Stories in Stone, Lost Empire

by TDR

Invisible Wounds [34]

Stories in Stone
Lost Empire
By TDR

Invisible Wounds

[ White Tail Woods 1200 hours ]

Pip flattened his ears studying the guard at the cage door. The Elk buck wasn't alone, Pip and Scootaloo had spotted a number of others in the tree line around where they were being held and a few who were in plain sight but blended in near perfectly with the surrounding forest.

The small group was locked in a wooden cage in a small clearing, filled with straw and what seemed shed animal fur. Clearly the pen was for holding wild animals, but it did just as well to hold captives too. Most of their gear was gone, as was all of Sweetiebelle's luggage and his sword.

The unicorn mare had had a fit over the loss of her things, particularly what she had in there from Gallopagos, but the Elk didn't seem to care. Still Sweetiebelle calmed down when they simply dumped everything next to a tree and ignored it.

The elk were interesting creatures. The one at the gate was not wearing the gillie suit like the ones in the treeline were so it was fairly easy to look him over.

The creature was covered in light brown fur with white highlights around the face and muzzle, though the patterns they made spoke more of bleaching of the fur than anything natural. His mane was long and black, tight loosely around his shoulders. His tail was little more than a puff of fur, like a rabbits and his form was much more slender than a ponies, seeming more frail, though with the way they tossed Sweetie's luggage around Pip figured the appearance of frailty was just that, an appearance. All of them he saw had satchels and pouches about their waist as well as a few familiar bags of fire retardant powder. The one at the door had a pair of long curved daggers in his belt as well as a quiver full of arrows with orange fetching. Pip's eyes had narrowed at that, but none of this group had the same blue feathered arrows that had shot him. A different tribe perhaps? Or maybe just a ranking or hunting party identification. In either case the most interesting thing was the horns sprouting from the Elk's head , branching out from it's temples like a leafless tree. Bands of wire or some sort of twine were strung between their horns.

Pip had seen those cords pulled taught and loaded with arrows before, though he had also seen them loose and notched. When the elk flicked their head the arrow flew like it was shot out of a bow, though the arrows were fired more like from a sling in this method. The ones doing that seemed older, while the ones with taut cords were younger or female and in pairs. One or two of them even had odd squirrel like creatures perched on their backs. Pip had no idea what to call the strange balls of fluff though the two he saw were gray and fluffy resembling a rabbit crossed with a squirrel. He had no idea if they were trained or intelligent. But the small creatures had knocked and aimed the elks bow horns when they were first ambushed. In any event the ones in the wood line were a mix of the two types he had seen, the ones with the creatures seemed to have left. So long as none of the ponies tried anything, the Elk around them seemed content to simply leave them in the cage.

Pip wasn't sure if any of them could understand Equestrian, and none of the crusaders small talk was reacted to in any way he could see, still better to be cautious. Luckily he, Scootaloo, Miss Doo and surprisingly Sweetiebelle, understood Guard cant. Positions of ears and eyes could easily be worked into a alphabet and used for silent communication so long as who you were talking to could see. Pip likely knew the most considering it something he needed to master in order to join the Guard, despite the cant being used more in his uncles line of work. But both Sweetie and Miss Doo were skilled in reading the cant as well though Sweetie's mastery of it was iffy. Scootaloo could understand it, but one had to sign slow and not use big words.

While a recent thing introduced, it was designed for silent communication during hunting and situations just like this.

Pip flicks his ear a little catching the others attention before he started signing.

~ So does any one have any ideas on how to get out of this?~ Pip cants.

~ At least a dozen or more in the woods around us, they took my whip and your sword. With all our injuries I doubt we would last long in a fight. The only one without any injury is Sweetiebelle.~ Doo signs.

~Want alive or we not be.~ Scootaloo signs with a bit of effort.

~Kumquat, Gerbil, my hair is a bowl of soup.~ Sweetiebelle signs.

Every one stares at her as she nods sagely. Well she could read Guard cant well enough any way, hopefully.

Applebloom had noticed the group flicking their ears about and though she didn't understand what was being said she knew some one would let her in on it later. She decided to let them be and go see about distracting the gate guard a bit so he didn't pay too much attention to the others.

“So yeah hey … how yah doing?” Applebloom asks. The guard didn't seem like much. A rather thin looking buck, but Applebloom knew that didn't mean much, she could see the muscle under the Elk's fur and while they were'nt big like ponies despite being taller. Still she expected this one might give her brother a run for his money in hoof wrassling.

The Elk jerked a bit, looking back at her his ears perked in surprise as he studied her.

“Well enough Pony....” the elk responds.

“Ah have a name yah know. It's Applebloom. So whats yer name?”

“Flowing Stream.”

“Huh. Odd name really, Ah take all of yah have natural sounding names like that?”

“You are one to speak pony. Apple Bloom is a flower of an apple tree is it not.”

“Huh good point.... granny's named after a type of apple, so's mai brother and most of mai cousins.... Why am ah named after a flower ….. and what tha hay is an Apple Jack?” Applebloom comments rambling on some, the Elk still staring at her.

“I would not know what a pony thing like that is.”

“Huh pony thing? Yah speak Pony pretty good fer seeming not to know much about them.”

