Chapter 1: Call Me Luna

Moon, Nightmare Moon
Solaris System, Selene, Hidden Citadel of the Nyx
21 June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

“Reclaimer input requested.”

The vaguely distant and slightly muffled digitized voice repeated constantly in seven second intervals, which was starting to drive the alicorn in its vicinity to the cusp of sheer madness … if only the alicorn herself had not already been of questionable sanity to begin with.

“Silence!”

“Reclaimer input requested.”

“... that was the only warning you had, fool. You will now face the wrath of the Nightmare!”

With all the speed of a bolt of lightning, the dark-coated form of Nightmare Moon shot out from her bed in search for the source of the offending noise that dared to usurp the peace of her private chambers. Her search was short-lived, however, for Nightmare quickly discovered that the source in question was a rather out of the ordinary sight for her room’s balcony.

What had previously been just an ornately-decorated but otherwise inert silver balustrade was now overlayed by the luminescent glow of holography; ancient technology that the Nyx’s palace came equipped with, yet saw little to no use by Nightmare herself over the centuries.

As far as Nightmare was concerned, the citadel was far older than any piece of movable furniture or living creature within its halls, but beyond the annoying surprises like this terminal that the citadel sometimes produced, the fact was entirely irrelevant to her machinations.

“Proximity alert … scanning.” The digitized voice paused as the system proceeded to scan Nightmare Moon from mane to hoof with a field of iridescent blue light. “Lineage confirmed … stand by …” It scanned one more. “Princess Luna Stellanatus confirmed, Amaranthine Throne override engaged and the Cathedral is now accessible. Welcome, Your Highness. Unfortunately, the Domain remains currently inaccessible due to indeterminate cause. Beginning automated message: attention, by high authority of the Crystal Senate, the Reclamation Measure and all associated protocols have been enacted. Please consult the nearest Celestial for assistance with Key dispensation procedure.”

As foreign text and technical diagrams flashed across the holographic screen, whatever significance the data had was completely lost on the alicorn. She simply blinked at the flashing reds and blues with wild, feline-like eyes, which were charged with pent up anticipation for her impending conquest.

“I have not the time for this. Off with you!” With a simple swing of her hoof, the hologram stilted and died as its projector was reduced to a piece of crumpled mithril and some form of solid light that flickered away to nothing.

Nightmare let out a sigh as she then flexed her muscles and wings, briefly taking in the sight from her position. The balcony overlooked a mostly flat sea of dark, argent lunar rock with distant craters of varying size visible. It was one of Selene’s many basaltic mares.

All of it was presided over by the alicorn’s most sought after prize, the blue-green orb hanging in the sky above. It was a sight Nightmare had seen thousands upon thousands of times over.

What she had not beheld once, however, were the anomalous and changeable lights now perched on the far horizon. There was also the conspicuous glow and artificial clusters of light that Equis now possessed on its side that was supposed to be currently shrouded in the embrace of nighttime.

Nightmare’s eyes narrowed.

As expected, the scheduled restoration of her citadel, from almost a thousand years’ residence in the secure pocket semi-alternate dimension of her design, had returned them to a greatly changed moon. She then turned away from the balcony to regard the posh interior of her bedchambers, pondering what even greater changes must have transpired on her former homeworld.

Striding around the sizeable form of her veiled four-poster bed and towards an unopened armoire reminded the corrupted demigoddess that it would be her home once again. She would see to that personally.

With a reverent tug of cyan and violet-sparked magic, the crystal of the armoire creaked open slightly, revealing the full mithril battle regalia inside to a grinning Nightmare Moon; her lips parted to expose her reptilian-like teeth. The helmet, breastplate, and shoes all awaited their master’s approval as they all hung neatly in their pride of place against the armoire’s back wall.

First to be equipped, the chestpiece was secured to its owner with a neat clicking of its straps, its unnaturally cold surface somehow granting an invigorating warmth to its wearer. Nightmare proceeded to step into the armoured shoes, before slamming her now mithril-clad hooves against the floor of her room to test their durability. They were still as formidable-feeling as the day of their forging. Last to follow was the helmet, which Nightmare slowly slid down over her horn, coming to rest it upon the top of her flowing mane and skull.

With her armour in place, Nightmare began to cast a spell, one that would begin her first true effort to scrutinize the world she and her Nightmare Forces had returned to. Simple but vastly-reaching in its purpose, a field of magic quickly exuded out from her horn, through the walls, and into the barely visible atmosphere of Equis’ moon.

Travelling at the speed of light, the spell’s magical field rebounded across deep space at the edge of the star system before returning to the citadel and Nightmare Moon’s horn in the span of mere seconds.

As raw clairvoyant data began pouring into Nightmare’s consciousness, her earlier grin only grew in size. Corresponding with the soon to be eclipsing of Solaris on Equis in time for the Summer Sun Celebration in Equestria, bright matter streams were in flux all across the star system in Selene and Equis’ favour. This meant that enough residual cosmic magic would soon be at Nightmare’s disposal to teleport her and her entire force to the planet above, overpowering Celestia and the Elements’ ancient but fading wards that prevented such a return in the centuries prior.

“Soon,” Nightmare Moon licked at her lips, “so soon that it can already be tasted. Conquest! Vengeance! An eclipse that, this time, will praise not the glory of her, but the true might and majesty of I, Nightmare Moon!” Her eyes became as wild as ever, and a light cackling resounded about the chambers before the alicorn made her way out with rapid, measured, and deliberate hoofsteps.

In the ever-ornate corridors of the Nyx citadel, Nightmare passed by many of her subjects. They were, each and every one, shadowed entities whose forms seemed to suggest the presence of a physical creature rather than existing in the conventional sense. Their peculiar mixtures of bodily features resembled those of native animals from Equis. Each one conveyed their respect to the mare whom they considered their Queen as she strode rapidly by, saluting her with a crossing of their arms and a bowing of their heads.

Many rooms and a regular stream of intricate stained windows and tapestries went by as Nightmare continued on her way to the citadel’s central and most important chamber. Each tapestry proudly displayed Nightmare’s crescent moon sigil, while the various workshops, research rooms, living quarters, common areas, and practice rooms all thrummed with activity.

As she passed the armoury, Nightmare Moon noted that the Nyx present within were still forging ever more pieces of armour, and assembling ever larger numbers of magical staves that, if the Nyx wizards’ centuries of research was correct, will turn their enemies and future subjects into their greatest sources of offensive and defensive power.

Immediately after the armoury, Nightmare found herself at last on the threshold of the heart of the Nyx citadel, the Chamber of Dreams.

The bustling and cavernous room was the central nexus of the Nyx dreamweavers and their livelihood, all that had changed since Nightmare’s original arrival was the product they dealt with therein. It was in this throng of activity that nightmares were now produced by the thousands each hour using the Nyx’s profound magic and “broadcasted” to sleeping beings on nearby Equis. This in turn provided a form of reciprocal energy that allowed the Nyx to sustain themselves.

Likewise, it was also in said throng that Nightmare spotted the individual she was searching for prior to beginning their departure.

“Shadowfright, there you are!”

Upon hearing her voice, one of the tallest Nyx in the chamber immediately snapped to attention from his ministrations. “My Queen?” Shadowfright inclined his vaguely avian head and reptilian body as a gesture of reverence. “The time approaches, Your Majesty, as you no doubt know full well.”

Nightmare nodded slowly in return, showing the whites of her razor-sharp teeth. “Indeed. What is the state of your readiness?”

Shadowfright’s inky-black features seemed to shimmer, conveying the equivalent of a determined expression. “We are prepared, and await only your call to usher us all to the greater blue sphere that holds us in its grasp.”

“But how prepared can one be without accompanying knowledge of the place they will be going to?” Nightmare Moon pointed out.

“Oh … but of course, Your Majesty. We have been conducting exhaustive investigations into any and all major happenings since you first arrived here a thou-”

“I know how long it’s been, you fool. Down to the very last minute!”

“Of course, my apologies. Shall I begin streaming our findings to you now via our telepathic links?”

“Do so.” Nightmare began preparing for a new influx of data into her mind even before Shadowfright’s verbal confirmation.

“Very good, my Queen,” Shadowfright affirmed, preparing the information in spell form at his workstation. The station was a semi-solid cloud formation that hovered just above the polished floor. Shadowfright finished shaping the water contained in a pool across its surface, and thus did the data begin to flow to Nightmare Moon as the water went from a gentle violet to the charged colour of her aura.

Nightmare’s eyes were briefly replaced by pure white as the data flowed in at great magnitude and speed, enough to be physically taxing to the alicorn by a minor degree. Nightmare let out an involuntary groan as she let her eyes droop to a half-lidded state, before she finally closed them shut. She spoke once more without opening them, her rich voice heavy with thought.

“Equestria … it has grown larger and more glorious than I could have ever imagined. Such technology, such advanced sorcery and reach! We shall all sit down when our conquest has entered a state of temporary lull to fathom these innovations! What we could do with it all at our disposal!” Finally, Nightmare Moon’s eyes opened again, no longer wild but instead resolute. “Shadowfright!”

“My Queen!” Shadowfright perked to attention once again.

“Assemble our finest mages and muster them in the courtyards. By the end of this Equestrian day, you will all have the kingdom you were promised!” The resounding response of exalted cheering was enough to trigger a cascade of laughter from Nightmare Moon.

When her laughter and the cheering had died down enough, Nightmare paused briefly and gave all present a raised brow. “And just what are you all still standing there for? Move! You will all be given our stratagem when you have neatly readied yourselves and have gathered outside!”

There was no further sound of voices as nearly the entirety of the inhabitants of the Chamber of Dreams began to rapidly let themselves out of the room like well-calibrated clockwork. Those that remained resumed working at their stations, manipulating the water in the process of weaving more nightmares.

There would be little peaceful sleep for those on the planet below for the time being.

Party Crashers
Equis, Equestria, Town of Ponyville

Invasion was imminent, Shadowfright braced for it as himself and a dozen other Nyx straightened themselves and clutched their magical staves while falling feet-first towards their destination. It was the terminus of their particular portal that utilized the bizarre alternate dimension known as Elsewhere to shortcut and facilitate teleportation.

Despite their seemingly weightless cloud-like appearances, the thirteen moon creatures made very conspicuous impacts on the ground below them as they returned to the mundane realm in unison, cracking cobblestone and trampling hapless flowers and other plants underfoot.

Like the others, Shadowfright used his staff to correct his posture and regain his bearings. He straightened up to his full height of two and a half meters before regarding his new surroundings. More portals were opening in the air, each depositing the same number of Nightmare Forces in the same orderly manner onto the crowded town plaza that stretched out around them. Each of the parties of Nyx awaited their commander’s direction.

It was immediately apparent that the now shocked locals were in the middle of ongoing festivities. Stands were set up, sun pennants, banners, and holograms hung and flew everywhere, and a sizeable wooden stage rested before the entrance to the town’s most central structure.

The town hall stood tall and proud with its circular, multi-story wooden architecture whose tall windows depicted various animated murals of ponies and other beings engaged in various pursuits. It drew Shadowfright’s attention as the best central location from which to begin their bloodless– if possible–-effort to capture the town, forming it into their anchor that would enable a full-scale assault of the entire land itself.

“Such a diverse collection of creatures,” Shadowfright remarked. “Ponies of the three races as expected, and yet … more. Much more. I must petition the Queen to look into these others once we have secured this region.” Indeed, amongst the crowds of ponies were multiple examples of at least six different races that the Nyx could make out, many of them bipedal but only minotaurs and gryphons garnering his recognition.

Snorting, Shadowfright rolled his shoulders and popped his neck, before hefting the mass of his onyx-black staff above him and igniting it with magic. He then began a gradual approach towards Ponyville’s town hall, and more specifically, the wooden stage.

The gesture was met with a mixture of reactions and frantic murmuring from the citizens attending the Summer Sun Celebration. Of those reactions, fear was fast becoming the most common.

It was a powderkeg whose fuse waited simply to be sparked.

“What in Equestria are those things!” one of the bipeds, a furless ape creature in a suit and tie questioned, filming the strange newcomers with their data pad.

“Stay back, they look dangerous!” a unicorn stallion responded, brandishing a similar such data pad.

“Are we under attack?! Is it the Covenant?” more than one of the others asked with nearly trembling voices.

“Impossible,” a middle-aged, golden-brown pegasus mare stated firmly. “Solaris is a fortress that only brute force could crack,” she gestured a wing towards the sky, “I worked on an orbital defense platform for thirty years, we would have heard if something from outside had broken into the system!”

“Besides, what Covenant race looks like that, certainly not one that I’ve seen on Waypoint!” another of the townsfolk interjected.

As more portals opened, the occupants of the stage, police and what appeared to be the mayor of the town, finally took action beyond simply sharing in the murmuring of the crowd in front of them.

The town’s mayor, a light amber earth pony mare donning glasses and a smart-looking formal collar, was beyond flabbergasted. She and many of the others had no expectation of such a manifestation of foreign beings in the middle of her town. “Citizens of Ponyville, I … I do not know what to make of this! Who are you, strangers?”

While their mayor seemed temporarily out of commission from her surprise, the policeman positioned themselves in front of her podium with hooves, hands, and magic readied on the holsters of their weapons.

“See that one, the tallest is raising a staff! You there, all of you, halt!” one of the blue-uniformed officers demanded.

Still with the crowd between himself and the mayor’s stage, Shadowfright chuckled to himself as more and more of his people appeared, many of them raising their staves as well or slowly nearing the crowd with slow steps in the continued absence of specific direction from Shadowfright. They measured their steps in an effort to amplify their ominous forbearances, of which they were beyond well aware of.

“I don’t think they’ll be stopping today,” another of the officers remarked, as they all finally drew their weapons.

“Brothers and sisters, our time has come to fulfill our duty to the Queen of Nightmares in full!” Shadowfright growled. The command was met with a mixture of foreboding laughter and similar growing from the other moon creatures.

“You, get Mayor Mare out of here! We need to request assistance from the Guard, and...” The police sergeant’s command was cut off as Shadowfright and the other shade-like Nyx closest to town hall began emitting an ear-piercing collective roar.

The grating, horrifying symphony sounded akin to tearing, tortured metal mixed with the raking of talons across old blackboard. It immobilized a good majority of the townsfolk nearby as they clutched painfully at their ears, desperate to block out the sound and its accompanying magic on an instinctive level.

“Gah… Gods save the Empress, but my ears, they must surely be bleeding!”

“More on the way … run, you idiots!” The words of the officers were punctuated by weapons discharge as the police began unloading bullets and light gold plasma at Nyx that did not have townsfolk within the line of fire.

“There is no fleeing from nightmares now, not even in the world of the waking! Equestria will fall to us, and you in time will gladly give it to us!” Shadowfright proclaimed, bringing his staff forcefully to the ground and puncturing the cobblestone beneath it with a sharp crack. By now, the roaring had begun to taper off as to be barely noticeable by all but the most acute of ears.

Meanwhile, the Nyx flinched from the impacts of metal and plasma fired at them by Ponyville police. Their archaic armour boiled away or was dented by attacks, but the Nyx otherwise ignored whatever damage they were sustaining as they continued about their task.

All of this combined was more than enough to finally light the powder keg of universal fear in the citizenry. The remaining crowd still on their hooves, feet, and paws, broke off in every direction in a blind panic as the Nyx at last casted their primary and most important spells. The magic cascaded across the entire town, amplified by each consecutive staff that was activated.

It was also during this time that Nightmare Moon herself finally surfaced in person, the shadow of the unfolding eclipse finally veiling the land below in a diurnal imitation of night.

Emerging from her own personal portal, Nightmare furled her wings as she landed deftly on her armoured hooves atop a sizeable hill just outside of Ponyville. She took in the unfolding attack with stoic serenity, for the moment. All around the modern storefronts, quaint rustic houses, and tree-lined streets, utter chaos was unfolding.

As anticipated, the Nyx’s magic had succeeded in putting over two thirds of the town into an artificial slumber, their sleeping minds now becoming prime sources of energy for the Nightmare Forces. They engaged the remaining locals that remained awake with illusion magic and spells of restraint.

“Remember, none of them are of any use to us dead, each and everyone is a further source of power to fuel what is to be the cleanest revolution in this planet’s history!” Nightmare Moon thundered, loud enough to be heard across half the valley itself as she blatantly and confidently revealed her intent.

“My children know the cost of failure, and fail they will not,” she added in her low, default speaking voice. “The distraction will hold, while my true weapon awaits my arrival to claim it!”

Content with her assessment, Nightmare wasted no time in turning her eyes to the great profile of Mount Canterhorn that loomed on the horizon. Like the glow on Equis’ surface she had seen a little over half an hour ago, change in physical form stared her down in all its raw mystique and majesty.

Beside the familiar silhouette of Canterlot, the ancient capital of the Equestria her host had known before the construction of her and her sister’s castle, Nightmare Moon drank in the faintly visible sight of towering spires of glass and metal many stories tall.

They were clustered in great districts around the base of the mountain with the original Canterlot itself perched above as always like a watchful guardian, and a trio even accented the far side of Saddle Lake. With the shadow of Selene blocking out the sun, lights had appeared for the time being inside many of the graceful towers, and hundreds – thousands, even – more were seen moving to and fro in the streets and skyways betwixt them, or remaining static and illuminating the ground around them.

“Such reach…” Nightmare Moon murmured, echoing her earlier statement back in the home of the Nyx. Were Nightmare to only allow the emotion to manifest, she would be dazzled by such modern sights. Such was not the time or case, however, for the dark alicorn’s eyes soon found a new interest to bore their predatory irises into.

The beckoning treeline of the Everfree. Her eyes did not long dally on that either, however, for something new drew her attention to the sky. A faint humming in the distance was the herald of technology Nightmare could barely have conceived of in her wildest imaginings at any time prior.

What looked to be a massive metal airship with the profile of a broad-headed arrow, defying gravity to the greatest extreme, was approaching Ponyville fast from somewhere in the upper atmosphere. Nightmare also noted smaller winged vehicles accompanying it closely in a squadron. To her, it was a peculiar mockery of a flock of birds, or any winged animal.

In the darkness of the eclipse, it began shining massive lights upon the land below where the light of Ponyville did not illuminate the ground.

It didn’t take any form of guesswork for Nightmare to ascertain that the modern aerial beast was there due in no small part to her, and that she was soon to become its prey rather than hunter if she did not act fast. She took the form of mist and rapidly made for the Everfree.

Within a few moments’ time, Nightmare was once more on familiar ground, or what had once been familiar to her host, a millennia ago. Nightmare Moon grew wide-eyed.

My home.

Staring at the ruined castle across the rocky ravine long enough caused a stirring in Nightmare’s mind. It was a stirring that she realized the danger of, if she valued her absolute control over her host in any way, shape, or form.

Despite that, the alicorn’s gaze lingered long enough to notice that someone had some time ago replaced the ancient wooden bridge that had once spanned the gap with a new one. This modern replacement was of striking metal, glass, white-enameled stone, and crystal accents that held the span of two roads upon its deck, going in either direction towards a small paved resting spot for some form of bizarre mechanised chariots.

Likewise, the dirt paths of the past had been replaced by a paved road whose material resembled marble but felt far stronger upon close magical analysis. The same enameled stone as the bridge. In addition to the new sign of civilization, someone had planted birch saplings that had grown into modestly-sized young adult trees. Such trees from the Whitetail Woods region stood in defiant opposition to the still thick overgrowth of the Everfree in the immediate vicinity.

“These modern changes never cease to baffle and wonder!” Nightmare remarked aloud to herself, breaking into a gallop as she crossed the bridge with a wary expression.

Accompanying the modern Equestrian constructions, pairs of banners adorned some turrets of the intact parapets. One of the two varieties was the familiar old blue and white of the Kingdom of Equestria, and the second was a less familiar red and gold of a sun and its rays imposed upon a ruby backdrop. Nightmare regarded the second one with offense to the point of revulsion.

Illumination could be seen coming from within, and simple networks of scaffolding adorned much of the intact stone facades. The stirring began in Nightmare’s mind once more, and it almost wanted to call this modern age, “the Age of Light,” but such a notion made Nightmare cringe, both inwardly and outwardly.

“What sort of work are these moderns doing to my castle!” Nightmare growled, letting herself in through the currently deserted and intact gatehouse in search of the answer to just that.

From what Nightmare could ascertain as she strode through halls both familiar and foreign, the work in question was a form of scientific study. Given the timeframe of her absence, Nightmare was almost completely convinced that the modern Equestrians’ business here was archaeological in nature.

Specialized lighting, excavation equipment, and tables upon tables of neatly arranged objects from all across the Castle of the Two Sisters were everywhere in the main foyer where Nightmare recalled her first rise to being. They were accompanied by notes penned in a modern dialect of her host’s language that Nightmare found quite odd in written form.

The halls were quiet now. The archaeologists and scribes themselves had already ran for the hills on hooves and feet almost steaming with speed-induced friction from the mere sight of Nightmare Moon.

Such quiet would not last long, however.

“Humming … distant roaring … that metallic leviathan of technology has returned!” Nightmare growled, muttering a curse to herself before following with, “dammit, I shall use the Elements to bring it down upon this very castle, if I must!” She brought her armoured shoe sharply down on the stone beneath her.

With a subsequent sparkling cyan flash of her horn, Nightmare Moon teleported herself at last to the tower she sought, the one that contained potentially her greatest tools in her ascension to being the planet’s foremost unassailable sovereign.

Nightmare suppressed her by now infamous and nearly instinctive cackling upon making eye contact with the floor of the tower’s topmost room. The marble and limestone floor was still in near exquisite condition despite centuries of rain, snow, wind, and neglect, and the six-pointed star at its very center was as bold and easy to make out as the day it was built.

With Nightmare casting a spell, the very structure itself seem to come alive with magic, reacting to the manipulation of energies that the corrupted alicorn was now carrying out.

White light, pulsating with untold arcane power, converged in delicate and intricate patterns like a spider’s web across the floor. It converged on a locus in the form of the six-pointed star. In the star, light gathered and thrummed, producing a harmonic chime that punctuated and gave inanimate voice to the charged atmosphere.

“Impressive … “

Once again, Nightmare Moon felt as if she should be struck with true awe, but she reminded herself that it was her host and their suppressed consciousness feeling this, not Nightmare herself. Thinking otherwise was surely a path to ruin for her plans and her supremacy.

As if reminding her of the importance of such a fact, the rising of an ancient stone plinth from a compartment beneath the six-pointed star plaque demonstrated the tangible aspect of her plans. It alone beared the six keys to everything she sought to accomplish – for now.

Genesongs … the geas sing to them from across the vastness of time with lyrics of power and notes of succor … but what beeth the song?

Nightmare’s alicorn host was stirring again … something must have been happening. Fury rose like bile in the alicorn’s throat.

Who beeth the composers? And, at the apex of the question: who beeth the intended audience? If only We could but regain Our control …

“Silence!” Nightmare Moon thundered to none physically present but herself, as another thundering met it from not too far outside. “Enough questioning, enough ponder! You will not have the freedom you seek! Your mind and your body are my dominion, Princess.”

For now. Those truly in power do not need to remind thy subjects who so rules. Hark, thine ultimate weapons appear to do more than either thou or Ourselves yet realize …

Quelling her rage, Nightmare Moon snorted as the outside sounds grew ever closer. “I feel them pulling at me … in a way I can scarcely describe. For once, we may yet be in agreement on something.” Nightmare gasped suddenly, her eyes widened. “...no! There is no ‘we’, only I, Nightmare Moon!”

Nightmare breathed deeply, then shook her head and dismissed the episode she had just experienced as a simple byproduct of her pent up anticipation. She then proceeded towards the plinth.

Atop the stone sculpture, six radiant gems rotated in their own magical fields, as well as those of each other, each and every last one of them awaiting the command of a new wielder after such a long repose.

Ponyville Thunder
Ponyville
Several Minutes Earlier

“Honestly, a bizarre attack this close to the capital, I don’t blame Concordat Allied Command for going all out overkill on this one. Sending the likes of us in, ya know?” The larger-than-life voice of Avery Jr. Johnson quieted for the moment as the sound of a heavy shotgun kicked its way through the tense air of battle. “Smile for me, you shadowy bastards!”

The human soldier towered over some of his present comrades in his Mjolnir Mark IV armour as they engaged the Nightmare Forces, its surface a deep forest green like that of both his hat and one of his other companions.

“Trixie agrees, such hostile creatures being here are … beyond out of the ordinary!” an azure unicorn mare replied. Her lustrous silver armour plating was accented by her similarly coloured mane, as well as a violet tunic and body suit that provided its own onboard illumination in the dark of the eclipse. “Master Chief, duck!”

The other Spartan present amongst the group fighting the Nightmare Forces ducked without any hint of hesitation, allowing Trixie a clear line of fire at two approaching Nyx just behind him.

“Equestria belongs to the Nightmare!”

“For Nightmare Moon!”

Trixie growled in distaste, and aimed down the reflex sight of her rifle, discharging a trio of golden bolts in rapid succession that felled both targets before they could bring their staves to bear or cast any form of offensive magic. They crumpled to the ground as Chief felled three more of their number in front of him with his assault rifle.

As they fell, their inky, shadowy mist-like forms faded away to reveal ordinary (in the physical sense) bipedal beings with large rabbit-like ears and other obvious physical traits beneath. They were each in states of complete unconsciousness but otherwise unharmed, like the seas of citizens and their defeated comrades all around what was unfortunately now a live combat zone.

With Ponyville town square clear for the moment, Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 looked quickly from the downed lunar aliens and up to Trixie. “Good reflexes, Knight-Errant,” he complimented in a deep, disciplined voice.

“Trixie wouldn’t be wearing the armour if they were lacking, Master Chief. Any observations from this engagement?”

Chief nodded. “They may be using the people here as energy sources to power their non-lethal offensive attacks. With how unusual this is, I don’t believe they accounted for our weaponry.”

“Indeed. The fact that they arrived via portal yet equip such primitive armour confuses Trixie greatly.” Trixie rubbed at her mane before holding her muzzle high in readiness. “Instructions?”

“Rally your five Praetorians and deploy more drop shields around as many civilians you can gather together as possible until they wake back up. Chieftain Rurika and her pack will reinforce you if needed.”

“What of yourself and the good sergeant?” Trixie inquired with a raised brow.

“Searching for the enemy head honchos while you purple cloaks fight the good fight,” Johnson chuckled, holding his combat shotgun at his shoulder with the barrel skywards.

“What the … good sergeant said, Trixie,” Master Chief answered with a hint of amusement. “Johnson and I will attempt to identify any leaders if possible for immediate neutralization.”

“Heard and obeyed. We will place them under this protection until unaffected emergency responders can arrive to take care of them,” Trixie agreed, bringing a hoof against her breastplate before going on all fours and trotting over to her five unicorn comrades.

Most of Praetorians’ gun barrels were smoking as their wielders stood upright. Their party of three stallions and two mares, not counting Trixie, was surrounded by more of the defeated Nyx. “They dare challenge the might of the Praetorian Guard?” one of Trixie’s subordinates shouted, the energy of battle charging her a bit more than the norm. Even her horn was beginning to glow a bit in anticipation for further combat.

“All of you, Trixie requires you to deploy more drop shields!”

“Yes, madam!” her unit replied in almost perfect unison. The six Praetorians then galloped away as one, pulling off grenade-like devices from their armour belts and adding to the already one dozen three meter-wide circular shields already glowing about the town every which way.

“Chief, wait! Scratch that previous bit, we’ve found our guy!” Johnson exclaimed, catching the Master Chief’s attention. “One of the two Jiralhanae chieftains, Ceretus I think, he sniffed him out and floored the ugly with his gravity hammer after the Capricorn squad caused it to flee into a corner. Dumb bug is even still conscious; Rurika is already talking about drowning her entire pack in liquor over it when they get off duty!”

“If they can drink it!” yelled Rurika from afar, earning a light chuckle from Johnson, a snort from the four melee weapon-brandishing capricorns of Rurika’s pack.

Nearby, a set of hearty, if rather throaty and grating chuckles from the two present Jiralhanae as one pounded a fist against the head of his gravity hammer and the other inspected the curvature of his axe-bladed grenade launcher.

Chief looked from Johnson to Rurika and back again, through his concealing visor “Acknowledged. Let’s see if he can tell us anything.”

The Spartan II and III both sprinted towards where Johnson was widely gesturing with his shotgun. Both were met with the sight of a rather tall, even compared to the Spartans or Capricorns, being with violet feathers and an orange, scaly belly and chest sitting cross-legged in some form of a position of surrender. The aforementioned Nyx leader was surrounded by his captors.

The first was the tall female Capricorn clad in quite lithe-shaped metal armour than seemed to be too light to protect, Chieftain Rurika herself. Her armour was adorned in animal pelts and covered most of her own slate-coloured fur save for that of her head, which was fringed by a neatly-kept auburn mane. Of the race that called themselves Capricorns, her appearance was overall like that of a pony as she brandished her war axe, with the obvious exceptions of her distinctly slender but muscular humanoid frame, as well as her pair of imposing, ram-like horns.

Of her four Capricorn comrades that also kept watch over the defeated Nyx leader, one of them continued to snort to himself with his arms folded, sword sheathed, and shield slung across his back. The rest of the Capricorns either inspected their weapons or surveyed the area. All were clad in light, primitive-looking armour.

The other two allies present, Ceretus and Maladus, were Jiralhanae brothers of chieftain status in their military, a race – like Rurika’s – non-native to Equis whose ursine/simian-like features and distinct ornamental helmets commanded fear and respect from all but the foolish. Their civilized demeanor of groomed fur and polished red-black, curving power armour that covered black polymer bodysuits belied their truly primal warrior nature.

The Chief and Sergeant Johnson both nodded to their allies before the Master Chief stopped directly in front of the Nyx, who now regarded the armoured human with the eyes of one who had no idea where they were, or why.

Master Chief knelt down to be eye level with the sitting Nyx, and kept his voice at a neutral tone to match the enemy’s radical change in both nature and demeanor.

“Who are you? Why did your people attack Ponyville?” Chief asked.

“L-Larry, that is my name!” the Nyx sputtered, “not Shadowfright!” He was so spent and shaken from the forceful nature of his restoration that he could barely speak. “My people … the Nyx … we are being manipulated by the Nightmare Forces, we have been enslaved this way for many centuries. We mean Equis no harm, its peoples were our friends once! The Queen … Nightmare Moon, she is is manipulated like so, and came to us like this where before she was protector of this world. But she is corrupted to a much larger scale! Defeat her, and our curse and threat will surely be lifted forever!”

“Nightmare Moon? That can’t be …” Master Chief’s demeanor grew stiff, and he shook his head. As part of their training and education that rivalled that of the most prestigious academies, Spartan II’s had been taught the history of all major species of the present-day Concordat.

Amongst that curriculum was mythology, including the Equestrian legend of the corrupted alicorn mare of pure darkness that had sought to usurp the then Princess Celestia early in her rule, ushering in an “eternal night.” If what the Nyx was saying held true, then it would mean the legend was more than just simple folklore from centuries past.

“What does your Queen seek in attacking this town? Does she intend to threaten the capital of the Equestrian Empire? Spill, damn you!” Ceretus demanded, carrying on the questioning as Chief seemed to be in deep thought. “Before we spill you across the cobblestones!” the Minotaur added with snarl.

“I think that will do, Ceretus” Rurika intervened with a wave of her gauntleted fist. “He’s talking, you might just shut him up from fright. So speak freely, Larry of the Nyx!”

“Please, please ... all be calm! I will tell you … “ Larry replied, nearly to the point of trembling. The menacing entity known as Shadowfright had clearly been stripped from his being utterly. “Nightmare Moon seeks nothing less than total dominion over this planet, just as she rules over the body of Princess Luna!

“Princess Luna?” Johnson raised an eyebrow. “Princess from what nation?”

“Princess Luna of Equestria, of course!”

“Huh? Not any Equestrian royalty I’ve ever heard of. What in the …”

“What is her location?” Chief inquired, finally breaking his quietude.

“She has left for the Castle of the Two Sisters in search of the Elements of Harmony, the Nightmare Forces believe it to be the ultimate weapon!”

“Well now, Trixie believes somepony has just earned negative five loyalty points for betraying their so-called Queen,” the Knight-Errant of the team proclaimed to everyone, as she and her Praetorians appeared beside them, having dealt with the remainder of the Nightmare Forces in the area. “In other news, our weapons nearly ran out of bright.”

“Mmm, a fresh scent,” Ceretus’ brother Malabus muttered, crouching and facing the direction of the Everfree forest. “Something powerful used its energy to move that way, several kilometers away.”

Before Chief, Larry, or anyone else could respond, the entire special response team and their defeated foe had their attention diverted by the sudden appearance of two newcomers via magical teleportation. They were Equestrian Royal Guards of the Solar Branch with their iconic blue and gold armour. One of the duo was human, and the other a pegasus; neither said a word and both wore stoic faces.

The pegasus produced a holo-communicator from his armour belt and held it out in front of him. Whilst doing that, he saluted the warriors with his free hoof to his chest, his human colleague doing the same but with her fist.

Upon giving their salute, the pegasus activated the communicator, and both Royal Guards knelt into a bow as a figure everyone recognized appeared before them in virtual form. All team members of Equestrian citizenship mimicked the Royal Guards in their posture. The others inclined their heads as a sign of respect to the leader that was now visible.

The Master Chief stowed his assault rifle on his back, and straightened his posture. “Your Majesty.”

“John-117, I hope you and your team are faring well.”

“Affirmative, Empress Celestia. Do you have counsel to provide?”

Blinking serenely, the kind, wizened violet eyes of a tall alicorn mare with snow-white fur regarded the Master Chief for a moment before replying. As the response team expected, her mane and tale flowed with an almost water-like quality as it always did. The only difference from her usual appearance was the presence of a suit of full body white and gold armour in the place of her default gold torc.

“Yes, Spartan, and I think you will find it beyond invaluable, for this event has been a long one coming. At my direction, naval support is on its way in a few minutes, and emergency responders are en route to render aid to Ponyville.”

“That’s good news, ma’am. May I inquire into our next objective?”

“As for that, I will need you and your team to stand by for a brief explanation. Don’t worry, the Royal Guard can deploy you to the Castle of the Two Sisters in seconds, and will be as brief as possible.”

“We will remain for as long as you need us to, Your Majesty.”

Celestia closed her eyes and smiled, bowing her head for a second in appreciation. “Now, I’m going to begin by stating this: the legend of Nightmare Moon, as you may have surmised by now, it is more than just a legend.”

“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Trixie agreed. “These ‘Nightmare Forces’ have referenced the legendary figure multiple times by now during combat, to the point of painfully eye-rolling cliche.”

Celestia let out a deep sigh as her features saddened. “It only fell into legend due to my crass neglect in preserving facts. In my grief, I left our records to the forest along with our castle. On top of that crime, I made no legitimate effort to dispatch scribes nor historians in later years to ensure preservation and publication of relevant documents. It could have staved off the growing evolution of my sister’s downfall from my mistakes into a bard’s tale.”

“Empress … we’re terribly sorry to hear that,” Johnson said in a soothing tone, a bit downcast as he debated reaching for a Sweet Williams cigar as soon as Celestia had finished.

“I thank you for your sympathies. But now, I must impart something you urgently need to know, I have delayed you for too long already. My sister is Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna, and in regards to her, I must request something of greatest importance from you all.”

Elemental, My Dear Harmony
Everfree, Castle of the Two Sisters

Nightmare Moon was within grasp of the Elements of Harmony at last. Mere centimeters. But before any of her magic could be joined with that of the Elements, fate threw something new into her path.

A spherical device landed upon the orrery-like plinth, glinting briefly before expelling a harsh glaring light and derailing what Nightmare thought was inevitable and imminent. It replaced the alicorn’s anticipation and growing sense of triumph with a primal wrath that threatened the very stability of the castle itself. Reeling back from the deployment of the Jiralhanae-made flare, the device emitted the last of its glaring attack and self-destructed before Nightmare Moon could do so in retaliation.

“Insolence!” the alicorn bellowed, casting a beam of pure blue destruction magic in a direction that even so much as hinted at having a viable target through her temporary partial blindness. “This eclipse is the harbinger of my vengeance, my rule will not know end! I cannot stop … will not stop!”

Baring her teeth, Nightmare fired another beam as her vision fully recovered, a pained and animalistic growling indicating that she had in fact hit something living that time.

“My fur, I can smell myself burning! For this I shall see your legs roasted upon my plate!”

“Stay yourself, pack brother! We must charge as one!”

While the verbal exchange was made, Nightmare took rapid stock of her surroundings in the span of two and a half seconds with narrowed but wild eyes, registering the six armoured ponies and several armoured bipeds that all had manifested themselves in the room. All had weapons at the ready as both sides took stock of their respective opposition.

“Whoever you meddlers are, you clearly seek Nightmare Moon! Well, now you will have her!” Nightmare followed up her enraged statement with another beam attack, immobilizing two of Trixie’s Praetorian Guard with the destruction spell’s area of effect.

“At least buy us dinner first, Grimhilde!” Johnson taunted, blasting his combat shotgun repeatedly.

The fight panned out for the next minute, with Nightmare forced to supplement her attacks with a constant shield whose magnitude she had to adjust to defend herself from the now constant hail of plasma and bullets.

Her shield defense tactic was forced to be replaced as Ceretus attempted to flatten her with his gravity hammer. The gravitational field caused an uncomfortable vibration through Nightmare’s frame, providing incentive on top of practicality in that chieftain being her next target.

Ceretus and Malabus, as well as Rurika and her squad all were incapacitated by the beam’s sheer power, even caught as they were in its mere backwash. The architecture of the tower absorbed most of the damage, broadening the holes in the ceiling and walls.

Nightmare for her part refused to kill any of them with direct hits due to the perceived treasure troves of knowledge about the modern age their slumbering minds could surely provide her.

With her shield spell down, Nightmare Moon’s armour began taking the brunt of the damage. Pre-placed shield and tempering enchantments in the armour were only doing so much to abate the sheer kinetic force of the many bullets, and the extreme temperatures of the concentrated bright matter still being casted at her by Trixie and her remaining Praetorian Guards.

“Enough!” Nightmare Moon boomed, magically amplifying her voice enough to shake the castle itself and immobilize the enemy combatants that were still standing. Many of them clutched painfully at their ears. Nightmare seemed as if she was about to say more, but one of her opponents were no longer willing to spare any time for chatter.

Master Chief began closing the gap between himself and the alicorn as another last-second beam attack rendered the others temporarily in a daze, intent on a hand-to-hand strike that could render her incapacitated. To his mild surprise, Nightmare was able to muster a response fast enough. She used their combined momentum to weave around and force the Spartan into a tackle on the dust and pebble-littered floor.

Nightmare fired yet another beam as she pinned the supersoldier. Trixie was left as the sole remaining Equestrian Praetorian of any rank in the area still in fighting shape.

As the Chief attempted to force her off, Nightmare brought her right hoof down repeatedly, aiming for the Spartan’s helmet with the intent of knocking him out swiftly and cleanly. Every one of the stamps resulted only in an increasingly cracked floor. While the alicorn grew increasingly frustrated, her fatigue started to show with the state of both her coat and her breathing.

It was during their struggle that both Trixie and Johnson were able to finally come out of their respective dazes and render support to their beleaguered comrade, if only briefly. Johnson’s power armour had suffered noticeable damage in the chest and shoulders, and Trixie’s armour was likewise dented and somewhat singed from magical residue. A few scrapes to the face drew blood from both warriors.

Johnson approaching whilst firing his shotgun, all the while Trixie fired steady streams of plasma whilst casting an overcharge spell that did just what its name implied, amplifying the destructive nature of her weapon’s shots and heightening Nightmare’s threshold of fury as they struck.

Nightmare cast a spell to temporarily bind the super soldier, then removed her attention from the Master Chief and got off him, having to stand to prepare her defense.

Still with great strength and magic reserves left in her even in the face of mounting physical exhaustion, Nightmare Moon managed to force both the unicorn and human super soldier flying towards the plinth with a magical shock wave she triggered by igniting her horn and stomping at the same time, slamming them against the stone hard enough to make stars dance about the interiors of their eyelids.

Unbeknownst to all present, the forceful physical contact from the duo along with flecks of pony and human blood with the Elements of Harmony’s solid stone housing was more than enough to finally trigger the dormant magic of the artefacts themselves, causing them to begin their charge.

As Nightmare brazenly continued to scrutinize her other two combatants, her third and possibly most dangerous was able to break free from the now weakening ward. While the Elements built up their charge, the Chief was able to capitalize on the momentary distractions Trixie and Johnson had provided by sweeping his left leg out and toppling Nightmare’s hindlegs, bringing the alicorn mare to her knees with an enraged yelp.

Chief quickly followed up with an elbow jab to her shoulder and head that forced Nightmare Moon back to the ground as she attempted to rise, expending the last of her remaining reserves with which to fight. With ragged breaths, Nightmare rolled onto her back to meet the gaze of the green-armoured Spartan that now stared her down through his amber visor.

A small rivulet of luminescent gold fell from her cracked lips to the floor.

“Come, then, warrior. I am cracked, and now await only the hammer to bring about my shattering into so many inert pieces,” Nightmare hissed, sneering with absolute hatred for her foes as she noticed the Elements reaching the peak of their charge. They arose from their respective cradles on the plinth and were rotating with increasing vigour.

And shatter thou wilt, for the time of Our return is nigh!

The void-black alicorn shut her eyes fast for a moment as she moaned in resignation. Meanwhile, Master Chief remained in the same observant position as she struggled against her physically overtaxed state.

Nightmare’s eyes were still powerful, and allowed her to see his true shape beneath all that armour; his posture was only tense enough to convey that he was more than prepared to fend off another potential attack, but there was no hint of offensive intent to his body’s language.

“Why even wait for the Elements to be turned against me, warrior?” Nightmare questioned in a much softer tone, feebly pawing her hooves at the marble and trying to prevent her eyes from widening in surprise. “What mandate or impulse forbids you from doing the deed yourself?”

“Somehow, I saw no fatalities on either side during this eclipse attack. You could have had those civilians slaughtered before a full defense could be mustered, but you didn’t. You knew the price of killing any would have when ruling them later.”

“You … you still did not answer my query… “ Nightmare groaned. “Forget it. I-I shatter, I … argh!” The Elements of Harmony fired at her body center mass, cutting her off mid-sentence as her entire form was bathed in a brilliant white light that quickly blotted her from view.

At last!

“I can’t believe my … I mean, Trixie cannot … I can’t … I cannot believe my eyes!” Trixie stammered, on her rump against the Elements’ plinth with Johnson beside her as they both shared a view of the of the magic in action. The harmonic beam was streaming through the air above their heads, and both shared a look of utter amazement upon their dust-covered faces.

“Thy dominion is over, foul corruptive shade!” Nightmare declared, although the cadance of her voice was vastly different. It was a fact that Trixie, the Master Chief, and Johnson all registered as the their incapacitated allies began to stir, groan, and sigh.

Within the swirling maelstrom of heavenly energy that had engulfed her, Nightmare Moon howled as a transformation took place. The light of the Elements coalesced into their greatest state of luminosity before fading out.

As they dissipated, an entirely different pony had replaced Nightmare Moon. Long gone was the demon-like alicorn, and in her place was a considerably smaller light blue mare with argentine hair and tail. She lay in the midst of Nightmare’s shattered and broken armour. The newcomer had her eyes closed, and like her immediate predecessor, appeared to well beyond the threshold of complete exhaustion.

“Well … that happened,” Johnson remarked as he hefted himself up, lending an armoured hand to help Trixie up onto her hooves as well.

“The tainted alicorn, is it … oh, it is vanquished,” Rurika stated, approaching the standing trio. “Joyous. I will not miss being on the receiving end of that destruction magic of hers.”

“I think our mission is done here,” Chief stated simply. “We need to inform the Empress of our success.”

Trixie chewed her lip for a bit as she appraised the new alicorn mare that now lied in the midst of Nightmare Moon’s shattered – and still smoking –- armour. She then cast her glance asides to her still recovering comrades, then turned to regard the stranger once more.

“Hmm … Trixie thinks heavy lift gear might be in order.”

The Master Chief stared at her briefly as a hint of humour sneaked its way into his voice. “You’re still helping us carry her.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Johnson agreed, lighting a cigar he’d pulled from one of his armour’s pouches.

“Trixie must check upon our wounded first.”

“By all means. But, I’m willing to bet a year’s salary that if the demon alicorn lady had been fighting with the intent to kill us, there would be no wounded, only stiffs. Call it a Sergeant’s intuition, if you will.”

“What type of usurper plots a revolution without the willingness to sacrifice lives? Trixie fails to grasp the reasoning.”

While Trixie huffed and moved to check on her fellow Praetorians and the others, Chief activated his radio. “Sierra-117 to Canterlot. Nightmare Moon is neutralized, requesting medevac for five to seven individuals and one VIP.”

“Acknowledged, we’re scrambling a squadron for you, it will be inbound from the ENV Foreshadowing Dream. Estimated arrival in five.”

“Copy that.” Chief cut out the radio, and turned to face the others. “Those who can walk, help the others who can’t. Trixie, Johnson, and I will handle the VIP.”

The room responded with a mixture of “Yessir”, nods, and salutes as everyone began moving again. Already, sounds of incoming aerial vehicles were audible to the untrained ear.

Shortly after, the Concordat special response team was aboard the Equestrian aerial squadron with the alicorn safely accompanying them on the way to Canterlot.

While touching down outside Canterlot Palace, the alicorn mare began to stir for the first time since her initial appearance. Trixie, Chief, and Johnson had rode with her, and noticed her movements immediately.

The alicorn blinked several times in rapid succession, awakening presumably from a form of deep sleep. She regarded all three of the armoured strangers barely two meters from her in the dropship troop compartment with great surprise in her cyan eyes. After a few moments, she parted her lips to speak.

“Nightmare Moon? She is destroyed, just as We witnessed? This is not some cruel dream most nefarious?”

“If the Night Mare’s armour was any indication, pretty much,” Johnson confirmed in a mildly nonchalant tone. “Turns out the mythical artifacts of ye olden Equestria times is actually a giant reformation deathray for old-fashioned villainous types.”

“A ray of awesome death … for evil, that is, even though Trixie asserts that true evil is but an illusion. The puny mortal mind’s attempt to put an understandable face upon the truth of the cosmic gray.”

“Beatrix, getting deep on us. You always steal my thunder, girl!” Sergeant Johnson grumbled with a half-hearted scowl that threatened to become a grin.

“Hmph.”

The alicorn darted her eyes between Trixie and Johnson with her mouth in a small “o” before settling her gaze on the Chief and normalizing her features again. “Erm … momentous. We are within thy debt!”

“We were simply following orders, and defending civilians from unconventional attack in a critical region,” Chief explained, idly inspecting an energy rifle from the dropship’s weapon bay. “it is fortunate that no lives were lost, including your own, or that of the Nyx.”

“The Empress of Equestria has explained to us your importance and your history,” Trixie added.

“And while we know what we know, in order to know personally that we all fulfilled our mission,” Johnson continued.

“We’d like to hear you introduce yourself, Your Highness,” the Chief finished, placing the weapon in his hands back in its place.

Looking between the trio and the metal floor of the aircraft, the alicorn took a moment to gather herself, before beaming at them with all the warmth of a star. “Please, We insist that thou calleth Us: Luna.”

Author's Notes:

After almost two months, the revision is back with a massive start! I have some awesome new people on board, assisting with both editing and worldbuilding. They're listed in the description, and none of this is possible without their invaluable roles.

Oh! One last thing, the Codex! It will be implemented starting with Chapter 2, in the form of footnotes added at the bottom of each chapter just before the Author's Notes (if there are any AN's for that given chapter.) The Codex provides information on specific things Luna and Chief both encounter in their journeys during IE, from people and places, to technology, races, factions, and more! It will be one "chapter" that is updated with new content each time a new primary chapter is published, so if you're a lore junkie than don't forget to check back to the Codex with each release!

As always, thanks for reading!

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Twenty-Sixth Century

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Equis, Equestria, Canterlot Palace
Monday, 21 June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

“Princess Luna? We’ve landed.”

“Huh? Oh!” Luna was drawn out of her sight-seeing reverie by the voice of the Master Chief. He was already poised to step out of the left troop bay door of the Wyvern dropship, with his helmet turned to her and looking at her expectantly. Praetorian Knight-Errant Trixie and Sergeant Johnson had already exited the dropship, and were outside on the white surface and yellow stripes of the landing pad.

In addition to theirs, four other such pads were perched, with balconies adjacent to each other on the tallest and largest of Canterlot Palace’s great spires. The spire itself was topped by a great gold, white, and violet cupola that housed an array of communications equipment atop its tip. The white and gold walls beneath the cupola mirrored the rest of the castle and indeed most of architecture in this ancient part of the city. Luna largely recognized the entirety of the district as the original capital of Equestria even before her earliest recollections.

“We apologise, but nearly everything that moves in this modern world is a venerable feast for the eyes,” Luna explained.

“Your Highness, try not to gorge yourself, if I may caution you. Sensory overload these days can be fatal,” Johnson quipped, giving a sweeping gesture to the streets of downtown Canterlot and the great heights some two hundred meters below them. He accompanied the gesture with a pearlescent grin.

“He speaks lies, Princess,” Trixie retorted, tilting her head to scowl up at Johnson.

Luna looked between the unicorn and the UNSC Marine Sergeant-turned Spartan with her brow furrowed in confusion, before turning to the other Spartan present. “Can you clarify for Us, where these two cannot?”

The Master Chief’s voice hinted at veering into the territory of amusement. “Johnson is simply being … Johnson.” The Chief offered Luna his hand, and she took it, stepping out and onto the landing pad with the rest of them. “I believe he was suggesting that you try to avoid overwhelming yourself if possible, Your Highness.”

“Chief, would humanity or the Concordat have me any other way, or the galaxy for that matter?” Johnson’s features hardened for the moment as he looked back to Luna. “He’s right, though, ma’am. I advise taking it slow, going with the flow.”

“Your ego is bigger than the galaxy, Johnson,” Trixie remarked, instantly reverting Johnson’s face to an almost literal embodiment of mischief.

“Says the pot to the kettle, Great and Powerful Illeism!” Johnson shot back with faux annoyance.

“Harumph.”

“Just frakking kiss each other already, why don’t you? Why do we always have to put up with these special response teams, anyways?” one of the Wyvern pilots muttered under his breath in his cockpit while the man and mare carried on.

Swivelling, Luna’s ears were still able to pick up the sound of the pegasus stallion’s voice even through the glass of his canopy and the low hum of the dropship’s engines.

“Comes with having your home airbase right smackdab in the middle of Imperial, mate,” the stallion’s human co-pilot answered with a chuckle from her secondary cockpit above him.

“I am so moving to another province when this war is over with,” the first pilot replied, “the Imperial Province is too damn weird.

“Yeah, only the Heartlands are stranger, Ponyville and the Everfree seem to attract all the continent’s monsters to one place,” the co-pilot agreed.

Ponyville, airbase, Imperial … ? The context-lacking words rolled around in Luna’s head, sparking confusion, but also arousing an even greater number of her already growing questions. What little knowledge Nightmare Moon had been able to glean about the modern age had been eradicated along with the evil shade itself. Luna scrunched her muzzle at Trixie and Johnson both in consternation. She then turned to the Chief once more.

“We thank thee for shedding some light on this matter, Master Chief,” Luna said with a small smile. She had already carried out full introductions with her three newest compatriots on the short flight over as they briefed her on the situation. “We will endeavour to maintain our balanced temperament, or … ‘take it slow, go with the flow,’ as fairest Johnson would posit it.”

“Hmhm,” Johnson replied, nodding with appreciation.

Luna noticed three more Wyvern dropships touch down on the adjacent pads. As their crews or passengers emerged, she took the moment to actually study the mysterious technology of the flying machines with an archaic eye. The Wyverns were nearly the size of what Luna assumed were their namesakes, the great dragons who had traded their forelegs with evolution for greatly strengthened wings. Ironically, despite this parallel in size, there was no comparable wingspan to speak of.

These sleek Wyverns of metal painted white with accents of varying colours depending on the craft had short and stubby fin-like wings on either side of the rear. Instead of being used to keep the craft aloft, the wings sported machines that expelled some kind of blast of energy to maneuver through the air.

Grasping the basic mechanics but not even beginning to fathom the possible inner workings of such modern technology, Luna shifted her attention to another matter on her mind.

“Master Chief, We recollect Nightmare Moon fighting both thyself and the rest of thy party. Please tell us, how fare the other bipedal warriors, as well as the Nyx and Knight-Errant Trixie’s subordinates?”

“They were taken in medevac, Your Highness, which means they are being sent to the nearest physicians for medical treatment,” the Spartan explained. “Medics reported over our local battlenet that nothing was fatal.”

“‘Tis a profound relief that Nightmare Moon … I … did not slay a life unjustly. Battle is battle, but to waste lives when it is not warranted is a crime of great magnitude, especially when committed by those entrusted with leadership..”

The Master Chief looked to Luna for quite a few seconds, enough to cause her to raise an eyebrow, before nodding. “True words, Your Highness.” The duo exchanged a pair of additional nods.

“Princess Luna, of the Kingdom of Equestria?” All eyes were directed to the newcomers on the landing pad. From the nearest of the three palace entrances emerged a smiling human man in crimson and gold Royal Guard armor.

The first thing Luna noticed about the human approaching them alongside four other guards was his fiery red hair and the golden circlet worn comfortably around his brow. Like Johnson, his relatively youthful-looking face appeared entirely professional at first, but his blue eyes betrayed his true mischievous and sometimes outlandish nature.

“Prince Ginger! Of the Royal Phoenix Guard!” Johnson announced, hoping to elicit an annoyed response from the newcomer.

The man simply broadened his smile, doing so further when Luna smiled back in kind. “Prince Tobias of Equestria, and Captain of Her Imperial Majesty’s Phoenix Guard,” he corrected. “A warm welcome, Princess Luna, everyone, except Johnson.” The smile finally turned into a full-out grin.

“Pardon me, Your Highnesses, but Johnson, do you honestly know everyone in this galaxy? Does everyone in the galaxy know you?” Trixie griped.

Johnson chuckled. “Happens when you become so badass a soldier that you get turned into living war propaganda. Just ask the Apple family down in Ponyville a little ways.”

“Trixie knows where Ponyville is.”

“Hmhm, that’s probably from your days as a wandering gypsy, pilfering from unsuspecting passersby while distracting them with ‘magic’” Johnson retorted as he formed air quotes. He was enjoying seeing how long Trixie’s fuse was in the presence of royalty.

Trixie could only let out a sputter before she finally found her words. “How dare you!”

While the two continued to have their exchange, everyone else on the landing pad observed them with raised brows or expressions of exasperation. There was one exception, however. Standing beside a confused Luna and concealed by his armor that always gave off an automatically stoic demeanor, the Master Chief was wearing the biggest smirk that a background such as his allowed possible.

“... erm, right,” Prince Tobias interjected, scratching at his hair, “anyways, Princess Luna, your presence is requested by Empress Celestia straight away! I’m sure you do not wish to delay either, I take it?”

“To ensure absolute verity, Prince Tobias, We are torn between the thrill of observing the interactions of the moderns, and the rapture of reuniting with Our dear sister. But yes, We must delay no longer!”

“Your Highness?” Chief said to Luna. She turned around to face him. “Prince Tobias and the other Royal Guard will lead you for now to the Empress. Johnson, Trixie, and I will be in the vicinity of the palace should we be needed.”

“You have Our appreciation and gratitude, Master Chief.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

The two nodded to one another as Tobias gestured towards the entrances. Luna made to follow the Royal Phoenix Guards, and those that were stationary watching over the landing area saluted with the ubiquitous hoof or hand to the heart that was not occupied by a spear or rifle. The others entered the palace through one of the other doorways, following a separate corridor.

As Luna followed the guards deeper into the palace, the walking seemed to stretch on for hours rather than the few short minutes that it actually was. After one thousand years stuck within her own mind, every surprised person that she passed was of interest to her in some capacity. Every milling member of the palace staff, every wandering aristocrat, and every vigilant guard of at least three different armour varieties.

Luna’s eyes were just as wide, if not wider than those of many who were witnessing the sudden appearance of a new alicorn in the palace for the first time in many years. Like the people, all pieces of art and opulent furniture had a story to tell. Each doorway that was passed might as well have been a portal to untold mystery.

That alone was not what made the perception of time seem to slow for Luna, however. What truly accomplished that effect was her destination. In a few moments’ time, she would exchange words with someone she had not done so with for the past ten centuries.

The very reality that she would speak to her sister for the first time in a millennium gnawed at the edges of Luna’s mind, distorting her perception of time itself to greater magnitudes with each second that passed.

By the time Luna reached what Prince Tobias identified as the door to Celestia’s chambers, she began to have the notion that time would indeed halt completely. The door would surely respond to her aura’s magical touch and open, but nothing else would be moving but Celestia and herself.

But as she manipulated the knob of the door with a cobalt telekinetic field, the present caught back up to her while her perception resynchronized itself. Tobias and the guards under his command did not remain stationary in a state of complete temporal stasis. instead, they began to take their leave of her, giving a few parting tips in greeting the Empress of Equestria.

Luna did not hear them, nor had she really heard anything else they had been saying prior. Such was her overwhelming focus on the person that was waiting for her behind that gilded oak door. As the door at last swung ajar upon the turning of the knob, Luna was already crossing the threshold with four legs that felt as if they would give out at any second. They almost did outright, for a soft voice from deeper in the sunlit room greeted her almost instantaneously as the door shut behind Luna.

“Luna, is that you?” There was a gulp, almost audible enough to ring out across an otherwise completely silent royal apartment.

As the bedchamber’s sole other occupant approached her, Luna was in the grip of what she could almost swear had to be the most intense mixture of fear and relief she had ever experienced. Her throat was already tightened from nerves, making words even more difficult than they already were.

“Celestia … sister ... ‘tis I, I hath returned ...” The near-herculean effort of her response was more than enough to make her voice crack, and like a broken dam, a torrent of sobs followed immediately after. The moment was simply too much for Luna, and she was forced to lower her head, eyes shut fast.

Despite her body nearing a state of extreme fatigue from such raw emotion coupled with the day’s events, the younger alicorn was able to remain on her hooves as the eldest one finally approached her. It was two parts willpower, and one part the peculiar sound of metal and magic interacting that finally got Luna to look up once more to gaze upon her sister properly.

The metallic clanking and faint jostling of material continued, and Luna’s eyes widened at the sight she was taking in.

Celestia stood before her, partially clad in segmented armor of a white metal with gold trim on its many edges. It lay draped over a snow-coloured tunic that covered the taller mare from her hooves to her swan-like neck. The tunic was criss-crossed with symmetrical lines that glowed with mysterious golden light.

The armor Celestia still had on consisted of one pauldron on her left shoulder, a set of bracers, and a chestplate. Emblazoned on the chestplate where the gold trimming centered was a red flag with Celestia’s solar symbol. She was in the middle of taking the remaining equipment off, a process with which she had been taking her time out of habit until Luna’s arrival.

“Don’t worry, Luna. If you can’t come closer, then I will come to you,” Celestia answered back as she stepped forward, telekinetically freeing the straps before removing the left pauldron itself. “One thousand years …” A crested helmet and belt already laid atop the sheets of the room’s massive veiled bed.

Luna’s mind electrified at the sound of the affectionate, benevolent voice. It surprised her to her very core.

Despite its careful and serene cadence that had no doubt taken centuries of cultivation to perfect, Celestia’s voice carried an undertone of mixed emotion nearly identical to her own. The jolt the sounds invoked in Luna provided her just enough strength to establish an emotional and physical balance. She put one hoof forward, then another, aiding Celestia in closing the gap between the two siblings.

Even as they approached each other, Celestia’s wings unfurled in anticipation of embracing her younger sibling. She stepped into the rectangular pool of light caused by the sunlight through the nearest window, and her ethereal hair seemed to take on a glow that was the ultimate complement to its already spectacular water-like flow. However, just as they were less than a meter from meeting, it was Celestia’s turn to be surprised.

“One thousand years, eleven days, and twelve hours is the approximation, my sister,” Luna stated just above a whisper. Her saddened frown curled upwards into a smile through her tears as she and Celestia both paused.

“All those centuries I smiled for our nation, but inside I was beside myself. We expanded Equestria threefold and beyond in your absence, but the kingdom was never truly whole without you, and the rise of an empire heralded more of the same, simply under a new name. And now you’re back,” Celestia smiled back for a second, only for it to quickly fade to regret. “Back from the exile I imposed upon you ...” The alicorn then gave out a confused gasp. Regret also faded from her face rapidly, replaced this time by even greater surprise.

“I do not wish to embrace the cold of metal; but the warmth of thy familiar fur,” Luna explained. She was enshrouding her sister’s chest piece in cobalt magic, removing the mithril-adamantium plating for her and holding it out in front of them both. “We shall be whole again.”

Celestia completed her circle of emotion by smiling once again as she and Luna both took note of something that Celestia had concealed in between the chest piece and her tunic.

While Celestia took magical grasp of the armor and removed her tunic, Luna was quick to extract the item from its inner surface for study. Her jaw fell a smidgen as she instantly recognized a piece of magically-preserved black cloth and silk embossed with her distinct symbol.

“Thou safeguarded such a thing for so long?” Luna inquired, a fresh new stream of tears erupting.

Quickly placing the black crescent moon scarf back around the neck of its original owner, Celestia at last embraced her previously lost sibling. “It was one of the only physical reminders of you left, Luna. After Nightmare Moon and your banishment, many conflicts were fought to keep Equestria safe, many of which I participated in personally.”

“And thou carried this into battle?”

“Ever beneath my armor, kept safe while at the same time a shield closest to my heart. I like to think that this silk and cloth has granted me untold fortune in times of great peril. This era and war are no different …”

“What is this war of which thou speakest?“ Luna’s voice dragged itself with puzzlement as her ears flattened for the moment.

Celestia pulled slightly away from their embrace to stare Luna in the eyes, tears of her own flowing freely from her eyes. “Your confusion is obvious, and beyond expected. I promise that all will be explained in time, starting in the morning. But for now, know that I missed you dearly little sister, and that words can barely even begin to express my joy in seeing you again.”

Luna brightened up once again as her ears shot up to their default angle. “Tia, such knowledge can wait for as long as need be! Simply speaking with thee is more than sufficient for now, something I would not trade for rulership of all realms upon this world. My joy is your rival thrice over!”

By now, both alicorn sisters had reached a similar emotional bearing. Their tears were without sobbing, and they both wore smiles of the type that one seldom sees: a display of pure, unbridled happiness.

“Well then, we have much ahead of us to do, Luna,” Celestia said, after the both of them shared another embrace. “One of the first steps on this long road is rest, wouldn’t you agree?”

Luna’s legs suddenly felt like lead weights, echoing her earlier arrival in the room. Her sister’s words were but a simple auditory cue for something Luna’s body was already more than aware of. Even given their species more robust and unique physiology, such a process as Luna’s recent reformation took a great deal of energy and stress on the body.

Luna chuckled. “Mine limbs are in agreement … and any kind of raising of Selene in the sky is clearly well out of the question this evening.”

With the furling of her wings, Celestia tilted her head to the side slightly. “My imperial scheduling advisor, Kibitz, will be more than happy to refer you to a bedchamber of your choosing. I think you will find this ancient palace to be home in no time.”

“Of that I have no doubt, Tia. Be there any other business to discuss before I take leave for the night? Tomorrow’s activities, perhaps?”

Celestia nodded. She resisted the urge to chew at her lower lip as she began, worried that she may already be heaping too much upon Luna’s shoulders, “Kibitz will guide you through the schedule tomorrow morning. Some of my fellow heads of state, Equestria’s allies, have requested to speak with you briefly after I explained the situation to them a little over two hours ago.”

The words seemed to catch Luna by surprise. Her eyes widened. “Truly?”

“Indeed. Your return has turned quite more than a few heads in your direction. Besides that, there are the affairs of your royal portrait, and sizing for armor and outfits for a variety of future occasions.”

Blinking before arching a brow, Luna replied, “Already? I tread a battleground between jubilation and dread …”

Thus did the taller alicorn begin to bite her lip. “If it’s too much in one day, I can postpone one or all of them for another time in an instant. You need only to say the word, Luna!”

“Nay! I shall attend them all as scheduled, barring any unforeseen change of circumstance! What better way to immerse one’s self in this new age than by meeting its wonders and discoveries like a vanguard, with all the vitality one can muster?”

“Ah … that is a most welcome relief to hear you are up to it! Oh, and one last matter before you retire,” Celestia said, stifling a giggle.

“Name it, my sister.”

“During your absence, the arts of healing and medicine have developed and advanced exponentially, especially in the last three hundred years. If it is no burden of you, I’d like to have Kibitz arrange a time for you to visit the palace hospital for an examination of your overall state.”

Luna cocked an eyebrow once again, this time in bemusement. “Be it my reduced stature since my reformation, or the fact that my hair does not yet again flow as yours so does?”

“It is a concern of mine, yes. If any lingering ill effects from Nightmare Moon’s possession of your body exist, our doctors will find it, and will be able to heal it accordingly.” Celestia grinned, and her violet eyes seemed to sparkle in the day’s remaining sunlight still constantly filtering in from the windows. “Perhaps we will even be able to discern a way to accelerate your recovery to full power!”

The bemusement on Luna’s face brightened into hopeful agreement. “Such an outcome would be most welcome, my sister! Summon this fair Kibitz at your earliest convenience. Mayhaps the wizard-doctors of this age have the means to finally make me immune to the rigors of attending such abhorrent festivities as gatherings of the aristocracy.”

Both sisters shared a chuckle at that. In the meantime, as if materializing by the repeated utterances of his name in a short timeframe, the imperial scheduling advisor began knocking on the door to Celestia’s chambers.

“Come in,” Celestia answered pleasantly.

The ornate door opened to admit a middle aged unicorn stallion with a half-bureaucratic, half-scholarly demeanor. His fur was beige under a posh cuffed overcoat, with a dark blonde beard, tail, and the balding remnants of a mane.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness, tonight’s dinner banquet is to be served in five minutes! Will you be in attendance, several senators and Admiral Fairweather are getting antsy due to the hijinks of the nobles so soon after this afternoon’s events, and Fancy Pants is only just barely preventing the imperial military from declaring the Canterlot nobility as … well … Insurrectionists!”

Celestia cupped her face in the groove of her hoof and groaned. “Don’t worry, Kibitz. I’ll take care of this. Luna, are you interested in attending, or would you prefer to have your dinner carried up to wherever you decide your new quarters to be?”

“Not tonight, We think,’ Luna replied. “A small meal carried up quickly will suffice if it is no trouble. Surprise us!”

“Consider it done! Kibitz, please show my sister to the nearest vacant suite of her choosing, she would like to retire for the evening. I’ll stop by later to eat with you when the matter in the dining hall is sorted out.”

“But of course, Empress Celestia. Right this way, Your Highness.” Kibitz gestured to the hall, already halfway through the threshold.

Luna made to follow, but not before giving her sister one last curious glance. “‘Empress,’ once again I hear that term.”

After a brief venture through the corridors of the palace’s residential wing and spires, Luna eventually settled for the top suite of the spire directly across from Celestia’s. It was an observation tower that complimented the central observatory of the palace.

Its sweeping balcony offered a view of much of Canterlot – both the upper, and lower districts—and even a portable telescope. The interior bedroom was nearly as lavish as Celestia’s apartment had been. Luna found the royal apartment to be quite welcoming. The light of the evening cast an orange, fireplace-like glow about the rooms that gave them a cozy feel, and the effect nearly made Luna fall asleep the moment she sat upon the spacious velvety bed.

However, she elected instead to inspect her new quarters with Kibitz’ guidance for whatever modern treasures and discoveries it had lying in wait for her.

The small kitchen was a veritable treasure trove of both the technological and culinary respects. Equestria had learned to harness the power of ice for preserving food in the form of the refrigerator, a windowed box could heat things in mere seconds with “microwaves”, and one machine even copiously dispensed a beverage that had once been a rarity before Luna’s banishment.

Coffee, a drink once prepared over the course of several days by ponies who underwent years of training. Luna could now partake of it at a moment’s notice, but she decided that would do so only sparingly, given her current physical state.

The kitchen was not without its menaces, after all, such as the mysterious beast that lurked beneath the running water facet Kibitz identified as the “garbage disposal,” and the small metal box-shaped machine that turned an angered red-orange on the inside when powered up. Kibitz explained that it simply heated bread, but Luna remained adamant that he was using the bread as an offering to quell the miniscule beast’s rage.

The bathroom and expansive shower were also wonders to behold, but the most astonishing of all things to Luna was a flat, rectangular window-like device in the parlor room that Kibitz had described to her as “television.” Along with a few other similar devices in the same room and throughout the royal suite, it could be connected to a cloud of vast, multiple star system-spanning communication and media networks known collectively as “Waypoint,” or the Extra Planetary Wide Web.

“So, confirm this fact to Us again please, Kibitz. It is now possible to transfer moving images, messages, information, and sounds through the air and the depths of space?”

