The Lunar Heresy: Harmony and Chaos
The Lunar Heresy: Harmony and Chaos
Days had passed since the massacre at Manehattan. The Traitors remained unseen, but Celestia knew that they were following Her and Her forces, watching and waiting for signs of weakness. The only scouting that was to be done was by Herself, drifting along the edge of the Immaterium and observing the Chaotic forces at work.
All around, She could feel and hear thousands of souls crying out against the violence. To the west, the Wonderbolts and the Western Rangers were besieged in the fortress of Cloudsdale, the Firebirds and Order of the Sacred Star having betrayed them to the Ruinous Powers. To the south, the Plainsrunners and Iron Hooves lay mauled at a point called Appleoosa Ridge, but their sacrifice had brought low the Drakeguard. Small victories... They must count for something.
Her army marched in silence towards Canterlot, the lone fortress looming over them as they neared. Those that had belonged to her sister’s Legions had remained quiet, even distancing themselves from the main force. I must decide what to do with them once we arrive in Canterlot...
You trust ponies too much, Anathema. the voice of Nightmare Moon said through Celestia’s mind.
I make do with what I have, daemon.
And that is why you fail. Why else would your beloved sons turn against you? You knew they were not to be trusted, yet you placed your armies in their hands.
They did not fall by their own faults; they were swept under by your kind’s deceiving.
Keep telling yourself that, Anathema; I am sure it will keep you comfort in the end. Celestia could feel the presence of Nightmare Moon leaving Her mind. She growled and looked ahead, focusing on the fortress in the mountains and drawing up a plan for engaging the enemy.
Canterlot was one of the better fortified positions in Equestria; perched high in the mountains, the only way in asides from flying was a very narrow path through the mountains. Larger armies could take days to assemble, while a force the size of Celestia’s could make it through with less difficulty. The walls themselves were large enough and strong enough to withstand heavy bombardment, and the priests that had built the fortress had made sure to include numerous wards to deflect major magical attacks.
One question remained: would it be enough to allow less than two thousand Legionnaires to defeat the Forces of Chaos?
“My Lady,” She turned as one of Her officers approached. “We received a signal from Canterlot: Nightmare Moon’s forces have entered the valley, and their forward elements should be within striking distance soon.”
“The enemy has moved faster than I have anticipated.” She sighed in frustration. “Quicken our pace, and have any available Pegasi double back and obstruct the pass as best as possible.”
“Yes, my lady.” the officer saluted and left, and soon squadrons of Pegasi flew past Celestia and the rest of Her forces. Once they were gone, She turned Her attention to the “Loyalist” Lunar Knights, who were surrounded by a company of Celestial Guard to keep them under observation. Celestia had made a special modification to their armor to ensure that if they did turn they would not be of much use, as their helmets or headsets were rigged to detonate if they even so much as thought about joining the Traitors. Even with this precaution, Celestia was still feeling uneasy.
Having second thoughts? the voice of Nightmare Moon said, Celestia grimacing as the daemon chuckled. I’d be more than happy to take your precious ponies off your hooves, “sister”.
Away from me, daemon! I shall not be tricked into your schemes!
Quite the task, isn’t it? You failed before when your sons began to fight amongst one another, what makes you think that you will be successful now?
Now, it is just you and me, daemon. No sons, no other gods, just the two of us. And I will see to it that you scream as I draw you from my sister’s body and tear you apart in the Warp.
I am looking forward to that, Anathema.
...
There was no fanfare as the army marched into Canterlot. If anything, the city was deathly quiet, with only the sound of the army’s hooves against cobblestone echoing down the streets. From the shadows Celestia could see a few civilians, their faces weary and solemn. Celestia knew why: a major city had been razed, two Legions savaged, and many more turned against the nation. Equestria was wounded, and they had begun to lose hope.
“Orders, my lady?” the nearest officer asked. Celestia was silent for a moment, Her focus placed upon the civilians. “My lady?”
“Sorry.” She said, shaking Her head. “I lost focus for a moment. Have companies 1, 3, 6 and 9 deploy to the walls, along with whatever remains of the Trottingham Knights and the Daughters. The rest will remain in reserve.”
“Yes, my lady.” The officer left, and Celestia found Herself more or less alone. She walked down the streets, Her boots clicking against the cobblestone as She walked. She could not feel the presence of any civilians other than those She had seen on the way in, and She was glad for it; they had most likely been evacuated, and hopefully would be able to live on without the threat of Chaos bearing down on them. The locations may change, but the terror never does.
