Old Wounds
Old Wounds
“Princess?” Luna was awakened from her nap by one of the Iron Hooves Legionnaires, a young Earth Pony colt who had his forelegs and the left part of his face replaced by cybernetics. She yawned and stood up, reaching for her armor and weapons. “We’re approaching Manehattan and should be on the ground in a few minutes.”
“Good, good.” Luna finished strapping on her armor and made her way out of her room, followed by the Legionnaire. The interior of the airship was rather cramped, especially for a pony of Luna’s size, so she took her time moving through the corridors. Around her, Iron Hooves of Clan Tempered Steel slaved away, maintaining and repairing the airship with pinpoint efficiency. Like the colt that had roused her, many were in possession of one or more cybernetic limbs, be they wings, legs, tails, or even horns. At first Luna had great respect for the Legion, if they were to fight so hard and sustain such injuries.
A bit of that respect had turned to uneasiness when she learned that many of those cybernetics were installed willingly.
“Are you please with the airship, Princess?” the colt asked, Luna unsure if he was worried or just trying to promote their work.
“Yes.” she said. “The craftsmanship that has gone into building this vessel is superb, and is a testament to your Legion’s dedication to it’s work.”
“Thank you, Princess.” the colt replied, once again shielding his emotions from Luna. And Celestia thinks I have issues with opening up to ponies. They entered a larger atrium, where she spotted one of her guards speaking to an Iron Hoof as the Legionnaire fiddled with some supports.
“... So you see, all you have to do is get enough enchanted gems to complete the circuit, and then you can just get any unicorn that knows a teleport spell and everything should work out nicely.” Sparks said, giving the Iron Hoof a large smile as the Legionnaire continued his repairs.
“While a bold project, it does run into numerous flaws. For one, the circuitry and the amount of gems required for such a device would make it the size of a small building, thus making it highly impractical for transport. Secondly, the amount of magic required to enchant those gems would create an enormous amount of magical feedback, feedback that could result in the apparatus exploding and killing all present, thus negating any usefulness that could be drawn from the device.”
“That’s why I wanted you guys to look the plans over.” Sparks said, following the Iron Hoof as he moved on.
“I am not in a position to review such schematics. Please speak with an Iron Father and perhaps he may ease your mind.” Sparks mouth hung open, but he said noting. Conceding defeat, for now, he turned and spotted Luna as she entered the room.
“Oh, Princess.” he said, standing up a bit straighter. “Sorry, I had thought you were already awake.”
“I was never fond of mornings,” Luna said.
“Makes sense, seeing that...” Sparks noted Luna’s unamused look and began to pick his words carefully “... That you raise the moon and all... and your name is Luna...”
“I understand.” Luna fluffed her wings before speaking. “Where are the others?”
“Commander Sleight-Hoof took Echo and my brother up on deck to spar. I was down here trying to get these guys to look over some of my work, and Midnight Glimmer... I don’t know where Midnight Glimmer is.”
“Find her and assemble on deck. I want you all to be present with me when we land in Manehattan.”
“Should we bring sound dampeners?” Sparks asked, causing Luna to raise an eyebrow.
“Is there something I should know?”
“Inside joke.” he said, giving Luna a sheepish grin. “I’ll go find Midnight Glimmer.” With that the unicorn turned and left, leaving Luna far more confused than she would have liked. As she came out on deck, she saw Sleight-Hoof and his selected Night Guard sparring with each other. The Force Commander himself was currently squaring off against Shadetail, the massive unicron keeping Sleight-Hoof pinned against the railing. Whenever the Force Commander tried to break and move around his opponent, Shadetail would quickly cut off his advance and drive him back to the railing. Luna watched in silence for several minutes, observing the movements of the Force Commander and the Justicar.
“He’s playing him.” Luna was broken from her observation by the voice of Echo, the blind Justicar walking up alongside her.
“I have not observed this fight for very long, so I would not know what you mean.” Luna responded. “Explain your reasoning.”
“I can hear their heartbeats.” Echo said, giving her ears a twitch. “Sleight-Hoof’s is really controlled, like if he was just standing still, while Shadetail’s is normal for a big guy like him in the middle of a sparring match. The Force Commander wants him to get worn down, then he’ll get his opening.”
“You can tell all that just from their heartbeats?”
“I can learn a lot about a pony from their heartbeats. Like how I learned that Midnight Glimmer has the hots for you; poor girl’s pulse skyrockets whenever one of us mentions your name.” Luna’s eyes widened and she looked to Echo.
“You’re joking, right?”
“Yup, but I did learn that you’re easily flustered.” Luna frowned. “Sorry about that, I just tease the ponies I like.”
“I see.” there was a pause. “If you don’t mind me asking, but how did you come to join the Night Guard?”
“Well, they don’t usually accept volunteers, but I got lucky.” Echo pointed to her ears. “My ears are a godsend to the Guard; you’d be surprised how tricky cultists can be when they don’t want to be seen.” Luna raised an eyebrow. There was something off about what the Justicar had said, but Luna could not tell just what it was. She turned back to the sparring match, just as Sleight-Hoof ducked underneath Shadetail’s attack and knocked the other unicorn to the deck.
“You need to work on strengthening your stance,” Sleight-Hoof said as he put his sword away. “Make sure that you can turn any attack into a counter if necessary.”
“Yes.” Shadetail replied before getting back to his hooves. Seeing an opening, Luna stepped forward to speak with the Force Commander.
“I assume you got word that we would be landing in Manehattan soon?” she asked. Sleight-Hoof put his sword away and turned towards Luna.
“Yes. I just wanted to get some last minute practice in before landing... Manehattan’s kind of touchy about us practicing within their boundaries.”
“I can understand some suspicions regarding the corruption of Chaos, but even practicing?” Luna shook her head. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Old wounds take time to heal.” Echo said from her position behind Luna. “... That’s what my dad always said when I was growing up.”
“That’s it, more or less.” Sleight-Hoof massaged the back of his head. “Manehattan hasn’t really forgiven the Night Guard for what our predecessors did during the Heresy. The Daughters have gotten better, but the general populace still doesn’t trust us. Heck, they’ve even banned Nightmare Night celebrations for the last six hundred years.”
“Well...” Luna thought for a moment. “That I can understand. It seems like a barbaric holiday, one that would encourage traitorous thoughts among the populace.”
“You know that’s the same thing your sister said when they proposed the idea, almost word for word?” Luna raised an eyebrow as Sleight-Hoof continued on. “History lesson as part of becoming a Night Guardspony; we have to read a lot of your sister’s speeches and political letters. Anyway, the ponies of Manehattan don’t really like us, so we try to get in and out of Manehattan as quickly as possible.”
