Episode 14: The Battle of the Crystal Empire Part 1
Episode 14: The Battle of the Crystal Empire Part 1 – The Siege of Equestria
The Crystal Empire, two days later…
Celestia was starting to grow concerned for Luna. Ever since the incident with the demonic entity that had left a number of innocent Equestrian civilians, including Pipsqueak, dead, Luna had been secluding herself in her bedroom, often skipping meals in favor of crying alone and beating herself up over her failure to protect those she cared about. And at night, Celestia would hear Luna sighing heavily with anger, frustration, and melancholy as she returned from the dream world after yet another unsuccessful search for the demon. It was clear Luna desperately wanted to exact vengeance upon this fiend for the unspeakable murders it had committed solely out of spite, but since it had elected to remain hidden, likely lying in wait for another Element to be recovered before showing itself once more, Luna's hunger for vengeance was left unfulfilled, and it was definitely affecting her.
Though there was a bit of good news to be had; Spitfire and the Wonderbolts had arrived at last and begun training the pegasi recruits. With the help of the monsters, their training was proceeding smoothly. Though peaceful by nature, the ponies were proving to be quick learners in the art of war.
That morning, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor sat in the banquet hall, dining on a breakfast of fruits and various pastries. Luna, however, was absent-mindedly picking at her food with her fork, a look of weariness and sadness etched on her tired face.
Seeing this, Celestia sighed. "Luna, please eat. You're letting yourself waste away."
"I'm not hungry," Luna mumbled half-heartedly.
"Be that as it may, you've hardly eaten since the…incident," Celestia reprimanded. "I know you're hurting, but you cannot hurt yourself in turn."
Cadance observed this with concern. "Aunt Celie, what's wrong with Aunt Lulu? Did something happen?"
"I failed to protect my subjects from a monster that lurks within dreams! That's what happened!" Luna abruptly snapped. "And ponies died as a result…"
Cadance and Shining were taken aback by this. "But…you're the guardian of dreams! I thought…" Shining began.
"You thought wrong," Luna interrupted harshly. "I was not prepared for the power my foe displayed, and my subjects paid for it. Some of them…some of them were just children."
Cadance's mouth fell open in shock. No wonder this had hit Luna so hard. "…it killed foals?" she breathed.
"I have failed as the guardian of dreams," Luna bemoaned, starting to cry yet again. "I'm not worthy of that title any longer."
Celestia quickly pulled her sister into a hug. "You did what you could, my dear sister. You cannot blame yourself for what happened; never has Equestria borne witness to such power. You couldn't have expected this."
"That doesn't change the fact that I still failed!" Luna sobbed into her sister's chest. "Our ponies count on me to protect them at night, and I couldn't! And since the coward is hiding itself from me, I can't even be granted the release of vengeance!"
Celestia said nothing, merely rubbing her grieving sister's back. Cadance felt a tear trail down her own eye at the scene, while Shining grimly regarded his unfinished plate of food. The enemies of Equestria are getting bolder with each passing day, he thought bitterly to himself. But they've awakened a sleeping giant. We won't take this lying down. I swear by all that's holy that Equestria will rise beyond these challenges and strike like a dagger at the hearts of those who would threaten our homes and families!
He was interrupted from his thoughts by the sound of the door slamming open, revealing a Crystal Pony guard who quickly ran inside. "Your Highnesses!" he declared urgently, bowing hurriedly.
"Yes, what is it?" Cadance asked worriedly, throwing one more glance at her aunts.
"They're here, Your Majesties," the guard grimly reported.
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Celestia, Cadance, Luna, and Shining all stood on the Crystal Palace balcony overlooking the city, and from this vantage point, they could clearly see legions of monsters marching from the south through the snow-covered wastelands, heading straight for the green fields of the Empire. Scattered amongst the monstrous hordes were various siege engines, such as catapults, ballistae, and siege towers, likely built during their march. A pair of dragons marched alongside them, one clad in black armor flying overhead, and a large green one with a single white horn growing out of its forehead lumbering on the ground.
"Order all the civilians inside the walls," Celestia ordered. "Seal the gates, call our warriors to arms, and prepare to activate the Crystal Heart."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the Crystal Guard saluted, disappearing inside the palace to begin relaying the news.
"Will the Crystal Heart hold him back?" Cadance worriedly asked.
"I cannot say," Celestia replied with a solemn shake of her head. "The Triforce of Power is a mighty relic indeed. It already proved itself to be a match for the Elements of Harmony; I fear the Crystal Heart will only delay the inevitable. We'll use what time it gives us to continue training our soldiers and beef up our defenses, for when that shield falls, all Tartarus is going to break loose."
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Astride his great black war horse, Ganondorf led his vast host as they converged on the Crystal Empire. "Spread out," he commanded. "Surround the entire city! Leave them no way to escape!"
The monsters obliged, dividing into two columns that slowly began encircling the boundaries of the Crystal Empire. Ganondorf could see ponies and the traitorous monsters of Vaati manning the walls, while several towers boasted strange ballista-like devices. Ganondorf sneered at this; all the preparation in the world would not stop him from reaching their precious Princesses. The Dark Lord watched as his vast army soon surrounded the entire city, leaving the cold northern climate for the enchanted warmth the Empire provided.
"On my signal," Ganondorf declared, "unleash hell upon them."
"Catapults at the ready!" a Moblin captain boomed, other monster captains joining in with their respective divisions.
However, something unexpectedly happened. Without warning, a wave of light exploded outwards from the Crystal Palace that dominated the city, washing over the Empire until it reached the walls, where it condensed into a bright blue energy shield. Many of the monsters regarded this with shock.
"What is this?" Ganondorf snarled. He looked all around him at his assembled monsters. "Bring down that shield! NOW!"
"Catapults!" the captains commanded.
Immediately the catapults began launching large stones at the Crystal Heart's shield, but they harmlessly shattered on impact with the shield's surface, which rippled slightly at each point of impact. Ganondorf silently watched as the catapults' projectiles proved fruitless in their attempts to breach the shield for a few minutes before he raised his hand. "Cease fire!"
The catapults did as instructed, awaiting Ganondorf's next order.