“I am not speaking pony, our throats are not designed for it......”

“Huh? Applebloom questions. “But ah ken hear you speaking it plain as day.......”

Applebloom glances back at the others who were all staring at her now.

“What?” Applebloom asks.

“What the heck were you talking about?” Scootaloo snaps.

“Better still how were you talking about it?” Daring do asks. “Elk can't speak Equestrian or many of the other languages of the world. It's all volume and oscillation of of their calls. Yet that was near perfect, pony throats shouldn't be able to make those sort of sounds in that pitch or tone.

~ A hamster has eaten all my strudel.~ Sweetiebelle signs.

“What?”Applebloom asks not getting the sign.

“Don't worry about her. How long have you been able to talk like that? I don't recall you ever learning Elk.” Pip comments.

“Ah haven't hes jus speaking Pony.”

“No he's not. You were speaking Elk. A pony shouldn't be able to speak Elk.”Pip states.

Before Applebloom could respond a group of Elk step out of the tree line heading for the cage. The whole group were in gillie suits that made them look like the local shrubbery and Pip took noted that this group had blue arrow fletching. Another group of them walks along with them though they were not in suits and had arrows with red fletching. The two in the lead seemed to be arguing and the one with the red arrows had the small creature on his back who seemed to be growling at the other elk.

“Translate for us Bloom.” Pip states as the new Elk start speaking and more of the other Elk step out of the tree line.

“Umm the one with the critter's saying that tha elder wants tah talk with me and that rest of you should be dumped out at tha edge of tha woods. Tha other one seems pissed about that and he thinks killing us would be faster. The other guy agrees but he was told that we were to be kept alive. Tha one in that suit is called Dances in Flame and the others called Acorn Bread. Umm the acorn guys gonna head back to the village with me and Flames gonna take you to the edge of the woods.” Applebloom rapidly reports on the argument going on between the Elk outside the cage.

“They're gonna separate us?” Scootaloo grumbles. “We can't let that happen, who know what they want Applebloom for.”

~ White mountains dance in the spring time with the hermit crab polka.~ Sweetiebelle signs

“Sweetiebelle just stop.” Pip groans,” Just talk for now.”

“We may not have a choice. We are unarmed and outnumbered.” Doo comments.

“Ah'm not going to leave my cousin to them, We'll figure something out.” Pip growls.

==============================================================

[ Crystal Empire, Wednesday , 1300 hours]

Alarms and klaxons blared and filled the air around the Crystal Empire. Ponies and Griffons sought shelter in droves. Crystal Hospital, the School, and a number of warehouses outside the city's center were set as shelters.

All of these were completely ignored as every one was moved into the armory. The cavern was large enough to hold the entire population of the Empire, all the refugees, and several of the airships with room to spare. Given the armory';s actual location inside a mountain several leagues away even the total destruction of the city itself would leave the civilians unharmed. She knew a number of ponies already secure. Most of the hospital staff and Luna's older foals were already inside, as were the comatose ponies and the Sparkles.

Luna was shouting orders making sure the two battleships were positioned to protect the South side of the palace. The Storm Cloud and Demon of Dullahan MKII had Changeling and Griffon crews running about to man the cannons and other weapons to protect the west side of the palace. Changelings swarmed every where running to defensible positions across the City while most of the Guards took up spots closer to the Palace. The reports from the tunnel had an unbelievable number of Tirek's pouring through it and smashing over all the defenses with the aid of swarms of Parasprites that ate everything leaving the defenders defenseless and without cover.

Cadence stood in the gateway of the Armory looking out and ushering everyone inside ready to close the gate the moment every pony was in. Luna was close by in the street hurrying everything along as she shouted to Starfall and Rainbow Dash who both took off like a shot with Sorain and Spitfire to recover the foals from the nursery.

A roar fills the air and a train car that looked like it had been chewed on is flung through the air from the direction of the tunnel, narrowly missing the parked airships before the several tons of iron and steel slam into the side of the palace smashing through a number of upper rooms, getting wedged in the crystal wall.

Luna's ears flatten as she grabs the train car in her magic yanking it from the wall only for a number of Tirek clones to spill out as she pulled it free along with a great deal of water.

“THEY”RE INSIDE!” Rainbow Dash shouts darting into the hole with the other fliers hot on her heels rushing after the clones that had managed to get out of the car before Luna yanked it free..

“ROSE GET YOUR UNIT INSIDE AND HELP GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE PALACE!.” Luna bellows, the Royal Canterlot voice shaking the foundations of nearby buildings. The Princess made to rush into the building again when another series of train cars was flung through the air into the city towards the palace. Luna swears in what sounded like dragon and lashes out with her magic smashing the cars out of the air and back towards what ever threw them, Water and Parasprites were flung out of the crushed train cars as they were launched back to their source.

Cadence wasn't sure where Briar Rose and his team were, but if they were in the city they likely heard that. Shining would be with him as well, Cadence wanted nothing more than to rush upstairs and grab her foals, though at the moment she had to be ready to close the gate from the inside. Thousands were already in the shelter and even more were coming. She had to keep that in mind that she would be saving far more ponies by staying here than running after her foal would do. It was not a easy choice.