“That most likely will not be an option; after all, we are linking up with the rest of our forces there.” Luna gave a small smile. “Who knows? Perhaps this might be a chance to better our image in the eyes of the citizens of Manehattan.” Sleight-Hoof did not look too sure of Luna’s view, but did not say anything addressing that.
“Anything else you need, Princess?”
“Just prepare for when we land.” Sleight-Hoof nodded before turning to Echo.
“Have you seen Sparks and Midnight Glimmer?”
“They should be along in a bit, sir.” Echo replied.
“I ran into Sparks on my way up here,” Luna said. “I asked him to fetch the Acolyte and report here as soon as possible.”
“If he doesn’t get distracted by something shiny first.” Echo muttered.
“I have a few things I want to collect before we land,” Sleight-Hoof said. “If I may, Princess?”
“You are dismissed, but do not bring too much so we are not slowed down.”
“Yes ma’am. Echo, go find out two wayward ponies before Sparks replaces his foreleg with a cannon or something.” Sleight-Hoof and Echo headed back into the depths of the airship, leaving Luna alone. Luna fluffed her wings and looked out at the approaching city, scanning the many buildings and streets.
Manehattan was a far cry from the city she remembered. Old stone buildings and cathedrals had been replaced by massive constructs of steel and glass. Any sign of its past, be it the ruins of an old wall or outpost, had been replaced or hidden behind the visage of modern advancement. I suppose that’s a positive improvement... I’ll get used to it in due time. Down below, she could see a wide field that currently contained several other airships, some bearing the emblem of the Iron Hooves or one of the other four Legions that had pledged forces to this campaign, while others were marked as civilian transports. Ponies went to and from the airships, loading and unloading various supplies for transport elsewhere, working with speed and efficiency that impressed Luna greatly.
And then her eyes drifted to the unmistakable silhouettes of Legionnaires from the Daughters of Manehattan. The mares were dressed in dark grey and green armor, so as to better blend into the cityscape should the need arise. A few kept their eyes on the descending Iron Hooves airship, and Luna could not shake the feeling that some of them were watching for her. She shuddered as unpleasant memories returned, memories of striking down a mare that she had admired and burning the city to ash.
No... Do not focus on the sins of the past. Focus on the task ahead. She turned around just as Sleight-Hoof and his squad stepped out on deck.
“Ready when you are, Princess.” Sleight-Hoof said, adjusting his armor one last time.
“Good.” there was a small jolt at the airship landed, a sensation that caught Luna off guard at first. I guess that is something else I will have to get used to. There was a series of cries from the ponies on the ground as the airship was tied down, and soon the Iron Hooves began to unload supplies and other items for the ground crews. Luna paid them no mind, instead focusing on the entourage of Daughters led by a middle-aged, teal unicorn mare. From behind her Luna thought she heard one of her Guards shuffle around nervously, but decided to pay it no mind. Once the main gangplank was lowered, Luna and the Night Guard stepped off the airship and approached the Daughters.
“Princess,” the lead mare said once Luna was close enough, after snapping a fresh salute. “Helena Lulamoon, Commander of the Daughters of Manehattan.” Lulamoon? Luna’s eyes quickly darted back to Sleight-hoof, who seemed not to notice. Had there been something the Force Commander had neglected to tell her, and if so why? She set that thought aside for now and looked back to Commander Lulamoon.
“Well met,” she said evenly. “Now, I have heard of some of your Legion’s animosity towards my Guards and myself. What assurance do I have that such feelings will not get in the way of our work?”
“We try to stay professional about these sorts of things, ma’am.” Commander Lulamoon replied, her voice still controlled and official, although Luna did catch a seemingly disapproving glance from the mare that seemed to pass her and fall upon her Guards. That moment vanished quickly before Helena and her entourage turned and started walking towards the city. “Come, the other officers for this mission are meeting at our headquarters.” Luna nodded, falling into place behind the Daughters.
For the briefest of instances, Luna considered reaching out with her power and probing the Daughters’ minds. Her magic had been growing stronger; it would not take too much effort for a small glance. However, as she thought about it more she saw the risk of them discovering her probes and losing more of their trust in her, and she did not want to risk that.
Knowing her mind, she would not be surprised if Horus came to speak to her about trust that night.
Their journey took them to a large compound north of the city. It was smaller than the fortresses of old, but careful analysis of its defenses showed that it was still a strong position; interlocking fields of fire, murder holes, even numerous pitfall traps, and Luna was certain that there were other defenses that she could not see to reinforce those that she could. The gate to the compound opened and Luna got an even better view of the base as dozens of Daughters drilled and sparred in the courtyard beneath the walls. Every movement, every stroke of the sword, all off it screamed of an efficient design honed to perfection over hundreds of years. My sister should be proud that her Legions have come this far.
“Hey, were not getting condescending stares for once.” she heard Sparks say from the back.
“Great.” Echo replied. “When we get back to Canterlot, remind me that the Justicars in Unit 5 owe me money.”
“If you keep talking, that might change.” Sleight-Hoof snapped. All conversation from the group died down, although Luna did feel a bit disappointed as she wanted to know more about her Guards, and listening to them talking to one another was proving to be one of her most effective methods of information gathering. Once again she set her thoughts aside as they were led to one of the larger buildings. Commander Lulamoon nodded and the rest of her entourage peeled off like she turned to face Luna.
“Your guards will have to wait outside, ma’am.” she said.
“Why?” Luna asked. “Does it not defeat the purpose of having guards if they are not here to protect me?”
“The briefing room is secured, ma’am. But I feel that it would be better if only high ranking officers were present.” Luna thought for a moment.
“Force Commander Sleight-Hoof is the most senior of the Night Guard present.” she said finally. “He may join us for the meeting.”
“Are you sure?” Sleight-Hoof asked. “I mean, I’ve studied strategy and all, but aren’t you-”
“My current rank is Warmistress, not Commander; while I do hold rank above you, consider me as more of a supreme commander. As such, you are still acting commander of the present Night Guard, are you not?”
“... Yes.”
“Then I do not see what the problem is.” Luna looked to Commander Lulamoon. “Do you?” the mare worked her jaw for a moment, but ultimately conceded.
“He may join us, but the others will have to wait outside.”
“Fair enough.” Sleight-Hoof said. “Echo, you’re in charge until I get back.”
