Shattered Horn

by DarklightArk

Shattered Heart & Change

"Oh no silly, you have to put socks on like this." A giggle could be heard throughout the hallways of Canterlot Castle, cousing one of the two guards at the door to go beet red at the words and suggestions that were filtered through the door.

Twilight Sparkle walked up to the door of her chambers, raising one eyebrow at the two Royal Guards.

The guard that wasn't blushing like a mad-colt at the sounds behind the door saluted her princess.
Twilight asked the only question that could sum up everything she wanted to know.

"Well?"

The mare, a black earth pony with a cosmic red mane and a blue tower shield for a cutie mark, answered in a soft voice that always reminded Twilight of Flutttershy.

"They came looking for you Princess, and due to who it was I thought it would be OK to let them wait in there for you."

Twilight let out a sigh. "It will be good to see Pinkie Pie again" She said only tp have her ears perk up. "Did you say 'them'?"

"Yes Princess" Armor Word answered her princess. "I believe it would be more prudent to let you see for yourself."

At Twilight's nod the mare kicked out at the door behind her. The door opened in complete silence for you see after Twilight Sparkle had inhabited the castle she made sure every door and window, every spot of the castle was meticulously maintained. This pleasing fact, however, was lost on her as she stared slack jawed at the scene unfolding on her bed and the two alicorns doing said act.

"Wha-why-huh?!" was all she could splutter flabbergasted.

"Twilight?" In a black blur a winged form crashed into her in the form of a hug.

"Nyx?! Pinkie Pie what is going on here?"

Tat is when Twilight noticed her daughter wearing three socks, on of them being halfway off.

"Well Twilight," Pinkie began to explain.

"I was getting bored setting in Risum all the time even if it is one of the least boring planets except for Metamorphisus of course but I was like 'why don't I go and have some boding time with my sister? I might be an imaginary friend made real but I still want to bond with my family' so I popped up at Sugercube Cornerbut its too bad they don't sell cupcakes anymore. Anyway I got to Midnight Castle and saw poor Nyx having trouble getting her crush to notice her so that's when I went all like 'Oh My Gosh Nyxie I remember stashing socks in Canterlot years ago in case of a sock emergency' so I whisked us here so I could get the whole family together and also teach her how to be se-"

A well placed black hoof stuffed hastily into her mouth stopping any more of the infuriatingly embarrassing story.
Nyx looked between her mother and pseudo sister, horror and embarrassment clear on her face.

Twilight raised her eyebrow but calmly said "Any time you want to talk about this I'll be here OK?"

Nyx's relief was evident and so she took her hoof out of Pinkie's mouth, wiping it off before she hugged her mother once again.

"Twilight smiled. "Well girls, it seems like your having fun but this actually works out rather well."

She looked at Nyx with a confident smile. "You studied Bronies as much as I, but focused more on languages and art while I focused on history, technology and magic. Do you know about Atlantis?"

The black alicorn nodded. "Yes Pluto mentioned it."

Twilight's smile turned into a grin. "Then what do you make of this?"

She used her magic, felling the lay-lines crossing and bubbling throughout the castle, to create a replica of the wall. Nyx took three seconds looking at it before turning to Twilight, cautiously holding her breath.

"Is this?" At Twilight's nod Nyx squeed with delight looking like a foal at a candy store. Or more specifically a foal with a sweet-tooth at 'Bon-bon's Family Candy Store'."

"It's Atlantic! Oh my many goddesses it's Atlantic!"

"Hahahaha, give me a moment Nyx and I'll transfer it onto a scroll for you."

"Nyx however wasn't listening. She was so absorbed in thought she didn't notice Pinkie Pie trying to get Twilight to let her teach the lavender alicorn how put on socks, not even when the guard outside collapsed with a bloody nose.
This could destroy everything we want to protect. Or preserve it forever.

~~*~~

"Halt!"

Most pony villages didn't have a wall around them nor house a battalion or two of the Guard. Then again most didn't hold a Statue of Vanity nor were they a military instillation.

Sadly this protection was too little to stop the humanoid machine from crashing though the gate and the village Guards.

Screams echoed throughout the village as the eighteen foot monstrosity crashed through buildings towards the center of town.

~~*~~

"Are you certain this need to be done? Princess Twilight will be notified."

Dual Mark was looking into a pool of crystal watching his Sentinel wreak Ft. Stallio. Turning to his side he had asked the creature only he could see, the one in charge of his fate to destroy the world.

"Yesss, once you have the Statue I can give your machine untold power." The Windago named Quella Demare said, her voice an arctic chill in the frozen air.

"I... yes, don't worry. Un will do what needs to be done. It has already activated it's PPC, there is no shield that can hold against the might of that cannon."

"Very well."

~~*~~

Iron Aegis was in trouble. The thing that was crushing his town, his town underfoot was seemingly unstoppable. That and he was about to be crushed underfoot.