"Wizzrobes to the front!" Ganondorf barked. "Bring that shield down! I don't care if you run yourselves ragged in the process, but you will destroy it!"
All the Wizzrobes in Ganondorf's army stepped to the front of the monster hordes and raised their black hands, unleashing hundreds of attack spells of various elements at the shield, each of them exploding against its surface like sticks of dynamite.
But the shield held still.
No matter, Ganondorf thought. No matter how strong it is, no shield can hold off enemy bombardment indefinitely. Not unless it self-regenerates.
He would exercise patience. Perhaps in the meantime, the defenders within the city would begin to run low on food and supplies, and when the shield inevitably fell, they would be too weak and starved to put up a fight.
"Argorok, Aquamentus, do your part!" Ganondorf snapped.
The two dragons snarled as they complied. While Aquamentus unleashed fireball after fireball at the shield, Argorok strafed over it, breathing streams of white-hot flames on its surface. But nothing seemed to put a dent in the shield.
But Ganondorf was willing to wait. He could be patient when he wanted to be.
XXXXXX
The Princesses and Shining continued to observe Ganon's bombardment of the Crystal Heart's shield. "I don't understand," Cadance spoke. "If Ganon's so powerful, why isn't he trying to bring down the shield himself?"
He thinks it beneath him.
They all looked up to see the Helmaroc King swooping down and landing on the balcony's railing, forcing the ponies to back up to allow it some space. The great bird had demonstrated that it spoke telepathically, and so they visibly calmed when they saw it.
Ganon does not know that your shield is self-regenerating, the Helmaroc King explained. Thus, he's expecting his monsters to do the grunt work for him. I imagine that once he does finally catch on, then he'll intervene personally. Your shield will last as long as his arrogance does.
"I suppose that's…comforting," Celestia replied uncertainly. "In the meantime, we'll concentrate on readying all our defenses and continuing the training of our new soldiers."
Helmaroc let out a booming chirp. Do so quickly; Ganon will not give you a second chance.
The giant bird flew off back towards its balcony to observe the situation, telepathically relaying orders to the flock of Kargarocs all roosting in various parts of the city. (which, being birds, were leaving quite an unbelievable mess in the process) The Changelings chittered as they hovered over the city, watching Ganon's army with wary eyes. The air was thick with tension, as they all knew that not even the Crystal Heart would be able to repel the Dark Lord indefinitely. But it would hold for now.
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That evening…
Trixie Lulamoon sighed wearily as she cast one last look up at the shield and the countless spells continuing to reflect off it before retiring to her wagon for the night. The times had not been kind to her since she had last come to Ponyville. For starters, word had spread about her false stories, (likely through the Apple family, which had relatives EVERYBUCKINGWHERE, and had a fanatical devotion to the concept of honesty to boot) and as a result, attendance to her shows had plummeted to virtual nonexistence. She had used the last of her money to buy a few days' worth of food, and when word of Ganon's invasion had come, she wisely decided to travel to the Crystal Empire for safety. And since the Crystal Ponies were likely unaware of her past, she had realized that she might be able to make some sort of comeback there, though she would tone down the tall tales, as she didn't want to get called out on such behavior again, just in case the Apples, by some miracle, had some forgotten relatives here too.
However, once she arrived, it was not a comeback she got; it was a drafting order.
Apparently everypony taking shelter there now had to learn how to fight because Ganon would eventually march on the Crystal Empire once he realized the Princesses were there, and the monsters weren't enough of a defense to hold out against Ganon on their own.
Those monsters…
Trixie shook her head as she shut the door behind her. She did not like the monsters one bit, because she knew exactly from whom they had been spawned.
Her thoughts darkened as she was reminded of the sorcerer who had essentially driven her out of town. She knew he was still around, and that he was helping Equestria against Ganon. But it was still him that had utterly crushed any dignity she might have had, that had threatened her with a violent death were he ever to see her again. Though it was thanks to those Ponyvillians in general that she had lost her reputation, especially those two idiot foals that had forcibly put her in a spotlight she didn't want to be in. The hecklers, even if they were the Elements of Harmony, she could deal with, and dealt with expertly, as far as she was concerned. But a real Ursa Minor was something else entirely.
At the very least, with all the military training she had been forced to undergo, her magical abilities had improved exponentially, strengthening the potency of her illusion spells as well as giving her access to some attack and defensive spells so that she could now defend herself. One day, once the whole situation with this Ganon character blew over, she had every intention of going back to Ponyville and giving Vaati the Wind Mage a piece of her mind.
Because when she returned, she truly would be Great and Powerful.
"I have been watching thee for some time now, Trixie Lulamoon."
Trixie yelped and jumped at the unexpected voice. "Who's there?!"
To her surprise, from out of the shadows stepped none other than Princess Luna herself. Seeing this, Trixie gasped as she quickly knelt. "P-Princess Luna!" she exclaimed.
Luna held up an elegant hoof. "Rise, young one."
Trixie timidly did so. "W-what are you doing here?" she asked, awed to be in such a lofty presence.
Luna smiled. "I have come because I have seen great potential within you through your dreams. I have also seen that life has not entirely been fair to you."
Trixie glanced towards the floor. Yeah, thanks for the reminder, she thought sourly to herself.
Noticing this, Luna said, "Forgive me, I did not wish to offend."
"No, it's fine, Princess," Trixie replied hurriedly, not wanting to drive her audience away.
Luna's smile returned. "As I said before, I have gained an interest in your abilities, as well as your past."
"W-what sort of interest?" Trixie stammered, curiosity beginning to overwhelm her anxiety.
"Your illusionary abilities have become of great interest to me, primarily because it is a power I myself excel at," Luna explained. "I also know that the quality of your life has plummeted due to events both in and outside of your control. Before Ganon's unpleasant and unexplained arrival, my sister had proposed that I follow her example and take in my own student. After careful consideration, as I looked into the dreams of each of my subjects, saw their hopes, their fears, and their deepest desires, I made my decision. Trixie Lulamoon, otherwise known as the Great and Powerful Trixie, I have decided that I want you to be my student."
Trixie was utterly silent, her mouth hanging open in abject shock at what she had just heard.
