Turbulence
—— Shards of Hatred ——
---- Chapter XXI: Turbulence ----
I’ve got to find her!
His hooves pounded out a rhythm that his heart easily followed, guiding him through the many different alleyways throughout the city and allowing him to avoid the worst of the conflict. Though his talents would have been served better on the frontline with the rest of the Guard, Celestia herself had conceded her arguments to his own. He knew the city, therefore he would be the best candidate to sneak into the castle alone and find his wife. It had only taken him a few minutes of pressing that point until he had finally been granted permission to go away from the main invasion force and find his wife, something that he and Celestia both knew he’d have done regardless of whatever orders he would have been under. He was a ruler of his own empire, not her little soldier any longer.
Damnit, wish I was a pegasus sometimes! Wouldn’t have to run around in the streets like this. Just then he looked up to see a guard falling straight from the sky with what looked like the back end of a crystal arrow poking out from a chink in his armor. Or perhaps the streets are the safer option. Part of him wanted to go and try and help the pony that had fallen, but he knew there wasn’t anything he could do. Sombra’s black crystals did more than just hurt when they stabbed you, they left you a weak and shattered form of yourself; they were pure poison for ponies. If the guard hadn’t been killed by the impact, the darkness from the arrow would have ended his life sooner rather than later.
Almost as he had been planning it, one of the black-crystal ponies jumped out in front of him with shards of glimmering crystal sticking out from his slashing hooves. Shining Armor barely avoided getting cut, and instead of galloping around the attacker spun and kicked out with a hoof, despite the fact that that was his most vulnerable part. After the crystal pony had hit the ground, the golden-armored stallion didn’t waste a second of time as he conjured a magical shield to hold his foe in place for another pony to find and hopefully finish off. The last time Sombra had taken over and had been defeated, there were still those who were under his control who were still fighting. Celestia and Luna had tried everything to save their minds and bodies, but in the end nothing could be done to save them.
It was something that every single stallion and mare involved in the invasion was told: no mercy for those taken by Sombra; they couldn’t be saved. Shining Armor dashed out into a street, dodging around the few crystal ponies that were there searching for threats. By the time they had realized what just passed by them in a blur and rush of wind, he was already long gone. The magical traps he laid around their hooves, however, let them know immediately that it was somepony with the invading force, not that they could do anything about it after tripping said traps.
He galloped down another side alleyway, dodging around a few piles of garbage without paying any mind to the shapes of ponies that were buried amongst the rest of the refuse. He had to focus on the ponies he could still save rather than mourn those who had already died; there would be time enough for that later. His gaze darted up to the castle that was in the center of the entire city, jutting out into the sky like some giant darkened-blue needle.
That was when he was knocked to the ground. Feeling like a wall had just smacked into him, he leapt up in a daze to try and fend off whoever had tackled him. He hesitated for a moment as he saw not one but two ponies looking at him warily, daggers held in their mouths with a wild look in their eyes. Daggers? Sombra’s forces use spears just like the Guard does. Shining Armor squashed the thought quickly, resolving to neutralizing his opponents before they could do so to him. As his horn flashed brightly, another figure smashed into him with a piercing scream. “Shining!”
He had almost bucked fallen to the ground when his instincts kicked in, his body spinning around and flinging whoever had tackled him the second time into the air. It only took him a split second to do so, but after he had grabbed the pony with a capturing spell Shining Armor felt the cold steel of a blade on his throat, finding his eyes enraptured in the hard gaze of one of the dagger-holding ponies. “I advise you to put the Crystal Princess down, lest you find yourself with a lot less blood in your body and air to boot.”
After a few more seconds of staring down the pony and weighing his options, a gear clicked in his head. Crystal… Princess? Shining Armor looked up to see his wife suspended in midair by his magic, a mixture of shock and relief flooding through his body. Within seconds he had lowered her to a safe height and released the spell, pushing aside the dagger that was still being held against him and running to her. “Cadence!”
For the third time that day, Shining Armor felt like he had been hit by a wall. It had been a never-ending source of embarrassment that his wife was actually physically stronger than him, being an Alicorn and all, though in this case he was simply too relieved and overjoyed to see his wife safe amongst all of this chaos to care about the painful hug she gave him. The seconds that they were holding each other seemed to last forever, or at least long enough that the pony who had been holding Shining at dagger-point let out a gruff cough to draw their attention to him.