A hoof lightly touches the pink mares wing and she looks back to see the semi smiling face of Fluttershy as she looks around, her own trio of foals huddled behind her and two small black and white puff balls of zebra foals on her back between her wings..

“I'm sorry to ask Princess. But have you seen Applejack or Big Mac? Did they come into the shelter here yet?”

==========================

[Crystal Empire, northern range, a secluded location.1300 hours]

The cave flashed as a series of runes burst to life on the tunnels mouth. A moment or so later a large number of Tirek clones rush out of the tunnel, taking up positions at the mouth looking for any sort of defenders before a small group of three stride in, the central one sporting a broken horn.

Tirek chuckles at the lack of defenders at this location. It seemed nearly every one had forgotten that Twilight had tested her tunnels effectiveness far north of the Empire where the mountains could block anything that might go catastrophically wrong. The tunnel was never connected to anything, but a slight adjustment of the runes on the tunnel they entered put them out here rather than on the south side where the larger force of his clones were still pouring through.

The group he had with him was a little over a hundred strong and he had three of his smarter clones to keep order among them. While the defenders were focused on the south, this team could move from the north and slam into the less defended side of the Crystal Empire. And if his clones were doing what they were told, Princess Luna was being made to expend as much magic as they could wring out of her before he showed up.

This place was little more than a valley between two mountains with only a sparse forest on the other side of the pass between them and victory.

“Feed!!!” One of the clones shouted drawing Tirek's attention to the pass out of the valley and the figure standing in the middle of it at the top of the rise leaning against one of the towering redwood trees that dotted the area.

Tirek narrows his eyes at the earth pony mare. She wore a necklace of some kind that made him rather uneasy but otherwise the orange furred mare with straw colored hair was unarmed and unarmored. He moved forward having the clones fan out as they moved up the incline to the spot she stood, as he neared he could see the mares green eyes burning angrily as she looked at him, and he recognized the cutie mark on her side.

“Applejack, the Bearer of Honesty... to what do I owe the pleasure? Planing to give yourself up in the vain hope of saving the others I hope.” Tirek chuckles running through Twilight's memories of the mare. Honest, hardworking and with a dislike of deception and lies. Quite befitting her Element, far more than most of the Bearers that came before her.

“Course not, been waiting on yah tah get here. Almost fergot Twilight made this safety tunnel o hers. That mare blows up her house a couple a dozen times and THEN she finally gets more careful.” Applejack states glancing at the clones as they move closer to flank her though Tirek holds up a hand his eyes looking around the forest at the edge of the valley. Something was amiss here. Applejack did not like trickery but she would go along with it for the greater good.

“Then what are you here for? I doubt it is to talk shop about your purple friend.” Tirek jerks his head a little sending the others forward slowly. Even if this was a trap, a hundred of his clones were more than a match for one earth pony.

“Couple oh things, first an foremost is yah hurt mai friends. Killed one as well. Ah ain't fergiving that. Yah made it that much worse when yah killed somah mai family. That carved yer own tombstone there. But then yah couldn't just roll over and drop off Equss like a good little piece a crap. Yah had tah push it .”Applejack snarls.”And yah made me do tha worst thing yah could ever make me do.”

“What's that? Forget your little sisters birthday?” Tirek snaps, he would have laughed but for some reason he had a flash of dread and panic run through his body as he thought about Applebloom. That was a new sensation.

“Nah, yah made me lie tah mai wife bought where ah was going and yah made me break a promise ah made tah mai family. Yah got Twi's memories from what ah've been told. See what she thinks when ah say I read mah ma's journal.”

Tirek blinks, the only journal of Applejack's that Twilight knew of was the one that her brother and little sister had read that gave them access to draconic..... crap.

“KILL HER!” Tirek bellows as the clones rush forward. The mare shift off the tree she was leaning on staring down the approaching group before her right foreleg shoots out to the side striking the base of the red wood tree.

The base of the massive tree had been as thick around as a two bedroom house. Now everything below a story of the tree was nothing more than splinters and sawdust. The impact flung the debris from the base to the side as such velocity that the chips and wood pulp ripped apart the clones running in from her right and tore through several other trees as the massive redwood started to rapidly fall forward into the valley atop of the charging clones.

Tirek growls lashing out with his magic seeking to disintegrate the tree in a blast of fire, the thick trunk of it was lifted up from the blast before crashing down any way, crushing a few of the clones as his magic didn't vaporize the tree fully, a good ten stories remained of the trunk more than enough to clear a swath through his force.

“RUSH HER SHE'S THE ONLY ONE OUT HERE!! Tirek screams.

“Oh no. Ah ain't alone.” Applejack snarls, the necklace around her throat starting to glow. Silvery metal seemed to bleed out of the apple shaped pendant, spreading like water over her chest and up over her neck and back, rapidly hiding the orange coloration of her fur as the silvery metal covered her form fully like a liquid mirror. As her face was hidden the liquid suddenly solidifies.

Spikey metal fur forms over the mares mane and tail running across her form and shifting like real fur, though the coarse hair chimes and scrapes as it shifts almost musically. Her limbs no longer ended in hooves, but in thick claws that twitched and dug into the ground as she flexed. Her green eyes remained visible though they glowed brightly from under some sort of mesh covering. Her face and muzzle was masked in what seemed to be a wolf's head that covered every part of her so no bit of her orange fur was visible.