As She walked, She could feel a change in the Warp. It was not the corruption of Chaos; rather, it was a much more soothing feeling that caused Her fur to stand on end, a surprisingly pleasing stimulus from what she had experienced that day. She looked up and found Herself standing before a small temple, an icon of Herself and Her sister facing each other dominating the arch. Celestia frowned; She was never good around places of worship due to Her experiences with the Dark Gods, and was half tempted to turn and go back to the wall. But the soothing presence reached Her again, and She sighed.
“It is not a shrine to the Lords of Chaos... as far as I can tell. I shall be fine.” Celestia said to Herself before climbing the steps as best She could, Her large boots making it hard to remain stable on smaller steps. Once She reached the top of the stairs and entered the temple, She was surprised to see several priests and acolytes tending to their duties, as if they were unaware of the war raging outside the walls.
“Most serene lady,” Celestia turned as an older unicorn dressed in white approached, bowing low. “You humble us all with your presence.”
“The pleasure is mine,” She replied, stepping further into the temple. “This is a fine temple you have here.”
“We do all this to please you, my lady.” the priest said before following after Her. “It is not much, but it reminds us to keep ourselves humble.” Celestia smiled a little. During Her time on the Throne, She had seen many a human claim righteousness while using Her name to indulge in unparalleled acts of greed, and seeing these ponies humble themselves for Her was a fitting escape.
No, I must not indulge in their worship; it will only lead to disaster.
“But why do you remain here?” She asked. “We shall be under siege soon, and the enemy will not show mercy upon you.”
“We know.” the priest responded, turning towards the altar set before them. “But this temple means more than our lives. It has been a symbol of hope amongst the ponies of Canterlot since the founding of Equestria. We would not wish to see this sacred ground desecrated by violence.”
“I could station a squad or two to defend this area.”
“That will not be necessary, my lady. We will manage quite well on our own.” Either confidence or blind faith... I hope that it is confidence. Celestia nodded, and the two stood in silence for a moment as She surveyed the temple.
“Tell me,” She said. “How was it that you came here and became a priest?”
“Well, when I was younger I was wild and undisciplined; I drank and gambled and pursued mares of all types, completely apathetic to everything around me. Then one night, I was attacked and beaten by other ponies whom I had antagonized. As I lay there, I tried to rationalize my plight and pin the blame on those that did not deserve it; I felt that the world should have been attuned to my desires, not the wills of others.
“But then I saw something in the darkness. Out of the shadows stepped a mare, cloaked in blue and wreathed in light, and she radiated a soothing presence I had never experienced before, and never have since that day. She kneeled down beside me and said ‘Look to thyself, for therein lies the answer’.
“Did you say anything to her?”
“How could I? I was awestruck by her beauty and grace, and saying anything would be unworthy of her. When I awoke the next morning, I was lying in an inn not far from here, my injuries healed and the mare vanished.” Celestia had a good idea as to who the mare was, but refrained from saying anything as the priest continued. “That night, I sat down and thought about my life, and that mare. I realized that all my life I had been little better than a common thug, but this mare came and showed me mercy, regardless of what state I was in. She would make an impact on the world, while I would die in obscurity. Her act of kindness for me that day changed me, and I swore that I would follow her example and guide others by her example.” the priest waved his hoof towards the temple. “Here is where I have seen many miraculous things, and I thank that mare every night giving me the chance to see such wonders.” Celestia was silent. In Her mind, She was drawn back to a snow-swept mountain peak, and to a lonely old priest who had defied Her, choosing to stay with his faith and die than accept the Imperial Truth. She pushed that thought out of her mind and turned towards the pony next to Her.
“You say that your faith is built on kindness.” She said. “But what of those that do vicious deeds in the name of ‘faith’? Thousands have died at the hooves of those that claimed to be righteous-”
“But must the actions of a few define the whole?” the priest asked. “If one of my acolytes were to drink and then strike a mare, would that make all of us violent drunkards?”
“No, but religion is just like any other source of power: it can be corrupted and used for evil means. I could declare myself a god and then launch a terrible campaign of butchery to make others bow to my wishes.”
“You could, but I don’t think you will.”
“Why do you say so?”
