"Happy Hearth's warming eve!" Applebloom said. "You going to see the play?"
"Don't have anything planned. So most likely." Cyrus replied. Ever since the final defeat of chaos, Cyrus was the only one who remained behind in Equestria. The others had gone on the mass expansion spree the Imperium was currently doing.
"Nice! I hope you like it!"
"I do too." Cyrus replied. "It wasn't often when I had an opportunity to do things like this."
As Ferrus Manus would put it, space marines weren't exactly made to be ordinary people living in ordinary lives. Even now, the scout marine still trained more recruits for the newly made Astartes legions. (Some chose to merge chapters and create a legion, others chose to stay as a chapter. Depends on the chapter master's decision. This of course, was a controversial topic.)
"Alright nice! In Canterlot?"
"Yes. I'll take the train too." Cyrus said.
"Not going to try and scale the mountain this year?" Applebloom asked.
"No. Last time almost ended in disaster." The scout replied. "Besides, the slopes are treacherous this time around the year."
Applebloom grinned underneath. She always liked it when Cyrus attended the play. He was the only one of his kind to do so and even after about almost two years on Equestria, still received awed looks over his eye and appearance. The good majority of the astartes remaining on Equestria commonly found some basement to make more plans for war or decided to stage a fight in the empty streets. Why they didn't like to sit down and not think about fighting for once was something Applebloom had trouble wrapping her head around.
"Come on Applebloom! Time to get dressed!"
"Coming!"
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"Happy Hearth's warming eve." An astartes said over the vox.
"You don't even celebrate the holiday. None of us do except for that Blood Raven scout."
"Just like saying it. So how are things?"
"Boring." The space marine replied. "Everyone's too scared shitless to as much as go near this place. Even Orks."
"Of course. They shall not defile the graves of so many of our battle brothers. If any enemies of the Emperor as much as show their faces, we're to fill them with bolter rounds."
"Surprised how they still bloom in the winter. Truly a.... strange thing." A Techmarine said. "Anyways, send to Terra that production is going up as planned. I took the liberty of installing a new telescope within an Equestrian observatory. Almost started a riot over who got to see it."
"Technology seems to amaze them. A civilization with only 1,000 years worth of history is attempting to make a leap forward."
"And their magic is useful to us. What exactly keeps our new webway gates stable? Now then, Manus gave us orders that he wants a gate in the Equestrian atmosphere by next week. Best get to work."
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"Milord?" Cypher began as he walked into the throne room. "Leman Russ and Jaghatai Khan have returned."
"Excellent." The Emperor said clapping his hands together. "What news do they have?"
"We now have about another three hundred systems within our Imperium. And of course, they destroyed a few splinter fleets of Tyranids, purged a tomb world and drove away at least three ork waaaghs."
"Orks. The brutes never seem to give up." Luna commented. "So, how is everything else? What is the public opinion on everything?"
"I can only be one place at a time Sigilite." Cypher replied. "The Imperium is celebrating across the stars over your return and the defeat of chaos. Though of course, we still have necrons, tyranids, or...."
"Yes, I am aware. How goes the newly formed astartes legions?"
"A topic which spurs much debates." Cypher said. "Though overall, the primarchs have agreed to let each other do their own thing."
"So is everything stable?"
"At it's best." Cypher said.
"Good. You're dismissed."
The messenger of the Emperor gave a bow, and left the throne room. When he exited, the hulking forms of Khan and Russ entered to give a personal report.
"Our war goes well. It won't be long before the galaxy is unified." Khan said.
"There were many good fights! We had a great feast at the end of it all!" Russ said. "Many new races join our Imperium."
"I see people are willing to see reason." The Emperor said. "Good. The ideals of tolerance is a value that should be treasured."
"Indeed. We've formed at least eight more trade routes with various intelligent races, the Tau included. The Eldar craftworlds still give us the evil eye every time we go near them though."
"Eldar. They keep out of our business is all that I care for." The Emperor said. "So I take it all is well?"
"All is well."
"Excellent. Did you know today on Equestria is Hearth's Warming eve? It's when the Equestrians celebrate the unification of their planet. Join them. There is much more unification then just a simple planet that we're dealing with."
"As you wish."
"And we remain here... still." Luna chuckled. "Well, not that I like the celebration anyways. So, how goes the webway project?"
"We built small scale ones on almost every planet by now." The Emperor said. "I am testing the first large scale one, the type I can move fleets with over orbit of Equestria. In case something goes wrong, then at least we have a large supply of shards."
"I am fine with it as long as we don't have another mob of angry daemons."
"Probably not. The dark gods won't be able to as much as send a dust fleck at us anymore. Everything is the way it should be."
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On the other side of Equestria. A single ship moved unseen by the astartes and the small fleet in orbit. It's captain had taken a interest in Equestria. Canterlot especially.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After the play was over, there was the feast within Canterlot castle. The mane six were there too.
"So, this going to be like two years ago when the snow was heavy to the point where we couldn't even get outside unless we melted it all?"
"No. Just lot's of snow, just enough to give the foals a nice treat and just enough not to trap any pony."
"Weather manipulation. That's something we could all use." Cyrus commented as he poured himself some wine.
"Safe and sound!" Rainbow Dash said. "Now if you excuse me, I need some cupcakes."