“What is this?” Tirek growls, looking to the side at a sudden scream then throwing himself to the ground as a massive boulder slams through the group flanking the left of the mare barely bouncing over his prone form as it continues crashing through the main group of his clones. The cart sized rock tumbled down the valley crushing any clone not fast enough to dodge before it slams into the archway over the tunnel smashing it to pieces and causing the train tunnel to collapse in on itself sealing off the portal.

Tirek whips his head up to the massive form standing on the ridge to the left of the now armored Applejack. The thing looked like a towering demon. Thick bone plates covered the figure obscuring it's coat and mane, even it's tail was a long armored set of bony spikes whipping back and forth. The thing was easily twice the size of Applejack even with the pony now armored. The one on the ridge had no claws though it's face was masked in a draconic visage with only a single thin eye slit along the front of a the horned helmet.

It took Tirek a moment to recognize it as the same sort of armor that Twilight had been wearing when she fought him, but there was no way something that fit the mare could cover a pony of that size. Twilight's memories has seen it on Princess Luna, but it was not fully covering like it was here.

The creature on the rise turns a little, ripping another massive boulder out of the ground like it was pulling up a carrot and holds the rock over its head as it rears up on it's back legs before pitching it forward, launching the massive rock at the group that had fallen back to cluster around Tirek.

Tirek moves to the side again as the rock bounces past destroying more of his clones in the process. He curses looking to Applejack only to find the mare wasn't there any more. He whips his head around before a grunt behind him makes him turn to look behind him.

Behind him the armored orange mare had reappeared and caught the massive spinning bolder like it was a beach ball.

“Yah ready Bro?”

“Eeeyup.”

Tirek's eyes went wide as the mare flung the bolder back through the crowd of clones, rushing after it and lashing out with her spiked tail and hooves tearing into any clones that managed to dodge. Another bolder crashed down from above, then another as the figure at the top of the rise began flinging any rock or tree he could get his hooves on. Explosions of rock, wood and dirt crashed all around him. Tirek curses as more of his clones are destroyed. Spells and attacks lash out at the mare and the large stallion on the ridge. The mare deftly dodges out of the way of the attacks and the stallion ignores the blasts that strike ineffectively against his armored form. Twilight's memories of the armor reminding him of all the work she did to improve it, simple spells wouldn't even scratch the bone plate now and the two ponies were not giving them time to cast anything bigger.

Tirek throws up the green glowing shields making a dome over himself and several of his smarter clones. He flinches as a bolder shatters against the shield, the force of the impact was far more than he had expected possible.

He was down to easily half his force in less time than it took him to walk through the gate. His retreat had been destroyed as well. This mare was far more dangerous than Twilight and Jer'rahd's memories indicated.

The ones under the dome took their time to weave a larger more destructive spell. Though with the boulders and trees smashing against the shield he was hesitant to drop it until the rocks ran out.

At least the brute was in one place, Applejack was running around kicking the first bolder ahead of her like a massive hoof ball and crushing anything in it's path....... wait a moment where was she?

The rumble under his hooves was the only warning he had before a figure bursts free of the ground under him, claws ripping into his chest leaving a trail of fire from his foreleg up to his shoulder. He staggers back from the blow as the mare hits the inside of the green dome using it as a spring board. She descends rapidly spinning in the air and lashes out with a rear hoof. The blow smashes heavily into his head sending him flying back into and through his own shield. The green panels dissipate and a massive tree trunk slams down on the clones that were casting turning them into little more than puddles.

Tirek bounced across the landscape smashing back against the ruins of the tunnel with a groan. The mare had dropped back down into the hole she had popped up from and vanished again underground.

She could burrow? This wasn't a dragonic power? What the shards was going on?

Tirek lifts his head with a growl his eyes widening as he spotted the mare again. She was holding something, a long black stick that came to a point and was jagged on one side........ wait.

Tirek reaches a hand up to his head his eyes widening as he felt the uneven broken stump of his other horn. He let out a bellow of rage as the mare smashes the stolen horn to splinters between her hooves.

====================================

>”Well now. Seems we made him angry.”<

“Good. He knows he's not unbeatable, that'll make him hesitate now.” Applejack grins.

>”Perhaps, but I can only keep this up for perhaps another four or five minutes. You and your brother need to be gone by that point because you will likely collapse from exhaustion, this power is taking a harsh toll on you and there's only so much I can do to stave it off.”<

“Ah understand, we got a couple score left to clear out an then we ken go. The only thing that's gonna live to see another day here is Tirek himself, an that's only cause we need him alive a bit longer.”

>”I know, though why you put so much power into taking his horn rather than his leg or arm....”<

“We've seen him grow those back, his other horn's still broken. Sides, Rhede took tha first one, figure another Apple should take tha other.”Apple Jack smiles. “Thanks fer this if ah already didn't say it Forth.”

>”It is no trouble Applejack. Troph was not the only warrior in our group ”< The First God of the Diamond Dogs and Element of Honesty chuckled. >”If they stand behind you, you give them protection. If they stand beside you, you give them respect. If they stand before you, you show them no mercy.”<

===================================================

[Crystal Empire 1305 hours]

The infants were screaming. Well Dawn was, the half dragon filly had some lungs in her and she had fired them up the moment the Palace shook.