“Got it.” Echo gave Sleight-Hoof a salute before he and Luna stepped into the building. Luna noticed immediately that it had been built for ponies that were not wearing as much armor as she was, and she found herself having to control her movements so as to not bump into anything. How does my sister put up with this?... Then again, she never conducted strategy meetings inside... Luna was partially relieved when they stepped into a large room, where four other ponies were waiting. The first was the current leader of Clan Tempered Steel, easily distinguishable due to his cybernetic leg and right eye. The next was a young colt dressed in blood red and orange armor, which Luna guessed meant she was a member of the Firebirds. I think I liked them better when the armor was a bit brighter. The third was an older mare dressed in red and gold robes, a stave resting next to her. The last was a rather happy mare dressed in the white armor of the Plainsrunners, who gave Luna a little nod as she entered.
“My fellows,” the mare in red said. “We are assembled, so let us begin our preparations.” her horn shimmered for a moment before a detailed map of the Griffon Kingdoms and surrounding territory appeared, with several markings noting major fortifications and cities.
“From what Starlight Shimmer was able to learn,” Commander Lulamoon “The majority of the Griffon forces are marshalling in the lowlands here, between our lines and the capital.” he used her magic to circle the area in question.
“How many?” Luna asked.
“Ten thousand, at least, split between several generals and factions.” Starlight Shimmer replied. “That is only an estimate, sadly; the tides of the warp were harsh, and I could not get as good of a view as I would have liked.”
“Chaos sorcerers might have done something to block your scrying.” Luna stated before looking back at the map. “And what forces do we have?”
“Clan Blackshield mans the fortresses along the border.” the Iron Hoof said. “Current strength is about two hundred Legionnaires, not to mention auxiliary forces.”
“And Firebird Company 5 is acting in reserve.” the Firebird representative said. “If there is an attack, they can provide a rapid response to hold the enemy until our forces arrive.”
“A wise choice.” Luna said, turning back to the map. “This would be an even fight were it not for the presence of the Traitors.”
“We’ve faced worse odds before, ma’am.” Commander Lulamoon said. “And we have you on our side now; that’s got to count for something.” Luna’s ears flattened against her head, but she said nothing. She studied the map for a moment before speaking again.
“Our strongest position appears to be in the north.” she said. “That is where they will attack.”
“Ah don’t mean ta sound like a fool,” the Plainsrunner said. “But wouldn’t they try ta break ‘round our best position.”
“If there are followers of Khorne among their ranks, no; they will want to be where the fighting is fiercest. But you do bring up a valid point, and there may be members of the Griffon or Traitor forces who would want to exploit this.” Luna eyed the map again. “I will send word to our forces to keep an eye on the southern parts of the border, just in case. Now then, let us discuss our plan for attack.” Luna looked up at the Plainsrunner. “I’m sorry, but I do not know your name.”
“Goldrenette Apple, ma’am.”
“I see. Anyway, if the enemy does move towards our forces, I want you to take your Legionnaires around the right flank and attack from behind. From there, try to draw as many of them away as possible.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Starlight Shimmer,” Luna said, looking to the mare. “What forces do you command.”
“I have pledged four companies of Everfree Sentinels to this mission, all of them well learned in the magic arts.” Luna blinked.
“I have heard of your Legion’s power. Why so many?”
“That is a personal matter I would like to discuss with you after the meeting, my lady.” the Great Mage replied. Luna nodded and continued on.
“Starlight Shimmer, in light of this revelation I want you to divide your force in two. One will help the Iron Hooves reinforce the fortresses, the rest will come with me once we launch our counterattack.”
“I will notify my Archmages that they will be under your command. I will take the second force and reinforce the Iron Hooves.”
“Fair enough.” Luna turned next to Commander Lulamoon. “Commander, you and your selected forces will be a part of my counterattack.”
“Some might be a bit uneasy about serving under you, ma’am.” Commander Lulamoon stated.
“Then they shall have to learn to respect my commands. What forces do you have?”
“I have committed three companies. The rest will remain here to make sure that Equestria stays safe.” Another bad image, and Luna noted that her fur was standing on end.
“I see.” Luna nodded before turning her attention to the last of the ponies present, the Firebird representative. “Again, I am not the best with names.”
“Sunflash, ma’am.”
“Sunflash, I want you to support the Plainsrunners, as your fellow Legionnaires will be assisting with the relief of the fortresses.”
“I understand, ma’am. I promise that we will not fail you.” Luna nodded. It was good to see such dedication to duty from someone so young. Perhaps there are more like him.
“We shall finalize our plans once we reach the front. From there, I should have a better grasp on the tactical situation.” The commanders nodded and prepared to leave, save for Starlight Shimmer, before another thought came to mind. “Also, once we arrive in the Griffon Kingdoms I want you to keep a lookout for any unusual creatures.”
“Unusual creatures?” Starlight Shimmer asked, an eyebrow raised. “You mean... like daemons?”
“No, not daemons. I... I can’t really describe them without going into too much detail. Just report to me any strange sightings.”
“Will do, ma’am.” Commander Lulamoon said before muttering to herself. “Would give us an excuse to brag to the Tree-Shaggers a bit.” Luna had known of the petty rivalry between the Western Rangers and the Daughters of Manehattan, so did not press the matter. As she turned back, she did notice that Commander Lulamoon and Sleight-Hoof were giving each other slightly hostile glances.
“Did I do something to offend you, Aunt Helena?” Sleight-Hoof asked, his voice much more biting and cold than Luna was used to.
“Nothing new.” and with that Commander Lulamoon left. Luna frowned; she did not like the hostility between the Daughters and her Guards. That same hostility had almost turned the Daughters and the Western Rangers against each other... and might have been what Tzeentch had played upon to cause Luna’s fall.
I shall deal with this before it becomes too divisive. One by one the commanders left the room to meet with their own officers, leaving Luna alone with Sleight-Hoof and Starlight Shimmer.
“Now, what was this personal issue you wished to discuss?” Luna asked. Starlight Shimmer shuffled her hooves a bit.
“It’s... It’s a personal matter, as I said.” Starlight Shimmer’s horn glowed, an image of two ponies appearing. The largest looked just like the mare that stood before Luna, while the smaller one bore a striking resemblance to the Great Mage, albeit with brighter colors. “I have a daughter, named Sunset Shimmer. Like many of the unicorns in my line she was very magically gifted, almost a protege. I taught her as much as I could, to get her ready so that one day she could join the Everfree Sentinels and serve by my side. Your sister even gave her some lessons and taught her even more.”
“You must be very proud.”
