• Published 30th Nov 2012
  • 26,017 Views, 5,397 Comments

Into the Black: A Mare's Tale - shirotora



Twilight is flung into the farthest reaches of the galaxy

  • ...
117
 5,397
 26,017

PreviousChapters Next
Chapter 42: The First Shots

“Dear god...” Admiral Gibson was stunned for a second at the sheer number of enemy vessels. It wasn't some small fleet meant to take out a low-tech world. This was a fleet meant to attack an Alliance world, which meant they expected them to be there. “All Ships, lock onto adept capable targets and prepare to fire mass drivers! Unicorns activate mass driver magic shells!” he watched through the view screen as the front of his ship and every other glowed in a multitude of colors. “Fire!”

The ship shuddered as the incredibly powerful cannon fired its payload. The rainbowed warhead streaked toward its still shielded target. Every breath was held as they prayed. Instead of the rippling impact of metal on shielding, the warhead burrowed into the hull and detonated, rending the ship in half. The breaths that were being held were released in a cheer.

“Damn right! Reload and fire at will! Release fighters, and keep those bombers back! Unicorns, keep those shield spells at the ready and raise them the second you're instructed!” Admiral continued barking orders and keeping in constant communication with his captains.

A flash of light erupted as the ponies aboard the ship beside them failed to cast their shield spell in time. A warhead from a Dratali adept ship passed through the shields and obliterated it. Luna looked on in tears as hundreds died, several of them her own subjects.

“God damn it! We can't afford to lose what ships we have!” Gibson shouted.

The invaders seized the gap in the defenders line and several small ships shot through before it could be close up.

“Shit, shit, shit!” the Admiral hit a few buttons on his chair, “This is Admiral Gibson, Dratali landers have broken through! Armor, activate the Crystal Heart's spell! Pegasus units, shoot down any you can! Ground unicorns, converge on the heave landers, they likely have shielded units! Hayes, report!”

All Luna saw the entire time was the debris of the destroyed ship. She could see the shapes of her ponies floating lifelessly in the void. Unlike her sister, she wasn't really a fighter. She's never seen this kind of violence. She may have been the more powerful of the two, but Luna lacked the skill Celestia had. It was one of the things Luna was always so jealous of her for. Even when her Nightmare made her already vast magical power even greater, Celestia still beat her. These thoughts flowed through her mind as she watched one of the figures floating toward the screen. Luna could just start to make out her terrified face, frozen in the cold of space.

“Princess Luna,” Admiral Gibson brought her out of her trance, “Maybe you should return to the planet.”

“No, I need to be here with my ponies in space,” Luna responded, “Celestia is down there for them.”

“Is she going to be alright without you?”

Luna laughed heartily, “Worry not for her, dear Admiral. If the Dratali feared Twilight, then they have no hope against my sister.”

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

“You heard the man!” Shining Armor shouted over the gathered crystal ponies, “Hit it!”

With that, the singing rose to a fast melody, feeding the Crystal Heart with their energy. The powerful artifact rose higher, glowing violently red with power.

“Cadence, now!”

“Right!” the crystal princess focused her own magic into the heart.

Shining Armor gasped as the shockwave that was released flowed through him. He felt his nervousness leave him as energy filled him, and the thought of killing a sentient being, while still didn't feel good, was bearable. He suddenly felt like he could take on an army.

If this is what the rest of the world is feeling, Then we just might have a chance.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Celestia watched as the first of the landing crafts began their descent to the fields at the foot of Canterlot Mountain. Her pegasi immediately began their assault. The princess smiled when she saw bolts of lightning lancing from one as she left a rainbow in her wake. She figured she would be one of the first ones in the fray. As much as Celestia wanted to fire at the ships, she knew she would need to conserve her magic. That and the risk of hurting her ponies was too great. They managed to shoot down two of the craft before the others landed and their murderous passengers poured out.

Celestia stepped forward and bellowed, “You are not welcome here! If you come here seeking death then you will find it at the edge of Excalibur!

The blade sang against its scabbard as it was released by Celestia's magic. The mirror-like blade glistened in the light of the sun as she charged down the field, bullets bouncing harmlessly off her shield. The first of the Dratali she reached had a look of pure terror on his face that remained even as the head it was attached to tumbled to the ground. The legendary sword danced through the air, dispatching foes as it moved. A couple bolts of magic flew toward the diarch only to be dissolved by the weapon. Celestia grinned knowing that there was no magic that Excalibur couldn't cut. Her grin faded when she felt hundreds of magic pulses as more Dratali flashed onto the battlefield.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Applejack gritted her teeth. She watched as the ships landed in the plains at the bottom of the mountain. She watched as the first of the invaders charged. She watched as more of them were teleported onto the battlefield. She watched as the Princess fought them by herself at first before being joined by the rest of the army. She watched... and it infuriated her.

“We should be down there!” she hollered at no one in particular, “They need our help, and we’re stuck up here!”

“Now, now, Applejack,” Fluttershy said soothingly, “Somepony needs to be here to protect the city if any of them break through.”

“Ah know, Fluttershy,” the farm mare conceded, “Ah just don't like sittin’ 'round doin' nothin' while there's fightin' goin' on right there.”

“Don't worry Ms. Applejack, you'll get your chance.” Applejack turned to see the new voice. “I'm Jynx Charm, Research and Development at Canterlot University. I have some things that might help you out when they reach the city. First off is this,” she held out a small device, slightly larger than a hoof, “It's a personal shield projector. It's not very strong, but it should absorb a few shots.”

