//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Requiem of Darkness // by ChaosDragoon //------------------------------// Twilight walked up to Celestia as she stood looking out towards the Everfree Forest on the balcony of Twilight's castle. It had been Half an hour since the Summit and in that time: The creature had entered Equestria and already attacked Manehattan, Appaloosa, and was now were reported to be heading towards Ponyville. Ponyville was evacuated to Canterlot and Drake's, Aeolus's, and Chrysalis's armies had arrived and were stationed in Ponyville waiting for the creatures to stood on the balcony in her golden armor and her halberd resting against the railing. "This might be the first step in global peace among the kingdoms," Twilight said. "Just because we work together now does not mean the kingdoms will accept global peace," Luna explained as she flew onto the balcony with her dark blue armor glittering in the dusk sunlight. Her two crescent-shaped sabers floated around her before they rested against the railing next to Celestia's Halberd. "True, but I'm hopeful this will bring our kingdoms closer together," Celestia said with a hopeful tone. A Royal Guard ran up the stairs and stopped at the entrance of the balcony and reported, "Princesses! We've detected the creatures ten minutes out coming from the Everfree Forest." Celestia thanked the Royal Guard before she turned to Twilight and Luna. "We better convene with the others and prepare for the battle ahead," Luna said before her swords floated around her and she took flight. Celestia's halberd floated next to her before she followed her sister. Twilight walked back into her castle and stood in front of a manikin with light purple armor that had her cutie mark on the front of each hoof plate and the chest plate had the cutie marks of both Luna's and Celestia's mark circling Twilight's cutie mark. Twilight's horn illuminated as her magic wrapped around the armor and lifted it up. She began to place the armor on and found it uncomfortable for the first few seconds before her body got used to the feeling of it on her body. "How does Shining Armor cope with it?" Twilight asked herself. He had mentioned the many battles he was in, but never once did she think of what was running through his mind when he fought through the battles to make it home. Was this how he felt the first time he went into a battle? Twilight thought. She walked to the balcony and quickly took flight towards the entrance of the Everfree. --- Twilight landed next to Celestia as she finished talking with a Royal Guard. She turned towards Twilight and asked, "Are you ready?" Twilight was still hesitant in fighting and seeing ponies die around her, but she swallowed her fear and nodded. Celestia turned to Aeolus who was having his harness of mechanical wings replaced with another that had four long metal arms. Each one ended with a griffin claw with a different weapon in each. "I'll leave the war speech up to you Aeolus. You and your brother have a better way with words to rally the troops then I do," Celestia said. Aeolus nodded and walked in front of the army filled with Ponies, Griffins, Dragon, and Changelings before he cleared his throat. Magic wrapped around his throat before he started to expand his voice to everyone. "We stand here, defending our kingdoms from the menace knocking at our doorstep! We might be different races, but we stand here as one entity against the monsters trying to invade our kingdoms! So I ask you all to not see Dragons, Changelings, Griffins, or Ponies, but comrades!" Aeolus began to say before the Griffin army let out their war chant. "A'oo! A'oo! A'oo!" while the Changeling army buzzed their wings. As the war chants and buzzing died down, Aeolus continued, "These creatures represent the apocalypse should they succeed in their campaign. So we must end it here and now. Four kingdoms fighting together, four races fighting together, four nations putting an end to the enviable apocalypse! So fight! Fight to cancel the apocalypse! Fight for your brother next to you whether they are Griffin, Dragon, Changeling, or Pony! Fight for our future!" "A'oo! A'oo! A'oo!" the Griffin army chanted. The Changelings buzzed their wings along with the chanting while the Ponies cheered and stomped their hooves. The Dragon all reared back and roared into the sky. "Princes," a Royal Guard announced before he added, "The creatures are advancing and are two minutes out." Celestia nodded at the pony before she turned her attention to Aeolus who nodded. "Prepare for the battle ahead! We stand here to protect our kingdoms from these foul creatures. We'll drive these creatures back to the dark pits of hell where they came from!" Aeolus yelled. The griffins chanted again, "A'oo! A'oo! A'oo!" while raising their weapons. Aeolus took the hatchet from its holder on his thigh and raised it with the Griffins. Changelings began to change form into weapons and shields as other changelings took the weapons and shields in their hooves. Pegasi took to the air with some of the Dragons while unicorn horns illuminated to picking up their weapons or prepare to fire magical beams of energy at the enemy. Earth ponies stomped with the rhythm of Griffin's chanting as they clinched their weapons in their teeth. Cadence walked next to Twilight wearing pink armor with her cutie mark on the chest plate. Her horn glowing as her crystal bow hovered next to her. Luna and Celestia soon joined her with their weapons raised. Twilight took a deep breath and looked out into the massive army of Ponies, Dragon, Changelings, and Griffins. In the distance, she could hear tree branches breaking and saw birds fly out of the canopy. Her horn glowed as she ready for the battle ahead. Drake let out a massive roar seconds before the creatures ran out of the forest. Both armies ran at one another and within seconds the two collided.