It didn't help matters that her screaming had set off Glimmer who was crying in response to hearing a half dragon screaming and that scared her.

Shin was crying as well, likely from the nearness of Tirek, a feeling Chrysalis couldn't block out like the hive mind.

The newest edition to the nursery, the Hippogryph Talon was a little older than the others and had his beak poking up over the edge of the crib trying to see what was going on.

Elusive was somehow sleeping through everything and Rhynthia....

Well to tell the truth the little red striped zebra foal, freaked Chrysalis right out. She didn't act like a newborn, she acted like an adult who was reduced to a baby and simply had to live with it. Despite her only being a day or so old the filly was quiet and her bright blue eyes focused on everything as if studying it. Chrysalis wasn't sure if that was normal or not for Zebra gods and the only two she could have asked were out cold thanks to Tirek. Not that she wanted to let Celestia know she still existed, but if the mare woke up that was probably going to happen any way.

For once she didn't have issue with Shining Armor's plan to put the foals in a room in the middle of the castle. The place had once been Sombra's study and test chamber. The walls were reinforced and the ceiling at least two stories above hidden in a magical darkness the half dragon's guarding Elusive had put up so their appearance wouldn't make Glimmer cry. Chrysalis wasn't sure if they were still up there or not but she hoped they were, her powers were no where near enough in her current half life state to fend off Tirek or his clones.

She winced as the outer door was kicked in and the thunderous sound of hooves and growls was heard from the adjoining room. There were shouts as the guards at the door met the intruders, but from the sounds of battle they were out numbered. Chrysalis glances over to the door leading to the royal chambers. She could gather Shin and perhaps the others as well if she pushed it and shove them all into the next room, though there might be more in there. The royal chamber did have a rather large window and balcony she might be able to get them to the Armory, but that was a risk.

The door to the adjoining room burst open as a pair of Guards fell back jabbing forward with their spears at a towering monster of black and red.

Chrysalis felt the hair rise along the back of her neck at the sight of Tirek and four others behind him.
Before she could make a grab for the foals a loud clack and a whoosh fills the air as a massive bolt of wood shoots out from the darkness above spearing into the lead Tirek and popping it like a water balloon before the bolt slams into the ground shattering tile and stone. The balista bolt sinking over half way into the floor.

Chrysalis whips her head up looking into the darkness hearing a chuckle and a clack from above.

“Elektra did you bring a Balista into the Nursery!?” Chrysalis snaps.

“What?! No! I did not bring A balista into the nursery to set up on my over watch platform in order to protect my charge more effectively.....”

Another twang and another bolt slams into one of the clones and through it into another.

“She set up two.” Talia calls down.

Any further argument was cut off as a sphere of magenta magic forms around the remaining three clones, rapidly shrinking and crushing them tighter and tighter together until they implode filling the magical sphere with water. The shield vanished and the glut of water splashes to the floor soaking into the carpets and running over the stone.

A golden figure that seemed to glow with it's own internal light strides forward from the other side of the hall. The gold crystal armor covered every inch of the stallion and a halberd of the same material floated in the air beside him as he looked into the room from the hall way. The white form of the stallion was hazily visible through the golden crystal and a blue tail whips behind him as if the figure was irritated.

“Is everyone alright.” Shining Armor asks.

“Yes sir....” the guards reports saluting the golden armored figure. Shining nods putting up a shield suddenly with a glance down the hall as a Tirek clone fly's at him screaming before it hits the shield and explodes into a shower of water.

“ROSE! Can you throw them some other way, like away from the nursery!?” Shining shouts down the hall.

“Oops” comes the reply.

“Talia, Elecktra, Take …...Crystal... and the foals to the shelter, Prism, Laipus go with them and offer support, the Palace is no longer safe. “ Shining orders. The two Guards who had been by the door nod as two half dragons drop down from above.

“Head out through the escape tunnel to the base of the tower, it's in the left book case, Crystal likely knows which book to tug. Rose and I will deal with the ones still in the palace.” Shining comments glancing down the hall as something crashes with a thunderous implosion of broken Crystal.

“Oops.” Calls Rose.

“That is if Rose leaves anything standing.....” Shining mutters.

====================================================

[Crystal Empire 1325 Emerald street, southern road to the Palace.]

Peach Blossom whirls, his spear gripped between his wings as he lashed out, darting across the ground in a ever widening spiral.

Bits and pieces of Parasprites fall to the ground along with several puddles of water as his amber crystal lance cuts a swatch among the clones and the rapidly multiplying Parasprites.

A blast of magic destroys the ground where he stood though he had snapped his wings down and thrown himself backward. His spear flipping up through the air before he grabbed it in his mouth. He dodged past another blast looking up at the clone that had rushed forward. Clearly one of the smarter ones, as most of the monsters attacking either couldn't cast or were too stupid to do anything but try and use brute strength.

The orange cream colored stallion wasn't sure exactly how the mirror pond worked, all he knew was that some of the clones could cast spells and talk, and others could only yell 'FEED' then try to stuff everything in their mouths.

He relaxed a moment as the casters head left it's shoulders, the Tirek clone giving a brief expression of surprise before turning to a puddle of water. A faint blast of wind followed the clones death as the gray mare landed next to him flicking her swords free of water.