“I know that a reunion is all good and well, Princess and Prince, but I believe it’d be wise to move on to where we were going and away from the corrupted crystal slaves to Sombra who are trying to kill us?”
Shining was the one to actually break their hug apart despite how much he wanted to remain there with his hooves around his wife forever. “Where were you going to?”
The more cheerful looking one who had been keeping a watch for anypony who might be looking for them stepped over, a small and witty smile on his face. “Well, considering that the army of Equestria is invading, I’d hazard a guess that it’s either an attempt at reclaiming the Empire from Sombra, or it’s a rescue attempt aimed at our Princess here.”
The other stallion scowled at was obviously his brother. “I’d rather nothing was ‘aimed’ at the Princess, Dodger, so get back to watching our backs.”
Shining Armor shook his head, looking behind himself all the same and turning back to the two who had been escorting his wife. “It’s actually both of those things, and something more as well. I was meant to infiltrate the castle and save Cadence, while the main forces of Equestria are aimed instead at reclaiming the Empire from Sombra. There’s also a third force.” He looked at Cadence for a second, his worry mirrored by her own eyes, before casting his gaze over to the castle and frowning. “Six mares, to be precise, aimed at destroying Sombra himself.”
“Six….” Cadence gasped suddenly, her hoof shooting up to her mouth in horror. “No… Shining you can’t be serious… C-Celestia sent… sh-she sent them t-“
“To take on Sombra, yeah. Twily and the rest of the Elements of Harmony are in there, that’s why Celestia is throwing her forces into the city. They’re just the distraction so they can fight Sombra alone.”
Cadence reacted in just the way he expected her to, spreading her wings and turning back towards the castle. “We have to go and help them!” Just as she leapt into the air, a wall of magic closed off the sky to her. Shining Armor didn’t flinch as she rounded on him with a wild glare. “Shining!? We have to go and help them fight him! They can’t do this alone!”
He looked her dead in the eyes and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Cadence.”
The gaze turned murderous as she stepped up to him and shoved her face into his. “Remove. Your. Spell.”
Shining Armor only shook his head again. “I’m sorry, Cadence, but my mission is to rescue you, not to interfere with the Elements. Besides, we would likely only get in the way. Sombra would only brush you aside with his magic after canceling out mine with those crystals of his.”
Just as it seemed like Cadence was going to leap upon her husband, Jumping Jack stepped forward quickly and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Peace, Cadence, Prince Armor is right in his reasoning. We would only be swept aside and more than likely used against those ponies that are going to fight him, as it sounds as if you are close to them.”
“Yeah, come on Princess, we need to get out of here!” Dodger stepped over and laid a hoof over the bristling mare’s shoulder, trying his best to diffuse the situation. “The faster we get to the Equestrians the faster we can rest and be safe.”
“Dodger!” Jumping Jack glared at his brother with one that nearly rivaled Cadence’s from a moment before. “I thought I told you to watch our backs!”
“Oh relax, Jumping, it’s not like our mindless foes will think to sear—“ Time seemed to slow as the stallion’s words were cut off by a jagged bolt of crystal that was now jutting through his throat, his eyes widening in pain and fear for a split second before growing dim and glazed over. It only took a second for the pony to crumple to the ground, but it felt like forever until his brother shouted out in rage and despair.
“Dodger no!” The silver steel of a blade whistled through the air in the next second that passed, entering the forehead of the pony who had shot the bolt of corruption. The eyes of at least twelve more corrupted ponies were in the entrance to the alley, two pairs of which were put out by another set of daggers that flew through the air. “I’ll kill all of you!” His roar of rage was cut short by a magical field forming in front of him to block at least six darts of blackened crystal from piercing his body. Hooves wrapped around him, but he fought them as much as he could. A voice shouted in his ear, but he couldn’t hear it. At least, until he was thrown on his own hooves and shoved forward into a gallop.
“Come on, Jumping! We need to get out of here before they break through!” Cadence had tears in her eyes as she galloped as hard as she could, trying desperately to keep pace with Shining Armor at the same time as urging on the grief-stricken stallion. “Let’s go! There’s time enough for mourning him later! You can’t do anything but die here!” The order was enough to keep him going, but he couldn’t see anything besides the last look of pain on his brother’s face and the wavering form of a white stallion in front of him.