“... I was.” the image changed, Sunset Shimmer looking older and a bit angrier. “As she grew older, Sunset’s ego grew along with her desire for knowledge. She became arrogant, seeing herself above other magic users... above me.” Starlight Shimmer shrugged. “I suppose she might have been right in that last regard, but she never let it go. Her desire for knowledge and power began to cloud her judgement, and she accused me and your sister of holding her back.”
“My sister would never willingly hold someone back...” Luna looked down. “I would know; it was my own delusion of that which caused me to fall to Chaos.”
“I know...” Starlight looked down. “Which is what I feared has happened to my daughter.” there was a long pause before Starlight spoke again. “About ten years ago, we had another argument. I can’t even remember what it was about, but we both said things that should not have been said. Later I went to apologize to her, but... she was gone. Her weapons, armor, spellbooks, all of it gone. I had the entire Legion search for her for weeks, but I could never find her.
“Until I battled a sorcerer named Arabus in Southern Prance. I was moving in to slay the sorcerer when... I saw my daughter fighting alongside the Traitors.” Starlight blinked back tears. “My own daughter, a Traitor, stolen from me by... a monster.”
“That’s why you are committing such a powerful force, proportionately speaking.”
“Sunset Shimmer has evaded capture from one company before,” Starlight looked back up at Luna. “I figure four companies, with me leading them, will be enough to draw her out. I know you might think that is obsessive if I am hunting only one mare, but I will get my daughter back, and I will take whatever action is needed short of swearing myself to the gods that corrupted her.”
“I admire your dedication,” Luna said, stepping towards Starlight. “And I hope that you succeed in your quest to find your daughter. However, you must remember that we have a war to fight, and I need your assurance that you are focused on our ultimate goal of defeating this menace and bringing peace to the world.”
“I know.”
“If it’s any consolation,” Sleight-Hoof said from behind Luna. “We can be on the lookout for your daughter and try to capture her.”
“Your offer to help is appreciated.” Starlight said, giving Sleight-hoof a smile. “Thank you.”
...............
Anlindē sat in a meditative stance, her eyes closed as she prayed. She prayed first to Khaine, asking for the Bloody Hoofed God to guide the weapons of her kin in the battle ahead. She did feel a small prickle of rage and bloodlust flow through her, but her Training as a Seer allowed her to subdue it. She then prayed to Isha, asking the goddess to watch over the loved ones of her Host, and to guard her children from the battle ahead. She repeated the same prayers a few times, her soul reaching out into the Empyrean for some kind of answer. Of course, she would not know when she would receive an answer, but she still searched.
Her prayers said, Anlindē rose. She turned and walked back into the clearing where her fellow deer waited. They numbered less than one hundred and fifty, mostly Guardians from her own Clan but there were others as well. The next most common group would be the Banshees, lithe black-tail does from Clan Landar armed with wickedly sharp blades, and the numerous Rangers that Galas had called. There were others, Reapers and Dragons primarily, but no major weapons, as Anlindē wanted her Host to be able to move as quickly as possible.
She approached a small tent near the center of the camp. Waiting outside for her were two warlocks, chosen by Chanthal to watch over her and assist her quest, and standing beneath the shadow of the tent was Galas, the bottom half of the Ranger’s face hidden behind a mask. Galas did not let his expression fall, and Anlindē had a good guess as to why; Rangers were seen as aloof wanderers, and any break in their emotions was considered a herald to something bad. Anlindē knew better, her mother having walked the Path of the Ranger before siring her, but she also knew that some traditions and beliefs would take more than a junior Seer like herself to break.
“You were delayed in your prayers,” said Lédinor, and older red-tail buck, as Anlindē approached.
“It is nothing.” she replied, passing them and entering the tent, the warlocks and Galas following close behind. “I just wanted to make sure my prayers were heard and that I would not receive any more visions.”
“No doubt,” said the second warlock, a Mule Deer named Vólrand. “I do not want to sound impatient, but we are delaying.”
“Of course.” the deer sat down before Anlindē began speaking. “Our mission is to draw the Great Enemy away from the roe enclaves, and to ease the advance of the Equestrian Legions.”
“So we do away with one threat while welcoming another?” Vólrand spat.
“The Equestrians only have the slightest of ideas of who we are and where we are, and as such will not be hunting for the rest of our kind.” Anlindē closed her eyes. “They will most likely be looking for our group, though, which is why speed is of the essence.”
“And is it any wonder as to why they’re looking for us?” Vólrand said. “Your little stunt within the Equestrian capital has broken the secrecy of our kind. Who know what else might befal us-”
“Vólrand, that’s enough.” Lédinor snapped, causing the mule deer to go silent. “Young Anlindē knows her sins and is trying to correct them; browbeating her will only make the problem worse.” the red-tail turned back to Anlindē. “Now, you were saying?”
“While the Equestrians will be looking for us, we are not their main enemy; the forces of Chaos are.” Now,” Anlindē conjured a map and lay it before her. “According to our Rangers and my divination, the main forces of the enemy are near the capital but should be advancing west in a few days. Now, if you will notice there are dozens of supply depots and sentries between the griffon forces and the Equestrians. My plan is to destroy as many of those as possible, as quickly as possible, so the Equestrians will be able to advance without the griffons and the Great Enemy knowing of their position.”
“Risky plan.” Galas said from the back.
“I know.” Anlindē replied. “I would have sent you and your Rangers out alone to complete these raids, but we’ll need my magic if we are to cover this much ground so quickly.”
“Once you have destroyed these emplacements,” Vólrand said. “What is your plan then?”
“Admittedly, it involves leading the enemy closer to the holdings of Clan Ethiliel.” as Vólrand began to object, Anlindē cut him off. “Your clan is more than capable of handling such a force, and if my plan works we may not even have to fight them.”
“And if it fails?” Anlindē’s jaw twitched slightly.
“My visions have foreseen success of our mission. Even if something goes wrong, we shall not be defeated.” Vólrand looked doubtful, but said nothing. Anlindē knew it would take some time to win him over, mule deer being well known for their stubbornness. Lédinor will be helpful; after all, he did serve my father. “Now, our first strike will be at this fort here,” he pointed to a point on the map with her hoof. “I need you to assist me in opening a Webway gate to a field just to the north, so that we may strike and escape without much difficulty.”
“For a group of this size, a Webway portal should not be too difficult.” Lédinor mused, stroking his chin. “When do we depart?”
“News from the capital will most likely reach the base by tomorrow. We’ll strike at dawn the next day to catch our targets by surprise.”
“I can run a scouting mission to make sure that there have not been any alerts.” Galas offered.
“Do so.” the Ranger nodded before ducking out of the tent.