“I would feel better if you went into the shelter with the others.” Peach Blossom mutters.

“Too many Parasprites between me and it.” Starfall shudders.

“You are just using that as an excuse.” Peach Blossom chuckles.” I thought you got over that phobia?”

“Maybe, but there's been too many dead already and I don't want our foal growing up without a father.” Starfall frowns.” Again.”

“You have to have the foal first. Which means you've got to stay alive too.” Peach Blossom grins leaning over to kiss her lightly on the cheek.

“Statement stands, and I'm not leaving you alone.” Starfall snorts.

“I'm not alone.” Peach Blossom snorts as a group of Changelings rip apart a Tirek clone not far from them.

“You know what I mean.” Starfall grumbles.

“Fine fine. Let's try to keep this street clear, supposedly there's some more civilians headed this way.” Peach Blossom smiles.” I'll try and not be too distracted by how tight that suit is over your flank.”

Starfall raises a brow then smirks glancing down at the Shadowbolt suit.” Survive and I'll wear it to bed next time.”

“Promises, promises.” Peach Blossom laughs.

==========================================================

[Crystal Empire 1325 Diamond street, Western road to the Palace.]

The maniacal sounds of laughter filled the street as a small force of ponies and Changelings dart in and out of the buildings sending civilians running towards the palace as they swarmed down the main road and the side streets. While there were a large number of ponies defending the Crystal Empire, this group was different.

They were not defending.

They were hunting.

Hospice Moskau cackles as her spiked hoof gauntlets smash into and through another clone. Three of the massive creatures rush her and the scarred zebra mare simply leaps into the air flipping back as a massive pole of white crystal swept through the area she had been standing taking all three clones out in the one swing. Moskau lands lightly as the building to her left was suddenly doused with water.

“Dammit mare I could watch you do that all day. Shining getting mad and sending me out here was the best thing to happen yet.” Briar rose chuckles, the white Crystal Pony walking up next to the Zebra mare with a grin. He lifts his head watching as other members of the Six Sixty Sixth dart around destroying any clones who poked their heads out as well as Parasprites by the dozens.

“Later now hun, Ve've a lot of vork yet tah do.” Moskau chuckles her short tail flicking lightly across the stallions face. “Ve ken play later.”

“Well with that statement yah just doomed every onea these damn things that gits in mai way!” Briar laughs rushing forward at a clone squad coming from an nearby ally.

====================================================

[Crystal Empire 1325 Ruby street, Northern road to the Palace.]

Rainbow Dash puts out her hooves feeling the stone under them as she ran hard, her wings started to strain from the effort. The wall under her hooves cracked in her passing as she used it to speed up her flying in the tight turn, chunks of the crystal exploded right at the end of her tail as a group of four clones fired blast after blast of fire, lightning, and a whole bunch of other crap after her.

She briefly considered running away, she had a foal to care for, and the extra weight was slowing her down more than she would like to admit. She had the opportunity to join Cadence when she brought Chrysalis and the Guards protecting the foals to the armory, but she had refused. Applejack was out here some where, so was Big Mac.

She needed to keep her road clear in case either of them came back this way.

Which meant she needed to take out these idiots as fast as possible.

Dash kicks off the wall cutting her turn even sharper and spinning back under a blast of some greenish drippy looking stuff. She was in the middle of the group before they managed another shot Her wing blades ripping though the first one and tearing open the belly of the second as she rushed underneath the monster. She dodged left as a blast of fire came from the sky and the second member of her team smashed into the spine of the third caster.

Spitfire snorts, fire flicking around her mane and form She glances back at the last one as Soarin drops hooking one fore limb around the back of it's head, using his greater weight to yank the creature off it's hooves and smash it's face into the stone street. He was up on his hooves and smashing one into the back of the creatures head before it even managed to turn to water like the rest.

Spitfire looks over at her husband then Dash as she kicks some water from her armored hooves.

“You were supposed to take out one and let us hit the rest. Fleetfoot didn't even have anything to do.” Spitfire snorts.

“I took the two down because I was able, not because I was showboating. Fleet got to play over watch in case something went wrong.” Dash states looking up at the fourth Pegasus in Shadowbolt armor above them. Dozens of Changelings were flying over head along with a large number of Half Dragons.

The Shadowbolts were one of the vanguard units protecting the main roads towards the palace. Most of the other soldiers were pushing ahead to rescue civilians and secure supplies. When the idea of making Slate's armory a shelter was brought up last night they had started moving supplies in almost immediately. Applejack's odd warning that Tirek was coming gave them a bit of warning, but not enough to have the place fully stocked, the attack interrupted the process. There were several hundred thousand ponies and other creatures in the empire right now. Strangely the Armory would hold them all, perhaps not comfortably, but if need be the place could be come a more permanent shelter That was if supplies were gathered. The Griffons had simply flown the cloudholme supply buildings into the massive cavern as well as a few of the smaller ships. That was a long way from everything they needed however.

“You alright Dash?” Soarin asked noting the blue mare zone out.

“Huh yeah fine.... just wondering where Mac and AJ are. They're missing all my awesomeness.” Dash chuckles.