“Come on, this way!” They rounded another bend, coming face to face with a squad of golden-armored stallions who, upon recognizing them, instantly circled around their little group and began to escort them behind the frontlines. Only when they reached a camp on the outskirts of the city were they allowed to rest.
Only when he finally sat down with the others did Jumping bury his head in his hooves, tears streaming down his face for the first time in twenty years.
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I wish we'd seen Sombra's army in the show...
Aw... I just love tearful reunions.
R.I.P., Dodger...
Wait so the mane 6 are being sent to fight sombra? You had better not be skipping their reunion in the next chapter for when they first meet back up, that would be cheap. At least I think I would.
Also sending the mane 6 in after twilight has just been recovered, yeah that is bound to end badly.
Wow... their tactical abilities are pathetic, standing out in the open just waiting to be attacked.
A single Al Qaeda cel would have conquered the entire Empire in a day and ruled with more evil than Sombra could ever conceive!
SEND IN SEAL TEAM 6, ASAP!!
*Sombra is blown away in minutes* PWN'D.
R.I.P, Dodger boy...
3247804 Yeah, Equestria's military is absolutely pathetic from what I've observed. Take, for example, the changeling attack. They were ambushed, granted, but did NOBODY think to look up at the GIANT SWARM OF INSECTS THAT WERE BASHING THE BARRIER? OR the fact that Cadence was being abnormally rude? You'd think a woman about to get hitched would be more... I dunno, happy? OR, the fact that Shining Armor looked like he was stoned RIGHT THERE ON THE ALTAR?
Also, in the Wonderbolt Academy episode, we saw a first-class look into their Air Force, and their training. You have knowledge of how a drill sergeant is SUPPOSED to act, right? Spitfire let them MOVE AT THE POSITION OF ATTENTION. AND she let them hit the chow area early. She was also pretty easy on Lightning Dust, who nearly wrecked the academy, and nearly injured five visiting civilians. WHAT?
In conclusion, Equestria's lack of warfare makes them a weak and pathetic nation, too reliant upon their immortal princesses (who aren't that unbeatable, mind you) and six women who fry things with their friendship. Seriously. SIX. LITTLE. GIRLS. BEING. FRIENDS. THAT is their prime defense. It's a weapon that could collapse at the slightest disagreement, which seems to happen a lot. Not to mention, take out one Element, then what? I mean, it's like they're ASKING to get roasted. I can summarize how to conquer Equestria in a single list:
1.) Remove Captain of the Guard, he's their only decent spell caster (and the only unicorn I've seen in the guard)
2.) Capture one of the Elements of Harmony and get her as FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE (If you don't want to take any chances, kill the one you take)
3.) Break one of the Elements (not necessary, if you took the extra mile on step 2)
4.) Use guerrilla warfare on the whole country
5.) Watch as they break down and beg for mercy
6.) Strut into Canterlot like you f*cking OWN THE PLACE, which you do now
7.) YOU WIN!
... Or you can just call in Deadpool, if you want to make it easy on yourself.
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3248416 Well, let's be honest, the villains of Equestria aren't that bright either, so the ponies don't really have to try very hard.
Back to the changelings, just look at how horribly Chrysalis and her kind squandered their perfect infiltration ability, mind-control powers, and ability to gain more power than an alicorn just by eating love!
At least Discord had the excuse of it all being only a game to him that he never took very seriously. The changelings were supposedly TRYING to win!
Stupid big-ponies. Squish em!
3248916 And Sombra... He was good, but he never expected an annoying little dragon to bring the Crystal Heart to where it needed to be. Or that Shining Armor would throw his wife. He lost simply because he was taken by surprise.
AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON SUNSET SHIMMER! She wanted to use human teenagers to take over a world full of magical horses, and when they went through he portal, THEY WOULD BECOME HORSES TOO! They would have NO IDEA how to use any of their powers! Granted, she DID have a MacGuffin in her arsenal, but still, TEENAGERS?
3249015 *Alondro's reaction to the mention of... *cringe* Sunset... Sh-imm-er...
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3249619 Well, THAT was because they weren't HYPNOTIZED. And they were the freaking Power Rangers. No explanation needed.
3249627 You know, the manga will continue in November. And there's going to be a second anime, more manga-like. Think FMA Brotherhood, but with a sexy kitty.