“It would make more sense to get a red deer to lead this kind of operation,” Vólrand said. “After all, Clan Illyias is better known for their hit and run attacks than Elinya, are they not?”
“I was born to Elinya’s line, and I will not depart from that path,” Anlindē replied, her anger becoming more pronounced. “I am trying to help our kind as best I can, and I need support more than I need petty criticisms. I do not seek to lord over you, Vólrand, but I am in command of this Host, not you, and I will not tolerate underhoofed comments about my plans or leadership skills.” Anlindē’s horns flared briefly for emphasis. “Now, I must rest to conserve my energy. you two are dismissed.” Vólrand turned and left, but Lédinor remained behind.
“You shouldn’t let an ass like that get to you.” the old warlock said.
“I am aware of that.” Anlindē replied. “It’s just... I am under a lot of pressure right now, Lédinor; my success or failure will define the fate of our race for many years after. I just... I just don’t want to fail.”
“And you won’t, as long as Khaine guides your blade and you are there to guide us.” Anlindē did not feel convinced, but had no time to voice her opinion before Lédinor spoke. “Your father had similar feelings when he led the warriors of Elinya and Landar against the Griffon Kingdoms.”
“My father was a great warrior and leader; I have none of those qualities.”
“Do not give in to your doubts, Anlindē.” Lédinor gave Anlindē a stern look. “You are much stronger and more capable than you think. When you were born, your father spoke to me through the Empyrean and said that you were the most powerful and beautiful fawn he had ever seen, and he was proud to call you his daughter.”
“I know... He always reminded me of that.”
“And yet you seem to be forgetting that. The blood of Elinya runs through your veins, and that marks you as a leader and guide of our kind, just as your father was. You have the capacity to be the greatest Farseer to have graced this realm, but you must take control of your fate and step forward before that can happen.” there was a long pause before Anlindē looked up at the aged warlock, a hint of a smile gracing her lips.
“I thank you for your counsel, Lédinor. I shall keep your words and the words of my father close to my heart.”
“You are welcome, Anlindē. Before I leave, there is something I want to give you.” Anlindē raised an eyebrow as Lédinor’s horns shimmered. There was a pause before a spear appeared before him. It was a beautiful weapon, gilded with silver and other precious materials, and the blade glowed blue with psychic energy. A line of runes ran down the shaft, each one flickering for the briefest of instances as Anlindē looked at it.
“My father’s spear.” she whispered, taking the weapon from Lédinor. As she took the weapon, she heard a faint humming in her ears, as if hundreds of souls were singing to her through the Empyrean. “I thought it lost when he died.”
“He gave it to me shortly before he died, and he instructed me to keep it safe until you had become a full Seer. I give it to you now, in the hope that his soul may guide you in your quest.” Deep down, Anlindē wanted to reach over and hug Lédinor, but her regimen as a Seer forbade her from expressing such emotions too often. She was certain he understood what was going through her mind, but he made no sign that such a fact was true. Anlindē held the spear close to her before speaking again.
“I thank you, Lédinor, for gifting me with this weapon.”
“The pleasure is all mine, young one.” Lédinor rose. “By your leave, I must retire as well.” Anlindē nodded, and with that the warlock departed. She sat alone, turning the spear over in her magic. She felt like a fawn again, playing around in her mother’s old armor when Anlindē was certain her mother was not home. Then, she was a gallant warrior battling against Diamond Dogs and griffons and minotaurs, one whom Khaine himself favored above all others.
Khaine may not show his favor on me as I believed he did then, she thought, raising the spear up. But perhaps, some of his power does.
...............
Sleight-Hoof stood outside the barrack the Night Guard had been given. It was rather run down, but it was still stable enough for them to sleep in. But sleep had eluded the Force-Commander, as numerous memories had come to mind. That was why he hated coming to Manehattan; too many bad memories.
“At least you’re doing something with your life.” he heard Aunt Helena say, all those years ago. “Same about the choice of Legion, though.” Sleight-Hoof shook his head, but more memories came back.
“You just didn’t want to try harder, didn’t you?” his mother. “No wonder your magic is so weak.”
“Hey,” he was startled from his memories by Echo, the Justicar gliding down from her position on the roof. “What are you doing out here?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” he said. No use lying to the mare who could hear him as he lied. “Bad memories.”
“Ah, say no more.” Echo fluttered her wings a little. “It’s about your aunt, isn’t it?”
“You know I don’t have to tell you about this, right?” he said, trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
“You’re still going to, since I’ve served under you the longest and will give you honest answers.” there was a pause before Sleight-Hoof sighed. She’s right... again.
“I never really told you about my family, did I?”
“Not even when I got you drunk on my birthday.” Echo stated. Sleight-Hoof gave her a blank stare before she continued on. “Anyway, what about them? I can see why your aunt might be a little hard on you, but what about the others?”
“My aunt looks civil compared to them.” Sleight-Hoof noted a nearby bench and sat down, Echo following soon after. “My father was a magician, and a pretty famous one at that. ‘The Great Presto Lulamoon, doer of magnificent things!’ they called him, and ponies from all over the world would come to see his act. Even Princess Celestia praised his abilities.”
“Wow, sounds like a cool guy.” Echo said. Sleight-Hoof continued on regardless.
“When I was born, my parents expected me to be a gifted magical user like him, so I could continue on the family name. But... I was really weak, magically speaking.” he sighed. “I couldn’t even lift a spoon until I was eight. And since my magic was lousy, so were my skills as a magician. Oh, I could do a few card tricks and make objects disappear, but anything bigger and more impressive than that?” he shook his head.
“So you’re not good with magic,” Echo said. “Most unicorns aren’t.”
“Most unicorns aren’t children of renown magic users. Everyone saw my lack of talent and thought that I was either lazy or just a failure. My own family thought I was lazy or a failure.” he sighed again. “My mother was at least blunt enough to say it to my face. My father never said anything about it. When my sister was born and she showed more than enough skill with tricks, it was like I didn’t even exist.” Echo was silent, staring off as if she were trying to focus on something in the darkness.
“I can’t say I know what that’s like,” she said finally. “My sister and I got along great, and my mom and dad never stopped telling us how much they loved us.”
“Lucky for you. I was lucky if my father ever spoke to me for more than two minutes. When the Night Guard came to recruit me, my family pretty much threw me to them. My aunt was only hostile to me because I was in the Night Guard and didn’t try to join a different Legion, so I guess I have some good fortune.” Sleight-Hoof looked up. “I haven’t spoken to my family since I made Justicar.” there was a long pause before Echo spoke again.