Kibitz nodded as they both were seated on the sofa in front of the TV. “Yes, Your Highness. Though Equestria did possess a more rudimentary example of this ability on a planet-wide scale more than a century ago, the arrival of humanity and their refined technology accelerated the progress of a great deal many things. Likewise when our scientists began the introduction of our magical manipulation of bright to theirs … but such academia belongs to my younger years, I’m afraid.”

“Beyond fascinating!” Luna exclaimed, grinning and lifting a remote control whilst laying an operational manual onto the seat cushion alongside a pile of other manuals and user guides. “We shall teach ourselves more about this modern technology with rapid pace.”

Luna then experimented with the television for approximately thirty seconds before the combination of moving images and sound caused a sensory overload. So great was the impact that she decided that it would be best if she closed her eyes, allowing her time to recover and enabling further investigation into the television.

After napping for thirty minutes, Luna was awoke by the sound of Kibitz’s voice. With a somewhat dramatic flare, he announced the arrival of Celestia with a small supper of cucumber sandwiches and a dessert of chocolate cake for the three of them to enjoy. As they ate, Celestia told her sister about more of modern Equestria, and during the latter half of their meal, Luna decided to start with radio before considering advancing to the study of television. The three sat in relative quietude as they listened to the broadcasts that Luna tuned to at random.

One of the first stations Luna listened to caught her attention immediately, as it was reporting news about a very specific and very recent event.

“Equestrian authorities of the MInistry of Harmony have stated that the bizarre attack reported in Ponyville today was not Covenant or Insurrectionist activity, but in fact an actual physical manifestation of the centuries old legend. That is to say, Nightmare Moon did indeed physically appear with some form of alien militia. We understand that, miraculously, no fatalities were reported, and Nightmare Moon and all her followers were cleansed of some form of possession at the hands of the … yes … the Elements of Harmony. Who the entities were revealed to be, including Nightmare Moon herself, has yet to be disclosed to the public, although some form of disclosure from the Office of the Empress is anticipated by tomorrow. This has been an EBC Nightly News special report with Front Page. We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.”

From that moment onwards, she absorbed what information she could from the radio. While Celestia and Kibitz offered repeatedly to explain anything she may have found confusing, Luna would constantly raise a hoof in decline as her eyes remained glued to the radio and her ears swiveled about.

Some stations were in the middle of advertisements, describing products Luna could only bat confused eyelashes to. “Pinkie Sense™ Elixir: ‘Laugh in the face of danger!’”

“Sunburst Soda, it’ll brighten up your day!”

Others played music such as classical orchestra, as well as modern music that sounded like nothing Luna had ever heard before. Some also announced programmes featured only on television. “–another installment of the award-winning “Of Feathers and Eayn,’ the saga of the Kig-Yar people. Only on EBC History.”

Some stations provided information that was the domain of pegasi. “-derstorms are scheduled tomorrow for the vicinity of Ponyville and the Greater Canterlot Metropolitan Area as Cloudsdale completes its annual summer pass around Imperial and the Heartlands provinces. The rest of the week is shaping up to be another gorgeous summertime run, with clear and partly cloudy skies with a fair wind slated for Wednesday through Sunday. For all your latest weather forecasts and schedules from Equis and the colonies, stay tuned to Skyline Meteorological Networks!”

After around two hours of listening to the radio with rapt attention, Luna suddenly and without warning passed out next to an already sleeping Kibitz. Celestia regarded them both with an amused grin, before quietly casting a spell.

The radio turned off along with other devices still on standby mode, and Kibitz was levitated onto Celestia’s back as he murmured something about a favorite stuffed animal. Meanwhile, Celestia also lifted Luna gently at the same time, and managed to put her neatly in bed under the covers.

“Goodnight, Luna,” Celestia whispered with a muse-filled smile. “Welcome home.”

Tuesday, 22nd June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

When Luna awoke, her body first registered three things immediately.

The first thing was that it felt as if she had fallen asleep on a cloud, and she possessed no memory of having got into the bed the night prior. The second was that her stomach was on a warpath. Lastly, the third thing Luna noticed was the very radiant rays of dawn flooding her bedroom with light.

Luna took a moment to enjoy the peace of the moment. A wise decision some would wager, for it was a fleeting moment. There was a knock at the door of her apartment.

“Your Highness, I do so ever apologize for the rude interruption to your no doubt peaceful slumber, but the day has begun! We have much to do; the schedule must be followed if we are to get a jump on today.”

“Yes, We hear you and were already awoke prior to your sudden knocking!” Luna said with a pleasant tone, masking word choice that could otherwise be construed as a sign of grouchiness: a prime ingredient for awkwardness in Luna’s present situation. “We are preparing.”

“Very good!”

“We trust that the first order of business is breaking our fast with sister?” Luna asked as she poked her head out from the doorway to the shared hallway of both her bedroom and the apartment’s bathroom.

“Indeed, Princess Luna.” Kibitz’s voice got easier to hear as he made his way into Luna’s parlor after passing through the kitchen, already perching himself on the sofa and sorting through page after page of varying schedules for different members of the Equestrian imperial family.

After Kibitz sorted through more and more schedules, pulling out his pocket watch four separate times, Luna finally emerged from her bed chambers. She was fully groomed, with her black scarf around her neck and shoes of mithril proudly worn around her hooves.

“Right and ready to go, and right quick of it. Very good, Your Highness!” The imperial scheduling advisor nodded in approval before proceeding to all but magically push the alicorn out the door and into the deserted sun-bathed corridors. “Off we go, now!”

Luna’s mind wanted to remark about the pervasiveness of the sunlight – it was welcoming and pleasant, but got old after awhile – but she was half-focused instead on the nearing breakfast with her sister. The other half of her attention was of course on the overbearing unicorn stallion now ushering her through the castle.

“Kibitz, what art thou …”

Operating like clockwork, Kibitz did not listen as he rapidly fired off the details of Luna’s schedule at a rapid and steady pace. “Firstly mentioned was the royal breaking of the fast with the Empress! After that is your meeting with some of the leaders of Concordat Parliament, a most auspicious outing! Then your medical exam, completely painless I assure you! Sizing for garments, and of course the commissioning of your royal portrait!”

At Kibitz’s fluster-inducing sense of urgency, Luna quickly found herself in the main dining room of the castle, and unsurprisingly, she was not the only occupant. A grand table nearly four meters long stretched out before Luna as she took the opulent eating space in with curious cyan eyes.

Celestia was already seated on the right side of the table end closest to Luna, and waved her sister over with an air of delight. Luna took her seat directly across from her sister, observing the vast array of food arranged across the table in what was nothing short of a feast.

Besides there being over a dozen plates and collections of utensils at the ready for each seat, plates of syrup-doused pancake stacks shared court with platters laden with everything from omelets, to muffins, strudels, hashbrowns, toast, and more. The middle of the table, meanwhile was dominated by ketels of tea, coffee, and cocoa all still steaming, baskets of fruit, as well as pitchers of orange juice and milk. The latter were kept cool by what Luna assumed was some form of magic developed in later eras that manipulated water and air to regulate temperature.

Celestia beamed from her side “Good morning, Luna! I trust that you slept well?”

Luna’s response was delayed as she continued to visually process the array of food available. “Indeed I did, although ‘twas strange, I admit, sleeping for so long and at such an unusual hour for one such as myself.

The beam on Celestia’s face only widened. “I would be lying if I said that surprised me. I was always the only one of us to frequently sleep like ordinary ponies did, despite the lack of need for such things in alicorns such as ourselves.”

Luna nodded happily as she began to peruse the food nearest her at a much closer glance.

“Help yourself,” Celestia encouraged. “I had the kitchen servants and chefs prepare the dining hall in advance with at least one of every breakfast item available, so that we would have the room all to ourselves.” On that note, Celestia then turned to a still hovering Kibitz.

The unicorn had remained behind Luna the entire time whilst going through paperwork and parchment he kept in his pockets. Luna turned to follow the Empress’ gaze, and that was finally enough for Kibitz to notice that he now had a silent audience of two neutral but expectant faces.

He blushed apologetically beneath his fur before giving a bow to them both and taking his leave of the dining room.

“Thank you, Kibitz,” Celestia called out to him, smiling again. “He is one of the finest advisors to have walked the halls of this palace in many decades, but sometimes he takes his role in the Imperial Court a bit too intensively. He even schedules his own private activities when off work.”

“Most unusual,” Luna murmured, now filling her plate with various foodstuffs. Celestia followed suit, and for several moments, there was an intermingling of cobalt and gold all across the table as food and drink was levitated and put down.

“Indeed. So, how are you liking your new quarters?” Celestia inquired after alternating between sips of orange juice and tea.

“They are most wonderful, my sister!” Luna replied as she assaulted a stack of pancakes five in height, topped with butter. “Although I must admit, many of the modern inventions within it I find most perplexing. That likely does not warrant surprise from you either.” She ended her latter sentence with smirk.

Celestia chuckled. “Not in the slightest. You have many questions, and now is as good a time as any to ask some of them.” She surprised Luna a bit as she dug into a cheese and pepper omelet, still talking all the while. “My fellow heads of state will be meeting with you only briefly, so they will not have time to answer them.”

Luna nodded thoughtfully and prodded a muffin with her fork before an obvious question soon surfaced to prominence. “Shall we begin by discussing this ‘Concordat’, as well as how itself and Equestria relate?”

Humming in affirmation, Celestia took another sip of tea and passed a fresh cup of coffee over to her sister before beginning.

“The Grand Solarian Concordat,” she began, her demeanor almost professor-like, “is a large and still growing alliance of nations, planets, and races formed fifty-one years ago here in Canterlot itself. Equestria, Prance, Saddle Arabia, the human Unified Earth Government, the zebra Roaman Empire, the minotaurs of Tayros, and the griffons of Griffonia are some of its founding member states. It is so named due to our governments’ mutual agreements and interests to jointly pursue prosperity, and defend one another from outside forces that could see us reduced to nothing.”

“Humans … like the Spartans Johnson and the Master Chief?” Luna inquired with a raised brow, inwardly taking special note of Celestia’s most recent sentence.

“Indeed, although it should be noted that they are far from average representatives of their species; armor alone should be an indication of that. Mankind and the nations of Equis have been in close communication and interaction for the better part of fifty-six years.”

“What first spurred this contact?”

“The Tree of Harmony.”

Luna nearly spit out the coffee that was in her mouth from both the statement itself as well as the straightforward way in which Celestia had delivered it. “You’re a jester, Tia! In what way?”

“It is difficult to fully explain, as you have not yet had the chance to familiarize yourself with modern vernacular, let alone jargon that exists alongside it. Yet, I will try my best.”

“I understand,” Luna stated with a serene nod. Here eyes glistened with patient curiosity.

“Where to begin, let’s see ... in the month of March, 2495, the Tree began projecting some kind of message out into space more than powerful enough to reach planets inhabited by humans. In curiosity, they sent a small expedition of ships to investigate the source of the signal, and stumbled upon Equis. Thus far, study of the tree by scientists from every race has yielded nothing substantial as of yet in regards to what the message or signal may have been or contained.”

There was a quiet magical chiming as Celestia inspected the rim of her tea cup, awaiting further questions from Luna.

“The Tree of Harmony always was one of our world’s greatest enigmas,” Luna commented, after grabbing herself another plate of food. “No surprise that such a fact holds truth to this very day. How was this contact capable of blossoming into so powerful an alliance as this Concordat of which you speak?”

“Friendship forged in, unfortunately, the spectre of war. With the beginnings of a great Insurrection their scholars were predicting had the potential to shatter their very civilization, several very powerful human leaders sought influence from outside, and first contact with Equis presented much opportunity.”

Luna sighed, looking solemn for the moment. “War. That word appears again. You know what roles I once held when Equestria was still a kingdom, sister.” Celestia nodded, partaking more of her tea. “Perhaps that role will be called upon again, once I have mustered my faculties and my bearing in this new age.”

Celestia drew out her sipping of the liquid even longer than even she had intended. This prompted Luna’s brow to arch for the umpteenth time that day. “Such is your liberty when the power is granted, but I hope it will not be necessary, sister.”

“Time will tell, Tia,” was Luna’s answer, before her original demeanor returned. “Please continue.”

“Senators of the UEG and their president Lance O'Donnell sought to change the entire paradigm of galactic politics by introducing influences from ‘outside.’ Our world was where they made first contact with a civilization that was not human, and many of them were astounded by the geopolitical state of Equis: despite so many terrible wars before and even during first contact, most of the planet’s sapient races are able to coexist in harmony. They hoped that by forging an alliance with us, the Insurrection could be contained, and the model of Equis replicated on a galaxy-wide scale. After five decades, it has largely worked … were it not for one thing.”

“There is a war at present.” Luna’s intonation made it more of a statement than a question.

“The Great War, as many have now taken to calling it,” Celestia revealed, nodding slowly. Her features were impassive. “In 2525, a theocratic hegemony of alien species known as the Covenant discovered, then eventually attacked and burned the human farming world of Harvest. Many more worlds have been attacked, both on the Concordat and Covenant sides.”

“How has it progressed on the grand scale?”

Celestia looked downcast. “Human worlds burn almost in sores as the Covenant advance deeper into their territories. Some of Equis’ most remote colonies have fallen in recent years as well. The Concordat has been counterattacking for two decades.”

“To what effect?” Luna’s brow raised. Her outdated tactical mind was equating the likes of deep space to that of ocean, with the myriad worlds and systems as islands and continents.

“Several Covenant worlds are under occupation, and two of their subject species’ homeworlds have defected to the Concordat, with a third, Doisac, under the control of the Sigma-Jiralhanae alliance that resists the Covenant and to whom we have lukewarm ties. Ultimately, we are locked in a terrible stalemate with the Covenant Empire while rogue factions run amok and afflict both sides. It is feared by many that Earth, the homeworld of the humans, will fall before we are able to locate and capture the enemy mobile capital of High Charity.”

“This is beyond troublesome … is there anything else thou could immediately share?” Luna read Celestia’s eyes as she did. The alicorn was suspicious that Celestia was withholding more specific details not just for the interest of time, but also to prevent a possible open and outward display of the emotional stress it was surely dealing upon her older sibling.

“I do not desire to go into further details now; it is a topic for a more fitting time, if you do not mind?”

“I hold no vexation towards that decision, sister!” Luna responded, having turned a bit flustered. Her muzzle was scrunched in a manner almost reminiscent of a badly dented soda can before she transformed it to a reassuring smile. “Clearly this war holds much weight over your mind’s shoulders, we will both do our parts to see that mended in time, and for victory to be quickly ushered to fruition! The humans shall not fall, and neither shall we!”

“Thank you, Luna,” Celestia all but murmured with a small smile. “A more fitting time will come to discuss it once again. Very soon, I am sure. Now, have you any more questions about modern times in general, perhaps?”

Luna’s face lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree. The grin told Celestia that she was now dealing with the near equivalent of her most recent and accomplished pupil to date. For the next several minutes, the Empress was bombarded with question after question about everything from technology, to history and culture, and everything in between. Celestia answered each with enthusiasm that nearly rivalled her younger sister’s own.

By the end of it, Luna’s expression had turned bizarre as her grin reached its greatest physical extent possible before she burst out laughing. “Tia, you must pardon me. My cauldron of emotions from being in this new epoch have triggered dramatic shifts of demeanor in both of us,” Luna apologized in between giggling fits. “The wonder is almost enough as to overwhelm me.”

“If you ever feel ready to venture into the public eye, I highly recommend visiting some museums,” Celestia offered with a cheeky smile. “You know, experience this era for yourself, rather than simply hearing about it from me, or watching it from afar atop the balconies of a castle spire.”

“Time permitting, the latter half of this day will be devoted to just such an outing!” Luna affirmed as her laughter died down enough to resume eating. She finished the rest of her third and final dish. She sighed with satisfaction whilst wiping at her muzzle with a napkin.

Celestia gave her sister a pearlescent smile, clearly impressed. “‘Time permitting?’ My goodness, Kibitz is contagious. Are you finished?”

“Mayhaps ... “ Luna sighed as she reclined her haunches a bit in the chair. “I believe now is a most fortuitous time to proceed w–” The response was cut off by the sudden intrusion of two prominently-dressed unicorns, one familiar to Luna and another far less so.

“... again you irritate me, Kibitz! Have you no princes or princesses of the imperial family to bother elsewhere?

The first was obviously Kibitz from both visual and auditory indication, although in the presence of his new companion he was far more subdued in his forbearance. Celestia’s mind saw fit to compare his visage to that of a neophyte technician forced to tend to an old fusion reactor in the absence of their superiors. Said companion was a gray-aquamarine, middle-aged mare, wearing the white, crimson, and gold dress uniform of the Equestrian Imperial Legion’s highest officers.

The mare was of impressive stature, slightly taller than Luna in her present weakened state but just as lithe. Her well toned musculature was uncommon in unicorns. However, the unicorn officer’s overall grace was quite characteristic of her race, with a professionally coifed mane of dark indigo and light blue eyes lined by crow’s feet that seemed to gaze upon everything with a permanent shimmer of combined scrutiny, inner kindness, and elegant serenity.

As Luna took in the sight of the stranger, the gleaming of the room’s sunlight upon the many medals and ribbons that decorated the unicorn’s uniform seemed only amplify her overall stateliness. Both Luna’s curious inspection of the newcomer and Celestia’s amused inspection of Kibitz were abruptly halted as the unicorn mare caught their combined attention at once.

“Princess Luna!” the Legion commander shouted in a furious tone, approaching the large dining table with her eyes narrowed. Luna looked agasp between her and Celestia, the latter possessing an unreadable expression.

“We ... are the Princess in question.”

The officer stood on her hindlegs and clasped her forehooves behind her back. Her scrutinizing look returned, but her tone remained as furious as ever. “When General Black at Concordat Allied Command first sent vague reports of an attack in Ponyville to my personal data pad, my first words to my adjutants were ‘find them little Covie bastards, and take them down!’”

“Ahem, Svelte?” a somewhat horrified Kibitz interjected, only to be dismissed.

“Not now, dearest. When I received word that a special response team was being dispatched instead of my own Legion’s finest, I was furious.” At that point, Svelte seemed to be on the verge of pure wrath as her skin flushed beneath her coat.

That was until Celestia let out a prominent snort before she began quaking with quiet laughter. Svelte’s entire charade crumbled in an instant like the falling curtains of a stage as the mare known as Svelte adopted an ear-to-ear grin.

Luna’s confusion could not have been any greater at that given moment. “We beg your pardon?”

“When I received final confirmation that we were actually facing the return of an ancient legend, well, that’s when my face started looking like a damn cross between a foal in a candy shop, and a cow that was just told that she is lactose in-fucking-tolerant. Seriously! My poor, war-scarred old muzzle looked like a human child’s failed attempt at baking a souffle.”

“Aha. We do not believe we have been properly introduced,” Luna said, trailing her voice as an opening for Svelte to fully introduce herself.

Svelte brought her right hoof to her heart before falling back to all fours. “Your Highness, Lord General Svelte of the Imperial Legion. We are the Equestrian Empire’s primary land-based fighting force, and I am her proud chief-of-staff. I’m just going to finish this overly drawn out introduction by stating how happy I am to have discovered that you were a possessed alicorn goddess with nightmare powers, and not the Covie scum seeking to make a deep cut into the Concordat’s ever-beating heart.”

“We are … most flattered. And We understand that you already know of Us?” Luna inquired curiously.

“Oh yes, Princess. Empress Celestia briefed me at length about you during dinner yesterday. It is an honour to have made your acquaintance. Now, onto why this court jester is with me.” Svelte shifted to a radically more formal forbearance, then gestured to Kibitz, who was now in the midst of shaking off his complete bewilderment at the whole episode and replacing it with his usual professional air.

“Princess Luna, Empress Celestia, the scheduled meeting with some of the other Concordat heads of state is approaching fast!” Kibitz explained, prodding a hoof urgently at his parchment.

“My beloved Kibitz and I shall escort you and Her Imperial Majesty to the throne room, as it is in the same direction as my own destination,” Lord General Svelte added, earning her a half-loving, half-nervous look from the scheduling advisor.

Celestia and Luna both arose from their seats as Luna replied, “Then let us be off! We look forward to seeing what other great leaders define this era!”

After a short walk through the winding and ever-opulent corridors of the palace, Luna found herself in the aforementioned throne room.

The grand chamber had changed surprisingly little since Luna had last seen it during her rare trips to Canterlot prior to her vanishing. The same multi-tiered dais and red-gold throne Celestia now occupied that once was graced by the likes of Princess Platinum, King Bouillon, and others was in the same location it had always been.

Indeed, the only noteworthy changes to the stained glass and art-laden room was the surprisingly nondescript presence of three small, roughly circular collections of four ornate desks and computer terminals each. They were situated to the left, right, and behind the central dais. Currently, only four advisors or some other form of bureaucrat were quietly busy at them.

While the present imperial staff went about their daily work, Luna and Celestia were beside each other at the throne, patiently awaiting the appearance of the heads of state. Fortunately, the wait was not long, for some leaders in the Concordat Parliament were infamous for their penchant for concision and punctual zeal.

“Good morning, Your Highness. I am Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood of the United Nations Space Command, the military branch of the Unified Earth Gover-” Luna let out a squeak of surprise as four different people in holographic form appeared standing in front of the dias.

The first voice that had spooked her and tapered off for the moment belonged to a noticeably wrinkled human man. He was dressed in attire very much like that of Lord General Svelte, and his voice was similarly rich and wisened by age. The man paused for the moment, a flash of surprise appearing before giving way to mild bemusement as he removed his peaked cap and rubbed at a balded crown.

“Erm, on behalf of the Concordat and humanity, allow me to cordially welcome you the twenty-sixth century. My apologies, I assumed you had been versed on the specifics of remote communications like this.”

The next hologram adjacent to him greeted the alicorn as well. He happened to be a zebra with a closely-cropped black mane, and a splendidly dressed one as well. If physically present, his flowing white toga with gold garland and purple accents would have draped over the floor like a tent made from bed sheets.

“Emperor Arcadius Antiochus of the Empire of Roam,” the zebra stallion said with a kindly voice in thickly-accented Equestrian, inclining his head forward. “We greet a future friend of Roam, and welcome her back to her home!”

As a smile teleported itself onto Luna’s face, her attention shifted to arguably the two most exotic of the four leaders in appearance.

“Chieftain Rurika, of the House of Winter relays greetings on behalf of all Capricorns. I am pleased to meet you outside of battle under more civil conditions, although unfortunately, duties back on Fenris prevent me from doing so personally. May we someday soon have a toast of mjord to your return!” The distinctly pony-like Capricorn grinned, revealing wolf-like fangs. Luna resisted the curious urge to query her as to why a creature with such prominent fur would festoon themselves and their armour with the pelts of another animal.

Luna suspected that the final holographic guest was a type of bipedal dragon, but the alleged dragoness’ introduction proved to the contrary as she peered down her snout at the alicorn. “I am Shipmistress Chol Von of the Kig-Yar Consortium. We, the most premiere traders and mercenaries of the Concordat, bid you welcome in these most unique of circumstances.”

Chol Von’s strongly avian-esque body was a venerable art display of feathers. The most prominent of these feathers were the same ruby-red as her eyes, and her body was clothed in an exquisitely-crafted, gem-studded set of robes that would no doubt look awkward on the likes of any other species but the Kig-Yar.

“We are charmed to meet you all, and most deeply honoured by your sparing the time to introduce yourselves,” Luna replied, seeing that the leaders were now awaiting her words. “If appearances are any indication, we are clearly in the presence of not just honoured and diverse guests, but also quite capable ones. And with that fact acknowledged, shall we now discuss the affairs that have brought thy voices to this court? Surely thou hath not arrived simply to exchange pleasantries?”

“Right on the mark, Your Highness,” Lord Hood answered. “Our time is running short, so you’ll have to forgive us, but we’re going to need to be brief.”

“Luna,” Celestia said with a smile, getting her attention, “to aid you in your transition to the modern world, I have arranged for you to have a personal retinue, and three primary members have already been appointed to assist you in whatever way you may need.”

“The first you have already met, if I am not mistaken,” Lord Hood added. “Throughout this war, the UNSC has deployed a choice few of its most capable men and women to assist in specialized Concordat efforts around the galaxy. To that end, we are appointing you Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 as part of your group.”

“Momentous! We have indeed made the acquaintance of the Master Chief,” Luna stated with some enthusiasm at the prospect of meeting another now familiar face – or helmet, at least – from modern times. “But why separate so valuable a warrior from the battlefield just to aid in largely peaceful affairs?”

“Upon coronation to Crown Princess of the Equestrian Empire, the Imperial Armed Forces will be at your disposal in limited capacities that would gradually expand to greater powers the longer you are actively involved in military operations. Should you so wish to follow that route, then the Master Chief will be your greatest immediate source of assistance in familiarizing yourself with modern warfare,” Celestia explained.

“Many of us have been briefed about your history, Princess Luna,” Chol Von interjected, idly brushing at the feathers on her right forearm. “The Concordat could always use another experienced military mind to lend it strength, regardless of what era they may hail from.”

“We see. The potential you see in Us so early on is both flattering and humbling,” Luna replied. Her lips then curled into a knowing smirk. “We can also see by thy body language, even despite thy differences in physical appearance, that thou art eager to depart en masse. Very well, what of the other members of this retinue?”

“Sometimes we are as subtle as a flail in broad daylight, us leaders,” Rurika commented. “For most of my people, there is seldom a time where this is not true.”

“Of the others who shall help you in your quests, your sister, she will tell you the rest,” Emperor Arcadius said.

“Unfortunately that will have to mark the end of our meeting. Thank you very much for your time, Your Highness,” Lord Hood said.

“Our gratitude for the same as well, Lord Hood. And to each of you as well, Chol Von, Emperor Arcadius, and Chieftain Rurika. Farewell and good fortune in the months ahead!” All four nodded or bowed before their holograms vanished within a few seconds of each other. The light returned to a series of now idling projectors that had been installed into the dias.

“Now, regarding the other two that will be helping you in your days and your travels,” Celestia said, “The second is another of the Master Chief’s company you have already met: one Trixie Lulamoon. As a Knight-Errant, junior officer of the Praetorian Guard, she will serve you as a prime informational bridge between the military and civilian worlds of today.”

“And the third member?”

Celestia beamed. “The third person who will be helping you is my personal pupil, Twilight Sparkle. She is the most knowledgeable and academically capable unicorn you may ever meet. Just between sisters, but I consider her to be the next Star Swirl the Bearded.”

“Auspicious! Receive my gratitude in multitudes this very instant, Tia! I am honoured to be assigned to study under such capable beings as these … but first … erm, where can they be found?”

“Twilight Sparkle is currently in Ponyville on imperial business and should return soon, but the others should still currently be about the castle, assisting the Royal Guard with whatever support it may require. They should not be difficult to locate at some point today. Raven and Kibitz will keep eyes peeled for them when you are all on your way to palace hospital.”

Responding attentively to their names being spoken by their monarch, the two ponies in question appeared before them, having been present at the workstations to the left of the imperial dias.

Raven was a friendly-looking unicorn mare with a white coat and dark black hair. Both her mane and tail were kept in neat buns, and her hazel eyes were framed by a set of large bifocals. She was the first of her and Kibitz’s duo to greet Luna.

“Right this way, Your Highness! The doctors are already awaiting your arrival.”

“Emphasis on ‘already’,” Kibitz added, his face flushed from overstressing with his timepiece and assorted paperwork on his person.

“Excellent, let us be off then,” Luna responded with a small smile. She suppressed the instinctive desire to make a joke at the scheduling advisor’s expense. It was an obvious fact that it would do the stallion some good to lighten up every once and awhile.

Bidding farewell to Celestia, Luna then proceeded to exit the throne room with Raven and Kibitz a few paces ahead of her on either side, leading the way and passing pleasantries amongst the three and those they past. After a few minutes’ walk, they were now about to enter the hospital wing of the palace.

As they were about to, however, two separate conversations collided as the group encountered yet another trio of individuals that Luna counted amongst her growing list of new acquaintances.

“You see, after the Grand Galloping Gala of 2550 when a rowdy group of Grunts from the newly-liberated Balaho managed to break into the palace wine cellars, extensive renovations were conducted on the entire kitchen wing, and …”

“They think they can even dare to set their beady little eyes on Reach? Equis? Earth? I’m telling you, Trixie, Chief, it will be their Battle of the Bulge. I don’t care how cunning their ‘shipmasters’ can be, cleverness isn’t bulletproof! I bet … well look who it is!”

Kibitz’s posh and eloquent voice met with the boisterous voice of Sergeant Johnson in a bizarre collision that only served to hasten both trios’ recognition of the other in the spacious corridor. All six of them stopped in place and each regarded the other group.

“I … I … um,” Kibitz’s voice trailed off and his professional demeanor melted away to a show of complete befuddlement. “Hello?”

Luna was pleasantly surprised. Raven however, was doing nothing but emitting squeeing noises from being in the presence of not one but three well known military heroes. Having already been in the presence of a legendary infamous figure that had been reformed back into an even more mythical, nearly-forgotten positive figure only served as primer for Raven.

“Your Highness,” Chief greeted, nodding at Luna.

“Princess Luna, Trixie is most pleased to see you again,” Trixie said as she did a quick bow. “Trixie was curious as to when we would see you again, as she has an announcement for you in case the Empress has not yet–”

“Princess, how’s modern life treating you so far?” Johnson asked, cutting Trixie off. He was obviously pleased to see her, due to his glistening grin. Trixie however was clearly not pleased with him, and alternated between smiling at the alicorn and glaring daggers at the human.

“Must you?” Trixie began. “Trixie’s apologies, Your Highness.”

“Warmest greetings, Trixie and the Master Chief! Life treats Us well thus far, fairest Sergeant Johnson! And thou hath no cause for apology, Trixie.”

“For now,” Johnson quipped. “‘The Great and Powerful’ can have a penchant for attracting heaps of trouble.” Luna looked confused as the Spartan-III moved to light himself a cigar, and the Chief was shaking his head in exasperation. Trixie was already the same colour as what the tip of said cigar was soon going to be. “Glad to hear it, Your Highness. You’ll have to forgive me, but this is where I take my leave. Captains Shining Armor, Candlelight, Magic Barrier, and Prince Tobias have a meeting with me.”

“Oh?” Luna inquired.

“They need a good talking to about how to make the Royal Guards into real soldiers,” Johnson added jokingly in response. “They want my input on Canterlot’s ground defences in light of Nightmare Moon. If you’ll excuse me.”

Johnson gave a final wave to Luna and the others before taking his leave and heading down another corridor leading away from the hospital wing and two other wings that all connected to intersection they had all met at. While Luna, Chief, Kibitz, and a still-squeeing Raven watched Johnson depart, Trixie was still taking time to cool herself down.

“Johnson was referring to my young adult life before I enlisted … a story for another time. I … Trixie, still has that announcement to make, assuming you do not already know what it is she will say, Princess?”

Luna’s face was nothing but a massive grin from ear to ear. “We welcome you our royal retinue, Trixie and Chief!”

“Ah well then, that is a pleasurable convenience.” Trixie smirked and turned from Luna to Kibitz and Raven. “As Trixie’s first act as part of this retinue, I hereby dismiss the likes of you, Kibitz! Raven, please take this stallion somewhere and teach him the ways of the laid back. You may just be saving his life in the process!”

Raven and Kibitz both looked between Luna and Trixie, the latter’s face unsure and the former’s face awestruck. Luna provided the final decisive input.

“We … believe it likely to be best if thou were to heed her instruction.”

Raven needed nothing further. She was already in the process of carting Kibitz out and back the way they had come as Luna was now joined by Trixie and Master Chief in venturing to the hospital wing.

They met with the receptionists and other bureaucrats that guarded the way into the examination room, and were quickly ushered in. Luna detected very little that was noteworthy about the room, besides the – in her opinion – harshly bright electrical lighting. The vast array of tools and instruments the two doctors and three technicians had at their disposal did not surprise the alicorn even in the slightest.

Somewhat akin to craftsmen, doctors always kept every useful tool that was needed close by, regardless of the era. The mixed pony and human team at present were no exception to this rule.

“Welcome, Your Highness,” the lead doctor, a white earth pony mare with red mane and tail, greeted her. “My name is Nurse Redheart, and this examination will be simple and brief, for you convenience. As you have probably been informed previously, these are all completely voluntary, and you can refuse to participate at any point during the examination.”

“We understand,” Luna responded as she moved to occupy a spot in the center of the room, an area that possessed a square section of flooring with orange edges. “Please continue all of them as planned.”

“Very good. Now, we will be conducting a quick series of tests and observations with calibrated scales for your unique alicorn physiology. They will look into your reflexes, basic magical casting, overall physical status, as well as some bloodworking. We will wrap the examination up with a secondary analysis of your magical ability.”

While the Master Chief and Trixie observed with mixed degrees of curiosity, Luna underwent each examination.

In the first one, Luna was presented with a series of eight directional lights that changed colour when she focused her eyes on each. She was asked to change them all from red to green three times, and by the second time, Luna was already moving her gaze from light to light too fast for their indicators to respond.

The surprised doctors then proceeded to have her utilize basic magic. This included levitation of some chairs in the room, an illumination spell, as well as a highly underpowered demonstration of Destruction Magic by way of making a cup of water reaching well beyond boiling point as to evaporate completely.

Both physical analysis of Luna’s body and a minute draw of her golden, semi-luminescent blood yielded an expected clean bill of health with ratings far beyond that of the healthiest known citizens of Equestria.

Overall, the examination was unremarkable to Luna until the second analysis of her magical ability at last commenced.

“Alright, Luna, you have done marvelously! If only all patients could be as cooperative,” Redheart lamented, muttering about aristocrats under her breath as she and the three technicians readied some more data-gathering equipment. The other two doctors, a human woman and a unicorn stallion, stood by next to Trixie and the Chief with readied datapads. “It is now time for the finale; just going to ask you to repeat the same spells again, or something new if you wish. Sometimes we like surprises around here to break the monotony.”

“Very well, give Us a moment to think on what spells to consider casting,” Luna instructed. After a few moments, she broke the newfound quietude with an enthusiastic “Aha!”

Redheart only needed to study the Princess’ expression for a moment before she lit up with enthusiastic expectation.

Luna’s horn ignited, and the cobalt of her magic aura enveloped her body in a few blinks of the eye. After a moment, her eyes widened as she realized the true power of the spell she had chosen. “Erm, We believe we may have gotten Our transfiguration spells mixed up in our excitement … brace thyselves! We know not what form we may be taking!”

“Ah crap, I just had to invite surprises in here,” Redheart replied as she and the other medical personnel were already being ushered by Trixie and the Chief toward the doorway as the latter two stood in between them and Luna. “Boredom is a nefarious beast!”

“Bitch.”

“What?” Nurse Redheart asked, more than a little confused at the simple statement. Was he calling her names?

“The saying is ‘boredom is a bitch,’” Master Chief replied in a stoic manner, not even turning his head to focus on the nurse.

“Oh,” was all the nurse could reply.

The room then filled with magical illumination that mixed with the overhead lighting made it too bright to comfortably see for most.

“This is most unexpected!” Luna commented with wonder. “We have not assumed this form in many an age … though we don’t remember having mammaries this big. Perhaps attaining methods to accelerate Our return to our full natural power would be unnecessary afterall.”

Trixie, as curious as she was wary of Luna’s powerful magic at work, managed to telekinetically flip the switches on most of the examination room’s lights. The light of Luna’s spell was starting to dissipate rapidly, but it allowed perfect view of her present form. Trixie’s jaw dropped. The Master Chief, also able to see, even raised his eyebrows behind his helmet visor.

Luna’s body had shifted from its previous pony form and into a new one that resembled the build of a healthy human woman almost exactly, with the obvious exception of the horn still atop her head and the wings unfurled behind her.

Also different was that, in addition to a lithe and well-endowed form that rivalled the height of the Master Chief in his armor, her fair-textured skin remained the colour of her previous coat like her hair, and its surface subtly glowed with a starlight-like aura all around. Her facial features were of a nature that many humans and ponies would find both beautiful and imposing, with a prominent nose, a strong-looking jaw with distinctly feminine cheeks, and a delicate-looking brow.

After Luna had fully registered her new physical appearance, she was quick to note something odd. All but two of the room’s occupants were staring at the floor, some with their eyes shielded by their arms or forelegs.

“Why dost thou avert thy gaze? We are just as nature and magic have made us, surely modesty should be of no issue here with the royal form!” Luna declared with utter bemusement as she put one hand to her hip and waved the other in a dismissive gesture. “Bah.”

“You’ll have to forgive us, Your Highness,” Nurse Redheart was finally able to answer, wonder plastered plainly on her face as she adjusted to the lighting and studied the alicorn. “It was simply the light of the spell. Although I admit, when I said we liked surprises around here, I expected nothing of this calibre.”

“Oh … We see.”

“No pun intended, right?” Trixie inquired, having regained her usual demeanor.

Luna hesitated for a moment, crossing her new arms and furling her wings back up before answering. Then she realized what Trixie meant. “Ah, yes. The play on words was most unintentional.”

An awkward quiet then settled over the room with only the sounds of data pads being interfaced. That was, at least, until the Master Chief finally broke it.

“Your Highness, would you like something to wear?” he inquired.

Codex entries to be added:

Locales: Canterlot, Canterlot Palace, Castle of the Two Sisters, Equestrian Provinces, Town of Greater Ponyville, Citadel of the Nyx
Worlds: Selene, Equis
Culture and History: Nightmare Moon, The Great War
Organizations, Factions, and Civilizations:
Politics and Government: Office of the Empress
People: Luna, Celestia, John-117, Trixie Lulamoon, Avery Johnson, Kibitz, Svelte, Rurika, Larry/Shadowfright
Magic and Technology: Introduction to Equestrian Magic, Introduction to Concordat Technology, Schools of Magic
Weaponry and Warfare: Introduction to Concordat Weaponry
Races and Creatures: Alicorn/Humanoid Alicorn, Human, Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth Pony, Jiralhanae, Minotaur, Nyx, Shadow Creature

Chapter 3: A Brief History; The Great Wolf

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Equis, Equestria, Canterlot
Tuesday, 22nd June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

“That will not be necessary,” Princess Luna responded to the Master Chief after a long thirty seconds of arching her brow at everyone present. With what was tantamount to a new species having just appeared before them, the medical staff present were regarding Luna with mixtures of amazement and close analysis. They continued to peer up from their data pads at her frequently, plugging away at the handheld devices.

Trixie found her eyes rolling at their sudden machine-like behavior in response to what they, likely, saw as a new gold mine of scientific and medical discovery from visuals alone. Meanwhile, the Master Chief still had his own eyebrows raised, personally thankful that he had absolute control over who could and could not see his facial expressions.

“Very well, Your Highness,” Chief replied with a simple nod. The present situation was one of a handful of moments where his military bearing had ever been on the cusp of breaking. In this case, his jaw would have either fallen, or his mouth would have pulled into a grin at the response of the medical staff.

Only Nurse Redheart was currently not glued to a datapad, and seemed to have been the most flustered from the surprise change in the alicorn’s appearance. “Right … I believe that marks the conclusion of your medical exam.”

Luna smiled, having took the past several moments to go through several spells in her head before finding the one she desired. “So it does! Thou hath Our gratitude for having made this process expedient yet insightful all at once.”

“Of course,” Redheart responded with a half genuine, half-forced smile through her bemusement as Luna’s horn ignited. “Have a nice rest of your day, Your Highness. Like your sister you may have a unique metabolism that ours can barely even compare to, but like all patients, I encourage you to eat healthy and exercise as much as possible! As an old Ministry of Health advert always said when I was a filly: a healthy body is a happy body!”

“We could not agree more!” Luna enthused, her aura enveloping her newly-assumed body and transforming it back into her previous pony form. She then turned with a thoughtful expression to Master Chief and Trixie, not needing to catch their attention as she tested standing on hooves rather than feet again. “Speaking of the remaining portions of today … Master Chief, Miss Lulamoon?”

“Yes?” the Praetorian officer and Spartan both responded at the same time. They each exchanged a curious glance at the other before returning their gaze to Luna.

“During Our brief time in a different form mere moments ago, We have come to a new personal consensus as to today’s schedule!”

“And what might that be?” Trixie inquired with mounting suspicion in her eyes.

“The rest of the day shall be dedicated to museum-going and whatever that may entail. The other appointments can be done at another date. This demonstration of magic on Our part serves as a suitable ‘change of circumstance’, We feel. Sister will understand.”

Trixie mentally cheered both Luna and herself on upon hearing that. Yet another soul had been rescued from the trap Kibitz had fallen into long ago. In contrast to the unicorn mare, Chief simply shrugged as he was fine with either course of action

With Luna’s new proclamation, the trio promptly took their leave of the hospital wing and made ready to depart the palace, returning to Luna’s new suite and then checking in with Celestia before vanishing into the waiting wonders of Canterlot outside.

Outwardly, Celestia was serenely understanding of her younger sister’s sudden change of plans. Inwardly however, she had been expending great amounts of effort in preventing herself from demonstrating her outright urge to burst out laughing. It was from both relief and what had occurred at the end of Luna’s examination that such an urge originated.

The former was mostly due to Celestia’s observation that Luna’s sense of humour and penchant for mischief had survived intact despite all that had happened in the past millennium. Moreover, the latter was her own personal recollection of a similar event happening with herself several centuries ago.

The then-Princess Celestia had been in the middle of magical demonstrations with the likes of Star Swirl the Bearded, Clover the Clever, and her fellow unicorn scholars. To describe the now ancient event as awkward would have been a grave understatement.

Eventually Celestia did in fact break into a chuckle, if only a minor and brief one. She elaborated to her sister in regards to her feelings of relief, also adding that the royal portrait commission in particular was something that the aristocracy in both the Imperial Court and the Senate had bothered Celestia incessantly over into including in the list of suggested things for Luna to do.

“One last thing before you go though, Luna,” Celestia then said in parting, brandishing a medium-sized tome in her golden aura.

Luna’s ears pricked as she looked between her sister on her throne and her waiting companions behind her. “Oh?”

“While you are at the museum and indeed many places, you will encounter a great deal many things that you will wish to confront with questions. Your retinue is of course your greatest resource, but in the event that they are ever not, and for when you wish to study on your own, I give you this book.”

Accepting the durably-bound book in her own aura, Luna flipped through its pages rapidly in a cursory inspection of it. “What beeth the sum of its contents?”

“Knowledge. My knowledge, to be exact. With the exception of certain classified materials and private records, This codex is enchanted to produce whatever knowledge is available to the Empire and the Concordat as a whole onto its pages on demand for your personal reference. In addition to this is the more mundane enhancements that ensure that this book can survive any conditions short of being within the center of a star.”

“I thank thee, my sister.” Luna smiled warmly, placing the codex into a saddlebag she had retrieved from her bedchambers. “Once again thou places a great boon upon us to guide our path of acclimation!”

“What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t?” Celestia said with a small smile that was growing by the second. She eventually giggled and gestured towards the nearest exit. “Go on, have fun little sister.”

Luna said nothing further, only returning her sister’s beaming before promptly taking her leave with excited strides towards her waiting group.

“Perhaps you’ll stumble into an adventure on the way,” Celestia said as her mirthful yet thoughtful eyes followed their forms until they fell out of sight.

After having consulted with her sister, Luna and her present companions were in the process of traversing the bustling streets of Old Canterlot, drawing more than a few curious stares their way. Those that were in enough circles to immediately tell who the new alicorn was had expressions a step further than curiosity: sheer wonder.

“Trixie thinks we ought to start charging admission to gawk at your presence, Your Highness,” Trixie stated in a low growl, growing a bit tired of the constant stopping of pedestrians to gander at them.

“Hmm … a fascinating proposition, Miss Trixie,” Luna replied, actually considering it if her thoughtful eyes were any evidence. “Assuming thou are not simply using sarcasm as comedic relief. What beeth thy thoughts on the matter, Master Chief?”

Since he often, but not always, spoke only when it was needed, the Chief decided to make his response short but still long enough to be satisfactory. “It’s something you could likely pull off, but just because it’s possible, that does not mean it would be prudent, Your Highness.”

The Spartan’s taciturn response and perfectly even-toned delivery was rewarded with a hearty fit of giggles from the alicorn. This was enough to cause Trixie to grin in turn. “Well spoken, Spartan. Well spoken indeed. But come, my companions, for the Museum of Equisian History awaits us in this direction!”

Luna began trotting excitedly down the street to the party’s immediate left, only to pause awkwardly when she noticed that neither of her companions had moved to do the same.

“Actually, Your Highness, it is in that direction,” Trixie said, pointing to a wide, tree-lined boulevard crowded with ponies that lay to their right. “Towards where the headquarters for the Ministries of Information and Technology are.”

“Curses!” Luna exclaimed. “Damn this oft strange modern calligraphy!”

“It’s what we’re here for, Your Highness,” the Chief pointed out.

“Chief’s right, Princess. We have your back,” Trixie said with a smile.

Returning their smiles, Luna did a hundred and eighty degree turn, leading Trixie and the Chief down the boulevard and towards the museum they sought out.

The building was something the likes of which Trixie and the Chief had seen before both in person and in pictures. For Luna however, its polished marble colonnades and highly detailed exterior ornamentation of pony, human, minotaur, zebra, and griffon statuary was a true wonder to behold. The bronze-capped rotunda was simply the jewel in the crown.

When they slowly ascended the steps guarded by the crested helmet-wearing statue of an ancient pegasi soldier leading up to the front entrance, Chief noticed something immediately different about the building. “It looks … deserted.”

“Currently closed to the general public on account of some new exhibits being moved in, and a few old ones being worked on,” Trixie explained to the them as she stowed her datapad she had been perusing back into her satchel bag. “But luckily for the motley likes of us, we’re not the general public. The museum curator and some of her colleagues should still be working inside. She’ll probably take one look at you and give you a personal tour herself, Princess.”

“Wondrous! And what is the name of this curator, should we happen to chance upon her?” Luna inquired as she read the marble pegasus’ plaque.

This gift from the Nimbus Imperial Ministry of Antiquities to the Kingdom of Equestria is hereby dedicated to the proud and eternal heritage of all pegasi, as well as the role played by Private Pansy in the founding of the Kingdom. May Canterlot and Pegasopolis mark this new age as one of prosperity for each other, and for all. Erected January 1st, 2400, year one of the Fifth Celestial Era. (5C 1)

“A.K. Yearling, of course! Systems-renowned archaeologist, adventurer, and author of the Daring Do adventure novels! She was appointed curator of this museum by Prime Minister Fancy Pants for her literary and archaeological achievements!” Trixie replied with enthusiasm.

“Adventure … novels?” Luna’s muzzle was scrunched in puzzlement.

“Fictional literature, about travelling and escapades,” the Chief said curtly.

“Travelling and escapades … right,” Trixie deadpanned. “How very descriptive Trixie considers that! How very helpful!”

The Chief tilted his head to the right, then nodded. “Travelling and escapades,” he said again, “Not to mention discovery, peril, fantasy, myth, and sometimes romance and conspiracy. We studied some literature and fine arts during our training, even as super soldiers.”

Trixie’s deadpan became a smile. “There’s the man beneath the armor! Much better than your recent compatriot!” The smile quickly fell away, leaving Luna to look between the unicorn and the human with her mouth forming a bewildered ‘o’. “Sometimes Trixie wonders what being is truly under Johnson’s armor in comparison.” Her voice took on a sarcastic edge once again. “Not a man, surely? More like a deity incarnate that wears said body armour just to humour the enemy. Pffft.”

“We believe that might be something … thyself and the Sergeant should discuss at a later date; away from public scrutiny methinks,” Luna said slowly before cheerfully approaching one of the four pairs of entryway doors. “Shall we?”

“Of course!” Trixie replied, snapping her gaze back to focus on Luna after staring thoughtfully at some of the statues. The Master Chief had already begun following the alicorn inside. “And Trixie would agree, if there was only actually something to discuss in regards to that topic. Now, Trixie believes we shall.”

With that, the unicorn fell in behind the Chief and the trio was now inside the museum proper.

The interior had been constructed with just as much detail and ornateness as the exterior had been. It possessed everything from wrought iron-lined walkways that held the uppermost exhibits and galleries on the two floors above, to skylights and murals, marble floors like a massive black and white chessboard, and a whole country’s worth of statues of ponies and other races to compliment their counterparts outside.

Luna strode across the chessboard tiles towards the circular admissions and information desk. It held multiple booths and terminals but seemingly no attendants. That was at least, until Luna used her magic to ring the little silver bell that sat on the desktop next to the closest terminal, deeming it impolite to simply barge on in and begin wandering out of nowhere. All three of them looked around the cavernous room as they patiently awaited a response.

To Luna’s delight, their wait lasted only thirty seconds by her approximation.

“Apologies, apologies! I was in the middle of sorting … blessed primary sources!” a stallion swore, materializing from around the bend of the desk. He was an earth pony of posh academic dress over a stout body with gamboge-gray fur and black hair.

“We beg your pardon?” Luna responded in surprise.

“By all that can be uncovered with tools of archaeology!” he swore again. “Can you possibly be …”

“Aye, fairest citizen. We are Princess Luna, thy senses do not betray thee.”

The pony bowed his head, then said, “Stupendous! By the sacred papyrus … pardon me, sometimes I get so carried away with my work that it leaks into my speech. Ahem. I am Doctor Caballeron, and it is a privilege to meet you, Your Highness.”

“Likewise.”

“What brings the returned sister of the Empress to our most humble museum?” Caballeron took a seat next to the solid golden bust of a Roaman emperor from ages past that held imperium over a jar of candies and a wicker basket full of freshly-printed museum information pamphlets. He awaited the Princess’ response eagerly.

“Why to observe its exhibits, but of course! Well, those that can currently be observed, that is.” Luna grinned in a filly-like manner.

Caballeron nodded before tilting his head to the right and peering over his shoulder, a brow raised as he looked back to them. “Ah. And I presume that one of mankind’s most capable warriors and one of the renowned liberators of Balaho are tagging along with you instead of out fighting on the distant planets, for the same purpose?”

“That’s correct,” Master Chief replied in his usual neutral-sounding fashion. “Empress Celestia and Allied Command have ordered us to be her personal guards for an indeterminate amount of time.”

“Her Highness is very eager to leap at every opportunity to learn more about this new age, and for that matter, Trixie does not blame her,” Trixie added.

The combined responses merited a beaming expression from Caballeron. “A most noble endeavour! And here I was assuming such high figures as yourselves were simply here to join up with that Ministry of Technology-lead expedition my colleagues here keep trying to rope me into participating in. It’s doomed to fail, just like all previous attempts.”

“An expedition, thou sayeth?” Luna’s ears sprung up in their alert position, clearly conveying her interest to the earth pony archaeologist. “Could one of your colleagues perchance be one A.K. Yearling?”

“Indeed one of them is. Our museum’s most distinguished curator, nonetheless! Shall I wait to tell you about them and the expedition after the tour, if your curiosity is so great? This is assuming of course that we do not bump into Miss Yearling or one of my other aforementioned colleagues.”

Luna looked between her group and Caballeron. The others nodded at her, and she nodded in turn at the archaeologist.

“Very good! Let’s not dilly-dally, now!” Luna, Trixie, and the Chief followed Caballeron as he left the desk’s circle and stood in the middle of the reception area. “Hmm, now where to begin?” He scratched at his stubble-covered chin as he looked from one corridor entrance to the other before settling on the more obvious first choice: the museum’s grand atrium right behind the welcome desk they had just walked away from.

“The … atrium?” Trixie offered.

“Ah yes, the atrium! Home to some of our most high profile exhibits. Everything from Star Swirl’s wand collection, to ancient Anugyptian mummies and the landmarks of our remarkably diverse planet’s ventures into space!”

The ensuing tour lasted approximately two hours. During that time, Princess Luna encountered more than a few quite noteworthy artifacts, displays, and pieces of artwork. Caballeron, walking and firing out barrages of facts as they went, seemed to have started them in the most recent exhibits and had them moving forwards and backwards in history at random.

Exhibits that were lined with such things as scaffolding or protective tarps were obviously avoided, adding to the random proverbial jumps Caballeron made through time. A small part of Luna wanted to be annoyed by this, but she was simply enjoying herself too much. And, being a sponge for all the information as she presently was would have rendered it nigh impossible to begin with.

One memorable exhibit depicted very recent history, at the turn of the last century. This era was when, as explained by Caballeron, Equis’ denizens turned their eyes and hearts to the stars once again after having given up before, and went beyond simply setting hoof on another nearby planet. This time, with the boon of human slipspace travel, they permanently secured the ability to walk amongst the stars.

The exhibit in question was a diorama of a pastoral scene of rolling green and amber plains. Scale models of what Luna’s companions identified as a Horizon-class colony ship and various unpacked equipment lay on the flattest regions of the terrain, while small and highly detailed figurines of the crew placing one of Equestria’s flags and conducting other work surrounded the ship centerpiece.

As Luna interfaced with the museum exhibit’s computer with Trixie’s assistance, a recorded audio log began playing, augmenting the information already provided on the screen.

“ESS Springtide beginning post-planetfall initial status check, Manehattan Mission Control. Timestamp: May 7th, 2499, 14:52.”

“We read you, Springtide. Crew status? We hope nobody gets caught taking a nap during the big event!”

“All personnel are reporting statuses as green across the board.”

“Diagnostics?”

“Slipspace drive is green. Thrusters, engineering, and life support are green. Communications and power, green. Vital colony components, green. Planet Elysium… well there’s lots of blue, but green as well! We made it.”

Luna heard what sounded like cheering from Mission Control’s side of the recording before there was finally a verbal response. “Damn good news. Are the Stars and Alicorns ready to be planted?”

There was a curious narrowing of Luna’s eyes as she heard an unfamiliar nickname for a flag that had been familiar to her in her time.

“Affirmative. We’re setting first hooves on the ground in five to partly cloudy skies. Hope you have a sunny day as well, Control. Springtide signing off for now.”

“How awe-inspiring, to have set equine hooves upon another world, to walk in the light of another star!” Luna exclaimed, practically radiating primal awe. “We shall read more into this and similar events later. Now pray tell, what beeth that over there?”

Another exhibit displayed preserved melee, ballistics, and directed energy weaponry, miscellaneous war equipment, and photographs from the 2380’s, when Equis had suffered its first and only deployment of super weapons by any nation on its surface. They were fierce weapons, nuclear explosives in which both Equis and Earth had perfected in their history, as well as another unique only to the former: the rainbomb. A devastating, weaponized and violent interaction of bright energies that produced a signature mushroom-plumed emission which shimmered across the entire visual spectrum.

Some of the photos – the majority of them in colour – depicted dour-faced soldiers of a number of humanoid dragon subspecies in ballistics armor that was a less advanced form of some armour Luna had seen in the past two days. Also included were stills of heavily damaged cities, squadrons of living and heavily armed wyverns, and a single photo taken high in the sky that centered the exhibit and depicted a series of mushroom-shaped clouds on the far horizon.

Luna was almost as surprised as Trixie and Caballeron were when the normally quiet Chief took up the role of stoically explaining that particular museum exhibit.

“Events like this are a primary reason for museums in the first place, as you know. Two of three great dragon nations, some of the most advanced nations on this planet, devastated each other over minor disputes. Equestria is spacefaring, yet those two have not yet fully recovered. Many lives were wasted, rather than spent in that war.”

“And wasting the lives of those under thy command, those who have placed utmost trust and faith into thee, is akin to putting the blade through their hearts thyself,” Luna added.

“Precisely,” the Master Chief responded, giving a quick nod. “True words again.” The pair shared a gaze of mutual respect. Chief’s body language also indicated that it was all he currently had to say.

With the somber note now passed, Luna had a new thought surface in her mind as she observed Chief’s armored form while Caballeron lead them onward. Hath the Spartan reached a daily word capacity? One thusly self-imposed? The Princess shook her head lightly at such a silly notion, mentally scoffing.

The next exhibit they saw consisted solely of one large painting that stretched three meters wide from end to end. It’s frame was laden with gold filigree to a heavy degree and the contents the frame contained were even grander to behold. An inscription card in the middle bottom portion of the frame read:

Declaration of Empire

Canterlot, 2535

It was a painting of Celestia, standing tall with a serene smile in a prominent position on the amphitheater stage of the Canterlot Royal Botanical Gardens. She brandished three sets of scrolls in her golden aura, and behind her was a multi-species group of Concordat soldiers brandishing their respective flags, with Equestria’s blue and white and the then newly-inaugurated gold and crimson sun flags centered behind Celestia.

The entire meeting and performance hall in the scene was meanwhile crowded with delegates, ambassadors, and heads of state from a multitude of governments of races.

Master Chief was able to make out the likenesses of Admirals Cole, Fairweather, and Margaret Parangosky, as well as that of the unicorn Svelte, General of the former Royal Army of Equestria. A small part of him filled with pride to have been there, as he quickly took note of a familiar but more youthful figure next to a teenaged Princess Cadance. He was depicted clothed in his UNSC Navy dress uniform as part of the Concordat Allied Command’s honour guard in attendance, and in truth it had been one of the only times he’d ever left his Mjolnir armor since the start of the Great War.

Luna recognized the entire place thanks to three reasons. The first was Trixie’s input. The second, was her having seen the vast structure’s glass dome on the way to the Museum of Equisian History. Third, and most importantly: Luna had been told about the entire event and its significance to Equestrian history by her sister over dinner the previous night before proceeding to binge-listen to the miracle of modern broadcasted sound.

With that fact, it was Luna this time instead of Caballeron who took the time to explain their knowledge of the current exhibit.

“Declaration of Empire. This was when sister signed the documents she called ‘The Celestial Accords.’ The three scrolls are the Accords in question. The first enacted her office as Empress and organized the Equestrian Ministries under said office as the Celestial Bureaucracy. The second is what created the Imperial Legion, and shaped the modern Imperial Armed Forces. The third fashioned the Equestrian Senate from its predecessor in Royal Parliament, and outlined the details of the new empire’s diplomatic, warfare, and inter-Concordat procedures and roles.”

Luna resembled the stereotypical over-achiever of the proverbial classroom. It was a look she deliberately projected for dramatic effect. “The Concordat needed one of the founding member states to become the central foundation of its authority. That is to say, a steward power to lead and assist in keeping organized the Parliament, Allied Command, and the Concordat Systems Tribunal branches of the alliance.”

“Oh gods, Trixie hopes her mannerisms are not contagious,” Trixie whispered under her breath as Luna was finishing the first half of the quasi-lecture. “There can only ever be one Trixie in this galaxy!”

Doctor Caballeron was astounded at Luna’s rather ostentatious display of fresh knowledge, his eyes wide with excitement. “Impressive, so soon you have been in this era of ours and yet you have learned so much! Please, continue!”

Luna smirked in spite of herself. This moment was one of the first tangible demonstrations of her rapidly growing grasp on her new world, and like being in the museum itself she was enjoying every second of it. “Equestria in its contemporary state as a vast terrestrial kingdom with rapidly growing interstellar holdings was deemed a suitable model for the projection of Concordat power on an eventually galactic scale. However, many of the other heads of state at the time agreed to the notion with one stipulation: that Equestria adopt the political mantle of an empire, in order to lend weight to Equestria’s new role in name as much as it already was in reality.”

“Bleh, Trixie takes little stock in politics,” Trixie remarked with a frown of distaste as soon as Luna finished. “Long story short, some politicians that weren’t Celestia wanted Celestia’s government in a high position so they didn’t have the burden of responsibility. Political laziness allowed for the birth of Imperial Equestria. We now stand as the most powerful equine civilization that ever was. Don’t tell Roam or Nimbus that Trixie said that.”

Caballeron chuckled in amusement, while the Chief simply stood and listened, feeling completely out of place in the majority of the new conversation. Despite this however, his interest was still for the most part piqued.

“Well … essentially. Although of course, Celestia was far more verbose with her usage of words than thee, fair Trixie,” Luna informed her. “Let it be known that Our delivery of this information rivals but does not surpass my sister’s in verbosity!”

Trixie nodded and prepared to go, but it would seem Luna was not yet done with her quite yet. “Fear not,” the Princess whispered. “We were not emulating thee, for there can only be one Luna in this galaxy as well!”

The group then proceeded onto viewing such miscellaneous things as the advent of products like carbonated beverages and the notoriously still ongoing ‘war’ between the Moonbeam Cola and Sunburst Soda varieties. There was also as part of a broader cultural exhibit an article about the colloquialism for pony symbols known as ‘cutie marks,’ technologies that both took off and remained novelties when they were invented, and the travelling and supply kits of the first pony pioneers to settle Equestria’s west coast.

Eventually, the group found itself in exhibits hearkening back to a more familiar era for Luna. She found her eyes glued to everything from actual former scientific possessions of Star Swirl the Bearded as well as his fabled wands and trinkets, to scenes of Hearth’s Warming Eve and the founding of Equestria, and even tools in a display case accompanying a diorama of a half-constructed Canterlot.

During the tour Luna also noted, much to her own surprise, that there seemed to be no sign of exhibits that hinted at the existence of what she remembered to be the Crystal Empire. Like herself and the circumstances of Nightmare Moon, it appeared that a couple of decades of neglecting historical preservation, on Celestia and others’ parts, had lead to complete ignorance of such topics and events even when a century was all that had passed.

The fact of it all made her sad more than it induced any form of true vexation. However, that feeling too faded away for now as Luna saw another living being in the museum besides the three others with her in the halls.

A unicorn mare with a coat the colour of violet and lavender and a fringed three-tone mane was gazing up one of the taller exhibits covered in scaffolding and obviously in the middle of being worked on. From what Luna could see, it was some kind of aircraft replica, if the silver wing jutting out from a curtain of protective tarping was any indication. The mare herself had nothing on her person but a sizeable satchel bag that would not be out of place on some far flung trip through wilderness.

“Hail!” Luna greeted with a large grin. “Beeth thou the person known as A.K. Yearling, the curator of these fine halls of history?”

The unicorn turned around to regard Luna with complete shock. “M–me? A.K. Yearling?” The mare’s reaction proceeded to leave mixed reactions; Luna, Trixie, and the Chief were frowning, but Doctor Caballeron was grinning from ear to ear.

She was rolling on the ground, shedding tears from her laughter as it echoed throughout the building. Her satchel bag jostled enough to open and spill out its contents, including a copy of an actual Daring Do novel that Luna’s eyes rapidly inspected with close detail. The group continued to watch her antics for an entire minute before the unicorn at last calmed down enough to speak in between giggling fits.

“I’m sorry … I’m so sorry! The irony is just … oh, brother!”

“If thou are not Yearling, then who beeth thee?” Luna inquired with an arched brow that could likely prop up a building.

“Princess Luna, it’s me, Twilight Sparkle! Did the Empress seriously not tell you what I looked like?” Luna and Trixie ignited their horns and began assisting Twilight in returning the contents of her satchel to their proper places.

“It would appear not,” Luna replied as the last of the items were returned and Twilight put her pack back on.

“Thanks for the help. But that is odd! Empress Celestia must be so caught up in her duties that she forgets minor details like that. Can’t say I blame her,” Twilight said as she drifted into a brief musing spell. “Pardon me, Your Highness! I am Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s pupil and an advisor to the crown. Please tell me you were at least informed as to my new role, I worry about my teacher sometimes in her ability to spread even her great reach too thin.”

“We do, Lady Sparkle.”

“Please, feel free to call me Twilight,” Twilight replied with a * blush, also relieved to a minor degree.

“We do know of your role … Twilight.” Luna corrected with a friendly smile. “And as you imagine, just as We have entered into this era with bountiful curiosity, it is with that same sentiment that we roam these halls this afternoon with fair Doctor Caballeron.”

“As anticipated!” Twilight said. “I’ll admit though, Princess, answering your many questions and helping to guide you through the modern world will be a bit surreal to me early on. Not that it will affect my ability to impart knowledge to you, of course!” She then finally took full note of the presence of the earth pony, Trixie, and Master Chief as well. “Oh hello, Doctor, everyone!”

“Hello again, Miss Sparkle,” Caballeron replied, his green eyes still shimmering with amusement. “It would appear I do not have to speak of the expedition afterall.”

“Again with the mention of this expedition. One of you will tell Us of this venture, right this moment,” Luna said, in a faux-authoritative tone. Were it not for her accompanying smile, Twilight would have stood no chance in being able to tell that Luna was simply being playful. “Our curiosity grows by the day.”

“Oh right, the expedition! Minister of Technology Doctor Anders, myself, and A.K. Yearling are collaborating on preparations for full archaeological investigation of a site on Fenris.”

Luna’s interest only soared, and her ears pricked up in a most cat-like manner. “Fenris? There are objects of archaeological interest on the fourth planet from our Solaris?”

“Indeed there are.” Twilight produced her datapad from the satchel bag and used it to conjure a holographic projection of Fenris to illustrate her words.

Luna leaned her head forward a bit and narrowed her eyes to behold a world largely painted in whites and blues, with occasional bands of green and large swaths of red from immense volcanic and tectonic activity.

“The Capricorn species, one of whom Celestia told me you’ve met in the form of Chieftain Rurika, have anomalously inhabited Fenris for at least the past five hundred thousand years,” Twilight said. “During that time they must have formed many civilizations.”

“Anomalously, you say?”

“Capricorns as a largely unchanged species identical to their counterparts on Fenris also show up in the fossil records of Equis, going back at least two million years. We suspect this to be their true homeworld, but they vanish from Equisian records approximately eighty thousand years ago, with the last and most recent remains being discovered in Western Equina, between the shared borders of Tayros and Nimbus.”

“Fascinating, if rather suspicious,” Luna said, nodding as she processed the information.

“But I digress, back to the expedition. How about we discuss it during its main briefing at the IMTECH headquarters? You could even join up if it's of no issue with yourself and the Empress.”

Luna looked between Twilight and her companions for a moment. “Sister has placed upon Us no restriction with our dealings. With that said, this obviously intrigues Us greatly! We seek the input of Our retinue before proceeding, however. What say you, Trixie, Master Chief?”

The Chief was the first to respond. “I follow you wherever, but contact with the Capricorns on Fenris as part of this expedition could be a great opportunity for your introduction to semi-modern warfare. The Capricorn Houses are some of the most proficient fighters in the Concordat by reputation.”

“While Trixie agrees that it would be a great way to introduce Your Highness to contemporary warfare, she sees the Capricorns as nothing special. Though she must admit that this prospect of alien ruins somewhat excites her.”

“Well we haven’t verified them as such yet. We’ve only picked up from orbit very likely signs of artificial structures beneath the snow and constant cloud cover,” Twilight replied to Trixie as she tapped at her datapad for a moment.

Luna then beamed at Twilight. “‘Tis settled, then. Doctor Caballeron, what of yourself?”

The entire group now focused on the earth pony, who now wore a resigned scowl on his muzzle that was framed by stubble. “And thus I have been roped into the expedition. By the founders of anthropology, fine! I’ll leave the museum in the charge of Fancy Pant’s wife in lieu of Yearling. But do not expect me to save any of the expedition’s chocolate rations. They are my fee for getting me caught up in this, as well as any alien baubles of value.”

Twilight snorted in one half derision, one half amusement at that. “Gorge yourself for all I care, but you’re going to be hard-pressed on the latter then, Doctor, because I have no doubt that what we’ll be finding will be beyond priceless.”

Canterlot, Empire Boulevard

The trek further down the boulevard to Star Swirl Plaza was brief. The plaza itself, a grand and expansive park that housed the headquarters of several major corporations and imperial organizations, was the least familiar to Luna of the entirety of Old Canterlot.

As Twilight lead them to the headquarters of the Ministry of Technology, families and groups of people talked, played, ate, and wandered leisurely about the flagstone pathways and manicured gardens.

While a mundane sight to the others, Luna and even the Master Chief considered the plaza to be an exceptionally idyllic sight to behold.

This in turn made the sight of otherwise unremarkable posters on some walls and storefronts turn into glaring beacons for the eyes of both the alicorn and Spartan. The only thing that rivalled the posters was the lingering figure of a single grey, fedora-wearing earth pony in business attire that the Master Chief could have almost swore would stop on occasion to nonchalantly observe them. Luna noted the stallion’s presence as well, but wrote it off as nothing but a curious onlooker.

One of the posters depicted likenesses of Equis, Earth, Eayn, Balaho, and Fenris in a pentagonal formation in a star-filled backdrop. The center of the pentagon was occupied by a caption that read: The Grand Solarian Concordat. Prosperity, Unity, Opportunity. It, however was not the poster that was in such sharp contrast to the location in which it was posted.

The poster that was depicted the Chief’s comrade, Avery Johnson. Its contents as well as its slight weathering indicated it was far older than its companion on the wall. Johnson was shown garbed in UNSC marine armor from the prior half of the century. A battle rifle was held barrel-up over his right shoulder, and his left index finger was pointing at the viewer. The poster’s caption read: The Concordat wants YOU! See the galaxy, enlist today!

Having depleted her interest in the posters for the time being, Luna turned to take in the sight of the five-story ministry headquarters they were about to enter.

Like the Museum of Equisian History and many other Equestrian government buildings Luna had yet seen, it seemed to follow a similar architectural style that blended Canterlot ascetic with that of other parts of Equestria. The building also possessed a colonnade, but lacked the museum’s distinctive dome.