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Yes, I'm well aware she's a cat (or to be more accurate, she is a Cat Monster (化け猫 Bake Neko in Japanese)). Should I remind you this is a show where the legendary sword Excalibur of Arthurian legend is in reality a half-naked animal thing with a cane and an English seaweed roll hat with eyes that look like a five-year-old's arts and crafts project? And there's a guy with a bear mask that can turn into a mirror and can speak monkey?
3249721 That manga/anime is gloriously bizarre. From the commentary episodes with the English voice actors, they really got into their characters and had a blast with it. (I own the box set of the first anime.)
Excalibur is best character. Ever.
Anyway, he's supposed to be one of the other Great Old Ones. If I had to guess, he sounds like he perfectly represents the Madness of Vanity: glorious, all-powerful sword, grants the weilder almost absurd abilities, constantly talks about himself and continuously re-invents his own story to make it more adventurous and gradiose.
copying q, then hit Ctrl+v if you don't already it will flow much quicker than right clicking.
You could always try an on-screen keyboard to type the q key. Or download keytweak and assign it to another key.
3250013 Actually, he's the Madness of Rage. He's just that f*cking annoying.
The other four Mad Gods (that's what I call them) that are still alive are:
Lord Death, who represents Order; Asura, who represents Terror; Black Mass (the thing in the end of the Book of Eibon that looks like Cthulhu made of ink) who represents Power; and Eibon represents Wisdom. There are three others, but Asura ate their souls before the series began. We do know one was Vajra, the knife-thingy he can puke up to fire laser beams from. I predict Vajra might have been representing the madness of Love or Joy, since Death specifically wanted him/her to be partnered with Asura to control his fears. The other two's identities are a mystery that shall likely be revealed in the continuation of it starting in November.
3251611 That's rather... odd... He doesn't really elicit rage.
Maybe the madness of random babbling?
See, I was under the impression that the Great Old Ones themselves were victims of their own madness, and I applied that to his behavior.
Kidd was utterly OCD about symmetry, being the Madness of Order.
Eibon was completely engulfed in his experimentation and inventions, being the madness of Intelligence.
Asura was filled with endless terror, being the Madness of Fear.
And so, since he's a narcissistic, self-obsessed pest who NEVER stopped talking about his amazingness, Excalibur seemed to be the Madness of Vanity.
Maybe I can take that role! I'm a narcissistic, self-obsessed pest! And I am the most awesome being in the multiverse too!
3254404 Well, it's more than that. Similar to that, but not really.
See, people who have great control of their inner Madness are able to suppress the emotion associated with it. Lord Death is a nice guy, and can allow for a few breaking of rules, with exceptions of course. He's plenty in control of his Madness. Asura, however, does not. He's dominated by Terror. All he focuses on is his own fears of others. Poor Madness control. Which means... Excalibur has the most control of his Madness! Wait, a person's soul wavelength is also corrupted by their madness, which means they naturally spread their Madness to others. Meaning Excalibur might actually have the least control of his Madness, and acts the way he does simply without knowing it, because his Madness demands others be enraged.
Another example: Black Mass has moderate Madness control, he's able to focus his Madness wavelength and make others submit to their own Madness without making them be affected by his Madness of Power. But he's also instinctively craving power in any way, shape, or form. See?
Also, in the latest chapters of the manga, Asura claimed that Shinigami, natural bearers of the Madness of Order, can 'make others their puppets'. Meaning very high-level masters of Madness Wavelength can use it for more than just spreading Madness. Or perhaps it's just a Shinigami-exclusive power. Ah, well, you get the picture. I'm going to bed!
3254898 Hmm, but Excalibur doesn't use his Madness' power to cause rage.
His unbelievably annoying banter does that.
Seriously, if a regular guy just kept droning on and on about that, wouldn't you feel like beating him to death after several hours?
Perhaps he has such incredible skill with his Madness, he knows exactly how to evoke it without even drawing upon his power!
Perhaps... EXCALIBUR HAS BEEN THE MASTERMIND OF EVERYTHING ALL ALONG!! DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNN!!
Blame Discord for the Q issues
3256708 That's the idea. His Madness Wavelength instead directly affects HIM so he annoys everyone else. He's unique in that way. Don't know why, but he is.
3257600 Because Excalibur is JUST... THAT... BAWSS.
Rest in peace Dodger