“Did Mac look like a big ass skeleton?” Fleetfoot shouts down from above.

“What?” Dash asks taking to the air to see what the other mare was talking about.

Reaching the same height as the pale blue mare Dash could see a massive form trotting down the road with a orange form draped over his back. A sizable number of clones rose up before the large pony only to be slammed into and through in some cases as the bone armored pony plowed through them like bowling pins.

“Okay that is awesome...... Where did he get Kaisur's armor? What the heck is wrong with AJ.... gah..... Never mind.... Soarin think you can can grab AJ and get her to the shelter, I bet Mac can play tank with that suit while we do dps support. All we need is a healer.”

“What?” Soarin asks.

“Don't you play any games... arrgh never mind, just rescue AJ while we kick ass.” Rainbow Dash states darting forward.”

“Who made her leader?” Fleetfoot snorts.

“Starfall and Princess Luna.” Soarin answers. “I have to admit she's not bad at it.”

“Don't get any ideas rescuing the damsel in distress there Soarin.” Spitfire snorts.

“Heh the only damsel I'd wanna rescue is kicking too much flank for me to need to rescue her.” Soarin grins after his wife as the group starts forward.

================================================

[Crystal Empire 1325 Sapphire street, Western road to the Palace.]

Polka music filled the air, the music echoing along the street. A large wagon of assorted brass pipes symbols, whirling cogs, and bursts of steam was being pulled down the road by a pink earth pony in a navy blue dress uniform, white cape and a bright purple shako hat. She was walking on her back legs and seemed more of a guidance for the circling device rather than the source of it's locomotion.

Atop the machine, dressed exactly the same as the pink mare, was a odd creature known as a Draconequus. The creature was playing a tuba with one hand, a accordion with his other hand and foot, and turning a crank with his tail to keep the music playing.

Trailing behind the odd musicians were close to a thousand bouncing parasprites and two Tirek clones, all of them caught up in the music and hopping and dancing along cheerfully. The longer the pair played the more Parasprites joined in the parade.

Shining Armor and a host of the Crystal Guard were taking advantage of the musical distraction to rush forward and attack the clones that had not gotten caught up in the music.

The white unicorns armor had a number of bite sized holes in it as did most of the other Guards with him. Despite this the group laid into the spell casting clones and the brainless thugs with equal abandon. Shining Armor's shield coupled with a few of the other unicorns in his squad kept any attacks away from Pinkie Pie and Discord while wreaking havoc in the attackers ranks.

It was still a hard fight, but the chaotic pairs contribution to it was surprisingly useful.

===================================================

[Crystal Empire 1325 Emerald Park, South of the Palace.]

“FIRE!!!!!”

Cannon fire roared out from the side of the ship, the iron and crystal spheres sailing through the air to explode upon impact, either from magical blasts or just plain good old fashion gunpowder. The effect was the same, the rushing clones were turned to water vapor, and the smarter ones were forced back well out of range of any of their spells.

Dust Devil stood on the deck of the Demon of Dullahan MKII, wrapped up in bandages with one eye covered wearing her fathers old Admiral hat.

Not far away on the other Storm Cloud, Breezy Mist, her husband stood shouting orders to the ships crew.

The Tirek clones were a bit of an issue, but in their current position the ships were in a rather defensible formation, and with the Changeling added to the ship they could crew all cannons thus giving both ships a nearly three hundred and sixty degree arc of fire with the cannons and balista. The only blind spots the ships had, directly at the prow, were covered by the other ships position. The blind spot was something that annoyed her, but given the prow's were reinforced and designed for ramming other ships or dragons, in the air, it made sense that they couldn't be weakened by adding gun ports.

The griffoness looks over at the palace and the smoking holes in the side of the crystal edifice where train cars had impacted. She was worried about her son , though several of the Changelings had informed her that the Nursery had been evacuated into Slate's Armory as planned. The griffoness had tried to make Cadence swear to take care of Talon if anything happened to her and Dusty. Something that Cadence had refused out right telling both of them on no uncertain terms that she 'Had more than enough foals of her own to take care of, and the pair of them had better come back and pick up their own instead of trying to foist him off on some one else.'

Breezy had loved that, though Dusty had been put into a huff at first not quite grasping what the Princess meant, and by the time she did get it Breezy was already dragging her away before she hurt herself yelling at Cadence.

She glanced over at Breezy on the other deck, the pony had taken some of the armor from the Armory to replace the bits he had lost off of his griffon armor. She hadn't expected things to go like they had after the War of Gods. She knew she had to go home, and was surprised when Breezy had offered to come with her. They were both surprised when Princess Luna transferred Breezy to the Embassy in Thunderbolt Aerie. After that things got a bit stranger for her. The pegasus had always managed to show up when she was neck deep in political nonsense or with something to distract the nobles so that she could have some time to herself. The physical attraction had been there since training, though it quickly developed into something more.

The shit storm when they married was something to behold. The Hurricane of shit that hit when Talon was born only three months after the wedding nearly got her thrown out of the aerie. Then everyone found out that Talon was a Hippogryph God and things really went nuts. Thankfully Rhede Pelt, Princess Luna and of all ponies Jer'rahd Kaisur, helped smooth things over enough that the complaints were little more than a dull roar. Her mom helped with that too, but Dusty wouldn't give the annoying female the credit if she could help it.