On the roof of the colonnade were letters proclaiming the name of the organization that owned it, and above them were the insignia of the Ministry of Technology. It was a sleek, geometrically perfect arc superimposed over Equestria’s sun banner that was reminiscent of a planetary limb as viewed from orbit.

“We assume we have reached our destination?” Luna inquired, beginning to grow perplexed by the modern world’s apparent fetish for oftentimes ostentatious signage.

“Almost, Your Highness,” Twilight answered, looking chipper as she telekinetically opened the nearest set of doors for Luna and her entourage.

Twilight lead them into a similarly exquisite entry hall as the prior locale, although it possessed a far more elaborate array of computer terminals, holography, and similar equipment at the reception desk.

A few short hallways and security guards that saluted the Chief and Trixie later, the entire group stood inside an oval-shaped conference hall that was dimly lit and smelled oddly of fresh leather. The large room was already considerably filled with occupants.

A short stage was occupied by two labcoat-clad women and a beige pegasus mare that appeared to be in the midst of a heated debate. The trio’s colleagues and trans-organization counterparts as indicated by their clothing and/or insignias, scientists and engineers, were in groups around the room, quietly chatting amongst themselves or observing the arguing going on up on the stage.

What it was about, Luna could only speculate, but the Master Chief held a gaze in their direction that indicated he recognized one or more of them.

The Princess also recognized almost instantly, with some enthusiasm, that the likes of Sergeant Johnson was accompanied by a motley assortment of armored soldiers scattered across the hall’s assorted seatery. Two human men and one pegasus stallion dressed in black combat armour were beside a human woman, a unicorn stallion, and several earth ponies of both genders garb in white-gold legion armour. Their loose group was joined by a further seven bipedal beings around the room of generally squat build whose appearance surprised Luna.

They had frames vaguely reminiscent of lesser primates, but their skin was chitinous and arthropod-like where it was not covered by modified versions of the armor worn by the two other legionaries in the room. On their backs were cylindrical cerulean canisters full of methane connected to rebreather packs that covered most of their face. She had never seen creatures with any comparable appearance in her waking memory.

“How?! Trixie demands you tell her how you’re everywhere!” Trixie yelled from beside Luna, her obvious displeasure focusing on Johnson, much like her armoured hoof.

Johnson did not turn around in his chair as he replied, “Legate McIntosh had to vacate his position as head of expedition security on account of being urgently needed in the Meridian system. So, Allied Command offered me the posting, and I was happy to oblige!” He was no longer wearing his usual UNSC Marine Corps hat, and had the default helmet of his Mark IV Mjolnir armor on the ground at his feet.

“He is everywhere! Posters outside in the big city, you see, you see?!” one of the odd-looking alien soldiers beside him remarked in a high-pitched voice. “He’s a God of War! Big superhero on Balaho!” This earned him the piercing gaze of Trixie in turn.

“Yayap, I recognize you! Way to point out the obvious. Perhaps Trixie should petition the Empress herself to grant you highest honours for such a distinguished feat!”

Luna frowned at Trixie as they each took seats beside a now irritated-looking Yayap. The latter two were to Luna’s right, while the Chief sat to Luna’s left alongside Doctor Caballeron. Twilight had continued onward to meet the people on stage. Yayap regarded Trixie with a piercing gaze of his own, his beady yellow eyes all but radiating his annoyance. Trixie looked between the two on either side of her and rolled her eyes.

“Trixie apologizes, Your Highness.”

“Thou hath Our appreciation, Trixie,” Luna replied with a satisfied nod. Yayap huffed through his rebreather, also satisfied.

“Many thanks to Her Highness! Sister of the Great Empress is a friend to the Unggoy?” the alien inquired.

“There exists no quarrel between thy people and Ourself; thou may consider us as friend,” Luna said with a smile. Yayap nodded and his happy eyes conveyed what his mouth could not due to his mask. Trixie, seated between the two as she was, seemed prepared to offer more snark but was interrupted by the occupants of the stage finally greeting the new arrivals.

“Princess Luna, Master Chief, Trixie Lulamoon and Dr. Caballeron, how interesting. Welcome,” the eldest-looking of the three on the stage greeted with a professional voice carrying the slightest hint of warmth. She walked towards the edge of the stage to regard them more closely.

Even from the distance, Luna was able to make out the features of all three perfectly. The woman whom had just spoken possessed straight, short black hair that had since mostly turned to gray, the usual slender build of a scientist, and blue eyes that burned with pure calculated intellect.

Luna had seen eyes like hers before in others: Sombra, her own sister, and the queen of the Changelings being amongst that group most notably.

The pegasus mare straightened the collar of her khaki shirt as her features brightened up from a previous frown of indignation. She possessed a two-tone silver and black mane and tail, and her violet eyes possessed the same degree of intelligence as the two women, although with slightly less of a haughty edge, in Luna’s private opinion.

The other woman on the stage seemed to be focusing all of her anger on the older scientist, her arms folded and her posture defensive. Like her older colleague, her build was slender and lithe, but her face was far more youthful. She wore her raven hair in a neat bun and her brown eyes shimmered in the same vein as the pegasus’ did.

“We are pleased to be here,” Luna greeted warmly after those few seconds of analysis. “We were invited by Twilight to this undertaking after imposing upon her Our vested interest! Gramercy, Twilight, why doth thou assume the shade of the common tomato?”

A quiet uproar of chuckling broke out amongst some of the humans, ponies, and Unggoy in the room at Twilight’s expense.

“Erm, well … that is more or less what happened,” Twilight confirmed, as she stood beside the brown-eyed woman. She rubbed at the back of her mane with a foreleg stiffened by embarrassment.

“‘Tis simply in jest, fairest Twilight! We deeply appreciate your willingness to indulge Our curiosity, as well as aiding in the bridging of the gap between eras,” Luna reassured the unicorn with a fun-loving grin. Seeing that her words seemed to settle the mare down a bit, Luna turned her attention back to the human scientists once more. “We hope that Our sudden impromptu presence here is of no burden to thy planning of the expedition to Fenris.”

“Quite the opposite, Your Highness” the older woman replied, tilting her head slightly and putting her right hand at her hip. “In fact we were just about to begin our briefing, and you arrived just in time. But pardon me, we’ve been quite rude.

“Oh?” It was Luna’s turn to tilt her head curiously.

“We haven’t even yet been introduced. I am Doctor Catherine Halsey, researcher with the Office of Naval Intelligence, as well as a number of other career accreditations of little relevance to present affairs.” She stopped at that, giving her and Twilight’s companion an opening.

“I am Doctor Ellen Anders, Minister of Technology under the Empress’ office. It is an honour to meet you at last, Princess Luna,” the younger scientist greeted. “And greetings to you as well, everyone.” Doctor Anders added as she turned to look at Trixie, Caballeron, and the Chief. “I admit your presence here is a mild but more than welcome surprise.”

“Charmed,” Luna replied, while Trixie and the Chief nodded. Caballeron gave a dismissive wave. “We see by your demeanors that you are eager to begin. Please, do so. Do not let Us keep you.”

Doctor Halsey smiled lightly. “It would be my pleasure. Professor?”

“Halsey,” Doctor Anders replied somewhat coldly.

“Would you do the honours of preparing the screen, please?” Halsey inquired before turning to Twilight and offering her a small square-shaped object with a warmer, more genuine version of the smile she already wore.

“On it,” Anders said as she vented the remainder of her present frustration with a drawn out sight. She headed over to a readout for a large, flat display screen that spanned the width of the wall behind the stage floor.

Meanwhile, Twilight took Halsey’s item in her aura, which Luna saw possessed a curious-looking crystalline matrix within its center, and inserted it into the same readout that Anders was busying herself with. The screen flashed to life, and any murmuring or chatter that remained in the room was snuffed out by a now undivided attention.

“Now, any of you present here that are well-versed and well-studied in the fields of history have no doubt heard of the renowned Capricorn mythology of the First Great Wolf,” Halsey began. “The tribes’ stories of a legendary warrior figure that lead their species to glory more times than have been recorded has been given parallels with the likes of the human figures of Beowulf and Gilgamesh, Hurricane of the pegasi, and even the great warrior-king Arbiters of our enemies, the Sangheili. It can be assumed that this mythos is the origin of the title for the leader of the Fangs of Fenris. What draws our interest is not those meagre parallels alone however, but the contents of the legends themselves.”

“Stories of celestial powers descending in great ships to steal the technology of their ancestors’ ancestors. The Great Wolf casting his spear high to strike at Fenris’ moon, Sæmundar. War poems describing a time when the Capricorns were once part of ‘the great clan that stood above all others,’” Twilight elaborated.

“Those are but a few in this mythology that we overall aim to investigate,” A.K. threw in, being reserved in demeanor and keeping quiet for majority of the briefing.

Twilight exchanged smiling nods with both Halsey and Anders before the latter picked up the presentation. “And investigate we shall. Our aim is nothing less than finding the root of this suspiciously familiar mythology, which will prove to have great significance to galactic history. Doctor Halsey’s Smart AI Cortana will now go in depth. Cortana, if you would please?”

“With pleasure, Doctor. Good afternoon, everyone.” The sudden appearance of a feminine voice from no discernible source struck a wary chord in Princess Luna.

“Hark, where beeth the source of that most pleasing voice? Reveal to Us your sorcery!”

“And good afternoon to royalty in present company as well!” the disembodied voice sounded nervous. “No pressure, Cortana, no pressure. Your Highness, as an artificial intelligence, I am not bound by the limitations of physical existence. There are exceptions of course, like of when I am kept in cramped chips such as what you saw Twilight insert into the holotank beside the display monitor.”

With that spoken, Cortana took the liberty of manifesting before everyone on the holotank previously referenced. Her avatar was that of an unclothed human woman consisting of blue, elaborately-linked strands of code with facial features nigh identical to that of her maker when she was in her early twenties: Doctor Halsey herself.

“Oh, We see. ‘Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, miniature purple human woman.”

“Now, this expedition will not be without substantial risks.” At this point, the display that had been showing blank white the entire time now showed a still image of planet Fenris in the exact same form that Trixie had showed Luna earlier in the day. “In the northern polar regions of Fenris lies a series of very distinct anomalies each collectively attributed to one of the final recorded accounts in the Great Wolf mythology: a so-called ‘place of guarded slumber’ containing the most tangible evidence of the myths’ events.”

“Those anomalies are as far as any of your predecessors have ever reached,” Caballeron jeered. “Something is very-very wrong about that region, I have even heard human sailors refer to it as a ‘Terrestrial Bermuda Triangle’. Like the eponymous Earth region, what goes in there does not always come out.”

“All previous expeditions were called off, because they were simply looking in the wrong location, and proceeding any further from that point would have meant certain death.” Cortana’s simulated lips pulled into a playful smirk. “We know the exact location of where to begin. Now ladies and gentlemen, shall we get to the outlining the details of this expedition?”

Fenris, Boreas: 1.5 Thousand Kilometres from Aurora Continent, Above Ankring Spaceport
Wednesday, 23rd June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

Luna’s first voyage on a starship leaving her home planet was, to be expected, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She reflected on that fact as she peered out of a cabin window, watching thick banks of gray-white clouds that were undoubtedly vast and sweeping blizzards go by as the ship descended through the Fenrisian atmosphere.

Observing one’s home from the thousand year angle of its moon wore off after awhile in terms of wonder, even if it had been done so from within the mental bars of her own occupied mind. Travelling from Equis, pass Selene, and to the neighboring planet further down system was an whole another beast for the alicorn to process.

The expedition’s ship was, according to Twilight and Trixie, an Orion-class surveying ship of Nimbian pegasi manufacture. Luna had noted the vessel’s name to be Star Dancer as they’d boarded it back in one of Canterlot’s four spaceports, and the pony or person it could have been named after completely, for the time being, eluded her. What had mattered though, was that her cabin had been considerably comfortable and opulent for a ship such as the Star, the food of sailors was for the most part an acquired taste, and that she had enjoyed almost every moment of the brief trip between planets.

Now was the time for her to refocus her mind back on the situation at hand. It had been roughly three days since she had returned to the modern era, and already Luna was part of an expedition to seek out the source of the myths behind a legendary figure that at least three prominent intellectuals were convinced was going to be further tangible proof of a ‘precursor civilization’ of whose ruins the Concordat had already encountered in a limited number on other, far more remote worlds.

As the captain sounded over the intercom to all passengers that planetfall was imminent at Ankring, the nearest spaceport to the target destination of the expedition and one of the most remote of its kind on the planet, Luna wondered if she would ever have a single mundane day in the foreseeable future.

Seeing the Chief in the metal corridors half-standing at attention caused her to come to the conclusion that she would see at least a few mundane days, but they would be quite sparse at best. The duo joined up with the others and made their way to the cargo bay where the rest of the expedition was already in the process of gearing up.

The expedition’s military complement was mostly in full armor, with the Unggoy legionaries having already geared up first. The majority of the crustacean-like aliens were gathered in meditation in one of the corners, where the one called Yayap had set up an impromptu and quite bizarre little shrine adorned with a royal portrait of Empress Celestia as its centerpiece.

Luna made a mental addendum at the sight. Nay, mundane days shall be as rare as … something very rare! What occult happenings are the little crab people conducting thither?

After three minutes of Luna and the Chief gawking at the Unggoy and watching the rest of the exploration team ready themselves and ready equipment and supplies, they were joined by Trixie, and Twilight Sparkle. Twilight lead them to the already waiting trio of Halsey, Daring Do, and Anders, and with the other personnel and military complement lead by Johnson in tow, they emerged from the starship bay doors and out into the awaiting tundra and snowdrifts beyond.

Luna nearly gasped, the cold air hit almost like a solid wall. The sights to behold consisted mostly of the spaceport’s tallest structure,the icicle-lined dish of a satellite array, a small ice lake dotted with huts, and a sheer wall of towering mountains. As of the moment, the only other notable sights were the deep blue sky above with lazy gaggles of clouds partially covering the view of Sæmundar, and snow dunes that concealed hills beneath their wind-sculpted surfaces.

The expedition broke off into two primary groups. The first was the one Luna belonged to, which was heading to the spaceport buildings themselves. Meanwhile, the other group, including Johnson, Trixie, and the Master Chief, were remaining around the heat of the sleek and angular Star Dancer as much for warmth as their immediate duties of preparing the ground equipment and other resources.

It was no surprise to her that the rest of her now many companions were keeping warm in either armor or thick ensembles of parka, scarf, balaclava, boots, the occasional set of snowshoes, and thick gloves.

Luna herself had no need for such things, for her magic already provided a residual warmth as they all treaded their way over to the assemblage of over a dozen timber and concrete structures that composed Ankring’s spaceport terminals, hangars, support buildings, and control tower. Likewise, the Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson were both unfazed by the frigid conditions thanks to their power armour and helmets.

Chills did still manage to seep in through her magical barriers on occasion, however, such was the primordial biting strength of Fenris’ winds. Despite this, some of the expedition members nearest her often gravitated closer to the warmth of the fluctuating bright energy fields on instinct, or one of the small number of unicorn scientists in the large party. After enough time had passed, all the magical capable members of the party began casting spells of warmth for the whole expedition, to moderate avail.

Snow crunched beneath boots and armored hooves, and all the while the wind continued its constant moaning and howling.

“This wind surely plots against us!” Luna grunted as they trekked to the entrance of the nearest building.

“I’m sure you’ll manage, Your Highness,” a feminine voice replied in amusement telepathically from somewhere in Luna’s pack.

“Manage We shall, fairest construct,” Luna replied bluntly via the same telepathic link.

“Must you call me that?” the voice said with her tone dripping annoyance.

“We shall call thee Cortana, only after thou ceases the ‘Your Highness’ mantle. Thou art now in symbiosis with Our mind at the present moment at Halsey’s insistence, so it would be proper.”

“Aye, screw the wind, it’s the whole ruddy planet that wants our foreigner blood, ya hear, Yer Highness?” an earth pony, one of the expedition’s engineers stated to Luna. “How it howls our bloody names! This world must be gods-forsaken.”

“Watch that superstitious nonsense around the Capricorns,” A.K. Yearling interjected, raising her voice to be audible against the wind in question. “Weather and what we’ll find up there are more than enough for this expedition to deal with, and I’ll not be adding enraged women-warriors and tribals to our list of obstacles!”

With that having been said, nobody had to raise their voices any longer, for the party had reached the threshold of the entrance to the port’s command center. Many sighed in relief and a few with added surprise from the sudden influx of warm air, while Luna and her immediate company approached to be greeted by the spaceport’s welcoming party.

A familiar auburn-maned Capricorn awaited them with her arms folder in a patient and stern posture, although her facial expression was far warmer. Rurika was accompanied by a trio of fellow House of Winter soldiers clad in the same white and gunmetal light ceramite armour plating. The armour consisted of a set of pauldrons, an ornate cuirass emblazoned with the Fangs’ insignia, bracers, and leg greaves over simple grey and yellow leggins.

All three were female; indeed, Luna noted with some curiosity that the vast majority of the Capricorns in the large room everyone now stood were mares as well.

Both of their pauldrons were painted a distinctive yellow, and each one had a symbol that depicted what Luna had been informed was the symbol of the Fangs of Fenris. A standing wolf that was dubbed ‘The Wolf that Stalks The Stars.’ As for each of their left shoulder plates, there was a picture of a wolf looking towards a red shining sun.

As the four leading figures of the expedition moved forward in front of her, and Luna now observed from behind them, Rurika spoke. “So you two mares and you two women are the ones leading these group of ‘adventurers’ to a place said to be insurmountably treacherous to all but the most blessed of Capricorns?”

“It would appear so,” Halsey replied as she produced a small device from her satchel bag, all the while politely gesturing to Princess Luna and their other companions. “Although we do not come without substantial help,” she added in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone as she gestured to the alicorn present.

Luna batted a loose silver lock of her now wind-battered mane away to peer at Rurika. She held out her hoof, the bottom of her hoof facing the ceiling as the blue avatar of Cortana appeared, her arms folded at her chest and her expression quizzical. “This construct will guide our steps.”

“Ah ... artificial intelligence, how curious. Welcome to Fenris, Princess Luna and all of you. Now pay heed, you will need more than substantial help if you wish to get any further than the first sets of weather-based anomalies,” Rurika retorted. “In a joint decision between the Houses of Fenris and the Tribal Alliance, I have been granted the authority to dispatch with your expedition a company of twelve of my people to serve as your proper guides.”

“Concerned about the possibility of looting or cultural vandalism on our part?” A.K. Yearling inquired with her brow raised beneath a winterized version of the pith. From her position, Luna almost wanted to narrow her eyes at the pegasus.

The character she had seen on the cover of Twilight’s novel looked uncannily similar, and had worn a khaki version of the same hat design. Regardless of if she was in fact the character Daring Do in the flesh, Yearling casted an aside glare at the likes of Doctor Caballeron after speaking, who waved her off dismissively.

“We have no need for any further corpses of off worlders polluting our snowdrifts,” was Rurika’s answer as she gave them all a fanged grin, while her comrades and many of the Capricorn technicians in the command room broke into hearty fits of laughter. With no armour plating with which to pound their fists into out of amusement, the technicians were garbed instead in hand-woven tunics that covered utility jumpsuits beneath.

Rurika gestured to a much more stoic gathering of Capricorns underneath the room’s central skylight that illuminated the center-most banks of computers. “This, is Chieftain Aela of the Snätare. She and her tribe have hunted in and wandered these northernmost regions of Fenris since possibly the time the First Great Wolf entered their slumber.”

Aela, a raven-maned Capricorn with piercing blue eyes, stepped forward. Most of her white fur that was visible was adorned in swirling patterns, clawing marks, and other tribal symbols of blue dye, while the rest was covered by chainmail and the heavy-looking fur of some native beast. Her eleven companions, two males and nine females, were similarly attired. The group took note that it appeared as if Rurika and her companions were larger than Aela and hers. More than a few of the expedition wondered if it was just the armour.

Rurika appeared as if about to say more on Aela’s behalf, but one of the technicians approaching with some paperwork interrupted her. “Leaders of the expedition, Princess Luna, you must please pardon me, but I have urgent business elsewhere to attend to. The introductions are yours to make, Chieftain Aela.” She took the documents in one furred hand before taking her leave of the room.

Aela meanwhile, gave her more modern-garbed counterpart a terse nod with her ears flattened against her skull before meeting the gaze of humans and Equestrians in front of her. She remained silent for a few seconds, sizing up the portion of the Concordat expedition that had entered the command center. Her fellow tribe members did the same.

The seconds proved long enough for Doctor Halsey to venture the first words between both parties. “Snow-eaters. A fitting name for a tribe such as yours, if I may say so,” she said with an arched brow.

The face of the Capricorn chieftain was impassive for a few seconds longer beyond her ears, still analytical. Then, Aela broke the impassiveness and flashed Halsey and the others the same fanged grin that Rurika had given earlier, ears shooting up. “Well met, expeditioners of Concordat kin,” she said in a flowing, heavily accented voice. “I, Aela, will head the guides that lead you. Your Created companion the Princess bears will serve little more than the role of the token skald in the face of our pathfinding.”

Halsey’s expression and the ever-curious ones of the other did not change. Luna however, looked expectant as she tapped her free hoof against the ceramite-line floor. The composition of the Capricorn-distinct ceramic material amplified the sound slightly. “It would appear that Our ‘Created’ hath commentary for thee.”

“Not to boast, but you may be surprised in due time. So, what threats should we be expecting beyond the mere scope of meteorological phenomena and arctic mirages?” Cortana inquired.

“I second Cortana’s query, and I speak for Ellen as well,” Twilight agreed, rubbing at her right foreleg with the left, the both of which were clad in insulating fabric that complimented her white parka. “We have all the intelligence available to us that orbital analysis and data from previous failed expeditions provide, but it is very little compared to what you could surely share with us to augment our readiness.”

“Threats that will require your martial capability beyond our own. You were wise to bring soldiers as much as you were brazen,” Aela responded, her equine ears flickering with a hint of mischief beneath her stoic surface. “With this moment an exception, we Snätare are the most frugal with words of all House of Winter aspirants and its Fangs of Fenris, so we will depart shortly and speak of this during our journey to Where the Wolves Go to Die as needed.”

Aela already began moving and ordering her eleven warriors about, scarcely even waiting for the Concordat officials’ responses. Being none to waste time themselves, Halsey, Anders, Yearling, and Twilight said nothing further themselves, and all began gathering their people together as well.

Within a few moments, the expedition and their new Capricorn guards were filing back out into the ever-waiting winter beyond.

Boreas Continent, Approach to Fenrisian Terrestrial North Pole

Pressing onward first through tundra, then ice fields filled with various crevasses that threatened to swallow the errant, and finally the rolling white dunes of snow that filled the expanse to the north, the nearly fifty-strong expedition neared closer to the outermost edge of the so-called Terrestrial Bermuda Triangle of Fenris.

Without the aid of the native guides, more than a few things and perhaps even people likely would have been lost to the crevasses alone.

With that in mind, the expedition had spread itself, as well as its sleds and their accompanying timberwolf pack carrying vital equipment, out in a way that enabled it to still be functional and cohesive whilst minimizing the risk of losing most of their essentials in one catastrophic mishap. As such, they consisted of three roughly-formed columns. The two outlying ones were largely composed of the Concordat military complement and Capricorn warriors, while the middle column contained the majority of the civilian personnel.

Also in the middle party were Aela and three others of the Capricorn guides alongside Luna, Cortana, the Chief. and the expedition leaders.

“Is this it, the boundary into the anomalous zones?” Twilight said through the expedition’s magically-enhanced common radio channel as she peered straight ahead through a set of snow goggles that protected her eyes from the wind. “All I see is more of these never-ending white hills!”

“It appears we may already be crossing over it now,” Luna replied as she stepped forward through the almost knee-high snow alongside her. “We are no pegasus, but We believe We see hints of some odd weather patterns above these hills.”

“Actually, the nearest boundary for crossing over to where spatial anomalies begin is exactly one meter ahead. The apparent threshold for where the overlapping meteorological anomalies begins exactly two meters past that … oh.” Cortana’s forecasting of their imminent encounters ceased for the moment as even she became shocked by what the expedition had just come across.

“Everyone, stop and hold your positions!” Johnson shouted, briefly taking off his helmet to do so.

“All company, hold!” the human and unicorn captains of the Imperial Legion relayed. All three columns complied near-instantly as they peered ahead with widened eyes, all movement grinding to a full halt.

What had previously appeared to be a continuing expanse of rolling hills revealed itself to have been a total facade. The large-scale visual illusion concealed beneath it a clearly unnatural and violently swirling maelstrom of snow and sleet that unlike a cyclone, undulated at apparently random intervals.

“Fie! This obstruction appears nigh impenetrable,” Luna said, cursing. “Have we not pegasi whom could tame it?”

“We can’t use our magic to manipulate something of that magnitude, Your Highness!” the sole pegasi soldier of the black-armoured group replied, those Chief had informed Luna were called ‘Orbital Drop Shock Troopers’. “Such a thing would take hundreds … thousands of pegasi to even begin to sway in our favour!”

“Fie thrice over!”

“Does this mean I came all this way only for chocolate rations?” Caballeron shouted, throwing a semi-mock pout. The noise triggered a few and eventually all of the timberwolves present to begin a low, mournful howl.

“That … wind is madness in physical weather-based form!” one of the scientists declared. “Crossing it would surely mean an unpleasant end.”

Despite immediate appearances, some of the expedition knew better in regards to the meteorological monstrosity that had currently halted them entirely.

“What you need is the path through the storm, one sees,” Aela remarked, reaching out to the nearest timberwolf and petting its snow-covered oak muzzle to quiet down the whole pack. “And the willpower to tread it to its end.”

“Luna, everyone, I think the Chieftain might be right,” Cortana interjected, her voice thrumming with urgency.

“Explain please, Cortana! Post-haste!” Luna said into her hoof, despite Cortana’s avatar not having appeared yet. After a few seconds, she did, her arms folded and her expression analytical.

“That undulation you see? It appears random, but it’s actually not. There is a pattern to it, if subtle, which means this weather is artificial in nature. Based on the models I’m analyzing, there should be points in between these undulations where the wind is significantly diminished in its impact. One would have to brace themselves but they should be able to make it through relatively unscathed.”

“There’s our solution,” Halsey stated.

“Wait, but what about our equipment?” Anders asked with more than a little bit of concern while she all but hovered around the middle column’s three sleds. “There’s no way it can survive something like that intact, and without it our studies will be almost impossible to conduct!”
“Perhaps there’s a way to temper the surfaces of the machinery against these winds by magical means?” Twilight suggested.. “Although even I cannot think of a spell that would not damage our equipment internally as much as it would protect it externally.”

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Johnson said as an effort to stimulate further resourceful thinking.

“The solution is a lot simpler than you might think. You wouldn’t need a Smart AI to figure out, but of course you would still need one to get through the maelstrom in question.” Cortana interjected. “With Luna carrying me around, I could lead ourselves and three others through the blizzard to what lies beyond. I’d wager that what is controlling it lies just beyond, and can be deactivated.”

“Hmm … yes. We approve of this course of action,” Luna agreed.

“Cortana, Your Highness, are you both certain you can carry this out?” Halsey asked with her face a dour frown of concern for both the AI and her present bearer.

As Luna analyzed the human woman where she stood in a tense posture, she was somewhat reminded of a worried mother. A mother that was reluctant to express their nature as such.

Luna put an emphasis to her next words by adopting a stalwart posture, unfurling her wings to their full length and assuming the military bearing of her past. She waved the Chief over, who immediately stood by her left. “We shall enlist the aid of the Master Chief and two others in our vanguard crossing, Doctor Catherine Halsey. Fear not. Thy AI is in strong, protective hooves.”

After a few seconds of musing on Halsey’s part as she peered straight through the lightly-falling snowflakes at Luna and Cortana in her hoof, then to the Master Chief, she finally nodded. “Very well. Luna, John, who are you taking with you to get Cortana to where she needs to go?”

“Be there any volunteers?” Luna asked in reply to the expedition.

“Should go without saying,” Johnson replied, already moving to take up position on Luna’s right side.

Luna smiled at him before looking back to the rest. “Anypony else?”

“Yayap and Unggoy would volunteer but high wind makes us like dead weight,” Yayap remarked in a tone of disappointment.

“Trixie will ensure that Johnson’s booming voice will not get the rest of you eaten by the Windigos that are probably lurking within that storm,” Trixie declared haughtily as she teleported from her current position near a sled and appeared next to the Chief.

“Ah, very well then. Cortana?” Luna said.

“You see where that claw-like rock protrudes from the snow near the edge of the vortex wall? It’s best if we proceed through there.” Cortana disappeared and Luna set her hoof back down into the snowpack.

They began advancing towards the beckoning wall of snow and near-wind given mass. Luna casted a light spell that projected from her horn, while the others drew their rifles and shotgun. Johnson gritted his teeth behind his helmet instinctively as they neared closer and closer to the edge of the vortex.

“Wait for it to undulate just right … there we go … move!” Cortana commanded via the radio.

As they finally entered in a quick dash, the maelstrom greeted them instantly with the sheer pressure of its swirling air. It made their movement akin to molasses even in their armour, as if they were deepsea divers of yore treading a seabed in search of a shipwreck.

“Stay together!” Luna shouted, nearly employing the Royal Voice. “One unit, full advance!”

“I’m gonna enjoy having a quick one-on-one with whatever mechanism is responsible for this blizzard,” Johnson muttered into the radio. “I don’t care how sophisticated ancient tech is, the twelve gauge is the ultimate negotiator!”

“What part of priceless alien artifacts and archaeological expedition have you forgotten, Johnson!” Trixie retorted.

“I value history as much as the next man, but practicality is the king of survival,” Johnson countered, to which Trixie unsurprisingly huffed at in response beneath her balaclava.

“Stay focused,” the Chief reminded them, using the light of Luna’s spell to aid in his perception of any solid shapes that may appear.

Centimeter by centimeter, the party managed to advance forward as Luna urged them on further, and Cortana guided them in the right directions to avoid the strongest onslaughts of sleet and heavy snow flurries from the maelstrom. They passed by a handful of weather-beaten boulders, tree stumps, and even the remains of an ancient creek bed before they at last emerged into the calm air of the storm interior beyond.

“I … well Trixie thinks we just found the winter wonderland that holiday songs have lied about for centuries with their false sugary promises,” Trixie breathed with wide eyes.

The rest of Luna’s companions as well as herself were clearly in agreement, as all their eyes drank in the sight before them.

The maelstrom turned out to be housing within the confines of its roughly circular walls a large complex of artificial stone and metal structures that completely encapsulated a prominent hill. Unlike the half-barren expanses of hills that lay outside of the artificial cyclone-like blizzard, the two square kilometer region and the structure complex was host to a sea of white-green. A forest of lush and thriving conifers and a semi-frozen lake that was fed by the creek Luna and her team had followed were amongst the natural features of the region.

Besides unidentifiable metallic, crystal, and stone debris that occasionally littered the outermost peripheries of the interior region and was mostly buried in snow, the architecture

Of the structures, the stone ones appeared to be vastly more ancient, with their newer and metallic counterparts built near and around them in a seemingly defensive and honourable fashion. The style of the massive stone buildings – semi-submerged rectangular and dome roofs, open-air galleries, and henges – consisted of great arches and thick, flowing walls adorned with swirling artistic patterns. The stone workings were framed by some alloy of mithril that formed an elegant network of spires, solid and energy shield walls, as well as walkways all decorated by sharp geometric angles, crenelations, and struts whose reach varied from the highest peaks to the middle base of some of the spires.

“Amazing, it is as if their builders had seen fit to revere the older structures by accenting them with their own, placing them as to bear the brunt of the elements, even,” Cortana mused. “Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to bore you with architecture, I say to all present but Luna.”

Chief only shrugged, while Johnson chuckled and Trixie gave out an offended “hmph.”

“It just so happens that these ruins do fascinate Trixie, Cortana!” Trixie protested. “Just because I wear the armour like them does not mean that I lack a sense of culture unlike one of us, here. And … Gods, look sharp!” The unicorn mare cut herself off mid-snark, drawing her bright rifle and aiming down its sights at something airborne.

“Movement, from the east!” Cortana said just as Trixie had drawn her weapon. Sure enough, a trio of angular robots roughly Trixie’s size were speeding towards them.

“What are those … machines?” Luna asked tensely, charging her horn in anticipation.

“Unknown, Princess,” Chief said, aiming down his assault rifle.

“You’ve all got the right idea,” Johnson said, drawing his magnum for better range. “With something like that storm, I’m taking no chances with these things, readying!”

The group’s suspicion proved well-placed, for after only four seconds of scanning the two humans and two ponies, the machines turned on them. They unfurled from their more compact forms and exposed a small particle beam emitter they promptly discharged against Luna’s team after a series of communicative beeps between themselves.

One of the three beams glanced off the right pauldron of the Chief, who fired a burst from his assault rifle at the chassis of the automation before sprinting behind the nearest rock, damaging the machine’s visual array.

Another beam missed Johnson, who dodged out of the way just before the machine could fire, receiving several golden bolts of energy from Trixie’s rifle in response. The directed energy rifle boiled through its shell and sent the machine crashing and burning to the ground in a small explosion.

“Oh-hoh, it is so on, now!” Johnson declared, clearly meaning business as he fired off some shots vaguely in the machines’ direction.

“Just shut up and get behind me,” Trixie demanded. “Trixie has the superior range!”

Simultaneously, the beam of the third emitted against Luna’s right foreleg before continuing on to burn a linear path through the snow next to her. The alicorn let out an enraged growl as steam arose around her, the burned fur and tissue already beginning to repair itself automatically. The automaton became helpless as it was suddenly enveloped in cobalt before being casted clear across the land and into the abyss of the maelstrom, which tore it to pieces in an audible blast.

Blinded, the final remaining machine was made short work of by Luna as well. She took flight towards its randomly hovering form as Trixie levitated Johnson into a spot in the snow where she and the Chief could clearly see him, and the three terrestrial-bound soldiers formed a rough circle to defend from any further machines. As they had done so, Luna zipped up behind the automaton and gave it a swift kick into the ground, littering the snow with more smoking metal debris.

The decision to form a defensive circle proved wise, for five more of the flying hostiles emerged from glowing hatches that had opened up on the shorter spires of the complex nearest to them. Now aware of the machines’ inherent fragility, the four became quick to dispatch them with precision.

Brief experimentation from a destruction spell on Luna’s part revealed the glowing hatches that dispensed more enemies to be vulnerable to explosive damage. All that could be found were quickly silenced with respective blasts from both magic and well-chucked grenades.

They began charging farther into the complex in search of a means to access the controls that could cull the maelstrom and allow for the arrival of reinforcements from the expedition. Another seven were encountered in a central plaza overlooked by the towering disfigured statues of unknown beings, and once a few of their freshly smoking debris piles were scanned by Cortana, she gave an assessment.

“Hmm … those humanoid statues with the wings have their features conveniently too destroyed for proper inspection. Curious … oh, sorry! Try for the tallest spire of this complex, my schematics of the facility indicate that it should house the weather controls. These ‘sentinels’ will be a bother, though!”

“Then We shall deactivate this monstrosity ourselves,” Luna declared, flaring her wings once more. “Trixie, Johnson, ye shall be Our aegis from afar, if thine aim remains true! Chief, We see a lifting mechanism cloistered in the heart of the spire; clear out any of the machines guarding it while we enter from above!”

Her companions quickly complied, and within a minute and a half, the spire had fallen under their control. The wide array of holographic readouts obediently responded to Luna’s input, and in mere seconds, the storm faded and died out. Through the few pathetic flurries of snow that remained, Luna could see from her high vantage point the shocked postures of the expedition members that stood still as the rest of their compatriots began a forward charge into the newly-revealed region.

With the full might of the expedition now lending them aid, Luna’s group quickly dispatched the remaining surface defences, and all were now gathered at the entrance to the facility’s interior itself.

“Cripes, this architecture is like Frank Lloyd Wright’s wet dream,” one of the pony engineers remarked in a quip, shining a light about the large subterranean opening that laid in the center of the plaza at the foot of the hillside. “This cave is definitely not a work of nature.”

Beside Luna, Johnson, and the Chief, Trixie’s internal radar kicked in. Unfortunately, one of the scientists beat her to the punch.

“Way to point out the obvious, genius,” a unicorn scientist jeered.

A further shining of the various hand and hoof-held lights showed the passageway that laid out in front of them to be composed of very distinct and very alien design identical to the newer surface constructions. The walls, floors, and ceilings all were the same mithril-like silver material with the occasional symmetrical networking of glowing yellow lines broken only by pillars and other decorative pieces.

A short walk down a ramped entryway corridor lead the expedition into an entirely interior space.

The gallery-like antechamber that greeted them was, with the exception of a subtle and almost naturally-sounding hum that pervading throughout the entire facility, entirely quiescent. Crenellations lined the ceiling regularly, providing the majority of the illumination where artificial lights did not already burn, still bright even after countless millennia thanks to some as of yet unknown process.

With the aid of both natural and ancient artificial lighting, the expedition did not have to expend time in setting up arrays of miniature lights for the later Concordat teams that would be establishing camps and a base in and around the facility.

Many stayed in the antechamber and the plaza outside to begin preparations for the landing in-atmosphere of the Star Dancer, while Luna’s group was joined now by Halsey, Anders, and Twilight, the Capricorn guides, and half of the Concordat security attache in venturing deeper into the facility.

What was found were winding corridors and rooms of varying sizes containing everything from sealed containers and arrays of holographic terminals, to security stations and armories filled with ancient weapons, and chambers filled with machinery of unknown function.

As anticipated, more of the hostile automatons were encountered, and this time in new varieties besides simply the flying sentinels.

Timberwolf-like quadrupeds, easily dispatched by small arms but plentiful in number with orange boson-photon projectile weapons mounted where the construct’s ‘snout’ was were able to overwhelm four of Yayap’s Unggoy storm legionaries due to the latter’s liberal usage of fragmentation and antimatter grenades. Cortana identified them as ‘crawlers’.

Two of the earth pony legionaries were also lost as well. The first was lost by blundering into a chamber that had been filled with nothing but more of the glowing hatches. The mare suffered fatal energy burns before the room could be neutralized by a rather enraged Yayap that had equipped himself with a Covenant-manufactured heavy weapon informally known as a fuel rod cannon.

The second legionary was lost to impalement by a sword wielded by an argent-coloured and humanoid construct, an ‘armiger’ with a fierce design on its face that maniacally taunted the intruders in an ancient dialect not even Aela could understand. It called them “Helkhati” as it attempted to use its mechanical allies as distractions while it attacked with its hardlight blade.

By its spasmodic demeanor, the machine appeared to be malfunctioning severely, yet was still capable of effective combat. While Luna, the Chief, and the expedition members dealt with the straggler sentinels and crawlers, Aela’s pack of female warriors formed a shield wall that gradually advanced, while the more lithe duo of male Capricorns would leap above them every few seconds to let loose a mithril arrow or fire their bolter.

The armiger and any that came to its defense grew increasingly damaged until the shield wall advanced close enough that Aela herself advanced against the humanoid machine, who met her in turn. She raised her shield and used the armiger’s own momentum to slam it hard into the floor behind her.

With a rapid spin, Aela took the rim of her circular shield and rammed it against the machine’s head before it could roll out of the way. This decapitated it cleanly in a small shower of sparks, before the Chieftain followed up by burying her axe in a crawler that was in the middle of leaping towards her.

Luna observed the dispatching of the machines with an internal awe beneath an adopted stoicness as she approached with the Chief, rifle still drawn, beside her. Cortana scanned the automaton for a further data mine, and pointed the expedition to a specific master security station that housed the means to silence the defences completely.

Several destroyed sentinels, crawlers, and two more armigers later, the security station was reached and the controls interfaced with, this time by Twilight Sparkle.

“Dammit, by the Empress I hope these machines will finally go to sleep for good!” Twilight swore as she panted from the previous engagements.

“Don’t jinx us, now!” Johnson chuckled. “Or else will have to end up overwhelming every last mechanical bastard here with the glory of the Concordat and the UNSC!” While Trixie face-hoofed and Luna and the Chief watched impassively, the comic relief nevertheless served to brighten up many of the other soldiers present despite the losses, and they were now felt prepared once again for anything else the alien ruins had yet to throw at them.

Fortunately, with the remaining automatons in the entire facility now in state of complete deactivation, the expedition was now clear to explore with impunity.

They approached the largest door they had yet seen in the complex after exiting the security station. Unlike most of the architecture previously seen underground in the past several minutes, it and its accompanying wall that was exposed by the massively-cut gaps in the natural bedrock were comprised of ancient onyx-black stone that was to many of the engineers presently viewing it the epitome of permanence.

The argentine door was framed in a massive archway, and inscribed upon its center was a slightly faded sigil of what was presumably the previous owners of the complex.

Luna with Cortana were joined by Aela, as well as Halsey and her four immediate colleagues in studying the entrance. Aela raised a finger to point at the sigil, her eyes wide with both wonder and a deep-seated fear. Peering at her out of the corner of her right eye, Luna inwardly tilted a proverbial head. The chieftain's stoic personality appeared to have temporarily given way to the sight Luna was now observing.

Curious. She appears akin to a foal caught rummaging about their parent’s bed chambers while they were away, Luna thought.

“See the mark, the wolf that raises its talons to the unseen foe!” Aela cried out, voice quivering in reverence. “The foes of those who came before! It is the Wolf that Stalks the Stars!”

“Those who came before,” Twilight echoed, sharing in Aela’s wonder as she took in the door and its accompanying symbol.

True to Aela’s word, a taloned wolf was depicted in a distinctly bipedal stance, with the distinct background of a six-pointed star behind it.

“The spherical anomaly is through this way. It has to be the single most prominent energy signature in the entire facility. This must be the point of origin for it all. The Great Wolf,” Anders mused, her voice trailing as she looked between the screen of her datapad and the door in front of her.

Upon utterance of the mythical figure’s name, Aela and the other Capricorns crouched for the moment on one knee, their foreheads resting on the pommels of their axes and broadswords, or against the ends of their heavy boltguns in a display of abject reverence.

“But who, and what, that is what we are here to determine,” Doctor Halsey concluded, keeping her own wonder mostly under wraps as she payed the Capricorns little attention. “Now to open this door. Cortana?”

Everyone turned to Luna as she held out her hoof, now by reflex at this point.

“I’m on it,” Cortana’s avatar replied, before winking back out of view. A few seconds passed before she said anything further. “Huh … well this is new. The system daemons are now completely rejecting my input as foreign ‘ancilla’. They keep demanding for ‘Reclaimer input’ before locking me out of the subsystems for the door and everything beyond. Interpreting now …”

“Input?” Luna inquired for everyone else, her face contorted in puzzlement.

“From what I can gather, only equine or human interaction will work this time.”

“Say no more,” Twilight said. She immediately stepped towards the door and a holographic readout appeared before her from a projector hidden in the floor. After three seconds of manipulating the display, there was a loud din of machinery in response as the door slid open on both sides. “Open sesame?”

“Pretty much,” Trixie replied.

“We have not the time for the idle talk of bakers,” Luna stated in exasperation. “We must enter now, the anticipation of sating even a fraction of Our curiosity is too palpable!”

“By all means, Your Highness, proceed,” Halsey replied, waving towards the waiting threshold. “Afterall you are mostly here for our protection.”

“So we shall. W–” Luna was caught off before she could even take another step forward, as Twilight had already shot past everyone in a glee-like state in her mad dash to discover what lay beyond the threshold of the now open archway.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Chief shouted cautiously and breaking his usual quietude. He equipped his assault rifle and turned to Luna and the others. “If there’s any remaining defenses in there …”

“We are after her,” Luna replied simply, already stepping through the doorway.

“After all that fighting, and still capable of being in mood like that?” one of the Unggoy muttered from further back. “Strange, strange unicorn!”

“She wouldn’t be the Empress’ pupil if she wasn’t,” Johnson stated. “Let’s move, people! Time’s a burnin!” He and Trixie then went in after, followed by Halsey, Anders, and Yearling.

Aela and her warriors at last followed behind them as well, and the Chieftain produced a holo-communicator that displayed the form of Rurika, giving her a view of the great chamber from the other Chieftain’s perspective.

“We should begin investigations immediately! Lights over there, up there on that walkway, towards the ledges too … what am I saying? The illumination in here is already more than sufficient!”

Luna and the Chief at last caught up to her at the terminus of the central walkway that overlooked a vast and enclosed metallic sphere. The sphere hovered a meter from the edge, and like the glowing lines that regularly criss-crossed its revolving surface, positively thrummed with latent energy.

Whatever it was, and whatever was inside it, the fact that it was reacting to the expedition’s presence was unmistakable.

“Twilight, what has gotten into you?” Anders inquired, stuck between wonder at the anomaly before her and the bizarre behavior of her once-pupil.

“So this is the place of slumber for the First Great Wolf. No wonder the mare has gone berzerk. Their sheer presence is nearly too much for the mortal mind,” Rurika conjectured.

“She is clearly not in total grasp of her senses. Due to the sights around us, We can scarcely lay any blame upon her for that fact. Leave her for now,” Luna suggested. “Keep her away from any technology until she has gathered her wits. Cortana, the Chief and Ourself will approach the consoles to this machinery and inspect it first.”

“I see a receptacle where you can insert me back into the system,” Cortana added as Luna and the Chief slowly approached the holographic terminals. Beside the terminals as they hung and chimed in the air was a short pedestal that reached up to Luna’s lower chest.

Luna carefully levitated Cortana’s crystal matrix into the pedestal while the Chief surveyed the surrounding area, pointing his rifle on occasion.

“All clear to approach,” the Chief stated, gesturing towards Johnson, Halsey, Yearling, and the others. “But stay sharp, things might change without warning with a place like this.”

“Already in progress, Chief. Luna, Doctor, you all might want to see the data I’m encountering right now,” Cortana interjected. “Something inside that … cryptum … it’s alive, and conscious. I think they’re under the process of reawakening!”

“Well be better be on our toes and hooves then, people,” Johnson remarked.

It was at that moment that Chief noticed something peculiar on the surface of the cryptum as that region of the sphere came back into view. The unmistakable form of a sword hilt was visible, and the cryptum abruptly slowed its spin as Luna and Cortana activated the systems in tandem, the latter from what she had learned of the systems and the former from a type of uncanny familiarity.

Coming to a full stop on its spin, the cryptum began to form an opening where its shell met the end of the walkway. The hilt of the mysterious sword, its blade obviously been impaled in the shell at an unknown time by something of incredible might, lay to the left of the forming opening.

The new rectangular gap in the cryptum’s shell spilled forth a piercingly bright white light that eventually faded until the exterior was perfectly visible under normal vision once more. The interior of the cryptum however, remained as a dazzling, curving white space beyond which not even Luna’s superior eyes could yet make out anything in particular.

Eventually, the silhouette of a humanoid figure became visible. As the figure emerged into the normal light of the chamber, their true details became visible.

“Alive, and conscious, and very, very big,” Cortana added to her previous statement, caught by surprise.

The features were unmistakeable to Chieftain Rurika. The armor plating they donned conformed to their body in a peculiar way, their muzzle was of the right profile, and their four curling horns were almost enough to invite complete confusion. Despite her expectations and her geographic distance, she had baited breath as she processed the fact that she was indirectly observing an anomalous male example of her own species.

The Capricorn was a towering, power armor-clad figure with a flowing and braided mane of pure gold-amber. The armor was reminiscent of the House of Winter’s capricorn power armour in its general shape and bulkiness, but its surface was a sleek silver and the plating appeared much more angular. The largest oddity amongst the armor itself was the distinct looking small pyramidal spikes adorning the pauldrons, and the large boots.

To add to the unique armor, nearly every sharp edge to the armor had a golden trim to it, especially along the pauldrons. Said shoulder guards had what looked like small carvings, as though there was writing etched into it. Yet there was more adorning the armour, making it obvious to all eyes that it was unique.

Billowing off the back was what looked like a cape of sorts, though the majority of it could hardly be seen from the front. Luna’s eyes caught hints that it was a pelt of something as large as the Capricorn himself. Her reasoning was backed up as she noticed that there appeared to be massive teeth connected along a belt of sorts, running around its waist, held in a fashion that kept them pressed against the armor. Finally, the most glaring thing that stood out was that, nestled around the pelvic area of the being, was what appeared to be a giant furred head, something that resembled a Timberwolf yet it was obvious that said creature was anything but made of wood.

As for the Capricorn itself, his muzzle was short, yet sharp and prominent, and his eyes a deep-set blue; both were framed by a clearly battle-hardened face of silver-white fur. Its eyebrows arched in a way as to produce a constant glare at anyone that looked at it.

He almost stumbled to one knee for a moment as he gradually regained his bearings. When he did, he regarded the strangers in his innermost sanctum with hint of a feral side to his nature in his gaze. As the Capricorn exited the cryptum, he knowingly reached out to his right and gripped the hilted sword, extracting from the metallic shell in a quick flick of it’s wrist. The sound of the scraping metal, grating to most ears, seemed to draw a glinting smirk from the unknown figure. Without hesitation, the unknown capricorn brought the sword to bear, preparing to take on the entirety of the group.

Then there was the sword itself. It was a gigantic thing, the size of a human, almost. Yet he seemed to wield it as though it was as light as air. The silver and blue tint to the weapon drew more than a few eyes to the dangerous item, not to mention the ornate yet deadly design. A golden pommel and crossguard gave way to a second crossguard that looked to be the same metal as the blade itself. Three overlapped diamonds, engraved with runes fed into the blade itself, which seemed to have teeth on either side immediately after the diamonds.

Both the look and the sword caused half of the present company to grow fully alert, Luna and the Chief included.

“All but Trixie and Johnson, step back immediately! It is We who shall be having dealing with this beast,” Luna ordered.

“Beast?” the imposing capricorn question, before letting loose a bellow of twisted laughter, malice lacing the very laugh. His voiced changed immediately after, a deep growl resonating through the chamber. “No, I am Leman Russ. Praetor of the Crystal Imperium; The Wolf that Stalks the Stars! Explain your presence in my sanctum, and your reasoning for desecrating it, or your thread will be cut by my claws.”

All those present with weaponry promptly drew it, and as a whole gave the newcomer a wide berth.

As Johnson and Trixie did so, the latter inquired of the Sergeant in a low whisper, “Well, Johnson, do you happen to know who this one might be as well?”

“Can it, Great and Sassy, before I make you this guy’s supper,” Johnson muttered. “I’d rather not tangle with him right now, not even with Princess Luna and the Chief backing me up.” For yet another rare occasion, the mare had no retort to make.

“Praetor? Crystal Imperium? That which those infernal machines we fought through rattled on constantly about in their war cries, thou wert part of the civilization that built this place?” Luna inquired, her horn ignited as a spell hung in limbo.

Leman Russ seemed to tense slightly at the sound of Luna’s voice. “My ears must be playing tricks on me. That voice sounds too much like my former disciple. It couldn’t be …”

The towering capricorn took a step towards Luna, his eyes curiously settling upon the mare. Yet his body language quickly changed from being ready for battle to a more friendly stature. Russ’ change in demeanor seemed to correspond with a drastic change in the atmosphere of the room itself.

The immediate, thick and preeminent fog of danger had lifted, but tension still remained. Weapons were lowered but not holstered, and wary eyes still outnumbered curious ones like Russ’ own now were.

Luna’s eyes were narrowed from both puzzlement and wonder at this strange new being. “Thou speakest as if thou knoweth who We are. Logic fails Us as to how this is possible.”

“By the frozen tits of a frost giant! Luna, it is you!” Russ exclaimed in sheer excitement, holstering his sword to a magnetic clip on his side. “After all this time, now you visit me! Frakk, it’s good to see you! Though do drop that noble speak, it doesn’t suit you, sister!”

“The frozen … the mammaries of a frost … We, I … again, logic fails Us. I mean to say ‘me’. No … ‘Us’ ...“

“Umm, Luna?” Cortana interjected as she appeared above Luna’s hoof once more. “Your cerebral activity is … well I don’t know what is technically normal for an alicorn since I have no access to your sister’s classified medical files, but I think you might need to take a deep breath or two.”

Russ’ bellowing laugh once more made its rounds through the hall. As he laughed, he kneeled down to Luna and clasped an armoured hand on her shoulder. “Calm yourself, sister. We’ve got all of eternity to catch up and reconquer our lands. As for the rest of you, as long as Luna has your loyalty, consider yourselves my allies.”

“You, how are you possible?” Rurika cut in. Russ’ attention snapped to the hologram image of the chieftain. His eyes narrowed as he finally saw the other capricorns in the room.

“As possible as you are, my dear pup. Hmm, this can’t be right, two horns now? Such a shame, as it seems time has not been kind to my race,” Russ sneered before giving a weary sigh; the holographic Capricorn, as well as the ones in the room, were not as close to his visage as he remembered

“Your Grace, the Great Wolf,” Aela ventured as she took a knee in front of Leman, “we have been shaped by how we have made due with what Fenris provided us, but your return is the highest of honours for all Capricorns.”

Russ cast his eyes over the now kneeling Aela, a frown gracing his face. “Highest of honours, ha! Bjorn is surely rolling in his slumber at such a remark! Now stand young one, I will not have my brothers and sisters kneeling. Our pack is not made of one wolf, so stand with me, not under me.”

“Now is as good a time as any for standing together,” Doctor Halsey declared, finally letting her sense of wonder show upon her face. “We have been studying what little ruins and technology we’ve encountered of your peoples and your empire for just over a century, across a number of worlds. We have so many questions, and your answers could very well save billions.”

Russ’ gaze shifted to the scientist, an eyebrow rising in intrigue. “It has been a while since I have seen one of your kind, let alone on Fenris. I suppose if you must ask your questions then do so but I have no time to lope around, I have not felt the crisp air of my home in millenia.”

“Well, obviously not every question can be asked right now in the interests of practicality,” Doctor Anders stated. “But, can you provide the means for Cortana to be able to override the system daemons’ blockade of your historical archives for academic study?”

“No.”

“May we at least study your cryptum?”

“If you wish, though it acts as a better sword holster than a data mine,” Russ replied with a mischievous looking grin.

Twilight met that remark with a grin. “Time will tell with that. There is one final query from me and Miss Yearling both before we should discuss what happens from here: what are your origins?”

Russ looked at the purple mare for a second before he bellowed out his mirth once more. His laughter was a rolling cascade that the great chamber echoed back with a volume that could induce an avalanche elsewhere, as if the facility itself were sharing in his private joke. The capricorn only began to let up after more than a minute had passed.

As he finally composed himself, he looked back down at Twilight, that feral grin on his face. “No.”

The response was met with a general sound of disappointed groaning from a number of the civilian researchers that were now haunting the chamber, resisting the urge to poke and prod with their instruments at every last demonstration of Russ’ technology.

Before any further action could be taken on the part of anyone however, two spoken words from a suddenly stoic and slightly furious Rurika caused many of the Concordat soldiers present to snap their focus to her immediately.

“Winter Contingency. Winter Contingency!” The proclamation was met with equal degrees of confusion from Luna, Russ, Twilight, and some of the civilians present.

“What does ... “ Twilight began, but she was cut off and Rurika was unable to explain before Johnson pulled a flashing holocommunicator from his combat webbing and activated it.

Lord General Svelte was present on the little platform, her aged expression harder than a granite slate and her eyes a sharp glare. “Now hear this, all Concordat military personnel are to be on highest alert. Early indicators of a Covenant fleet’s slipspace drive signatures have been detected by Allied Command! Home fleets assume defensive and support echelons. All legions and centuries at terrestrial garrisons, mobilize to contingency positions and harden for defensive operations! This is General Svelte, transmission complete.”

“Dammit,” Johnson cursed as he, Luna, the Chief, and Trixie gathered next to Russ. “Nevermind the Inner Colonies. Somehow them squid-headed sons of bitches found Equis first. If it falls, then Earth is not too long after, well we’re not gonna let em’ have it! Am I right, Praetor Russ?!”

Russ simply looked at Johnson, the feral, wolfish, smile split across his face. To some, the air seemingly chilled even more by merely glimpsing the expression alone. With a few strides he was already headed back the way the group came, his destination set. The rest of the group quickly ran after him, most of their strides hardly coming close to matching the massive capricorns’.

Luna took to the air to keep up with him, her gaze peering over at Leman every few seconds. As they neared the exit to the sanctum, Luna and Russ met eye to eye, his grin never having faltered. There was a silent question lingering in Luna’s gaze, ‘why did he look so excited?’ The question was one that Russ was all too happy to answer.

“I’m barely awake, sister, and already there is to be a murder-make! Threads to cut, adjarr to be spilled, and wyrds to be made! The day could only be better with mjord!”

Luna’s eyes showed no recognition of the words that Leman was speaking, nor did she understand his readiness to head into battle. She simply stared at him with uncomprehending eyes.

Leman’s smile faltered for a split second, yet his voice still exuded confidence, “It seems you’re once more my fresh faced disciple. Fates be damned, you will remember yourself.”

Chapter 4: Winter and Stars

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Fenris, Boreas Continent, Inner Sanctum of Leman Russ’ Keep
Wednesday, 23rd June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

The look of sheer incomprehension on Luna’s face lingered for a few moments longer as she stared at the ever-grinning Praetor Russ, even as many of the others present in the chamber began to urgently congregate around the exit of the chamber. She then shook her head to break out of the reverie.

“Though thou inherently and paradoxically demonstrates recognition of us, We must set Our queries for thee aside for now, Praetor Russ,” Luna stated with an air of apology to her features. “What aid might be rendered as yon crisis looms o’er Us is at present a mystery.”

“I might have to beat that speak out of you,” Russ growled in a low voice, barely loud enough for Luna to overhear, making her arch a brow. “What is our next move? The chill of sleep is still fresh in my bones, after all.”

That was the cue for Chieftain Rurika to respond from her remote holographic presence on Aela’s communicator. Her projection peered at a device visible on her wrist. “By now the tribes, the Houses, and the Fangs are convening for an emergency moot at the Fang Spire in Aurora. Concordat Allied Command is due to release its initial threat assessment for Parliament in less than one hour, coinciding.”

“Princess Luna, everyone, that moot would be the most prudent rally point for us right now!” Trixie advised in an urgent tone as she looked from face to dour face expectantly.

“Trixie almost literally took the words right from my mouth,” Cortana agreed.

Russ’ grin faltered for the moment as his hardened features hardened even further in thought. Only a simple reply came from his muzzle, “if a counsel is needed yet I would have assumed a plan would already be in place. This will be changed in the future. Now tell me of this Fang Spire.”

Rurika crossed her arms as she briefly considered her response. “As Wolf Lord of Sesc Company, I can tell you with the closest approximation that seventeen hundred kilometers from here in the heart of Aurora, you will find the Fang Spire or Volda Hamarki in our tongues. It is an ancient tower structure with a vaulted roof. This tower lies at the foot of the Spines of Fenris and has served as the most revered central gathering point for the capricorn peoples since time immemoriam.”

“Hold the horn, one minute!” Trixie interrupted. “What do you mean by ‘Wolf Lord’? Trixie was told that you are a Chieftain, not … whatever that is!”

The rest of the group looked up at the hologram with curious intent; Russ being different as his gaze was more knowing. Even to the researchers, this was the first mentioning of the title Wolf Lord; though simple reasoning could assume it was the same as Chieftain.

“Yes, a common mistake due to a long running … misconception,” Rurika said, rolling her hand as she tried to explain it. “The title of Chieftain is utilized among the capricorn tribes to denote the leader, while both Chieftain and Thane are used in the two houses. Wolf Lord is the same in a way but the title is only held by a Fang of Fenris.”

“Among other things,” Russ stated much to the confusion of everyone present. “If that is clear, then let us be going. My home awaits.”

“Your home?” inquired Luna, hoping to learn more from Russ.

“The spire she mentioned … I remember something akin to it, from my time. Yet it was just the tip of something greater, far reaching. Perhaps time has passed along the design, and allowed our legacy to continue. That was my home; I do hope it still stands,” Russ stated though the smile on his face spoke of untold truths.

“Well, Praetor, simply put, there are some things so far reaching that ice can only do so much to conceal what is left behind,” Rurika replied with her muzzle raised slightly. “Your facility here is but one example of legacies long hidden, if our history is right.”

Russ gave a small chuckle under his breath at the statement, one hardly noticeable to others. “Only our arrival will tell if what you say is true. Now, your location’s coordinates would be a boon. Time is of the essence.”

It was then that Cortana interjected, providing Russ the Fang Spire’s coordinates down to the decimal. “A translocation system, global spanning! That’s how your facility’s defenses were able to detect and engage us so quickly,” the Smart AI added in astonishment.

“Is it possible to make one, but in our image?” he asked the group, while gesturing towards Cortana.

“In exactly the manner that we did?” Halsey answered back with some degree of amusement. “Then I will need your brain or that of another capricorn, or a clone thereof, to serve as template for programming. ”

“I have a suitable candidate,” Russ purred out, causing a few confused glances. The Praetor made a quick stride towards the consoles in front of his open cryptum, his heavy armored hoofsteps reverberating throughout the cavernous chamber. He submitted Cortana’s provided coordinates for the Fang Spire before turning back to face them.”Enough of that, for now. Let us make for the summit.”

Russ, Luna, and the latter’s retinue were promptly surrounded each by a golden aura that enveloped their bodies before there was nothing left but the empty air in which they had previously stood.

Fenris, Aurora Continent, Grounds of the Volda Hamarki

“Oh hell no, I’m too pretty to die!” Johnson shouted as he, Luna, Leman Russ, and dozens of other figures materialized in a large field covered in most places by a thin layering of snow. The sergeant withdrew his helmet for the moment to draw in deep breaths of the chilled Fenrisian air.

In front of the large group was a sight familiar to some: the field gave way in the distance to a large glacial lake whose waters were frozen firmly in place.

The flat and regular ice formations were broken only by a single large artificial construction which drew the eye. It was a single vaulted-roof stone and metal spire of several stories in height. Adorned on its sides at symmetrical intervals by arched windows whose precipice ended in a slender needle’s point.

“It’s just–” Trixie began, only to be cut off by Cortana.

“Teleportation, Johnson,” the Smart AI finished with exasperation that nearly matched that of the unicorn mare. “You’re just fine.”

“Must you?” Trixie hissed at the blue-violet avatar that had once again appeared in a bemused Luna’s outstretched hoof.

“The very capital of the Solarian Concordat is under imminent invasion. Must you?” Cortana retorted with a raised brow, causing Trixie to immediately turn apologetic, before going stern and stone-faced. “At least we are where we need to be, and quickly.”

“You’re a soldier, get used to it,” Russ growled out, annoyed at Johnson’s ostensible lack of discipline. Russ was all for moments of light-heartedness but a pivotal battle was clearly on the horizon. Now was not the time, especially when there were countless things to do. He turned to face the group before speaking. “Go on ahead. There is something I must see to.”

“You’ll have to pardon an old sergeant, but I’m a bit more of an old fashioned type with my methods of transportation,” Johnson said with a frown, more so as a general statement than a response to the nearby Praetor as several soldiers and civilians ceased studying the area around them and proceeded onwards. “No unicorn hocus pocus or ancient technology is going to get me used to having my atoms getting blown apart and put back together in a few heartbeats, ohh no.”

“We are fortunate that We do not harbour the same fear for modern aerial transport as thou does for so mundane a mode of travel as teleportation,” Luna replied as she lead the approach to the Fang Spire.

“Yeah? Well you have fancy-schmancy wings,” came Johnson’s reply as he continued to get his bearings.

There was a long pause before Luna responded. “Touche.”

Four roped bridges wide enough to accommodate two UNSC warthogs in either direction spanned across the thick shelf of ice. They connected to the base of the Fang Spire where it met the ice in a point of puncture, corresponding to the primary cardinal directions.

Luna’s group chose the two bridges closest to them, and entered the structure as two separate elements. A large group of Fangs of Fenris Wolf Guard greeted them with mixtures of surprise and relief, with a Wolf Lord accompanying them at the forefront of their procession. More than a few of Luna’s group were a little nervous at seeing six imposing figures, all clad in the massive ceramite armor that was nearly identical to each other, except for a few minor nuances on the Wolf Lord’s armor. Said leader was by now a familiar face to Luna, as chance would have it.

“Esteemed capricorns, we have returned from the expedition in your north to render aid however possible!” Luna declared, masking her apprehension behind a serene and emotionless gaze.

“Princess Luna? Welcome!” Chieftain Rurika greeted. She waved a hand towards one of the staircases leading to the central chamber of the spire, and everyone began moving with haste as she continued speaking. “I understand that you and your retinue were going to be on your way here, but not by usage of that … grid. Regardless, you must come with me.”

“Thou mentioned a moot?” Luna inquired.

“Aye. The moot is already in session, and your presences will aid in galvanizing the other chieftains into agreeing upon a singular course of action in augmenting the existing defence plans of our system. Wait … where is Praetor Russ?”

“The Praetor remained outside for the moment,” Twilight Sparkle said beside the flustered gathering of scientists amongst the moving group. “What the ancient is up to is anyone’s guess right now.”

“He seems more than willing to fight the Covenant, despite not having any context to the enemy whatsoever. Heh, that’s good enough for me. The timing of this Covie fleet putting a ‘kill me’ sign on itself by coming here, and the big man’s awakening is extraordinary,” Johnson commented as he brushed snow idly off his right pauldron.

Rurika stopped the large group right in front of a large, reinforced wooden door with ornate golden trim that accented the surrounding black and grey stonework of the spire. Despite the fact it was wooden, the doors looked to be in perfect shape, as if the natural elements of the land hardly affected them.

“Extraordinary indeed. The Concordat was more prudent to investigate the Great Wolf legends than many had originally thought, it seems,” Rurika mused as her hand rested itself upon one of the handles of the door. “Now, your entrance will bring about a pause to the proceedings. While it may resemble the political gatherings of other members of the Concordat, understand that this is a military summit above all else. We are warriors first and politicians second, so none of that Canterlot decorum is necessary here, only due respect as necessary for the circumstances of this meeting.”

“We … I understand, Chieftain Rurika. I shall speak commonly to all ye gathered when the moment calls for it,” Luna affirmed.

This prompted a simple nod from Rurika in response, who then opened the door to the central chamber.

“I’m noticing such rapid and fascinating adaptations to your behavioral patterns already, Luna,” Cortana commented inside the alicorn’s mind in as pleasant a tone as the situation allowed while the latter made her way inside the chamber with the others. “I’m sure the Praetor will be pleased, whatever his reasons may be.”

I strive for modernization wherever possible and wherever necessary, Luna’s mental voice said in response. It was her last thought before she began analyzing the chamber itself, as well as the moot that was in progress within.

In a way that was liable to leave Twilight Sparkle increasingly jealous, Cortana was doing her best to provide Luna with what capricorn terminology she could scrounge up whilst her charge’s cyan eyes darted to and fro.

The crowded and voice-filled chamber, like so many other things on Fenris in Luna’s opinion, was massive to an almost excessive amount. Its circular layout was centered by an expansive and polished stone floor that was host to a painted emblem that had partially faded slightly from extreme age yet was still largely visible.

Furnishings in the form of twelve, long wooden tables with metal finish and accompanying chairs that were clearly from more modern times adorned most of the space. The remainder was wide and open, or occupied by a combination of tall floor candelabras and decorative stands of power armour belonging to both the capricorn House of Winter, and the more magic-oriented House of Stars. As Luna’s hooves took measured strides across the ancient stone, she and some of the others took in the sight of the chamber’s emblem before looking back up to regard the current occupants.

A white circle inscribed with geometric, sharply-angled lines forming a visage reminiscent of a great tree lay framed in the center of a massive, winged six-pointed star. The star and phoenix-like wings themselves in addition to the tree-like symbol hosted a smaller star of the same shape within it.

While Luna completed her analysis, Rurika’s obvious prediction had proven correct. The murmuring and occasional back and forth declarations of the various chieftains, Wolf Priests, and their accompanying housecarls grinded to a total and silent halt.

Luna and her accompanying group met the eyes of several capricorn mares and a few stallions. It was the largest and most diverse grouping of the species Luna had ever yet seen. They were seated at the twelve tables, stood around them, or were arrayed at regular intervals as sentries. Unlike ponies, their hair and fur were not so myriad in colour. Horn lengths varied by gender and personal genetics, but the physical builds of most were extremely robust.

The capricorns in the chamber were garbed in everything from glimmering and arcane sigil-etched robes belonging to Rune Priests of the House of Stars, to simple fur cloaks over tunics, power armour, armour of fur, leather and chainmail and bone, as well the gadget and pocket-festooned garb of the Iron Shamans of House Winter.

In addition to the more traditional and rather spartan furnishings that everyone was gathered around, modern view screens and comms uplink terminals were installed on the walls at regular intervals. Some of them were presently in use by the latter Iron Shamans.

Each attendee of the moot continued to observe the newcomers silently for another several seconds with mixed and ambivalent emotion before one of the Wolf Priests, an ancient-looking mare in black and gold robes with sapphire blue eyes and faded white coat of fur, addressed them.

“Thus Rurika and Aela of the Snätare bring forth to us the most distinguished members of the Concordat expedition to unlock the secrets of our past into our spire. And, you all come at such a critical time.” The mare’s voice was rich and wisened from age. “I, Great Wolf Sigmara, the eldest of the capricorns, welcomes you.”