Applejack, Fluttershy, Parry, Vinyl, Pinkie and a couple nomad ponies from the southern desert all strapped one on and activated it. Just as they did, an earth shattering ka-boom filled the air. The group of defenders looked down to the battlefield just in time to see a rainbow cloud blowing away in the wind.

“Way to go Dashie!” Pinkie cheered.

“Impressive,” Jynx commented, “I have one more thing for you. These are storm grenades, an old pegasus weapon.”

“Invented by Professor Feather during the three tribes era,” Fluttershy continued for her, earning her amused glances from her friends, “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you want to say it?” she hid behind her hair.

“That's fine, Ms. Fluttershy,” Jynx chuckled, “I'm actually quite impressed. These days it seems only earth ponies are interested in their history. Unicorns only care about their prestige, and pegasi only think about athletic competition.”

“Oh, I love my people's history,” Fluttershy said a little more comfortably, “I'm very proud of my heritage.”

“I'm glad,” the researcher smiled before continuing, “Anyway, these are essentially storm clouds condensed into a spherical shell. They hold an intense electrical charge due to the extreme compression. Once the cloud is released so is the charge, zapping anything nearby.”

“That sounds pretty awful,” AJ winced.

“Yeah, it is,” Jynx agreed, “But it's that, or we all die.”

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Priest Vlis stalked through the underbrush of what High Archon Xander said was the Everfree forest. His enforcers were standing ready aboard the transport vessel just outside the planet's gravity well. Finally he saw his target, the small rural town called Ponyville. The town didn't look as important as the High Archon said it was. He said the rulers of the heretic mages held the populous of the town in high regard. Capturing the residents and holding them would give them leverage in forcing their surrender. Vlis scoffed at the thought of capturing plague beings, but he saw the logic in it. They had to find out how these demons obtained the sacred gift.

With his target found, he turned and held out his hands. The magic rich planet quickly fed his spell, and in a burst of fire, a clearing was made. The Archon went to the center and spread his magic over the area. With a flash of light, thirty five fine warriors appeared.

“Remember,” he called out, “High Archon Xander has need of these beasts alive. We are to kill none, but injure any who do not submit.”

With that he made his way to the head of the group and lead them past tree line and out of the forest. The troops formed rank and began their march into town. As expected the residents cowered in their homes, afraid of the holy warriors. The priest made his way to the center of town and cast a spell that broadcast his voice to everyone in the area.

“Residents of Ponyville. Exit your homes and come before us and no harm will befall you. Refuse and you will be forced from your homes on broken legs.”

“Do you swear?” a voice came from behind him.

He turned to see a light brown pony with a gray mane and glasses. She exuded an air of leadership making Vlis assume she was the mayor. He smiled and answered, “You have my word. You are more valuable alive than dead, and keeping you whole will make things easier on both of us.”

The mayor thought for a few moments before calling, “Come out! We'll do as they say for now.”

Slowly, but surely doors opened and before long a couple hundred ponies stood shaking in fear around them. Vlis addressed the gathering, “You are going to be coming with us.”

“What if we refuse?” a voice called out.

Vlis laughed, “Don't. I already know of the peaceful nature of ponies. Do not think that a peaceful race like yours could defeat us.”

The mayor closed her eyes and sighed, “You're right. Ponies just aren't fighters,” She looked up at the Archon with a malicious grin, “Good thing we’re not ponies.”

The last thing he saw was a flash of green fire.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Rainbow Dash continued to fire bolt after bolt at the ships as they tried to land. She and the other pegasi managed to destroy four so far. Her bolt launcher was only one of four out there, and the rifles the Alliance gave them were useless. Luckily, however, one of those egghead ponies at the University revived an old pegasus weapon, storm grenades. Thankfully, the lightning from these weapons seemed to tear at shields rather quickly.

Several flashes of light from below drew Rainbow's attention. Dratali were appearing out of thin air. Twilight said they used runes to teleport, so there has to be one... she thought to herself. There! She spotted a group of glowing symbols and deduced that they must be the runes bringing the reinforcements. She flew a bit higher and turned into a dive bomb. She accelerated until she felt that familiar barrier start to crack but didn't break it just yet. She watched the ground fast approach. She had to time this just right. It was hard with the wing blades, but she knew she could manage. Just when she was mere feet from a painful collision, she flared her wings and stopped. The cone of concentrated pegasus magic that was the beginnings of a rainboom continued the last foot without its maker, impacting the ground and mixing with the earth magic that permeated the soil of Avol. The resulting multi-hued explosion was as beautiful as it was deadly. Dratali soldiers were sent flying in every direction as the very ground was torn up, destroying the runes inscribed.

“Oh, man,” Rainbow Dash groaned as she recovered from the blast.

Though being above it was the safest place to be, she wasn't spared completely. Her ears rang and her head pounded in anger at her reckless actions. A shimmer of light in front of her caught her attention. Her eyes widened as the Dratali adept dropped his shield and raised a burning hand toward the downed pegasus. The lizard man gave a cruel smirk before disappearing under a massive purple fist. Rainbow Dash blinked several times, comprehension far away. Her gaze trailed up the massive scaled arm, until she came the the smiling face of the dragon it belonged to.

“Sorry I’m late, babe,” he said, “The spell took longer than I thought.”

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

The tower room echoed with a unicorn's screams. She didn't know how long it had been, only that it hurt... a lot.

Is this right? She somehow managed to think through the pain. Starswirl must have done something wrong.

She could feel it. It was moving inside her, trying to claw its way out...

And it was succeeding.

PreviousChapters Next