all started on E-day when the Locust....my race emerged." And so began the long and horrifying story of the locust hordes attack on the surface, and the long bloody rebellion that he led. There was no escaping his past Verus knew this. Medical ward: a significant amount of time later. "That's when I blacked out." He was done with the story. He told them each detail A-Z but with much more gore. He told about everything they did on E-day, the lambent, his career under Myrrah's influence, and the rebellion. "I think I'm gonna be sick." Said the cyan one. Verus could've sworn he saw her face change color automatically. There was a butter yellow pony with a pink mane. She looked terrified. When he looked at her she seemed so scared to the point where she looked angry. The lavender one snapped her quill halfway through writing his story. A white one with an indigo mane held her mouth agape at the events she just heard. An orange pony with a blond mane was staring at him. She did not show emotion she just stared at him with squinted eyes. Until she gasped and looked away. The pink one was scared but She also looked the most sad. Her mane literally deflated at hearing the death filled story. She was also further back than all the rest. The princesses looked normal except no smile adorned their faces. They looked sad at what they had just heard. They almost looked like they had witnessed everything first hand like they where there. The guards where tensed up and all had their eyes fixed on Verus and the sleeping form of Krogg. As if they expected them to attack at any moment. Verus looked no more happy than the others. He never wished to kill his kind. Even so, violence was the only thing the locust would respond too. One of the ponies stood up and looked at him. It was the butter yellow pony that looked terrified. Though now she looked angry. Downright pissed off at Verus. Verus was confused he did nothing to warrant such behavior. "Is it true applejack? Is what he said true?" She said through her teeth. "Yes fluttershy it's as true as Luna's moon." The orange one replied. So those twos names are fluttershy and applejack. He looked over to them and he saw the yellow one flying towards him. "Why did you do that? You never have the right to do something like that! To a defenseless race no less! What do you have to say for yourself? Huh bub!?" She was looking down on him expecting him to cower. If not cower than at least try to apologize. Verus felt angry at this pony trying to make him apologize to her for what his kind did to the humans. Did she forget how it saddened him to kill his own kind. "Shut up! You have no idea what I've been through. I'm sorry okay I'm sorry for what my race did, I really am, but that gives you no right to attack me!" Verus yelled at her. Had she forgotten that he said he tried to save them. She doesn't even know what the humans are. After hearing him yell back she shrunk down. She usually had anything that was sapient bawling and saying sorry. "I tried to save the humans. They were in danger, but they were far from defenseless. You have nothing to justify you blowing up at me." Verus said now calming down. "Wait just a gosh darn minute here! You can't just yell at her. She just was distraught at the thought of your race killin so many creatures." Applejack said to him clearly angry. "Yeah! Apologize to her!" Said the annoying cyan one. "No girls." Fluttershy said with a sniff. "He had every right to yell at me. It's me who should apologize." She said to them stunning them. They nodded as she looked to Verus. He had watched the whole thing unfold. "I am sorry Verus. I shouldn't have assumed you were bad. I hope we can be friends." She said lowering her head to him. "I as well Fluttershy. I forgive you." Verus said to her. He was very true when he said those words. Fluttershy looked up at him and smiled. She nodded then went back to her old spot before the argument. Celestia sighed when she looked out of the window. "Well everypony and locust. It is late you all need to sleep after today's events." She said before looking toward Verus. "As for you and Krogg I shall keep a close eye on you. Your room shall be shared, and I will keep it locked by magic until I have guards to watch over you." She said. Verus nodded and held up Krogg. His anatomy being a Kantus was quickly healing him. Verus didn't want Celestia to know he was injured. Krogg could fix that quickly when he woke. They all started following Celestia to the rooms to rest their tired bodies. Underneath ground level of Canterlot mountain. As Viken was walking through the tunnels he was pissed. He was angry that it would take longer to kill Verus. He entered a chamber door that read "forbidden". It was dark until he knelt and a light illuminated the room. He looked up and saw the light. "Viken you have failed to kill Verus." Said a low gravely voice. "I need more time and soldiers to kill him." He said. "Very well just don't fail me." The light said to him. "Now the queen of the changelings. Is she dead?" The light asked. "No she was injured badly when she and her subjects disappeared. She is most likely dead." He said nervously. "Acceptable Viken. Remember you must kill Verus to ensure the survival of the locust. Now go." The light responded. Viken stood turned and shut the door as he left. When he was gone the light chuckled as he thought about his plans for these stupid locust. "All in due time." He said before disappearing at the sight and sound of a yellow lightning bolt.