“Because you have had the opportunity, but you did not.” Celestia blinked as the priest continued. “When you defeated Discord, you took the title of Empress. A powerful title, but a mortal title nonetheless. You could have declared yourself God Empress of Ponykind, and marched your armies through the streets and built monuments in your name, but you did not. You even went to the masses when they were in need and brought comfort to them.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It shows that you are humble, my lady. A pony who declares themselves a god would, most likely, deem stooping to those levels demeaning. But you have a great capacity for love, and your kindness has touched thousands of ponies across Equestria, and you have not exploited their thankfulness for your own gain. Perhaps you are a god, perhaps you are a herald, but that does not make you any less worthy of the praise ponies bring you.” Celestia was silent. She remembered Lorgar singing Her praises, but the priest here was less bombastic and presented a much humble view of Her. It was a welcome escape from the war around Her, and She could feel a small smile forming on Her lips.
“I thank you for your thoughts, my friend.” She said.
“Anything to please you, my lady.” the two were interrupted by a soldier entering the temple.
“My lady,” the Legionnaire said, bowing low. “The enemy has been sighted; they are advancing up the canyon as we speak.” So much for an escape.
“Very well. I shall be there soon.” The Legionnaire nodded and left, Celestia letting out a sigh before turning to the priest. “I must go now, but I shall return to finish this discussion once the war is over.”
“I shall be awaiting you, my lady.” As Celestia left, She failed to notice six spheres set upon the altar flicker with light.
...
Nightmare Moon had found a smaller peak near Canterlot from which to observe the battle. Leading her troops from the front, while it would be satisfying, would draw Celestia in too soon, and she did not want to waste her plan on personal glory.
Though I do know someone who would, She thought. She turned to a nearby unicorn.
“Are my Legions in position?” she asked.
“Yes, my queen. They are awaiting your orders.”
“Good. Have the first rank assault the walls, and have the Shadowbolts provide support.”
“Yes, my queen.” the unicorn’s horn glowed and the signal was sent. Below, there was a roar of approval and Nightmare Moon’s followers began advancing.
...
“Take heart, my Legions!” Celestia cried as she paced down the wall. “The enemy before us is numerous and strong, but the division of Chaos runs deep and can be broken! Smite the enemy with bolt and sword; show them no mercy, for you shall receive none in return. Do not allow the deception of Chaos to make you weak and cowardly! Fortify yourself, and know that our stand here will see the breaking of Chaos in Equestria, and your children shall see dawn return to this land!” There was a cheer from the assembled Legions as Celestia turned towards the advancing Traitors, sword raised in the air. Above the battlefield, clouds began to gather, the sky darkening until there was almost no visibility.
“Now, my comrades! For Equestria!” Celestia’s horn flashed and a column of fire leapt from the clouds, striking the first rank of the enemy. Traitors were turned to ash before the flames even reached the ground, and a deep trench was dug in the earth as the fire moved up and down the line. It was soon joined by a cloud of arrows and magic blasts, dozens of Traitors falling as they were struck. Even as Celestia’s initial attack ran it’s course, Her Legionnaires continued firing, using the cries of the enemy and the fires started by other strikes as a beacon.
Under the bombardment, the Traitors’ attack broke. Those that were not cut down ran for cover beneath the bodies of their fallen comrades, while some just ran back to the main body of the army. Others tried returning fire, but the range and angles made it hard for them to respond effectively. Some that kept moving forward stumbled over their fallen comrades, the really unlucky ones impaling themselves on stray weapons. A select few even tuned on one another in their panic, the resulting melees further slowing the enemy.
However, that was not the only assault on the Loyalists.
“My lady, enemy Pegasi are approaching!” an officer called over the din. Celestia looked up and saw the Shadowbolts descending, their crossbows trained on the Legionnaires below. With a sweep of Her wings Celestia was airborne, lightning crackling off Her sword as She rose to face the enemy.
“Come, Traitors!” She bellowed. “Absolution awaits you!” With a cry She plunged into the enemy formation, a beacon of light amongst the swirling cloud of the enemy. With each swing of Her sword a score of the Shadowbolts would fall, limbs and head trailing after them. Dozens of them turned their focus from the wall to Celestia, attacking with claw and crossbow in an effort to bring down the Empress of Equestria. Celestia returned in kind with Warpflame and lightning, the mass amounts of power melting armor and boiling flesh.
Several Shadowbolts jumped onto Celestia’s back, trying to hold Her down while their fellows attacked. With a beat of Her wings Celestia knocked several away before twisting her body around and flinging the remainder towards the amassed hordes. Free once again, She charged headlong into the ranks of the enemy, splitting the first Traitor She encountered in half with a downward chop. She spun Her sword around, parrying another strike and decapitating the attacker in one fluid motion. Yet another Traitor attacked, claws scratching shallow grooves in Her armor, but with a vicious kick She separated the Traitor’s head from the rest of his body. This display caused the Traitors to back away, trying in vain to put distance between them and Celestia.