"ME TOO!" Pinkie said flying out of nowhere. Her subtly somehow managed to put Cyrus' to same until she burst out. Many techmarines and librarians had already given up attempting on how to explain Pinkie Pie. In fact, Pinkie Pie was officially labeled as a separate entity documented as Pinkipus Piecus. If anyone ever read said official document, it would include many questions, speculations and theories.
"The elements of harmony are on display." Fluttershy said. "Want to go see them?"
"That'd be nice. Where are they?"
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Cyrus always had found some hints of respect for the Equestrian royal guard. They seemed to be far better disciplined than most imperial guard regiments and are nearing par with space marine chapters in terms of that department. Whether or not they could actually defend Equestria from equation is up for debate.
Cyrus looked at the elements, his face didn't show it, but he was always in awe of these magnificent artifacts. To think that it had indirectly taken several gods to make this was mind-blowing. Their power would easily be able to omnipotent if somehow tapped into.
Of course, power always came at a price, perhaps that's why the Equestrians never seemed to poke around with their artifacts. The holy energies emitted from these stones soothed Cyrus and all around them. He felt a sense of inner peace.
That was harmony.
The peace was soon shattered when a pink blob jumped in front of him offering cupcakes and telling him something about a "doozy."
Cyrus could only frown and excuse himself as Pinkie stubbornly followed rambling about "importance". His timing was unfortunate.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The windows of the room shattered as dark armored figures broke into the room with terrifying speed and little warning. The royal guards stationed at that area were killed by terrifying weapons in an instant, they stood no chance.
The other half attempted to fight, but their lives ended all in a gruesome fashion. Panic and discord spread as some tried to flee the room.
Fluttershy tried to fly away, but her wings failed her. She did what she commonly did when she was scared. Hid behind her mane. She heard the screams, the maniacal laughter and the discharging of weapons unknown to her. Her mane parted just long enough to catch a glimpse of a pale face wearing a wicked grin and waving a cruelly cut knife in front of her.
Fluttershy fainted.
"We didn't even need any toxins or drugs to catch this one." The Sybarite said grinning wickedly to his Dracon. "Throw them in all with the others!"
"Let at this." The Dracon said at the elements. "Pretty trinkets. I shall take them and......."
He heard a "plink" noise and turned around to see one of his men look curiously at a strange object. His face of depravity and greed instantly turned to a face of terror.
"YOU FOOL! THAT'S A GRENADE!"
The explosion scattered his squad. The doors swung open and the large form of a space marine entered firing shots from a sniper rifle with lethal speed and accuracy.
"Time we left!" The Dracon said. He would have grabbed all of them, but only had time to take a lightning shaped crystal. He ran for the broken windows, dodging all the bolter rounds and jumped out to where a ship awaited.
His men weren't so lucky. Almost all of them were shot dead before they as much as moved two paces. The last one bound for the window, only to be grabbed by the neck and flung back into the waiting jaws of Cyrus who grabbed him, and slammed him against the door, grabbing him in a chokehold.
"Filthy Eldar." Cyrus spat. "You think you will get away with this? I'll flay you alive!"
"Easy captain." A voice said.
"Do not.... oh... my lords! I apologize for my tone!"
"No need." Khan said. His face didn't show it, but he was seething with rage. "Dark Eldar scum. Pirates, killers, cowards. Tired of fighting with those who can hit back?"
The question was rhetorical. The dark Eldar just glared back.
"Where's Fluttershy?!" Rainbow Dash asked as she ran into the room. "Where's everyone else?!"
"Taken. To Commoragh." The Eldar said, his face becoming a wicked grin once again. "You're friends would be better off dea..."
"Silence!" Cyrus drew his fist back and punched the Eldar in the face, splitting nose and knocking several teeth out. The alien retaliated and attempted to wrench free, instead Cyrus drew and swung his knife with suck speed, it severed the left hand of the Eldar, through flesh and bone.
The screaming annoyed him. He sent his foot with crushing speed upwards and shattered his foe's jaw. Only odd groaning and sobbing remained.
"They have an element and a bearer." Russ said. "This is bad."
"Then I think it's time I asked for his lordship's permission." Cyrus said rushing downstairs to the mines.
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"I know why you're here." The Emperor said.
"I am sorry milord. It is not like me to barge in on here without warning. I have news."
"I already know of it. But these two don't." The Emperor gestured over to Luna and Celestia. "Speak."
"At 1800 hours Equestrian time, Canterlot was attacked. A Dark Eldar raiding party had attacked the castle wounding and killing few souls. That is a relief. What isn't is that they have managed to steal a single element and one of the element bearers. My hunch is that they intend to use it's...."
"That's horrible!" Luna said. "The ele...."
"That's not even the bad part. Do you even know what the Dark Eldar do to their prisioners?!"
"Enough." The Emperor said. He turned to Cypher.
"I want the Deathwatch, the Space Wolves and the White scars." He then turned back to Cyrus. "Request granted."
"I thank you milord."
"Surely a rescue operation doesn't take an army now does it?" Luna asked.
"Oh no. The Dark Eldar have been a thorn in our sides for too long, they have plagued the Imperium with their wanton cruelty and evil for far too long. We take the fight to them now."
The Emperor turned to Cyrus.
"Give Russ and Khan the following orders. Return with Commoragh in ashes, with it's back broken, and with freed slaves and it's denizens no longer a threat, or return not at all."