Rolling quickly out from under the large foot as it came down, he grabbed the nearest weapon in his jaws, spun and bucked with all he had. The metal construct merely kicked him out of the way.

"Uhhh..." Iron Aegis moaned after picking himself out of the ruble that used to be a wall before he hit it.

There has to be some connection, some way to beat it. He thought. He was a squad leader not a strategist. Just why isn't the backup here! Wait, it's heading to the control compound it has to be after something. Quickly he waved down a pegasi.

"What is it Rusty? We're kinda in the middle of an attack!"

"Ugh you know I hate that nickname! And I think its after something in the compound."

Tempest South looked at the machine and where it's headed.

"Alright thanks for notifying me I have to worn command."

"Good-luck." As the pegasus dashed off Iron Aegis ran after him.

"Damn... thing!" He cursed between breaths. He continued down the trail of destruction. Something caught his eye however, he was in a familiar area, no a familiar neighborhood.

"No. It couldn't have."

Turning quickly he dashed to one of the ruined houses, fallen roofs and walls, explosions ripping through the air as gas ignited. Just like the one he was running to.

"NO!" The house was full of fond memories but now, it was a burning wreak.

"Mom, Dad, Crystal!" Iron Aegis called as he entered. Common sense be damned his family could be in there!

He tried again "Mom! Cryst-"

He was cut off by a small moan near where the dinning room used to be. As he charged foreword, smashing through a wall just to jump back as another flaming one came down. Turning to the left he stopped at a flaming, but bone-chilling sight.

A green and orange pony was trapped under the table, a lamp post had fallen across her throat.

"Cry-crystal?" He said stepping foreword.

A crystal blue eye opened. "Bro? That you?" Crystal wheezed, the hot metal burning her fur. "I'm glade to see you... One last..."

Iron Aegis rushed to her side and shoved both the metal lamp and table off his filly sister.

"No, Crystal just hang in there I'll go get help, I'll-"

No, bro. I can feel it. both mom and dad are gone already... Can I go too?"

"What are you saying?!" He exploded. "No, I'm not letting you go!"

"I'm... sorry..." Her eyes were pleading with him, begging him.

"You just got your cutie mark yesterday... we haven't even celebrated it yet."

"Bro..."

"Goodbye, you silly filly" his voice cracked.

Crystal's eyes closed for the final time as the house crashed down around them.

~~*~~

Nyx spoke to Harmonica as she worked on the wall, fallowing it's instructions.

"The only reason why I'm doing this is because I deemed it safe. This place holds a magic power higher then what Equus has seen in a long time."

"Yes Princess, I understand."

Nyx placed her horn on the final symbol running magic into the wall. Suddenly the symbols began to glow and shift, changing into new ones. Reading them quickly Nyx hesitantly placed her hoof on one of them, the one in the exact center. Suddenly a rumble could be heard only to stop. A full moment later it came back, stronger then before.

"Earthquake!"

The entire wall had started to glow a golden blue.

"Quickly my little ponies! To me!"

After all of the workers had either teleported out or were next to Nyx, she vanished with them into a flash of light. With a second flash everypony collapsed to the ground. Nyx stood shakily looking around.

"Good, everypony is safe."

Just then the ground split, and from the open maws a golden spire rose. Fallowing the spire as it rose hundreds of feet into the air was a cathedral, seemingly made of gold.

From the tip of the spire nine golden spheres formed. Many of the ponies watched in awe as the spheres flew away, six into the sky and three across the horizon. Only Nyx noticed one of them blinking out before two great doors opened in the side of the cathedral. A roar echoed across the plains and nine giant creatures came out. six of the things flew up into the atmosphere, one loped away as another flew quickly. The last one however stood still.

Nyx approached the thing only to find it was a mechanical wolf like creature, standing twenty feet tall and its head seemed more like a cockpit.

~~*~~

Iron Aegis stepped out of the wreckage of his house, The grey earth pony was covered in soot. His green mane was in tatters and his green eyes were dark. His tower shield cutie mark stood out silver against his dark disposition.

His eyes locked onto the Sentinel currently discharging it's Particle Projection Cannon. The screams of pegasi and the unicorns who had tried to shield them rose into the air.

"No more. You will not harm another."

His sister's eyes, they gave him resolve. Perfect. Unshakable. Strong.

Iron Aegis ran, foreword to what had killed so many. Foreword to certain doom.

He reached it in no time, yanking a spear from the ground he threw it striking it on the head.

The Sentinel had already pulled something from the construct and was walking away when it got pinged in the head.
Looking down it saw one simple earth pony.

Iron Aegis stared at the monstrosity, even as a flash in the sky heralded a light that settled over him, a ring with thorns surrounded his cutie mark, becoming one with it. This however he didn't notice, not until a flash from behind him and a metallic "Neigh!" rang through the now silent base.

He looked behind him, seeing the twenty five foot unicorn with a blade for the horn even though it was shattered it looked wickedly sharp, it's head however looked like a cockpit, with enough space for a pony.