“Maybe you should talk to Princess Luna about this.” she said. Sleight-Hoof opened his mouth to object, but Echo elbowed him to shut him up. “I’m not done yet. I... there are some ponies in my life that I haven’t been able to forgive yet, but that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Luna’s had it a lot worse than any of us, and she’s had to deal with it for almost a millenium. If there’s anyone who’ll know about how to deal with this sort of thing, it would be her.” Sleight-Hoof’s spirits rose slightly. Luna did seem invested in her guards, and maybe this was something that both of them could benefit from.
“Okay, I’ll try that. Where is she?” Echo’s ears twitched for a moment.
“Meditating. You might want to talk to her tomorrow when you’ve both had some time to rest.”
“Right.” Sleight-Hoof stood up and turned back towards the barracks. “Thanks for letting me vent, Echo.”
“No problem. After all, what are Justicars for?”
.............
A crude stage had been erected from which Scorpan would preach his message. It was a small improvement over his usual pulpit, and for that he was thankful. Already a growing crowd of cultists, Traitor Legionnaires, and even a few griffons had formed in front of the stage, and he waited a bit longer for the last few to trickle in before he began to speak.
“My brethren,” he said, gesturing to the crowd with an armored hoof. “I come before you today to dispense terrible news: you all have been lied to.” there was a murmur of confusion from the crowd as Scorpan continued. “It is a sad fact, but it is true. For the past thousand years you have been deceived by a cunning foe. She has beguiled you with delusions of peace and harmony, lured you in with promises that she has been unable to keep.” he paused for a moment, just long enough to create some tension in the crowd.
“I was once a victim of her lies. Before I was enlightened, I was but a lowly captain of her Legions, swept up in ‘patriotic’ fever and unaware of my place in the world.
“But then, as time went on, I began to see through the lies. I saw the fragmented frame with which she had tried to hide her real self with. But I could not fully act on what I saw, until my eyes were fully opened by our Beloved Prophet, Nightmare Moon. It was by her power that the weight of the False Empress’ lies were broken, and I realized what had to be done.
“The ways of order are naught but deceit and restraint. Only through Chaos can we achieve our true destinies.”
“Only through Chaos.” the cultists and Legionnaires in the crowd chanted.
“Chaos is our strength.” Scorpan said, raising a hoof into the air for emphasis. “It is by Chaos that we can break through the lies of the world, and by Chaos we claim what is rightfully ours. Before I was enlightened, I was no one, an errand boy forced to kowtow before those I knew were my lesser, but now even the mightiest of the Loyalist lapdogs bow before my might!
“My brethren, our time is upon us. Already our numbers grow, and the might of the Dark Gods bears down upon the False Empress. They empower us to fight, and it is with the spear and the axe and the sword that we shall reap a bloody harvest upon those that have not yet received or have rejected their blessings. I call upon you, brothers and sisters of Chaos: Throw down the illusions of the False Empress! Take up arms and show the world that only through Chaos can true peace be achieved. By our hooves, the old world will burn in in the fires of the Warp, and the False Empress will die upon a pyre built from her lies and deceit!” The crowd responded with a roar of approval, stamping their hooves and crying out praises to the Dark Gods. Scorpan would have lingered, in order to bask in the glory of such a multitude, but there were other matters he had to attend to.
Most important of them was that Grogar the Necromancer was arriving soon, and Talon Hoof had called Scorpan to discuss strategies with the Lord of Nurgle.
“That was... an interesting speech,” Scorpan turned slightly and saw the griffon general Blackwing, followed by a small group of guards. Well, it’s a start.
“I am surprised that you would be here, General,” The Shadowbolt said as he started walking back into the camp, the griffons following behind. “I had thought that griffons were more skeptical on matters of spirituality.”
“I just wanted to figure out what motivates you and your...” the griffon skirted the mangled remains of a cultist that had slid off a nearby altar. “...Compatriots”
“Well now you know, general; the power of Chaos has given us the strength and the chance to challenge Equestria, something that I believe your kind has wanted to do for some time.” this did seem to anger the general, but there would be little he could do against the Shadowbolt. “Perhaps, one of these day, I can show you this power so that you too may be enlightened.”
“I... I think I’ll stick with my own judgments for now.”
“Hmm... I suppose I can grant you that.” Scorpan grumbled, disappointed that he had lost the chance to enlighten another being. Just like that runt of an Arctic Wolf, he thought before moving back to the problem at hoof. One possible method of leverage was gone, so now he would have to find another way to make sure that the griffons stayed under his watch. “Now, if you will excuse me, Talon Hoof has requested my presence as we bring new allies in, and I must not keep him waiting.”
“Hold on a moment!” Blackwing sprinted to keep up with Scorpan. “As commander of the Griffon Military, I should have a right to know who you’re bringing in.”
“Assuming you had any rights to begin with,” Scorpan muttered, keeping his voice low enough that the griffon did not hear him. “Lord Talon Hoof is a very temperamental pony, and he does not respect you like I do.” a lie; Scorpan felt embarrassed that the griffon was on his side, but if it meant advancing the plan of Chaos, he could deal with it on his own. “If you wish to draw his ire, you may come with me, but I would strongly advise that you return to your divisions and await my orders.” Blackwing swallowed nervously, slowly backing away from the Shadowbolt. Good little coward; run on home while the real lords of war discuss our coming victory. As he predicted, Scorpan watched as the griffon nodded to his guards and departed, hurrying as fast as he could towards the griffon camp. Scorpan gave a soft chuckle and continued walking, passing through the camp and coming to to rendezvous point.
“Scorpan,” Talon Hoof growled as the Shadowbolt approached. “You arrived later than I expected.”
“Apologies, Lord Talon Hoof,” Scorpan replied. “I had to deal with an unwanted parasite on my way here.” Talon Hoof muttered something that Scorpan was not interested in. As they waited, Scorpan took a moment to look around the area; Talon Hoof was once again in full armor, and this time he had brought a small collection of slaves carrying maps and scrolls. My my, the oaf can read? Truly this is the end times. He set that through aside as a familiar scent assaulted his nose, a scent of rotting flesh.
Coming towards the camp was a Stalliongrad Guard. A thousand years serving the Lord of Decay had made the pony a giant by anypony’s standards, and had they met he could have looked Nightmare Moon or even the False Empress in the eye. His body was encased in rusty, mold covered armor, pus and other liquids having dried over it while some still leaked through the cracks and seams. Most of his head was concealed in a bluish-black helmet, which was adorned with two ram’s horns, and all Scorpan could see of his face were two glowing eyes.