Princess Luna, Trixie thought in amazement. Princess Luna wants me to be her student! Sweet Faust, I can't believe this!
"I-I don't know w-w-what t-to say," Trixie stammered stupidly, inwardly cursing at herself for letting her cool slip so utterly.
"I know the timing may seem odd, what with our enemies pounding on our very gates," Luna said. "But regardless of the circumstances, I intended to approach you with my offer tonight. But before you make your decision, know that I will expect the best from your studies, both magical and otherwise, and that I do not tolerate cheek and disrespect. What say you? Do you wish to have the honor of being my first student?"
Trixie was overwhelmed. "Y-your very first student?"
Luna smiled. "A far worthier entry in the history of the world than a freelance magician, wouldn't you say?"
Trixie took several deep breaths in an effort to calm down and process everything that had transpired within the last few minutes. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected this; a tutelage of her own under a princess! She would be of equal standing with Celestia's own student, Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic and the mare Trixie remembered as being the one to pacify the Ursa Minor after Snips and Snails had pulled their incredibly stupid stunt.
And then…
Then she would ensure that the Sorcerer of Winds got his comeuppance.
The showmare grinned. The Great and Powerful Trixie was back.
"When do we start?"
XXXXXX
The next day…
The shield continued to hold the entire night, and the denizens of the Empire woke up in relative safety come morning. It appeared the Wizzrobes loyal to Ganon had completely worn themselves out, for the assault on the barrier had slowed to a few scant potshots here and there. One could barely see it, but on the other side of the barrier, Ganon's forces were constructing siege camps of varying quality. The Darknuts' and Wizzrobes' were fairly neat and well-made, while the Moblin-made tents were of a substantially-lower quality. The Moblins in particular were having issues with the rough winds of the Arctic as a result, often having to approach the Wizzrobes, usually with a threat of violence on their lips, for enchantments that would hold off the subzero gales of the north.
And Ganon had yet to attack the shield himself.
Was he planning on waiting them out? Did he hope to starve the city into submission? These questions Celestia asked herself as she observed the morning from the Crystal Palace's balcony. If that was his plan, then he was in for a long wait, as the Empire's supply stores were well-stocked. They could easily hold out for several weeks, more if they rationed wisely, and Vaati and the Mane Six were already on their way to recovering yet another Element, and three were already back in their possession. They would no doubt return to the Empire long before it was ready to fall.
As long as that shield held and Ganon's patience remained, the Crystal Empire would hold out. Hopefully Vaati and company would return before their time ran out, and hopefully crush the Dark Lord utterly on the fields of the Empire.
But Celestia dared not hope. It was far likelier that Ganon's patience would wane, especially since he too ultimately knew he didn't have a lot of time before all the Elements were recovered, and he would bring down the shield himself. She hated it, but the looming prospect of battle was the far likelier scenario. Ponies would die, families would be torn apart, and Equestria would again bear witness to the horrors of war.
She could also sense unease in the Changelings. Though this was to be expected; the last time they had faced such mighty beasts, the outcome had been almost hilariously one-sided. However, she knew that, now that they had been gorging themselves on the Crystal Heart's energy, each of them was bursting with power waiting to be unleashed. The Changelings had infested an abandoned crystal building near the palace as a temporary hive, its surface slick with Changeling biomass and organic energy crystals, and at the moment, most were resting within, though a few were still gathered around the Heart and feeding, while a few others were hovering over the city walls, glaring at the mass of enemy troops busily building their siege camp. The Crystal Ponies (and by extension, everypony else) were wary of the bug-ponies, regarding them with suspicion, and in at least one case outright hostility, when a particularly racist stallion began hurling curses at one of the drones and then attacked it when it stubbornly ignored him. The hooligan was now currently sulking in the Crystal Palace's dungeons, and Celestia had personally healed the injuries the Changeling sustained in the brawl.
Celestia sighed as the gravity of the situation hit her yet again. Shaking her head, she retreated within the palace and retired to her bedroom, taking out a secret bottle of wine she kept for herself in stressful situations. She needed a godsdamned drink.
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Ganondorf's tent…
The King of Darkness sat alone in his opulent tent, poring over the volume of the Crystal Empire's history he had taken with him from Canterlot's library. He had just given the order for his Wizzrobes to resume the bombardment, and smirked as he heard the explosions sound once more. However, that smirk fell as he finally found what he was looking for in the book he had been reading.
"The Crystal Heart is the source of the Crystal Empire's prosperity, as well as its primary means of defense against attack. The Heart was discovered in 2 A.D. by Earth Pony miners who…"
Ganondorf grunted as he glossed over the next few paragraphs until he came back to the interesting parts.
"…the Crystal Heart, so it is said, is powered by the light and love within the hearts of the Crystal Ponies…"
Ganondorf sneered as he read this. This world grows more ridiculous with each passing moment, he thought to himself. I should have come here long ago and demonstrated to these witless fools where real power comes from!
Putting these thoughts aside, Ganondorf returned to his reading.
"…and when their positive emotions are at their strongest, the Heart resonates power of similar strength to the legendary Elements of Harmony, erecting a powerful shield that repels those with evil hearts and is virtually impenetrable. And as long as the Crystal Ponies continue to pour their positive energy into the Heart, the barrier it generates is self-regenerating. No force in Equestria or beyond, to this day, has ever succeeded in piercing the defenses of this mighty citadel. The Heart's power proved its worth in 7 A.D., when a pack of dragons assaulted the Empire, hoping to lay claim to the vast riches it contained…"
Ganondorf read no more, scowling as he slammed the book shut. "So this shield truly is self-regenerating," he muttered to himself, stepping outside and glaring at the pristine blue barrier that separated him from his quarry. "My minions can't possibly bring it down, then. I'll have to do so myself."
Starving them into submission was no longer an option; it would take too long and the sorcerer was regathering the Elements at this very moment. He needed to capture the Princesses before Vaati arrived, for if he succeeded, then he could barter their lives in exchange for servitude and submission. His plan formulated, Ganondorf allowed himself a triumphant smirk. He would wait until nightfall, and then he would strike, and Equestria would be utterly his.