Celestia’s eyes began to glow as She drew in even more Warp energy. Fire and lightning rippled down Her legs and wings, creating an aura around her that grew in intensity the longer she built up power. Finally, She released her attack, a solid sphere of burning energy racing away from Her and consuming everything in it’s path. Traitors that were hit by the blast were burned down to individual molecules, and even those that were further away were left horribly burned or blinded.
“Did you really think that you pathetic wastes of flesh could stand against me?” Celestia cried out to the enemy. “I forged this world from dust and breathed life into it. I commanded the celestial bodies, and they moved at my words. I defeated the Windigos and stood in the face of Discord, and you think that your gods will grant you victory over me? Your gods lead you to destruction, and I am more than happy to deliver it.” Celestia raised Her sword once more. The sword began to glow with power before She thrust it at the enemy, a beam of light shooting out and consuming everything in it’s path. She swept the beam across the ranks of the enemy, and soon the sky was clear of enemies.
Know this, Slaves of Chaos; you doom has begun, and I am it’s herald.
...
While Celestia battled in the air, several large groups of Shadowbolts and other Traitors had managed to reach the wall. The Celestial Guard put up a spirited defense, the air thick with crossbow bolts and magic as they fired down at the enemy. However, now that they were close enough the enemy could fight back, daemonically enhanced weaponry and spells slamming into the wards in Canterlot’s walls and slaying several Loyalists. As the main force assaulted the wall, the Shadowbolts dove down from behind, trying to flank the defenders and drive them from the wall.
Silverlight and his fellow Lunar Knights rounded a corner just as the Shadowbolts touched down. The leader of the group sneered before advancing towards Silverlight and his force, other Shadowbolts joining them soon after.
“You are the one known as Silverlight,” the leader said, his voice echoing slightly from daemonic influence. “The one who rejected our queen’s gift.”
“I did not reject any gift!” Silverlight barked. “Only a curse of slavery.”
“Slavery? Do you not see the wonders that Nightmare Moon has granted us? In servitude to her, we have grown strong, stronger than any pony that has come before. She has opened up our eyes to the glory of the universe and the Warp, and now we are her messengers, heralds of the true Masters of the Universe. Will you not accept her gift and join us in our glorious crusade?” Silverlight gritted his teeth together, his magic tugging at his longsword.
“I have seen what you and your kind have done to the citizens of Manehattan. Is that what your crusade demands? that you go out and slaughter innocents?”
“Their slaughter was needed to satiate the Dark Gods, and they were judged satisfactory. Do not worry, for they were deemed unworthy of the True Queen.”
“Then I hope this is satisfactory!” With that, Silverlight drew his sword and lunged forward, the Shadowbolt leader just barely blocking the blade. With a cry the other Lunar Knights charged forward, a massive melee erupting as Loyalist and Traitor collided. Silverlight and the leader of the Shadowbolt dueled in the center of the brawl, sword and claws glancing off one another in a deadly dance of blades. The Traitor Pegasi was fast, ducking and weaving beneath every single one of Silverlight’s strikes, but the Traitor’s attacks were slowed by the heavy armor of the Loyalist.
“You would willingly give yourself to the False Empress? After all the True Queen has done for you?” the Shadowbolt asked as Silverlight blocked another strike.
“Yes.”
“Then you are a cowardly, weak willed fool! Do not be swept up by this false god, and embrace the powers of Chaos.” the Shadowbolt rose into the air, eyes glowing with light. Silverlight prepared for the worst, but was caught off guard when a stabbing pain drove itself into his brain. He cried out as dozens of voices flooded his mind, all of them whispering for him to give in and embrace Chaos.
Give in, Silverlight. the voices whispered.
N-No!
You cannot escape. Turn from the False Empress and embrace Chaos, or you shall suffer.
S... suffer...
Yes, let your emotions claim you and-
Suffer... Suffer not-
“Suffer not the Heretic to live!” Silverlight screamed before pulling himself upward. The pain and voices left his mind in an instant, and the leader of the Shadowbolts was knocked from the sky by an unseen force. Silverlight picked up his sword, paying no mind that some of his magic had now infused itself in the blade, causing it to glow bright blue.
“I... Impossible!” the leader of the Shadowbolts cried. “None can resist the Dark Gods!”