The slaves quivered under the gaze of Grogar the Necromancer. Scorpan and Talon Hoof were made of stronger stuff.
“Grogar.” Talon Hoof said, his voice even and controlled for once.
“Talon Hoof!” Grogar cried, as if he were greeting an old friend. “It has been far too long since we last met, has it not?”
“Last time we ‘met’ you tried to kill me and convert me into one of your mindless thralls, Necromancer.” Talon Hoof spat, to which the Lord of Nurgle merely chuckled.
“Oh Talon Hoof, my creations are hardly mindless. What good are the blessings of Grandfather Nurgle if there is no despair to be rescued from?” Grogar chuckled again, his jovial attitude never breaking for an instant. “But that is in the past, is it not? Here we are, ready to strike down the pets of Equestria and spread death and decay to the world.”
“Of course.” Talon Hoof said, once again in control of his anger. Scorpan saw that this was his opportunity to speak.
“Perhaps we should discuss our strategy for the coming battle, my lords?” he offered, something that did seem to raise Talon Hoof’s spirits.
“Of course. Slaves!” he barked. “Bring me my battle plans.” My battle plans, Scorpan thought, but he was smart enough not to voice that thought. The slaves quickly brought a map over, laying it out for the Lords to see.
“The heaviest fortifications of the enemy are in the north, close to the Germane Border,” Talon Hoof said. “The Shadowbolts under my command have scouted out the region, and the Loyalists mount a defense of less than one hundred Iron Hoof Legionnaires and many more underlings.”
“Ah, I have longed to engage the Iron Hooves again.” Grogar smiled. “While not as satisfying as spreading Nurgle’s blessings to the living, rust and corrosion are his as well.”
“If at all possible, could you leave some of the equipment uncorrupted for us?” Scorpan asked. “We may be able to turn Equestria’s weapons against them.”
“Of course, young Scorpan.” Scorpan gave a curt nod before turning back to the map.
“The primary focus of this operation relies on a bit of deception.” he said. “While Lord Talon Hoof does command our forces, we must give the illusion that the griffon general Blackwing is in complete control. This will be a bit more difficult, as the general is a bit more dense than the late king ever was.” Grogar laughed at this.
“‘Late’? Oh my dear young Scorpan, the king is not dead.” Grogar’s horn shimmered before a cloud of Warp energies deposited a griffon next to him. It appeared as a corpse in advanced stages of decomposition, with rotting flesh and diseased bone being all that remained while it muttered about “rot and decay”. “One of my followers acquired this poor soul and brought him to me. He is now learning to enjoy the blessings of Grandfather Nurgle.”
“How fitting.” Scorpan deadpanned. “I do not wish to sound rude, but if you wouldn’t mind dismissing your little collector’s item before it rots our map?” Grogar did so, the corpse of the late Griffon King disappearing in another cloud of Warp energy. “Now, Talon Hoof and myself will lead the initial assault, while you and our griffon allies follow from behind.”
“Interesting tactic.” Grogar mused. “Although I can see the logic behind it. Once your forces break through, not only will there be fresh bodies to strengthen our ranks, but we can fortify and prepare for the Equestrian counterattack.”
“Exactly.” there was a pause before Grogar spoke again.
“Very well. This plan seems sound, for now, and I will assist in any way I can.”
“Excellent.” Talon Hoof said, sounding genuinely happy for once. “With our combined strength, we shall bring forth such a slaughter that the heavens will drip in the blood of the slain!”
“No doubt.” Scorpan said. “Now, there are a few matter I must attend to concerning our ‘allies’. If I may take my leave, my lords?”
“One moment, Scorpan,” Grogar said, stepping forward. “There are a few things I would like to ask you, if I may.”
“Of course, Lord Grogar. I am ever at your service.” Talon Hoof did not seem to enjoy Scorpan’s declaration, but he made no objection. The Lord of Nurgle and the Shadowbolt walked away, heading around the edges of the camp before Grogar spoke.
“Now tell me, Scorpan,” he said finally. “What is your true plan?”
“‘True’ plan?” Scopran asked, trying to play dumb in case anypony still loyal to Talon Hoof was within earshot. “Why would you think I have such a plan?”
“I know you, Scorpan; you are a servant of Chaos, one who has not yet pledged himself to any of the Dark Gods. You would not stoop so low as to serve a brute like Talon Hoof without some reason behind it.” Scorpan looked around, just to confirm that he and Grogar were alone.
“Talon Hoof is an idiot who couldn’t put on his own armor even if you gave him a demonstration.” Scorpan spat. “However, he is useful to me, especially his desire for slaughter.”
“How so?”
“Years ago, after the sack of Neighples, I was approached by a daemon of great power. He admired my devotion to the cause of Chaos, and made a request of me: he asked me to help return him to the material realm, so that he may slaughter mortals once again.”
“A Daemon of Khorne, I see.” Grogar shrugged. “My devotion is to Grandfather Nurgle, but I do not see why the two cannot work together. After all, what follows slaughter if not rot and ruin?”
“Exactly. This is an arrangement that helps both of us greatly; we allow Talon Hoof to go on his little rampage, my lord gains strength to break free of the Immaterium, and you can corrupt thousands to serve Nurgle.”
“And what do you gain?” Grogar asked.
“Only the satisfaction that my lord’s arrival will help usher in the victory of Chaos.” Grogar chuckled once again.
“You are a bold pony, Scorpan. Very well, I shall help you once the time comes.” Scorpan smiled at this.
“Thank you, Lord Grogar. While this unfortunately means that we will have to play nice with Talon Hoof and his ilk, when the time comes we will do away with them and allow my lord to take what he deserves.”
“Indeed. Now, I believe you said you had a few preparations to take care of?”
“Yes. By your leave.” Scorpan gave a small bow and wandered back into the camp. The next step in our plan has been accomplished, my lord.
Although I still doubt your pan to consort with sorcerers, the servant of Nurgle does seem to be rather cooperative.
It is the simple thing that ponies are drawn to. I offer him something he wants, and he will help us.
I am no idiot, Scorpan.
I never said you were, my lord. there was a pause before the daemon spoke again.
I must depart now. Remain focused on the mission ahead, and do not allow the simple deceptions of sorcerers beguile you.
Of course, Lord Tirac.
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So is that the new fim Tirac or classic Tirac?
With eldar and chaos coming through, I can't help but feel excited for the prospect of the Imperium of Man finding their emperor.
4358236 Yeah... sure
4358230 As we don't know much about new Tirac, this is old school Tirac with a 40K spin on things
Anyway, I like this Scorpan guy. I wonder what he was like Pre-Heresy.
