PonyHammer 40,000: Magic of War II | Discord Rising

by Dragon Heart

Conspiracy of Evil

Inside the Harbinger of Damnation, feral Paranids were skittering about the dark hallways. Their screeches and roars echoed throughout the interior. Hammerheart, Goliath, Twilight, the Sergeants, and a restored squad of Termineightors had managed to breach the hulk and were inside the massive ship.

"Commander Hammerheart, you must locate ancient dataslates to access the vault." Spike said from the Retribution. "They should be in data racks of some sort."

"We have no time to waste." said Twilight. "The foul resonance of the Warp is already palpable."

The Pony Marines began their perilous trek through the corridors of the hulk. So far, no signs of animal or daemon life anywhere. But when they came to a four-way intersection, they found the dead body of a Pony Marine, and Applejack recognized him.

"A fallen sibling!" She said. "Napoleon of the Fifth Company."

Twilight spotted something of importance. "Look! An Apothecary's reductor vial, still intact." She said. "It contains Napoleon's progenoid glands; the Chapter's holy gene-seed."

Hammerheart picked up the vial, and Pinkie furrowed her eyebrows in suspicion.

"If an Apothecary collected it, why leave it here?" She asked.

"A fair question," said Applejack, "but we cannot overlook the opportunity to recover Blood Phoenixes gene-stock. Be vigilant for other vials, or signs of an Apothecary."

Spike contacted Hammerheart with some rather confusing information.

"Commander Hammerheart, the rolls indicate Napoleon still serves -- in the Chapter Royal Guard."

"How can that be..." Applejack asked herself.

They continued their search for the dataslates, as well as more geneseeds that were abandoned. But when they progressed deeper in, Paranids leaped from their hiding places and ambushed them. The Pony Marines manages to fend off the small pack, but they were just a warm-up.

"Are these Paranids feral?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Only without a leader creature nearby." said Pinkie. "Remember: when connected to their synapse web, all Paranids become deadlier."

They headed off and were ever alert for any more Paranids that could strike at any moment. When they came to a turn, a Hive Alpha bursted through some pipes and attacked. Hammerheart struck at the creature with great vigorous strength while the others shot their guns. The beast dropped dead from its wounds.

"We had best exercise caution." Pinkie advised. "Paranids aboard these derelicts can evolve to suit their environment."

"Yes, I sense powerful magic echoes," said Twilight, "even against the Warp energies."

They moved on through the ever darkening halls, but soon came to a turn where another Pony Marine lay dead on the floor.

"Another fallen sibling," said Applejack, recognizing the Marine, "Veteran Silicon, also of the Fifth Company."

"And another reductor vial." Twilight said, pointing to the geneseed that was still in possession of the corpse.

"Spike, what do the rolls say about Sibling Silicon?" Applejack asked.

"Killed in the Pandora campaign." said Spike.

Pinkie widened her eyes, but still kept a serious look. "I was at Pandora." She stated. "I recall no Silicon."

"Commander Hammerheart, both Napoleon and Silicon served in an expedition aboard the Harbinger of Damnation." said Spike. "I shall try to uncover more about this expedition."

Pinkie looked up to see a large pack of Paranids skittering along the highrises of the hall.

"Xenos in the gantries!" She warned. "Get ready!"

The Paranids leaped from up high and began their nasty attack, but the Blood Phoenixes showed more power in their preparation for such a predictable move. When the swarm was dealt with, they moved on. During their search, the Pony Marines had managed to find many dataslates, and Hammerheart had just picked up the last one needed.

"You have enough dataslates, Commander Hammerheart." said Spike. "I shall begin the activation rites."

Twilight felt a sudden surge in the rift and gasped. "The Warp is making itself felt, Commander Hammerheart." She said. "We must hurry."

They came to an intersection, and another swarm of Paranids attacked.

"Kill them all!" Hoovitus shouted. "Let there be blood!" He unleashed his barrage upon the animals, tearing them to pieces and splattering their blood all over the floor and walls.

They were getting close to their objective, but after twenty minutes of trotting through the damned ship they felt a slight pain upon their very bodies and souls.

"Commander Hammerheart, the window of safe operation is now past." said Spike. "You must ignore the Warp's effects and continue. Recover that logic engine."

They kept trotting, and soon found yet another dead Pony Marine.

"Another fallen sibling." said Applejack. "And another gene-seed."

"Sergeant Sharpend. Fifth Company." said Pinkie.

"Another member of the same expedition." said Spike. "The records list... Apothecary Boldo as the leader."

"Which explains the reductor vials." said Applejack.

"But not why they were left behind." said Pinkie.

Hammerheart collected the last geneseed vial, and a burden felt like it was lifted off their backs.

"The Chapter... shall not forget... your deeds this day." said Goliath.

They entered a large opening, but found a dead end.

"Another door blocks our way!" Hoovitus said angrily.

"There is a dataslate on the door." said Pinkie. "Xenos detected!"

A large Hive Alpha and other Paranids leaped out of nowhere and slammed onto the floor. The Blood Phoenixes stood between it and the vault.

"Eliminate them!" said Spike. "The logic engine must not be damaged!"

Hammerheart and Rainbow Dash engaged the giant beast. Hoovitus took his stance and unleashed more heavy bolter rounds. Applejack pumped plasma rounds at the monster. Pinkie sniped the beast. Twilight fired beams of deadly magic. It took awhile, but the Alpha soon fell to its knees and dropped dead to the floor.

"The foul thing is dead." said Twilight. "Let us get to the Logic Engine."

They entered the vault and found the device, but Hammerheart found a recording within the chamber as well. He played it, and a voice dread with despair came out.

"This is Boldo." it said, "I no longer know how long I have been on this forsaken derelict. So many siblings dead... and the voice of Nettor cackles from every shadow..." The recording grew darker as it continued playing. "It is hungry... it wants the holy gene-seed in each of us... I must hide the reductor vials... even the daemon cannot know the entire space hulk..."

"Commander Hammerheart..." said Spike, "That was some sort of vox recording from centuries ago."

The feral Paranids were moving around and about the halls of the ship, festering with some kind of sickness.

"I will analyze it as best I can." said Spike.