“‘Tis a pleasure, Great Wolf,” Luna replied, though silently wondering to the point of near-confusion why the elder capricorn kept the same legendary title as Leman Russ. “What is the summation of the discussion myself and my many companions have so rudely interjected ourselves into without notice? I am safe to presume it is in address to the invasion said to be imminent by this ‘Covenant.’”

“In earnest, you are currently safer in your presumption than the rest of this star system is in its defense!” one of the chieftains bemoaned.

“We see your companions you brought, Your Highness. More tactical minds are most welcome here as Sigmara has already expressed,” another declared.

“The Covenant military is at our doorstep; soon We will be sharing our very hearthfires with the likes of their ilk!” a third spat, pounding her fist against the surface of her table with enough force to cause a few of her advisors and housecarls to reel back slightly. “We require a plan to action that will spill San’Shyuum blood, and quickly. Behead the serpent so that the body may die.”

“In short,” Sigmara began, “we seek through discussion an agreed upon joint capricorn strategy against the Covenant that will render us the sword to Equis’ shield. The Covenant’s false Prophets have taken great strategic risk in approaching here, whether by intent or by mistake. We intend for that risk to be their final and greatest mistake.”

“What has already been prop–” Luna was unable to finish as a sudden rumbling shook the entire spire around them.

Many of the magic lamp candelabras toppled to the floor, along with the document, datapad, and writing utensil-based contents of several of the chieftain’s and Wolf Priests’ tables in loud clatters.

“What is that, an earthquake?! Or is this ancient place starting to buckle?” A.K. Yearling asked, peering up at the ceiling warily.

“The Volda Hamarki is eternal!” growled one of Sigmara’s peers, the only stallion garbed in the same formal black gold robes of a Wolf Priest as Sigmara. “Its resiliency rivals the mountains that shadow it, Equestrian.”

“Perhaps it is orbital bombardment!” one of the nearby Wolf Guard suggested, tensely gesturing towards the ceiling with the tip of his drawn sword. This caused an uproar amongst the moot as voices began competing with one another and the rumbling from outside. The only capricorn that didn’t look confused at the shaking was Sigmara who stood perfectly still with a serene look upon her face.

“Would we have not heard word of Covenant starships having been visually sighted?” Luna asked with some confusion.

“The Covenant have been observed during the war to possess cloaking technology that can mask vessels several kilometers in length,” the Master Chief informed her as he constantly surveyed their surroundings as Johnson and Trixie were. “Stealth bombardment as part of a preliminary diversion would not be out of the question.”

“Nor would some trigger-happy shipmaster attacking the first habitable world their forces have found in a supposedly hostile system be out of the question either,” Doctor Anders interposed.

Beside her, Yearling, and Doctor Halsey, Twilight held a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “I doubt orbital bombardment. Allied Command would have already inundated us with commands and requests for status reports. What is your assessment, Cortana?”

“Luna, if you would please,” the Smart AI said. Luna held out her hoof again for Cortana to appear. Cortana herself was currently playing with a strand of her digital hair. “It is no form of bombardment. You are definitely correct about that, Twilight. What is currently happening is … well, we’re slowly rising off the ground and over the lake.”

Cortana’s declaration only served to bring the capricorn crowds into an even louder frenzy of skeptical argument, confusion, and angered murmuring. It was now to such a volume that no single voice from anyone could be distinguished at a normal speaking tone. It remained this way until one voice drowned out all the others in a sudden burst.

“Calm thyselves!” Luna thundered, having grown angered over the unruly conduct of the moot. The moot silenced immediately, which also gave an opening to a grateful-looking Sigmara.

“Iron Shamans, provide us with perimeter visuals of outside,” the Great Wolf instructed lazily.

The shamans complied, and within moments everyone was peering at one of the view screens, most of the viewers transfixed and in complete astonishment even as the Fang Spire itself still continued to rumble and shake. Luna was impressed to the point of bolting out of the chamber to see it for herself, much to Trixie and Johnson’s surprise and Twilight’s private and anxiety-laced approval.

Some Wolf Guards in the outermost chambers of the spire that let in sunlight to the entire structure on all floors were surprised once again as a now familiar alicorn bolted past them and took to the air. With her eyes widened, Luna watched something extraordinary unfolding.

A massive crackling of ice and stone erupted from all directions as the frozen lake that surrounded the Volda Hamarki was seen coming to life in an exceptional display of physical and mechanical-induced force. The shockwave spread out from shore to ice-locked shore, casting snow into a backwash in the air that manifested as low clouds of purest white. All four of the bridges collapsed into the waters with the rupturing of the ice layer.

The great spire that had so long been encapsulated by the frozen body of water was now growing in height at an accelerating pace, revealing greater structures below it in all their ancient grandeur.

Vaulted arches, turrets, and graceful but imposing bastions were revealed by the unimpeded light of Solaris for the first time in untold millennia. As the true structure that existed in full emerged from the now frothing and steaming waters of the lake, the majority of those witnessing its rise back inside the Fang Spire on screens felt a stirring of wonder in their cores.

With a vast stone, mithril-accented structure that rivalled the tallest skyscrapers of the galaxy in height now standing tall, it was evident to all that observing that they were peering at one of the single most ancient buildings in the star system.

With the towering structure now fully stationary in a reformed lake of heated and calming cerulean, Luna noted something else about the exterior: Praetor Russ was no longer in the place he had remained standing. She quickly made for the interior of the Volda Hamarki with hasty beats of her powerful wings.

Her arrival and another event that coincided with it served to cut off what was being spoken in the moot chamber.

“This is what the ice was concealing?! By the–”

Another, more distinctly power armoured-capricorn was taking the floor and regarding all within the chamber with a studious look.

"You stood in but the spire of my home. As its purpose has returned, so has the rest of it. Welcome my brothers and sisters, to the home of the Sixth. I welcome you to The Aett," the loud, booming voice of the Praetor announced to the counsel. His voice filled with mirth, yet was as hard and commanding as it always was.

The likes of capricorns such as Rurika, Sigmara, and some of the other most eldest Wolf Priests regarded the strange newcomer with ostensibly curious but inwardly knowing glances, while Luna and her compatriots looked on in surprise.

“Another face graces us with their presence at this moot,” Sigmara greeted as she and her colleagues neatly rearranged the contents on their tabletop. “Welcome, brother. You have arrived just in time for our allies’ assessments to arrive via view screen for our analysis, but we have a moment to spare for introductions.”

“Sigmara, it has been a long time. Truly age has passed you over, if Bjorn is correct. I must say, you’ve done well to lead The Rout,” Russ said as he inspected the aged capricorn. “Relax, though, sister. I will lead my legion once more in defense of our home. We will cleanse the Imperium of our enemies, as is our duty.”

The time-worn features of Sigmara’s furred face pulled into a prideful smile, but her response was delayed as her mind noted that what she was about to say would vastly confuse all present who were not privy to ancient knowledge guarded by the Fangs of Fenris she lead. Luna could wager as such as she watched the modern Great Wolf closely.

During Sigmara’s brief quietude, the capricorns present of Fangs of Fenris allegiance began bowing their heads in reverence to Praetor Russ, while many others had the inevitable cloud of confusion show on their faces.

“It will be a supreme honour to see it rise again and the younger races of our current age to be humbled, Lord Praetor,” Sigmara finally replied. “Now as for the Covenant …”

It was at that moment that an incoming transmission drew all attention to the chamber’s screens. Information panels beneath the person present, an elderly male human officer in a plain black dress uniform with a prominent curved nose and time-chiseled features, stated the report to be for all military leaders and heads of state Concordat-wide.

“Attention to all GSC personnel viewing this broadcast, this is Vice Admiral Michael Stanforth of the United Nations Space Command with a preliminary report of Covenant forces believed to have been detected within vicinity of the Solaris system.”

The image of the Vice Admiral was promptly replaced by a series of animated diagrams of the that the moot chamber’s holographic projectors converted into three-dimensional form while Stanforth’s audio continued.

Swarms of red blips were in place near the oort cloud of the Solaris system at its outermost fringes. Their facings indicated their point of origin to be the galactic east, though slipspace-based travel meant that it was obviously not a linear path straight through the Orion Arm from Covenant space.

“I’m not going to mince words here, people, this is the goddamned real deal. It has to be the largest enemy fleet I’ve ever seen. We’re pinging the slipspace drive signatures of CCS-class battlecruisers, fighter and phantom complements, carriers and corvettes of multiples classes, and blockade runners all in the hundreds. More of a naval swarm than a fleet, but then there’s this …” A single massive blip nearly the size of the moon Selene showed up amidst the small sea of tiny ones.

“It can’t be …” Halsey whispered, narrowing her eyes at the projection.

“We do not yet know of their objectives nor how they found Solaris. Despite the size of the largest slipspace signature, we are currently expectant for the moon-sized vessel to be a Covenant repair and refitting station, possibly the Unyielding Hierophant,” Stanforth went on. “High Charity itself is extremely unlikely to fit the bill, and those naval monstrosities are the only other explanation for the estimated super-heavy tonnage. Standard Winter Contingency protocols are currently in effect for Solaris, but specialized tactics are currently pending for submission to all fleets on defensive postings. In the meantime, twenty percent of the Imperial Navy in Covenant space is regrouping to reinforce you, and ten percent of the UNSC Navy is enroute from Reach for support, both with an estimated arrival time of twenty-six hours. That’s all for now, Admiral Stanforth out.”

“Twenty-six hours?! With a Covie fleet that size, Equis will be seeing ground invasion in about … six by reckoning,” Johnson remarked.

“As per the purpose of this moot, and as the human Vice Admiral has alluded to, alternative tactics are clearly in order for this impending battle,” Luna observed as she looked around the now quiet chamber expectantly.

“Strike at them fast and at the leadership. Scan for the primary capital ships, then swiftly board them. Cut the head off in the ensuing chaos and drive them back into the void. The action shall be too much for them to respond, and I will personally cut the head from their leader’s shoulders,” Russ voiced in a menacing snarl.

“And so our tactic is devised. Allied Command will have to make due with ordering around the naval forces of this invasion, it is terrestrial might setting hoof and boot on starships that will shape the outcome, here,” Sigmara said in a definitive tone, clearly conveying her agreement with Leman Russ and implying to the capricorn chieftains that her decision was final. “This moot is hereby brought to a close. Those who will be commanding forces in shipboard raids, muster your warriors and await Praetor Russ’ instruction; you will provide him with all intelligence necessary to fulfill our objectives.”

Luna nodded, herself satisfied by the declaration. She turned to her immediate companions as the majority of the capricorns began to take their leave, murmuring about having to now navigate new corridors down to ground level. “Praetor Russ, I have one specific thing to say to thyself at this present time.”

“By all means, sister,” Russ replied.

“You will be leading the charge with your Fangs into a Covenant flagship that has yet to be identified. When it does, do you expect to do so alone? Thine answer is not required, I can already read it upon your face. I shall be leading what forces I can muster alongside thee. This shall be both of our opportunities to see this Covenant up close for ourselves. What say you, my friends?” Luna then turned to regard her retinue, as well as holding out her hoof in a gesture that had already become muscle memory.

“I go where you go unless ordered otherwise, Princess,” Chief stated, standing in a neutral posture.

“Trixie is with you, and if possible she will arrange to have a squad of Praetorians by our side for boarding action when a target vessel is identified,” Trixie declared, causing Russ to quirk an eye at her.

“It is Fangs that will be leading this charge under Russ’ command. I am a Fang, and it is my honour,” Rurika stated simply.

“I’m needed on the ground over on Equis, unfortunately,” Johnson said in an apologetic tone. “I’m not assigned to you like the Chief is, so I need to link up with an element of Spartan III Beta Company back on Equis, in the Griffon capital of Ostia. General Black just told me over the B-net that the Spartan garrison on Equis is being distributed to assist in the defense of all the major capitals.”

“Try not to damage too much of the city if the Covenant make planetfall, won’t you, Johnson?” Trixie said, earning her a wink from the human. Everyone then turned with questioning expressions to Twilight, Anders, Halsey, and their civilian colleagues.

“We are obviously of no help in a fight,” Twilight said sheepishly.

“Praetor Russ, would it be possible for us to remain here in the ‘Aett’ during the battle for the purposes of both security and research?” Anders requested. “I understand if this is a steep request, but … nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

“Never in our history has another species set foot within our halls. Yet there is always a time for something. I think Sigmara can find a Fang or two to entertain you,” Russ said with a surprisingly serene smile, the serene smile still holding a ferocious look to it.

Luna nodded upon hearing the statement. “‘Tis settled, then. The expedition is over; Halsey, you and your colleagues shall remain here for the duration of the battle to rest and study the newly revealed areas as permitted and at thy leisure. That is to capricorn discretion. Now, what of you, Cortana?”

Cortana’s expression was a mixture of anticipation, adventurous spirit, and even an air of mischief as she gave her response.

“Neither yourself nor Russ have yet to be brought up to speed on what ship to ship and ground-based combat with Covenant in this era is like,” the AI pointed out. “But, I can tell just by taking a gander at Praetor Russ here that he is likely to need only a minute’s briefing before he’d be ready. And as for you, this is clearly not your first rodeo, Luna. Doctor Halsey?”

The scientist had been looking between Cortana, Russ, and the rest of Luna’s group with growing anticipation. “Cortana, normally the answer would already be clear cut, given the substantial security risks involved in bringing a Smart AI onboard a Covenant battleship. However, between Princess Luna, Praetor Russ, and John, and with the circumstances … just promise me that you’ll help dispense karma’s lot on the Covenant you encounter.”

Cortana smirked, bringing forth a smile on her alicorn bearer’s muzzle. “It will be my pleasure, Doctor.”

One of the exiting capricorn chieftains passed close by and happen to overhear the conversation. “Once more the words ‘Praetor Russ’ pass my ears,” the mare stated with bemusement, drawing everyone’s attention. “Who are you, strange warrior, and a male one at that?”

“My name is Leman Russ, sister. Praetor is an old title, long before I was called The Great Wolf. Once more it is stowed, as I take my title again,” Russ replied casually, a thoughtful look on his face. What did she mean by ‘a male one’?

“Mjoll is my name, of the Fiskjägare. From whatever ancient era you hail, capricorns better have known of mjord, for there will be much need of it when the time comes for you to receive our hosts of questions,” the chieftain replied before joining with her waiting housecarls and departing the chamber.

Russ and the others glanced at the chieftain as she left, a small frown crossing his own face. While he admired that his people kept many traditions alive, he felt conflicted at their lack of respect to their history. Truly it had been a long time since he had entered his sanctum but had it been that long that they had forgotten him and the old ways?

Cortana could almost visually detect the troubles radiating outward from the ancient capricorn, and she made a mental note for herself and Luna to address the topic at a later date. Despite that, the question still lingered in the AI’s processes and demanded to be let out. “Praetor Russ, are you alright? Did our presence awake you from your cryptum at a premature time in some system we are unaware of?”

“No … if I wasn’t to be awoken, I wouldn’t be awake. My wyrd is as it is,” Russ replied, his grin long faded, and replaced by a small frown. “Enough of his, we must prepare for our murder-make. Let us descend into the Aett.”

As Luna, Russ, and the others descended the towering structure towards what was now ground level, they encountered a number of things that surprised some of them.

Unlike Russ’ keep, which had been mostly spartan in its furnishings and decoration, the newly revealed majority of the Aett was seen to be brimming with signs of previous bustling habitation. Everything had been kept sealed tight from the water of the lake as well as the ravages of time, and was in immaculate states of preservation.

Forges and armories full of workstations, weaponry, and various armour types, living quarters, and bunk rooms were seen. Banners depicting the symbols Luna had seen on both the door to Russ’ cryptum chamber and the floor of the Aett’s topmost Fang Spire decorated many locations.

Also encountered amidst the ornate yet militaristic corridors were great halls with high ceilings for feasting and some forms of spiritual purpose, kitchens and larders, indoor gardens, arboretums, utility chambers, observation rooms leading to the exterior battlements, and hangars even laden with ancient aerial vehicles still waiting for their pilots.

It was in one of the largest hangars that connected to the Aett’s most important forge, thus identified by Russ’ commentary and visually by the noted presence of over twenty miniature combat cryptums left levitating in neat rows, that everyone had now gathered to prepare for eventual boarding action on Covenant vessels.

On their way, it had quickly become apparent to Luna and Cortana that the Aett had not been without some of its inhabitants for the last several tens of thousands of years. Taller, vastly more lupine-like cousins of the malfunctioning bipedal automatons, that had been encountered in Russ’s keep, were seen patrolling the halls with massive and more advanced versions of capricorn bolter guns in their hands.

While saluting Russ, the massive lupine like metal constructs greeted the others in a capricorn dialect that even Rurika had trouble understanding. On his own way out via pelican dropship from the primary hanger of the Aett – to which Concordat forces had already established a presence to investigate the raising of the structure – even Johnson had been quietly joking to himself about ‘metal werewolves.’

The lupine constructs were not alone in the Aett, however. Alongside them were the occasional party of previous moot attenders, making their way to ground level. Also noteworthy were capricorns belonging to the Fangs of Fenris, who by the way they bustled about the halls indicated that they had inhabited and worked in the hidden fortress continually at varying levels of prominence and population for several millennia.

In the hangar, Russ and the rest of Luna’s group were approaching one of the so-called werewolves of metal, or ‘Promethean Wolves’ as Cortana tentatively identified them. Unlike his comrades, this one stood at over four meters in height on digitigrade legs, a meter taller than the rest, and in the place of what would be a clawed but humanoid hand attached to his left arm as was in his right, was instead a specialized set of three massive claws that had clearly seen extensive use on ancient battlefields.

Arcs of electricity fed by the Promethean Wolf’s body danced about the three claws almost in a fashion that visually depicted his inward musing in a way that his snouted face and glowing orange eyes could not.

“Bjorn, you mangy bear! It has been far too long!” Russ called out with open arms to the Promethean Wolf. It turned to stare at the group, especially the Praetor that was leading it.

“So it has … Russ,” Bjorn’s deep, synthetic voiced rumbled out in response. The pausing in the voice every so often denoted Bjorn as being far older than the rest of his metallic compatriots. “I have kept them in line in your absence but they still … are rowdy.”

“I never had a doubt that you would, old friend. That is why I always had you as my successor. You knew my goal of shaping the Legion. Still it is a shame that you’re far too metallic for a round of mjord,” Russ lamented with a soft sigh.

“As if I had any other choice. It was either … never slay another foe or take this form. I am sure the Iron Shamans will find … a way to let me drink, eventually,” Bjorn answered.

“And here you were so eager to rush headlong to your death … now instead you pause every few moments!” Russ replied in a jovial tone, poking fun at his old friend.

“While you got to sleep and dream, I had to … make sure these pups don’t kill themselves,” Bjorn replied, before glancing over towards the group that had followed his Great Wolf. “Is it …”

“Luna has found her way back to me, as though the runes have a sense of humour!” he said aloud before lowering his voice to one only Bjorn’s modified sensory system would pick up. “She is still stricken, but time will be on our side this time.”

“Are you going to waste more time with those … runes? That is the jobs of the Mages, yours is just … to look pretty,” Bjorn growled out, followed by a chuckle that sounded metallic in nature.

“Someone had to make up for your ugly mug; besides, I don’t seem to be a walking piece of metal now, hmm? Enough talk! How about we reunite over a nice boarding action? There is a fleet in space that has enough bodies to make your claws glisten red again,” Russ replied with an almost evil grin. He looked up at Bjorn as though he expected a smile in return, despite the fixed features of the Promethean Wolf.

“There hasn’t been a good war in ages. You know I … will accompany you anywhere, if just to save your tail,” Bjorn’s synthetic voice replied, seeming to carry a hint of emotion along with it.

“Come then! We must prepare the rest of the Fangs. This will be the first of many times, the Sixth will strike at this so-called Covenant if I have any say in the matter,” Russ stated as he marched off, Bjorn’s metallic form following immediately behind the Praetor.

“We should see what type of weaponry they have on hand,” the Chief said to a momentarily stationary Luna and Cortana. “Whatever it is must clearly be more advanced than even the Covenant’s weapons.”

“Verily. Restrain thy rapid transit, Praetor Russ and companion Bjorn, course after ye, do we?” Luna said with a flustered frown, leading her companions to follow the two ancient beings towards the Aett’s main forge and armoury on the other side of the cavernous hangar.

As everyone made their way over, Trixie caught Luna’s attention, her face looking almost dumbfounded. “Was an ancient capricorn warrior from inside a metal ball actually just speaking with a giant bipedal metallic wolf nearly as tall as a house?”

Luna looked at Trixie blankly for a moment before a grin began to creep onto her muzzle. Unfortunately, her response was cut off by a sudden chiming noise from Trixie’s own holo-communicator.

With the same speed that Luna had with conjuring Cortana in her hoof, Trixie produced the device telekinetically from her armour belt and powered it on. A projection of a once more armoured Empress Celestia manifested on the communicator's surface, and this time the presence of the white and gold plates did not surprise Luna.

“Luna, my apologies for interrupting your activities on Fenris, but Admiral Fairweather and Lord General Svelte have requested you and your companions’ presence onboard the ENV Divinity for urgent briefing,” Celestia said as her projected image flickered slightly. Her ears were splayed back and her lips curled into a frown.

“Do elaborate, please,” Luna replied, her ears swiveling inquisitively.

“Sigmara has relayed the capricorn plan to the other Concordat leaders, and they have identified three specific Covenant carriers that are seventy percent likely to contain major enemy leaders. You have been approved to lead a portion of the troops. The targets are set, and that is where you and your group comes in, it appears.”

“How are we to reach the ship quickly?” Luna inquired with wide and alert eyes, her anticipation growing slightly at the sudden news.

“Dropship. You will not need long to find the Divinity, it is casting a shadow over that region of Fenris as we speak. Best of luck, Luna, I will see you on the ship very soon.” Celestia’s concerned expression then vanished into a resolute one, before her entire projection vanished as well.

As Luna let out a sigh and steeled herself from the sudden influx of major events the past two days, Praetor Russ had already taken the opportunity to approach the nearest and vastly-framed bay opening to inspect the ventral side of a massive split-arrowhead bow. True to Celestia’s word, it was blotting out the sun at present and leaving everything in a several kilometer radius in the shade. He raised a heavy gauntlet and pointed towards the warship.

“Is that the ship we will be leaving the atmosphere on?”

“Correct,” the Chief confirmed, joining the ancient warrior near the bay opening. “It is the flagship of Equestria’s navy.”

“Flagship? So you mean to tell me, that this strike cruiser will not be taking us to the true flagship ship?” Russ asked with a quirked eyebrow. “A shame.”

“According to what I’m reading in the codex that my sister has provided me, this Divinity is a class of vessel called a supercarrier,” Luna said tentatively. “Which I understand means … it is specialized for holding smaller ships, aerial vehicles, and even whole armies within it in vast numbers. This particular one is … quite well known, apparently.”

Cortana tilted her head to look up at Luna, arching her own brow. “Impressive, Luna. An enchanted book of knowledge. Should Twilight and I be jealous?”

“The codex … has its limitations,” Luna sheepishly reassured the AI.

“Supercarrier? Bwahaha! You’re amusing me with each new thing,” Russ laughed out, much to the confusion of everyone present. He noticed that, of course, Luna wasn’t laughing as well. This brought a sly grin to his face. “You’ll learn what’s so funny in time.”

“Speaking of time, the clock is ticking!” Trixie pressed, gesturing a hoof towards the looming ship outside. “The Divinity is no doubt sending dropships for us already, and your more advanced gear may be of great advantage against the Prophets’ minions. May we take the liberty of utilizing your armoury, Praetor, Bjorn?”

There was no response from the ancient Promethean Wolf, but Russ gestured to them for them to follow.

Everyone quickly made their way into the Aett’s nearby grand forge, following Leman Russ’ lead. The expansive and rather sweltering room, its ceiling high enough to accommodate even the towering likes of Bjorn, was currently bustling with research-conducting Iron Shamans of House Winter who had joined their far more-learned Fangs of Fenris equivalents in attending to the ancient fortress’ weapon-making machinery, maintenance, and other duties.

All Shamans regardless of their affiliation paused and would bow to Russ and Bjorn, and some of the Fangs present offered salutes to their counterparts in Trixie and the Master Chief.

In addition to the constantly-active production floor, the adjoining armoury was stocked to the brim with weapons on shelving, levitation holders, and adamantium crating. The arsenal overall to the Chief and Cortana’s inspection was an eclectic mix of more familiar modern capricorn, Equestrian, and human weaponry, as well as the far more numerous small arms of more ancient and mysterious origin, while to Luna every form of the weaponry was both strange and baffling.

The group stopped just before crossing into the armory side, and Russ turned to speak with them. “Here we are, The Aett’s main armoury. Only take what the Iron Shaman’s will allow. Some weaponry is not allowed in non-capricorn possession. Speaking of which …”

Russ walked away from the group, over to a certain door in the back, leaving the rest to look around.

“May I analyze schematics on the ancient weaponry? My … curiosity is piqued, to say the least,” Cortana inquired as Luna neared one of the busy Iron Shamans in the armory, a blonde-furred capricorn stallion with a neat and braided white beard. His right eye had been replaced with a cybernetic prosthetic, and he was garbed in a light form of silver and yellow ceramite power armour that still rivaled Fang warriors in weight thanks to the amount of gear and gadgetry that adorned it.

Said Iron Shaman that they had approached looked over them to Bjorn, as Russ was not present to which the ancient Promethean Wolf slowly nodded its head. There wasn’t a single word spoken out loud yet it seemed like an entire conversation had taken place. “I will have a dataslate prepared with the non-restricted schematics. Due to over-arching circumstance, certain assets are not yet allowed to be freely shared with all per Exarchate protocol regarding the Reclamation Measure.”

“My appreciation,” Luna replied, highly confused by the capricorn’s terminology. “Though thy verbiage confuses me. Cortana?”

“Nothing I was able to gather from the sentinels at Russ’ keep yield any context,” Cortana said with a sigh. “Systems were too frayed and incomprehensible for information that specific beyond terms relevant to their regular operation. May I politely ask for your name, Shaman?”

“I am Tolfdir, ancilla. Elder of the Iron Shamans in the Fangs of Fenris who call this Aett their charge. And my words rightfully confuse you, Princess Luna, for there is much you have to rediscover,” the stallion replied, peering at them through his natural and synthetic eye studiously. He then gestured to the likes of Trixie and the Master Chief. “As for those of modern blood, they are not ready. Not yet, but soon. Peruse the weapons at your liberty.”

With that, Elder Tolfdir made his way back to tending to what he had previously been working on. In his wake, Cortana folded her arms and hummed thoughtfully to herself in Luna’s hoof. “And here I thought Russ was mysterious enough in his wording. Riddles upon riddles with these ancients, though I do like games, I’ll admit.”

“As do I!” Luna agreed, replacing her confusion and curiosity for the time being with mild amusement. “What of yourself, Chief?”

“Once,” was the super soldier’s only reply.

“Hmm … I see,” Luna said back. “Trixie?”

“Only when it’s her idea,” Trixie answered.

Luna nodded thoughtfully before returning focus to the armoury surrounding them. Her companions joined her in their browsing. Moments into the perusing, Tolfdir reappeared with the dataslate he had mentioned, an apparent ancient counterpart to datapads that was made for users with much larger hands and digits. He allowed Cortana to access its contents, before promptly returning to his work again.

As Luna then looked over some of the capricorn-manufactured weaponry of both modern and ancient origin, their only discernable differences on the surface being manufacturing material, Cortana identified them.

“Plasma Cannons and pistols. High energy man portable plasma cannons. Meltaguns, a possible colloquial designation, if I’m interpreting this correctly. High temperature projectiles produced via atomic fusion for incinerating through enemy armour. A bit like standard plasma weapons, really. Bolters, standard projectile weaponry, appears to have a recoil that could cripple or even kill average human and equine wielders. We would need a capricorn to verify that for us. Then we have the lascannon, very similar to modern laser weaponry in almost every aspect … oh wait, this example is actually of modern manufacture, minus the size. Nevermind me,” Cortana said with partial amusement.

“What about these melee weapons?” Luna inquired.

“The rotary blade in the visage of a longsword? Chainswords; looks like messy fun, that one,” Cortana said, pointing to each. “The axe type is known to capricorns as a Power Axe, an adamantium blade enhanced by gravitational force to increase the power of its blows to devastating effect, as the name implies. Also present are Wolf Claws, which are unique to capricorns, the name being glaringly obvious. Rather similar to the Power Axe in principle, just an obviously different type of blade arrangement.”

Trixie approached one of the stands of bolter guns, and raised a brow. “Standard projectile weaponry … Tolfdir, if Trixie is of no bother, she has a question. How do you have a house-sized metal wolf, yet you use conventional weaponry? Trixie … politely … demands an answer! Her bafflement grows unbearable!”

Once again Tolfdir paused in his ministrations, this time working on a dataslate, and approached them. “By conventional, do you mean a .75 caliber boson-photon hardlight round possessing a plasma-bearing tip with the same capacity as a half stick of primitive glyceryl trinitrate-bearing explosive, not to mention the magnetized shell itself is laced with a liquified adamantium catalyst for added stopping power?”

The capricorn Iron Shaman’s description of the weapon’s projectile initiated a dramatic paling of Trixie’s skin and coat. Her eyes darted between the Iron Shaman and the nearest bolter, before at last stopping on the weapon.

“Trixie would like one in blue!”

“A single shot would send it from your grasp,” Leman Russ spoke up from directly behind the group.

The sudden and unexpected voice provoked a surprised and mixed response from Luna’s group. The Chief snapped his head in the direction of the voice and adopted a partially alert stance, while Luna turned with her eyes in pinpricks and her teeth a shocked grimace. Trixie’s reaction was most dramatic, as she flailed around towards Russ’ direction like a frightened cat and emitted a shrill squeak.

Their reactions earned a round of laughter from nearly every Fang in the room, including a low chuckle from Bjorn. Russ held his laughter to a chuckle before speaking again. “The more you are around us, the more you learn that we take after our heraldry in more than name. As for the bolter, young mare, only two beings can wield its power. A Fang and an Alicorn.”

There was a general look of question on their faces. Russ knew exactly what they were silently asking. “Our weapons produce greater recoil than any other. It reminds us that as warriors we must keep our craft perfect, lest we become unable to use our weapons.”

Luna quickly recovered from her shocked reverie, and began considering a familiar spell in her head as she levitated one of the sizeable rifles in front of her for inspection. “Then it would appear I have found my weapons of choice for this engagement.”

Chapter 5: Sublime Transcendence

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Author's Notes:

A/N from Rain Fire: Regarding Russ and his lack of boisterousness, I am basing him off the changes to his personality in the novella Wolf King. He comes to a realisation that his company needs to be known for more and that he himself needs to expand. From that point he essentially has become more thoughtful (not necessarily in the nice way) and a little bit more reserved … but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t show his primal side!

A/N from Word Worthy: Annnnd after a long while, we're back with another gargantuan chapter! About the new scene formating, I have given the scenes titles from here on out as homage to the old Halo tradition of campaign missions having named and often tongue-in-cheek chapters! The formatting will be transferred over to the prior chapters as well when I have a free moment to do so.

On behalf of Rain Fire and myself, we hope you enjoy!

In Cobalt Clad
Fenris, Aurora, Aett: Fortress of the Capricorn Fangs of Fenris
Wednesday, 23rd June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

Chiming from a cobalt telekinetic field was heard by all present as it continued to envelope a bolter rifle. Luna appraised the weapon hovering before her one final time with a nod of approval, before she then shifted her eyes to another variant.

The first rifle Luna was currently holding bore the stamp of the House of Winter. It was made of a titanium-tungsten alloy for ensured durability that possessed a silver-coloured finish etched with Capricorn runic script.

“Asaheim pattern bolter. Relatively old in its base design, but it was made somewhat recently. Some things don’t change,” Russ stated in a thoughtful voice.

“Interesting, but what of the other?” Luna asked analytically. She set the first bolter rifle aside for the moment to inspect the other.

“Same Asaheim pattern, but the make is ageless. Forged in an era that you don’t recall, by hands that even I can’t remember,” Russ replied.

Unlike its modern counterpart, the second bolter variant was clearly of a more advanced manufacturing material, an alloy of mithril and some other metal that neither Luna nor Cortana could identify. The underside of the grip was stamped with the same winged star insignia that adorned the floor of the moot chamber atop the Aett, while the aiming sights could assume different configurations in a manner that defied gravity. The rifle sported a bayonet composed of the same solid light-principled technology Luna and her friends had recently seen prior in many portions of Russ’ keep.

“I would like to test both of these variants in practice combat to gauge my preference, while we await the arrival of the ferries to the ship that hangs above us all,” Luna stated. She stole a glance at the Master Chief, who had been studying the Capricorn weapons in a similar fashion. “No doubt the Chief can echo this sentiment.”

The Chief nodded. “That’s true.”

“Here, let me show you our weapon range,” Russ said before leading the two to a pair of open doors connected to the armoury.

The doors lead into a room larger than the armoury but smaller than the vast forge they both were a part of. There were a total of twenty-one firing ranges, and despite the demonstration of such high technology in some parts of the Aett, the ranges themselves were rather simple and low-tech by Trixie and the Chief’s standards.

The targets consisted of humanoid dummies made of miscellaneous material, clad in varied and sometimes mismatched sections of rusted, failed prototype power armour suits.

“Over the years, our Iron Shamans improve our armour and make new ones. The failures are used for target practice. What better way to test our weapons then against some of the toughest armour in the galaxy?” Russ asked to no one in particular.

The dummies that the discarded armours themselves were over had a vaguely saurian profile, with glaring slitted eyes and a lizard’s snout that bore a set of crudely drawn, snarling needle-like teeth whose visage suggested they were specialized for eating newborns.

Luna, Russ, and the others approached the nearest range, and it was then that Luna began to charge her horn for the spell she had been preparing in her head for the past several moments. The room was filled with a not as blinding flash of light as the previous occurrence in Canterlot, and Luna’s equine body was replaced with that of her unclothed humanoid form once more.

While the Chief and Trixie’s reactions were now devoid of even a modicum towards shock, the sudden unexpected usage of the spell still caught Trixie herself off guard. Much to Luna’s combined confusion and mild amusement, Russ on the other hand lacked any form of surprise at the transformation whatsoever.

“Don’t stay like that too long now, sister. Might catch more than a cold what with the lack of fur,” Russ stated casually.

“My kind’s hearts and blood burn with a light that rivals the stars, Praetor Russ,” Luna retorted. “Cold is night inconsequential with only extreme exceptions.”

Russ laughed at Luna’s response as he shook his head, “Walk around the Aett like that for some time, and you’ll understand what I meant.”

“Trixie understands only partially why you transformed yourself once again,” Trixie said with puzzlement.

“While the compact build of most ponies such as thyself, Trixie, are mostly suitable as they are for a crossbow analog such as this, the likes of sister and myself as well as Saddle Arabians lack the ideal flexibility to shoulder such weapons for firing,” Luna explained as she experimentally grasped the House of Winter bolter rifle with graceful fingers.

A sudden mechanical noise caused the alicorn to turn to look at the Chief, who had already grabbed one of the other modern bolter rifles. He had the rifle levelled and had cocked it, chambering the rounds from the magazine for firing as an inner intuition guided his movements.

What occurred next captured Luna’s attentive interest and even managed to slightly impress Russ.

Aiming down range at the strange armoured lizard dummy, the Chief experimentally fired a three-round burst. The heavy rounds hit the target with explosive force, tearing through the badly corroded armour like paper and reducing the dummy beneath to an unrecognizable smoking heap of debris that could have once been straw.

“Impressive. Perhaps these humans have improved over the years,” Russ said with a small smirk.

“Perhaps ‘upgraded’ is a more accurate word for it,” the Chief replied, as he stowed the still smoking bolter onto the magnetic clip on the back of his armour beside his UNSC assault rifle. “This is ideal for the sprawling corridors of a Covenant ship.”

“Trixie can see the grenades accidentally being set off by small arms fire already,” Trixie muttered to herself as she watched.

“Ha! Thou wields that bolter effortlessly as Russ surely does, then it shall surely be no challenge for myself as well!” Luna then proceeded to ready her bolter in the same manner she had seen the Chief do, and shouldered the weapon. Unlike the supersoldier, however, Luna proceeded inadvertently to fire on full-automatic setting towards the center of the target.

The Chief’s target dummy had been reduced to a suit of punched-through armour whose ‘wearer’ had been effectively minced. In stark contrast, Luna’s own dummy was now a steaming pile of what had once been a suit of corroded power armour and its wearer.

By now, Trixie was all but scowling at her lack of such a weapon.

While her Equestrian-made bright rifle was capable of incineration of targets in precise areas, such full-scale bodily destruction was only achievable through oftentimes exhausting magical augmentation from her spells. On top of that, the fact existed that simply using all out spells and no rifle or just her rifle and no destruction spells was more efficient for most combat situations.

Russ took note of Trixie’s scowl and offered a suggestion. “Worry not about the bolter. If you wish to wield one of our weapons, our bolt pistols should suffice. They do not carry the same capacity or kick, but the damage is the same”

He had forgotten to tell them that bolt pistols were a much more scaled down version of a bolter. Trixie nodded with satisfaction and proceeded to choose from the myriad bolt pistols back in the armoury that the Aett possessed which could complement her current standard-issue rifle.

The Praetorian Knight-Errant destroyed a third target dummy using what looked like a specially designed bolt pistol, and Luna followed up by testing the ancient bolter, which achieved the same explosive killing power but with more of an accompanying light show from the weapon’s less mundane projectiles.

“Hmm … something about this ancient bolter calls to me,” Luna commented. “This and and a pair of bolt ‘pistols’ from the same era of manufacture shall be our weapons of choice! Sir Russ, the weapon you use … it appears different than the rest.”

“Interesting … unidentified alloys and munitions, hints of more robust manufacturing techniques in its construction … and exotic magical signatures,” Cortana mused. “It’s like this bolt pistol is an evolution of the simpler models I am aware are in prevalence across Capricorn populations. Either that, or if we wanted to get IMI-tier crazy, we could assume it came from another plane of reality. ”

Russ grinned at the small AI as well as Luna before popping another shot down range. He swiftly pulled the half used mag out and tossed it aside before grabbing another. “This bolter is from a time and place none will remember. Enough of this practice, let us bloody our weapons with xenos blood.”

“Agreed, Sir Russ! Come let us depart for the Divinity,” Luna said with brief hesitation at how the giant capricorn had dodge the topic of his bolter.

It took her only a few steps before numerous voices spoke up in order to halt her. The two most prominent being Cortana and Russ.

“Perhaps you should acquire some armour first, Luna,” Cortana offered, having immediately spoken up from her silent perusing of Tolfidr’s weapon data. For a brief moment Luna looked confused, until she looked down to remember that she had no clothing or covering to speak of in her current form.

“Ah yes, t’would seem that we forgot something,” Luna replied bashfully, earning a mild chuckle from Russ.

“While I’m sure it would be a tale to remember, a raid on a enemy ship should be done with some protection,” Russ stated, a broad grin split across his face.

“The appointment with Rarity would have really prevented this awkwardness on her part,” Trixie muttered in asides to the Chief.

“And being sized by an armorsmith that also designs civilian high fashion wouldn’t be somewhat awkward?” the Chief asked quietly back.

“Touche,” Trixie said with a thoughtful frown.

“Is there enough time to fashion a suit of armour, Praetor Russ?” Luna inquired.

“Fashioned? Haha! Come, Luna. I have another gift for you,” Russ said before gesturing her to follow him back through the doors to the armoury. Instinctively she followed, not bothering to worry about her naked form. When they re-entered the armoury, more than a few capricorn gazes leveled on Luna. Previously busy mares and stallions alike peeked over at the shape-shifted alicorn.

Of course, that was until Tolfdir began yelling at them to get back to whatever they were doing.

Luna’s curiosity rose even higher when Russ proceeded to lead her through the doors he had disappeared through earlier. When her companions tried to follow, the door slammed shut in front of them, much to the vocal protests from Trixie. The moment she was cut off from her companions, a form of instinct told her that something wasn’t right.

“Where are you leading us, Leman?” Luna asked, her voice taking on an icy quality, unsure and wary about what was happening. He was leading her down a dimly lit hallway that seemed to end in only one room.

“Only a select few have access to this room. The Wolf Lord of each company and the Elder Iron Shaman. In here, are some of our greatest treasures, and creations,” Leman Russ replied, not even bothering to look back at her. “It is in here that I kept your gift.”

The door to the room automatically slid open the moment Russ stepped near it; the room beyond was pitch black to even Luna’s alicorn senses. She instinctively began to cast a light spell to give illumination to the room, only to have Russ’ hand clamp down on her shoulder. A protest rose in her throat but was squashed when the room’s lights lit up to reveal a bedazzling spectacle.

Sprawled along the walls of the room were dozens upon dozens of weapons, many of which were nothing like the ones that were displayed in the armoury. Despite a small scattering of bolters and their variants, most weapons seemed other worldly and beyond anything Luna could even comprehend.

Yet that wasn’t all, for every few meters of weapon lined wall, there was a small alcove which kept what looked like armour behind pulsing shields of blue. The few that Luna could see were much the same as the weapons, in that they looked nothing like the armour worn by Capricorns or the armour she had seen her companions use.

That wasn’t to say that there wasn’t Capricorn power armour for in the center she saw multiple shield stands of marking-adorned power armour. Personal identifiers, much akin to the ones she had seen on the Fangs who had roamed the halls, marked each armour as unique in a way. Yet there was a common aspect to each suit of armour … they all had damage to them. Whether it was a chunk blown out of the armour or a single hole that pierced them, each one was damaged in some way or another.

“This is where we honour but some of our greatest achievements. Sure we tell stories, and recant tales of old, but in here is where those sagas come back to gruesome reality,” Russ spoke as he slowly paced down to the far side of the room, Luna following him with slower strides, her eyes trying to take in every sight. Yet Russ wasn’t done talking. “I do hope that you can keep a secret, Cortana. I wouldn’t want to have to let Tolfdir loose on such a valuable asset.”

Slightly surprised at being called upon, despite her often quietly-occupied nature, Cortana’s holographic form appear from above Luna’s wrist. “I’m sure Tolfdir would welcome the nigh impossible challenge. Don’t worry, Praetor, I can keep a secret.”

“Good. Now come here, Luna,” Russ replied before gesturing to his side. Luna followed, though curious as to why Leman was standing in front of a blank portion of the wall. Though upon further inspection, it wasn’t entirely blank. There was but a small button on it, barely recognizable due to a rather similar colour pallette. “Why don’t you do the honours.”

Tentatively, Luna pushed the button, only to earn a hissing sound in response. She pulled back her finger slowly as the wall itself seemed to collapse upon itself, slowly becoming little more than a meter stick in size, then promptly sliding into the floor.

There, in the newly created alcove was a set of armour, much like Russ’ but more lithe in its design. The pauldrons and sabatons were much sleeker in their shape, as if they were designed for a being that preferred nimble movement to the bulking protection of the Fangs. Yet there was an additional neckguard to the armour that the Fang’s didn’t have.

The colour scheme, though, caught Luna’s attention the most. The base of it was a deep blue, extremely close to her fur colour in her pony form, while the midsection seemed to gleam with a sparkling silver look, as if it was polished hundreds of times over. The hardened mesh that was barely visible in between the pieces of armor was pitch black, almost making it look as if there was nothing there.

That same blackness seemed to adorn the outlines of a twelve pointed star that had alternating sizes in its points. Inside the star was a black circle, and lastly there seemed to be a set wings spreading out from behind the star itself. Finally, almost making a double cross, starting from the lower midsection and branching out underneath the chest plate and above it, was another pitch black trim.

“What is it?” Luna barely whispered out, as if she already knew the answer to her question. There was an odd sense of familiarity to the armour, as though she had seen it in but a dream.

“This is yours, sister. It has been awaiting you,” Russ said as if the armour itself had a mind of its own.

“But how? How do you have such a thing? Tell me, Praetor Russ!” Luna yelled, turning to Russ in haste, the whole scene almost too much for her.

“I can’t, Luna. Not now,” Russ replied with a somber tone, any sign of his typical grin had long since faded.

“No! We cannot handle all of this mystery! Tell us now, brother!” Luna yelled, her voice containing more confusion than anything. Russ stood there for a moment, letting Luna seethe at him, before she finally calmed down, any anger she had slowly leaving her. “We need to know.”

“I know, Luna, I know. Yet it is not up to me. If it was, I would tell you, know that,” Russ said before slowly walking back towards the door. “Now, get suited up … the system will not protect itself.”

Luna wanted to prod further, to search for her answers but she couldn’t deny that Russ was right. The system she called home was under attack and she needed to be prepared to face the Covenant head on. She sighed lightly before walking up to her armour. She moved to pull a piece down to put it on but instead she heard a mechanical hiss as two padded clamps descended from the ceiling, gripping around her sides and lifting her up slightly.

Initially she struggled against the clamps around her midsection, but when the leggings of the armour shifted from its resting spot, via metal arms, she relaxed. It was automated, and she wouldn’t have to do a thing.

“Interesting, this all seems amazingly advanced compared to Capricorn technology anywhere else on the planet. Even more so than what we’ve already seen,” Cortana said from a floating position next to Luna. Luna didn’t respond, and instead just nodded her head in agreement.

Slowly, piece by piece, the armour was pulled onto Luna, the ceramite weighing down on her only slightly. She noticed that when the armour was attached to her that the insides showed off what looked like servos and gears just on the outside of the padding. It only brought forth more questions from Luna, as she was unable to move the armour initially.

“How do you suppose we operate these things?” Luna asked Cortana, who was busy inspecting every inch of her armour.

“I’m trying to understand that as well. There doesn’t seem to be anything to power them up, and I have no data about them. Perhaps the Praetor will know,” Cortana offered.

Yet the question was answered for Luna when she felt a prick in the back of her neck. Instinctively she reached back to feel the area that had been pinched, but her attention instantly snapped to the fact she had control over the power armour’s motor functions. It was amazing, for she barely even needed to do more than move as she would normally. The armour seemed to sense every little twitch her body did.

“Astound-” Luna spoke but cut herself off as her vision flickered for a moment before she noticed things in her field of view. Specifically a small, featureless, and see through area map in the top right of her view that included a large green blip in about the same spot as where Russ was standing by the door. Not only that but there was a counter in the bottom left that read straight zeroes. Finally in the bottom right looked to be a listing of titles and names but it was tough to make out at first.

“Ahh, I see the armour still functions properly. Do let Tolfdir know if there is any issue with the software,” Russ’ seemingly echoed from inside her own head. Luna spun her head left and right so as to find the Praetor initially, yet she noticed that he hadn’t moved from his position by the door.

“What is this? What am I seeing in my vision?” Luna asked, shocked completely by the sudden additions.

“Amazing!” Cortana spoke up from right in front of her. “I’ve seen this before … ocular integration with the suit’s systems, voiceless network communication by way of quantum entanglement, and integrated neural motor control! This … this is the equivalent of Spartan Mjolnir armour if it had gone through centuries of reiteration and enhancement!”

“There is a symbol on the inner section of your neckguard. If you press it, you can insert your AI companion into the slot,” Russ spoke up once more, Luna noticing that his lips were never moving. Luna hesitantly pressed the symbol with a gauntleted finger. It popped open just enough to comfortably fit Cortana’s data crystal chip into.

Quickly, she reached into her dropped satchel and pulled the small thing out, before sliding it into place.

Instantly, an empty bar appeared across her field of view, one that filled with a light blue tinge within but a second. In the top right of her field of view materialized briefly an awestruck-looking Cortana.

“This is appearing continuously similar to how Mjolnir armour operates. When we are done I will need more time to test the features of this,” Cortana said before her avatar disappeared from view. “Can you still hear me, Luna?”

“We can hear you, Cortana. Truly, this armour is something amazing,” Luna replied.

“Grab your bolters, Luna, we need to get you some more ammo. There are magnetic locks on the side of your hips … oh and pick a melee weapon from my stock then meet us back in the armoury,” Russ said before leaving the room. Yet he spoke one more time. “Consider this a birthday present.”

“Birthday? ‘Tis not our birthday yet!” Luna replied, only to hear chuckling on the other end of the frequency. Shaking her head, Luna took her bolters in hand before attaching them to her sides, much like Russ suggested. “Now, what to choose …”

She glanced over to one segment of the wall, noticing an assortment of exotic looking weapons. Hammers and axes that had intricate designs yet also possessed an aura of energy radiating off of them. Luna preferred ranged magic and weaponry in the form of black powder weapons from her era, and saw swords as largely ceremonial symbols of command or for fencing by and large, but she could see Russ’ views on keeping a melee weapon on hand for direct combat.

Eventually her eyes caught glance of a sword that glowed a light blue. She could feel the enchantments on the sword as well as see the sharpness of its edges. The design itself was simple, a long blade with a section in the middle near the crossguard that held the runes of enchantment, while the crossguard had a wolf skull in the center of it.

“This will do,” Luna stated as she pulled the weapon off of the rack and walked out of the room, letting the door close behind her. She didn’t bother to experimentally swing the sword as she could feel the weight was perfectly balanced. The magic in the sword was doing its job; the blade already felt like it was a natural extension of Luna’s own hand. Though, she would need to ask Russ how she was supposed to stow the three weapons at once without a sheath or straps.

By the door leading back to the armoury, Russ stood there waiting for her. As they emerged from the corridor that lead back to the armoury, they were greeted by the sight of a still wary and worried Trixie as well as the likes of the Chief and Elder Tolfdir.

Both of the latter were near a stand of modern light Capricorn armour with their sides parallel to the others, and the Chief was in the middle of putting his helmet over the crown of his head.

“Have you any observational thoughts on our armour from the helmet alone, Spartan?” Tolfdir asked as he thoughtfully stroked his beard.

The Chief turned to look at him as he snapped the Mjolnir helmet in place with a brief hiss of air. “Durable and comfortable, but unfortunately I don’t have two horns.”

“Few of us like wearing the helmet as well,” Russ spoke up as he strode through the armoury and towards the hangar, the others following while Trixie gawked at and the Chief approvingly appraised Luna’s new armour. “It hinders our senses more than we’d like.”

“Speaking of senses, how are the senses of such an ancient mechanical being as Bjorn’s? More to the point, I am curious if there is anything more you can currently share with us about his kind,” Cortana said, seemingly combining Luna’s sense of curiosity with her own, her inquiries regarding the subject thereby escalating Luna’s own curiosity to new heights.

“My senses are fine, better than anything you have ... little girl” Bjorn replied, not bothering speak further, leaving the second part of Cortana’s statement hanging in the air.

“Bjorn likes to pretend he rarely speaks. You just need the right topic to earn an ear-full from him,” Russ stated as he patted the side of the metallic wolf. “That isn’t the right topic.”

“Fascinating and all, but our transport has at last arrived!” Trixie interjected, having recovered from her surprise at Luna’s new attire and gesturing a hoof energetically at the hangar opening.

A Hippogriff dropship made its way into the hangar with a prominent hum of its thrusters, and Luna was quick to analyze the newest modern flying machine that had just now entered her proximity.

The craft could be best described as a much larger, elongated version of a Wyvern dropship. Instead of side cabin doors, the much taller and spacious troop bay opened only in the rear.

Peering in past the waiting and urgent-faced flight crew that had gathered at the opening bay door, Luna could tell with Cortana’s input that the Hippogriff was large enough to carry human, Equestrian, and any other Concordat races’ main battle tanks and even various types of war beast inside with room for infantry seats and equipment to spare.

“So it has!” Luna exclaimed. “Let us now board the Divinity, but in full regalia.”

Bjorn surprised the group as they all proceeded to make their way towards the awaiting dropship by completely changing his physical form in front of them. The Promethean Wolf dropped to all fours, and the musculature-like silver metal of his lupine body began to re-arrange itself into a quadrupedal form.

Within seconds, Bjorn had altered himself into the visage of a massive breed of wolf native to the planet. His regular hand had turned into the mechanical equivalent of a wolf’s paw, while his unique clawed hand on the other leg still remained unaltered

“Wait … what did he do?” Cortana asked Russ. The whole group stopped in its tracks to observe the final stages of the process.

“He did what it takes to get inside our transport vessel. He probably won’t fit right no matter,” Russ replied, once more somewhat dancing around the question. He looked over to the transformed Bjorn before speaking once more. “I still say you should act as my mount; imagine the terror on our enemy’s faces.”

“You are my Praetor, Russ but if you try that … I will make you bare your neck,” Bjorn replied in turn, causing Leman to chuckle and pat the mechanical wolf on his back.

“Fair enough, Bjorn. Now let us depart, I long for a change of pace from this down time. I’ve been away from the fight for too long,” Russ responded before loping over to the landed dropship. The duo made their way up the ramp of the dropship, with Russ easily fitting into the area main area, while Bjorn had to make himself as small as possible to even fit in the given space.

The nearest of the flight crew, a pegasus stallion with fur the colour of dull slate covered by a white flight suit with blue trim, waving them in as he looked between Luna’s group and his fetlock-mounted data pad.

“Welcome aboard!” he said with a slightly raised and rapidly-flowing voice over the thrusters’ sounds. “Her Highness Princess Luna … in an oddly changed form, Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, Praetorian Knight-Errant Trixie Lulamoon all present and accounted for, en route from the also inexplicably changed Capricorn Volda Hamarki to … dear gods almighty! Who might you and the robot wolf be? If the Princess can vouch for you two, then enjoy the ride.”

“We do, they are with us,” Luna confirmed.

While Luna spoke, Russ gave a blank stare at the pegasus before crouching down in front of him. It was obvious to Luna and her companions that in his eyes there was irritation; obvious enough that even the pegasus could see it. “If the ride is going to end with Covenant blood on my blade, then I will enjoy it.”

He promptly stood up and walked to a seat near the loading ramp before sitting down and gazing out of the ramp at the rest of the hangar as the bay door began to close, concealing it from view. Everyone else took a seat, placing their weapons securely in the narrow micro-telekinetic alcoves between each seat, while Bjorn laid down in between the seats, as his size was far too great for any seat.

“Not so straightforward, unfortunately. Not yet, but certainly an effective mindset. Alright pilots, take us up!” With everyone aboard, the Hippogriff took off from the hangar and zoomed towards the waiting warship above.

While in the first few moments of the flight, another of the Equestrian flight crew, a gryphoness much to Luna’s curiosity, was in the middle of equipping her beak-framing white flight helmet as she briefed them. She arched a feathered brow before lowering the helmet. “Your Highness, when we touch down in the hangar, we’ll be heading straight to the bridge. The Imperial Admiralty is anticipating the first enemy slipspace ruptures in about half an hour somewhere around the orbit of Tranquility, so expect a terse atmosphere.”

“We are never one to mince words, so unlike the warship We are to forcefully board, that which We are about board on peaceful circumstance shall hold no alien atmosphere to Us,” Luna said, resuming usage of her prior speech, to Russ’s slight annoyance.

The gryphoness smiled at her with intelligent violet eyes before turning to tend to a set of equipment that line one of the bay’s walls. It wasn’t long before the same gryphon turned around again, noting Luna’s constantly lingering air of curiosity.

“Your Highness, would you fancy a quick look from the cockpit?” the gryphoness offered, gesturing towards the forward section of the dropship at the largest door up a short ramp.

Luna looked to the others, and after a series of encouraging nods, she got up from her seat and followed the officer’s lead to the rather roomy cockpit. Two pegasi pilots, a stallion and a mare with visored but crestless Imperial Legion-styled helmets, were seated at the controls on either side. Sprawling banks of controls and readouts were in front of them, between them, and behind them.

The stallion looked towards Luna for a second and waved her forward encouragingly before returning his eyes to the what lay in front of him. Luna took the cue as enthusiastically as circumstance allowed and moved forward to peer out the window in the space between the pilots, placing a hand on the console to lean forward.

Past the nose of the moving aircraft, Luna could see rapidly passing patches of green, blue, and predominate white on the countryside below. The terrain peppered here and there by the browns, pale greens, and multi-coloured assortments of settlements and dwellings. Forward and up in the sky meanwhile, the unmistakable levitating form of the waiting Equestrian supercarrier edged rapidly closer.

They were already close enough to the ENV Divinity’s starboard side towards the split, pointed bow that Luna could make out the warship’s namesake lettering in white paint on the argent hull.

“It is even more massive up close!” Luna stated with wonder.

“Divinity to HG-352, readjust your approach vector. We are currently ascending per Admiral Fairweather’s command,” an even-toned voice said over the comms system.

“We read that, Divinity,” the mare said on the other side into the radio before returning attention to Luna. “Yeah, if you think Divinity is big, wait till you see the bulbous scrap piles the split-chin empire will be littering our system with in about a half hour, Your Highness,”

Both pilots began to bring the heavy dropship about even as the Divinity started to climb higher skyward. Luna gritted her teeth for only a moment as she grew worried that the powered-flying machine would fail to match the motion of the ship’s ascent and surely crash into the hull.

Seconds later, Luna’s fear was proven to be entirely unfounded as the pilots passed into the nearest hangar bay of the warship after having formed an arc-shaped trajectory in its approach.

The Divinity
Equestrian Naval Vessel Divinity, Divinity-class supercarrier

Luna stood up from her place betwixt the pilots and thanked them for the quick view before repeating the same to the gryphoness and rejoining her fellows in the troop bay. “The wonders of this era never cease. Come, everyone.”

Everyone emerged from the hippogriff to a crowded and bustling room similar in size to the Aett hangar they had been inhabiting a mere five minutes ago. Russ and a once-again bipedal Bjorn inspected the surroundings closely and appraisingly as a small army of multi-species deck crew made their way over to assist in bringing the large craft in and transitioning it to a set of docking clamps. The deck crew got to work as soon as a minority of them had finished gawking with complete shock at the ancient Capricorn and the giant metal wolf like creature.

“It has been a long time since I have seen such variety in one hangar. Many new faces to add to a list of similar ones,” Russ commented as he took in everything. Bjorn just gave a small growl in agreement.

“Again thou stimulates mine curiosity, Praetor Russ,” Luna commented as she took in the diversity of the Equestrian and Concordat crew that surrounded them.

“Curiosity can lead one into the depths that are inescapable. Truth and answers will come, Luna,” Russ replied simply.

The conversation was put to a halt after that as a familiar person caught their attention.

The Great Wolf Sigmara was striding purposefully towards them, her weathered but beautiful features etched with a shadow of dread, yet the grim smile and the narrowed, glittering eyes conveyed her anticipation of the upcoming battle. This time she was wearing the same power armour that the group had seen over and over again while in the Aett. The only difference is that her armour was pitch black for the base.

“Princess Luna, your form, it’s … nevermind. Yours and everyone’s presence here is within time’s graces. Come, we must assemble in the bridge for a final meeting before the enemy arrives on our doorsteps with coins for passage to Morkai himself,” Sigmara stated before gazing over the form of Bjorn and Russ. “It’ll warm these old features to see the surprise on those stuffy Armchair Generals when they see both of you.”

“What is an army without a general to command it?” Russ questioned his tone conveying joviality, knowing Sigmara was poking fun.

“An unruly mob, marching its way into the Underworld under the beat of a discordant drum,” she replied, a grin split across her muzzle. “Essentially an endless pack of Blood Claws.”

Russ, Sigmara, and even Bjorn let loose a small laugh a the quip, confusing the rest of the group as to what it meant. The laugh was cut short though, as Sigmara gestured for them to follow her.

With that, Sigmara resumed her brisk pace, but in the direction she had come. The elderly Capricorn lead them down several spacious, yet frequently crowded corridors until they arrived at a single large door inscribed with the flag of the Solarian Concordat: the same sun banner of Imperial Equestria, but set in a blue backdrop with with gold garland leaves on both sides and six golden stars above the sun itself.

Sigmara paused for a second in front of the door and turned to look at the others, as if she were planning to say something before entering, but she instead turned back around and walked through. Luna and the group followed behind, walking into yet another grand spectacle.

The bridge was of a circular design with multiple tiers upon each other. Each one had a row of chairs and screens lining the walls, all filled by multispecies personnel that were busy at work. It was a sight that Luna hadn’t seen before on such a scale, so many different species hard at work to keep everything on the city-sized warship running optimally.

This was in stark contrast to the rest of the group, who looked upon it as though it was an everyday occurrence.

On the far wall of the first story was a large set of what looked like highly reinforced windows that were easily longer than Bjorn was tall. In the center of all of this was a circular station and a set of large view screens. The floor meanwhile possessed holographic projection hardware. Even as the group moved towards said center, Luna gaped at the imposing nature that a sole ship offered.

Finally, to complement the various species of crew members, standing beside the circle station were three figures, one of them easily recognisable to Luna while the others were ponies that were new to Luna. Celestia, her sister was the first pony she picked out from the group, mainly because of her almost literal larger than life stature.

The second was a brown coated pegasus stallion that had a rather bright white mane, and from what Luna could see, shimmering golden eyes that seemed not exactly natural. And the last figure was part of the fifth species of pony, known as a Chirosus or bat pony in common speak. She had a light blue tinge to her fur from the looks of it in the lighting of the room, and a black mane that was gathered into a bun.

The two smaller ponies were garbed in blue and gold-lined officer uniforms, with peaked caps on their heads. To top it all off, each one had their ranks and varied medals and ribbons brazen on the collar and chest of their uniform, with the decoration of the Equestrian Imperial Navy’s Lord Admiral for the pegasus and Admiral for the bat pony.

As the group approached, Luna noticed that the three ponies were not alone at the circular command deck. In addition to them, in the form of holograms, were four other figures. Luna knew the unicorn Svelte and recognized the human as Lord Hood, and even the dragon-like alien Chol Von, but the Zebra was a new face to add to the entire mix.

When the group finally made it to the center of the room, the conversation that was occurring between the six high ranking officials ground to a screeching halt. In fact, the majority of that level of the entire bridge became surprisingly silent now that Luna and company had arrived.

“Princess Luna, Master Chief … who or what in the god’s green Earth is that following behind you?” Lord Hood spoke up with a rather surprised voice. “And Your Highness, your body is … different.”

It was Sigmara who answered the human first. “Admiral Hood, may I present the true Great Wolf, Leman Russ and one of his Wolf Guard, Venerated Promethean Wolf Bjorn the Fell-Handed.”

“What do you mean by ‘true Great Wolf,’ Sigmara? Are you not the leader of the Fangs?” asked the bat pony, her head tilted to the side in curiosity.

“No, I-” Sigmara started but a metal hand grasped her shoulder lightly.

“Thank you, but I can speak for myself now, Sigmara,” Russ said softly before striding forward to put himself at the head of the group.

Sigmara bowed her head and issued a small response of, “I recognise my failing and will be sure to correct it.”

Russ gave her a small nod before turning his attention back to the projections.“Back before the Fangs of Fenris took on their name, they were known as the Sixth Legion. I built them and I led them, fighting with sword and bolter beside each one. My name is Leman Russ, The Great Wolf.”

Each member of the group was silent, though Celestia had slowly shifted her way towards the humanoid alicorn. During the silence that ensued from Russ’ statement, Celestia prodded Luna’s armoured shoulder and her tense expression gave way to a small smile before whispering, “I like the armour, it suits you. And I see you’ve made friends already!”

Luna blushed slightly at Celestia’s minor teasing, but before she could respond, the zebra general’s hologram spoke up.

“Before? You are speaking nonsense, they have always been the Fangs of Fenris,” the zebra on the screen stated in a carefully enunciated manner as if to imply that Russ was slow. “They told us so when we first set hooves on your home planet at the start of the last century.”

“Did they now? Well then I have to commend Sigmara on maintaining such an important secret, though if her word was taken on faith, then perhaps it wasn’t that hard,” Russ replied, a knowing grin spread across his face.

“Do not insult us, Fang,” General Svelte said with a hardened, bemused gaze. “We will be expecting answers once we have purged these Covie bastards from our blessed old mother star! Now, what of your large thing there, Bjorn was it? What is it? You described a Promethean Wolf, but what does that even mean?”

“As I said, my name is Leman Russ. Nothing short of that or Great Wolf will earn a response; and I wouldn’t call him an it, Svelte. Bjorn is of my personal Wolf Guard and the oldest Sixth legionnaire aside from me,” Russ responded sharply, making it clear that the mare was unknowingly disrespecting the ancient being. “Respect those who came before you, pup.”

“The Equestrian general was simply asking as to what he is,” Chol Von chimed in with a tone of both impatience and indifference to the prior conversation. “But let us temporarily forget our differences at this time, for the lapdogs of the Prophets near us with each ticking second.”

“I agree. If you want to discuss that, now is not the time unless you want to lose the system and possibly this entire war,” Celestia chided the group. “Every moment spent talking about the inane is a step closer to them being successful in their full scale invasion against our defenses, catching us underprepared for engagement. Now you mentioned a boarding plan, earlier?”

“A Capricorn-proposed battle plan which we will be using that falls surprisingly in line with the proposed Operation: RED FLAG that UNSC High Command has had on ice for years,” Lord Hood responded. “Parliament and Allied Command must be in too much of a fluster right now to have briefed you, Your Majesty. That said, this surprise invasion may be calamitous, but it offers us a unique opportunity.”

“A unique one indeed. Capricorn-proposed you say?” Celestia replied before looking to the two Capricorns in the room. “Perhaps you can enlighten me.”

“The scope of the assault is, in essence, a three-pronged boarding action aimed at three high value vessels in the enemy fleet. I will be leading a three company assault, comprised of Onn, Tra, and Tra-Tra, on the primary target, along with a third of our Promethean Wolves.”

Russ held out his large palm and produced three holographic models and accompanying intel readouts of the Covenant vessels that Allied Command had singled out for boarding and distributed to all participating commanders. The models were of two CAS-class assault carriers and one CSO-class supercarrier, which easily dwarfed its two companions by a wide margin.

“Each secondary target will have a four company assault force as well as a third of Promethean Wolves per ship, with Twa, Fyf, For-Twa, and Dekk boarding Target B,” Russ continued. “Target C will be assaulted by For, Sesc, Sepp, and Elva. The two secondary assaults will aim at capturing the ships as well as the removal of all crew on board. My assault’s primary aim will be the removal their leadership as well the capturing of high ranking members. From there, we will either blow the ship or commandeer it,” Russ responded.

“And how do you possibly expect to get onboard their ships so directly? Not only will their shields be up upon entry, but the point defense systems alone will tear any light craft to pieces,” Chol Von stated with skepticism.

Sigmara stepped up this time, “We’re currently bringing up to the Divinity numerous amounts of a device that our legion uses; Jörmungandr-pattern boarding torpedoes. Without revealing the secrets of our Iron Shamans, I can say that they will phase through such shielding as the Covenant’s level of technology and are plated with the hardest metal we can create. They will bore into the hull and allow three packs to enter per torpedo.”

“Even if you get on, how will three companies take over an entire ship?” Lord Admiral Fairweather asked, more curious than anything.

“By ‘company,’ I mean our Great Companies. That will mean each boarding action will have at least six hundred Fangs. Each Fang will be utilizing our power armour, and has been trained for millennia to kill our myriad enemies. You should be asking how does the ‘Covenant’ expect to repel us,” Russ stated with small smile.

“Convenient. And you’re willing to risk than many soldiers in this fight?” Corbulo said.

“Risk? There is no risk when a good death and success are the only two options,” the massive metallic wolf spoke up for the first time.

“Victory is our only option,” Celestia replied, peering at everyone each before momentarily resting her eyes on Praetor Russ. “The Covenant, far beyond just winning this war, seek something that has the power to destroy all life in the universe, Praetor Russ.”

The Empress then began peering at each individual present once more. Not only the bridge, but the entire ship now had her undivided attention. Sigmara took the liberty of having the nearest bridge officer channel the Empress’ voice to onto a system-wide Concordat radio band, allowing the entirety of the present naval and terrestrial forces to listen.

“Victory on the Covenant’s part would mean oblivion for every living thing, and we, the Concordat have in turn earned a sobering role. It is one I have absolute faith in each of you to carry out to the best of your ability. This invasion of our alliance’s heart will be the last such invasion the Covenant will ever be able to undertake, for with their leaders in the vicinity of such strong a grasp as ours, we will have the means to at last shatter their corrupt hegemony once and for all!”

“Your Majesty, we have incoming! Multiple slipspace ruptures detected just outside Tranquility’s gravity well!” one of the command crew shouted from their bow-facing workstation.

“Status, please,” Celestia responded.

“Tranquility’s stationed battle groups are mobilizing on the far side of the planet,” Lord Hood commented.

A transmission became audible on the bridge as the command crew patched it through automatically. “Now hear this, Rear Admiral Corona reporting from the ENV Platinum, 4th Home Fleet presiding! Covenant forces are in the vicinity but have not yet detected us. Awaiting orders!”

“This is our only window to probe the Covenant fleet’s defenses and scope them out, 4th.” Fairweather said, while gesturing the nearest of the bridge officers to open a radio channel with Imperial Fleet Signalling Corps, a branch of the Equestrian Ministry of Intelligence. “Seize it before it closes, son.”