XXXXXX
That evening…
Most of the citizens and soldiers of the Empire were fast asleep, hoping to get as much rest as they could before the inevitable confrontation. A number of sentries, both monster and equine, continued to patrol the perimeter of the city, every so often glancing at the shield. However, it was much more difficult to see through the shield in the dark of night, so none of them could really tell what was going on on the other side of the barrier.
Inside the Crystal Palace, Celestia and Cadance had both gone to sleep. Luna, however, was fully awake as she tutored her newest protégé.
"Do you remember the lessons from today's chapter?" Luna asked as she paced around the unicorn sparring grounds, eyeing Trixie critically.
"Y-yes, Princess," Trixie quickly answered, still having not entirely gotten over her awe at being in Luna's presence.
Luna smirked. "Good. Now it is time for you to exercise them. First, you shall attempt to entrap me within the most potent illusion you can muster. I care not what it is; do your best. I shall attempt to dispel it."
Trixie nodded uncertainly as Luna prepared herself. "Whenever you are ready. Give me no warning."
Trixie took a deep breath to calm her nerves. You can do this, Trixie. You are Great and Powerful; now prove it.
Trixie then struck as quickly as she could, stabbing towards Luna's consciousness and quickly attempting to warp and deceive it through illusions of the senses. Luna was mildly caught off-guard as she felt her breath leave her, tricking her mind and body into thinking she was underwater. A potent illusion, but what Trixie didn't realize was that alicorns did not require air as desperately as mortal ponies; her time on the moon was testament to that fact. Thus, she simply held her breath as she fought back against the illusion, bringing herself back to her senses. Trixie's inexperience left her unable to reestablish dominance, and in no time at all, Trixie's illusion shattered, and Trixie fell panting.
Fighting back a grin of pride, Luna strode up to her winded pupil. "Not bad for a first try," Luna commended. "Your only error was that you did not take into account the fact that alicorns do not require air."
Trixie inwardly cursed. She had thought her illusion was clever. Seeing her student silently admonishing herself, Luna lifted Trixie's chin with a dainty hoof.
"You are learning, my faithful student," she said. "Do not trouble yourself with the mistakes you've made. Focus only on growing from them. Even the great Starswirl was once a mere student like yourself. Remember that, dear Trixie."
Trixie wordlessly nodded. Satisfied, Luna lowered her hoof and cantered back over to the far side of the training ground. "Now, try again," Luna commanded. "And think of something different this time."
Trixie furrowed her brow as she wracked her brain for any ideas for her next performance. After a few minutes, she finally got an idea. Without hesitation, she lunged for Luna's consciousness once more, and with all the strength she could muster, she fooled Luna's senses into thinking she was standing on a pillar of rock that rose hundreds of feet into the air, with barely enough room to walk across the top. Luna seemed unperturbed by this, until she realized that she could not feel her wings. Luna looked at her back to see that they were gone. For good measure, Trixie began to conjure the illusion that the pillar was wobbling, as though it were struggling to hold Luna's weight and could fall at any moment. This actually succeeded in disorienting Luna, but the alicorn princess reminded herself that this was merely another illusions, and began attempting to reassert dominance over her mind. Again, once she regained her bearings, she was quickly able to drive Trixie out, and the showmare once again fell to her knees in exhaustion.
"Huff…huff…I thought…pant…I thought I had you there," Trixie spoke between gasps for breath.
Luna smiled. "You'll have to try harder than that to fool me, my student. However, your illusions are already becoming more potent with each test. However, what works against you is that I am expecting an attack. To truly hone your skills, you will have to randomly attempt to deceive me throughout the day. In this, you will have to exercise great patience. I am a very cautious mare, Trixie; I will be wise to your tricks for quite a while. You will have to wait until such a time that I have, for whatever reason, let my guard down. If you are able to truly envelop me within an illusion I cannot escape, then we shall move onto the next stage of your lessons."
Trixie blinked. "But…that could take ages!"
"Indeed," Luna agreed. "But the greatest feats of magic require patience. I hope you will learn that lesson well."
Trixie opened her mouth to inquire what her teacher meant by this, but she was interrupted by a muffled boom that sent a rippling shudder throughout the city. It was enough to jar everyone out of their sleep, and immediately a cloud of dread enveloped the Empire and its denizens. "P-Princess, what was that?" Trixie stammered, looking around fearfully.
Luna quickly trotted over to the edge of the training ground, which offered a distinct vantage point over the city, and saw the barrier shudder violently from some sort of powerful impact. With a gasp of realization, Luna knew what was responsible. "Trixie, go to the lower levels of the Palace and hide," she commanded with steely authority.
"What?! B-but Princess…!"
Luna whirled on her student. "Do as I say! Ganon himself is assaulting the barrier! Once it falls, he will make a beeline straight for the Palace, and he will slaughter anypony who gets in his way! I do not want you to be among those unfortunate dead! Now go! Hurry!"
Trixie's eyes misted with fear, but she knew Luna was right; if she crossed Ganon's path, she wouldn't stand a chance against him. Trixie gulped as she turned and ran for safety, throwing one last look over her shoulder at her new teacher, fearing that this might be the last time she would see her, before disappearing inside the citadel.
"TO ARMS!" Luna bellowed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, flying over the city so that all may hear her. "TO ARMS, DEFENDERS OF EQUESTRIA!"
Immediately ponies, monsters, and Changelings fully roused themselves as another powerful blow slammed against the Crystal Heart's barrier. A number of Crystal Ponies began feeding positive energy into it in order to restore whatever damage had been done, but their fear was lessening the effects. Ponies hurriedly clad themselves in armor and readied their weapons as they began rushing to their positions.
"Come, men! To the walls!" a Darknut captain boomed. "Defend the walls!"
"Arm the stake hurlers!" a pony captain ordered.
"Pegasi, get those thunderclouds into position!" Spitfire barked, dressed in the armor of the Royal Guard rather than the skintight leotards the Wonderbolts were known for.
The other Wonderbolts helped the pegasi soldiers move dozens of storm clouds saturated with electricity into key positions throughout the city as hundreds of monsters and ponies converged on the crystal wall that encircled the boundaries of the imperial city. The Changelings swarmed into a buzzing mass of black and green, gathering up their vast stores of magical energy. The Helmaroc King and his flock of Kargorocs circled over the city like vultures waiting for the feast to begin.