Still that was four years ago and Breezy was just now starting to be accepted across the aerie, or what was left of it now. That he had taken so easily to the designs and creations of the Griffon's kept a number of them more curious about the pony than resentful. The blue pegasus even managed to make a few friends here and there, the fact he managed to somehow get a whole ships crew listening to him in a short time did wonders for his image. He took to captaining the ship like a sea pony to water, if it hadn't been for him none of them would have likely gotten away.

Now here they were back in the thick of things. Fighting the creatures that destroyed her home and made the Griffons run.

Very annoying, still something was nagging at her and she had relayed it to the Princess through a Changeling

There were far less of the clones attacking the Crystal Empire than had attacked her aerie. Where were they all?

=======================================================

[Crystal Empire 1325 Ore drive, West of Ruby Street.]

The yellow pegasus slowly creeps along the shadows of the road. Aside from the faint buzzing of Parasprites this side road seemed to be completely empty.

Fluttershy had lucked out in that one Guard she asked had seen Applejack and Big Mac running north earlier in the day before the battle started. So the shy pegasus had set out, planing to sneak around to try and find her wife.

She knew Applejack could take care of herself, but she had already lost her best friend and had another put into a coma. She didn't know what she was going to do if anything happened to Applejack too. The earth pony was still far too stubborn sometimes for her own good. Fluttershy hoped she hadn't done like she had threatened and run off to knock some sense outta Tirek, but the fact she took her brother with her made Fluttershy think that was the case. Fluttershy had to remind herself to be mad at the orange pony for lying this morning and saying she wasn't going to go any where, but the fact the honest mare had lied bothered her more than being lied too.

Fluttershy had left the Pelt Twins and her three foals with Aunt and Uncle Crab Apple in the shelter and set out to see what she could find out about her wife.

The mare had not made it far when she saw Rainbow Dash and the Shadowbolts fighting. Not wanting her friend to send her back to the shelter she took a side ally and moved along the ground trying to tip hoof past where her friend was fighting. In Rainbow's condition Fluttershy didn't think she should be fighting at all, but she knew Dash wouldn't sit by and be protected.

The flighty mare pauses next to one of the buildings with a small sigh and a shiver.

What was she even doing out here? She didn't have any training and didn't want to hurt any one any way. She doubted the stare would work on Tirek, as he didn't even seem that upset over his own brother's death if the story was right. Someone like that clearly would not feel sorry for anything they had done.

Right now she just wanted to find out what happened to her wife and get back to the shelter and hope everything got fixed before any one else gets hurt. But she still needed to find.....

“APPLEJACK!!” Rainbow Dash shouts from a street over.

Fluttershy's ears perk up at the cry as she moves to look down an ally towards the main road. Peering over a fence she see's Applejack laying over the back of a scary bone armored pony. The pony seemed to be carrying Applejack back to the city however and Rainbow Dash was already whirling around him yelling at him. She caught Big Mac's name in the tirade before Rainbow Dash calmed down enough to hug him before yelling again pointing the direction down the road and shouting something about Luna before she took off into the air heading back towards the palace. The big blue stallion from the Shadowbolts picked Applejack up off Big Mac's back and flew after Rainbow Dash towards the palace as the armored pony looked to join the others in defending that street.

Fluttershy sighs softly seeing Applejack's soft breathing as well as her Cutiemark still on her side. She seemed fine, though Fluttershy would want an explanation when she woke up. The butter yellow mare smiles a little, happy to have gotten what she wanted without any one else getting hurt or meeting the Tirek fellow.

The pegasus turned to head back to the shelter when a large black and red hand snatches her off the street.

Author's Note:

Title is Invisible Wounds by Fear Factory

I have another chapter that should be up this week, This chapter was initially too close to 20k words for me to leave it in one lump. So i had to split it. I'm still editing the other chapter.

Comments

[Kevin Lee]

Damn, Tirek!! AJ & Big Mac make you feel like a clever pony yet?

Still, it's not over by a long way

Loving this!

[Jirodyne]

6823704 AJ should have said that. When she mentioned nearly forgetting about the tunnel, she should have asked him if he felt like a Clever Pony for trying to use it!

[Zibrony]

If any of the characters have to die........ I would be okay with Fluttershy the most.

[dragonridergoku]

Good chapter, I await the next one, but I figured I'd ask... Is this story's Cover art messed up for you? I'm not sure if it's just me, but it looks like the four corners are slightly misaligned ant the top right is gone, replaced by a copy of the bottom right. Not sure if intentional, a mistake, or what, but I thought I'd mention it.

[TDR]

6826657 Huh it does seem off now that you mention it.

6825618

6823905 AJ was more looking to beat his ass , that didn't really occur to her.

6823704 The end is closer than you think. 2 or 3 chapters away. Everything's drawing to the climax.

6762904 Fitting music. The image of the Linorm is actual a creature called the Sandpoint Devil from the pathfinder setting.

[dragonridergoku]

6828470 it seems to look right sometimes, but when I reload the page it messes up. I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is the same thing you're seeing. It's strange.

EDIT: this is what I got when saving and reuploading it.
i.imgur.com/Lbn9cp3.jpg