“Winter Contingency has come,” Celestia remarked. Her features unreadable, she turned to look at her sister and her companions. “I knew it was exactly one thousand years for a reason. Not in my mind, but in my heart. Luna, although I know not who and perhaps what your exotic new companions are, I have no questions, only a request. Leman Russ?”

“Ask and I will ensure it’s carried out, Celestia,” Russ replied simply.

“For whatever reason, our enemies have come here, however, they are foolish to have done so. Assist Luna and the others in showing them why, in my stead.”

Russ gave her a large grin, flashing her his sharpened, predatory teeth. “I was planning on doing that anyway. If even a single one touches ground, they will know my blade and the blades of my Legion better than they know themselves.”

“Let me do a tally,” Cortana interjected, her arms folded in anticipation. “One alicorn, an entire military of advanced warriors from another time, Spartans, the Imperial Legion, the combined naval and orbital defenses of an entire capital star system, and yours truly against possibly the largest Covenant fleet ever seen? This is almost an even fight.”

“You forgot to add, Bjorn,” Russ said, indicating to the giant Promethean Wolf.

“Right then, adding in one giant metallic wolf … I think we might barely scratch by,” Cortana replied. The Smart AI’s comment elicited a small avalanche of mechanical chuckles from Bjorn.

“Trixie thinks we’ll manage, Your Majesty,” Trixie stated optimistically.

“Master Chief, thy thoughts?” Luna inquired, turning to peer at the Spartan curiously before she gave her own response.

“We’ll manage just fine with the mission, given the exceptional personnel we currently have,” the Chief said in an echo of Trixie. “I think it’s safe to say that the Covenant’s prayers to their gods will be going unanswered; defeat is simply not an option.”

“We agree!” Luna said. “Their fanaticism shan’t make their plasma burn any hotter than it already does. We will see them laid low by our own hands, and soon.”

“With the Fangs, the Concordat’s bite that could previously rend through flesh, will now shatter and splinter bone like brittle wood,” Sigmara added.

Celestia nodded in appreciation before she moved to take her leave of the bridge and return to Canterlot to coordinate the civilian aspects of the defense. “Good luck, sister. Good luck to you all.”

While Luna and even Russ observed with different degrees of fascination, the Concordat leaders snapped to attention and gave salutes or respectful inclinations of the head all before the Empress as she made her departure and they began going about their specific tasks in a mechanical-like fashion. Meanwhile, all of the command crew on their feet, hooves, and talons began moving with even greater haste.

“It was once pilums our legions tossed at rival nations,” Corbulo commented with a sigh as his hologram began interacting with a command terminal out of view “After centuries, those spears were replaced with warheads; the Emperor is deploying all our super weapons into orbit from their silos when the largest Covenant signature manifests. It will win us nothing strategic on its own, but may it be a reckoning for some of them. Now, I must go.”

As the zebra general’s hologram disappeared, Svelte was the next to speak. “Some of those Covie bastards are bound to make planetfall, and I am blessed to have some of our most elite at my disposal. If Equis is the anvil, then we shall be her hammer! Guess that makes me a blacksmith. Gods bless Equestria, and Gods Bless the Grand Solarian Concordat!”

Svelte disappeared, leaving only Fairweather, Tempest, as well as Chol Von and Lord Hood’s projections.

“Time is expensive; few words. What ships I have present in Solaris will have prize crews at the ready for any Covenant vessels you weaken sufficiently,” Chol Von stated in a taciturn fashion, her forearm plumage ruffling with anticipation of the wealth of weapons and technology from such warships. “Eayn pays her debts.” With that, the T’vaoan Kig-Yar promptly faded from view.

“Princess Luna,” Lord Hood began, catching her attention as well as everyone else still present, “Earth and the UNSC stands with your sister’s empire and your homeworld just as it has since day one. We’ve mustered up a fleet of over a hundred ships as reinforcements; they’re enroute and will arrive from slipspace in approximately twenty-eight hours.”

“While it likely goes without saying from Our sister and the rest of the Concordat, thou hast Our thanks regardless,” Luna said, bowing her head forward gracefully for a moment. Lord Hood nodded, then turned to his Imperial colleagues.

Admirals Hood and Fairweather were soon joined at the battle map – now displaying an assortment of white and red ship formations superimposed over a model of the Solaris system and its planets – by new projections of Admiral Stanforth, the greyed hair and weathered features of Admiral Margaret Parangosky, as well as a handful of other human, equine, and other Concordat naval commanders. They all began discussing their commands and courses of action with the exception of the sole chirosus admiral present: Tempest.

The bat pony turned to regard Luna, Russ, Chief, and the others expectantly. “Hey, Chief, a quick thing to relay to you: Spartan Blue Team is waiting for you. It would seem ONI convinced the Ministry of Intelligence to open a gateway to where they were operating to sneak them into the system.”

The Chief’s stance adjusted slightly to convey his surprise, while Parangosky’s hologram briefly looked in their direction. “Alleged gateway, young lady,” the old Admiral replied, before resuming the conversation she was having with the other Admirals. “Their naval movements thus far are outright bizarre, the enemy seems apparently confused by what they’re seeing in the system. It may be a diverting tactic – a ploy, so keep watchful.”

Tempest nodded sheepishly before resuming. “Also, Praetor Russ, I have noticed your mounting anxiousness to taste battle for quite some time now. It would seem it has even spread to Sigmara!”

“I don’t think you’ll ever understand why I await the chance to take the field once more,” Russ replied with a small smirk.

“The yearn for battle beats within each Capricorn as surely as their own hearts,” Sigmara added.

“As far as Trixie is concerned, all that those who are like Tempest need to understand is the results you can achieve!” Trixie asserted, already gesturing and slightly pivoting in the direction of the same door that Empress Celestia had departed from. “Now let us depart, Sigmara has infected me with battle-lust as well!”

Tempest in turn winked at Trixie first, then all the others as she finally turned back to join her colleagues around the bridge’s battlemap and other central tactical displays.

“We concur with Trixie,” Luna said, following Trixie’s gesturing foreleg and making her way out, leading the way for the others. As she went, Sigmara appeared beside her and matched her pace with that of the alicorns’.

“I shall lead you all to the ship’s central hangars and muster bays. We have much preparation to do there and an extremely brief time in which to do it,” Sigmara explained. “I think you will enjoy the next part, my Praetor.”

“Do lead on then, Sigmara!” Russ replied with a surprising amount of enthusiasm in his voice.

The surprise was enough to form smiles on the faces of Luna, Trixie, and Sigmara, while the Chief silently approved behind his visor.

Sigmara proceeded to lead the group down twisting and bustling corridors and two elevator rides until the reached the network of vast bays and hangars that defined the majority of the Divinity’s ventral superstructure. The motley group merited more than a few curious and even the occasional fearful looks from the hundred of Concordat sailors, technicians, and civilian personnel they passed.

After around six minutes of brisk walking, the group emerged from one of the tall corridors and into a hangar that was almost large enough to contain its own weather. To describe it as cavernous would have been an understatement.

Row upon row of neatly arranged main battle tanks and light vehicles from several Concordat nations lined the floors, and in betwixt them were broad maintenance and transport lanes, as well as a central thoroughfare that an Imperial Legion company was currently marching down towards any number of possible stations.

Higher tiers and ledges of the room housed dropships and various fighter types, and some were even currently airborne, coming and going. It completely dwarfed the hangar Luna had arrived in from, and that fact alone nearly made her jaw drop.

Russ and Bjorn, meanwhile observed the bustle of the muster bays with next to no surprise, but rather something that was nearing nostalgia. What they were seeing was a massively scaled back version of what they had grown accustomed to from their own time.

After passing through the first hangar bay and into another, Sigmara brought them to a halt as the Capricorns of the group were met with a new sight that finally did trigger a strong response that was akin to nostalgia. The second hangar held primarily stations, magazines, and a floor for loading infantry and mobilizing them.

The floor was active with hundreds of predominantly Capricorn Fangs, as well as a company’s worth of Equestrian legionaries. No apparent centurion could be seen that presided over the company, only the common blue left pauldrons of squad captains amongst the equine, human, and gryphon soldiers.

The few parts of the room that would normally hold dropships instead were occupied by stubby-winged spacecraft similar but still smaller in size to Hippogriffs and the UNSC’s albatross dropships, with bladed prows that were clearly for puncturing and anchoring into an enemy vessel’s hull. They were fifty-three in number and currently being presided over by small groups of Iron Shamans demonstrating to the other Concordat technicians stationed on the Divinity the craft’s capabilities of phasing through both captured Covenant shield arrays as well as the Concordat’s magical bright power-generated shield barriers and conventional matter-based shield barriers.

“Princess Luna, your means of ingress: Jörmungandr-pattern boarding torpedoes,” Sigmara said, waving an armoured hand towards the waiting craft. “As for what I was referring to, Lord Russ, it should be aboard the incoming craft now.”

“New arrival!” one of the deck crew shouted nearby at the control station for the nearest launch bay that lead to the outside of the vessel.

“Shield doors stable, clearance all checks out,” another added. “All reading as green, roll out the welcome mat.”

Everyone present looked out the launch bay to see a spacecraft with a design distinct from all the others currently present inside make its way through the first of two shield doors that held in atmosphere.

The craft was sleek in its profile, with a silver and gold hull and and a transport bay that opened from the front prow, with the flight cabin situated towards the aft side of the vessel, adjacent to the stern and between twin wing-mounted thrusters that generated surprisingly little noise.

As it touched down at the launch bay’s aircraft pad, the technicians and deck crew were already going about the standard procedure to accommodate the new vessel, conducting inspections for any apparent damage or problems. The advanced nature of the shuttlecraft’s design left at least a few of the deck crew confounded, causing them to draw parallels to the generally foreign, alien nature of Covenant vessels.

As Sigmara and the group moved towards the ship, the front bay door opened. From it, a fairly large-sized party of eleven distinct-looking Capricorns emerged from the hold to take in the sight of the hangar bay that greeted them.

“This is a tiny ship. My company’s capital ship alone puts it to shame!” Boomed one of the Capricorns, a broad, distinctive silverish furred and black-maned stallion. “I expect nothing but disappointment from most of this era’s tech!”

“Ah, shut it, Krom. They’re still growin’ according to Sigmara,” another silver coloured Capricorn stallion replied with a cool voice. This one had an iron coloured mane and mechanical eye much like Tolfdir. “Rather impressive, I must say. At least for what they were given.”

“Bah! If we’d-” the first silver furred capricorn was cut off shortly after opening his mouth.

“Be quiet, Krom,” a blonde furred capricorn mare spoke up, elbowing him in his armoured side. “Looks like the old man has come to join us.”

With that, all their eyes fell upon Leman Russ as he advanced towards them. Small to large grins broke out across all but one of their muzzles before their right fists were placed over their hearts. Luna and the rest of the group watched on as there was only silence between the twelve capricorns.

Without a moment’s notice, the group recoiled in shock as Russ punched Krom in the face, sending the capricorn sprawling to his back. Somehow his face managed to stay intact despite the impact. Krom didn’t stay down for long, instead getting to his sabatoned hooves, and shaking his head. “I guess I deserved that one, didn’t I?”

“I told you, Krom, that next time I saw you, I’d knock some sense into that dense skull,” Leman replied before bringing his fellow capricorn into a brief embrace. “It is good to see you all once more. I would bring mjord to toast to our awakening but we have more pressing matters. Though I suppose a re-introduction is in order.”

“Re-introduction?” questioned the blond capricorn.

Instead of vocalizing it, Russ switched to the neural communications, specifically the networks of the eleven in front of him. “Luna has returned, but is still befallen.”

There was a collected chorus of ‘understood’ before Russ turned around and plodded back towards Luna and the rest. Of course, it wasn’t silent for long as more than a few eyes caught the hulking form of a specific Promethean Wolf. The group adding in a chorus of welcoming sayings to the Ancient war-machine, but one stood out above the rest.

“Bjorn! You big rust bucket! I see the Iron Shamans haven’t gotten around to installing my suggested feature!” an auburn furred capricorn mare exclaimed, much to the deep sigh of Bjorn. The conversation ended there though, for Luna felt inclined to speak up as to who the new capricorns were.

“Such boisterous presences, We are … dare We say, intrigued. Thy appearances interest Us greatly, as much as Praetor Russ himself in very recent times. Who art all of ye?” Each of the capricorns, in their own uniquely decorated armour gazed upon the armoured alicorn.

An intercom played across the hangar in the backdrop, only meriting the curious glance of a few present. “Now hear this, Covenant vessels will be within range of orbital defences in approximately seven minutes.”

“Luna, let me introduce you, once more, to my old Wolf Lords. They served with me long ago, commanding the companies. Now, they will fight beside me once more as my Wolf Guard,” Russ stated before turning around to reface the capricorns. The gathered capricorns had mixed looks at the statement but were quiet after a knowing look from Leman. “Let us start with Twa.”

Taking the cue, the auburn capricorn that spoke to Bjorn stepped forward. She was surprisingly tall, though not as tall as Russ. Her crimson red mane looked to be tied back into a ponytail braid, while her yellow eyes bore a mischievous look to them. Her armour looked very much akin to Russ’ except that the left pauldron didn’t bear any spikes on it, instead showing a symbol of what looked like a black painted wolf head spouting flames. “Solvi Fireclaw, Princess Luna. Formerly Wolf Lord of Twa Company, The Burning Wolves.”

The next one to speak was standing among the right half of the group, the complete opposite side of Solvi. This one was a large ashen grey capricorn stallion that had a striking red mohawk mane. The fur on his muzzle seemed to stretch downward much farther than any other capricorn, making it seem like he had a beard, including the braiding of the fur itself. The most prominent feature about his face was the facial scarring, mainly one that ran along his bottom right portion of his muzzle. Akin to Solvi and the rest in his armour design, the left pauldron was painted with rows of what looked like black teeth on the top and bottom of the pauldron. “Harvom Dragonteeth. Former Wolf Lord of The Dragonteeth or Tra company.”

“Since we’re going in order, I’m Viveka Siegebreaker, Princess. Former Lord of For, also known as the Hammers of Russ,” spoke up a taller, though around Havrom’s height, and extremely muscular capricorn mare. She was chestnut brown in fur colour and and slightly darker brown mane tied up in a bun. Despite the power armour, it was easily noticeable that her entire left arm was a mechanic replacement. The symbol that adorned her pauldron was one of a claw grasping a hammer.

“Erik Twiceslain, Former Wolf Lord Fyf company The Eternals,” said a shortish and lithe black furred capricorn stallion. He lacked a mane at all, instead everyone was drawn to the fact he had only one good eye, and his face was littered with crisscrossing and deep running scars. Oddly enough he only had two horns, unlike the rest of the group but upon careful inspection, the horns were of two different rows; meaning he had most likely lost two of them. On his armour’s left pauldron, there was a simple looking wolf skull on a black background.

The next capricorn to speak up was a regular-sized, off-white, furred capricorn mare with a silvery flowing mane. As she tilted her muzzle down, it became apparent to everyone that she had take more than a few scars from the years. The symbol that adorned her pauldron was an icon of what looked like a possibly shattered moon, on a black background.

Luna shuddered as the mare spoke, her voice was chilling and the company name didn’t inspire a lot of kinship; “Of Sesc Company, The Deadmoons, I am Ran Deadmoon.”

Before any of Luna’s group could speak about the rather disturbingly named capricorn, another voice cut in. This time it was a silver furred and iron coloured maned capricorn stallion. Despite starring at Luna, his one mechanical eye and his remaining brown eye seemed to be calculating everything he could see. Much like the symbol that the group had seen on House of Winter representatives at the moot, there on the pauldron was a wolf that looked to be eating a gear. “Emil Silverwolf, your highness. Past Wolf Lord of Sepp Company, The Cogwolves.”

“Calder Seatamer of For-Twa, The Leviathans. Honoured to see you, Princess,” spoke up a light-steel coloured capricorn stallion, whose coat had an almost bluish-grey hue to him. An ashen black mane was tied back into a ponytail to reveal a face that had minor nicks and scarring but nothing like some of the others. As for his symbol, it was of what appeared to be dragon-looking ship of sorts, sailing on a jagged sea.

Shifting their gazes to the next capricorn that spoke up, the group saw the one who had actually been referred to by name already. Krom was a broad dirty silvered furred capricorn that kept a short black mane and very aggressive looking yellow eyes. Compared to some of the others, minus Erik, he was covered in scars on his face. On his pauldron was what looked like a two-headed wolf over a red diamond shape. When he spoke, it was quick and angry, “Krom Morkai of Tra-Tra, Pack of Morkai.”

“Unlike some of my other Lords, I must say it is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Luna. I am Dagmar Daybringer of Dekk Company, The Day-Bringers,” spoke up the blonde capricorn mare that had scolded Krom earlier. She was overall, skinnier and more lithe than the rest, even with the armour and the white mane that flowed from her head helped to outline her unmarred features. Much like the name of her company, the symbol on her shoulder showed a red sun rising over the horizon.

The next Wolf Lord was a dark brown furred capricorn mare that had another white looking mane, though this one was cut on one her left side and fell over the horns of said side. She kept a rather sadistic looking grin to her muzzle but otherwise looked hardly as aggressive as Krom. The symbol on her pauldron was different from the rest in that the background was red, and the wolf appeared to be eating an object of sorts. “Ylva the Devourer. Ex-Wolf Lord of Elva, The Devourers.”

Finally was the last figure of the group, he seemed to stay near the back of them, his muzzle constantly moving in an unheard speech. The pitch-black furred capricorn stallion looked a little different than the rest: an almost wolfish like appearance compared to the others. His black mane fell across his face, covering portions yet not able to hide the red eyes. Looking past the others showed that the symbol was an odd mix of the ubiquitous wolf that was common on the other capricorn’s shoulders, yet it also had capricorn-like horns. When he spoke it was rather quiet unlike the others, “Uffe Dreadwolf of Tolv, The Dreadwolves.”

“You’ll be seeing more than enough of them, Luna. Unfortunately I must start our final prep before the fight. Need to make sure our companies are ready for the murder-make, after all. Oh and Luna, you will be boarding in our vessel,” Russ said rather quickly before departing towards a large gathering of armoured Capricorns, Bjorn and his new Wolf Guard following behind him.

Luna nodded before turning to the others. “I believe ‘tis our cue to muster our forces as well, everyone.” Trixie and Master Chief nodded, but Luna then stood awkwardly as a fact suddenly dawned on her. “Ahem, whomever and whatever those forces may be …”
The Chief stood stock still while Trixie scratched at her mane. “Admiral Tempest mentioned Blue Team was onboard and requesting my presence, Princess,” Chief reminded her.

“Trixie must seek out her compatriots as well, Your Highness, with your permission. Where the Empress or the Royal Guard is or has recently been, the Praetorian Guard is liable to be nearby,” Trixie said next.

Luna looked between the two and hummed in thoughtful approval, nodding and folding her arms at her armored chest. “By all means, my new friends. However, I am afraid thou shalt be on thy own devices for now, Trixie. I shall be accompanying the Chief to make the acquaintances of this team of blue.”

Letting out an involuntary snort of amusement that left Luna slightly bemused, Trixie gave a jaunty salute to both the Spartan and the alicorn before her expression turned serious and she shot off at a rapid pace towards a walkway that lead to the adjacent hangar bay.

At the same time, another intercom announcement, this time from Admiral Fairweather’s stolid voice echoed its way throughout the Divinity from bow to stern.

“Now hear this, The Covenant fleet has been engaged above Sæmundar. Hostile forces will be within range of orbital defences in two minutes. All recon pickets return to base. 2nd Home Fleet and Selene Defensive Operations, Covenant targets are already in your range, submitting firing solutions and enemy movement forecasts now.”

“We better get moving,” Cortana’s magically-casted voice said to Luna and the Chief as the both of them looked down from the acoustics of the ceiling to meet the other’s gaze. “I’m keeping tabs on probes and arrays throughout the system; those red blips are closing fast.”

“Agreed. Posthaste to Blue Team!” Luna replied.

As the duo began running in the directions Cortana regularly indicated, they noticed something odd.

“Eeyup,” somebody affirmed, with a voice half-steeped with a rustic drawl.

A tall, blonde-haired earth pony stallion with a red coat beneath his Imperial Legion armour had appeared beside them, matching their pace.

“Who art thee?” Luna asked, only looking at the newcomer with surprise a few times, but not breaking pace even for a moment.

“I’m Legate McIntosh, Imperial Legion. Ya can call me Big Mac if ya like,” the massive stallion replied with a friendly half-smile.

“Hello Big Mac,” Cortana’s disembodied voice greeted. “And according to the files I’ve just now been sent from Allied Command, Big Mac here is apparently appointed under your command, Luna.”

“Is this true, Big McIntosh?” Luna inquired with a strong face of curiosity.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac confirmed as they passed through one of the open blast door frames that was as tall as a one story house. “Technically, myself and the legionaries under my command. As soon as the Spartans are together, our legionaries will be following ya towards your Capricorn allies.”

“It must have been General Svelte,” the Chief surmised, instantly noticing not the expected three but rather four familiar figures in Mjolnir armour inspecting their weapons beside a UNSC scorpion tank. “After hearing Russ’ speech and connecting the dots, she must have assumed you were going to take a command role from the start.”

“An apt assumption,” Luna replied. “‘Twas more than a mere idle thought that I would be seeing battle sometime soon for the first time in just over a millenia. Our newfound friends in Leman Russ and his comrades have simply accelerated this.”

“Master Chief, Legate McIntosh, and … my goodness you couldn’t possibly be who everyone was talking about?!” a deep but friendly masculine voice inquired as the trio neared the Spartans.

“Jorge?” the Chief greeted back with surprise as Luna and Big Mac came to a stop beside him and regarded the newcomers.

“In the flesh,” Jorge replied, a light smile on his scarred and weathered face as he ran a gauntlet over closely cropped, dark brown hair just beginning to gray. “We’re here to help you with the boarding, since the spooks from both organizations have a semi-permanent wariness about our new capricorn friends.”

Master Chief returned the smile with a nod. He then recognized the other three Spartans – a man and woman with blue eyes and cropped black hair, alongside another woman with longer red hair and sharp emerald eyes – of Blue Team as his comrades and close friends since some of the earliest days of their training to become super soldiers. Kelly, Fred, and Linda.

Chief paused to nod at each of them as well as they each holstered their weapons and stood up expectantly. “Jorge, everyone, this is …”

“Princess Luna, the one ye hath clearly heard about, We are the very same,” Luna confirmed with a neutral expression.

“Jorge, Kelly, Linda, and Fred,” the Chief introduced to Luna and the others, gesturing for a second at each respective Spartan.

“Now hear this, Covenant forces are now in range of orbital defenses!” the ship’s intercom system cut in once more with Lord Admiral Fairweather’s voice. “Divinity crew, standby for boarding action, your three target ships are nearing our position as forecasted. Scrambled but hardening escort formations, standard enemy naval arrangement taking shape; our window to strike is now.”

“Great, now everyone knows each other's’ names,” Kelly interjected with a stern, but not unfriendly nod at Luna, before being the first to don her helmet. “Now let’s get moving before Fairweather’s window slams shut on top of us.”

There was then a following series of helmets being put on and sealed into place almost in synchronization, and everyone formed into one heavily armed and armoured group before making their way back to the hangar to board the Fangs of Fenris’ ancient-built boarding craft.

Demonstrations and appraisals of the boarding torpedoes had ceased, and were already being loaded with occupants and equipment.

A small number of dropships had also entered the hangar from other launch bays, and were themselves gearing up for separate boarding actions on the Covenant’s flagship’s lead vessel like their counterparts the torpedos and the dozens of other dropships in nearby hangars of the ship.

None of them were a point of interest for Luna, Chief, and the others however. What was of interest were the roughly six hundred capricorn Fangs in their assorted ranks marching to their respective boarding torpedoes.

“That Rurika wasn’t joking when she described what Sigmara was arranging to have come aboard the Divinity,” Jorge remarked. “I mean, seeing them when they were preparing is one thing, but in full armour?”

“Jorge, that column of Fenrisian living tanks is almost as big as you,” Fred remarked, chuckling until he noticed one capricorn that stood taller than the rest. “Correction, that one is bigger than you!”

“That is a capricorn?” Big Mac asked, speaking for the first time since encountering Blue Team. “I think ya might be seeing some kind of visual hallucination, he has to be some kind of tamed Hunter, but without the weird back spikes.”

“No offense, Big Mac, but an Mgalekgolo is not exactly something that can be tamed,” Cortana informed him.

“Eeyup.”

“That one? Ahh, that is our newest friend, Leman Russ!” Luna exclaimed as Big Mac rolled his eyes. “We can assure ye that he is just a very large capricorn.”

With that, everyone began making their way down from their elevated perch to an accessway platform. As the group continued down the walkways to ground level of the great room, they were re-joined by Trixie, who had four pegasi Praetorian Guards in tow. They moved as one towards the boarding torpedoes and waiting capricorns.

The group then split off into two. Jorge, Kelly, Fred, and Linda made their way to a first boarding torpedo, hopping into one that was already packed with Fangs while Luna, Chief, and Trixie’s squad continued on towards the torpedo that Russ and his group would be using alongside Luna’s immediate companions.

Luna briefly broke off with Cortana and Big Mac to a boarding torpedo that some of the only Equestrian legionaries present in the hangar were currently filing into. The armoured alicorn was given a minute’s briefing by McIntosh in regards to the basics of Imperial Legion command along with supplemental data provided by Cortana, and then began making her way with the latter over to rejoin Praetor Russ and their combined companions in their respective boarding torpedo.

The interior of the craft was not exactly cramped, Luna found. However, it wasn’t exactly comfortably spacious either, considering the fact that it was full to near capacity. Everything was a stalwart gunmetal gray, but with a sleek modernistic appearance and highly lustrous in the lighting of the cabin, which was also ambiently adorned with some form of solid light windows that could increase in transparency to allow easy viewing of what lay on the other side.

There were seats and dozens of levitation racks for weapon and stray equipment to be briefly kept, but the vast majority of passengers present elected to stand in rough formation in the tight quarters.

“Now hear this, this is Lord General Fairweather to all ships and fighter wings company, 1st Home Fleet. Your primary objective is to open up corridors for our boarding parties out in the vacuum. Anything that gets past you, give them a mauling if possible for the orbital platforms and the other fleets to finish off, but that flagship and its escorts are your number one priority. Boarding parties, prep for launch in fifteen seconds.”

The engines of the boarding torpedoes had already whirred to life as the deck crew of the ENV Divinity began their countdown

“ENV Divinity on station. Enemy flagship, CSO-class supercarrier Sublime Transcendence, has reached optimal boarding distance. Clearance to launch in fifteen … fourteen … thirteen …”

It was at that second that many of the capricorns, increasingly anxious to meet the enemy, chorused in on the countdown of their own volition in a collective chant in their own language across the fleet’s local battlenet.

“Tolv … elva … dekk … tra-tra … for-twa … sepp … sesc … fyf … for … tra … twa … onn!”

At the simultaneous exclamation of ‘onn’ and ‘one’, the boarding torpedoes raced out of the hangar’s primary launch bay and into the chaotic expanse of space beyond.

As Luna ventured a look out the nearest window, the sights that greeted her almost made her gasp. Cortana kept her and the others updated on ship numbers and maneuvering as their approach to the enemy ship continued underway. Fighting in the name of Equestria in a few dozen aerial battles and even some waterborne naval battles prior to her banishment could hardly even begin to compare to the three dimensional awe and tartarus that was spaceborne naval warfare.

The warship the Divinity’s crew had identified as the Sublime Transcendence was a true naval monster, even by its own builders. She was easily double the size of the former ship, which was the Concordat’s largest counterpart vessel. Like all Sangheili-designed warships, it possessed a bulbous bow and a sloping, elegantly curvaceous hull that tapered off at the stern where the thrusters were situated.

Each Covenant supercarrier’s escorts, roughly a dozen CCS-class battlecruisers and twice that number of corvettes, were already engaged by Concordat vessels at multiple angles. Warships from both sides had already been reduced to molten slag in limited numbers in what would soon become an expansive debris field.

The Sublime Transcendence itself was receiving repeating volleys of heavy bright beam fire from defense platforms too far away to be seen, and the beams of concentrated energy glanced off its bubble-esque shield in a way that put tremendous stress on the barrier. Such reactions could have been considered dazzling under vastly different circumstances.

Master Chief noted with some interest out his nearest window that every half a minute, small slipspace ruptures would appear and then disappear in bright flashes of blue near less active corners of the battle around the Transcendence. The vessels causing them were unseen but deadly in their missions; human-built Prowler stealth corvettes in service to Equestria’s Fleet Signalling Corps. Their success every couple of seconds was denoted by a bright flash of light that rivaled the luminosity of Solaris if only for a moment.

Several more vessels of either allegiance appeared both in the path of and around everyone’s boarding torpedo.

Under the orders of a particularly adrenaline-filled Concordat captain, an entire Chariot-class Equestrian carrier was seen ramming its way amidships through a damaged CCS-class battlecruiser that had just reduced one of its two Harmony-class battlecruiser escort to boiling clouds of mithril and titanium.

As the nimble, auto-piloted torpedo formed a new corridor toward the Sublime Transcendence on account of the intruding tonnage of the much larger vessels, it navigated through the debris field of the Covenant battlecruiser.

When the boarding torpedo emerged from the red-orange nebula of melted metal, the occupants looking out their windows were greeted with the sight of a wing of Equestrian fighter craft that had just joined them as escorts and to provide additional targets from the launch bays of the still close-by, but heavily supported Divinity.

Reading the letters on her hull to spell out the name ‘GSC Hoovenheart’, Luna watched with surprise as the much smaller allied carrier ship made its next move. It had just finished plowing through a ship just over half its size, with its hull still glimmering from shattered enemy nanolaminate, yet it had already began deploying some of its own fighter craft to supplement Divinity’s.

Passing by a few more of the Sublime Transcendence escorts that were being kept busy by the coalesced 1st Home Fleet consisting of both Equestrian and Equisian Defence Coalition battle groups, Russ, Luna, Trixie, and the Chief’s boarding torpedo was met with one final obstacle.

Listing from bow to stern, the still imposing but hotly burning hulk of an Equestrian Sovereign-class super heavy cruiser was suffering from a catastrophic reactor failure. Heavy weapons fire from the Transcendence had torn through her shields and melted critical areas, and the ship was now exploding violently, severing the bow from the rest of the superstructure. The boarding torpedo and several of its companions gave the smoldering arrowhead prow and its accompanying jagged tail end a wide berth, while some of the combined fighter wing deployed special munitions to propelled the bow section forward, using the wreckage as cover for some of the torpedos against the CSO’s heavy guns.

With the detonating warship now cleared, the boarding torpedoes were seconds away from making contact with the Transcendence’s hull.

Being a supercarrier, the massive vessel was even now still occupied with deploying a mixture of Covenant space banshees and phantom gunboats from her many hangars to harass and distract the Concordat vessels currently putting it in distress. What few inside the metropolis-sized warship were prepared for however, were the craft approaching it from the opposite direction at rapid speed.

“Praetor Russ,” Luna spoke over the neural communications, as the fighters escorting them broke off and away outside, “what is the strategy for securing this naval monstrosity once aboard?”

There was a brief moment of silence, followed by a low grumble. Eventually Russ’ voice came back over the network, “Luna, you must keep your com lines open, most of our commands are relayed over it. When we breach, Bjorn will be first out, spearheading our charge as we advance in the direction of the control room. That is our main goal, what you do after the breach is up to you, sister.”

“Excellent, plenty of legroom!” Trixie half enthused, half grunted as she and her squad of four Praetorians cocked and primed their magic bright-based weapons. Trixie finished her weapons prep by checking to ensure that her newly acquired bolt pistol was still secure on her armour’s belt.

“We have standard boarding procedures in place, pending any on-site revisions under yours or Legate McIntosh’s command, Luna,” Cortana explained. “The control room, weapons and comms systems, as well as the repulsor engines and slipspace drive are our priority targets.”

“Russ is taking the control room, and we should be landing almost right on top of the control points for the point defense batteries,” the Chief added. “We can disable those guns port and starboard with McIntosh’s help and the Capricorns busying the crew while Blue Team sabotages engineering.”

“Tra and Tra-Tra companies will be securing the the rest of the ship, with Tra taking the hangars,” Russ added once Chief was done.

“Luna, transfer me into the nearest Covenant terminal you come across,” Cortana said. “I don’t think you’ll regret it.”

“Cortana? Wilt thou not be lost in the vast systems of the ship?” Luna replied with concern, clearly and unknowingly conveying her present lack of knowledge in computing.

“Use all the resources you can, Princess. The AI can handle itself,” Bjorn of all beings on the craft added in from his spot at the front of the ship.

“And don’t forget your neurological-based communication systems your new armour enables, as Russ has already pointed out,” Cortana added, prompting Luna to nod thoughtfully. “It will save you from having to ask about something more often than not on the fly.”

All further discussion was immediately smothered by a resounding slam and accompanying rumbling. Looking out the windows as they awaited the forward door of the torpedo to open, some of the occupants noted that there was a noticeable warping and obvious structural stress to the hull plating closest to their craft’s point of contact with the supercarrier.

Gjallarhorn
Portside of Sublime Transcendence, Covenant CSO-class supercarrier

“Ready for your baptism by blood?” Ylva Deadmoon, the dark brown furred capricorn asked to the non-Fangs, a wicked smile on her face.

“Don’t you mean baptism by fire, as some humans would put it?” one of Trixie’s Praetorians replied, a little confused at the statement. All they got in response was a chorus of growling laughter from the armoured capricorns.

“Not at all, pup. Blood, plasma, blood, bolter fire, blood, and even some krak grenades. Those are your baptisms. But mostly blood,” Erik Twiceslain replied with a snicker. It was then that the door blew open to reveal an entire combined firing control center and munitions magazine full of shocked and bewildered Covenant. They were Unggoy and Sangheili of around a hundred in number.

Some of the Grunts were already scrambling for cover like the majority of their Elite commanders, but an even greater number were in a blind panic as Russ’s Fangs emerged from the two separate boarding torpedoes that had breached the hull in the room, with Bjorn’s hulking mass at their front, in a series of warcries and bellowing that strongly resembled distinctly lupine howls.

In Bjorn’s destructive wake as the mechanical Fenrisian began decimating the Grunts with claw and flamer and absorbing Covenant plasma bolts, the first Fangs out of the other boarding torpedo began firing their explosive-round bolters and taking cover. They found shielding from the burning plasma in the form of the closest equipment crates, pillars, and low barriers formed by the housing of wire and utility conduits that was same glistening violet, grey, and subtle claret alloys as much of the room.

Russ and his Wolf Guard of still newly-reawoken Praetor-class warriors quickly combined with Princess Luna, the Chief, and Trixie’s squad to join the rank and file Fangs of Fenris in seeking cover with a good angle, firing their weapons at the resiting Covenant crew.

Of the number of Sangheili that were not taking cover or already firing weapons back, the highest ranking one in the room – a golden-armoured zealot – drew the hilt of his energy sword after deploying a bubble shield around himself and his immediate comrades to analyze the intruders with momentary impunity.

While the blade materialized with a crackling like electricity, the zealot growled and extended a slender arm at the Promethean Wolf, vaguely recognizing Bjorn’s form. “A holy construct of our Lords, see how the Heretics have bent it to their will! Correct this aberration, my brothers. Cleanse the nishum from the our flagship!”

The Elite zealot’s proclamation merited a chorus of growls from the Sangheili that served as their equivalent to the Capricorns’ reverberating war cries.

Unggoy that were out of range of Bjorn at the moment were now being cut down in droves by the Fangs’ axes, chainswords, broadswords, and bayonets as the bolter fire suppressed the Elites enough to allow the Concordat force to push forward towards cover close enough to merit melee charges. Their individual contributions were numerous but hardly comparable to Bjorn’s.

Having reduced over a dozen hapless Grunts to blue bioluminescent paste and burning bodies, Bjorn was already smashing and burning past the now dug-in formation of counterattacking Sangheili and into the corridor beyond.

“Whoa, giant metal monster!” one of the Grunts yelled with shock from out in the hallway. “Not so scary! We team up and take you dow .. guh, gyaaah!” The stocky alien was quickly interrupted by gouts of flame from the Promethean Wolf.

“Is it wrong that I think comrade smells good when well roasted?” one of the other Unggoy said in dismay-induced mania, their frenzied declaration followed by a series of explosions and further screaming.

Bjorn’s movement had been so swift that the Elites he had left out of range of both his charge and his flamer were forced to divert their attention from him entirely and focus on the rest of the boarding party that had now dispersed itself across most of the firing control center.

The Fang’s movement was also so imminently rapid that the firefight had quickly morphed into an all-out melee as the remaining Elites realized that no reinforcements were going to enter the room from where Bjorn had just exited, meaning their backs were literally to the wall.

Infuriated growling of the Sangheili combined with the crackling of energy swords being activated coincided with the zealot’s bubble shield collapsing, its operational duration having concluded. The zealot took this as his cue and leapt forward with his sword drawn, being the first of the remaining Elites to do so.

Seeing Russ and the others in their distinctive armour that garnered the same vague, peculiar recollection as the sight of Bjorn, the zealot singled them out as the apparent leaders of the intruders as he failed to noticed the handful of non-Capricorn combatants amongst them.

He marked Russ as the most prominent target, and thus the only one worthy of his blades. The zealot strided forward with a guttural growl, his target having already long since registered his approach.

Much to the zealot’s rage, one of the Fangs from the melee surrounding him randomly entered his path, and was aiming to halve the Sangheili’s skull with his chainsword. The zealot denied the Capricorn stallion his kill by parrying the blade and catching it in between the twin blue prongs of his own. The Elite followed up within the breadth of a heartbeat by plunging his accompanying energy dagger in between one of the chinks near the breastplate as the teeth of the capricorn blade sparked against the solidified plasma.

Seeing that one of her comrades was in a dire grapple with the enemy but not noting the extent of said comrade’s danger due to their back being to her, another of the same Fangs pack rushed to the stallions aid.

The zealot capitalized on her gaining speed by rushing his primary opponent forward like a battering ram, driving both the mare and the stallion to the ground as he raised his energy sword for what he presumed to be a killing blow. Not allowing them time to recover, the Elite plunged his blade through their power armour and into where he anticipated their species’ heart to be, before returning his attention to his true target.

Russ barred his teeth as the zealot said nothing. The Elite simply growled and swung his energy blade in a downward slash that the Praetor easily dodged. Russ counterattacked with a fist to the Covenant soldier’s mandibled face that would shatter the skull of most races with lesser density in their bone structure.

Observing the sheer apparent mass of his opponent, the zealot reeled back with another growl and shifted the grasp on his sword subtly. Even with the difference in weapon design and finger structure, Russ was still able to read the change, and knew what attack was coming next.

An intended stab was blocked by the adamant barrier of Krakenmaw’s blade and the twin prongs caught in the chevroned crossguard, as its owner reeled back only a few centimeters from the force of the Sangheili’s thrust. Russ followed up from the parry by emptying four bolter rounds with hardly a second of delay each into the Elite’s torso as they both stood there, locked in mortal glares.

It was during their mutual glare that the Sangheili at last registered who it truly was he and his comrades were currently fighting. With one bolter shot, the zealot spoke as the flickering of his reacting shielding to the kinetic force obscured his helmeted face. “R’tussan? I am fighting a god of war ...”

With two bolter shots against him, the zealot broke into a chuckle at some private joke. At three bolter shots, the zealot’s personal energy shielding collapsed completely. When the fourth resounding shot came, a massive wound had appeared in the Sangheili’s abdomen, causing the fervent warrior to become immobilized, quaking from metabolic shock as Russ then freed his sword and brought it through the air in a clean horizontal arc.

There was a liberal splattering of purple-cobalt blood across the metallic floor as the beheaded Covenant zealot toppled over. Such a beheading was the punctuation mark of an already ongoing series of Sangheili falling in similar fashions after slaying a few of the enemy in kind.

Within moments after the zealot’s demise, the room was clear, and Russ was already in the process of beginning the push to the Sublime Transcendence’s control room. His eyes met with Luna as her group waded through the carnage into the center of the room, while his prepared to move out. “You’re on your own from here. We need to gather the rest of Onn and make for the control room. We should probably try to catch Bjorn before he takes the ship apart by himself.”

“The big lug’s still got it after all this time,” chuckled Emil Silverwolf as the Fangs lopped out of the room, leaving behind only a handful of soldiers as well as their injured, with Sigmara and another Wolf Priest remaining to tend to them.

Trixie took a moment to appraise the now heavily damaged room with widened eyes as her four fellow Praetorians worked to fry any remaining control terminations with spells or their weapons, leaving just one functioning for Cortana’s upcoming insertion into the Transcendence’s system. “Amazing, and only in about two minutes or so! Trixie approves!” she said.

Meanwhile, Luna and the Chief were also analyzing the results of the Fangs’ handiwork, and the former’s mouth was almost agape.

“That was surprising,” the Chief remarked nonchalantly, as he followed Luna over to where Trixie and her squad were presiding over the last functioning control terminal in the room.

"You can't see it, but Master Chief’s expression is probably the Spartan version of yours, Luna," Trixie quipped. “Trixie knows these things …”

Luna shook her head in confusion before she took out Cortana’s chip from the neckguard of her armour and held the matrix in the palm of her outstretched right hand just above and over the holography of the terminal screen.

While the humanoid alicorn’s hand began to pulsate with her aura, Cortana’s slender avatar flickered to being for a few seconds as she strided off the top of the chip and onto the horizontal surface of the terminal before vanishing.

Such a process by its very nature coupled with the reality that she had not needed to even think to know how to do it left Luna internally shocked.

“There we go!” Cortana said with a degree of excitement. “Time to cause a little … mischief on the enemy battlenet. But first, I just want to say that what was truly surprising in my opinion about the Fangs of Fenris here was their coordination, from my observation through Luna’s eyes – thank you Luna, by the way – despite their quasi-Visigothic profiles.”

“We’re sorry, but Visigothic?” Luna inquired.

“Human history, a lesson for some other time, Your Highness, unfortunately,” Trixie interjected. “Sigmara, how are your wounded doing?”

“I will be keeping close watch on the two with the chest wounds from the Sangheili zealot, and the few dead we Wolf Priests will oversee in time, while you and the others press on, but the rest have but flesh wounds,” Sigmara replied, before adding with a dry chuckle and a knowing gaze, “They are nothing but pups if they try to claim otherwise. Oh, and Luna, you forgot to tune into Onn company’s network. If you seek the secret of our coordination that Cortana has no doubt already discovered, therein lies your answer.”

“Ah yes, of course! My ample gratitude, Sigmara,” Luna replied with a slight smirk, before sharing nods with Trixie and the Master Chief. “We shall now know through me which sections of the ship to anticipate the discovery of already mangled enemy combatants without eliciting confusion.”

“Speaking of which …” Trixie prompted them, gesturing to her own squadmates that were growing antsy near the room’s main exit. Through the threshold of the large, open sliding doors, distant small arms fire, detonations, and a general almighty ruckus could be heard. The remote sounds were punctuated every few seconds by a rumbling in some portions of the ship from external weapons fire and a number of other causes.

Placing Cortana’s now empty chip back into her armour, Luna drew her bolter rifle and took point for the group. “Converge on Us,” she said to her companions, and they began assuming a rough triangle. “Long range weapons, closest to the center with Us and between mid-range weapon. Likewise for all mid-range, fan out farthest left and right; we are a venomous serpent and thou art the fangs to our coiling precision!”

Luna lead them out into corridors ‘decorated’ by plasma scorch marks and metal plating warped by hardlight projectiles, and signposted by the occasional smoking remains of a standard Covenant infantry lance, seldomly including the rare Kig-Yar mercenary or two.

“The next firing control room towards the bow should be close,” the Chief stated beside Luna as their group pushed ahead.

“It’s main entryway door is three and a half meters ahead, to be exact. McIntosh’s company should be just about to–” Cortana’s sentence was cut off as the entryway door in question burst open and outwards in a heap of two badly dented panels. The threshold and doorframe were also warped in the process, and the group was left in combative stances.

From the metallic carnage, and a smoke cloud produced by something burning within the firing control center, emerged a distinct heavy clanking of armour against the metal floors. Clanking continued for three whole seconds before the causes of the march-like sounds became visible.

Legate McIntosh appeared in the corridor before a somewhat impressed Luna, flanked on both sides by a unicorn and human battlemage, as well as two earth ponies. The earth ponies had clearly been the ones to seal the door’s fate with a synchronized kick, but the human magic user and her unicorn colleague had clearly been the ones to make it possible.

Both Trixie and Luna could still make out the telltale auras of bright from the destruction spell the battlemages both used to melt the door’s middle locking mechanism.

All of the pony, human, and gryphon legionaries as well as Big Mac possessed the same standard-issue yet subtly elegant white armour plating Luna had first seen her sister in.

The suits came with matching crested helmets that possessed visors divided into two sections by a nose guard. But, unlike the Legate’s matching violet pauldrons, all of the soldiers in his company possessed one yellow pauldron on their left shoulder, denoting them as veteran storm legionaries.

“And that’s another firing center taken care of,” Cortana finally finished. “I could have unlocked that door for you guys, you know.”

Big Mac flashed the others a light smile as he approached Luna. “Eeyup, but not as fun. That takes care of the portside guns, Your Highness.” As he spoke, the Equestrian legionary company merged itself with Luna’s much smaller formation as they continued to follow in the Capricorns’ wake of destruction, this time towards the starboard side.

“Excellent,” Luna replied, relaying the information mentally to Russ and Onn company while Cortana relayed the same across their primary radio channel to the rest of the boarding force as well as Concordat admiralty.

There was no response immediately, causing some concern to go through Luna. She waited a brief moment before relaying the information once more. Again, there was no response. Deep in the back of her mind, she thought of the possibility that something had happened. Then there was a single click over the network.

A moment passed before a cacophony of gunfire and wolf howls echoed over the frequency, almost surprising Luna enough to make her jump. Then a voice came through; it sounded like one of Russ’ Wolf Guard. “Sorry, Praetor Russ is unable to answer you message right now, please leave a message after the screams of our enemies.”

Before Luna could question it, a piercing shriek of pain split across the channel. Luna was unsure of what to do and if the capricorn was being serious with that statement. The hesitation gave opening for Leman’s voice to spill through. “Sorry, sister. Erik has a knack for making bad jokes. Proceed onwards. We’ve taken a detour to … warm ourselves up.”

“We’ve gained some interesting allies,” the Chief remarked as he prepared to open another comm channel. “Blue Team should be just about to neutralize engineering as well. Sierra-117 to Blue Team, status report?”

The Team of Blue
Slipspace Drive Core

“No problems so far, John,” Fred replied, an awe-inspired smirk on his face as he presided over both a conflicted-looking floating Huragok and a bank of alien holographic displays arrayed before them in in front of the enemy supercarrier’s translight engine. “The human capricorn on our boarding team is pretty much doing everything for us, here. Kelly is cutting power to the drive core and the thrusters now.”

“Understood, we’re moving to wipe out the starboard guns now. 117, out,” the Master Chief replied over comms.

“If Jorge were a capricorn, he’d be the cuddliest one in the entire species,” Kelly remarked to Fred as she interfaced with the slipspace drive’s terminals.

“I dunno, Kelly,” Fred replied as he turned to keep an eye the Covenant Engineer. “You ever see a picture of one of those capricorn mares from the tribes? Plenty of curves to cuddle with, am I right?”

Kelly snorted in amusement, shaking her head but not lifting her eyes from the displays. “Just keep an eye on our Engineer friend here. Don’t need him blundering off now and accidentally leading more Covenant our way than is needed.”

While her compatriot nodded and continued to keep watch over the Huragok as it drifted tensely to and fro, Kelly was actively cutting off the power flow from the vessel’s pinch fusion reactors to the drive, and causing a number of the ancillary generators that powered the thrusters to overheat and become useless by voiding their safety protocols.

The almost jellyfish-like Huragok let out a sharp mixture of a chirp and a distressed yelp in protest at what was being done to the ship it helped maintain, but otherwise did nothing to resist them.

“Kelly, would you like some help wreaking further havoc?” Cortana asked, bringing the Smart AI’s presence fully to the Spartan’s attention since the start of the boarding operation.

“Negative, Cortana, all taken care of,” Kelly replied. “Just keep jamming the ship's communications and wreaking havoc of your own unless our alicorn commander of hearsay battle experience orders you otherwise.”

“That reached our ears … We beg thy pardon?!” Luna interjected over the channel with a dangerous tone.

“Ooh …” Fred said with a wince. His engineer acquaintance curled up closer to itself and whistled in apprehension as it too had picked up on their radio chatter.

Kelly chuckled vaguely lightheartedly at both of them and at Luna, finally looking up from the Covenant controls. “Humour isn’t really my realm of expertise; apologies, Luna. Celestia has actually shown some of us Spartans your old battle raiments from a millennium ago in private during audiences.”

“That dented and pierced metal in places looked like you had put the armours though hell,” Fred threw in, a report of fire issuing from his battle rifle as he fired at targets below.

“Oh … thou art pardoned! Such wear on armour is from leading at the front of almost every battle, where any self-respecting commander belongs at least a fraction of the time,” Luna replied. “Our previous armours have endured belligerent magical and melee encounters as perilous to the shapes and forms of metals as the heat of a forge.”

“In short, destruction magic makes a lot of heat,” Cortana added. The declaration merited a chuckle from Jorge below and even the tranquilly stoic Linda, who was nearby.

While the conversation was occurring, Linda was on the other end of the room high above on another catwalk, providing sniper support to Jorge on the lowest level of the core room as he mopped up the remaining Covenant crew that resisted. His boots repeatedly stepped over floors and grates slick with violet, blue, and even white blood.

Amongst the fallen foes were all of the core’s plasma pistol-wielding Yanme’e mechanics. They now looked for all the world like they had been hit with a cosmic flyswatter from the Spartans’ handiwork.

“I will purge you with a holy flare and keep your helmet full of red chunky bits as a souvenir!” a Grunt major proclaimed as he caught Jorge’s attention. The stocky alien was priming a plasma grenade just as a round from Linda shattered his backpack and nearly bisected his body at the waist.

“Told you that taunt was too harsh!” another of the Unggoy said.

“May slipspace drive claim vengeance for the death of its mechanics!” a third exclaimed, firing his plasma pistol rapidly at Jorge.

“Not today, you Covie bastards,” Jorge said with a scowl beneath his helmet, opening up with his heavy machine gun and ripping through the remaining Unggoy.

Jorge and Linda quickly eliminated the rest of the hostiles in the chamber with their combination of heavy machine gun and anti-material rifle, and the former paused to survey the mess that had been made.

“Huh. I’d really hate to be a pristine surface on this ship right now, because then I wouldn’t remain one for very much longer,” Jorge stated loudly with a dry chuckle, giving a wave to the rest of Blue Team above.

“Excellent work, Jorge!” Kelly said, peering down briefly before motioning to make her way out to the nearest exit. “Alright, let’s move out and relink with Russ’ people whilst they give them hell. Try to keep up, you three!”

Deity or Foe
En-route to Starboard Firing Control Decks

“Well that takes care of the engines,” Trixie stated as the Chief closed his comm channel. The both of them, McIntosh, and Luna were looking to one another as they lead their forces through the corridors.

“No encounters with Covenant warriors since our explosive ingress of the hangar. Curious, We wonder if the Covenant warriors nearest us may be massing for an ambush in one of these rooms,” Luna said, her eyes narrowed as she scanned each doorjamb and turn they passed whilst following Cortana’s waypoints. “That, or every living hostile on this section of the ship has already met a grisly end at capricorn hands. Your assessment, Chief?”

“I anticipate a mixture of both possibilities, although motion sensors are clear for now,” the Chief replied, eliciting a nod from the alicorn.

“Legionaries!” Big Mac spoke up, adjusting the energy output level on his bright rfile. “I want you keepin’ sharp eyes on our flanks; treat every door as if it was some kind of magical enemy dispenser. If so much as even one Covie pops their head, out, give em’ what’s comin’ to em’.”

“Yes, Sir Legate!” a significant portion of the company responded in synchronization.

While the others brandished their standard issue battle and assault rifles, bright rifles, bright repeaters, as well as a few shotguns, Luna lead the way with a readied destruction spell in her left hand and her bolter pistol aimed in her right, horn ignited with her aura. Her instincts were telling her that an encounter was indeed imminent.

As chance would have it, it was mere seconds away.

Arriving at a four-way intersection of corridors, the legionary company and its four leaders were met by a surprise from a hexagonal maintenance opening in the ceiling one story above that was almost wide enough to drop a Wraith main battle tank through. Three plasma grenades were chucked down to the floor before detonating with unison, which everyone dodged just before a Hunter pair and four Sangheili majors dropped down to their level.

Both Mgalekgolo roared and reared their shields, fuel rod cannons poised to fire at will. Their Sangheili support consisted of two carbines, one dual wielding needlers, and a fourth toting a plasma repeater. While their towering charges growled and lumbered forward menacingly as living bipedal tanks, the Sangheili likewise growled, only to hesitate as they registered Luna’s appearance.

“Aha, there’s the encounter of which We spoke!” Luna declared, sneering as she charged her spell and the others peered down their weapon sights, the Covenant squad’s hesitation the only thing sustaining a tenuous calm that hung by a thread.

“That female, she is no Dohmoh'Eenganenn … those wings and the horn? It cannot be possible!”

“Has a living Goddess returned to anoint us? Forerunners be praised … Alicorns be praised!”

“By the Sacred Rings … the Gods have returned!”

“Watch yourselves, I don’t think the Hunters are as religiously observant as our new Elite ‘friends’ here, Luna!” Cortana cautioned.

As the Elites stared transfixed and almost on the cusp of bowing, the Mgalekgolo bond brothers could hesitate in front of their sworn foes no longer, and attacked without their superiors’ directive. They actually advanced forward and in front of the dazzled Elites that had now become unwelcome stationary obstacles.

When Luna noted the barrel of the left one’s fuel rod cannon beginning to charge up an explosive shot, she knew the time had come for her first direct killing of a Covenant combatant.

Channeling all the power she could into her spell, Luna dealt out a blue beam beam of focused magical electricity just as the Elite majors noticed the Hunters’ aggression. Luna’s beam struck the left Mgalekgolo as the Elites turned against the one on the right.

The left Hunter spasmed and emitted an enraged roar as the destruction magic struck its shield and pulsated right through its armour to the colony of Lekgolo beneath, killing them rapidly. The resulting pouring of energy into the massive gestalt being triggered an explosive cascade that made the Hunter become a living fragmentation grenade.

Luna’s group reeled back as the ensuing explosion killed two of the Elites instantly while a third was crushed by the detonating Hunter’s partner’s shield, and a dying fourth lodged enough needler rounds into the latter to trigger a supercombine reaction. The entire Covenant squad had been reduced to radiating heat, melted metal, and cauterized gore without any of Luna’s companions having needed to fire a single shot.

“Killtrocity, even indirectly! Oh Celestia have mercy … I’ve been watchin’ too many of them there simulated Spartan deathmatches on the Waypoint,” Big Mac remarked as he gawked at the Covenant remains, causing a number of the legionaries to chuckle as all sixty plus of them kept watch and held formation behind him and the others.

“Fear not, Legate Big Mac!” Trixie reassured him. “It was the passive effect of the Chief’s uncanny luck rubbing off on our group as a whole this time!”

“Luck? What is this fortune of which Trixie speaks?” Luna inquired, looking to Master Chief for an explanation.

“It’s not something that can be explained, and it obviously helps with missions every time, so I stopped questioning it,” the Chief replied.

Luna giggled as she holstered the drawn one of her two bolter pistols and motioned the company into a jogging pace, on the move once again and pointing a slender finger forward. “A fair enough explanation, I suppose. Company, forward march, onward to those batteries! May your fortune smile upon us, Spartan.”

Dishonored Guard
Primary Dorsal Hangar, Approach to Sublime Transcendence’s Bridge

While Luna, the Chief, Trixie, and Legate McIntosh lead their own force to wipe out the remaining defensive capabilities of the Covenant supercarrier, Praetor Russ and the Wolf Guard of Onn company had already blasted, slashed, smashed, and tore their way clean through to outermost defenses of Transcendence’s control center

What lay in Russ’ path now was the remainder of a general purpose hangar bay that lay on the topside of the supercarrier along its dorsal structure.

All of the main floor level of the hangar was guarded by a grouping of five Covenant wraith tanks and six stationary shade and fuel rod turrets, three of each. The ceiling boasted an energy barrier opening large enough for two dropships of average size to enter safely side-by-side.

In the engagement, the Fang’s explosives and armour-piercing projectiles from behind cover were rapidly taking their toll on the Covenant vehicular support in the hangar. Meanwhile, Bjorn and two other Promethean Wolves were occupied with tearing, burning, and autocannon-firing their way through the hapless infantry lances that were still resisting despite standing on the threshold of being completely overrun.

Clearly, the only thing preventing the full capturing of the hangar via a constant hail of Capricorn explosive and piercing hardlight projectiles was a series of constant reinforcements that were being hot-dropped from a few phantoms of the Sublime Transcendence’s escort ships that somehow made it through the gauntlet of the naval battle outside, as well as the occasional Covenant lance that would emerge from a side entrance.

As Russ leapt off the fifth wraith after having shoved a krak grenade into its driver compartment and beheading the accompanying Unggoy plasma gunner, he noticed that a small number of heavily armed Covenant reinforcements had emerged from the side of the hangar that lead to the bridge in addition to the more mundane reinforcements.

The wraith meanwhile exploded in a hail of cyan flame shortly after its increasingly brazen Unggoy pilot fired a plasma mortar round that missed its mark and blasted through one of the hangar’s architectural braces, bringing down the platform and accompanying shade turret it’d supported onto a small mob of panicking Grunts.

All of the incoming Sangheili's distinct curvaceous combat harnesses that were both ornate and illuminated aroused Russ’ suspicion, as it made him recall intel on the Covenant, Allied Command had shared with him by way of Cortana.

“Who are these new prey?” Russ spoke, his question directed towards Cortana.

“Covenant Honour Guardsmen – shouldn’t give you too much trouble if you don’t mind enemies with insanely happy trigger fingers. Although … their presence here cannot be for no reason. They have to be here because a San’Shyuum is present, and I’m detecting highly probable evidence on the Covenant battlenet that it could be a very important one. The High Prophet of Regret.”

A bellowing laugh came from the Praetor, one that caused nervous glances from the incoming Honour Guard. “It’s an apt name. It will suit him when he realises who he faces.”

Russ’ laughter continued as he dodged a charged plasma pistol shot and fired his bolt pistol in return, the rounds hitting their mark in a Kig-Yar mercenary through the crennelation in her point defense gauntlet, nearly blasting the alien in half.

His echoing chorus of laughter carried over the hanger through the staccatos of weapons fire, causing more Unggoy to break rank and scatter in terror, or drop their weapons and draw their grenades in an attempted but always futile suicide charge at the nearest Praetor.

“That heretic warrior with the most prominent armour, I doubt his sanity,” one of the Sangheili guardsman remarked with alarm in their species’ native tongue, gesturing towards Russ in the distance with his plasma rifle.

His closest compatriot growled in disapproval as he hefted a fuel rod cannon and peered down its sights. “When have heretics ever possessed a sound mind? Stand firm and be the Prophets’ holy instrument of wrath, brother, or be left behind as they will be.”

At that, the first guardsman sought to compensate for himself by proceeding to discharge his plasma rifle towards Russ and nearby capricorns with just enough rapidfire build up to not fully overheat. This coincided with his companion and the rest of the Honour Guard present to begin discharging their weapons in full rather than just of light weapons fire whilst busily deploying energy shield barricades.

“Cortana, seal the hangar. Cut the foe from its reinforcements,” Russ dictated, not even bothering to take the time to glance at the incoming Phantoms.

“You know, a good way to keep out mosquitoes is to simply … shut the window!” Cortana affirmed.

By now, the remainder of the turrets had been destroyed, and the regular stream of additional Covenant reinforcements from the phantoms was finally cut off as Cortana seized enough control of the supercarrier’s systems to phase-seal the energy barrier door in the ceiling tight against solid objects.

The final batch of Covenant troops that were able to be deployed via phantom before Cortana’s intervention consisted of two Mgalekgolo pairs reinforced by a trio of special operations Elites dual wielding plasma rifles. This deployment served as one of the few groups of infantry that remained besides the Honour Guards themselves, who were attempting to keep the Fangs suppressed with their heavy weapons and rapid-fire plasma.

Any attempts at suppression faltered within a minute with a decisive finality as Emil Silverwolf managed to commandeer the remaining intact wraith tank and used its mortar to obliterate one of the two Hunter pairs, while Bjorn began sparring with the remaining two Mgalekgolo.

Bjorn’s two Promethean Wolf companions began targeting the Honour Guards, of whose heavy weapon users were signaling out the mechanical constructs. One of the two sustained nearly enough damage to warrant a retreat, but nevertheless the pair smashed through the left and right of the Honour Guards’ barricade formation, leaving the central section guarding the way to the ship’s bridge vulnerable to a final capricorn push.

Having succeeded in killing one of the two surviving Hunters in his spar, Bjorn ripped the shield off the armoured suit of the first and used it to topple over its enraged bond brother while his peers tore through the Covenant barricade. The oldest of the Promethean Wolves then followed up by using his flamer near one of the now exposed gaps in the flailing beast’s suit Incinerating the Lekgolo colony it consisted of to ash, Bjorn slew the Mgalekgolo in seconds just as his biological Praetorian counterparts began their charge.

A chilling howl erupted from Russ, joined immediately after by the other Fangs. The combined sound reverberated in the room, reaching near deafening volumes.

With the Promethean Wolves now upon them, the original force of thirty heavily armed Elite Honour Guards had been reduced to twenty-one, and like their predecessors Russ had first encountered upon entering the ship, they quickly realized they were going to be overrun with the current state of the hangar.

Three of the Honour Guard that were not evading and attempting to fight the Promethean Wolves readied their grenades while the rest ignited energy swords or grabbed the energy staves that had been brought in anticipation of just such a fatal occasion as a melee charge. The very thought brought about a sneer on Russ’s face.

It was the sneer that was one of the first and very last things the nearest Honour Guards saw as Krakenmaw cleaved through armour, and flesh, and bone.

An enemy that fled when it knew crushing defeat was inevitable, was prudent but unsatisfying to warriors that sought glory. On the opposite side of the coin, an enemy that held its ground in the interest of honour was unwise and perhaps noble, but was clearly wasting its own lives as well.

Following just a second’s breadth behind Russ, the Wolf Guard and the remaining enemy Honour Guard slammed into one another in betwixt the wreckage of the wraiths with a massive momentum that made it clear which side already had the upperhand. Energy staves were dodged with almost imperceptible speed, while power weapons dueled against blades of superheated plasma.

Each Honour Guard focused on a single target, fighting with all their strength. Krom Morkai was among the first who was immediately engaged in combat upon entering the fray. The Honour Guard thrust his stave at Krom, managing to clip the side of the armour as the massive capricorn swiftly lunged forward and to the side. A well placed elbow knocked the Honour Guard off balance and forward, allowing Krom to spin in behind the Elite. With a roar of primal fury, Krom brought his axe straight down, bisecting the Elite with apparent ease.

One Honour Guard was unfortunate enough to glance in the wrong direction whilst parrying, for in that split second, fire wreathed wolf claws dug into his midsection, picking him up in the air. A predatory grin flashed across the face of Solvi Fireclaw before she pulled her claws apart, eviscerating the Elite, leaving him in two halves. The entire action barely took more than a few seconds.

Another took to engaging the large ashen-furred Havrom Dragonteeth. The Elite struck first, swinging his energy sword down on Havrom, only to be blocked by the metal shaft of his dual headed greataxe. The Elite tried to power through but there was no give from the Fang. Instead, a swift kick to the knee from Havrom collapsed the Elite. Without a second to try and dodge, the axe head cut down from the left base of the neck, all the way through to the right side.

Quickly, the last of the Honour Guards were fighting to their last breath, and Russ happened to be one of the capricorns present to finish one of them off. For him, the opportunity of the final kill was somewhat grin-inducing.

Bringing his energy stave about, the now lone Honour Guard charged at Russ with a thrust attack that he not only dodged, but also utilized the momentum of to give extra force to his own counterattack.

Krakenmaw carved a huge gash through the guardsman’s chest and severed his right arm at the biceps. While the Sangheili dropped his stave with a loud clatter and bowed over on a knee with a pained growl, Russ’ grin was no longer there as he seized the alien by his mandibles and pushed inward with armoured hands.

Russ then peered up as he brushed brainmatter off of his gauntlets, through the flickering blue transparency of the hangar’s energy barrier. Something in the battle outside had changed, and it was in that moment that several distinct events unfolded at once.

“That large spatial anomaly that we were picking up on the distant tail end of this Covenant fleet? It’s rearing its head now,” Cortana stated with concern over the boarding force’s primary radio channel. “And it wasn’t coming alone … Home Fleets, I hope you’re seeing this.”

While the door to the Sublime Transcendence’s bridge that the now massacred Honour Guard reinforcements had been guarding finally went ajar to reveal more guardsman that were standing oddly still and stoically, the systems in Russ’ armour picked up the telltale signs of the dozens of external comm lines responding to both Cortana and one another.

Russ ignored the faint chatter and instead casted his eyes upwards to space. A few of the Wolf Guard did the same, but the majority of the rest began to slowly close in towards the newly revealed Covenant, who only continued to bizarrely hold their position.

Space was warping in the far distance with distinctive white-blue flashes of light that all of the Praetors recognized instantly as ubiquitous phenomena generated by vessels emerging from slipstream space. They were almost like ripples in water.

Hundreds of slipspace ruptures opened both in unison and in scattered sequences, each one admitting a Covenant warship of varying classification into the Solaris system. They were soon joined in their vastly growing naval menagerie by a single large slipspace rupture from which emerged an almost umbrella-shaped station whose mass was big enough to blot out most of the argent view of Selene from Russ’ perspective.

A shimmering, almost mirage-esque effect was achieved by the Covenant station in its visage from the sheer energy required to transfer such a large object from the slipstream and into normal space.

Heavy weapons fire began between the newly arrived Covenant armada and Equis’ nearest defences. Despite the support of the planet’s still full-strength orbital defense grid, the portion of Solarian Concordat’s Home Fleets within range of the new hostiles were being devastated quickly due to their inability to prepare, causing entire battle groups to be recalled from the far side of Equis to reinforce them.

Now, the Concordat radio chatter was growing in intensity with angered and worried voices to finally warrant Russ turning the channel off on his end, leaving just the neural links and his link to Cortana online instead.

All of the Wolf Guards halted in their slow predatory steps towards the Honour Guards and the control center entrance, and peered with bemused glances as visible Sangheili suddenly bowed with reverence before them on bended knee with a resounding chorus of “Rt’ussan.”

The chorus coincided with an aged feminine voice that echoed across the intercom system the supercarrier possessed vessel-wide. The speaker's’ delivery was both urgent and commanding, but yet was not devoid of subtle indicators of benevolence.

“Brothers and sisters of the Sublime Transcendence, cease your hostilities towards the intruders at once! The High Prophet of Regret has made his final blunder; the promise of the Primal Halo has proven fallow and his foolish arrogance has lead High Charity to this great peril! Li’una and R’tussan are within our midst. The falsely dubbed Heretics have been their servants all along!”

“So sayeth the Prophetess of Obligation!” one of the guardsmen said in reverent Sangheili.

“The very Gods themselves have returned from the Great Journey wielding wrath onto this ship to correct Regret’s impudence in desecrating their holy system. You will grant them hallowed passage!”

“Glory unto Russ, the Sharpened Sword of the Gods; glory unto the Alicorns and their Chosen on their path to transcendence; honour unto the Sacred Rings!” the Honour Guards’ chanting continued, a polarizing mixture of both conflicted and fervent tones.

“Looks like you have a few followers, Russ,” Viveka spoke, a large grin plastered on her face. None of the Wolf Guard had to guess to know what she was going to say next. With a booming laugh came, “Even more of a reason to break out the mjord later, if his holy reverence allows it!”

Russ looked at the bowed Sangheili, a frown spread across his muzzle, his eyes glaring as he gazed at each one. His voice came at a whisper, one that only his Wolf Guard picked up. One that only his closest confidant understood. “I never wanted this. This was Logar’s thing, not mine.”

“Russ … this means two major Covenant San’Shyuum are still on this carrier,” Cortana said with urgency. “That oversized space umbrella is their mobile capital, High Charity, but it’s currently escaping before the rest of Home Fleet can catch up to it … I guess that ‘Primal Halo’ they came looking for isn’t here anymore … or never was.”

Cortana paused for a moment, and Russ mentally pictured her folding her arms energetically.

“Now, with those two Prophets in our custody for questioning, we should finally be able to track High Charity down. However, I’m assuming you and your Wolf Guard would prefer to go after them with more pleasant company than just me to keep you entertained.” Cortana’s urgency partially gave way to a light playfulness as she drew to the end of her statement.