Another boom resonated throughout the city, and this time the barrier visibly wavered, hair-thin cracks spider-webbing across its surface that even now were slowly closing. Luna flew over to the main balcony of the palace and quickly galloped into the bedroom she and her sister shared. "Celie! It's starting!" Luna exclaimed upon bursting in.
She found an already-armored Shining Armor helping to fasten on Celestia's golden armor as she grimly looked at herself in the mirror.
"Yes," Celestia spoke, her voice heavy with resignation. "Luna, I want you and Shining to command the city garrison. Cadance and I will remain here and await Ganon's arrival, for he will easily slaughter anypony who tries to defend us."
Luna gasped. "Sister…surely you are not serious?! Ganon is our most powerful foe yet! You need me!"
"And Equestria needs a living Princess," Celestia answered sternly. "I know very well of Ganon's power. If I am to fall, then I want you to take what survivors you can and flee to where it's safe. As long as one of us remains alive, the ponies of Equestria will still have hope."
Luna fiercely shook her head. "No! Celie, I can't! I only just got you back! I don't know what I would do were I separated from you again, and this time forever!"
"Please, Luna, GO!" Celestia bade. "There isn't much time! Our ponies must see one of us fighting alongside them if their hope is to remain!"
Finally Shining fastened the last strap of Celestia's armor into place. "Alright, you're set, Your Highness," Shining informed with a heavy sigh. "Are you sure you don't…"
"My answer remains the same, Prince Shining," Celestia interrupted. "Go with Luna. Leave Ganon to Cadance and I."
Luna and Shining shared a look before Luna stepped forward and hugged her sister. "If you die, sister," Luna whispered in Celestia's ear, "I will brave the deepest, darkest pits of the afterlife to fetch you back, and I will not be happy. You understand?"
Celestia allowed herself a smile as she answered, "Good luck out there, Lulu."
The sisters broke apart, and Luna turned towards the doorway. "Come, Prince Armor," she sternly bade. "We've a battle to command."
"Yes, Your Highness," Shining unwillingly conceded, following her out.
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Outside the barrier…
Ganondorf roared as he sent another large energy ball at the shield, the impact widening the cracks on its surface. Ganondorf grinned wickedly; it wouldn't last much longer. All around him his monsters awaited, many of them carrying torches to see through the gloom of the night. Catapults were winched back as pots containing burning pitch were loaded into the baskets. Siege towers teeming with Stalfos, Moblins, and Lizalfos slowly rolled into place, each of them pushed by a team of Big Blins. Darknut sappers winched back the cords of their ballistae and loaded them with heavy wooden darts. As Ganondorf continued to assault the weakening barrier, his army began to chant his name, sounding to the beleaguered defenders within like a herald of woe.
"Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon! Ganon!"
Big Blins carried large kettle drums hung over their shoulders, beating the horsehide-covered drums with heavy wooden mallets that thundered across the battlefield, reverberating in the ears of the imperial garrison like the very heartbeat of Krastos. But the monsters of Vaati maintained their calm, collected composure, ever courageous in the face of overwhelming odds, and from this the ponies and Changelings found their own courage, steeling themselves for the fight ahead.
Ganondorf lowered his arms as he saw the barrier vainly attempting to repair itself. One more mighty blow and it would fall. Ganondorf grinned, feeling the age-old Gerudo lust for battle boil in his veins. He would not wait any longer.
Ganondorf gathered waves of dark magic in his palms, charging his body full of evil energy. When he could hold it in no longer, he thrust out both hands with a mighty bellow, unleashing a tremendous beam of purple energy that smashed into the shield with the force of a hundred earthquakes.
The effect was immediate; the shield gave at last, shattering like a massive dome of luminescent blue glass, the shards disintegrating into nothingness. The Equestrians regarded this with mounting fear as they seemed to realize that the hour of battle was upon them at last. Laughing in triumph, Ganondorf turned towards his mighty hordes. "Begin the attack!" he roared loud enough for the defenders on the walls to hear.
Immediately following this was the bellow of dozens of captains and commanders barking out orders to their own individual companies.
"Catapults!"
"Loose!"
"Get those siege towers moving!"
"Bring up the battering ram!"
Ganon's forces threw down the gauntlet first as their catapults unleashed their blazing cargo. Burning pots sailed over the walls and shattered in the streets, sending burning oil all over the place and igniting all within reach. As the defenders watched these missiles assail their city, the ballistae picked their shots and fired.
A bolt nailed a Moblin right in the throat, tearing off the beast's head even as its body tumbled off the battlements, dissolving into black mist below. Spitfire gasped as she felt another bolt whip past her, barely missing her. "Ponies! Watch out for those ballistae!" she ordered as she saw more target her team.
However, one of them wasn't quick enough.
Spitfire watched in horror as a bolt slammed into one of her teammates, piercing her all the way through the chest and knocking her out of the sky. She was dead long before she hit the ground.
"NO! FLEETFOOT!" Spitfire wailed.
Fleetfoot had almost been like a sister to Spitfire. They had gone up the ranks of Wonderbolt training together, always at each other's side through thick and thin. And in the blink of an eye she was gone, the first of what would surely be many casualties. Spitfire fought back tears as she took charge once more, knowing that she had to stay strong for her soldiers and teammates, no matter what.
Having seen Fleetfoot fall, a blazing fury erupted within Luna. Clad in armor the color of deepest black, she swooped down from the palace and took command.
"Make these servants of Ganon pay for their crimes!" she bellowed. "Stake hurlers, FIRE!"
At her command, the stake hurlers mounted throughout the city unleashed a deadly rain of sharpened crystal stakes upon Ganon's innumerable legions, and countless monsters fell beneath the hail of darts. "Quickly, douse those fires!" Luna ordered.
Teams of ponies descended upon the roaring flames, carrying buckets of water which they threw upon the fires, eliciting a chorus of hisses as the fires were quenched one by one. Great plumes of smoke rose into the air, choking the skies. Monster archers began trading volleys of arrows, turning the air thick with death.