“I believe I just did.” Silverlight said before sweeping his sword in a downward arc, severing the Traitor’s legs from his body. “And now, I shall send you back to the pit that you crawled out of, and I pray that your soul burns for eternity for what you and your ilk have done.” The Shadowbolt tried to get in one last word of defiance, but Silverlight silenced him by plunging his sword into the Traitor’s head, blood splashing across the ground and any nearby combatants.
Well done, Silverlight, a new voice whispered in his ear. You have taken an important step on the Path of Redemption. Silverlight did not respond, instead bringing his sword up once again and plunging back into the melee.
...
Nightmare Moon watched as the battle unfolded before. As expected, Celestia and her followers had put up a spirited resistance, even throwing the Traitors back in some areas. The battle was turning in the favor of the Loyalists much sooner than Nightmare Moon had anticipated, but she had prepared for this moment.
She rose into the air, horn and eyes glowing. Behind her, a symbol resembling a cloud of smoke appeared, glowing bright against the darkened sky. The air began to crackle around Nightmare Moon as she drew in power from the Warp, and some of her nearby supporters backed up to avoid being engulfed by her power.
“I call upon the powers of the Immaterium, for they are mine to command!” she said, her eyes growing even brighter. “By the powers of Chaos, I call upon the daemons of the Empyrean! Come forth, Masters of Chaos, and tear down the forces of the False Empress, the Anathema and foe of Chaos! Daemons of the Warp, by my power I summon thee!” there was a rumble before the sky behind Nightmare Moon seemed to split, unnatural light spilling out into the sky. Out the crack came a monster, larger than even the largest dragons. It possessed the wings of a raven, the body of some kind of reptile and two heads like that of a raptor. A large staff was clutched in its talons, and several glyphs dangled from its arms and necks, all making a dreadful ringing sound as the beast entered the Material Universe. With a roar it rose into the air, light forming around it’s staff as it flew towards the battlefield.
Nightmare Moon landed, fluffing her wings once she reached the ground, and watched as a golden light rose up to meet the Lord of Change.
...
Celestia had spotted Nightmare Moon’s ritual too late to disrupt it, and now a greater daemon of Tzeentch was approaching Her troops. She knew Her soldiers were strong, but they would be swept aside by the Lord of Change before they could mount a suitable resistance. Drawing in more power, Celestia rose to face the daemon, sword held in a guard position in preparation for any attacks.
“Well, isn’t this amusing?” the daemon said once it spotted Celestia rising to meet it. “The Anathema Herself has come to try and change what fate has spoken.”
“I have defied your master before!” Celestia fired back. “I can do so again.”
“Such confidence. I have seen what lies ahead, and I look forward to seeing you just as broken as your precious Equestria.” The Lord of Change raised his hand, a white ball of light forming and racing towards Celestia. She deflected the spell and returned with Her own attack, but the daemon gracefully dodged before diving down at Her. Talon struck against metal, bolts of lightning arcing around the two combatants. Celestia broke away for a moment before lunging forward, ducking beneath the Lord of Change’s staff and slicing a shallow wound in the daemon’s hide. With a roar the daemon swung at Her, all the air being driven from Her lungs as a massive talon collided with Her. She spiraled through the air for a moment before managing to right Herself, just in time to deflect another strike from the daemon.
Celestia backed up, raising Her sword over Her head. It became wreathed in fire before She swept it around in a massive arc, pushing the Lord of Change back. She swooped in closer, ducking beneath the daemon’s claws and lashing out again. The Lord of Change deflected the attack and fired a blast of magic at Her, and She was barely able to deflect it in time. The daemon pressed on, but Celestia was able to deflect the worst of the blows and counter with Her own attacks. Still, She saw that She was being pushed back, countering more and more attacks from the Lord of Change.
I must find a way to overwhelm it’s connection to the Warp... but how?
...
Silverlight and his entourage hurried to the wall, stepping around rubble and fallen soldiers from both sides. The sounds of fighting grew with each step they took, and soon individual duels and brawls became more and more common.
“You,” he pointed to a nearby Pegasus. “Take half the Legionnaires and sweep through the rear; kill any Traitors you find. I will take the rest and reinforce the wall.”
“What if the others think we’re with the Traitors?” Silverlight frowned. He had not thought that far ahead, and the risk of accidentally getting killed by his allies did not sit so well with him.
“Focus on the Traitors first, and try to establish a connection with the other soldiers.”
“Whatever you say, sir.” The Pegasus saluted and called out to several others while Silverlight and the others pressed on. There was a roar from above, and Silverlight saw the Empress dueling with a massive birdlike creature. He wanted to provide some support, but there was not much he could do from his current position. Silverlight set that thought aside and pressed on, and soon his forces had reached the wall.