4358320 He was probably a pretty nice guy until he turned evil
4358348
Fair enough. I'm running through some ideas at the moment for him.
How many times do bad guys have to learn that deals with deamons are never good things, especially when they say things like this:
4358646 It might take a few times.
Good thing it's not a daemon of Tzeentch, otherwise massive screwing over would occur. At least with Khorne or Nurgle they're not going to be total dicks... most of the time
Actually, it doesn't matter anymore because I didn't like that ending, so I changed it
Where are my Angry Marines?! I desire Fuklaw Pony! Even if it's a gathering of Marines, there must always be a Commissar!
Sunset Shimmer?!
Awesome. Also, that Trixie reference. We gonna meet her next?
Not to mention...
Arabus?
Grogar?!
TIRAC?!
Aww yeah, we gettin' all G1 up in here.
4358966 Currently, Trixie is heading to Ponyville for her face off with Twilight in Boast Busters, so we most likely won't see her around. We will see Sunset Shimmer, though.
You also saw Hydia in the last chapter, right?
Grogar: "rust and corrosion are his as well"
Me: rust and corrosion affect metal (duh)... *thinking about what metals are less affected by rust/corrosion* but stainless steel which is called stainless for a reason (galvanized, and zinc plated are types I've heard of), zinc doesn't rust or corrode, and gold don't rust, corrode, or tarnish. And aluminum forms a protective oxide coating.
They should use those metals in their equipment. Or maybe put a layer of said metals over their equipment, which would probably be more practical.
CHEMISTRY KNOWLEDGE
4358667
Proba-OH WAIT HE'S DEAD. No lesson there.
4359177 Nurgle laughs at chemistry
This world continues to fascinate. Though I have a nasty feeling that Sunset is already a daemonhost.
I can't help but wonder how the war will affect the Equestrian homefront, especially a certain griffon visiting her old flight school buddy...
Also, I really want to see Discord appear in the middle of a Chaos sermon and start critiquing technique and philosophy.
In any case, looking forward to more.
I really want to see a pony version of the Kinghts Inductor, they'd actually go really well in Equestria.
Also, when they started talking about Nurgle, I immediately thought of this.
For the specific moment, hit Ctrl+F, type nurgle, go to the second incidence of "nurgle", and laugh.
very nice to see an update for this... actually its just nice to see an update for anything. Wells been running a bit dry lately.
4358992
Yeep.
Huh. It's kind of strange to think that the events of the show are proceeding perfectly normally despite all the 40K stuff.
Oh, bloody hell! They're hip deep in all the old monsters, it seems!
I probably noted Scorpan's name when you first introduced him, so if I had remembered he existed I would have been expecting his boss to be Tirac. That might be more a commentary on my memory and how much reading I do than update times (not that I'm one to talk about long update times).
By the way, since I want to really get this idea out there, what do you think of spelling G1's version as "Tirac" and FiM's version as "Tirek?" To differentiate them as such.
4380682 Concerning Tirek/Tirac, it might be confusing, but if it's done I probably wouldn't object.
Awesome storie thanks for sharing
5096215 That's an idea I'd like to see, a few thousand years in the future with Celeatia (cautiously this time) guiding the race into a peaceful but powerful empire, and eventually encountering the now healed Imperium of Mankind. Emprah proceeds to kill the daemons that were at the head of the government.
Hi,
just wanted to know if you are willing to continue this story or not.
P.S.: i could help with proofreading, if you wish to.
Why is this on hiatus, and when will the hiatus end?
5922152 I wasn't really satisfied where the story was going, so I've put it on hiatus so I can sort things out. When that hiatus will end? I don't have a good answer
You know, you could make this be why we don't see her again until Luna eclipsed, she was busy fighting the griffons and traitor legions. I would also like to see some charaters from Warhammer 40k other than Horus make cameos or have minor roles in the story. I would love to see Cypher make an appearance(I'm one of those fans that believes he's Lion El'Jonson). By the way, which legion is the analog for the Ultramarines? Also for clarity sake, tell me if I got this right.
Diamond dogs=Orks
Deer=Eldar
Ponies=Mankind
Changelings=?
Griffons=?
Zebra=?(though you could have them be analog for the dark Eldar or Tau)
6813246 I could try something like that, but I wanted to give the pony characters a little bit to shine (also when I wrote this I was just getting in to 40K lore, so I didn't know a whole lot about some of the major players)
As for race analogues, the Changelings are kind of a hybrid between Tyranids (bug-like monsters that come in swarm) and Necrons (created by otherworldly beings that are not tied to Chaos). Zebras I imagine are kind of like the Interex from Horus Heresy.
Man, you really did your research on this, didn't you?
I'm assuming it's one of those quirky teleport spells he was working on, but he seems to have taken the back half of this sentance with him when he departed.
I like it sooo much... you have any plans to resume it? *wink wink* please? :P
Exceptional quality. Sad to see it on hiatus, especially at such a juncture.
Well isn't this just a lovely Chaos fest. Uncle Nurgle, Khorne-dog, and I wouldn't be surprised if Scorpan was actually in Tzneech's metaphysical pocket.
I hope you continue this story at some point, because I can't wait to see Best Princess back in action.
"Hey, you know that life goddess you pray to, Isha? I'm totally the one who freed her from Nurgle's toilet-realm."
And maybe the
elvesEldeer taken down a peg or two.it would be cool if you could add the reformed changelings as the eldar
6813702 more please
Before I read this, what is the Dark tag for ?
And how bad does it get ?
8086133
Warhammer 40k bad
8285343
what ?
8285367
.......have you read any 40k lore
8285378
sorry I don't know what that is
8285393
Warhammer 40k is the world it's based on
Here's the full lore
http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Warhammer_40,000_Universe
I just had a thought. Does this mean the Caribou are the Dark Eldar?
8286966 No, they are Canadians
8287017
I resent that...
Will this story ever be finished????
Tune in in 4 years to find out...
Why'd you stop writing this story?
8728653 It was a combination of factors, primarily that it felt like I was undoing a bit too much of the resolution of God Empress and the story wasn't quite going in the direction I'd hoped it would.
Typo:
the massive unicron keeping Sleight-Hoof pinned
8729146
I guess that's fair, I don't really see how it's undoing anything from the end of God Empress of Ponykind, since like they said, for as much as the Anathema beat them back, Chaos was introduced into Equestria and it wouldn't have been something that they just ignored. But I can respect that you weren't really comfortable with how the story was going.