"Quick, pegasi! Get out of range!" Spitfire demanded, she and her ponies dragging their clouds higher up into the air out of bowshot. "All units, fire!"
From the mass of clouds came a volley of lightning bolts that struck the tightly-packed ranks of enemy monsters. Those with heavy armor suffered the worst, the metal magnifying the electricity to lethal heights. All the while, twenty mighty siege towers built of heavy timber and covered with hastily-beaten steel plates slowly lumbered towards the city walls. The metal plating appeared to have some enchantments woven into them, for unicorn energy blasts merely bounced off. Seeing one nearing the wall, Luna shot a powerful blast of violet energy that immediately overwhelmed whatever enchantments it had, and the tower exploded, annihilating all who dwelt within. As she prepared to destroy another one, though, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned just in time to see the armored dragon Argorok bearing down on her, its claws outstretched. Luna quickly dove down, Argorok's claws missing her by mere feet. The dragon wheeled around, ready to strike at her again, when another winged shape abruptly emerged from the smoke from behind. Without warning, the Helmaroc King tackled Argorok, throwing all his weight behind the attack as he knocked Argorok screeching out of the sky and into the streets below.
She turned her attention back towards the siege towers and promptly blasted another one to bits. However, this provoked yet another response; hordes of flying beasts rose from Ganon's ranks and took to the sky. Giant, batlike Vires, Anti-Fairies wreathed in blue, green, red, and white flames, Aerolfos, and other winged beasts converged on Luna and the pegasi soldiers, forcing the pegasi to abandon their stormclouds and fight in close quarters. It was at this last that the Changelings entered the fray, swarming past the pegasi and unleashing streams of green energy at the opposing monsters. The Kargorocs soon joined in, and a fierce aerial battle ensued. Though the defenders were outnumbered nearly two to one, the Changelings' raw firepower was enough for them to hold their own.
Luna saw a Vire bearing down on her and conjured her old sword, a weapon she had not wielded since the last time she had fought on imperial soil during the final showdown with King Sombra. With practiced ease, she cut the demonic bat down before it could reach her. A pair of Blue Anti-Fairies bore down on her, snapping their bony jaws in anticipation. Luna conjured two ethereal swords and plunged them into the undead fairy spirits, instantly destroying them. Though she carved a swath of destruction through her foes, they still served their purpose; with Luna distracted, the first of the siege towers rolled up to the wall, and the heavy gangplank fell down. The garrison readied themselves as a monstrous tide of Stalfos, Blins, and Lizalfos poured out of the siege towers, and battle was finally joined to the ringing sound of clashing steel. Moblins battled Moblins, and the Darknuts formed a wall of iron to hold the enemy horde at bay as pony spearmen rushed in to do battle with the rampaging beasts. Wizzrobes unleashed cover fire, sending volleys of attack spells into the waves of monsters still pouring out of the tower, but the tide seemed endless. All too soon, a second tower reached the opposite side of the city wall, unleashing more of Ganondorf's minions upon the waiting city garrison. Soon another reached the wall, then another. All along the city walls battle raged as the defenders desperately tried to hold Ganon's forces at bay, but the city defenses for the time being seemed to be holding their own.
As this was going on, a team of Big Blins began hauling forward a battering ram of considerable size, the beam carved by some foul magic into the shape of a slavering boar. Slowly the battering ram advanced on the crystal gate, and all the while, Ganon's name was chanted ceaselessly by the monster hordes. Once it reached the gates, a pair of Big Blins began pulling back on its heavy chains and let it swing. The walls shuddered from the resulting impact, stirring Luna from the thrill of battle. Swiftly cutting down the Vire that had meant to assault her, Luna looked down to see the battering ram slam against the gate a second time.
Knowing it would not hold for very long, Luna withdrew from the battle in the skies and landed on the ground. "TO THE GATES!" she boomed in the Voice. "HURRY!"
Hundreds of unicorns and Earth ponies carrying lances converged on the gates, along with the remaining monsters that had been kept in reserve. Blin archers nocked their arrows and drew back the strings, while unicorns readied their energy spells. Another boom resounded as the ram struck again, and this time the gates visibly strained from the continued assault. Luna stood tall amongst her subjects, her presence serving to inspire and encourage her people. "Steady! Steady!" Luna ushered.
Suddenly the ram struck yet again, and this time the great boar's head smashed a great hole in the gates, its visage now leering menacingly down upon the hapless Equestrians. "You are soldiers of Equestria," Luna proclaimed sternly. "No matter what comes through that gate, you will stand your ground!"
As she said this, the boar's head pulled back as it readied for another swing. And with one more blow, the ruined gate smashed apart, and the first thing to barge into the city square was a large group of cyclopean Hinox, bellowing with rage as they wielded great spiked clubs and hammers. The lumbering beasts towered over all the defenders, standing nearly twenty feet tall, and the terror that went before them was great indeed. Even Luna was momentarily struck dumb as a number of helpless ponies were swatted aside and crushed by the rampaging Hinox. But the Night Princess quickly gathered her bearings. "Volley! Fire!" she shouted.
A hailstorm of arrows and energy beams forced several Hinox back, but it was then that the rest of Ganon's forces surged in. Immediately following behind the Hinox was a wave of Darknuts, their shields bearing the Gerudo symbol to differentiate between themselves and Vaati's Darknuts. As this mighty host approached, spears were lowered, but this did little to hamper the Darknuts, who smashed into the Equestrian line with ruthless brutality. The Hinox swung their weapons left and right, scattering the Equestrians and allied monsters into disarray. Soon after, hundreds upon hundreds of Blins, Stalfos, Lizalfos, and countless other beasts surged through the breach, and the battle quickly spilled into the streets. Luna quickly entered the thick of the fray, grunting and shouting as she swung her blade against the throat of a Hinox, felling the beast with a dying groan. Turning towards the monster horde, her horn flashed as a dozen monsters were enveloped in gravity spells that utterly crushed them into nothingness. An enemy Darknut swung at her with a mace of impressive size, but she swiftly side-stepped and drove her sword through its throat all the way to the hilt. The monster gurgled feebly as it expired.