The wall had become a massive display of slaughter; Loyalist and Traitor clashed with one another, weapons black with blood. The butchered remains of ponies littered the ground or hung limp over the side of the wall, their blood having stained the wall bright red. The stone was slick with the stuff, and Silverlight found himself slipping several times as he moved up to the wall.
Now was not the time to worry about blood; it was a time for battle.
“For Equestria!” Silverlight cried before plowing into a large group of Traitors. The enemy was caught off guard, as if they were shocked to see one of their own turn against them. This proved to be their doom, as Silverlight was able to cut several down before they had a chance to counter. Pouring more magic into each strike, Silverlight found that he was able to rip through both armor and flesh with ease. The enemy realized that too, and started to back away as Silverlight pressed on. A small smile breaking across his lips, Silverlight pressed this advantage and tore through another rank of Traitors, relieving a small squad of Celestial Guard that had been under attack.
“You... you are the Lunar Knights that did not fall.” one of the other Loyalists said as Silverlight dispatched the last of the Traitors.
“Yes, but I’d rather not be called a Lunar Knight; might get me mistaken for a Traitor.” Silverlight turned to the other Loyalists. “How many of you are there left?”
“I don’t know. We lost contact with our company commander once the enemy reached the wall. We’ve been fighting on our own ever since.”
“You’re with me, for now.” Silverlight turned his attention back to the battle. “Provide support for us as we advance, and keep any hostile Pegasi away from us. We’ll link up with any forces we can find.”
“Yes sir.” the unicorns in the group launched spells at the gathered Traitors, killing several. As the Celestial Guard provided fire support, Silverlight and the others slammed into the enemy, the ringing of steel against steel drowning out all other sound. The Traitors tried to use their superior numbers to overwhelm the defenders, but this only made Silverlight and his fellows fight harder.
Even though he had only spoken to a few of the Empress’ Chosen, Silverlight was beginning to see why they placed so much emphasis on zeal, even in combat. As he fought his way through the enemy ranks, the Traitors howling out obscenities to their gods, he could feel some kind of energy building up inside him. In a way, he felt happy battling the enemy and knowing that their deaths would lead to worse torment. Had the situation been a little less chaotic, he might have smiled at the demise of the Traitors.
Silverlight launched a blast of magic into a group of Traitors, hoping to break them up in preparation for a charge. A unicorn in the target group tried to throw up a defensive barrier, but to both Silverlight and the Traitor’s surprise the attack passed right through the barrier as if it was not there. Two of the Traitors were blown to pieces by Silverlight’s attack, and the rest were knocked away as their fellows were destroyed. Silverlight rushed forward, sword raised, and tackled one of the enemy that was still standing. He brought the hilt of the sword down on the Traitor’s face, knocking his opponent out, before sweeping it upwards and carving another Traitor’s face off. A third Traitor pounced on Silverlight from behind, and he winced as the enemy’s weapon found a weak point in his armor. He pulled himself up as best he could and rammed the Traitor into a nearby section of wall, managing to knock the enemy off his back and send the Traitor falling to his death. Now free of the enemy, Silverlight brought his sword up into a guard position and began to advance towards the next group of Traitors.
All this time, he failed to notice that the Empress and the beast She was fighting were nowhere to be seen.
...
Celestia’s defensive barrier collapsed and She was sent reeling by the Lord of Change’s attack, Her armor causing Her to crash through several buildings before coming to a stop. With a groan She pulled Herself back to Her hooves, bringing Her sword up as the daemon landed, it’s massive size crushing several other buildings.
“You have grown weak, Anathema.” the Lord of Change said, advancing towards Her. “So many years of keeping yourself cut off from the powers of the Immaterium have hindered your abilities.”
“Believe what you would like, daemon! I shall not succumb to your trickery!”
“Such a shame that your beloved sister was not made of stronger stuff, then.” the daemon leered down at Her. “It was quite amusing to see her forsake everything you had taught her for her own selfish gains.” Celestia did not respond, instead backing up and drawing in more power for an attack. The Lord of Change saw this and launched it’s own spell, the two forces meeting and pushing against one another.
Celestia began to sweat as She poured more and more power into Her attack. For a brief moment it appeared that Her spell was overwhelming the daemon’s, but that moment vanished when the Lord of Change pushed back and Celestia’s attack began to dissipate. The ground beneath Her began to crack and buckle, and She could feel Her armor straining under the pressure.