Russ’ reply on the other hand was rather even and lacking the typical boisterous nature to it. “Onn can handle the task, but if this is the reception we’ll be getting, Luna’s group should make it easier.” There was a moment of silence following his words, before he looked back to his Wolf Guard. “Luna’s group is closing in. Prepare to end this.”

The declaration was followed by another sudden usage of the Covenant intercom system. What words were said were laden with venomous outrage.

“You will resume your duty in cleansing this holy vessel! Former Hierarch Obligation has spoken a supreme heresy. These so-called gods are tricksters that were left behind and cast our way to lead us astray of the Path! All those on your knees now will rise to my words, or you are to be executed by your peers with prejudice! This is inquisition!”

“Regret is the heretic, brothers! Our Imperial Admiral has revealed this in whispers, Ulgethon was the final sign of our Hierarchs’ betrayal!” one of the Elites proclaimed, only rising partly from his bow.

“Faithless cur! I will silence you and your lies where you stand!” another Honour Guard growled.

What Russ and the Fangs witnessed next was their enemy turning on itself as the formation of Sangheili broke into rancor and savage infighting, adding fire to an insurrection that had now engulfed most of the ship in mere seconds.

“Huh, what an interesting end this will likely be, Russ,” Cortana remarked over the primary comms, eliciting snorts of both bemusement and amusement from a number of the capricorns present.

Status Report
Central Gravity Lift Hangar Bay

Deep within the logistical heart of the Covenant supercarrier’s muster bays, the Wolf Lord of Tra company surveyed her soldiers’ handiwork. One word could be used to describe the chamber that crowned the warship’s primary gravity lift: bedlam.

Every Covenant vehicle the capricorns had encountered that was piloted at the time of their intrusion were now piles of steaming metal slag.

Over two dozen ghosts and their pilots had been torn apart by weapons fire and grenades with their engines detonating shortly after, with nine wraiths and three spectres burned here and there, and the bent and warped barrels of shade turrets and paneling from equipment crates and plasma batteries were scattered all over the hangar every which way.

Meanwhile, the Fangs had broken up into smaller squads, each accompanied by a rune mage to help them track down any surviving Covenant soldiers that were lurking in the wreckage whilst also gathering their own casualties. It was during this mopping up that Rurika had heard the Prophetess Obligation’s address to the entire ship.

With the hangar so far gone to the enemy during the address and Regret’s subsequent counter-declaration, Rurika had seen very little of the schism now tearing apart what sections of the ship the Fangs of Fenris companies, Luna’s force, or Blue Team had not yet reached.

“Wolf Lord Rurika of Tra reporting in. Hangar is secure. Casualties are minimal,” Rurika voiced over the general comms network, relaying her situation to Russ. There was a moment of pause before she got a reply.

“Keep a rear guard, then fester the rest of the Covenant out. You might encounter some deserters … try not to maim them too badly. Pass the new info along,” Russ replied over the link.

“Copy, Great Wolf,” Rurika replied before turning her attention back to her forces in the hangar.

She smiled a toothy grin before calling her company in to gather up, relaying an announcement. “The Covenant are fleeing with their tails between their legs. It’s time for us to secure the rest of this ship for The Great Wolf, let’s move!”

Table of Death
Central Deck

“Hel, status report. The Great Wolf has new info,” Rurika’s voice came over a direct neural comms link. Hel Morkai, Wolf Lord of Tra-Tra, the Maws of Morkai, didn’t answer at first, as she was too busy cutting down an Elite with her great axe, the Axe of Morkai. The Wolf Lord let out a howl of victory before charging into the fray in front of her.

Her company had linked up quickly since the boarding, with their task being to cause general mayhem and disorder among the Covenant ship. To Hel, that meant that Tra-Tra’s job was to kill as many Covenant personnel as possible. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

As of the moment, they were fighting their ways through the hallways of the ship, though Hel’s Wolf Guard and two Grey Hunter packs had engaged the Covenant in a large two story room, a mess hall from the general aesthetics of the area.

“Hel, for once in your life, take a moment away from killing and answer me!” Rurika’s voice cut through again, being annoying enough to earn an eyeroll from Hel as she dodged an Unggoy’s plasma pistol, bringing up her bolter and putting three quick shots into its body, or at least what was left after the first shot.

“Here’s your damn report; we’re slaughtering Covenant like a Kraken going after a school of fish!” Hel replied back over the comms and out loud, punctuating her point with a rather evil sounding laugh. Much like the Wolf Lord of Tra-Tra before her, and the one before that, she had a rather bloodthirsty streak in her. That was something all Fangs in the company had in common. “And I heard the transmission, Rurika. It was relayed over the Legion network.”

She looked out from her little section of cover behind the jutting frame of the ship. Despite every design of the Covenant’s being different, they still had one thing in common; tables. Dashing out from cover as soon as she holstered her bolter and axe, Hel zig zagged through the hailstorm of enemy fire before grabbing a table that had been flipped on its side. In a blur of speed she had turned the table over and used it as a makeshift shield.

Using her sheer strength and enhanced abilities, Hel charged forward with the table, her hearing and sense of smell directing her. The confused Elite she charged at, had no time to move out of the way before being squished against the wall with a booming thud, the charge by Hel being akin to a runaway freight train.

As she drew out her weapons again to engage the enemy in close combat, she spoke out loud again while sending the exact message over the comms link to Rurika. “Their blood looks good splattered on power armour! It’s like a mural of death!”

All that came in reply from Rurika was a deep sigh.

Killing is My Business ...
Antechamber, En-route to Control Center

Shortly after securing the starboard weapons batteries and denying the supercarrier her last remaining means to fight back against Concordat vessels that were participating in the naval battle still raging outside, Luna and her newly-acquired forces cut their own swath of destruction towards the control room. Clearing a hangar defended by three lances of stealth Sangheili and Unggoy resulted in the loss of one of Trixie’s Praetorian Guards and seven Equestrian legionaries before they passed through one of the living decks onboard the ship, one directly above Hel’s own path of destruction.

A loud interior thud sounded from below the group. They knew there was a force battling on the level below them; the sounds of constant streams of weapons fire coming from certain maintenance openings was obvious enough, but the massive thud caused more than a few Equestrian legionaries to look down as if to spot something. They only shrugged in response before moving on.

After that and wiping out the inhabitants of three separate barracks and two common and eating areas with a mixture of weapons fire, melee, and magic, an armoury was encountered. It was closest to the periphery corridors of the control center that the warriors found it just as the conflicting declarations of the two Covenant Prophets had sparked chaos.

Having two entrances on their end of the room’s exterior corridor, Luna ordered Big Mac and the Master Chief to split from them with two quarters of the company to raid the armoury while herself and Trixie took the rest of the legionaries to probe the way into the control center. Both divisions maintained contact over their comms.

“Damn, Regret is ordering his remaining loyal followers on the ship to regroup in the control center to help keep us out and keep their standoff against Obligation’s people inside in check,” Cortana informed the group.

“No …” Trixie interposed. “Not just that. They’re also running from our new allies!”

“We believe Russ’s charges would only take delight at the increasing concentration of foes in one spot. Legate McIntosh, Chief, what do you see in the armoury?” Luna inquired as she and Trixie lead the way into a large antechamber to the control center – one of two primary entrances.

The entrance’s counterpart was currently being observed by Russ and his Wolf Guard as they gradually approached while its Covenant attendants continued to shed each other’s blood.

“You’d have to see it to believe it, Princess,” Big Mac replied first.

“Seven Unggoy majors in the armoury killed one of two Elites present and are forcing the second to juggle plasma grenades at needler-point. They’re chanting something about ‘Obligation is love’ and that all Elites and Prophets are now obligated to do the bidding of Grunts … “ the Chief’s voice trailed off the longer he tried to describe a bizarre situation in the nearby room.

“They’re completely ignoring us,” Big Mac added. “We’re going to clean em’ out unless you have an override, Your Highness.”

“Nay Legate, leave them be and rejoin with us … We have suspicions about this entrance to the control center. Its pervading calm and lack of visible habitation reeks with tactical treachery.”

“Motion sensors are clear, but I suspect more stealthed Covenant in your vicinity,” Cortana cautioned, lending weight to Luna’s suspicions.

“We’re moving now,” came the Chief’s reply as Luna scanned hers and the company’s surroundings with narrowed eyes and her bolter aimed.

Luna and Trixie’s antechamber route was an interesting sight to behold on a warship. At the same time, it was also a foreboding one for almost any commander in Luna’s place.

With a mixture of patches of moss and lichen, trees, small waterworks and ponds, and even some alien birds, the chlorophyll and water-smelling artificial sanctuary would have been a tranquil sensory experience. However, that was rendered fallow by the distant clattering of weapons fire, furious voices, and the occasional subtle lurching of the ship from exterior explosions.

“Your Highness! I think one of those bushes just shuffled over there!” A gryphon legionary said, taking to hovering just above the formation with a few other gryphons and some pegasi, inspecting the nearest garden while peering down his bright repeater’s sights. With that spoken, all of the gryphons aerial colleagues and a large number of their terrestrial counterparts began doing the same.

“Eh … ? Hiiiyah!”

“Gack!” an Unggoy voice cried out in a shrill yelp over their default high-pitched voice as they crumpled to the ground.

To the surprise of some, one of Trixie’s squadmates had just detected and swiftly killed, with a bipedal and air-cracking sideways kick to the skull, an Unggoy that had been using active camouflage.

While the Praetorian earth pony mare spent just a brief second inspecting the slain combatant, she failed to notice the glowing blue of a two-pronged blade as it charged and crackled to life. An energy sword made its way through the soldier’s gut, cleanly penetrating the armour completely as its wielder used it as leverage to raise the soldier into the air and toss her into part of the formation, dazing a couple of the legionaries.

Such a quiet but noticeable kill triggered the whole company to begin lighting up the air with fire in the Elite’s direction.

“Active camo, active camo!” One of the legionaries shouted over the sounds of combined gunfire.

“You don’t say … ?” another shouted.

“Trixie will make you pay for that!” Trixie snapped at the sword-wielding Elite, swapping to her magic and levitating both her rifle and bolter pistol into a motley form of dual wielding as she blasted much of the greenery in her line of sight apart.

Distinct and unnatural shimmering patterns in the air of the antechamber park became visible to both Trixie and the others as the gunfire continued. Concurrently, Legate McIntosh and Master Chief rushed into the room with the other half of the company supporting them, and they all joined the fray.

“Now they move, We can see them!” Luna shouted as she fired her bolter at one of the other stealthed Elites, all the while igniting her horn and charging a spell that would prevent a large number of friendly casualties over the next two minutes. “We can mark them! If it fights veiled in cobalt light and it is not Ourselves, strike it down!”

“Just how much power do you have?” Cortana remarked with amused exasperation.

“A profound question for another time. We do know that ten of these such spells could be casted while raising the Moon in unison before Our mind would begin to risk hemorrhage,” Luna replied in a deliberately mystique-filled tone as she engaged the enemy.

While one Elite half exploded, half toppled over from Luna’s bolter fire, the rest of the Covenant Sangheili, Unggoy, and Kig-Yar all became visible in the chamber as the same cobalt aura imposed itself upon their moving and urgently scrambling forms. They easily numbered over forty, and Luna had already taken to the air with her wings, reducing as many Covenant as she could to burning limbs with bursts of explosive hardlight.

Since all previous semblance of stealth had shattered entirely, the Covenant hostiles present had pulled out all stops and were now using full gear, including point-defense gauntlets on the Kig-Yar.

“Pegasi, gryphons, claim the advantage of heights in those trees,” Luna ordered in mid-flight. “Those with throwable explosives, now is the time to utilize their power.”

“Wuh … the mark of the Dark Goddess is upon us!” one of the Unggoy whimpered.

“She’s everywhere!” another exclaimed with terror. “We chose wrong Prophet!”

The second Unggoy was promptly shot dead by the closest Covenant Kig-Yar mercenary, wielding a beam rifle, at an Elite’s order, before himself and another Unggoy nearby were subsequently killed by one of the Master Chief’s frag grenades after it exploded under them at the edge of a pond.

The resulting plume of water and dirt temporarily dazed the surviving combatants near it, allowing Luna to sweep to the ground once more and cut one of the other Jackals down from behind. She then grabbed the bird-like alien and used him as a battering ram, shield gauntlet-first, against a charging Elite whose plasma bolts both glanced off the shield and burned the Kig-Yar.

As Luna forced the near identical-sized Sangheili back, a telekinesis field she casted swept her sword through a trio of Unggoy along the way like a scythe through grain, and Luna drew one of her bolter pistols once more in her right hand.

Luna placed the barrel through the point defense gauntlet’s right firing groove and against the Elite’s abdomen. She fired the heavy pistol until the enemy warrior’s shield gave way and the flesh beneath sustained catastrophic damage. She then let both bodies topple over in an unruly heap and returned her sword to her left hand before surveying the situation.

Master Chief and Big Mac had joined over twenty-five of the legionaries in an infantry square with all of the latter having deployed their bright-powered counterpart to Kig-Yar gauntlets or simply casted shielding spells. Noticing this, Luna retrieved the dead mercenary’s shield and tossed it to the Master Chief. He caught it with a nod while Big Mac got Trixie’s attention with a wave of his foreleg at her own infantry square and they traded gestures that relayed their intended movement.

Both infantry squares coalesced into a single defensive circle as the gryphons and pegasi infantry supported from above. Several legionaries had been cut down by plasma bolts, but the Covenant in the room were being depleted and exhausted much more quickly from the aerial-dropped grenades and harassment from above that forced them to divide their attention.

It was then that Cortana opened up on a channel unexpectedly with a new development. In the interest of conserving comms channel usage, all naval chatter had been directed her way on the main channel for the majority of the boarding operation.

“Got some good news and some bad news now that we’re just waiting on Blue Team. It may be a little bit before they join Russ’ force and ourselves at the control center entrances while we secure our side,” Cortana said in an even, neutral tone.

“We’re listening … well, Trixie knows the gunfire is currently boisterous universally aboard this ship, but we’re listening nonetheless!” Trixie chimed in.

“Boisterous? Obviously you’ve never seen Viveka when she’s drunk,” Erik Twiceslain’s voice came over the comms network, earning multiple growling laughs from other Fangs.

“I’ll make you eat your words, Erik. I’ll use you as a personal shield if I have too!” Viveka Siegebreaker replied in response.

“Stop bickering you two and shut your traps,” Dagmar snapped at the pair. “We’re listening.”

“High Charity and its defense fleet retreated back the way they came. But, Regret’s fleet is still a problem; Roam’s ICBM arsenal and Home Fleet did a catastrophic number on it, but even without command from the Imperial Admiral we’re about to meet, their surviving shipmasters are slippery navigators. I’m still seeing right now if I can find anything on High Charity’s rally point from here in the Transcendence’s nav computers.”

“Where is the Spartan team? They’re testing my patience,” Russ questioned, a little bit of irritation on his voice.

“If those stealth Covenant Luna’s company encountered were any indication, I’d guess they’ve been running into ambushes outside engineering,” Cortana speculated.

“Hunters, actually!” Fred responded. “Apparently we were near where most of the ship’s living tanks tended to congregate, and none of them were turning against each other, so … bit of a delay.”

“We’ll move without them if they can’t handle a few foes. Onn, prepare to end this! Luna, if you want to be there, I suggest you hurry. Opportunity dwindles if not seized right away,” Russ stated with finality before leaving the comm network.

While the Chief whittled down another Elite’s shield with his assault rifle and Trixie finished him off with three bolter pistol shots, Luna responded before issuing her next order.

“We are already on the cusp of our own incursion inside, and thank thee, Cortana! Legionaries, Russ has given voice to the very action all of ye no doubt crave for in thy minds. It is time we make that action real!” the alicorn said.

“Amity and courage! Glory and might!” The Imperial Legion company and Legate McIntosh answered in unison as they felled the remaining stealth Covenant in the antechamber before forming up behind and around Luna, Trixie, Master Chief. The frontmost storm legionaries were interlocking their shields.

“Unit, forward march! Shield wall, forward and breach,” Luna directed, her drawn sword pointed blade-first at the blast door that was now the sole obstacle guarding the way to the control center beyond.

Golden-hued magical shield gauntlets quickly marched towards the door with a breadth of ten soldiers across. Most had swapped to their sidearms for usage with the shield, but a few still carried their rifles in one hand, talon, or hoof. The barrels jutted out in between the crenellations of the shielded formation like serpent’s tongues.

Two of the company’s unicorns advanced with the shield wall towards on either side. They ignited their horns and began magically blasting their way along the lines of the blast door’s panel contacts that converged on the same central locking mechanism that adorned most doors on the Covenant carrier.

When the lock was at last melted and the door structurally compromised, two earth ponies in the formation pressed ahead a meter and line themselves to parallel to each other, facing the door.

In synchronization, the duo kicked the surface of the blast door with enough force to warp it. Luna saw that it would require at least another two consecutive pairs of kicking to topple the door with finality, so she promptly moved in betwixt them.

“We will assist,” Luna declared with a light smile.

The legionaries hesitated at her with surprise for only a second before all three this time sent their combined kicks into the alien-manufactured alloy. Such force, instead of toppling the door, sent it flying a whole another meter back.

“For Equis!” some of the company shouted as everyone pressed their way into the control center.

As armoured boots and hooves stomped over the crumpled metal of the blast door, Luna’s force was met with an unsurprising but chaotic sight.

An entire Covenant force in the tremendous circular chamber that surrounded the bridge’s primary rooms was locked in a three-way fight between the rogue Covenant that occupied most of the interior, as well as Russ and the Fangs of Onn company that had already entered from the other side – a tactical position that was tantamount to oblivion.

Dozens of Elites, scores of Unggoy, and three hunter pairs supported by the occasional irregular grouping of Kig-Yar skirmisher specialists and Huragok all loyal – save for the latter-most case, given Engineers’ default neutral disposition – to the Prophet of Regret stood in between the Concordat boarding team and what was inside the Sublime Transcendence’s bridge. The battle against them was brief but just as equally fierce and bloody.

All of Regret’s remaining loyalists in and around the control center were dead. However, there were the exceptions of the Kig-Yar mercenaries that had surrendered when obliteration became evident as the only other choice, as well as the Engineers, which had been noncombatants from the start. With the loyalists out of the picture, some newcomers made their presence known in the now casualty and debris-riddled outer perimeter of the control center.

... And Business is Good
Control Center

A group of several Sangheili emerged from the inner control center. Their weapons were holstered and were not in combative stances.

Disturbingly to some that observed, the group of Elites seemed as if in a state of worship. They were like cultists being lead by some invisible hierophant towards a sacred altar.

“R’tussan, Sharpened Sword of the Alicorns! Li’una, one of the Mover-of-Moons! Holiest ones, we are Your servants.” a Sangheili Honour Guard greeted, kneeling. “We, specifically, are the newly enlightened Witnesses of R’tussan! Our Imperial Admiral Xytan ‘Jar Wattinree, in the stead of the Prophetess of Obligation, humbly requests audience in the control center of this vessel, Your present followers included.”

“In Obligation’s stead? This could be a trap,” Cortana cautioned quietly to both Luna and Leman via their respective neural links. “Not that they are a legitimate threat to us, but you know, the humiliation of springing enemies’ traps and such … okay, probably not a legitimate threat either.”

Luna shook her head in befuddlement at Cortana before regarding the Sangheili for a moment studiously. “This battle draws to a close both within and without this vessel, and this parley shall be the end of it. We accept this audience with thy admiral. Be warned however, any treachery shall result in thy collective doom. We shall dispense vengeance in manner quasi-reminiscent of the deities you claim us to be.”

“A … thousand pardons, we know not to trifle with the burning wrath of living gods, Your Holiness,” one of the other Honour Guards replied, his brain refusing to scrutinize the alicorn’s wording for fear of such a powerful being.

A glance from Luna over to Russ revealed what he thought of the ‘Witnesses of R’tussan’, as his expression was lined with cold disgust at what he was hearing. He looked as though he was about to saying something, or to even raise his blade to the Sangheili, but instead he merely turned his head away, his features still showing his disgust.

“Onn, stay out here, all of you included,” Russ said towards the gathered Fangs and his Wolf Guard before turning his head to the sole Promethean Wolf in the room. “Let us finish this, Bjorn.”

“You’re taking the oversized trash can but not us?!” Krom spoke out as he stepped forward but was instantly quelled with barred teeth from Russ. That didn’t stop him from voicing his dissent. “You stripped us of our Companies and you won’t even let us do our new task?”

“Your task has always been to follow my orders, Krom. I expect you to do it. Secure the rest of the ship,” Russ replied with ice in every word he spoke.

“But Jarl-” Dagmar tried to speak before silencing her words in her own throat.

“You have trusted my leadership through the countless eons, just trust me once more, Dagmar” Russ spoke before walking towards the final room to finish this fight. None of his Wolf Guard looked pleased with his choice but they knew that their Great Wolf worked in mysterious ways.

"Eons, says the Sharpened Sword! What profound power and wisdom the Gods must have amassed over so long a span before beginning the Journey!" one of the Elites cut in.

“Be quiet with that ‘Gods’ nonsense! I am no god!” Russ snapped at the Elites, his anger coming to a head at that line alone.

“If this is a test of faith, then you will not be disappointed, Holy One!” another of the Sangheili nearest Russ declared with dedication in his voice, before scratching at one of his mandibles.

There was an audile sigh from the large capricorn, followed by snickers from a couple in the Wolf Guard that had overheard as everyone proceeded onwards.

Entering a spacious room of holographic displays and elevated workspace platforms, Luna, Chief, Russ, Trixie, McIntosh, and Bjorn’s thundering form all regarded the tallest Sangheili any of them had yet seen.

The massive figure was roughly equal in height with Luna, Russ, and the Master Chief, who were otherwise amongst the tallest beings currently onboard the Transcendence if the Mgalekgolo, Bjorn, and the rest of the Promethean Wolves were not taken into account. The Elite commander’s forbearance was as stoic and wistful as a derelict orbital platform that still kept watch over its parent world. His armour was heavily ornate and sported a cape. Each surface was adorned at regular intervals by Forerunner and Alicorn symbology.

Imperial Admiral Xytan ‘Jar Wattinree was obviously not alone in the control room; there was no privacy to alleviate his existential brooding. The Prophet of Truth, one of three main sources of the alien Admiral’s woes, hovered nearby whilst wielding a poisonous glare that he cast at all in his sight.

The San’Shyuum was under constant guard by the Honour Guards that had betrayed him and each wielding either a concussion rifle or a plasma launcher. If he so much as fired his throne’s weapon systems once, Regret would be vapourized near instantaneously.

Besides them were several other Sangheili and a few remaining Unggoy who had taken to gathering in a circle, chanting something amongst themselves about the ‘Mover-of-Moons.’

“Blessed Forerunners and Alicorns above them, the living false idols walk amongst us. I am breathing the air of heresy itself! The burden of consequence from your blasphemies will weigh you down beneath the tides when the worthy pass into the divine beyond!” Regret taunted at the newcomers from his perilous position.

Luna and the others met his gaze with their own glares that were enough to make the Prophet stall any further words he had in his throat from sheer wordless loathing, never to be uttered.

“Silence, ‘ere I end your ‘state of grace’ for all time as we did to your defiant stewards!” one of the presiding Honour Guards snarled.

Meanwhile, Wattinree himself paid the Hierarch no further attention after having had to settle for spending several long minutes of the ship-wide battle studying Regret in a considerably new light. He instead greeted his new guests, approaching just a few steps down and towards them from the main command platform he stood upon. Towering holographic readouts stood behind him – schematics of the ship that glowed an urgent red in several places.

“So you are the so-called Gods that we’ve encountered in person as a consequence of this foredoomed expedition to a distant star system,” Wattinree spoke, gesturing to everything around them. “Lod Mron’s – Regret’s – once exalted aunt speaks truly … if to only an extent. I welcome you aboard my ship, in spite of all that has happened this day.”

Luna was the first to stride up to address the Sangheili leader in kind, her face bearing little expression but still conveying a degree of coldness. “Thine willingness to parley is to be commended, considering what We have heard of this Covenant Empire from which thou hails. Now answer Us thusly, what was it thou sought in coming here? What is the Primal Halo? And where has Obligation gone to?”

“Obligation has taken my weapons master Sanji’ik, some of the Honour Guard, and the Huragok with her to rally the others in the remainder of my ship to a cessation of hostilities,” Wattinree explained. His body language indicated that extremely truncated information from then onwards was forthcoming.

“And? We’re listening,” the Chief responded, holding his rifle in the air in an appropriate level of readiness as he processed the words of what was still in all official Concordat definition an enemy commander.

“You’re clearly not like the rest, Elite. You use your senses where the rest shut them out. Yet you still serve as if a pelt is tied over your eyes … why?” Russ spoke up, earning the direct attention of Wattinree.

“In your time you must have seen many servants that were greater than the sum of their masters. In my own case, rising above my station in the interest of truth would have only hindered the process for those reformers and truth-bearers that would come after. I realize it is not my lot in life, I am but one mason of many who pave the roads along the journey for the truly exalted to forge ahead. As for the answer to your questions, Li’una, you will be granted them. But at a cost.”

“What might that be?” Trixie interjected for Luna, standing on all fours now and telekinetically adjusting one of the straps on her armour with both her bolter pistol and bright rifle ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice.

Wattinree balled his long fingers into fists. “The computer on my person will answer many of your questions and no doubt garner more, none of which your intrusive construct will have been able to dredge up from our machines without some variety of your equine sorcery we still have yet to secure a grasp of understanding upon.”

“I guess I’m good but not that good, I can’t digitally ‘possess’ a data device that is not connected to a network,” Cortana mused so that even the Imperial Admiral could hear over what remained of his fleet’s battlenet. “Using magic to retrieve it form your person would probably be dishonourable, huh?”

“To answer your questions, one of you must claim my life in combat. Claim what I know with a key of repentant blood. Obligation will reveal the rest when she returns here to the control center. I have spent these long and demanding decades as the distinguished leader of a corrupt theocracy. The existence of those such as you here before me now is evidence that the Sacred Rings are no key to apotheosis.”

“If you are seeking a worthy death, then I will grant your wish,” Russ spoke as he stepped forward, drawing Krakenmaw in a smooth stroke. “Be it far from me to judge your foolishness.”

“I have spoken at a length well beyond a warrior-tactician’s share; it is more akin to a politician’s. My prattling is more indication of the necessity of this …” Wattinree drew the hilt of his sword, and the blade crackled to life as he held it in front of his chest, bringing it to a readied position with the twin prongs of the blade pointing to the floor, “signs of degeneration wrought by San’Shyuum lies. Let us cease speaking any further, the spirits that reside in our weapons shall conduct the final parley.”

With an air of finality, the two warriors approached one another in the center of the control room. All else present parted to make way for both.

As if part of the same cosmic clockwork, Russ and Wattinree charged one another at the same time. The former held Krakenmaw in the air in a downward slash as he lunged forward, while the latter had his energy sword out in a purely horizontal slash. Electromagnetically confined plasma met the impossibly hardened and sharpened enamel of ancient beast’s tooth in the air between the two with a small showering of sparks.

Wattinree was forced back a few steps from the sheer force of the Praetor’s momentum. As they held their blades against another for the three-second span, the Sangheili admiral realized that fate had heeded his wish and placed a proper executioner in his path. Meanwhile, as his foe recovered from the pushback and readied his counterattack, Russ pondered in the brief moment of thought his attuned reflexes allotted him as. Why would such a capable warrior logically waste their ability by deliberately dooming themselves in battle against a technologically and physiologically superior foe?

Russ did not wait for Wattinree’s counterattack to land itself against his blade, instead throwing out an armoured fist in the place where he knew Wattinree would be milliseconds into the future. Wattinree’s mandibles bore the brunt of the impact, and Russ was quick to note as Wattinree reeled back again that the Elite did so in a semi-deliberate fashion so as to leave openings for Russ to exploit.

The Praetor readily obliged the Sangheili, side-stepping Wattinree’s lunge and swinging his blade along his back, just missing the spine but drawing a long and vicious diagonal cut through the armour that immediately spilled violet rivulets.

The Imperial Admiral’s sense of self-honour had obviously decayed along with his faith over the years to deliberately leave such openings for his opponent. Self honour had been maintained only ostensibly to please his superiors while he worked his designs in the shadows, helping to prepare his allies in the rest of the Covenant for what he had seen coming.

Like Russ’ sword, so too had Wattinree see his own death incoming, a self-assigned eventuality. The first stroke Wattinree parried, but the second came too fast for Wattinree in his psychological state to respond to.

Krakenmaw pierced Wattinree in the abdomen, running him through. Russ pulled on the hilt of his sword to force the Elite to the ground as he instinctively reached towards his own wound. Wattinree’s energy sword, still charged, was kicked out of Russ’ way as he closed what little distance remained between them to meet the fallen warrior at eye level.

“Tell me, Sangheili, do you see me as a god?” Russ spoke quietly, only him and his foe being able to hear his words.

“There are no gods. There are only empty thrones.”

Russ smiled lightly, a softer smile then normal. “To think that someone as educated as you, threw your life away. No better than my own brothers. Let me grant you a warrior’s death.”

At those words, Russ withdrew his now violet-soaked sword from his bested opponent and brought it through the air a final time, beheading Wattinree in a clean horizontal stroke. The Sangheili toppled over with a final weighty thump, and Russ motioned to begin wiping off the blood that had gathered on Krakenmaw.

“How unfortunate such an accomplished tactical mind was lost to insanity,” Regret commented with ire. “Perhaps that head truly was too topheavy to properly tread the Path.”

Lod Mron’s remark earned him only another barrage of frustrated, death-seeking stares from many that paid him notice.

“The Admiral’s sacrifice to R’tussan’s glory was accepted by the god himself! Most supreme reverence from Your faithful, Holy One!” An Elite declared, causing all those present who identified with the newly-founded cult to kneel down.

Russ stared at the friendly Elites before covering his muzzle and face with a gauntleted hand, a deep sigh rumbling out from him. “I have no words for this. No words.”

As if to punctuate the extreme annoyance Russ was feeling at hearing them speak like that. Bjorn’s massive metallic body hit the ground with a large thud, all the while his synthetic voice could be heard howling in laughter at the discomfort of his Praetor. More than a few Equestrian eyes were drawn to the odd sight of a metallic werewolf rolling on the floor and laughing at his leader.

A sudden explosive crack went off right next to Bjorn’s head, forcing the Promethean Wolf to stop his guffawing. Russ’ bolter was drawn and the barrel smoking but he was in the process of stowing it.

“We are of the opinion from the limited but growing information and experience We possess that the Covenant’s present leadership and theology is clearly a quagmire of virulent delusions and careful manipulation,” Luna said, surveying the remains of Wattinree. “That the ongoing Great War was a product of first contact with their hegemony comes as no surprise.”

“Harvest speaks for itself,” Big Mac said to nobody in particular.

Master Chief, Trixie, a few of the dozen legionaries that had ventured in, and even a handful of the Sangheili present nodded or voiced their agreement in regards to the topic of the planet Harvest.

Luna was prompted by the moment to point a finger in Regret’s direction. “We want this fiend secured. Not in any worldly prison. No, Tartarus shall be his lot, We think. We shall send word to sister asking for approval.”

“Why would I be sent to the Chieftain of the Brutes?!” Regret spit out. “Oh, wait, you mean that heathen fantasy where the villainous are sent for punishment? You vermin are devoid of any semblance of sense. Is it any surprise why we scour your worlds and leave so many in cinders, bleaching the minds of those who comply so that they may be compatible with the superior grace of our Covenant?”

“Tsk tsk, keep running your mouth. Trixie will be happy to put the adhesive on your lips and rip it off several times over,” Trixie taunted back.

While the present Imperial battlemages of Big Mac’s company worked with Trixie and her remaining Praetorians to restrain the Prophet of Regret and disable the weapons on his gravity throne, many heads turned as most of the room noticed the main door opening with its distinctive chime.

Some present like Trixie and Big Mac were more surprised. Most doors they had passed through during the battle had been blasted, kicked, or otherwise forced through rather than properly opened.

The Prophetess of Obligation and her companions appeared through the intact door: a tall female Sangheili, and a trio of serene Huragok that regarded the strangers in the control center with bodies glowing specific hues to convey their curiosity.

Like Regret, Obligation’s method of conveyance was a highly ornate and rather bulky gravity throne, and she was clothed in the vestments of what denoted both Covenant high clergy and prominent politicians. They were striking crimson robes with violet trim and ostentatious embroidering.

In sheer contrast to her reigning counterparts’ however, Obligation’s kindly face remained fair and beautiful for a San’Shyuum of her more elevated age. It smiled warmly and unmarred by her nephew’s default spiteful and arrogant chill.

Taking a moment to appraise the both exotic and familiar newcomers that had manifested on the Sublime Transcendence over the past two hours, Obligation parted her lips to speak. “Distinguished warriors of the Concordat, alleged divinities in company, we have much to discuss between our peoples.”

Chapter 6: Wolf Kings and Turncoat Prophets

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Obligated
Control Center, CSO-class Supercarrier Sublime Transcendence
Wednesday, 23rd June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

“ Art thou the one whom hast secured us a surreal, if rather easier incursion further into the bowels of this vessel whose owners are now deceased or rightfully in bondage?” Luna said as the first of the group to speak to a patiently expectant Prophetess of Obligation.
Luna found herself oddly reminded of her sister to a degree from being in the presence of Obligation. Her features were increasingly softening and assuming a warming glow.

“More eloquently put, but yes, Li’una.” Obligation confirmed. As she spoke, she made a hand gesture she did not expect her new acquaintances to understand. The middle finger of the tridactyl hand moved across her brow rapidly, saying, ‘You have watchful eyes.’

While the Alicorn and the San’Shyuum conversed, Trixie was still occupied with directing the apprehension of Regret and Big Mac was listening attentively while still mentally prepared for another fight. Meanwhile, Russ was paying very little visual attention to the discussion, instead opting to further study the surrounding control center with a scrutinizing eye, while the Chief and Bjorn did the same with Obligation and her companions’ possible threat potential.

“Continue,” Luna responded. Like the others, she had not deciphered the gesture Obligation had made and instead regarded it with a slight incline of her brow.

Obligation herself had rapidly come to the conclusion that the Alicorn clearly would not tolerate any honeyed words on her part, despite Luna’s own verbiage. Even if Luna’s appearance and demeanor were not to be considered, the company she currently kept was obvious indication enough of her likely reception to such speech.

With that noted, Obligation spoke again, moving her gravity throne closer so as to make her features more readable to some of the beings present. “I am here to present to you the proper, but flawed face of the Covenant. Imperial Admiral Wattinree no doubt alluded to the corruption that permeates our hegemony under its current leadership.”

“We faithful do what must be done!” Regret asserted in an angered but strained voice. He was futilely writhing against the telekinetic field that Legate Big Mac’s battlemages had imposed upon him. As the Master Chief’s eyes were drawn to him, the Spartan equated the sight to a fly caught in a spider’s web.

“Trixie has heard enough of Floating Priest 5000! Shut him up!” Trixie snapped. Her Praetorians and the accompanying Imperial battlemages rapidly murmured to each other after a quick bow before coming to a consensus.

With a flash of alteration magic, one of the battlemages forced a spell of auditory silence upon Regret. The San’Shyuum proceeded to move his lips but no words came forth. Obligation gestured to them by rolling her right big thumb in a circle around her middle left digit to convey, ‘my gratitude.’

Sanji’ik Kusovai regarded Regret’s awkward movements with the Sangheili equivalent of a malicious sneer. “I would personally do more than silence him myself,” she declared, “but Obligation claims him as a necessary tool for our cause.”

“Indeed.” Obligation nodded. “It was my usurpers, my nephew included, that started this war that has claimed millions of souls in its wake, and I know the secret as to the reasons why our factions wage it. What I seek now is the forum in which to reveal it. I likewise seek the strength of allies with which to rectify this treachery that leaves the galaxy in uproar and bloodshed.”

“Thou desires to join the Grand Solarian Concordat?” Luna inquired. “‘Tis a surprise. From general perspective it is so soon after what was supposed to be thy fleet was apparently laid low by Equis’ defences after commencing hostile action.”

“We do,” Obligation said with a smile and a nod, her speech accompanied by no hand gesture this time.

“Very well,” Luna said. “That shall require the authority of Our sister to be rendered in full. We can grant thee the forum thou seeketh, but not the allies. Cortana, couldst thou open a channel directly to Celestia?”

“Working!” Cortana replied, this time through the ship’s intercoms instead of over neural links or via the radio

Trixie looked to Luna with ear-flattening concern as Cortana worked to seize what was intact of the Sublime Transcendence’s communications systems for their purposes.

“Luna, what if the Empress or GSC parliament is not too amenable to this development out of the blue? Well, Trixie should clarify … Her Imperial Majesty is clearly not a true worry, it is the other leaders in parliament itself.”

“It is expected that I shall be met with no better than lukewarm greeting in the most optimal of conditions,” Obligation added, her hands clasped in her lap patiently.

Luna looked between Trixie and Obligation before chuckling. The latter’s patient demeanor was unchanged, but Trixie grew bemused, earning her a mischievous smile from Luna at her own expense.

“We recollect your distaste in politics, Trixie,” Luna explained as she regained her default serenity. Russ let out an almost involuntary snort of agreement nearby.

“Politics and bureaucracy, it’s amazing the galaxy still functions,” Russ muttered.

“I understand Trixie’s apprehension. This is … unexpected to say the least,” the Chief interjected. The Spartan had lowered his weapon, having concluded that Obligation was not planning any momentary attack.

Likewise, Big Mac was no longer in a combative stance and had gone to all fours. Even Bjorn’s mechanical visage had grown slackened in its posture, although his weapon systems could become combat-ready in milliseconds.

“Indeed. However, as the history we stated yesterday in the museum dictates, Our sister’s sway over this parliament should alleviate any worry. We shall see your forum granted,” Luna said.

Cleary, history and causality had some ineffable affinity for Luna. Here was once again another crossroads for galactic history staring both herself and her companions in the face within the span of just two days. The very thought of the notion left a burning twinkle of determination in Luna’s eyes, which more than a few of the aforementioned companions took note of.

“I like your conviction, it’s infectious!” Cortana cut in once more. “Get ready for some major forum-granting real soon, I’ve almost patched us through to the Empress, audio-only. Had to tell a number of fellow AI that I wasn’t some shoddy Covenant infiltration software. No offense, Prophetess.”

“I care not for unintelligent computing systems beyond their inherent usefulness. Such programs are no source of pride,” Obligation reassured Cortana with a smile despite having no visual recipient for it.

“Obligation, can you tune into our communications with the systems on that throne of yours?” Trixie asked off to the side, causing the San’Shyuum to tilt her head in the direction of the mare’s voice.

“If you can reveal to me the frequency and encryption.”

“Would that be wise?” The Chief cautioned while Luna’s face remain neutral, Big Mac shook his head, and Trixie seemed ponderous.

“Spook swarms are already snoopin’ on the Fangs’ capture,” Big Mac said. “We might be shakin’ an entire hive by doing this ... Besides, a friendly official of an enemy state is still an enemy by Allied Command definition until official cessation of hostilities.“

“I have never cared for the yammering of lowly creatures. As long as we’re allowed our trophy, I do not give a frak,” Russ interjected with a dismissive wave.

Obligation’s smile remained unchanged. “In any way I could possibly double-cross you all, it would mean my swift doom. But not a doom as terrible as the one that will befall all if the Hierarchs–”

It was then that Celestia was finally able to communicate with them via the boarding force’s main radio channel, stopping Obligation’s assurance of verity in its tracks. The Empress’ voice was almost as impacting as if she had physical appeared.

“Luna, Cortana has just contacted my court, how are you faring?!” Celestia inquired urgently.

Hearing her sister’s voice, however laced with concern it may have been, brought an instinctive smile on Luna’s face. “The Transcendence has been rendered quiescent for now, until the prize crew We expect to arrive finally manifests and there is inevitable ‘squabbling’ between Russ’ Fangs for physical salvage. Our companions are faring well. As for Ourself, Our condition follows suit.”

“Thus far I’ve only been receiving naval action reports and fragmented Capricorn ‘chatter’ from boarding teams on the other two target vessels, but that is a relief! And yes, we’ve sent officials from the Empire, Roam, the Union, and the UNSC to accompany Chol Von’s own personal prize crew, which is both already on board and in the process of boarding.”

“Already on board?” Trixie said with exasperation.

“Did you actually expect to lose … blue pony? With the Sixth, victory is assured,” Bjorn’s metallic voice countered.

“Trixie had no such doubts. She is simply in awe of the GSC’s sudden sense of self-certainty in victory from this battle. Such conviction is almost comparable to those Equine Exceptionalist weirdos Oh, wait … Trixie knows the explanation, and the awe has been halved.”

Bjorn and Luna both chuckled at Trixie. As her features reddened considerably beneath the fur on her face, Trixie went about relaying the information to Obligation necessary to allow her to hear Celestia.

“I cleared the paperwork for the Equestrian officials’ participation in the preliminary analysis of the supercarrier and its companion ships a half hour ago,” came Celestia’s voice once again.

“Sister? We have made the acquaintance of a Covenant leader,” Luna replied.

Celestia’s reply was delayed for a few seconds. During the ensuing time, the Prophetess of Obligation slowly roved her eyes to and fro across the ceiling, maintaining her kindly expression even as she speculated the possible reaction of one of the galaxy’s most powerful beings.

Amongst the Covenant, what little information was available in regards to Celestia had lead to her reputation as the ‘The Dark Empress of all Heresy”. She was the supposed grand mobilizer of all nefarious ideologies and falsehoods that would lead the Hierarchs’ faithful off the path to divinity: the leader of all Heretics.

Obligation’s own knowledge even failed to alleviate the minor degree of tension on her mind.

At last Celestia’s response came, her voice steady and careful, “Acquaintance? Luna, who is it that is in your company?”

The Prophetess introduced herself and proceeded to explain what it was she had revealed to Luna and her companions. Regret all but writhed in his throne as much as the restraining magic would allow him to, rage burning hot inside his zealous and devout mind.

“If looks could kill, bah,” Trixie hissed in a whisper to the Hierarch-turned prisoner, before her scowl turned to a smirk. “Bindings not satisfying enough for His Floatiness? Just give Trixie the word and she’ll tighten them just for you!”

“This is monumental for the cause of diplomacy,” Celestia declared. “We must discuss this in more appropriate conditions,” Celestia said. “I shall arrange for a summit tomorrow between yourself and all Concordat diplomatic officials available.”

“Where shall she repose until the morrow?” Luna asked.

“A matter of equal importance. Obligation, I shall also arrange for you to stay under the hospitality and supervision of my niece, Princess Cadance,” Celestia informed the former Hierarch in a tone that was firm but not unkind.

“You have my thanks,” Obligation said before taking a few seconds to murmur the lyrics of an ancient melody to herself. “Hmm … maybe investigate their intoxicants later. Hopefully I won’t forget.”

“After a night at your new lodgings you shall be summoned to Elysia Station to stand before Parliament and present what you know. Based on the outcome of that summit, it shall determine how the process will go in regards to you and your followers’ admittance to the Concordat,” Celestia continued.

“What of this warship?”

“Chol Von’s prize crew will not be taking control of the Sublime Transcendence, they will take you to Canterlot instead, and the Prophet of Regret shall be apprehended for temporary incarceration by Legate McIntosh. The supercarrier, it is now by right the possession of Russ’ Fangs for their more than pivotal involvement in this battle. This also serves as a notice to all others present as well.”

“Yes, sister,” Luna replied with a nod.

“Understood, Your Majesty. We’ll be on standby to assist the officials and the capricorns in whatever capacity is necessary,” the Master Chief also replied, turning his head to regard the main entrance to the bridge.

“No help will be needed human, except for in the feast to come. And thank you, Celestia, it is a nice show of faith to have our claim recognised,” Russ spoke smoothly and with little emotion.

“You are most welcome. Master Chief, remember that your presence aboard the Covenant supercarrier is at yourselves and my sister’s discretion; you need not remain if you do not wish to do so.

“Of course, Empress,” the Chief replied with a nod.

“Unfortunately, I must end the transmission. Farewell for now to all, and please accept my gratitude for your might and valour in defence of our capitals today!”

Some amongst the group nodded and murmured amongst themselves at Celestia’s declarations. The brief but quiet chatter was broken promptly by Cortana.

“Sorry to interrupt, but Luna, can you yank me from the system via the nearest terminal? The IMI and some ONI adjutants want to unleash their AI’s to do my job for me. Too bad for them, but I retrieved all of the interesting files already. No offense, Obligation.”

“Consider them a gift from my nephew,” Obligation said with a sing-song voice. “A token of my goodwill … or the spoils of war. Whichever you prefer.”

“The first one,” a new voice interjected.

“Spoils of war. What is ours was earned through bloodshed, including the ship” Russ growled in the direction of the new voice.

“Both of them!” Luna declared before following many of the others’ gaze towards the new arrival.

“We care not about the ship, only the contents of its computers,” the stranger intoned in a flat, unnatural-like cadance that was unaccomodating to conveying emotion. “Weaponry, shielding, power, propulsion, and translight capabilities all were catalogued within the first three years of hostilities.”

Luna recognized the stranger, a steel-gray earth pony stallion, immediately. The grey, clean-pressed suit, hat, and cold analytical eyes were unmistakable. As chance would have it, the stallion’s binoculars symbol on either flank did no favours in lessening the newcomer’s inconspicuousness.

“We’ve seen thee before! Who art thou who surveyed us before in such suspicion-inducing manner? Be you a dagger in the dark?”

The earth pony took his hat off his maneless head and stared blankly first at the annoyed-looking Fangs guarding the opened door to the control center outside, before turning back to regard all present with the same completely neutral demeanor and resting his eyes on Luna once more.

“I am called Agent September, Your Highness. I am a functionary of the Empire’s intelligence-gathering ministry. IMI, Bureau of Acquisitions.”

“Your scent reeks of lies and disinformation. You’re not welcome here, Agent,” Russ spoke out.

“If an agent were to be welcome without guise in any place under any circumstance, then it would be in their best interest to consider new career ventures. All agents must bear the unsavoury ‘scent’ if they are to fulfill their services to the Empire,” Agent September droned as he mechanically scanned each visible corner of the room with scrutiny.

Such thorough surveying included Obligation’s gravity throne and the secured Regret.

“What is your exit time?” Big Mac demanded with narrowed eyes.

“We are almost finished with gathering the data we seek. The presence of the parliamentary officials beyond assisting you, Legate, in Regret’s apprehension and processing is but a formality for the prize crew. They have boxes to check off and will depart soon as well.”

Agent September’s statement was used by Obligation as a vocal cue. She proceeded to engage him in an odd-sounding conversation from afar that regarded the prize crew of Chol Von’s that was now aboard the Transcendence, as well as what ships and in what numbers had Chol Von’s privateer flotilla managed to secure during the battle. Both speakers’ voices clashed in comparison, like vibrant wallpaper to drab olive paint.

Trixie was beginning to grow disturbed by the IMI agent’s constantly inequine monotone. The Chief grew instinctively wary around the agent in a likewise manner, while Big Mac only glowered at the suited stallion.

“My subroutines are telling me that their AI’s have only gathered an approximate forty percent of the intel aboard this vessel,” Cortana muttered into the comm channel of Luna’s armour in particular as the Alicorn worked at the nearest terminal to physically rejoin Cortana with herself.

“Incompetence?” Luna inquired, this time via neural link.

“Yes and no,” Cortana answered. “Two-fifths bureaucratic inefficiency, and three-fifths lollygagging to spite us. They’re getting bitter about all the data I collected before they could get into the system.”

“My many years spent as the leader of the Sixth has taught me that there are never clear sides in anything,” Russ added in the network, switching the link to a private channel. “Those who you think are your allies may quite as well be your greatest of foes.”

“I can attest to these things personally, on at least two accounts in my pre-banishment centuries,” Luna admitted. “When it happens in the right circumstances, it carves out wounds deeper than any baser foe could dream of inflicting.”

“You speak as though you have experienced such things, sister. We have much to talk about when we are finished up here,” Russ added before a brief pause. “Do not trust intelligence organizations, Luna. They mutilate worse than an axe.”

“The killing of agents from younger Equestria’s rivals under my horn is seven in number, Russ.”

“Just between you two and myself, I share Catherine’s mutual mistrust of both IMI and her employer. Not that I’m saying seven should become eight, nine, and so on, but sometimes I wonder if their objectives and the Empress’ overlap only ostensibly,” Cortana said before pausing dramatically, “Sorry about my alliteration. I’ve been perusing and scrutinizing the platitudes of one too many Covenant psalms in the past few minutes ... “

“Fairest Cortana, I feel that time shall reveal to us their machinations and more,” Luna answered as September and Obligation’s conversation drew to a close.

“My visual assessment of the control center of the CCS-class Sublime Transcendence is complete. The Imperial Ministry of Intelligence wishes you all a fine day,” Agent September said to Obligation and the others before taking his leave.

Russ muttered something under his breath that caused Bjorn to growl in agreement. Some others, both Concordat and Covenant alike, glared at the calmly retreating figure with suspicion and resentment while the rest remained entirely indifferent.

“Perfect! I can speed that process up exponentially,” Cortana declared.

“I must must not allow such an endeavour to take precedence in my attention over this Great War, however,” Luna reminded her.

“Of course, but don’t forget that the blue-violet woman in your head and armour is an entity the type of which are the ultimate multi-taskers.” Disregarding the lack of physical visuals, Luna could practically think of and hear the smirk in Cortana’s voice.

While the conversation occurred, the Fangs on watch just outside the bridge’s main entrance admitted Chol Von and three of her lieutenants.

“Great Wolf, Princess Luna! The Kig-Yar pirates have arrived,” one of the Fangs outside announced.

“Pirates … nothing good can come from pirates,” Russ growled out.

Trixie approached the Prophetess and held up a hoof for a moment to catch her attention.

“Alright, Obligation, Chol Von’s prize crew should be able to ferry you off this ship. As for us … Trixie suggests we take our leave of this new spook hive and take our new friends back to Fenris,” the azure mare said.

“We shall be your conveyance to Equis, as the Empress Celestia has requested of us,” Chol Von greeted Obligation in an angered voice that sounded almost like a squawk. “Quickly you will move, ex-Hierarch! I have no care for Parliament for I am a merchant and ‘sailor’ at heart, not a politician. The sooner my involvement in your politics is over with, all the better.”

Cold in her demeanor and glaring with reptilian eyes, the lead Shipmistress of Eayn’s first ever unified government did not seem even the least bit pleased to see Obligation. This frigid reception did not exclude the others as well. Chol’s companions wore even-tempered expressions, but she regarded the present Covenant, Fangs, and Concordat members alike with an elevated air of annoyance.

The matronly smile on Obligation’s face was seemingly permanent, for she wore it even as she issued her response. “With grace, Shipmistress. Sanj’ik, ready our allies left aboard this ship and have them follow in my wake. Our Huragok are coming with me, they have expressed desire to observe Concordat technology up close once again.”

“Their beady eyes and grasping feelers shall drink in their analytical lot if time permits,” Chol Von said dismissively, already beginning to stride out of the room.

The declaration merited a series of anticipation-filled whistles from Obligation’s floating bioluminescent companions.

To spite the Kig-Yar for her unwelcomely ways, Obligation’s smile faded for now and she said something to give the Kig-Yar pause. “But there is of course first the important matter to address of what to do with our combined fatalities aboard this battle-scarred vessel of war.”

Bjorn regarded Chol Von’s clearly visible irritation with some amusement, having already desired to scorch the pretty feathers off of her person, plucking each of the remaining ones like she was a bipedal roasted pheasant. The Shipmistress was clearly on the verge of snapping.

Sanj’ik nodded, but the weapons master still nevertheless hesitated where she stood. “Yes … what of the Imperial Admiral’s remains, and those of all others who fell aboard this vessel? Who amongst us shall spare the plasma for the final immolations?”

It was then that Luna recalled one of the largest of the bodies that had been carefully moved by Trixie’s remaining squadmates and those of Big Mac’s company. The limp and armoured form was present up on the circular command platform with the largest holographic displays that dominated the center of the room.

“We would be soulless savages to not honour the fallen this day, but in what manner? That is the question. Logically we cannot burn them where they lay, so arrangements must be made before we depart,” Luna said.

While Obligation came to a stop to address Sanj’ik’s question, Luna approaching the gathered bodies attracted the gazes of some of the others. Eyes followed her closely with each step. Trixie, Russ, and Sanj’ik in particular regarded the Princess with strongly questioning glances.

“Our traditions are set; our few dead are already being seen to,” Russ replied pointedly.

“Then what remains to be done is of even greater simplicity. The Prophetess’ people and we members of the Concordat shall, each and every one, cooperate in the laying to rest of the dead,” Luna stated definitely as she gestured to the assemblage of bodies with a sweep of her arm.

“If we take the fatalities to Equis, I’m sure the Grand Pantheon would be willing to assist Obligation in giving the fallen Covenant their native rites, even if they are Covenant ones,” the Chief suggested after several moments of silently surveying the dead.

Luna nodded. “A grand pantheon, thou sayeth?”

“The different countries and races of Equis reconciled their faiths and deities together into a mutual council decades before even the GSC was formed,” Cortana explained inside Luna’s head.

“Fascinating, Luna said aloud rather than mentally. “We shall consult the Codex later for more information. Back to Our present matter however: the Chief speaks sagely! This shall be our course of action.”

“Very well,” Obligation said. “I agree that such an arrangement would be most proper.”

A small portion of the Prophetess’ trademark smile returned. Obligation then took the lead from a still glowering Chol Von and hovered out in her throne with the Huragok and four Kig-Yar in tow.

Sanj’ik and the other Sangheili in the room set about coordinating the movement of the dead and the treatment of the wounded with Legate McIntosh and Trixie, as well as their compatriots.

Luna, Russ, Bjorn, and the Chief were all meanwhile left towering over the expanse of floor that Obligation and the others had just vacated. Russ had ceased his now thrice-over inspection of the Covenant bridge, and now shifted focus to a fresh topic.

“It is time to return to Fenris. There are still many things to be done, that I have yet had time to do. You are all welcome back in the Aett but my attention will be elsewhere. The Sixth has been long without me, and I plan to rectify that,” Russ stated with a small smile.

“We still have to collect Doctor Halsey and the others from your keep that they’ve been studying,” the Chief reminded Russ and the others as he did something that made both Trixie and Big Mac gasp as they heard the distinct hiss of a pressurized helmet being removed. “Luna, I suggest we accompany our new friends back to Fenris. In addition … I’d like to browse additional Capricorn weaponry for our party’s future usage if possible.”

Luna raised her brow at the now helmetless Spartan whose face bore an even more faint smile than Russ’. “Acquiring an affinity for alien weaponry already, Chief? ‘Tis no surprise.”

“Already had it. Versatility, of course,” the Chief replied.

“I’m sure Tolfdir will be able to forge you something unique,” Russ poked offhandedly. “He is a very capable Iron Shaman, especially having to keep Bjorn in shape all these years.”

Bjorn’s head rolled slightly as if to show an eyeroll and being the butt of his Great Wolf’s joke.

Luna allowed a chuckle from herself despite the proximity of the deceased as she nodded to the other three. “To Fenris, then.” she then turned to look at Trixie. “Trixie, will you be able to accompany us?”

Trixie looked up from a slain Honour Guard that she had been in the middle of judging the weight of for her telekinesis. “Big McIntosh, will your company be able to tolerate working with the IMI agents and the Parliamentary bureaucrats to ferry Regret into custody until the Divinity sends personnel to relieve you?”

There was a sigh from Big Mac before he replied with an annoyed but confident, “Eeyup. We are the Empress’ finest, we don’t ever let ‘er down.”

“Splendid!” Trixie exclaimed with a semi-feigned jollyness as she turned to regard the others once more. “It is high time that I, as a Praetorian Knight-Errant of the Equestrian Empire, trade the present work of priests and medics for a world of almost endless winter and undeniably endless alcohol.”

After a brief trek through corridors populated by gawking GSC officials, stoically working Imperial agents, and presiding Grey Hunters, Luna’s group relinked with Blue Team. During the journey through the ship once more, the companions were finally able to take full stock in the newfound calm of what damage had been wrought on the previously enemy warship.

Luna in particular scrutinized everything she saw with minute detail. What she saw were the byproducts from a type of warfare that defined her newly-adopted era.

Hull punctures and scorch marks from Equisian warships and Capricorn boarding craft rendered portions of some decks depressurized. Entire interior bulkheads, doors, and maintenance partitions had been torn through, not just by explosions but also by direct physical manipulation by the towering Promethean Wolves.

Accustomed to casualties from the likes of arquebuses, crossbows, pikes, swords, and spells that all dominated the theaters of war before her banishment, witnessing the power of modern ranged weapons and explosives on the common soldier caused her now stern eyes to linger longer over the fallen than they normally would have.

Grisly damage that only the likes of battlemages and warlocks of centuries past were capable of was now possible at the hooves and digits of one with contemporary equipment and only a few weeks’ worth of training. With that in mind, Luna also took special note of some of the conversations from the Concordat personnel that were in her exceptionally wide audible proximity.

“Claw marks … blood and viscera everywhere. Thank the stars they want the ship for themselves. I’m not cleaning this mess up …”

“The San’Shyuum bureaucrats that must have regulated the design of these ships would probably wet themselves. Damage from a naval engagement is one thing, but this is an engineer’s personal Hades.”

“Nothing will ever get these stains out.”

Passing through one of the crew areas of the ship that the Maws of Morkai company had rampaged through, Luna and her company encountered some particularly curious banter from a duo of Parliamentary bureaucrats that had come aboard to estimate the numbers of Concordat personnel that were lost for post-battle debriefing of higher officials in the GSC.

“This table has a distinctly humanoid dent in it … what the fuck? Uh, pardon my Prench.”

“I think I see what the table’s dance partner was … that pulpy violet Sangheili mess over there.”

“No one is touching that table, that’s my fuckin’ trophy!” Came a shout from the second tier of the open area, before a rather irate looking Fang stormed into view and hopped the railing to get to the lower story.

Past that common area which was currently under heavy cleanup, the group was met with the occasionally outlandish words and utterances of IMI and ONI personnel. The lab coat, trenchcoat, and business suit-clad figures milled and bustled about a large room that housed a number of the ship’s information processing servers. This included a vacant niche that was designed to house a currently absent simple navigation AI.

“That empty Covenant AI matrix offends the very field of computing.”

“Continue the mining. Section One and the Bureau of Acquisitions frowns upon the unnecessary expenditure of time. Unless of course, it is their idea.”

“Twenty-eight, seven, thirty-five, sixteen, four, nine, three, six …”

“What’s so spooky about us, anyways? Oh wait … yeah.”

“Can’t wait to get back to the portals lab to conduct another expedition into The Parallels!”

“Gods blast these pinch fusion reactors of theirs! If only we could but replicate such power production efficiency in the lab without the necessity of bright … I will see our conventional technology outpace that of the Covenant”

The lattermost declaration caught Luna’s attention, much to her own surprise, as the feeling of spontaneous epiphany overcame her. She stopped in her tracks and her eyes took on a knowing gaze. Information was flowing from her subconscious to her waking mind that was both alien and familiar at the same time.

“Thine error is not necessarily in the immediate design of thy power cores or those of the Covenant engineers. It lies within the fundamental design principles from which thou derives power. Thou hath yet to transcend beyond the constraints of the mundane laws of thermodynamics and bright matter exchange principles.”

“Your Highness? Are you suggesting that–” the completely baffled unicorn scientist was interrupted as the Alicorn shook her head as if awaking from a stupor.

Luna began leading her party, a mixture of surprise and bafflement that almost rivaled the IMI scientists’, back towards the control center once more, “Power can be harnessed from the phenomena outside of thy observable universe, aye,” Luna said in a hurried tone before vanishing around the corner of a mangled door that one of Bjorn’s companions had left.

“Trixie hopes for an explanation to that event soon … her curiosity has been piqued, Princess!” Trixie stated with a suspicious half-frown, half-smirk.

The Praetorian’s body language conveyed that she had scarcely little else to say about the matter further at present.

“Luna, how did you … I don’t recall sharing any modern scientific understanding via our neural link. The Codex, perhaps?” Cortana speculated.

“Impossible,” Luna replied, increasing her pace to a light jog as she finally remembered the datapad that Wattinree had been carrying. “I have not yet had the necessary time duration to study the Codex for such specific topics. I simply cannot logically explain this.”

“We should investigate this when we have the time, if you’re willing. For right now, I am of the theory that the Codex could be subconsciously conveying information to you. Did Celestia specify that it was capable of this? I have not known any other enchanted object to possess such unique characteristics.”

“She did not.”

“Well … besides the fact that I detected some very exotic and powerful activity in an Alicorn’s nervous system that was already exotic to me by nature, I’ve got nothing.”

Luna mentally chuckled, causing the image of Cortana in the princess’ mind to fold her arms. “Our world is brimming with mystery, why should this era be any different? Now, that data-bearing device the Imperial Admiral possessed! I am annoyed at Obligation for her distraction as copiously as I praise her for her warm demeanor and diplomacy; how did I fail to remember to retrieve it immediately?”

“Perhaps it was the shock of meeting a peaceful leader from an otherwise evil empire that kills or enslaves and converts everything in its path?”

“Why didst thou or the others fail to remind me to retrieve it, in all your programmed AI efficiency?!”

“Touche,” Cortana relented. “My excuse of the day I suspect is my own grievances and feuding with the spooks we just interacted with so merrily a minute ago. As for the others … refer to my previous statement, perhaps?”

“Leman Russ!” Luna said as she opened another channel once again in the neural linking system on her armour.

“Been awhile since I have been called by my full name. What do you need, sister?” Russ’ voice came back over the channel.

“The Elite thou bested possessed that data device, thou recollects? Couldst thou kindly retrieve it for our personal perusal? Our group is on its way back to the control center with Spartan Blue Team in our company.”

“I was surprised when you left it the first time. It will be waiting for you when you return.”

All the urgency in Luna’s strides died away with knowledge that such potentially critical data was in undeniably capable hands. Meanwhile, her heavy armoured footfalls slowed to a more mellow and measured pace. They echoed in tandem with Chief’s and Blue Team’s own as well as Trixie’s lighter steps as their combined sound resonated through the battle-torn corridors and rooms and Luna gave a small smile. “Thou hath my thanks.”

“The Covenant mentioned something called the Primal Halo as the locus of their search. Any insight into what the blazes that may be?” Kelly inquired.

“The datapad, therein should lay the answer that is our mutual objective, and much, much more. Wattinree told Us so himself just before his death,” Luna answered.

“Present question Trixie has is this: when shall we be accessing this?” Trixie asked.

“This intel reeks of being priority one,” Master Chief remarked. “Halsey would be our best bet in accessing that data on short notice with Cortana’s assistance.”

“I second the Chief,” Jorge interjected with his baritone but soothing voice. “We obviously don’t want these particular spooks sniffing around us, and with the battle only just finished, I imagine most of the other more ‘reputable branches’ of our intelligence agencies are too occupied.”

“‘Tis most logical, as Fenris and Doctor Halsey’s waiting party is our next destination, after all,” Luna informed Blue Team. “We must delve into our new alllies’ home for a time ere we resume gallivanting Equis and beyond.”

“Speaking of new allies,” Fred gestured in front of them as they passed through the main entrance to the ship’s bridge once again, “He really is bigger up close …”

“We hath returned!” Luna announced.

“Praetor Russ, these are Spartans Kelly, Frank, Jorge, and Linda of Blue Team,” Master Chief introduced.

“Ahh, well then I welcome you to The Sixth’s newest battleship, Blue Team,” Russ spoke as he strode over to the group.

“Newest battleship?” Jorge chuckled in surprise.

“We have staked claim to our prize, though it isn’t suitable yet. It needs to be overhauled but I am sure that Tolfdir and his Iron Shamans will be eager to get to work,” the large capricorn replied in a musing tone.

“We have faith in your ability to interior decorate,” Kelly remarked dryly, though a smile was heavily implied and at last revealed as the rest of the Spartans joined the Chief in removing their helmets.

“The data device?” Luna inquired eagerly.

Russ nodded and tossed Wattinree’s datapad across the distance still between them. The Alicorn caught it deftly with both hands and immediately went to work studying it. While ergonomically designed for its species of origin, it was still mostly accommodating to Luna’s usage.

Luna inspected the device further as she affixed it to her armour’s left bracer. Like all other datapads and Capricorn dataslates she had seen thus far, the screen interface was holographic but with a curvaceous and predominantly violet ascetic.

“What secrets doth thou enshroud in thy digital depths …” Luna mused out loud. “A shroud that shall lift very soon. We should depart immediately, my friends, but who shall be helming this vessel?”

As Luna issued her query, she powered the device off for now with Cortana’s assistance.

“Now is better than never to shake off the rust,” Leman spoke as he strode up and onto the command platform and past some of the carefully arranged deceased.

Interfacing with the sprawling display after a few seconds of technical examination and experimentation, Russ took pilot of the massive ship, setting it on a course for Fenris. Upon their exit, the carnage of the battle became clear.

Dozens of destroyed and critically damaged Covenant and Solarian Concordat warships were burning in plasma infernos or glowed melted hot from weapons impacts. Some vessels had been so heavily damaged as to have their wreckage become entangled with those of others. Meanwhile, scores more of lightly damaged or otherwise undamaged Concordat warships and support vessels milled about in their after-action and damage control procedures.

Amidst the newborn debris fields, residue left in the wake of the Roaman surface-to-space rainbomb deployment shimmered like auroras across all colours of the visible spectrum in Solaris’ light.

Passing through the what was the immediate radius of the battle zone that had been above Equis, the now Fang-controlled Sublime Transcendence left the orbit of Equis and within minutes brought the much colder world down system into view.

Reunion of the Wolves
Fenris, Aurora, Above City of Valdrmani - Capital of the Capricorn Houses

“You have it in your possession, correct?” the irritated voice of Admiral Fairweather grumbled via radio through the command screen itself as the Sublime Transcendence completed its descent to a high hover over the capricorn capital below.

“Yes, we are aboard and still in the company of Princess Luna. I am at the helm,” came the reply of Praetor Russ.

Russ himself was still at the command interface as his eyes busily went from readout to readout, repeatedly dodging and declining Cortana’s offers to assist. The technology of his armour combined with his knowledge and the – in his view – simplicity of Covenant technology had allowed him to attain mastery of its use.

He was joined on the now cleared command platform by the Master Chief, Luna, Trixie, and the Wolf Guard while the others mingled or set about with other self-assigned tasks. The Wolf Guard itself was spread around the sprawling platform in a two hundred and seventy degree angle, keeping much of the chamber under their surveying gazes.

“Despite the Empress informing them thusly, I still have a sizeable and irritating number of Concordat politicians engaging the Imperial Lord General and myself in babble across the horns about a supposedly runaway hostile vessel.”

“Let them babble, if they have issue with me then I dare them to speak their nonsense to my face,” Russ spoke with a hint of laughter.

“One already has to Svelte along with one of their colleagues, and it ended with both a zebra and a human delegate of parliament being knocked on their asses,” Fairweather said.

Russ gave a snort of approval while Jorge cradled his large helmet at his hip and said, “You are the opposite of a statestallion, sir?

“Counterpart, ues. I am a tolerant stallion to most souls, but I have my limits. Were the ENV Divinity my ship and I were her proud captain, it’d be a sentence to scrubbing the waste reclamation filters for those wagging privileged tongues. Our militaries have no time for bureaucratic interference that is not Celestia’s.”

“You’d have fit in well with the Sixth, Fairweather. If you had been but a might taller,” Russ chimed in.

“I’m flattered, but my bag of bones was always made for leading starships and airships, not ground forces.”

Fairweather and Russ’ combined statements both elicited some chuckles and murmurs of approval from some of those present.

“Sir, Luna has decided that we’ll be on Fenris for some time before retrieving Doctor Halsey,” the Master Chief stated as he looked to the datapad on his friend’s bracer.

“Russ has initiated a quest that will see the whole of the capricorn species united under his leadership,” Luna added as she followed the Chief’s gaze to the alien datapad. “We see this as a noteworthy event that demands Our close, personal observation.”

Luna began studying its appearance again curiously as Fairweather’s response came through once more.

“Excellent, with the leadership of the Fangs, the capricorns’ military structure will be finally unified and able to stand equally with that of other military powers’ in the Solarian Concordat. I am sure your sister will be interested in what you will have to tell about the event. It’s no secret that the High Kings of Fenris were of little effect in securing a proper unified military before.”

Deep growls of laughter emitted amongst the room at the statement, the Fang’s laughing as though there was a joke in there.

“Trixie wonders, is there a time window for our retrieval of Halsey, Twilight Sparkle, and Ellen Anders from the expedition site?” Trixie inquired.

The Lord Admiral made a coughing sound over the channel as if to buy himself time to mentally rehearse his answer. “Do please return Doctor Halsey as soon as you can. The sooner she is back on her home turf, the sooner the wonderful Admiral Parangosky here cools over and the IMI gets off the Ministry of Tech’s back.”

“While Anders and Sparkle are their own authorities, we have need for Doctor Halsey back on Earth,” Parangosky retorted plainly. “I’m certain they all must be tired of the snow by now.”