Luck seemed to shine on the defenders of Equestria, for it seemed that the battle in the sky had turned in their favor. The hordes of Anti-Fairies, Vires, and Aerolfos had thinned considerably, and those pegasi and Changelings that were left without opponents now turned their attention towards the ground. Soon lightning bolts and Changeling energy beams volleyed and thundered into the breach, momentarily forcing back Ganon's approaching legions. The ground troops took advantage of this and attempted to push back against the enemy tide. Each pony that fell renewed Luna's rage of bloodlust, and her attacks grew ever fiercer. No monster could hope to stand against her. A Hinox attempted to crush her with its club, but she dodged and flew over its head, sending a dozen ethereal blades into its back, and the monster collapsed in defeat.
Luna whipped her head about, seeking another foe to destroy, when she abruptly saw an unconscionable sight. A Royal Guard, impaled through his belly by a Stalfos spear, was being raised into the air by the skeletal warrior, as though his flailing body were like some grisly trophy. Snorting in utter rage, she unleashed a beam of fire, incinerating the undead warrior, and quickly caught the falling spear in her magical grip. Lowering the dying pony to the ground, she recognized him as a new recruit that had just graduated from the royal academy not two months before. A young stallion with orange fur and striking blue mane whose name, Luna recalled, was Flash Sentry. His eyes were wide in pain and terror, and blood poured freely from his mouth. Luna's eyes welled with tears at the sight; he was so young, so healthy, and yet his life was unfairly cut short.
"P-Princess…h…h-help…m…" he struggled to whimper, but he never finished.
With a final choke that sprayed blood all over himself, the young soldier died, his expression of wide-eyed fear etched forever on his face like a mask of death. Luna sniffed as she placed a hoof over his eyes, closing them. She then raised her head, and murder flashed in her eyes. Bellowing with rage and sorrow, Luna sent a massive blast of magical energy through the breach that utterly annihilated all the monsters that had been pouring in, leaving a smoldering black smudge that ran deep into Ganon's lines. But at their master's behest, they relentlessly filled the gap Luna had left, and within moments more monsters came charging into the city.
"RALLY!" Luna proclaimed. "RALLY TO ME!"
Ponies, Changelings, and allied monsters began fighting through the vast hordes of enemies in order to reach their commander as she unleashed one of her deadliest abilities. Hundreds of monsters suddenly began clutching at their throats, as though they could no longer breathe. For in their minds, they had suddenly been transported to the moon. Utterly consumed by the illusion, their own bodies turned against them as they slowly suffocated. A gruesome and slow death, to be sure, but Luna's rage was at its highest, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to let it consume her. She dared not let loose, for she knew what would rise from her very being should she do so.
This act was enough to allow the city defenders some breathing space as the waves of monsters actually faltered at the sight. Truly, Princess Luna was a force to be reckoned with. Before them stood a powerful and angry alicorn goddess, and behind waited their lord and master. The decision was an easy one; they pressed their attack once more, determined to overwhelm the Equestrian defenders at whatever cost. And Luna gladly accepted their challenge. All around her, Equestrians and their allies rallied and pushed back with all the strength they could muster. The sounds of clashing steel and sundered flesh rang in everyone's ears, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and death. And yet the hope of the Equestrians never wavered, for a Princess and their prince were among them, and their power and wrath were too great for the enemy to withstand.
But even so, the tide had yet to turn, and the enemy still came in numbers innumerable. And the time had come for their master to take to the field himself. Ganondorf, as he dismounted his horse, turned to his current second-in-command. "Karuna, take charge of the ground operations here," Ganondorf ordered an unusually well-armored Moblin chieftain.
"Where are you going, Master?" Karuna asked.
"To bring these upstart Princesses to heel once and for all," Ganondorf growled. "Do not stop the attack until the city is taken. Slay all who resist."
The chieftain put a fist to his chest. "By your will, My Lord."
With that, Ganondorf strode towards the breach, his trusty Gerudo longsword clutched in his hand. Monsters cheered as they saw him, his presence serving to invigorate them. Ponies within braced for attack as they heard the enemy cheering. But when they saw the very leader of the enemy forces storm through the ruined gateway like a conquering tyrant, their hope finally began to wither. Ganondorf laughed in exhilaration as he launched himself into battle, slashing and slicing with one hand and flinging blasts of dark magic with the other. Pony, monster, and Changeling alike fell easily under his incalculable might, and an aura of sheer terror went before him. Even the mighty Darknuts quailed before the Dark Lord, and thus his path to the palace was a relatively unimpeded one.
Until a single pony stood in his path, blocking the way.
"I won't let you harm Princess Celestia or my wife!" Shining Armor challenged.
"Your wife?" Ganondorf repeated, then grinned in realization. "Ah…you must be married to one of the Princesses, then. Curious…I was not aware there were any princes in this nation."
"This is my kingdom, these are my people, and you are not welcome here!" Shining declared, magic gathering in his horn. "I don't care what it takes; we will stop you here!"
Ganondorf laughed cruelly. "By all means, try, worm! I'll tear you limb from limb!"
Shining struck first, unleashing a powerful beam of energy at Ganondorf's face. However, the King of Darkness coolly raised his fist and deflected it away from him. "Pathetic," Ganondorf spat before launching into his own attack.
Ganondorf sprang forward, his fist charged with energy. However, Shining teleported out of harm's way, and Ganondorf smashed his fist into the ground where Shining had once stood, leaving behind a smoking crater. Shining reappeared behind Ganondorf and sent another beam at his back. However, Ganondorf whirled around and struck the energy beam with a rough backhand, sending it back at Shining. Unable to react in time, Shining was struck hard by his own attack, sending him flying through the air until he smashed into the side of a crystal house, disappearing inside the hole he had made.
Ganondorf smirked at this. "All too easy."
Luna saw this happen from where she was battling a Big Blin, and with a yell of anger she slew her foe before moving towards the unsuspecting Ganondorf. However, something abruptly crashed down from the heavens, blocking her path. Stumbling back, Luna recognized it as the Helmaroc King.