“See, you are weak! Not even you can stand against the full might of Chaos! You will be broken, Empress, and Equestria shall fall to those that are it’s true masters!” Celestia’s strength was waning, Her legs quivering as She tried to force the daemon’s attack back. The beam slowly inched closer to Her, and She could feel the heat of the enemy’s spell prickling Her skin.
“I... I can’t... you will not-” A flurry of images rushed through Her mind; Chaos standing triumphant, Her soldiers and subjects slaughtered without remorse. Equestria, plunged into the Warp, a home for daemons and perversions of Her creations.
Worse, She saw Luna, trapped in the farthest corners of the Warp. She was scared, alone, crying out for Celestia to help her. She would have used Her power to reach out to Her little sister, but the powers of Chaos would not allow it.
She could not allow this to happen. With Her last bit of energy, She reached out into the Warp, calling out for something to stop the wave of Chaos.
She found it.
Just as Celestia’s magic was about to give way, She felt a new sensation along Her back. Newfound strength flowed into Her, and She saw that Her spell began to press back against the Lord of Change. Out of the corner of Her eyes She saw six lights, all of them forming a rough circle around Her. Her focus widened and She saw six stone orbs, the ones set within the altar of the temple She had visited.
“What... What is this?”
“You are a ‘master of fate’; why don’t you tell me?” Celestia rose into the air, the six orbs following after her. They began to spin, each one glowing a different color as they sped up. Power began to flow into Celestia, and She herself began to glow with an otherworldly light. The orbs were now spinning so fast that they seemed to melt into one another, and as Celestia opened Her eyes a rainbow shot from the orbs and struck the Lord of Change in the chest. The daemon was stunned, unable to move as the rainbow drew upwards and consumed it. Celestia thought She could hear laughter, the daemon taking one last chance to mock Her, but ignored it for now.
As She rose in the air, the world went white.
...
Yet another rank of Traitors had swarmed over the wall. By now, the defenders had been whittled down to only a few small groups scattered across the wall, and some were armed only with broken weapons and damaged armor. Silverlight was limping with a badly injured leg, and a lucky strike from a Traitor had put out his left eye, but he still stood ready to defend the walls of Canterlot against the enemy.
At least this might make up for the corruption of my fellow Legionnaires, he thought. He shifted his weight to his good leg and raised his sword, ready to strike down as many Traitors before he and his fellows were overwhelmed.
What happened next caught everypony off guard. Instead of being struck by a wave of Traitors, the defenders were swept up in a wave of magic from behind. The force of the wave was enough that Silverlight had to plant his sword in the ground to avoid being knocked over, but the Traitors ahead were much less lucky. Some were swept from the walls and fell to their dooms, but others were hoisted up in the air and began to glow with light. Silverlight raised his good hoof to his eyes just as the suspended Traitors exploded, dissolving into magical residue and fading into nothing. Of course, Constructs... why didn’t I remember that?
The magical force continued outward, consuming more of the Traitors while others were merely killed or incapacitated. There was an explosion, and Silverlight watched as a disk of light expanded out over Canterlot and the surrounding countryside, dispersing clouds and causing the mountains around them to shake. As the sound died down, Silverlight lowered his hoof and looked out on the battered fields before Canterlot.
The armies of Nightmare Moon were dead or gone. Only the Loyalists remained.
“I did not expect that to happen.” a voice said behind the army. Silverlight and the others turned as Celestia landed. Aside from glowing brightly with magical power, She now possessed five necklaces and a crown, all of which were glowing even brighter than the Empress Herself. “I suppose there are some aspects of the Warp that even I will never understand.”
“Empress,” Silverlight said, bowing low as She approached. “Is it over? Have we won?”
“We have won here,” Celestia said, not looking down at him. “But there are still servants of Nightmare Moon that need to be dealt with, and she herself has most likely escaped this battle.”
“Then we’ll pursue her?” Celestia was silent, looking out over the battlefield before responding.
“... No. Rest here, then go to Cloudsdale and relieve the Wonderbolts and Western Rangers. I shall face Nightmare Moon on my own.” Silverlight blinked and stood to face Celestia.
“You can’t! If she can form an army out of nothing, then she’ll be just as powerful as you, if not more powerful. If you go alone, you could die.” Celestia was silent again, turning Her head to the west. The sun had already began to sink low on the horizon, bathing Equestria in red and gold.
“I know.” She said. “But it is a risk I am willing to take.” With that, she spread Her wings and took to the sky, vanishing in a flash of light as She cleared the wall. Silverlight and the others stood in silence, watching the spot where Celestia had vanished.