“That entire expedition left Celestia’s assistants with a mountain of paperwork,” Fairweather continued, no less irritably. “In short, no time window but try not to dally. Oh, and Cortana? We are already following up on the Covenant assault and I have you to personally thank.”

“Aye, sir? What am I in trouble for now?” Cortana responded playfully.

Such a light quip managed to elicit an amusing snort from the pegasus Admiral and served to warm his tone a smidgen. “We’re outlining our plans to increase our counterattacks in Covenant space. With the intelligence you helped Concordat Allied Command scour off the supercarrier that is just now being transmitted back, High Charity is no longer the lurking bogeyman she once was. She’s just a well-armed marauder whose slipspace backwashes we can now track using the ship’s rudimentary navigation AI.”

Admiral Hood’s voice then joined those of the other two commanders on the comms channel. “If we can capture or otherwise neutralize the continued operation of High Charity, then the Covenant will have no choice but to pull back to Sanghelios and cease all offensive operations.”

“Meaning a turning point in this war may enter our combined reach, thus shattering the enduring stalemate,” Luna offered as she rested her left hand on the pommel of her sword.

“Correct,” Parangosky said. “The Fangs of Fenris have our deepest appreciation for their critical involvement in the shaping of our new state of affairs.”

“Just a part of our continuing service,” Russ stated briefly.

“Joint cooperation is at the crux of the principles our modern alliance was founded on,” Admiral Hood declared. “I personally look forward to Empire and the UNSC’s serving alongside the Fangs of Fenris in particular to turn the tide.”

“Thank thee, Admirals all. We must depart from the supercarrier within the moment,” Luna said.

“Thank you, Your Highness. Transmission ending,” Fairweather concluded as he closed the channel.

Luna pointed at something prominent on the command display. Russ’s input seconds before had caused a portion of the command display to split to an exterior hull view provided by tactical scanning hardware.

“Well now … behold! Valdrmani capital, one of the few places on Fenris that capricorn civilization has a permanent tangible hold upon its ground, at least according to Our sister’s Codex,” she remarked.

Luna had the thick tome out of her satchel and was carefully leafing through its many mercurial pages in between glances at the display screen. Russ, Chief, and Trixie looked at the exterior view as well, and took in the glimpse of a large and impressive city stretched across the sweeping terrain and straddling churning waters below.

On the shores of the Sea of Trolls, a large body of water that bordered Aurora to the west, sat Valdrmani. To its east lay a clashing sea of green tinged with red – lush conifer forests pockmarked every few kilometers by active volcanic vents that almost gave the impression of permanently burning wildfires from the Transcendence’s viewing angle.

“In the shadow of the Aett as well,” Luna added after several seconds of taking the sight in. “Let us be off to the surface and to the capital.”

Accurate to her word, past Valdrmani and further inland was the towering central spire of the Fangs of Fenris’ headquarters beyond the sprawl of trees and hills. Its newly risen mass added seemingly indelibly to the skyline of the region in the late morning light.

“A sight that is loved by all of the Sixth. Now, I’ve set the autopilot for the ship to hover just outside our hangar. Once we’re off the ship, you have free run of the Aett, under Bjorn’s supervision. I have many things that need to be done, including naming our newest ship,” Russ stated.

The group made their way out of the control room without delay and headed for the nearest hangar. During Lord Admiral Fairweather and Admiral Paragosky’s appearances on the local comms, the remainder of the Concordat officials had finished their work and were in the middle of issuing reports and mustering back out to their previous postings.

One of the GSC parliamentary groups graciously spared Luna’s party a spacious hippogriff dropship as a means of conveyance to the Aett from the ship in favour of a UNSC pelican given the smaller size of that delegation. Dropships and other space-capable aircraft were leaving the Transcendence for the Divinity, which had taken orbit high above the former.

Seen from the air this time in finer detail via the hangar openings of the supercarrier as it passed over the city in the direction of the Aett, Luna and her companions saw that Valdrmani consisted of several districts of ornate wood and stone structures. The buildings were frequently decorated with iron and steel motifs as well as carved reliefs.

Most decor often depicted the likenesses of longboats, armoured warriors, scenes of battle between tribes, and more. The streets were lit with both electricity and flame, and open-air markets and small green fields served as the crux of entire districts.

Some of the structures, such as temples, wealthy dwellings, and taverns were the tallest. But, none stood nearly as tall as the central structure of the city: a multi-tiered stave palace with sweeping roofs and elaborately carved wood ornamentation. It was in this palace that the High King or Queen and intended monarch of all capricorns dwelled while serving their office, and while it dominated the center of the city, it was unrivalled by other portions of the city in absolute prestige over all of the capital.

Valdrmani’s harbour was a sprawling and bustling affair, a place where the capricorns had tamed the violent swells, gales, and waves of the Sea of Trolls beyond.

On the inland side of the city, a spaceport held its ground on the northern outskirts against the wild forest that would threaten to engulf it in vines and ferns without monthly maintenance.

Finally, to the south inland, lay a number of sacred groves as well as gathering places and trading posts where capricorn tribal traders met those of the industrialized Houses as well as offworld merchants.

These southern outskirts were the final features of civilization seen before the vast wilderness was interrupted at last by the lake and immense presence of the Aett at its center.

During the short flight to the hangar, Praetor Russ received a transmission from the current reigning High King Tharyn informing him over his armour’s local neural link that his presence had triggered a dramatic shift in the planet’s internal governance.

Tharyn spoke in a manner that Russ found strange, especially for capricorns as he knew them. He had encountered it only a few other times in his history. “O’ Great Wolf Russ, We welcome you.” the voice was clearly very young, yet it seemed to carry a hint of wisdom well beyond what the speaker should logically possess with their implied youth.

“The exalted Wolf Priests spoke long ago, and their words now bear fruit,” Tharyn proclaimed. “It was foretold that Our reign over all capricorns would pass to you should you be able swiftly unite Our subjects, and We shall serve as your humble aide. Is this in accordance with the truth as We so believe, O’ Great Wolf?“

“That is acceptable, Tharyn. It is time for the Capricorns to return to what they once were,” Russ replied. “Wolftime is encroaching upon us all and all must be ready.”

“Then you shall be our vanguard towards preparation for the Battle of Battles. The Thanes of Our Houses await you in Valdrmani, and you know where your kin already wait. Make them march with you, and the throne is yours.”

Just prior to the High King finishing his transmission, the Sublime Transcendence came to its preset stopping point several hundred meters from the fortress’ main hangar and its most prominent inhabitants finally took their leave of the vessel.

The Imperial hippogriff and a trio of Fangs transports touched down in the hangar and the sizeable party disembarked, Russ and Bjorn taking the lead with a rapid flourish and a series of raucous steps.

Luna and her companions, still curious of their newfound allies, made to follow at the capricorn’s lead, but stopped as Russ turned around and gestured for them to not follow.

“This is a meeting of the Sixth and the Sixth only, Luna. You have free reign of the Aett but this is one place you cannot go right now; I am sorry,” Russ stated, his features near unreadable once more.

“Very well, since thou art our hosts, we shall remain in the lower levels for now to study, mingle, et cetera. I have the pages of my codex to investigate as well. I think I shall keep this armour in my possession for the foreseeable future, but I must visit the armoury to unequip it before returning to quadrupedal form. You have my thanks for the boon of this armour and Fang weaponry provided unto me to further aid me in battle beyond my magic alone.”

With mutual nods of respect, both parties then separated. A quick ascent and a few corridors later; Russ, Bjorn, and the Wolf Guard found themselves once again in the topmost chamber dominated by the faded winged star sigil always adorning the wide floor.

For several moments, all was quiet as figures of both the present and the past sized one another up with mutual curiosity. Russ in particular surveyed his surroundings in depth.

Tables once occupied by various Capricorn leaders that had presided over the moot coinciding with Russ’ reawakening were now surrounded by twelve standing and waiting figures in Fangs power armour. They were accompanied by familiar figures, Wolf Priests Sigmara and a colleague called Ranek. Rounding the awaiting group out was the Iron Shaman Tolfdir, accompanied by a Rune Priest known as Farkas.

First of the present Wolf Lords of the Fangs of Fenris was Ylyssa Ice-Wraith of Twa, the Blizzard Eaters. Ylyssa was a lithe capricorn mare with fur the colour of snow only visible above the neckline of her armour. Her mane was a golden blonde, and despite the aura of frost that her personal axe seemed to give off, her hazel eyes regarded the newcomers with a sharply contrasting warmth. She was also the first to part her lips to speak.

Ylyssa managed to project some degree of an air of formality even as she winked and said, “Well met, Leman Russ, I am Ylyssa Ice-Wraith! Your being here is almost enough to thaw my frigid personal aura … almost.”

Russ met the wink with a small smile in the corner of his muzzle, but remained silent, delegating all greetings to the modern Wolf Lords until he could then address them all as one party.
The next lord that Russ in particular registered was another Capricorn mare, one already familiar to him.

Rurika Elder-blade of Tra Company – The Golden Wolves. She and Russ greeted one another with nods of mutual recognition, with nothing more elaborate being necessary.

Next in arrangement was the leader of For Company, the Souls of Saemundur: Melkir Aethersoul. He was a towering hulk of a stallion with bronze fur and wiry raven black hair. Blue eyes met those of the Praetor and his Wolf Guard with a dreamy, almost trance-like quality that stood out from most of his battle siblings and constantly elicited analytical glances thanks to the fact.

“Melkir Aethersoul welcomes you home once more, Great Wolf Russ and our elder siblings,” Melkir intoned.

Rurika snapped a finger in front of his muzzle, grinning. “Melkir, awake!”

The mare’s effort was awarded with a serene smile, and Melkir’s words and voice clashed garishly with his expression and overall demeanor. “I am not sleepwalking before the presence of our Jarl, you jesting ass.”

Melkir’s near monotone and Rurika’s jokery was followed by the distinct report of fingers being thrummed against the slender skull of a dragon. Russ’ eyes were drawn to the wild green eyes of the leader of Fyf Company, Freya Wyrmsbane. With a beaming grin, the mare spoke out enthusiastically, “A fine day to you! I am Freya Wyrmsbane, and we should go hunting, soon.”

Leader of the Serpent Riders, Freya was arguably the most physically-hardened of the Wolf Lords at a glance. This was by virtue of her high amount of scarification across the visible portions of her auburn coat and limbs, somehow visually complementing and rounding off her armament of choice – retractable wolves’ claws. Scarring on her face and muzzle became the most evident as Russ and the others witnessed the lindworm skull Freya had been thrumming being placed over her head exactly like a helmet would.

As soon as the skull had covered most of Freya’s bangs of light brown hair, the sound of a fist pounding against its owner's chest piece announced the presence of the shortest and stoutest Capricorn in the room: a mare called Olga Hammer-Fist. Olga stood as the leader of Sesc Company, the Wolves of Stone. The sound from her fist pounding resonated around the otherwise quiescent space of the Volda Hamarki’s interior.

“Well met! I am Olga, Olga Hammer-Fist.”

First amongst the things Russ noted specifically about Olga was her weapon. A gravity warhammer distinct from the type of weapon manufactured by Jiralhanae, one several centimeters longer than she was tall, was fastened to the magnetic holster on her back. In addition, complex networks of scarring that rivaled Freya’s own marred the mare’s hands and forearms, which also brimmed with robust musculature.

In spite of the rough looks on much of her form, including her power armour that bore similar signs of permanent cosmetic damage, Olga still stood out due to a combination of a radiant golden-blonde mane of intricate braiding and piercing blue eyes.

Sepp Company’s leader was beside Olga, continuing the near-symmetrical and ordered sequence the Wolf Lords had arranged themselves into to bid greeting to the Great Wolf.

Leader of the Mist Eaters, Runvald the Fog-runed possessed features of his own that also stood out from all else present. Etched all across his groomed-looking blonde coat were swirling, geometric runic patches where no fur existed at all, instead occupied by magic-produced lines in the skin of a subtle light blue that defined the stallion’s earned name. His mane was dark brown and unremarkable compared to the rest of his person, and his demeanor and air seemed to resemble that of the aristocracy of another species: snobbish and exalted.

Russ felt the urge to curl his lips into a frown by instinct, but repressed it and decided to hear the stallion speak before formulating the beginnings to an opinion.

Runvald’s haughty gaze towards his surroundings softened when it fell upon Russ just enough to be visible by the latter before he spoke. “And so the Great Wolf stands amongst us again. I, Runvald the Fog-runed, nearly want to grimace at the thought of the mess we shall be leaving behind after we are finished with what elements of the Covenant face us in battle for the rest of this war. Welcome!”

Olga proceeded to follow up on Runvald’s greeting by reaching up and lightly smacking the stallion in the back of his head.

“We talked about that posture and airs of yours, Fop-rune!” Olga hissed openly in front of the entire room. “Do the rest of us here need to discuss reducing you to a fucking little Blood Claw so you can relearn what it means to be a proper Fang?”

“A Blood Claw? Bah! Send him back to be trained with the pups of his birth tribe!” Rurika jeered.

“A most welcome course of action, perhaps,” Melkir interjected flatly.

“And lose one of the Fangs’ most accomplished rune mages from a position of high power? I think not, puny dwarf-mare,” Runvald growled back to Olga. The two capricorns glared at each other sharply before their facades dropped suddenly and massive grins appeared on their muzzles, each accompanying a cascade of hearty laughter that spread to Rurika and a few of the other Wolf Lords.

The laughter quickly faded out to be replaced by the more formal default atmosphere once more.

While it faded, Russ found to his slight and private annoyance that his opinion was mixed on this particular Wolf Lord, so he nodded respectfully to Runvald as he did with the others with no hint of emotion in his look, even in regards to the recent exchange a moment ago.

Runvald carried himself almost unbearably like a nobleman, yet still seemed to possess hints of a capable warrior and a Capricorn as Russ knew them beneath that outer layer of vanity. The Praetor’s musing about the modern members of his species only continued in the back of his mind, but with that noted, Russ shifted focus to the mare beside the quasi-aristocrat.

For-twa Company’s leader, Svenja Nightcloak, regarded the Praetor with a beaming smile. What Russ registered first however was not the warm expression, but rather Svenja’s fur. It was a raven black, almost to a point that it was akin to staring into a void. The void of fur somewhat clashed with the predominate grays of the mare’s power armour as well as the pure white of her mane. Despite this, her green eyes managed to keep the colours in a form of personal harmony.

“It’s an honour to see you in person, Russ! I am called Svenja Nightcloak,” Svenja greeted. “I look forward to our victories ahead.”

Following in Svenja’s sunny warm wake, Hel Morkai gazed upon the Russ and the others with a small smile of welcome before said smile dissolved into a frown of disapproval at the wooden table before her. Beside Svenja, Hel’s coat and hair was such the exact mirror opposite in colour scheme that Bjorn stifled a mechanical chuckle as his eyes analyzed the contrast.

The leader of Tra-tra Company, the Maws of Morkai, bid her greeting after willing the inferior table to burst into flames by the sheer power of her mind, and failing. “Hel Morkai, of the Maws of Morkai. It is an honour.”

“Morkai?! Little bitch stole my name!” Krom shouted, causing Hel to rise and slam her fists into the table.

“Your name?! The company has always been Morkai, because only the fiercest can lead it! I don’t see how a senile old goat could even swing that pathetic axe!”

“Don’t you fucking dare insult the Axe of Morkai, you insolent runt! You couldn’t even begin to imagine the power of it!” Krom replied, saliva flying from his mouth as he yelled.

“Axe of Morkai? Listen Grandpa, this is the true Axe of Morkai,” Hel replied with a sneer before unsheathing her axe.

“You stole my Axe’s name as well!? I’ll fucking end you!” Krom said as he went to pull out his axe, only to be stopped by a bolter round going off. All the Capricorns in the room looked to Russ who was slowly holstering his bolter.

“Krom, shut up. Hel, stop antagonizing your Great, Great, Great, Grandfather,” Russ said in a weary tone. Hel’s and Krom’s faces paled at the sudden revelation. “If you need to fight, do it after. Now, who else haven’t I met?”

Standing in the now combined shadows of the Juggernauts Morkai, the next Wolf Lord still garnered Russ’ equal appraisal and focus as each did before her.

Even in her power armour, Russ could tell she appeared to be exceedingly frail-looking and slender for a capricorn much in the same way that her colleague Hel did, but deceivingly so. The blue-eyed mare with a blonde coat and snow white main was brimming with an inner strength that all Fangs possessed, and likewise with deadly reflexes.

“I am Lilit Lonely-Song, Company Dekk, The Wolf Skalds. It is a pleasure, Leman Russ,” the Wolf Lord greeted with a modest and graceful smile.

Russ inwardly hummed with pleasant recollection upon analyzing something distinct about Lilit’s speech pattern. It was delicate and flowed like honey; she had the voice of a skald, a capricorn bard. The likely origin point of her company’s name was now a dead giveaway. Without a doubt, her voice was also likely able to bellow like the best of them all the same.

Following Lilit was Ysmir Oakenheart of Elva Company, the Timbered Wolves. To Russ, almost everything about this stallion shouted the word ‘tree’, but other than that little seemed visually remarkable about the Capricorn of average build.

Ysmir’s coat was dyed in a series of browns and light browns made to resemble the patterned texture of tree bark, and his eyes were as green as chlorophyll under a canopy of bronze mane.

“Ysmir Oakenheart of the Timbered Wolves greets you!” Russ determined Ysmir’s gaze to be an honest and strong one.

Beside him in turn, the twelfth and final Wolf Lord was also sharply different in contrast to the one that preceded them, possibly the most extreme example of this in the entire moot chamber.

Leader of the lesser seen Tolv Company, The Dreadwolves, Ulrik Dreadwolf was a dark-grey stallion and the tallest of the Wolf Lords. His bristling and vaguely lupine frame was like a smaller glimmer of Bjorn’s hulking mass, a fact that Russ paid particularly close attention to in addition to the lord’s faintly minute chanting every seven seconds. Sheathed Wolf Claws and the wild amber eyes beneath the stallion’s black mane only added to Russ’ heightened analysis.

Like the Praetor himself, the Wolf Lord’s face appeared neutral as he gave a reverent incline of his head and said simply with a rapid and blunt voice, “Honoured, Russ,” before resuming his routine chants.

Such a short greeting compared to his colleagues lead to Ulrik receiving a particularly close examination from Russ before receiving a respectful nod in greeting as well. Russ understood the implications alone of Ulrik position, so nothing more needed to be said. Russ followed up by turning to once more face the Wolf Lords as one group.

“The Wolf Lords of the modern age, each and every one,” Sigmara stated to Leman Russ, gesturing to them all.

“And so the Wolf Lords of ancient times stand before us as well,” Melkir added with an extra note of serenity.

Melkir’s statement ushered in a moment of close analysis between counterparts of both eras. While most of the Wolf Lords and former Lords wore curious and analytical expressions, Runvald however had his muzzle scrunched as a thought entered his mind.

“The ancient Fangs, Sixth Legion. Why have we gathered here … are we going to have to be living information terminals now for assisting in their catching up with us from their old geezer ways? While it is an honour to make your acquaintances, I think I shall personally refer you to the nearest Waypoint connection for that purpose.”

That statement alone earned a few snarls from some of the Ancient Wolf Lords while being dismissed by the rest completely, as though it never happened.

“Rein in your respect before I rein you in instead, Runvald!” Rurika growled. “Lord Russ would not gather us, especially such a grouping as this, for little or no purpose.”

“Listen to the young mare, Mage,” Dagmar Daybreaker spoke with some malice. “She knows how to act around The Great Wolf. If I were you, I’d keep that pretty little mouth quiet until spoken too.”

“You will have to forgive Fop-Rune,” Olga interjected, “Spending too much time up system on Equis has rotted his brain over the years.”

“All voices deserved to be heard if what they speak is honourable or practical, Runvald is simply too loose with his tongue is all,” Lilit retorted. “Do not take what he says to heart, he does not mean everything of which he speaks.”

“The cub should learn to keep his mouth shut then,” Ran Deadmoon sneered to which a few of Russ’ Wolf Guard nodded along.

Appearing beneath his armour for all the world like a Capricorn-shaped tree trunk due to the dye patterns on his fur, Ysmir Oakenheart snorted. “The shutting of Runvald’s mouth once and for all has been a fruitless objective of the Fangs for decades. Mouths open much more freely than they did in the empire you came from, perhaps you should try to get used to it, old mare!”

“Disrespectful and free lipped, and yet we still allow them to run our companies?” Ylva the Devourer replied with a relatively bored tone. “It’s a miracle they managed to kill a single Elite.”

“One petty Covenant soldier? Bah!” Freya Wyrmsbane spat with outrage as she removed the dragon skull from her head. “I’ve earned my scars from these beasts, and each one is worth a dozen of the hinge-jawed race. Tell us that you have faced greater prey than the beasts of Fenris and the non-sapient dragons of this star system!”

For a second, Rurika looked through the corner of her eye to see Havrom smile at that statement but he spoke no words, instead Krom’s voice joined the bickering. “Your beasts are hardly even remnants of what we had to face daily!”

“This is most tiresome, it is obvious you ancient ones outclass my siblings and myself,” Melkir intoned.

“Quiet, you!” Freya shot back, causing Ylyssa Ice-Wraith to rub at her forehead irritably.

“Merrily, I take no interest in this somehow amusing display of theatrics,” Melkir intoned once more, turning to Havrom with as much of a questioning glance as his facial features were capable of. “Your smile clearly indicates that you do find amusement in this, why is that?”

“I’m just remembering the first World Eater Dragon I slayed … it was an amusing coming of age celebration to say the least. I wish every celebration could be that fun,” Havrom spoke, not even really answering Melkir’s question. He didn’t even continue speaking, instead just smiling and looking ahead.

“No doubt such a slaying was with much noise,” Svenja Nighcloak replied with a smirk. “A noisy kill is obviously a sure sign of complete and utter finesse.”

The mare’s sarcasm merited not even a hint of a response from Havrom, much to the former’s irritation.

“No point in trying to make fun of Havrom. Big lug has the best selective hearing in the known universe,” Erik retorted to Svenja.

Observing Svenja’s vexation now turning to visible fuming, Rurika let out a sigh. “This is not what we gathered here for, brothers and sisters!”

Not a single word was overheard as the bickering and arguing grew louder until it was nearly impossible for anyone to get a clear concise word in. Weapons were being reached for as it looked like it would come to blows and blood, which the few not participating refused to see.

Sigmara glanced to Ranek beside her, the chiseled black and grey mix furred capricorn glancing back at her. A single head nod was enough for him to step forward. He channeled a small bit of magic through his vocal chords, enhancing their general strength. Following a quick intake of air he brought the entire hall to a stop.

“Learn your places before The Great Wolf!” Ranek shouted, his voice booming in the chamber louder than any of the bickering voices had reached prior. The infighting stopped almost immediately, the entirety of the group, even the ones not fighting looked at Ranek for a moment. His right hand raised and pointed a gauntleted finger at Russ who had take up residence in an exquisitely made marble throne. Despite the Great Wolf’s smile, all in the hall knew that they were being judged.

Every Wolf Lord, new and old took a swift knee, right arm over their hearts before tilting their heads to the side, showing the side of their neck. As one they intoned, “I recognise my failing and will be sure to correct it.”

Russ sat forward in his throne, his hands clasped under his muzzle. “Stand, the bickering has gone on long enough. If we are to rise once more to the height of our power, and ensure the safety of those we guard, then we must work together, not tear at each other’s throats like two packs fighting over a kill. That is why I have brought you here.”

Russ rose from his seat, though kept standing in front of it. “Until now, the Fangs have done what I asked them to do. We have kept ourselves obscured and the history of the galaxy secluded away where we could. Now it is time to re-introduce ourselves as we once were. For such a long period of time I let you all be more akin to one of my brother’s legion. Now we will once more show our true blood.”

“Enough hiding; we will scour the galaxy and purge those who stand against the peace we must bring. Dark times lome ahead; it has been predicted by Rune Mage and Wolf Priest alike,” Russ said as he finally stepped down from the throne and moved to the center. With a quick flick of his wrist a holographic image of the galaxy in a spherical design popped up over the table. “Things are set in motion that will shape the fabric of our reality.”

For a moment the floor was quiet and not a single present Fang said a word, many wondering why Russ was being so elusive in what he was saying. Eventually Russ leaned his hands down on the table, taking a quick glance at the map before looking back around.

“We will begin Legion status recruitment. Our Chapter status is finally removed. Sigmara, send out every possible Wolf Priest and Rune Mage. Search the galaxy for every capricorn that is worthy of our kinship. It will take many years to once again reach our potential, and even more so if we used conventional means. Farkas; have the Archivists start up our training pods once more.”

Farkas nodded simply before exiting the room, leaving the new Wolf Lords curious as to the extent of the pods. They knew that they were put away long ago for their teaching methods were often too fast for capricorns to keep pace with; why Russ wanted them started up again was a mystery.

“We will bring destruction to the Covenant, swiftly and precisely. Each Company will be assigned a sector to monitor and attack, with one Company staying back on Fenris to monitor the situation and deploy reinforcements if necessary. Exact placement will come in the following days, as I assess how frakked the galaxy is. Do not worry, you’ll all get your fresh share of Covenant blood to spill,” Russ said with a small chuckle before tapping the map and expanding to the Solaris system.

“I have a feeling that Luna’s hunt for understanding and answers will take her deep into the center of the whole debacle we find ourselves in. Onn, Tra, and Tra-Tra will be accompanying her primarily until I direct otherwise. I will push for her to hunt the Covenant’s main fleet.”

“Why do The Maws get to join you?” Freya asked with cynicism in her voice.

“Because it gives Krom something to grumble about,” Solvi replied for Russ, almost as if she knew what he was going to say. This caused a much needed round of laughter, despite the groan from Krom.

“Moving on; Tolfdir we will require all Promethean Wolves up and ready for their deployments. Bjorn, Baldur Oathkeeper, and Sylja the Void Treader with accompany Onn. The rest of the deployments are up to you Tolfdir; though if you can somehow manage to wake Cormek Dod he is to be assigned to Onn. Finally, I’d like the Sublime Transcendence to be fully overhauled … and do find a better name for it.”

Tolfdir nodded sharply before leaving the room. Russ took a small breath before standing up. He looked around the room for a brief moment and then spoke. “I need to attend to Luna and some other things. I expect you all to have cleared your bitterness from your systems. If we cannot function properly as a pack then I will cut the dead weight. Find me if you require guidance. Till the Wolftime.”

“Till the Wolftime,” the Fangs all intoned before Russ and his Wolf Guard made their way out of the door. There was much to do and little time to do it.

The Wolf Crown
Valdrmani

After the conclusion of the gathering of the Fangs’ current and former Wolf Lords, a once again equine Luna and her own companions were lead by the former back by aerial transport to the sprawling capital they had passed over earlier in the day.

The former Covenant warship Sublime Transcendence hovered near the city’s skyline, looming like a massive hawk in the sky. Aircraft were already going to and from its hangar bays in preparation for the vessel’s upcoming rebirth under a new banner.

Emerging from the Fangs transport just as it touched down in the green courtyards of the capital’s royal palace, Luna got her first up close glimpse of the massive structure. While the majority of the city appeared ornately decorated in its exterior architecture, up close the stave palace clearly put all else to shame.

All the palace save for its stone foundations was constructed of a wood so ancient and sturdy-looking that it would not have surprised Luna, Chief, or Trixie at all if it had proved to be completely indestructible. Their eyes collectively roamed the edifice with varying intensities of analysis and admiration.

Carvings of capricorn soldiers of the Houses and tribal warrior bands alike shared the space with scenes of wolves, the bracing of ship crews against the storms of the sea, the slaying of great beasts and more all stood high on the palace walls below the crowded courtyards. The practice fields and stone pathways were bustling with thanes of the House of Winter and the House of Stars, as well as chieftains from what Luna assumed must have been dozens of different and diverse tribes.

Crowds made way all but instantaneously as they saw fully who had emerged from the latest aircraft to arrive on the sprawling royal grounds.

“Great Wolf!” Dozens of voices chanted in unison as over a hundred capricorns fell on bended knee before the newly arrived party.

Russ and his now many companions remained standing as a loud drumbeat sounded from the opposite end of the courtyards, bringing the chanting to a quick but smooth quieting as another figure emerged from the main entrance of the stave palace.

“O’ Great Wolf Leman Russ, the soon to be Underking of all Capricorns greets you with warm tidings and a happy heart!” Tharyn declared with his muzzle pulled into a fanged smile.

A capricorn stallion of surprisingly tall stature for a non-Fang capricorn as Russ determined from his height in full armour, Tharyn would have barely been considered a sovereign of any kind at a distant glance due to the simplicity of the vestments he wore around his dull silver power armour. What primarily denoted him as the ruler of an entire planet was the circlet he wore behind the curvature of his two horns.

It was of a silver far more polished and elegant than the simply-wrought mithril gilding on his armour. Worked into the front banding was a depiction of a wolf, fanged jaws agape, meeting the charge head-long of a fierce ram.

“We, as one of the final acts as High King of Fenris, do welcome you into Our royal abode,” Tharyn continued as Russ and Luna’s companions strode forward. “You may take rise now, Our subjects, Russ knows the extent of your devotion as do We. Ah, and the Great Wolf himself, in the presence of other living legends no less! Great Russ, please consider this the proper final addition to Our greeting earlier this day, and Princess Luna newly arrived do please consider this the proper beginning.”

Russ gestured to Luna to speak first. The alicorn nodded and neared closer to stand prominently before Tharyn in a practiced manner she could have replicated whilst sleeping, adjusting her posture to a neutral but naturally powerful position before the ruler of another people.

“We are pleased to make Your acquaintance and are most honoured by Thy welcome,” Luna began in her usual regal voice, “Our brief time on Thy people’s home planet thus far has been most enjoyable and fulfilling for Our exploits in this new age. Despite the limitations of what lore he can currently share, Leman Russ has shown us ancient things most impressive, and now We look forward to hearing what Thou has to share with us about Thy subjects of today!”

Tharyn’s blue eyes twinkled for a moment before he gave his response. “We would be most happy to have the privilege of telling you of Our subjects and their culture,” his response paused without warning as he began heaving with hearty laughter that rang throughout the grounds and into the city beyond.

“Although if you are like any of the ancients of Russ’ company,” Tharyn went on, “you may yet want to have some mjord handy for my tales of some of the least capricorn-like capricorns we have amongst us. We have had minor cultural incursions you see in underbellies of Fenris, from the galaxy at large … flip music for instance.”

“Pardon Trixie for her interjection, but by the merciful Gods, my ears are already bleeding at the mention of it,” Trixie interjected.

The Chief meanwhile simply shook his head in distaste at the mention of the genre, before removing his helmet to breathe in the cool and clear air.

“We, I shall question of this ‘flip music’ at a later date,” Luna finally said after a few seconds of silence with her brow raised in amused surprise at Tharyn’s sudden change in mannerism. “What I wonder about now at this very moment about your culture since it was mentioned, is the music many of your subjects enjoy!”

“Oh aye,” Tharyn chuckled, gesturing for Luna and Russ’s combined group to follow him, with the thanes and tribal leaders following after, “despite all the technological growth seen in this system and on this planet in the past few centuries, our music has evolved little, and its soul remains ever unchanged!”

“Judging by your expression, there is clearly an exception to this,” Luna replied with an expectant smile.

“Definitely. Human culture has swept through this system as much as the cultures of Solaris swept through theirs, granting us a powerful new addition to our musical heritage … something the humans call Viking Metal. Interested in an impromptu history ‘lecture’?”

Tharyn opened the doors to his palace himself, holding them ajar for his guests and soon to be superior to head inside before handing it off to the first thane and first chieftain that approached him.

“But of course!” Luna chimed with an even bigger smile as they strolled down the massive feasting hall that served doubly as Valdrmani’s throne room. “My interest is piqued, for it explores the culture of not just one but now two races to an extent. But first,” the alicorn gestured a hoof to Russ beside her, “we do of course have a coronation to undertake.”

Leman Russ gave a quiet affirmative hum at the statement, having been largely plain-faced and unreadable since arriving at the palace. The small number of chieftains and thanes already present in the throne room arose from their seats ceremoniously in near-synchronisation and bowed their heads in greeting at the approaching newcomers.

Past the neatly arranged long tables and down the royal rugs that adorned the polished stone floor stood a modest dias just over a meter tall that contained an ornately-carved wooden throne. The throne room’s decoration was sparse in stark comparison to the exterior.

Banners of both Capricorn houses hung side by side, tied to the rafters directly above the dias, and the tribal symbols of dozens of tribes adorned banners that hung on either side of the rectangular feasting hall. At regular intervals, small braziers burned. It was almost readily clear to Luna as everyone neared the dias that they were only present to augment the illumination provided by the massive windows of the palace, not for the generation of heat.

A pair of sculptures of two horned and thickly-furred wolves guarded the dias’ approach, and the tusks of some great ancient beast formed an arch above the throne, inscribed with what Luna guessed were flowing patterns representative of waves during squalls from a seafaring storm.

Standing on the dias itself beside the currently empty throne was a small group of patiently waiting Wolf Priests, lead by Ranek and Sigmara. Luna’s group and the Wolf Guard all joined the Wolf Priests on either side of the throne. Tharyn, meanwhile came to a stop just before his former throne before beaming at Russ.

“Members of my dynasty have long awaited this day, my forefathers and foremothers would envy this moment, the return of such an honoured figure during my reign. The capricorns outside and just those now entering, how respectfully they bowed! You are most worthy of this crown,” Tharyn stated.

The now Underking of Fenris removed his crown carefully with gauntleted hands, holding it out in a perfectly balanced position in the air between himself and the far more august capricorn.

“From what I can see, Tharyn, you’ve ruled Fenris as I would rule it. While this title is a simple formality, I accept the boons and burdens of leading our race once more,” Russ spoke slowly and precisely, enunciating each word with a surprising grace.

“Fenris’ might marches with you, and the Fangs that call her home,” Tharyn spoke, his voice brimming with pride.

Yet Russ did not put the crown on his head, instead returning it the head of Tharyn once more. “Your mark of status as Underking is the crown which had graced your family’s heads many years past. My sword and my armour shall be my symbol of rule. As long as I walk with them among the stars and our planet, I will ensure Fenris never falls.”

His face registering surprise for only a duo of seconds, Tharyn inclined his head in respect of Russ’ first decree as High King of Fenris with his muzzle beaming once more before he turned from the praetor and to the now mostly crowded throne room in front of them.

“Valdrmani! Fenris! Behold, your new High King, Leman Russ!”

“Hail, Great Wolf! Hail, High King Leman Russ!” the entirety of the throne room chorused. As some follow up cheering continued, a number of the thanes and chieftains had already proceeded with their festivities, raising flagons, drinking horns, and tankards in Russ’ name, all the while making quite a load of noise.

“I think they like you,” Tharyn remarked as he and Russ both watched the House and tribal leaders carry out their merrymaking.

The Underking’s little joke merited a small chuckle from Russ as he thought of the greater festivities to come back at the Aett very soon that would surely put even this feast to shame.

“Your Underkingness, you practically stole that line from Trixie’s lips,” Trixie blurted out, shocked by her second sudden and potential breach of some royal protocol unknown to her. “Trixie apologises, but she is convinced that only she can deliver such humour in this galaxy, for clearly she invented it.”

While Luna looked at Trixie with befuddlement and Russ proceeded to seat himself in the throne for the time being, the Chief also regarded the unicorn mare with a deadpan before inspecting his helmet. A few of the Wolf Guard even traded a few jokes amongst their own ranks and with each other, spurred on by Tharyn’s own light humour.

“Speaking of invention … Princess Luna! Fancy you now is the time for that quick exploration of our music?”

“The crown has been passed … allegorically put on … and passed once more. We have time I think most definitely! Is that so, Russ?”

Russ nodded before returning to his observation of his kinsmen.

“Do please continue,” Luna urged the Underking with enthusiasm.

Tharyn’s voice took on a slightly dramatic narrative tone, possibly involuntarily as Luna conjectured, as he began explaining Capricorn music. “When human records and cultural items first became accessible, we learned that human music had undergone many evolutions. Skalds and bards of both Houses as well as the tribes took a particular interest in a type that humans call Viking Metal, thusly named and created five centuries ago after a seemingly kindred warrior race on their homeworld Earth.”

Russ subtly flicked an ear in mild interest at Tharyn’s latter sentence. The Praetor made a private note to investigate the music of which his Underking was now describing.

“During their research, the bards found that such a noble genre had been supplanted like so many others by less than inspired ones that caused it to fade from much of their race’s attention and into dreaded obscurity,” Tharyn’s explanation continued. “We adopted the genre as our own, and have honoured the great human artists of the past by imbuing their ancient songs and ballads with new life! I personally consider our rendition of the long forgotten album ‘Jomsviking’ as one of our greatest restorations of such ancient musical artistry!”

“Fascinating!” Luna said with a thoughtful nod. “I shall explore this music at my earliest convenience, it may yet be a boon in the battles and exploits to come! Leman Russ, are you ready to return to the Aett? No doubt you clearly have important business there.”

“There is always something that requires me, Luna. Yet there is something of importance that we all need to be there for,” Russ replied with a small grin. “Let us return. Thayrn, you are obviously welcome to join.”

“And behold the interior of that massive and sacred citadel that is visible once again for the first time in generations! Call me a blind and deaf pup if I had refused … to the Aett we go, then!”

The Mjordtime
Aett, Great Mjord Hall
Thursday, 24th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

Valdrmani’s leading figures and tribal chieftains alike beheld the Aett in a way almost exactly as Russ and even Luna had expected as the next standard Equestrian day dawned. The massive group of visitors scanned each and every inch of the ancient halls with widened eyes of awe and prideful grins at one of the penultimate examples of their race’s engineering capacity.

The further Russ lead Tharyn and their subjects and comrades into the Fangs’ home, the more the reverent sightseeing evolved into preparation for merrymaking and feasting on an epic scale.

“The engineering of another age, built to last!” Tharyn remarked as the acoustics of the towering antechamber to the great mjord hall carried his voice outwards and amplified it considerably. “Come Russ, shall we raise our tankards in a hearty toast to architects and artisans long since past?!”

With a simple nod and a smile, Russ had the doors to the halls opened, granting Tharyn’s party as well as Luna’s a glimpse at yet another architectural monolith passed the threshold of the wooden doors.

The Aett’s mead hall was easily larger than that of Valdrmani Palace’s by a factor of three, almost enough to fit the very structure itself within the hall. The high-hanging ceiling was raftered by stone beams, but also arched so as to form a flat-bottomed keystone spine at the apex of the hall’s roof that allowed for illustrations to be embellished on its surface.

Luna need only to look up for a moment to see a great amount of Fangs’ history as of yet obscure to her played out in murals on the high ceiling, scenes broken regularly by recurring motif of the winged star accompanied by the Fangs’ ubiquitous insignia.

Also of no surprise to Luna, the atmosphere inside was both warm and boisterous. The Aett carried and echoed back the sounds of the voices and bellowing laughter as if itself too were an attendee of the festivities.

Kegs and barrels of mjord and other drink the size of main battle tanks lined some of the walls in scores, the contents of which were already being distributed to revelers seated at table after floor-encompassing table by a mixture of Iron Shamans, Rune Mages, and Grey Hunters, also in the middle of revelry themselves before sentinels and less senior Fangs began to take their place.

Also present amongst the merrymakers were the presiding Wolf Lords, who waved the newcomers over to their collection of tables in the hall. Their specific group of tables was at the head of the massive gathering, sitting in a line under what could only be described as two of the largest sculpted metal wolves Luna and her crew had ever seen.

The two wolves looked to be snarling at all those in the hall from the way their muzzles were etched. The intricacy of every little detail was baffling to Luna, for it hardly seemed like something that the Fangs would take part in; yet she only realised that like many things she was learning for the first time, the Fangs had layers to them that had yet to be uncovered.

In the center of the wolves was a simple sculpted wall that was made to look like an ancient stone tablet. On the tablet was writing that despite Cortana’s extensive databases, even she couldn’t identify what was being stated. The sheer number of runes and letters was unlike anything that any had ever seen. For a moment, Luna and even Cortana wanted to inquire about the runes but the moment was lost when they had reached the foot of the steps that lead to Russ’ table.

An ornate throne that looked comprised of pure wolf bone or something shaped to look so, sat in the middle of the table which Russ strode to and pulled out. Luna and her group took the seats to his left side while Tharyn and the accompanying thanes took to his right, their eyes still wandering around and taking in the sights, though most were focused on the massive amount of Fangs standing in the room.

The moment all those accompanying Russ had found a seat, Russ grabbed a horn full of mjord and raised it high. Instantly all Fangs in the massive hall stood from their seats and turned to face Russ in rapt attention, the entirety of the festivities completely ceasing. A few seconds of complete silence carried before his voice boomed across the hall.

“My brothers and sisters. Tonight is the first of many nights that we will drink and celebrate the deeds we have accomplished! Yet in this night of drinking and cheering, do not forget to pour mjord for those who fell to give us another day to celebrate! I have little words for you all, for you have done well, my pack! So drink up and eat your fill, because once the sun breaches the halls of The Aett tomorrow, the Great Scouring of the Covenant begins!”

A massive howl was let loose by Russ that was alone for a single second before the entirety of the hall joined in, minus Luna’s group. Even Tharyn and the Thanes felt the primal urge to join in something they didn’t fully understand. The reverberation of the walls was almost deafening to those who were not prepared.

When the howl faded to nothing, Russ slammed back his drink and smashed his fist and horn down the table, the horn shattering completely as though it was made of the thinnest glass.

Immediately the room erupted to chatter, slamming of mugs and horns, cheers of merriment, shouts of threats, and the general sound of thousands of warriors stuffing their gullets with enough food to drown a weaker being.

Sentinels and Fangs alike moved about the hall, grabbing food and alcohol and moving it to wherever it was needed, though it seemed like the ones doing most of the walking were now younger in look.

Luna and her group ate relatively quietly for the first little bit, just taking in the sights and sounds of everything that was happening. Quickly, the chaotic and vibrant celebration became something the Alicorn acclimated to, but soon and to Luna’s surprise, one of the Wolf Lords did something that managed to draw a good portion of the room’s attention to her.

Lilit Lonely-Song had climbed atop the table she was at. After pausing to guzzle from a drinking horn that Hel passed to her, Liliit cleared her throat before bellowing, “hear me, all of you drunken arses, for I am about to spin you the sacred song from the Fangs’ many sagas! Vlka Fenryka!”

Lilit’s declaration earned her a chorus of bellowing cheers and the raising of tankards and horns to her honour.

“Deliberately stumble upon a single word should you choose to join me, and may our Great Wolf himself cast you between the dueling space of the Morkais!” Lilit continued in a slightly lower volume, ear-splitting grin plastering her muzzle from end to end.

“Is that a challenge, Lilit?” Hel shouted out before a chorus of laughter followed, even Krom chuckling slightly.

The capricorn mare produced a drum and gave it an experimental thump, beginning to find her initial rhythm most suitable for what she was about to sing. Many of the less inebriated Fangs that had drums or a comparable surface handy such as their tankards joined in to form a type of impromptu orchestra.

“Vlka Fenryka? Another usage of the native name for your species?” Luna inquired.

Trixie had passed out in a deep snoring sleep beside the Princess during the issuing of her question, using her tankard and the Chief’s helmet as a combined ‘pillow.’ Luna laugh-snorted with a crinkled muzzle and lifted the sleeping unicorn’s head in her cobalt aura, replacing the hard metal surface of the tankard with a soft pelt that a grinning Rurika provided.

“Some kind of epic poem?” the Master Chief inquired on the other side of Luna, peering across the wide table at Russ with a brow raised curiously as the slow and deliberate thumping continued.

“It is a name; a name from a time long ago,” Russ spoke quietly. “From a time long ago and a place beyond what you could imagine. As long as my wolves live and fight, it will never be forgotten.”

Just as Russ was finishing speaking, Lilit began singing Vlka Fenryka in its native Juvjk. Her naturally silken voice became a hybrid of elements both melodious and warlike and her cerulean eyes burned with life with each line of the song. Every Fang in the room took up her voice in song, except for Russ whose eyes seemed to take on a glassed over look.

Almost immediately and to her shock, Luna felt a flurry of different languages she did not recognize or remember being able to understand process through her mind before Juvjk finally took the forefront. An almost complete comprehension of the capricorn language dawned on Luna just as Lillit was only beginning the ancient poem, but already she could feel that its presence was tenuous and fleeting.

Relentless hunters of the snow, we are
Wolves of Fenris!
The Alicorns’ fanged wrath
Armored stalkers of the stars,
Grey-cloaked death made real

Siblings of the Eternal pack, we are,
Wolves of Fenris!
Imperium’s sharpened axe,
Poised to strike till Wolftime come
When life and death unbind

Ashen!
Grey-mottled red!

Blood of traitors shall run like rivers in snow
All Liers felled by vengeful bite

Wolves of Fenris!

Siblings of Russ-king, forever we rise
Till Morkai maw shuts tight
When the Sun shines her final light
Nightmares fall before our might
The stars yield and make way at our howl

Insolent kings bleed and topple down,
Those who oppose the Gods’ truth will meet our fire
The four-horned wolves,
A galaxy’s terror

Ashen!
Grey-mottled red!

Blood of traitors shall run like rivers in snow
Liers felled by vengeful bite
Siblings of Russ-king, forever we rise
Till Morkai maw shuts tight

Wolves of Fenris!

Despite the ferocity and the merriment of the singing that the Fang’s carried throughout the hall, the moment the song was over, all heads were bowed in a brief moment of silence that confused Luna. Such a swift change of feeling in the room left her and her still awake companions speechless.

As if a switch had been flicked, the boisterous ways of the massive capricorns resumed, the shouting and celebrations had brought the hall out of its fleeting somber state. The change was so prominent that it managed to wake Trixie out of her drunken slumber, the mare mumbling rapidly in surprise.

The feasting was seemingly increasing despite such a thing being almost impossible. Yet somehow the Fangs had reached a new level of rowdiness, though somehow it was tame enough that no fights had broken out. As Luna gazed around the room she realised that the order was most likely due to the rather intimidating statures of Wolf Priests who weren’t partaking in the festivities.

Without warming Leman Russ stood beside her and let loose a quick howl, bringing the hall to a quick silence, the drunken stupors snapped in a heartbeat.

“Today we have fought our first battle against the Covenant! It marks the first time we have fought as one, reunited completely! Each one of the companies have proven themselves in battle today, proven that they are the warriors that we need in such a turbulent time! I invite my Wolf Lords to recant the victories of today!” Russ spoke as clearly as he had earlier, despite the mjord swirling in his system. When he sat back down cheer and howls rose once more.

With little hesitation, the first Wolf Lord stepped up to recant their Great Company’s tale.

Runvald the Fog-runed produced an oddly damp red burlap bag that was securely tied at its bottom. Untying the bag and exposing its gruesome occupant for all to see, Runvald flashed his brothers and sisters a grin. “Behold! One of the Covenant’s lesser Prophets! The commander of one of their flagship’s escorts!”

Within fractions of a second, his viewers registered that Runvald was in fact holding aloft the severed head of one of Obligation and Regret’s race. The Prophet appeared treacherous even in death, eyes still open and still seemingly burning with a now vacant hatred, the look punctuated by an ugly shocked grimace.

“With my rune mages obscuring the path of their corridors with mist and the fire of our meltas, Ulrik, one of my finest Grey Hunters, pressed forward with his pack in his midst, gunning down this fiends’ ‘honour’ guard and clearing my path towards the Prophet’s fate you now see before you!” Runvald said dramatically, relishing the memory in his mind. “But behold, such frail and treacherous beings as these Prophets cower behind thrones of powerful armament! No sooner had my path been cleared by Ulrik, the fiend did turn this armament on me. My wards held only by virtue of rune mage Sigurd Glowing-Hand lending me some of her own energy for me to not only defend, but counter!”

“Damn you, it was I who cast the spell that countered, you merely held behind your wards before I cleared the way for your final attack!” a female voice shouted in annoyance before breaking out in laughter and tossing a drinking horn in Runvald’s general direction.

“A … minor discrepancy in my account … apologies,” Runvald stated, still grinning as he stepped slightly back so that the drinking horn struck the ground just in front of his armoured hooves. “Bards are known to get a few details … exaggerated.”

“You? A Bard?! Bah!” Lilit retorted sharply, causing Runvald to dodge a tankard this time with a little bit less grace as the alcohol in his system reached the apex of its effects.

His grin even wider, Runvald continued, “But verily, my final attack was indeed the one that felled this fiend! Channeling power from my staff, I rendered light tangible as was the art of the ancients, and with that hardened blade of light I beheaded the Prophet from its pitiful shoulders!” Holding the San’Shyuum the highest yet, Runvald finished with, “Whose trophy can claim to best mine! Runvald the Fog-runed asks you to come forward!”

With a slam of a tankard, Hel stood from her spot farther down the table and turned around to a sheet-covered item. All eyes that could see turned to Hel who threw the cover off and swiftly rose her trophy up in the air, a wicked grin on her face as she showed it for all the Fangs to see. For a second there was a pause as though they were all struggling to accept what they were seeing before nearly the entire hall broke out in howling laughter and stamping of feet.

In her hand, Hel held the entirety of a damaged and indented table that was covered almost entirely in blood. Scorches of black marred the surface as it was clear the thing had been used as a shield. Hel’s face was that of a smug grin as the hall pretty much agreed that her prize was better … in a roundabout way. Even The Great Wolf couldn’t help but smile at just how silly the trophy was yet it was obvious that the thing had earned its place.

“I don’t think I need to explain why this table trumps your head, Runvald!” Hel called out with laughter, one that even Runvald couldn’t help but let out a snicker to. “I turned the enemy’s own furniture against them! This table has more kills than most Blood Claws in this room!”

A round of howls went up as Hel set her table back down behind her, then raising her mug and downing her mjord swiftly. As she sat back down, another stood to tell their story.

Olga Hammer-Fist, though one of the stockiest of the room, seemed to possess a momentary aura that made her seem much taller than was physically apparent as she brandished her trophy of war.

It was a gravity hammer of alien manufacture, of roughly equivalent size as her own Capricorn gravity hammer. Both ends of the head of the weapon were still mottled with crimson blood tinged in an almost luminescent violet.

“The third target ship, the former Sublime Transcendence’s second primary escort, was crawling with a particularly savage race of Covenant. Jiralhanae, loyal to the Prophets! This hammer I prized from the War Chieftain that captained the ship. I used his own hammer to cave in the beast’s skull and chest just as a packmate, Randagulf, one of my finest Wolf Guards retrieved my hammer from where it had toppled the door to the warship’s control room to all but flatten one of the other lesser Chieftains accompanying their commander.”

“Savages they can be, aye! Didn’t a single one go berserk, though?” Rurika interjected, before taking an inquisitive sip from her tankard.

“The remaining Chieftain did! The fucking beast actually dropped his armament and made to approach me with hand to hand, growling almost unintelligibly about the ‘Great Journey’, which I suppose I sent him on shortly after. He was only able to charge once, I caught first one then two clawed and furry fists before we became locked in a power struggle, neither gaining ground until my knee ended it almost in an instant. If the Chieftain’s chest had not been shattered by that, then it surely was after I swung the spiked end of his dead commanders’ hammer clean into where I presumed his hearts were. A simple bit of effort and another swing later, the Brute toppled to the floor with a thunderous quake!”

“Did the survivor’s break rank? Remind me once more,” Ylyssa Ice-Wraith requested.

“At the death of the last Chieftain? The remainder of the Jiralhanae did not flee, oh no. The remainder lost their wits and berserked all at once. Worthy foes they were like Sangheili as I have heard, if quite uncoordinated in those final moments. The last of them was rendered unrecognizable after coming between the heads of both my own hammer and the trophy you see before you in unison!”

The hall cheered and howled in acceptance of the feat, and so did another Wolf Lord step up, and another after them until all of the Wolf Lords had exhausted their tales. When the last Wolf Lord to speak, Rurika Elder-Blade, had told her tale, Russ stood once more and let out a roar of acceptance at the battle tales he had heard. All the hall cheered and continued with their constant drinking and feasting.

After a rather quick hour had passed according to Cortana’s timekeeping, Luna drew Russ’ attention with a friendly wave of her hoof. “Twilight Sparkle’s expedition still awaits their retrieval home with Doctors Halsey and Anders at your old keep at Fenris’ northernmost apex.”

“I suppose I should accompany you; my brothers and sisters will continue to drink until they are passed out, with or without me,” Russ said before standing. He looked over to the massive yet still figure of Bjorn who had been standing behind their table the entire time. With a single nod, the Promethean Wolf made to follow. Not a single Fang noticed the departure of their leader; the alcohol already tinting their perception.

Data Miner
Fenris, Boreas, Russ’ Keep

Doctor Halsey watched her breath catch in the freezing air as she observed the now still sphere of Russ’ combat cryptum one final time from a far side of the chamber.

“Just from what you’ve allowed us to gather combined with the findings at an undisclosed number of other sites like this, my researchers will have decades’ worth of discoveries and contributions to make to the GSC’s technological and scientific progress,” the scientist stated to a mildly impatient-looking Praetor Russ, the unreadable helmeted visage of the Master Chief, a studious Trixie, and a serene-faced Princess Luna.

While Halsey conversed with them, Twilight Sparkle and Doctor Anders were at present occupied with making final video documentation of the ancient technological sphere. They stood closest to it, on the central balcony the housed the cryptum’s external control interfaces.

The vast chamber around them that had for so long housed Russ’ cryptum in relative quietude, cold, and shadow had been drastically altered thanks entirely to the studying and exploring conducted by the Imperial Equestrian-lead expedition. Previously clear decorated stone and unknown alloy floors had been liberally covered in a sizeable accruement of snow from high above.

Very early into the exploration, the researchers had discovered the roof to actually be a massive example of hardlight architecture, only solid and tangible when active and powered. When interfacing with a particular set of terminals to assess its purpose, one of the expedition members had intentionally disengaged the barrier and opened it to the world – and weather – outside.

“But as Fairweather and his colleagues clearly iterated the day before, thou lacks the years to remain here, in this place,” Luna joked with a little smile added to her features.

“As much as I loath intelligence agencies, they do cause a thorn in the side if left unappeased, Doctor,” Russ stated, hardly hiding what he was trying to say.

Halsey issued a mirthless chuckle. “Indeed, High King, indeed. Yes, we heard the transmissions from Parliament about Tharyn being quasi-replaced. Do not worry, we are already packing up. We appreciate your people’s hospitality for the duration of our stay.”

To directly illustrate what she had just said, Halsey placed a laptop, microscope, and a number of miscellaneous instruments from a nearby table into one of the many field crates.

Most of its brethren were already in the process of being hauled out by expedition members to a Wyvern dropship that was hovering quietly above the chamber opening.

“Doctor, is this where I part ways with a new friend?” Cortana asked as she manifested on Luna’s hoof. She had her arms folded and her face bore a worried frown.

“You two have forged quite a bond in your brief companionship together, haven’t you,’ Halsey pointed out.

“‘Tis true,” Luna affirmed. “But We are soon to depart for homeworld and We have grown most fond of the construct! Erm … We mean Cortana.”

Cortana curled her lip into a cheeky frown as the Alicorn’s voice tapered off into a mischievous giggle.

Russ payed the exchange little notice, only glancing at at the current person talking from time to time. The Praetor was presently occupied with receiving and relaying messages with parties unknown. Meanwhile, the Master Chief offered his own insight as he brushed errant snow off his armour.

“Ma’am, Luna and Cortana have demonstrated themselves to be a highly effective tactical combination in battle. I would consider it prudent that Cortana be in Luna’s company should we find ourselves in military affairs once again.”

Chief’s assessment was met with a grateful smile from Luna before she began focusing attentively on Halsey.

“Of which is highly probable if not inevitable given that you, one of my Spartans, are in her company. Now, be that as it all may,” Halsey began dramatically, “I do not require swaying. Cortana’s sister, Kalmiya, already serves me well, thus freeing Cortana for much … loftier purposes. Cortana, this means you will have the herculean task of keeping a protective watch over Luna, John, Miss Lulamoon, and of course Miss Tw...”

“One of those purposes including being my replacement?” Twilight threw in with her brows quirked up after she and Anders teleported from their previous location and now to Halsey’s right in a pop of magic.

“Watch yourself, you nearly gave Trixie a heart attack!” The only Praetorian in the room admonished.

“Twilight!” Anders chuckled in exasperation. “Remember who assigned you to Princess Luna to begin with.”

Cortana studied Twilight’s expression for a moment before smirking. “She’s just joking.”

Twilight’s false but convincing look of protest fell into a gawk as she emitted a strange sound comparable to a confused chimp.

“Twilight knows that Smart AI’s are companions,” Cortana continued, “not things to replace other less efficient things. I mean you’re a unicorn, Twilight! You can manipulate bright matter to produce magic while all I do is float around in near endless streams of data, calculating highly sophisticated equations and processing terabyte upon terabyte of academic knowledge in milliseconds.”

Twilight met Cortana’s quip with a roll of her eyes. Meanwhile, Luna’s analytical side had finished the processing it had been conducting the entire time in the background.

“Data … that reminds Us!” Luna exclaimed. “The Sangheili admiral’s device, We have personally put off accessing its contents for too long since its momentous acquisition. Cortana, if thou wouldst be so kind as to render thine aid?”

“Gladly,” Cortana responded with a nod.

Luna levitated the curved holographic screen out from her satchel bag and held it in front of the both of them as well as the others. Cortana digitally leapt from Luna’s hoof to the holographic screen as she was held close to the datapad, accessing its systems directly.

“Beginning my search, here … standard Covenant software architecture.” Cortana’s voice was audible from the data pad's soundpiece as she folded her arms out of habit and set about to work. “But parts of said architecture are containing things that are definitely not standard to the Covenant. It’s jumbled, like something within it is trying to inhibit me … I’m seeing Covenant battlenet entries regarding ‘discoveries of outstanding significance to the Ministries of Fortitude and Relic Safety made during engagements in confirmed Heretic capital Solaris’.”

“What else? Please continue!” Luna pressed, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“Accompanying this data are several audio recorded transcripts of orders from Wattinree to his fleet, telling them to ‘harass the fleets of the Heretics with due care and true cunning; I require the purchase of time to fulfill my obligation to holy Regret.’ Some of the other transcripts are of Regrets sermons in both audio and video, as well as the call to High Charity that brought it briefly into the battle, issued just nine minutes before their confirmation of Solaris as the star system. Take a listen.”

Cortana’s figurine-sized avatar was momentarily overshadowed by a much larger projection of Regret comparable to the size of an adult wyvern’s head as it materialized just above the datapad itself.

In the projection, Regret’s eyes were alight with fervour, and his body language and mannerisms upon his gravity throne were impassioned with a readily visible zealousness. “A most exalted correspondence to the excellency of Hiearchs Truth and Mercy. With Xytan ‘Jar Wattinree’s forces in my company, I have discovered the telltale signs of the progenitor of all Sacred Rings in this system as foretold, in the company of facilities that may bear fruit in our search for Erde Tyrene and the Ark! Take heed however, for it is sullied by the unanticipated but minor presence of Heretic vermin. I entreat you, to bring forth our holy city to this star and prepare for the consecration of this Halo’s sacred icon at once!”

Regret’s projection then froze in place as the recording ended.

“‘Confirmed’? Then the intelligence our trenchcoat-clad ‘rivals’ gathered is true. The Covenant did not realize Solaris was the capital of the GSC. Curious,” Halsey remarked as she ran a hand through her hair.

“Oh? How so?” Luna inquired. Her ears flickered to punctuate her query.

“Intelligence gathering in this war has always been an … interesting affair,” Trixie explained.

“What we know, and what we know the enemy knows is never straightforward as it may sound,” Twilight continued. “For instance, it is common knowledge that the Covenant inexplicably worships Alicorns and entities they call Forerunners, but they have given no indication of knowing that one of our most important leaders is one.”

“You and Russ were clearly a massive spiritual shock to them,” Trixie said to Luna and the still occupied Praetor.

Luna looked to Russ and back to the datapad. She huffed her amusement before replying, “Clearly their ‘pantheon’ is an, until recent events, unexploited tactical and strategic opportunity.”

“And not to mention, one can only imagine how they would react if they understood the true identity of the Equestrian Empress,” Anders mused. “Total and complete theological and therefor societal collapse? Certainly not a strategic risk we were ever willing to take in the face of the possible intelligence vulnerabilities it would present.”

“But now, with the apprehension of one Prophet and the unlikely cooperation of another … this war has been knocked on its head, hasn’t it?” Halsey proposed.

“Agreed. These are developments we could have scarcely anticipated,” Anders replied in a rare moment of genuine constructive coordination with Halsey.

“Speaking of turning things on their heads,” Cortana interjected, “there’s more stored in Wattinree’s device than just Covenant data … something entirely unlike them. Things with a distinct signature and multilingual but the only closest match being written form, in the Covenant’s glyphs.”

“Elaborate, please,” Halsey urged.

“A recording … or rather, a jumbled patchwork of several in one package. According to Wattinree’s rather somber sounding notes, the recordings were extracted by a Huragok-complemented Special Operations team sent to the so-called Primal Halo that is hidden on our own front doorstep: somewhere around Tranquility.”

At the mention of the Primal Halo, even Russ had given pause in his ministrations to fully take note of what was being discussed.

“Forerunner or Alicorn, perhaps?” Trixie speculated, biting her lip.

“We have yet to confirm any correlation between Celestia and Princess Luna being the same type of being as the Alicorns or Forerunners the Covenant allegedly worship,” Twilight replied. Upon Luna’s nod of approval, the unicorn mare retrieved and began rapidly leafing through the Princess’ Codex as she continued, “Likewise, we currently have no idea if this so-called ‘Halo’ is a Forerunner creation, let alone an Alicorn one.”

“Can this ‘patchwork’ recording be played back? If it’s something that was of significance to the Covenant, then its bound to be of significance to us,” Master Chief ventured.

“Affirmative, actually. Starting playback, although translation may not be exact … “ Cortana snapped her fingers.

In a similar manner to how Regret’s call to High Charity had been displayed, the recording produced a visible image, although it demonstrated visible signs of severe data corruption.

A sporadically flickering, brilliant cerulean projection of a standing phoenix ignited into being with a combination of a technological chiming and a continuous, almost purr-like rumbling. The great and fearsome-looking bird spread its wings out as its talons clutched a six-pointed star bearing a glyph.

It was the same geometrically perfect glyph that Luna and the others had witnessed recently, while Halsey, Twilight, and Anders recognized it as well from earlier expeditions to several other ancient, mostly unexplained sites throughout GSC and neutral space. Russ carefully hid his own recognition behind a face of stoic observation.

Quickly, the visage of the phoenix gave way to a confused and swirling crimson cloud consisting of lines of alien text. Luna’s eyes darted rapidly in an effort to parse even a minute amount of the data.

“I apologize, but this thing … it’s like it almost has a mind of its own,” Cortana remarked in frustration, holding up a hand. “Playback is at random.”

The cloud of text rotated and gyrated, flickering like the previous projection with each garbled and static-laden recording that emerged from it.

“Hiding … lurking amidst the voids between the stars!”

“Gamma … iring … too Impotent! … The Heart … enact alternative measures!”

“In range … ield worlds … no refuge, not in waking, not in dreams … Must prevail! Must prevail!”

As the end of the third message began to loop unexpectedly, Cortana’s expression shifted from surprise, to frustration, and then into worry in the span of a few moments. She cut off the playback and the crimson cloud projection flickered away back into nothing

“That was not good … playing it back for just that long has apparently caused it to ‘retreat’ into itself … committing processing power to an information dump of some of the little coherent data that remains. I shut it down to prevent further degradation. I shall devote the next day to probing it in hopes of safely unlocking it, but it means I will be quiet if that is alright,” Cortana explained with a sigh.

“‘Tis alright, Cortana. Mayhaps the information is for other sets of ears, or other circumstances,” Luna assured her.

“Very possible,” Cortana agreed before humming with contemplatio, her arms folded in a now particularly stiff manner as she set about her task.

“To reiterate Princess Luna’s conclusion: if it’s of any use, we will find a way to access it safely when the time is right,” Halsey added as they all began making their way to the waiting Wyvern and the chamber’s exits both old and newly discovered that lead to additional readied aircraft and spacecraft outside.

“I wonder how Obligation liked her lodgings with Cady,” Twilight mused happily to Doctor Anders as the others carried on their own conversations.

Anders sidestepped to make way for a pair of scientists carting off the remains of one of the bipedal constructs that formerly defended the ancient halls they were now exiting. “Well I imagine. The Princess can probably make anyone feel at home, even someone who was up until yesterday, an official and important member of an enemy theocracy hellbent on destroying everything we know.”

Ander’s snort of amusement caught Luna’s attention as the glaring white of sunlight and snow quickly greeted them. “Brace thyselves, We expect heavy-hoofed politics are coming.”

Prophets’ Inquiry
Equis, Elysia Station Parliament Chamber, 34,700 km above Canterlot

“Prophetess Obligation, you stand before this session of Parliament as a defector of the Covenant Hegemony, the current belligerent power against the interests of not only the GSC but the best interests of all free species in the galaxy. You possess intelligence that you claim likely to assist in the truncation of this conflict, is that correct?” Arcadius Antiochus of the Roaman Empire inquired with a particularly intense air of stoicism, clad in the white gold of his toga robes that covered most of his black and white striped coat.

In the middle of the central rotunda chamber of Elysia station, Obligation’s throne was positioned before a stage full of podiums for particular leaders that had been arranged for the particular occasion of her presence.

Behind her was the many rows of workstations and podiums in which delegates, heads of state, and military leaders from each member power of the Concordat normally held office when GSC parliament was in session.

The Roaman Emperor was joined by Empress Celestia, as well as Admiral Hood standing in for the President of the UEG. Their group was completed by the additional presence of the ruler of Griffonia, Queen Gladys, a strict but not entirely cold-looking gryphoness of black plumage and the rear half of a leopard.

Currently, the rows were occupied by a veritable sea of officials, murmuring quietly to themselves as they scrutinized their notes as well as Obligation’s every movement. Meanwhile, the frontmost row was reserved for Luna’s party, now joined by Princess Cadence and a small number of the Equestrian Empire’s ministers and other high officials. Russ and his companions had declined to attend, and were instead at present exploring the station.

Elysia’s social atmosphere was temporarily of increased vibrancy than normal for the orbital station as well as being minorly tense due to Obligation’s presence. Luna could tell as much from a brief analysis of several GSC officials’ faces, but what also captivated her attention was the attention to detail that the station’s builders had put into its creation.

Parliament’s rotunda boasted a large version of the alliance’s primary insignia on its ceiling with the outline of the stylized sun gleaming white with illumination from magical lighting, and outside Luna had seen everything from small parks and their decorative waterworks, to a tram system, and a number of large gathering places established for the public that offered holographic displays of major Concordat planets as well as their accompanying fact books and other educational media.

Also drawing Luna’s eye were, even in the rotunda itself, small murals, carvings, and statues all from many different cultures, many of which were often carved into pillars and in wall niches that framed doorways on either side. One prominent metal panel in the park Luna’s group had passed through showcased the achievements of human scientists that Twilight Sparkle enthusiastically identified as Doctors Wallace Fujikawa and Tobias Fleming Shaw, the creators of humanity’s first slipspace drive.

Drawing her mind back to the present situation, Luna kept that particular depiction of the human scientists in mind as she and the others listened to Obligation’s response. She knew it had been a human colony that the Covenant had first attacked to begin the war – Harvest – and Obligation’s presence and circumstance for it was almost a way of closing some cosmic circle.

“That is correct,” Obligation replied with a graceful and serene demeanor after taking a couple of moments to survey the chamber full of eyes affixed on her with largely ambiguous emotion.

“Well then, why mince words, I wonder as we begin the opening of this discussion,” Queen Gladys responded with no less stoicism than her zebra counterpart. “Politely: out with it, Prophet!”

Obligation awarded the king’s statement with a pleasant smile. “The Covenant Empire is, speaking as one of its former heads of state, a corrupt serpent held together by great lies. For centuries the races of the Covenant were told it was our penultimate purpose to find the lost treasures of the Gods … Halo foremost of all, to claim our way to salvation, following in the Alicorns’ footsteps on their Great Journey.”

“The ideology is thusly so concrete and immutable?” Arcadius inquired. “It corroborates our observations of your forces on the battlefields and in space engagement, the fervour and the single-minded hunting of ‘heretics’.”

“Indeed,” Obligation nodded stolidly, “any that became obstacles in our path to that end were heretics, meant to test us and be subdued into our might or to be scorched away by it. ”

“You discovered that the reality behind Covenant dogma was far more sobering,” Celestia asked in a tone that conveyed her sentence more as a statement rather than a question. “Before you continue, may I please interpose a question?”

“You are one of my hosts so the right is unspoken, but I bow my head in admiration at the courtesy nonetheless,” Obligation pointed out.

Celestia nodded her thanks before asking with a neutral gaze, “Alicorns, the subjects of worship for the Covenant, presumably of higher importance than what are called Forerunners? What are these beings as you know them?”