The great bird was in bad shape. His feathers had been burned off in several places, and his mask had been shattered, exposing the King's face and revealing an almost rooster-like head. However he was still alive, considering he had yet to dissolve into black mist like all the other monsters did when they died. "Helmaroc!" Luna cried, but as she moved to approach, something else descended from the sky.
Luna's eyes narrowed as Argorok leered over her, its long tongue hanging from its mouth. The dragon seemed to grin as it spread its wings out to bar Luna's path, growling menacingly. "Do not think I will be so easy to conquer, dragon," Luna declared as her wings flared out.
XXXXXX
Crystal Palace throne room…
Celestia and Cadance, both of whom were armored and ready for battle, waited in the throne room. Celestia could sense that Ganondorf was drawing near, and her royal lance rose into the air. Seeing this, Cadance gulped as she readied her own weapon, a magical bow. Keeping her steely gaze on the door, Celestia waited.
And finally he came.
The doors burst outwards as Ganondorf smashed them open, a wicked grin on his face. But Celestia's glare did not waver as Ganondorf approached.
"Surrender now, Princesses of Equestria!" Ganondorf triumphantly demanded. "Your people have fought valiantly, but in vain! Your city burns around you, your warriors die in droves, and already I have cornered you. There is no escape now, but I am not without mercy. Kneel before me, surrender your absolute authority to me, and order your warriors to lay down their arms. Do that, and you and your people shall live. Do it not, and you will die, along with anyone who continues to rebel against my reign."
Celestia met his gaze evenly, for never had she been cowed by any foe, and she would not allow herself to be now. "You are mistaken, Ganon, if you think that the people of Equestria will ever bow to a foreign ruler, much less a merciless tyrant like yourself. You think that defeating us will rob ponykind of its fighting spirit? Then you underestimate them, for they will never stop fighting you."
"Then every last one of them shall die!" Ganondorf growled.
"Perhaps," Celestia conceded. "But what will you have then? Surely, even you must realize the folly of being a king without a kingdom."
"I think he already knows what that's like," Cadance spoke, catching Ganondorf's attention. "After all, you're the last of your people, aren't you? There are none left for you to rule over, and even when there were, your so-called kingdom was a barren desert, bereft of water and fertile soil! Your claim of kingship is as empty as the desert that spawned you!"
Ganondorf was struck dumb by their words. The utter nerve…
"You…you dare mock me?!" he snarled, baring his teeth. "I can destroy you with a fraction of the Triforce of Power within me!"
"Perhaps," Celestia said again. "But that won't make your claim any more legitimate. You try to seize other kingdoms for yourself because you cannot accept the fact that you failed your own people as a king, and even now, the so-called King of Darkness is just a puppet, dancing to the pull of the strings of a long-dead demon who could not accept his own defeat gracefully. You are not worthy of ruling Equestria, pawn of Demise."
Ganondorf could not believe what he had just heard. These Equestrian whelps had the nerve, the utter audacity, to berate him like some spoiled child! He would not stand for such impudence. His body pulsing with unbridled power, Ganondorf roared, "You will die by those words, scum!"
However, a sudden noise drew the attention of both Princess and Dark Lord, reverberating from the open windows of the throne room that overlooked the city. Glaring at the Princesses, Ganondorf then strode towards the windows and looked out to see what had caused the strange noise. But Celestia already knew what it was, and her heart swelled with hope at what it meant.
War horns.
With an expression of surprise and boiling anger, Ganondorf watched as a new army emerged from the frozen north, flying the banners of Equestria and the Wind Mage. Smirking, Celestia quietly brought her magic to bear, lowering the moon and bringing about the sunrise so that everyone could clearly see who had come to their rescue. Ponies, monsters, Diamond Dogs, and other beasts that Ganondorf did not recognize marched towards the Crystal Empire, sounding a chorus of war horns. Celestia grinned; the reinforcements had arrived.
The siege was over. The battle was about to begin.
To Be Continued…
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Update? All of the
The cavalry's here! Sucks about Fleetfoot and Flash Sentry...May they rest in peace
Well at least with Flash gone things aren't that bad.
The only way Cadence could have known would either be from Luna or Vaati.
Oooh, da armor-piercing questions from the pretty pony princesses. Ganon's gonna have a lot to think about after the battle is over.
...Didn't I read this before? I'm probably imagining things, but I think I read this chapter already...you updated it...unless I am imagining things.
6503957 This, the chapter before it, and another chapter or two after this were posted on his fanfiction account first, he posted a blog a while back on it. Could have read it there
6504012 Possibly, but I have only read this story here...as far as I know anyways...I probably did read it on Fanfiction.net...maybe
Man, even after this whole madness is over with, there is going to be a lot of poor beings dead. And Ganondorf isn’t the worst foes out of all this, since they still have to deal with Majora as well. This story is shifting from being a normal Zelda crossover to a Hyrule Warriors* crossover, that for sure, and I'm loving it! You can definitely get that action-packed feeling it provided, as well as allies from multiple factions working together for a common good. As for that dream douchebag, he so needed an epic beatdown…
*: Got it recently…love it!
C&Cs:
"…it killed foals?" she breathed.
> Unless it is a style thing, you may want to capitalize ‘it’.
...Kargarocs all roosting in various parts of the city. (which, being birds, were leaving quite an unbelievable mess in the process)
> Move the period to the end.
...so none of them could really tell what was going on on the other side of the barrier.
> Would ‘from’ fit better than the second ‘on’?
Fleetfoot's death:
Flash Sentry's death:
Seriously, though. Awesome chapter.
Aw yeah! Ganondorf is so FUCKED!
6503362
Aye, they did tell her.
6503608
I'll tell you one thing; I had a hell of a good time writing that.
Nice match up to the battle for Gondor in Lord of the Rings... but that makes me worry about the reinforcements.
UNLEASH THE SWARMS AND POUND THEM TO DUST!
OR
The Soviet Aircraft used at Kursk and/or part of the defensive line with the armor used as well used in said battle would've reduced the amount of Ganon's monsters A LOT or a battery TOS-1As (20-30 220 Thermobaric and Incendiary rockets FTW) with Shilka or Tunguska support would be useful as well with a squadron of Frogfoots to boot.
Also reinforcements have arrived