Empress... I hope that you are right.
...
From her position on the next peak, Nightmare Moon smiled. Yes, losing a Lord of Change was a disappointment, but Celestia was on Her own now. Either She had begun to seek out death and danger in hopes of ending Her life, or She had seriously overestimated Her ability to stand against Nightmare Moon.
It was most likely the latter. The Anathema could have ended it long ago, but She did not. She pressed on, hoping to achieve victory over the forces of Chaos. What an amusing and foolish goal, she thought as she turned away from Canterlot.
Nightmare Moon dissolved into a cloud of blue smoke and drifted towards Everfree. Everything was set in motion; her plan was almost ready, and with her army defeated she could focus on the larger picture. Like the Traitor Marines before them, the ponies would have only caused difficulties, but now she was free of them, and she could summon an army of daemons to carry out the final stages of her plan. As she needed to do now was kill Celestia.
Even in her aetherial form, Nightmare Moon smiled. Everything was going exactly as she had planned.
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Damn... I think in the beginning of the chapter we are starting to see the transition to the Celestia we know and love... I await the next chapter, the one battle that defines a nation...
or
Which is it? Because I see both in there, and I am under the assumption that you are referring to the same person/pony.
2986385 ...
I meant Silverlight. I got comfortable using Silversmith from Mare of Steel and I got the two mixed up here.
2986398
YDG'd
Nightmare Moon's about to get owned.
I like this, I really do.
But honestly, it's just the Horus Heresy all over again.
The Emperor would have learned from his mistakes, and Luna didn't really do anything to earn the loyalty of half of the legions, like Horus did.
Haven't read it yet but honestly just for the part of me that is a warhammer fanatic thumbs up!
I was thinking about inquiring about this one, since it had been neglected for so long, and your other stories had been taking precedent as of late. It's good to have at least one update for the summer.
Silverlight, the first inquisitor... Please tell me I'm right.
Nice chapter as always. I'm only sad because Luna had no chance to use Elements or anything, but my headcannon (with Luna as bearer of Generosity, Honesty, Loyalty and Celestia as bearer of Laughter, Kidness, Magic) have noting to do with story when Celestia is Emperor from Warhammer 40k ;)
Good stuff, can't wait for "final" pew-pew-pew.
So, the final battle is about to happen.
2987999 That or Grey Knight, I cant seem to remember their origins (Pre Codex at least).
Quick grammar correction, if that's okay
: the possessive form of "it" doesn't have an apostrophe before the 'S', so the correct spelling would be "its"; "it's" is actually a contraction of "it" and "is". I just thought I'd let you know, because I'm seeing it quite a bit in this story.
2989473 I'm pretty close to that myself. I figure Luna had Kindness, Loyalty, and Generosity, while Celestia had Magic, Laughter, and Honesty. Mostly because I see Luna handling intelligence-gathering and other subtle things where having to fight being honest would be a problem.
Either way, it makes Luna's fall even more tragic, while explaining why it happened far too well.
Holy Throne, was not expecting Fateweaver to show up!
That "Suffer not the heretic to live". That was fucking amazing.
Totally was not thinking about the spirit of Kaldor Draigo. YUP. TOTALLY NOT.
Take heed, ye who have surrendered to the Darkness
We shall be unbowed and unbroken
For where there is darkness, Her light shall shine
And the darkness shall retreat.
joined by a cloud of arrows and magic blasts
Even as Celestia’s initial attack ran it’s course
burning energy racing away from Her and consuming everything in it’s path
a beam of light shooting out and consuming everything in it’s path
and I am it’s herald
light forming around it’s staff as it flew
I must find a way to overwhelm it’s connection to the Warp
The Lord of Change saw this and launched it’s own spell
shall fall to those that are it’s true masters
1. Extra spacing here.
2. Its.
3. Its.
4. Its.
5. Its.
6. Its.
7. Its.
8. Its.
9. Its.
Silverlight's sword looks like this, doesn't it?:
http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Silverlight
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/runescape2/images/e/ed/Silverlight_detail.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/150?cb=20150811022406
One quick note, but what was summoned wasn't just a Lord of Change, but that was definitely Kairos Fateweaver, the most powerful Daemonic servant of Tzeentch, possibly surpassed in raw Psyonic might by Magnus, but with foresight far surpassing the Daemon Primarch.
8545350
.... probably not. That sword looks terrible for combat. That's a nice mantle piece tho.
Uriah that you?