Under the guiding hoof of their newly-crowned monarch, King Sombra, prosperity and love flourish in the lands of the Crystal Empire. With peace spanning half a century, most ponies have forgotten the true terror sleeping behind the forbidden boundaries of the northern wastelands.
However, rumblings of a powerful threat from the borderlands have alerted key ponies in the Empire. The tepid peace between the two nations begins to waver as the embittered changelings prepare for war.
With the kindling in place and the flint struck, the mettle of kings and countryponies are taken to their limits, testing just how far each one is willing to go for their homeland.
Foreword: Due to some confusion noted by several people, I will clarify here that this story takes place in the original time of the Crystal Empire (after Discord's original reign but before Nightmare Moon's first iteration.)
Thanks go out to my wonderful editor, nucnik
Preread by Brony Hectic
Additional help from Regocomics
Cover art commission done by the amazing Ryuku the Creative (aka Mytatsur). Be sure to check out his works!
Please leave a rating and a comment! I love to hear from all of you readers out there! If you do dislike it, please give me a reason why. I can use your feedback to improve myself!
You'd better make Jackshot a baddass.
4013887 I'll do my best to make him good, but badass might be a bit of a stretch. Either way, I don't think you will be too disappointed!
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Lol OK. It doesn't actually matter to me, it's just a name.
Jackshot was actually the fifth in a line of seven ancestors for a character in one of my stories. He was only ever mentioned once, so K stuck tbe name in the library.
I like where this is going.
You know I'm not one for chapter stories at the moment, but I'll try to keep up with this one (if only because you and me regularly talk on Skype). Good job on the chapter!
Yey
I came here because the ad was just too awesome to ignore.
5694615 Hooooo boy, if you thought that ad was something, wait until you read it!
Jackshot is best pony!
Great chapter! It was a really intense! Good work.
Love the story so far. Still wondering what happened to Jackshot though.
Even the most obsessively action-oriented story contains moments when nothing is being splattered. No need to apologize.
Interesting start so far. I like how you were able to introduce the characters and the setting while at the same time establishing the action oriented tone of the fic. The writing style is much better than I could ever hope to achieve, but I'd try to do a little more show than tell in some places. Just something that I'd recommend keeping an eye out for. Also, I noticed a few hiccups.
I'd add "to" right after "need" in this instance. Also, I'd look it over once or twice for grammar and things like that. I think I noticed one or two hiccups there, but nothing major. Anyway, I like where this story is going so far. Nicely done.
Holy crap! My feels!
"Wow! Vector and Coal are gonna make up and go on amazing adventures!" *reads rest of chapter*
So much intensity in this chapter, I love it!
Looks like an interesting story. Can I ask what time period this takes place in? How far in the past is this? Cause they still apparently have the same level of technology as they do in the show. But really good so far.
6237290 It takes place in the 1000 or so years ago time frame. In regards to the technology question, there has never been a real timeline of when things came about in MLP. I just went with the same timeless feel of the show and didn't modify those aspects.
(Really, I was lazy when I started the story and didn't put a lot of thought into the world before diving right in. I blame novice writer skill, but hey. It's my first story, and it is far from perfection).
6237367
An eminently sensible approach. (My own screwing around with, or simply screwing up, the calendar is the stuff of legend, and not good legend either.)
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I don't blame you. As far as tech in Equestria goes, I imagine that they're in the modern age in places with more ponies, and Appleoosa is something similar to an Amish community or something like that. I believe they have modern tech, but their military development hasn't progressed past the middle ages/renaissance period, imagining that the cannon is the extent of their weaponry, if that.
Sorry for not replying sooner, notification didn't show up in my feed for some reason
Poor Coal Dust, that must be tough. And there goes Jackshot most likely. I'll miss him already. What a swell guy.
Hmm... This Commander Nest guy. I have to wonder what his deal is.
Well done, well done. An excellent war type scene and believable descent into hysteria for the public. Let's see how reclamation or retreat or whatever goes.
Whaaaaat? That's my OC's name!
Brah, check this shit.
Damn son
Why was this cancelled?
I did not find a satisfactory amount of semi-colons in this chapter, Jack. Don't make me get the belt.
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Don't make me unpublish this pile of garbage
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Jack, I just wanna read something with Sombra. You know that unlike some people, I'll read all your fics eventually.
Oh, plus FImFetch is a thing.
Yes, finally the best boy shows up! And he’s a big grouch! 🖤
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Does blocking people remove their ability to read my stories? Asking for a friend
There’s no need to block me, Jack.
I’ve already finished reading this. Upvoted it and shelved.