“Yes, these so-called ‘gods’ as the Covenant dub them, I wonder about them as well. The figures the Hiearchs claim to be enacting inquisition in the name of,” Arcadius interjected.

“We know only of their appearance from inscriptions. Bipedal as most races of the Covenant, with wings and horn quite coincidentally like your own, Empress Celestia.” Obligation’s eyes seemed dreamy as she spoke of them, as a young child would of a most accomplished parent.

“And the Forerunners?” Hood asked with his arms folded in thought.

“Likely servants, agents from what the Covenant ministries could interpret. Alicorns and the Forerunners who ruled under them were beings of vast power, who while engaging another unholy obstacle they simply called the Parasite, used their Halo creations the Covenant seek to transcend the mortal plane, also purging the Parasite from existence in a divine wind that swept the stars.”

Arcadius hummed as he digested the Prophetess’ response. “Fascinating. Now, returning to the matter at hoof, by what means did you discover these falsehoods and the truth hidden behind them?”

“The Oracle of High Charity, an ancient construct left behind by the Alicorns to guide the ‘faithful’ who found it. During the events on the world you call Harvest, my usurpers, the present triumvirate of High Prophets, consulted it as I eavesdropped on them in suspicion of their intent with such an important relic.”

“Auditory eavesdropping, now Trixie considers that old school,” Twilight’s fellow unicorn remarked to her in a lowered tone of voice, to which Twilight chewed her lip studiously.

“They were told that they had been misinterpreting the sparse records and plentiful artifacts since before my race first left our homeworld in civil war and planted the seeds of the Covenant,” Obligation continued on. “I intend to take what I know back with me under the Concordat’s banner to reform the Covenant and purge the liars and those who would still follow them even in the face of this reality.”

Obligation’s statement sparked an almost instantaneous uproar amongst the assembly behind her, causing Admiral Hood to intervene.

“Enough!” Hood shouted, lessening the commotion substantially but not fully silencing it.

“We are the Concordat; this dignified inquiry will not give way to an unruly mob,” Celestia said scaldingly, taking Hood’s cue and finally bringing the rancor back down to the previous murmuring. “Please allow her to continue.”

The Prophetess gave the human and the alicorn a gesture of thanks before clasping her hands in her lap. “What we thought was Reclamation inscribed on the ancient artifacts, our duty, was in fact the word Reclaimer. These long years of war are the result of the usurpers’ attempts to preserve their power through erasing all evidence of the status of equinity and humanity.”

“Status?” Celestia inquired with curiosity.

Delaying her response, Obligation took a deep breath before proclaiming, “Your races and peoples’ status of Reclaimer: the Alicorns’ chosen inheritors of all they left behind.”

Leman Russ, Entrepreneur
Elysia Station, Main Concourse
Meanwhile ...

“What do you mean, you don’t have mjord!” Krom shouted at the pony waitress who was shaking at the fury of the giant Capricorn. The unicorn mare had served a couple of Fenrisians before but they had been civil and wanted something reasonable. The massive group in front of her seemed anything like that. Well at least the one yelling at her.

“Ah give her a break, Krom,” Calder said with a chuckle.”She’s probably never even heard of mjord!”

“Bullshit!” Krom shouted as he smashed his fist. All eyes in the bar were staring at the hulking figures at the table. Unknowingly they were lucky that said Capricorns were not decked out in full armour, but the weaponry attached to their sides still gave many a chill down their spines.

“Sorry about this, babe,” Solvi, said with a wink. “If you need a nice stress reliever, I’m really good with my hands.”

It was a miracle that the mare didn’t faint, instead barely able to scamper away to the bar with only Solvi really noticing as the rest of the table was already too busy talking, or in Krom’s case shouting.

While the table was more or less in the middle of the bar, an even larger capricorn had taken up residence a little further away in a corner booth. Lying at the foot of the booth was a larger than life mechanical wolf that was constantly scanning the room.

An older human male, a retired soldier from the looks of it walked over to the massive Capricorn. “You with those jackasses over there?”

The towering capricorn leaned forward over the table. Though imposing in stature, the older human, undoubtedly the manager, hardly flinched at the being looking at him. Oddly enough he thought he heard a chuckle from the mechanical wolf.

“As much as I hate to say it, they are my guard,” Leman spoke with a deep, yet soft growl to his voice.

“Well you better reign them in, buddy, or I’m kicking you out of here,” the human tried to threaten but the gleaming grin from Leman spoke volumes of how that would work.

“I don’t know how that will go over. ‘The Great Wolf of Fenris kicked from bar’ is a funny title to read in that propaganda of a news station that runs throughout the sector,” Leman said with a mild chortle. “Besides, I like it here. Perhaps I’ll refer it to my Fangs when we station a pack here, access to unlimited funds for drinking is the perk of the position.”

The human stared at Leman with narrowed eyes, seeing right through the honeyed words but even if a little bit of that was true, there could be either horrible implications or a great chance to profit. With a quick decision he replied. “If we stock mjord and add some … decorations, you can guarantee business?”

“No word is higher on Fenris then mine,” Leman replied.

“Deal,” replied the human without hesitation. Fenrisians were known to blow lots of credits on alcohol in any establishment then visited, even more so in places that had mjord. He could only imagine what would happen if the supposed Great Wolf, which was a name on the tips of a lot of tongues recently, supported his bar. “I expect you to follow through, Great Wolf or not, doesn’t matter. You break a contract …”

The Great Wolf pulled out a small disk from a pocket which quickly displayed a holographic sheet that had print on it. It was written in some odd language from the looks of it. “I never break a sworn oath. One click and this goes out on all Fang and Fenrisian networks.”

“I’ll have the mjord flown in within the hour,” the human replied with a grin. Russ simply gave a small laugh before hitting a button that seemed to dissolve the screen.

“Done,” was the sole reply. The two shook hands, very uneven sized hands but nevertheless the pact was made. The Fangs now had a drinking establishment on Elysia Station.

Chapter 7: Moonlight's Repose

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Politics, Elevators, and Invites Galore
Equis, Elysia Station, Parliament Chamber
Thursday, 24th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

The Prophetess’ declaration once again reignited the commotion amongst the GSC Parliament that Admiral Hood and Empress Celestia had just so recently quelled.

Despite the constant chaotic volume, a small number of distinct voices were able to emerge audible from the rancor amongst the Parliamentary booths. The vast majority of those voices were directed at one another; throwing around every topic from disbelief of Obligation’s claims, to a budding suspicion of the Prophetess being a grand-scale spy or a trap set to spring, to strong confusion over her usage of the word ‘alicorn’.

During the debating, which was becoming increasingly fervent and impassioned, Leman Russ, Bjorn, and the whole Wolf Guard had actually been able to enter attendance in Parliament without much notice from the delegates and heads of state. The main figure to notice was the Master Chief, whom Russ took position next to after exchanging respectful nods.

“Impossible … and yet all those sites …” Cadance murmured to herself beside Luna.

Luna was focused intently on the proceedings between Obligation, her sister, and Celestia’s other three nearest colleagues. Although, she did temporarily divert her attention to check on the Covenant datapad that for the moment housed Cortana, who was still processing the unknown data therein.

Besides Twilight and Trixie, who were engaged in a conversation over magic, recent events, and the findings of the Ministry of Technology expedition, in an effort to drown out the squabbling Parliament, the rest of Luna’s companions were reticent. Russ and the Master Chief both silently observed the chaos around them.

Both warriors felt much out of place. Bjorn meanwhile, watched the more rowdy functionaries and leaders present like a spectator would to a troupe of circus clowns. Politicians and politics remained almost unchanged despite the contextual era or the governments involved.

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?” Luna murmured back to the other alicorn with a strong note of awe both in her voice and her expression as both of them leaned closer to each other and swiveled their ears automatically to compensate for the raucous volume around them.

With the vast amount of things to process from recent events as well as being in the presence of something of a nature as the Parliament of the Grand Solarian Concordat, Luna had had scarcely the moment to register that she was in fact in the presence of another, yet unfamiliar Equestrian Princess.

“Princess Luna!” The vastly younger Princess adopted Luna’s expression as her own as it registered in her mind that she had just spontaneously entered her first conversation with someone who was both officially and for all intents and purposes, a long-lost family member.

The light azure-maned alicorn was smaller than Cadence had expected, but even despite that, Luna seemed larger than life to her.

“‘Tis I!” Luna answered back with a warm smile. “I apologise for our first interaction being in such less than ideal circumstance.”

“It’s not a problem at all, Aunt Luna! Please, call me Cadence,” Cadance replied with an incredulous chuckle. “I apologise for the rowdiness of the Parliament … . Auntie Tia says the war has made them this way, and from what I have seen in the past decade and a half, I can scarcely blame them.”

Luna let out a chuckle of her own, briefer than her niece’s before saying, “No blame was ever necessary, war affects us all in ways each different from the last.”

“I can wholeheartedly agree.”

Despite her wanting to ask Cadance about her reaction to Obligation’s statement, Luna deemed the moment inappropriate to do so, and gestured a hoof at a well groomed and attired unicorn stallion also in the front row in the adjacent section. “It would seem not all of this Parliament gathered here is so easily thrown into ill disposition in these trying times.”

Princess Cadence’s stupification had worn off to be replaced by serene musing. It allowed her to smile warmly when her eyes followed Luna’s pointing hoof.

“Inheritors of what, exactly? What is there to be reclaimed, Madame Obligation?” Fancy Pants, Celestia’s Imperial Prime Minister, finally decided to ask Obligation with a raised and carefully tone adjusted voice as he stood serene and dignified, contrasting sharply with the more dazed and arguing high officials and heads of state around him.

Obligation positioned herself in her chair in preparation to respond but was stymied by the continued uproar in the chamber. Shock, skepticism, and an a majority confusion clung to the air like an invisible miasma. It was in that moment that Luna took it upon herself to intervene, rather than simply observe as she and her companions had in the minutes prior.

“Silence!” Luna demanded in her Royal Voice, causing the very chamber itself to shake just enough to be noticeable. All rancor ceased instantly, allowing Obligation to regain the verbal floor.

Luna was given the same San’Shyuum gesture of thanks that Celestia and Hood had received, before Obligation turned back to Fancy Pants and the two shared earnest gazes.

“There is a vast array of functional technological relics, materials and technical knowledge, worlds and installations, so on and so forth scattered across this galaxy that await to be reclaimed for usage towards noble and exalted endeavours,” Obligation explained. “We Prophets have long speculated in the Covenant that a central repository may exist even, something that could allow for it to all be located at once for a swift reclamation!”

“She’s not lying, Wattinree stumbled upon greater than even we could have probably anticipated. Those findings across the galaxy are largely connected … I am seeing the dots link again and again, but without context! I’m making great progress, Luna!” Cortana interposed in the Luna’s mind.

“Magnificent, Cortana. Keep at it!”

“We have made findings over the past several decades, findings that we cannot describe in detail without a full vote of the Concordat’s Parliament to enact or to not enact an official diplomatic disclosure,” Emperor Arcadius stated flatly before a note of desire began to creep into his voice. “But if such a repository exists … the boon it would provide us in not just this war, but all wars that would threaten the stability of our colonies and the galaxy, and more …”

“What of the other races?” Queen Gladys interjected. “Why only a single species and a group of closely related ones? Any such technology recovered by GSC officials is by our laws the rightful property of all Concordat races, such reciprocity is at the very foundation of this alliance and is a vital component of the harmony amongst our nations!”

“Reciprocity and truth will reform the Covenant to something greater that could stand with your Concordat, not blind faith in deceptions and forced obedience. And as for the Ancients and why the Reclaimers are who they are…” Obligation paused as she was once again reminded of times in days past, when she had attempted to fathom what she had learned of beings she had been brought up from birth believing to be divine and harbingers of a quest for transcendence of mortality.”

“Your proposal that the Covenant can be ‘reformed’ is something I am highly skeptical about,” Hood told the Prophet, “but I cannot help but agree with the power that the former has compared to the latter. Empress Celestia, your thoughts?”

“Whether the Covenant Empire is something that can be reformed or not, only time will tell, I fear,” Celestia stated, making her expression clearly readable for the first time during the inquiry.

“Such is the reality,” Obligation agreed, unreadable as Celestia had been before her face look took on a readily visible conviction. “But be aware, besides collaborating to see the Usurpers’ threat removed once and for all, and the Covenant pacified, it is the only goal towards which I am imbued with self-purpose in the absence of my previous rulership. The other two of my lost triumvirate, they share my view as well as my knowledge and can be our greatest agents within the corrupt Covenant.”

“Be that as it may, if we must destroy your people’s empire as well as its theocracy to ensure the lasting peace and harmony of a whole galaxy, Obligation, we will not hesitate to do so, ‘reclamation’ or not,” Arcadius declared firmly. “Its client races in that event whom have not already joined the Concordat may be granted tentative admittance as the GSC navigates into a post-war era.

“I will admit that your ability to acknowledge two important harmonious traits does fill me with a glimmer of hope,” Celestia followed up with a wave of her hoof.

“While this is all well and admirable, my question to Obligation still stands!” Gladys pressed unto the others, growing from surprise to becoming mildly livid.

“I cannot even begin to fathom the reasoning of so ancient of a civilization as the Alicorns or even those who served them,” Obligation responded apologetically, meeting the Griffon Queen’s gaze directly. “As you may be able to gather from my elaboration, the few records and texts the Covenant found throughout the various ages of our history have gleaned us only pebbles from the great mountain range that was their lore and their nature.”

“If this so-called Oracle and indeed your very word is to be believed, just what is ultimately at stake here with the mastery of what the ‘Alicorns’ have left behind? These Halos that can supposedly turn mortals into ...” Hood paused to chuckle dryly as he marveled at the stance of absurdity he placed upon the words he was speaking. “Turn mortals into gods?”

Celestia peered at Lord Terrence Hood for only a second before shifting her focus back to Obligation. She privately commended the admiral for doing as she has done, maintaining the front of the GSC possessing little knowledge of the Covenant’s society and ideology, which would imply an even yet further advanced level of intelligence on the Covenant that the Concordat did in fact possess.

Despite that fact, Celestia also noted the sole truth in their relatively simple political machination. Even with the advanced level of intelligence the GSC’s member powers and intelligentsia possessed, very specific things such as ‘Halo’ remained obscure or otherwise entirely unknown.

Obligation moved to interact with the control pad on her throne, activating her holo-projector. A ring-shaped object appeared and the Prophetess increased the projection’s size for all four of the front leaders to see with ease.

“The Sacred Rings, yes, for nothing of greater significance left by the Ancients is known to us. The Path dictates that the masters of Halo hold court over the fate of the universe itself,” Obligation said with an edge of reverence for the mysterious objects unintentionally creeping into her voice. “Apologies. Such a reaction to objects of a nature as Halo is inborn for such an individual as I.”

Russ once again regarded the ring with careful scrutiny. Even Luna felt a hint of another episode of deja vu mustering, but to her confusion, it did not manifest and this time vanished back into her subconscious as rapidly as it had come.

“Do you still hold belief in the power of these Halos as they’re called?” Gladys inquired, well aware of the obvious answer.

“I do. It is one of the few elements of the Covenant faith I still share in common with my usurpers, their declaration of Inquisition against your races and the spark of this expansive war is the obvious rift.”

“If they’re that powerful, then finding them before the Covenant can may just be our highest priority behind neutralizing the enemy itself,” Hood remarked. “That, and finding out what the Prophet of Regret knows.”

“I encourage you to wield whatever tactic you must to extract his knowledge. In an echo of what I said to one of your AI’s aboard Imperial Admiral Wattinree’s flagship, consider everything applicable as a token of our mutual goodwill, that the Concordat lives lost in the recent battle in your home system were not in vain.”

A minority of officials present in the stands wanted to outcry with fury that no lives should have ever been lost to the Covenant since the war began. However, none wished to risk inciting a fierce rebuke from either of the four Concordat heads of state leading the inquiry nor Luna herself, who stood sentinel and ready to maintain verbal order in the room.

“Thank you,” Celestia took the lead in the inquiry once more. “We shall debate amongst this Parliament your loyalists’ admittance into the Concordat as well as disclosure of information pertinent to our shared goals with you tentatively, Prophetess. I appreciate your patience and understanding.”

“My appreciation eclipses your own at present, Empress Celestia, for you have all so graciously granted me this forum even despite the inevitable controversy I have sparked in the heart of your alliance today.”

“I believe this is a sufficient stopping point for our inquiry, Prophetess of Obligation,” Gladys said with finality. “With this unforseen battle so recent in our minds as well as in the debris fields in the orbit of this very planet, I think we’ve all earned ourselves some time to rest and regroup.”

“I agree, we have much to do in the weeks and months ahead,” Celestia chimed in. “Admiral Hood, Emperor Arcadius, are you both in agreement?”

As soon as the other two had voiced their agreement without hesitation, Celestia ignited her horn and gazed upwards, with many other sets of eyes following hers. The illuminated symbol of the GSC flickered off, signalling the conclusion of the current session of Parliament.

In sharp contrast from their earlier bouts of rancor, the various officials exited the room in orderly fashions from each row with the furthest back exiting first until only the frontmost officials along with Luna’s group and the four leaders remained to round out Obligation’s remaining company.

With Celestia now locked in conversation with both Obligation and her three colleagues, she paused momentarily to give her sister a friendly wave as Luna and the others began to take their own leave, joined by the remaining Equestrian leaders: Princess Cadance, Fancy Pants, and Fleur De Lis, Fancy Pants’ wife and the Vice Minister of Culture.

The company of the imposing Capricorns meant that both parties were at an awkward silence for most of their thankfully brief and sights-laden walk, which was complete with everything from the vibrant and colourful bustle of the station to the numerous galleries of monuments to heroes, statesmen, and innovators. They lead themselves to the nearest orbital elevator, and Cadance was the mare who broke the ice first.

“Auntie, you certainly keep some amazing company,” the younger alicorn remarked with a giggle as she looked from the Chief, to Russ and Bjorn and the Wolf Guard, and then to Trixie and Twilight as they all stepped inside the cavernous elevator car.

A suave, feminine digitized voice greeted them with, “The Grand Solarian Concordat thanks you for visiting Elysia Station. Descending to: Elysia Ground Terminus, Imperial. Please enjoy the ride.”

“Aye … ‘tis a long story,” Luna replied sheepishly with her ears swiveling about as Russ, Chief, and Bjorn gave little visible response whilst some of the Wolf Guard, Trixie, and Twilight chuckled. “One that is only just beginning.”

Fleur interjected with a slight but noticeable hint of a Prench accent in her speech, “There are times for great epics to be told, including this war, as barbaric as it might be. My husband and I are surely looking forward to hearing of your exploits to come across the galaxy.”

“Great Celestia, dear Fleur here stole the words right out of my mouth, I must say,” Fancy Pants affirmed with a warm twinkle in his eye.

With a distinct but almost silent whirring, the large magnetic levitation elevator sprang into motion and descended through its airlock and down along the Concordat station’s immense orbital tether that kept it anchored. The sprawling expanse of predominant greens, golden browns, and whites that was Equestria became visible along with the curvature of Equis’ planetary limb as the elevator ride began in earnest.

While a number of eyes that had not beheld such a sight in a long time turned to admire and appraise it, Cadance found hers lingering on one of the most visually outstanding of Luna’s company present with hers.

Leman Russ arched a brow in silent question at the grinning alicorn in front of him.

“Leman Russ? Spartan Avery Johnson returned from the expedition to where you were awoken with tales of a ‘badass power-armoured Viking wolf-man’,” Cadance playfully made air quotes with her hooves, “I believe it obviously safe to assume you are that wolf-man, and that for the first time in many moons, Avery was not being outlandish?”

“It is a rather apt description, that I quite like,” Russ said with a grin and chuckle. “I must say, I don’t remember you; someone so … pink would stand out in my memory.”

“Eh, heh, heh … well, I am not nearly as old as Luna here … erm, no offense Auntie!” Cadance replied, having stolen Luna’s sheepish manner for her own while the latter had resumed her default serene gaze.

“None taken, fairest Cadance,” Luna assured her, before sporting a small smile that quickly blossomed into a grin.

Cadance giggled again, shaking off most of the sheepishness before resuming her own usual smile. “So Leman, if acts of war and war preparations do not require your full and undivided attention, my husband Shining Armor and myself, Princess Cadance, would be absolutely delighted to have you, Auntie, Twilight, and the others over for dinner! We always adore new company and friends, and it is a surefire way to have us stand out in anyone’s memory.”

The younger Princesses’ latter sentence was punctuated by an ever so slight twitch of the brow that Luna, Russ, Chief, and anyone else with augmented senses picked up without hesitation, but to the vast amusement of some amongst that number, the subtle gesture was entirely lost on both Trixie and Twilight.

“That would be positively delightful!” Twilight remarked, beaming before turning back to look at Equestria below, resuming her lecture to Trixie about the orbital applications of Equestrian magitech while the latter seemed more preoccupied with staring at the approaching geography and clouds.

Before Russ could speak up as to what he thought of the idea, one of his Guard, specifically Solvi pipped up. “You’re not going to turn her down are you, Lord? I mean, how can you resist such a tempting offer! I know I’d take it in a heartbeat!”

If any of the others had been on the neural comms channel that the Guard and Russ used, they would have heard a lot of snickering and sighing. Instead all they saw was stone faces looking at the wide grinning Solvi.

“We understand if you decline, my good stallion,” Fancy Pants said. “We desk denizens are blessed with the kind of luxury that no theater of war can ever provide, but all the more honoured we would be if you could join us at a later date by some stroke of good fortune.”

“If there is time, but rarely has there been such a reprieve. When war is what you know, it becomes your closest of kin and your daily ritual. It finds you even when you are guzzling mjord. We’ll see if there is time before our next move, for their surely won’t be time after,” Russ spoke, a grin still on his face.

“Wonderful, I’m sure you will enjoy the outing should you be able to attend,” Cadance replied, beaming.

Cadance caught glimpse of a wink from Solvi that caused her grin to grow just slightly more as the elevator finally broke through a cloud barrier of Equis’ atmosphere.

The elevator-goers observed a vast horizon of blue crowned by the rapidly retreating star-speckled black of space as the descent passed its halfway mark.

Everyone carried on with their sightseeing, verbal and neural-based conversations, as well as more subtly exchanged gestures between certain parties as Luna found herself once again in awe at what she was seeing.

Mt. Canterhorn’s slopes became visible beneath the noontide clouds, surrounded by its graceful forests of both actual trees and the skyscrapers that greatly dwarfed them. Small shapes denoting cargo freighters and ferries could even be seen on Saddle Lake, as well as their aerial counterparts in both dirigibles, aircraft, and spacecraft alike. The closer Canterlot became, the more the ancient and diverse city seemed to be reaching up in a welcoming embrace.

Luna suspected that the visuals may have been one of the less practical amongst many diverse reasons that Equestria, the GSC, or likely both had decided to build such a marvelous construction where they did.

“We could re-ride the each of the six elevators five times each, or we could just take a vid capture and make it last longer,” Trixie remarked to Twilight in the middle of their latest conversation as she levitated her Praetorian armoured bracers off her legs and placed them in her saddlebag.

“Hey, Trixie! Put my chatter back!” Twilight protested.

“Trixie shall only do so when she is done recording this splendid vista!” Trixie countered as she brandished the small, flat rectangular communication device in her aura, holding it steady and close to the window. “Be thankful it is not your datapad Trixie chose instead.”

“You’re part of the Empire’s special forces, just buy your own!” Twilight retorted, glowing red with annoyance.

“Hmm … maybe soon, maybe later,” Trixie answered in a deliberately sweetened tone as Twilight groaned.

Luna chuckled at the two’s antics before another Equestrian caught her attention.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? It might be mundane to most who ride it, but I still marvel at it every time, since my first ride as a filly,” Fleur said to Luna, appearing beside her as the others carried on with their various activities.

“Most definitely,” Luna replied without hesitation. Her memory hearkened back to the GSC poster depicting the five homeworlds she had seen in the city below during her first hoofsteps on the modern streets. “Seeing one’s home from such a celestial angle would be most influential on one’s outlook.”

Fleur’s eyes twinkled much like her husbands often did as she stepped closer to Luna, just close enough to maintain a respectful distance but also to whisper as if imparting a secret, “Trixie Lulamoon’s statement may have seemed random, but she was in fact making a vague reference to myself. I have a habit of spending my days off when Princess Cadance is in full charge of the Ministry of Harmony, riding up and down the elevators of Elysia’s tether, several times in a row on a given day! The sights give me much inspiration for composing the songs I give to our Legions in hopes of making them feel at home no matter where they are in this troubled galaxy.”

Luna gave the slender unicorn mare a warm smile. “Word of deeds of my new friends as well as myself will inevitably find their way back home, here. I hope during our many battles ahead, perhaps some of your songs may yet grace our ears, Lady Fleur.”

Rent-a-Copaclypse
Equestria, Mount Canterhorn, Elysia Tether Ground Terminus

“No electronics usage in the checkpoints areas, sir. By the Empress, it is literally posted everywhere,” a stern-faced unicorn security guard of the Equestrian Ministry of Harmony, Office of Transport and Commerce declared to an approaching chatter-equipped earth pony stallion in business attire who seemed to have his foreleg and communication device glued to the side of his head.

“Now you listen hear, ‘daddy-o’, you guys better keep those hipster and Neo-Beatnik acts on your own time where it belongs and away from the shareholders meeting. Phoenix Aerospace has no time for it, and if I see even a single trilby or fedora, I will freaking lose it,” the earth pony continued his conversation with apparent obliviousness to the demands of the guard.

“Sir, in the name of the Empress!” the unicorn tried once more to get the errant commuter’s attention, raising his voice.

The earth pony, much to the guard’s disbelief, remained unresponsive as he continued to approach, drawing the unamused dirty looks of other members of the crowd he stormed passed. His conversation appeared to be growing more heated as his ears flattened and he seemed to grind his teeth from what he was hearing.

With the earth pony now actually passing through the booths of the guard’s checkpoint itself, it was then that the guard decided he would really give the business stallion something to grind his teeth about.

“Stop right there, disrespectful commuter scum!” the security guard growled, materializing right in front of the business stallion and stopping him in his tracks as he assumed a pose from which he could easily spring a tackle if need be. “Nopony and absolutely nobody breaks Ministry of Harmony regulations on my watch!”

Said regulations were known to be very strict in some places of mass transit throughout the Concordat on account of the war, and it was due to this fact that the business stallion assumed a look of horror as he realised his predicament. The unicorn was joined in addition by three of his colleagues towards the back of the booth all clad in similar form-fitting blue uniforms with the symbol of their ministry: a towering Capricorn mare and a stocky male Minotaur, as well as a female Kig-Yar, and none of them seemed pleased. He quickly lowered the phone from his ear and placed it in his briefcase with a shaking foreleg, his pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks.

“Oh, crap … I am so sorry! It’s my chatter, it is like the thing is enchanted with a malevolent spirit that requires usage from its host to continue existing,” the stallion stammered while the security guard just shook his head.

“Just keep that damn chatter in your case or out of sight when you see the signs, commuter, now pass through the scanners. You’re holding everyone up, and I don’t have time for …” the security pony’s voice trailed off completely as his own eyes retreated to tiny pinpricks as well, followed immediately by those of his colleagues.

Dumbfounded, the business stallion’s eyes followed the guards’ combined gaze to whatever it was behind him that was such an eye-catching event, only to feel his jaw completely drop.

The nearest elevator landing that this particular checkpoint of Elysia’s terminal presided over had opened to admit its latest group of people coming and going into the bustling concourse, except it was not the usual kind of commuters seen in the facility.

Stepping past the threshold of the massive sliding doors were two alicorns accompanied by a sizeable group of heavily armed and armoured towering beings and four unicorns whose confident gaits seemed to convey the sentiment that the sight was the most mundane thing in the whole facility, adding to the complete shock of the crowds now in front of them.

The whole group with Luna at its lead came to a halt as they noticed that well over three quarters of the concourse were staring at them silently, most with awe, but some with completely gormless expressions like fish heads on a plate. The awkward silence hung in the air as if a colossal yet invisible smoke bomb had been set off. That was, of course, until someone amongst the civilians in the room finally spoke up.
“Too … much … glory! Can’t take it!” an Unggoy traveller shouted in terror, breaking off into an awkward run towards the nearest exit after recognizing some of the members of Luna’s party, including the alicorn herself.

Unfortunately, while the declaration did obliterate the silence and get a good majority of the concourse to begin either murmuring excitedly or continuing on their way, from their vantage point the unicorn security guard and his fellows had yet fully register the identities of the newcomers. They had keyed in on the unexpected appearance of armour and weapons instead, and were springing into action as a triggered silent alarm system caused additional personnel to emerge from the nearby security offices in large numbers one could consider unusual for such small rooms.

While the growing crowd of security guards slowly replaced the number of civilians in the room, Luna and the others were left standing completely dumbfounded as an orderly echelon of newcomers emerged from the main terminal entrance and began following the Equestrian security towards the elevator entrance.

The newcomers were actually Imperial legionaries, and the Centurion and frontmost ranks of the responding company looked increasingly confused as they approached the ‘unidentified intruders.’

“By order of the Imperial Legion and Concordat Allied Command, I demand you to identify yourselves and relinquish your weapons at once!” the presiding pegasus Centurion barked, his faced a confused grimace as he quickly began to recognize the supposed intruders and a rising tide of annoyance for security forces began to take hold within his helmeted head.

“Seriously, do they not recognise us?” Cortana said, askance with bewilderment. “Were I not so preoccupied with this digital pandemonia of untold antiquity, I’d make them all feel even more ridiculous than they are about to be. Equestrian ministry security personnel of this type are notoriously inept.”

“We shall ... see where this nigh comical ineptitude goes…” was all Luna could reply with as she remained stupefied.

A whole three seconds passed before one of the Wolf Guard, Ylva spoke up. “Drop our weapons? I do not understand the statement. We’re supposed to let go of that which makes killing easier? Lord, is he speaking in tongues?”

A few snickers let loose from the rest of the Fangs, but the best reaction came from Russ who started laughing as though he was going to bust a gut. His deep bellowing laugh flattening more than a few ears but it gave smiles to the Wolf Guard and probably Bjorn if he could show such emotion.

“Your Highnesses and … uh … oh gods damn you rent-a-cops!” the Centurion groaned as he turned from Luna’s group to face his soldiers and the checkpoint. The whole of the legionary company knelt and bowed along with most others as the officer had begun his response. “Alright, which one of you blue-garbed babies afraid of their own shadows triggered the alarm for a hostile breach by unidentified parties, thereby causing an inadvertent impeding of two of our royalty and their companions?”

“Please be at ease, it matters not,” Princess Luna responded as she and her companions approached the checkpoint. “Such sudden misidentification and a swift response are to be expected in times like these, let us be thankful that none were harmed due to a misunderstanding.”

“Someone up top on Elysia should have notified us that so many VIP’s would be coming down one elevator, because I saw the strange armour first and acted on, erm … reflex …” the only Minotaur security guard stammered in the middle of an impromptu bow before his Capricorn colleague held up a hand to pause him while she remained in a kneel towards Russ, Bjorn, and the gathering of the Wolf Guard.

“I’m apologise for the trespass, min jarls. Forgive those who know not of the Vlka Fenryka, for they have no knowledge of the gamle måter,” the capricorn mare said, her gaze never leaving the floor. Many around her were confused at the interjection of the words, not to mention for the fact that she was kneeling to the capricorns alone.

Russ looked down at her for a second as if contemplating something. Then he spoke quickly in the native language of Fenris, his words going over the head of all but the capricorns in the room. It was a quick burst of words but yet it carried much weight as the capricorn mare stood quickly and finally looked Russ in the eye. Her muzzle changed to that of great awe before she bowed her head and muttered a rather faint reply in return.

The capricorn mare’s body language seemed to help quell the tension in the other security personnel, and the remnant tension in the room shifted from previously unknown ‘intruders’ to instead the piercing, wilting glare that the Imperial Legion pegasus was giving to all but a few of the security guards.

“As commander of the military garrison here in the terminal, I hereby declare all sources of donuts and confectionary to be exclusively accessible to civilians and military personnel for a duration of three weeks for this, if any security touches one it will mean your badge … if that is with the permission of Her Highness, Princess Cadance?”

The centurion turned to regard the alicorn in question with a deferential bow of his head, waiting for her response.

Cadance pursed her lips in bemusement before replying, “Centurion Zephyr, I think its time we transfer you from command here to someplace more your speed, your stress levels trouble me. I am going to petition Lord General Svelte to transfer you to Ponyville’s garrison, I’m sure you’ll prefer the more familiar surroundings.”

“Erm, of course. Thank you, Your Highness,” Zephyr replied with poorly concealed shock as he bowed his head once more, having taken himself off the ground and into a nervous hover. “Alright you lot, back to your posts, false alarm and all that. Signifer Hamilcar, have my Avery Johnson action figure prepared for transport ASAP.”

Luna’s swiveling ears caught the murmured tail-end of Zephyr’s words as he had turned from Cadance and everyone to give command gestures and whisper to a colossal and warlike male minotaur legionary bearing a legion flag to his right.

“The Spartan or non-Spartan one, my Centurion?” Hamilcar replied with a suave tone.

“Umm … both!”

“As wondrous as it is, this era is also a bizarre one, is it not?” Luna said as she watched Zephyr and the Equestrian soldiers depart, head tilted slightly towards her party to indicate her intended audience.

Within a few seconds, Luna turned about to face everyone. Chief simply shrugged and Russ emitted a musing hum for both himself and Bjorn, all while the Wolf Guard and the others exchanged remarks verbally and mentally with one another as they observed passersby.

“Bizarre is one word Trixie would use,” Trixie remarked with a smirk.

“Too many words to describe this era, and not all of them are positive I’m afraid,” Cadance said with a brief chewing on her lip. “But today, I imagine you are here to see more of the positives now that you have had a fill of their counterparts.”

“Verily!” Luna replied with a smile. “Let us be off, my companions, and fair tidings to you, Cadance and my newest friends, no doubt you have official business to attend to as do I! First I wish to meet with sister when she returns to the palace, no doubt she arrived ahead of us and would be pleased to speak with me in person once more. Then, we shall give this current age’s Canterlot the exploration it deserves.”

With that declared, Luna’s party and Cadance’s party separated and departed for their respective destinations with both stoic and amicable partings.

After-Action Report
Canterlot Palace

“Three Covenant capital ships, including the invasion’s flagship, in the possession of the Fangs of Fenris and other Concordat powers. Three hundred and forty-nine Covenant vessels estimated destroyed or damaged, and High Charity’s slipspace signature is now permanently logged into our databases, Your Majesty,” Lord Admiral Fairweather reported to Celestia, a holo-projector visualising the recent battle’s statistics and available imagery as they both stood in the throne room.

“Our losses?”

“Fifty-one GSC warships and support vessels destroyed, two hundred and ninety-six damaged. One hundred and twenty fighters and bombers destroyed, five hundred and thirty-three damaged.” the Admiral ran a hoof through his mane in thought. “Our Home Fleets are still battle capable, but at only half strength we would currently be in dire straits in terms of local defenses against another full scale Covenant invasion were it not for reinforcements from the UNSC and Equestrian inner colonies arriving as we speak.”

”I imagine we would be worse than half strength were it not for the intervention of Luna’s newfound allies,” Celestia commented. “That sudden appearance of the Covenant’s capitol station would have broken our stalemate to be sure, as much as a gamble it would have been for the Covenant. Without the Fangs, the battle would have been a very close victory, or a very painfully close defeat. As it stands, Admiral Stanforth spoke true, and I know you are of the same mind. High Charity may yet be within our grasp, and Obligation is now one of our greatest assets in that objective.”

“You speak true as well, in Our opinion anyhow,” a familiar voice interjected, prompting Celestia to shift her attention immediately.

“Ah, Luna, there you are!” Celestia greeted with a modest smile. “You have been involved in so many events over the past few days since your return, how are you faring?”

Luna had entered the sparsely populated Imperial throne room on her own. Her companions and the Wolf Guard had elected to wander about the palace’s grand foyer and ballroom while Luna met with her sister. Russ and his Wolf Guard removed their armour in the palace’s armoury to be placed under the custodianship of the Royal Guard and their minotaur blacksmith, Ruman, prior to beginning their quite audible explorations.

Even the Master Chief had unequipped his armour for the time being as well, choosing to remain in the black jumpsuit commonly worn beneath human and Equisian power armour users.

Cortana, meanwhile remained reticent in her work to crack the ancient data, a situation of which her alicorn bearer was beginning to grow concerned about on top of her pre-existing curiosity.

“None the worse for wear. ‘Tis much to Our own surprise, We will divulge. Admiral Fairweather, was it? ‘Tis a pleasure to see thee once more,” Luna replied.

The younger alicorn’s muzzle was neutral, but her eyes conveyed her happiness to see her sibling once again.

Fairweather snapped to attention and bowed his head, greeting smartly, “Your Highness, likewise. Empress Celestia, with my report delivered is there any additional immediate way I can offer my assistance to the crown before I depart?”

“That is all. Thank you, Admiral.” Celestia smiled warmly to Fairweather and the old pegasus inclined his head again with a swift, well-practiced motion before taking his leave through the main entrance to the throne room. “Now Luna, how has the battle been for you, would you like a seat?”

Celestia’s solemn reservations from recent events were now letting up a bit thanks to the presence of her sister.

“But of course,” Luna replied, prompting Celestia to immediately acquire a large pillow from one of the upholstery that flanked the right foot of the dias where members of the Imperial Court could take breaks or wait for their appointments and audiences.

Celestia placed the pillow beside her throne with her telekinesis, and Luna joined her as a group of pony and human attendants already set about providing the royal siblings the usual refreshments that Celestia frequented: hot tea, freshly brewed coffee, and assorted pastries of dubious nutritional value.

“War … to say that it has changed would be a vast understatement in the face of what I have encountered thus far in the modern era,” Luna enthused as recollection of recent events imbued her with a newfound sense of amazement that caused her eyes to take on a certain glow.

“While you know I have always been a mare of peace and diplomacy save for the most unique of circumstances, even I can admit that I am curious as to your thoughts on the magics, weaponry, and manners in which war is waged today,” Celestia said before sipping a cup of tea.

“The power at which an individual can now fight when given the proper implements, training, and means to access that weaponry astound me,” Luna began, politely declining any offer of a drink or cake.

“A small group of well-equipped soldiers can now accomplish what once took entire armies in the past?” Celestia offered.

“Verily. An entire rank of bow and arquebus-wielding Equestrians from my era of warfare can be made up for by two to three Equestrians today with rapid-firetype firearms.” Luna paused in momentary reflection of past wars she had fought in for the Kingdom of Equestria. “The most basic spells of battlemages of the past are now accomplishable through technology by the common footsoldier … while the battlemage of today now has this technology in lieu with spells at their disposal of unprecedented power and casting efficiency that would would make their forebears green with envy. Truly astonishing.”

“I can only imagine the impression that space and aerial combat must have left on you,” Celestia commented with another sip of tea.

Luna chuckled. “My thoughts and observations could span days, my sister, well longer than the few days I have spent experiencing it all. Such a technical conquest of the voids between planets, comets, and stars throttles the imagination. The closest I could venture to explain it to any a pony or person more anachronistic than me is that a strange marriage had been struck between the concepts of pegasi aerial infantry and ocean-going warships.”

As the next several minutes went on, Luna described her battle experiences as well as some of her most noteworthy interactions with her new companions and finally caved in to the repeated offering of sugary sweets.

Through crumbs of cake and a muzzle partially covered in stray frosting, Luna recounted everything from the initial struggle against the Master Chief and others whilst still under the control of Nightmare Moon, her skirmishes with the strange alien machines guarding Leman Russ’ warrior keep on Fenris, observations of the recent naval engagement in orbit, and culminating in her part in the bloody capturing of the Covenant Sublime Transcendence where she first took on directly for the first time what was considered to be her home nation’s greatest foes.

Just as Luna finished wiping her muzzle clean of cake and their line of discussion was nearing its end, Celestia felt an important thought emerge in her mind.

“Certainly impressive,” Celestia stated, “and I seemed to only have caught you during the quiet stretches of time between these engagements. I feel obligated to ask, Luna, but how do you think the combat may be affecting you as a person, especially so soon after having been freed from something as mind and soul-wounding as a Nightmare entity, a being of dark magic?”

As the Empress had expected, there was a moment of contemplative quiet from Luna before she replied with a stalwart expression, “Beyond striking me with a resounding note of awe? Nothing malignant, not after my decades of war leadership in service to Equestria that surpassed a century, and most certainly not after a millennia of combating an entity of pure darkness for control of my own body.”

Both Celestia’s smile and her eyes relayed her sense of relief at Luna’s words. “Thank you, Luna. You know that my conscience …”

“Made your inquiry compulsory, aye,” Luna finished the half question, half statement for her with a drawn-out wink.

The two siblings shared warm smiles for a few more moments before Luna wordlessly announced her imminent departure by slowly getting up from the cushion. “I imagine many of my friends must be growing laden with anxiousness to get out and into the city; if true, then I echo their sentiment.”

Celestia finished the last of her tea, her smile turning to that of a mildly saddened one. “I’m sure you will enjoy yourself in experiencing what our capital has to offer. But I enjoy our talks and look forward to more very soon whenever possible, Luna.”

Luna and Celestia both were caught by surprise as Cortana appeared before them, seeming apologetic as she spoke. “Sorry for eavesdropping, Your Majesty, but I just wanted to say that if I had an organic heart, it would definitely be warmed right now.”

Cortana was granted relief and smiled as Celestia obliterated her apprehension away with light and feathery laughter. “That … that is quite alright, Cortana. We knew you were with us, it’s not like you had any choice in the matter.

“Cortana! How are you faring?” Luna responded.

There was a vaguely mischievous smile from Cortana as her avatar adopted a warm glow. “Same as I’ve always been since my activation: exceptional, and completely devoid of any superiority complex towards any other sapient being … I’m well, thanks for asking, Luna.”

“You are most definitely a part of Doctor Catherine Halsey’s soul,” Celestia remarked as her sense of humour was tickled, her grin full. “I mean that in the most respectful way possible.”

“Perhaps the better part, Your Majesty” Cortana quipped. “Sorry for the change in topic, but this data is still putting up a hell of a fight. Thus far I’ve been able to create a few transcripts from the raw data, but only just. It is rendered in the creators’ languages … or perhaps derivations of a singular language.”

“Intriguing, yet frustrating, at least for my part, but we should be grateful still for even this development you have provided us. Any other notes of interest you wish to share?” Luna weighed in.

“I hope to establish some glimmer of comprehension within the next twelve hours … Sorry, I can make no promises though, Luna, Your Majesty.”

“No need for apologies. As stated we should be most grateful for your efforts.” Luna and Cortana shared a smile before the former turned to her sister once more. “Tia dear, how is your schedule looking for the rest of today?”

With an arched brow, Celestia replied in a light chuckle, “More open than usual, as chance would have it. Kibitz has learned to relax when it comes to a ruler like me, micro-managing actually makes things less efficient and with my full control re-established I was able to rearrange a lot of low priority duties to the weekend. Do you … want me to accompany you?”

“No, Celestia, I want you to assume the form of a massive chocolate cake and make merry with a great vat of frosting,” Luna said before erupting into laughter. “Of course I am requesting your attendance!”

“Well, it has been a few weeks since my last trek into the public eye that was not a speech or some kind of high profile ceremony, and it’s not like my public presence so soon after a battle in this very system will spook our citizens.” Celestia chuckled at her own hesitation. “Sure, I don’t see why not. What’s a little royal trip on the capital?”

“This should be interesting,” Cortana remarked before her avatar winked from view on Luna’s shoulder and back into the Covenant reading device still in her satchel bag. Her voice was still audible via enabled telepathic communication to both Luna as well as Celestia. “I’ll be listening during my continued ministrations, don’t worry.”

“Given my companions of late, I shall be struck with the most unfathomable of shock should our galavant prove merely mundane,” Luna laughed back.

Kapri-Kanterfest
Canterlot, Old Town District

Citizens and random officials that happened to be near the foremost gates of Canterlot’s Imperial Palace were greeted by a most motley sight. To many of them, the more extreme instance of their mixed reactions were justified by a day already bizarre day in its own right.

In no more span of time than two hours, a large-scale orbital battle had occurred and a literal enemy capital had become distantly visible in their sky for several minutes. News abounded about a powerful new leader emerging on a neighboring planet, and rumours were already running rampant that the stalemate that has so long beleaguered Equestria and its closest allies may now at last be broken.

Combined with the newcomers both familiar and strange, there was little room left for casual reactions as the now much slower-moving crowds began murmuring with excitement.

“By Celestia, it’s Empress Celestia, and … could it be?” a pegasus stallion said with enthusiastic awe.

“Did you really just form a sentence like that?” the pegasus’ earth pony friend replied with a deadpan.

“Look, the video feeds from Fenris on the Waypoint were real. More super soldiers besides Spartans, with even bigger physiques! I knew it! The Covenant are so screwed, and I have yet another idea for our Concordat Heroes! Toyline …” a dark-skinned human woman clad in business attire and glasses pointed out before murmuring the latter half of her words to herself.

“Where are their armours? All I’m seeing are a lot of fancy fur pelts over even more fur,” a zebra stallion wondered as he scratched at his two-toned mane.

“Hey Benjamin? Yeah, its Petra, you are not going to believe who just appeared outside Canterlot Palace,” a human woman clad in a very well-traveled rucksack spoke into her chatter.

“Universe, why must you keep reminding me how small I am compared to our betters?” an Unggoy merchant whined to herself as she debated retreating to the shade of her nearby knick-knacks stand.

Luna heard many distinct voices amongst the civilians’ chatter, some more outlandish than others and all interested her in their own ways as she and Celestia lead their group of friends, colleagues, and comrades into the city.

The entry plaza of the palace, past its drawbridge and lush courtyard that formed the gateway to the grand foyer, was a massive and ornate expanse of fountains and statues that many high profile shops, museums, eateries and other venues, and government offices surrounded.

Several grand streets branched off from the plaza, including Empire Boulevard that Luna had travelled days earlier, as well as the central avenue leading from the palace and straight towards Old Town’s main gate to the Canterhorn portions of the capital and beyond.

“From my observations and Cortana’s occasional bits of trivia, I understand this is an age of high security,” Luna said to her sister. “While I am obviously beyond pleased that you are going with us … I am also with more than a modicum of shock that we are not in the company of an entire Equestrian legion.”

“Remember that the Royal Guard is not for my protection, but rather that of the capital and all of my appointed and elected officials,” Celestia pointed out quietly with the hint of a smirk on her regal muzzle as they proceeded down the main avenue of the palace while the Fangs in particular scanned their surroundings with interest and scrutiny.

“Likewise with the Royal Army … I mean, Imperial Legion?” Luna inquired. “Apologies, the name of the old force as I knew it comes forth in the mind almost like muscular memory.”

“The same fact applies to the military, yes,” Celestia explained. “By now word would have already been circulated throughout the whole of imperial that we are spending leisure in the city and, while there will be members of the Guard here and there, they are mostly deployed for the purpose of their standard law enforcement, and informing our citizens that it is unnecessary for entire city blocks to bow should they happen to encounter us without warning.”

“My sole trepidation for our outing today has been entirely vanquished with that, I must say. Monumentally excessive mass-decorum from an entire city is, even to me, borderline unseemly,” Luna answered back with a grin that triggered a light giggle from Celestia.

“You’re quite welcome, little sister.”

“Excessive adoration is not, Trixie contends!” the azure mare immediately behind Luna chimed in.

“You say that now, but if the limelight ever does hit you, kiss your privacy goodbye,” Twilight interjected with a deadpan. “The way the crowds are looking at us all is only a taste of what a public figure could have to face down. The only one I know of who can tolerate it with a legitimate smile is my friend Pinkie Pie … and she hosts a wildly popular variety show … amongst other things.”

“Privacy?” Trixie giggled incisively. “True privacy is a myth that is now only real to yokels living on farm worlds on the fringes.”

“And to those who know how the grids work,” Twilight growled with annoyance.

“Your Majesty, Luna, do we have any destination in mind?” the Master Chief asked the alicorn sisters, debating over removing his helmet once again to take in the fresh air of the city as they continued down the bustling avenue.

Luna turned and grinned sheepishly before replying, “admittedly, I in particular do not. At present, everyone, everything, and everywhere is a curiosity to me of some degree, even the old and familiar structures this side of Canterlot. Sister, do you have destinations in mind?”

Celestia’s apologetic smile already answered the question, but nevertheless she replied, “I have plenty of time in my schedule so I was perfectly content to let you all take the lead.”

“We shall find a destination we can all agree upon as our first stop very soon, Trixie is sure of it, Your Majesty!” Trixie said to which Celestia awarded her a trademark radiant smile, before Trixie then turned asides to Twilight to point out something odd she noticed behind them.

“What is it?” Twilight inquired in a mostly irritated whisper before Trixie could begin, having already read her body language with near-perfect accuracy as the alicorns faced forward again as they carried on like most of the others.

“Leman Russ has had his eyes closed for most of our walk away from the palace. Do Capricorns … or ancient Capricorns, whatever ... have a secret allergy to digital photography from civilians that Trixie is not aware of?” Trixie whispered back quickly.

“I do not need sight to see Canterlot. If one relies on sight, it dulls the other senses,” Russ interjected, not even bothering to open his eyes. “I am learning the details of this place and the people through a far more telling way, pup.”

“Another telling way to better understand a people or place is by what is eaten and passed for drink, there,” Luna stated as an idea popped into her mind. Russ’ eyes shot open as a large smile graced his muzzle at Luna’s words. “We shall visit a place of the culinary arts as our first destination, any place of the culinary arts!”

“Hmm … how about that cafe over there near the Ministry of Information headquarters?” Twilight proposed. “If we’re quick, we may be able to acquire anything we like before the legions of pensioners and salarymen can ransack it. The Celestial Bureaucracy tends to have most of its lunch breaks around this very time of day.”

Trixie happened to glance backwards just in time to notice Erik pantomiming holding a coffee cup with two fingers, sticking his pinkie finger out, and silently saying the word ‘cafe.’ The rest of the Wolf Guard almost burst out into laughter at the little show, with Trixie also barely maintaining laughter.

“Pfftt … that is … Trixie cannot disagree with this idea more strongly, Twilight!” Trixie said with feigned disgust before pointing a hoof towards something further down towards the very distant end of the avenue just before the nearest city gate. “Behold! Why not the ‘humble’ gathering of food carts and stands towards the main gate out of Old Town?”

“Ahh food carts, one of the staples for cuisine of the venerable common folk,” Luna remarked with a thoughtful smile. “We are in an entire city of places such as that cafe, but such establishments as those carts can long evade us should we be foolish enough to pass up our first opportunity to determine their culinary prowess. Come, let us hope they have the supply for so large a gathering as we!”

The decision was met with absolutely no disagreement and even some amount of chuckling as the entire party made their way through the still excited crowds to the unsuspecting food carts ahead.

To Luna’s delight, the food carts were a visually vibrant affair. With many roughly the size of some of the main battle tanks Luna had recently seen, the closest one to them was draped with several colourful banners, and possessed a central workspace covered by an equally colourful and almost circus-like canvas pavilion.

Occupying the space was an energetically working donkey mare and an earth pony stallion that Luna noted to have a particularly curly and prominent moustache. They called out to garner interest from the crowds even as they diligently worked on orders from patrons that were already congregating in front of them.

“Burronesian tapas, come get the finest Burronesian cuisine this side of the Celestial Sea!” the mare declared in a distinct accent Luna could tell immediately had no native origins anywhere in Equestria.

“Topfenstrudel, just as it is made in Florienburg by the finest Teutohuven culinary masters!” the stallion called out alongside his partner towards his side of the cart.

Like the mare, the earth pony’s accent was clearly foreign, but Luna recognised them both as having origin in other equine nations to the east, in the continent of Equina.

“Greetings fairest proprietors of this fine food cart,” Luna greeted the duo warmly as the group entered earshot, the crowd having already parted for the most part to avoid being in the way of such a high profile gathering.

Both the donkey and the earth pony paused regarded Luna, Celestia, and the other newcomers with instant visages of pure nervousness, their eyes complete pinpricks as they already began to feel the precursors to sweat.

“Your Highness and Majesty … what a erm … humbling surprise …” the mare all but squeaked out.

“W-warmest greetings to you as well, honoured crowns. How erm, can we serve the Kaiserin of Equestria, her sister, and their friends this fine summer day?” the earth pony replied with only a miniscule more composure in his voice than his colleague, although he was visibly more wobbly than her.

Celestia looked between the chefs and her sister with an awkward expression.

“We would like to peruse thy … We mean your menu, please …” Luna’s voice trailed off as a thought entered her mind from looking at her sister, prompting her to turn around to regard the others thoughtfully before turning to the chefs again with a sheepish grin. “Our, ahem, my sincerest apologies, you must be greatly intimidated by our sudden approach. Friends, bid you spread out to sample all that these carts have to offer, we must not selfishly hoard this duo’s flourishing business today. Dear citizens, do please pardon my sudden interjection.”

With mostly nonchalant nods, Trixie and Twilight set off in one direction for a trio of carts and stands hawking Equestrian and Unicornian fare, while Russ and the Fangs found themselves collectively drawn to the familiar aromas coming from a Fenrisian stand some paces away.

The former were much like the donkey and earth pony’s carts, but decorated in Equestrian and old Unicornian clan crests and the like. Meanwhile, the latter consisted of a large hand-built fire with an immense rotisserie that stood closer to the center of the small rainbow-like plaza of food carts and stands, complemented by a pavilioned counter that served as a kind of outdoor tavern, flanked in the rear as it was by very sizeable kegs.

Judging by Celestia and the Master Chief’s staying put, Luna inferred that she would be one of a trio to be the patrons of the first cart.

With a brow arched curiously, the princess inquired, “Chief, do you not have any particular type of cuisine you frequent? Something of human origin, perhaps?”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” the Chief stated frankly, fingers tapping lightly on the helmet at his side as he frowned. “For Spartans, it’s a calorie and vitamins game normally but, we all have to start somewhere. Then we can mix things up a little.”

Luna beamed back at him before training what she hoped was a reassuring smile of equivalent radiance on the now massively sweating Burronesian and Teutohuven chefs. “We would like whatever it is on your menu that you recommend the most!”

“Our pleasure,” both of the chefs squeaked in unison before resuming their energetic pace, although this time with an even more intense caution over every little step they took in the creation of their dishes.

Within minutes, the Spartan and the alicorn sisters found themselves enjoying a plethora of carefully made but delectable dishes each offered with slightly less shaky hoof while the activity at the nearby Capricorn stall raised in volume enough to rival the general murmuring of the city gate plaza.

Said rivalry reached its peak when some new sounds came from the direction of the gate.

A procession of Equestrian and GSC sailors had appeared, crew from any number of warships that had participated in the recent battle now celebrating the capture of a Covenant prophet, amongst other victories both close and decisive. Their uniforms formed an odd assortment of colour as the Imperial white and gold clashed with Roaman silver and red and UNSC white and grey along with at least a dozen other varieties.

They were mostly occupied with waving their caps or bottles and singing naval songs or throwing ticker tape and confetti at each other and passersby, but more than a few were also attempting to put on at least a modicum of decorum despite being on shore leave.

Luna watched with amused fascination and the Chief seemed indifferent while Celestia meanwhile seemed to grow flustered as her mind shocked herself with a budding interest in debating over whether or not to possibly join the procession. The Empress was already convinced that the looks on the stallions, men, women, and mares’ faces at such an occurrence would have been beyond priceless.

The sailors appeared to mostly be heading towards an open air tavern established by a group of Equestrian and Teutohuven brewmasters. Watching them go was what prompted yet another new idea to materialise in Luna’s mind. Looking at the Master Chief and her sister, she said with a wink, “Shall we mayhaps ‘mix things up a little’?”

Master Chief’s expression indicated he was not opposed to the notion, but it also prompted a question in turn from Celestia to the Spartan himself.

“I am game, but first, Master Chief? This reminds me of something I have long wondered about,” the Empress mused. “Have you ever seen any of your comrades drink?”

“Most of us can drink our armour’s weight before getting tipsy, but only out of armour, Your Majesty. Armour filtration systems mean that we would be cheating at almost any drinking contest,” the Chief explained with a slight hint of playfulness.

Celestia chuckled before a familiar voice interposed with, “I think I’ve eaten my body’s weight in cake, ugh.”

Twilight groaned as she and Trixie approached the three with the type of expressions worn by those whose eyes typically proved far vaster than their stomachs.

Trixie let out a long burp, much to the other unicorn’s embarrassment. ““Trixie thinks it best that we move on and avoid food … anything … for quite some time as we consider a new destination.”

“Perhaps we should return to the castle?” Twilight proposed with another groan and an unrestful growling from her stomach.

“Princess, may I say something,” Viveka spoke up, her tone more serious than usual. The group turned to see that the entirety of Russ’ group had made their way back.

“But of course, go ahead,” Luna replied curiously, both her and Celestia’s brows arched and their ears perked as they registered the tone change.

“Well you see, your highness, while we Fangs do not require much to eat because of our armour, we do unfortunately require regular consumption of alcohol, in very high concentration. So our best course of action would be to stay here with the ever increasing feast,” Viveka explained, almost seemingly copying Emil’s way of speak.

“You mean to convince Trixie that massive warriors clad in ancient armour and ancient tech far beyond our own is powered for combat and regular operation solely by fermented liquid? Bah! By that logic then Trixie should be the mightiest Equestrian soldier that ever lived, an indestructible juggernaut that would dwarf even Avery Johnson, by sheer virtue of the glory that is her ego! Leman Russ, surely you can refute this nonsense?’

The entire group looked to Russ who simply shook his head. “Viveka is right, mjord and such is a very crucial part of being a Fang.”

Master Chief’s earlier had words had proven quasi-prophetic, as the Concordat sailors and other off duty military personnel and civilians attending the tavern soon found themselves, much to their shock and awe, joined by the likes of the Fangs as well as Luna, Chief, and the others.

Luna and Celestia’s presence in particular on the tavern ground triggered a rather comical reaction as civilians tried their best to bow or convey their respects while virtually every Equestrian sailor present stood at attention and put their hooves and hands to their hearts with almost panicked speeds. Some of the latter ended up putting their tankards and flagons to their chest instead in their haste, causing spills in a few places.

The alicorns smiled at everyone and ordered drinks for themselves, prompting the rest of the tavern to return to its previous cheerful demeanor in what must have felt like to many a mere heartbeat.

It was not long before the various liquors began flowing in increasing amounts as the open air tavern was quickly joined first by their Capricorn compatriots nearby with the massive kegs of mjord, and then bit by bit all the other stalls of diverse backgrounds that had been serving similar drinks, as well as drinks here and there from their own distinct backgrounds.

Fist and hoof fights as well as competitions of strength soon began to break out amongst the sailors whilst several bards and other attending musicians broke into song with varying levels of slurring to their speech.

One of the biggest and central points of rowdy and boisterous commotion, of no surprise to Luna by now, came from where most of the Capricorns had gathered as rhythmic thumping on the wooden tabletops began spreading merrily from table to table as half the tavern joined in to cheer on Capricorn and non-Capricorn alike that stood atop the Fang’s table to drink from horns filled to the brim with mjord. Bellowing, thunderous laughter issued out at those whose systems agreed with the heavy Fenrisian drink far less than that of a native would have.

Some of the revelling denizens were already beginning to pass out, their compatriots carrying them out as a rather festivity-killing new sight made its presence known in the form of a squad of clearly on duty Equestrian police and Royal Guard that appeared with stoic expressions.

“Canterlot Police Department! We’ve been getting noise complaints from some of the establishments across the streets” the sergeant of the assembled police, a rather severe-looking unicorn mare, stated.

One of the Royal Guards beside her chimed in, “We’re going to have you ask you all to tone down the volume a bit or else we’ll have to shut this party … oh my stars! Empress Celestia, Your Majesty! Apologies but your presence surprises us!”

The police and Royal Guards present bowed as first Celestia herself and then Luna approached them, and the police sergeant followed up with, “we apologise for the interruption!”

“No need to apologise, you are simply doing your jobs,” the Empress replied with a pleasant laugh before drinking from a tankard she held in her telekinesis with a bit more finesse and etiquette than the vessel had been designed for.

The police were left to watch with amazement and shock as Celestia followed up on her first drink by taking a massive swill of what still remained in it much in the very same manner as many of the warriors and sailors present.

“Right, Your Majesty, thank you,” the police sergeant replied, finding herself growing flush and bursting out into laughter for the first time in what Luna guessed must have guessed many months if the mare’s conspicuous lack of newer laugh lines were any indication. “Would it be fair for us to respond to the complaints with an ‘official statement’ that Imperial-sanctioned cultural events are being undertaken that we legally cannot disperse since no laws are actually being broken?”

Celestia gestured to the various people currently standing on tabletops attempting to gulp mjord from the Fenrisian drinking horns, and the police ponies’ eyes were sure to follow. “Beyond fair, for you see, we are currently in the middle of some very … groundbreaking … cultural exchanges that bring us all closer together. That massive warrior at the head of the table there, their King Leman Russ? He can attest to this if you’re interested.”

“Soon I think, Your Majesty,” the police sergeant replied with an incline of her head. “First we have that statement to issue to the whin … I mean concerned citizenry.”

Luna found herself breaking into a giggle as Celestia replied, “I’ll follow up and issue an edict that declares this impromptu gathering to be an official annual event. Kapri-Kanterfest as a way to pay homage to both Teutohoven and Capricorn involvement in its formation! They cannot see it now no doubt, but the benefits on commerce in this part of the city from it will see their profits rise.”

Sensing from her pause that the Empress was done, the police sergeant bowed again before leading her colleagues and Royal Guard companions back out onto the avenue.

As the law enforcement ponies left, Celestia turned to Luna said with a smirk, “No doubt the ‘concerned citizens’ was likely a single or group of the same nobility submitting the same complaint thrice over under several alternate names to the same pony. They’ve attempted as much before in their efforts to alter the decor of my throne room through their ‘petitions’ to the Imperial court.”

“You should give ‘em bright rifles and toss them at the Covies,” Twilight slurred from a table nearby, having grown incredibly tipsy from only a single experimental half tankard of a Teutohuven beer.

As passing conversation reached the ears of the group. Two sailors sitting at a close table, their voices somehow getting through all the noise. A minotaur and a human specifically, the minotaur being the most vocal one. “I’ve done it before and I will prove it tonight. I can out drink any capricorn! They say they are the heaviest drinkers in the galaxy but it’s all just a lie, trying to be tough on their ice world.”

“Really, now,” the human said before leaning over and pointing a finger at the giant form of Russ who was currently chugging mjord straight from his own personal keg. “Think you could beat him?”

The minotaur paled for a moment as Russ finished the keg before squishing the metal barrel into a flat disk as though it was nothing but a piece of paper. “He doesn’t count!”

Luna and Celestia couldn’t help but chuckle at the exchange.

After an hour had passed, even Luna, Celestia, Trixie, and the Chief had already seemed to reach their limit after a combination of the Fenrisians’ mjord and equivalent-sized droughts of at least a half dozen other types of liquor began to overtax their systems, but the Capricorns and some of the most heartiest of sailors and other revelers were still going even stronger than when they had started and would likely carry on for hours to come, although the odds of endurance were clearly in the favour of the former rather than the latter for the vast majority.

“Goodness, I haven’t smashed like this in at least a century,” Celestia remarked in a complete flustered manner as her normally perfectly measured, graceful steps had been temporarily replaced by a somewhat unsteady gait.

“I think you drank the most out of the three of us, Your Majesty,” Chief replied in astonishment as he supported her on one shoulder while Luna supported her on the other, groaning a bit.

“Lay off the desserts mayhaps, sister.”

“They make me happy! Almost as much as friendship and harmony between my subjects,” Celestia retorted simply, “Amongst other things.”

“I’m telling you, I saw it! A Fenris ship or some such sort came down and dropped more kegs! I don’t know who approved and cleared the airspace for it but they deployed actual fucking kegs into the plaza!” a staggering reveler blurted out to another as the group passed them.

“Luna, we need to conduct another field op soon,” Chief said upon hearing the declaration from the side, “I am curious what effect alcohol must have on Spartan II augmentations in combat … probably would be used as a propaganda piece by any number of GSC shadow organisations to show the public that we’re human and not just machine under all this armour.”

“While I would not recommend it openly to any combatant … some of the most renowned warriors on this world a thousand years ago were frequently reported to be at least partially inebriated during more demanding battles where only brute force was required to win the day,” Luna replied as Celestia adjusted herself frequently between leaning more onto Chief’s side and more onto Luna’s side.

“Sergeant John Forge during the Harvest Reclamation. Fleet Admiral Preston Cole probably during the entirety of this war before he retired to Reach,” John replied before recollecting that Cole in particular was one of mankind’s greatest war heroes, which caused his eyes to narrow a bit. “That is … Cole being an exception to your rule … alcohol only made his strategic and tactical cunning all the more outstanding by some miracle of neurology.”

“Master Chief, you sure do become much more talkative when you’re like this,” Celestia remarked.

“It’s a side of myself that I and others seldom get to see, Your Majesty,” the Chief replied in a thoughtful tone.

“You know, I should probably just cast a restoration spell on us,” Celestia mused with further laughter. “Inebriation amongst such people as us is … not the wisest thing, especially whilst touring the capital. Publicity … I cannot begin to imagine the chaotic interplay that would be caused between the press and the myriad of propaganda organisations.

“We should probably get ourselves back to the castle now that I think about it,” Trixie muttered sleepily as she meanwhile carried a completely wiped out Twilight draped over her back.

“A wise of course of action, I should think,” Luna agreed, her speech still clear but coming relatively slowly as the Chief’s seemed to as well.

“Let’s stop for the moment whilst I channel magic for the spell,” Celestia instructed.

Luna and the Chief stepped away from the Empress for the moment and surveyed their surroundings while Celestia began to ignite her horn. The taller alicorn actually had her tongue out as she mustered concentration for her spell that was soon to be cast.

As they both looked around, Luna and the Chief were a bit relieved to see that virtually nobody was nearby. The reveler and their audience had already wandered out into the rest of the Old Town, and the vast majority of the plaza had already packed up for the day and headed home or was concentrating around the tavern in its center.

The only sapient beings within sight to speak of were the Royal Guards and the cops from earlier, who patrolled about the plaza while their sergeant gave the five a conspiratorial wink.

Celestia’s horn had reached full ignition now and the chime of magic was audible as particles became increasingly active and excited. “Alright, the alcohol should be purged from our system in three … two …”

Trixie gulped as she noticed that something seemed rather … goofy about Celestia’s normally radiant gold aura as the spell was cast.

“One!”

The Empress’ magic enveloped a three meter-wide circular area around everyone, leaving a golden aura prominently tinged with silver as it began to fade back into aether. Celestia’s aura was not alone however, as a large number of newly-materialised tankards began raining down on the ground around them, forming a cluttered mess at their hooves and feet and leaving everyone but the caster to gawk at the display around them.

“Whoops … “ Celestia giggled. “My apologies everyone, that was alteration … not restoration. Oh what Star Swirl would have to say to me about this one. Ahem … restoration, there we go!”

Celestia ignited her horn again, and this time without a countdown, cast a new spell that all but the Master Chief could tell had a more accurate signature for a spell of the Restoration School of magic.

As the magic swept through the same exact radius, the phantasmal tankards vanished. Twilight meanwhile found herself knocked off Trixie’s back with a yelp, completely sober and bewildered by the sudden movement as Trixie had accidentally shunted her off as she instinctively reached for her horn due to the itchy and sometimes ticklish feeling that many restoration spells triggered.

“Goodness, I have not felt the effects of a restoration spell of such magnitude since the last war Equestria fought before my banishment!” Luna exclaimed before chuckling as she attempted to ignore the crawling sensation around her coat, “the Elements of Harmony’s effect on me does not count … too powerful … in a classification all its own. Oh gods this infernal itching!”

“I’ll trade it over the supersoldier equivalent of a hangover,” the Chief replied as he resisted the urge to scratch behind his ears.

“Speaking of which … I shudder over the thought of what Leman and the Fangs are likely to feel like after that is all said and done,” Twilight said as she glanced over unsurely back towards the now revelry-steeped and ever-rowdy plaza.

“I’m sure it is something they are accustomed to and can more than handle without issue,” Celestia assured her former pupil with a smile. “They’ll be alright. Shall we be off to the castle now? We can resume our touring tomorrow, I think. There are more after-action reports and familiar peaked caps demanding my attention late tonight before bed.”

All remaining itchiness subsided as Celestia was met with agreement and the five began making their way back home.

The remainder of the evening for Celestia, Luna, and their companions was spent in the Canterlot Palace as the capital and indeed the rest of the planet moved on from the recent battle in their various ways.

Despite being occasional annoyances to one another, Trixie and Twilight actually spent several hours perusing the castle’s library together while the Master Chief attempted his best to further acquaint Luna with such things as Waypoint and Canterlot Palace’s other modern amenities.

As she had alluded to, Celestia meanwhile busied herself with further reports of the battle as Admirals Fairweather, Stanforth, and Hood along with General Svelte and a number of other high ranking GSC commanders who gave their reports to her.

On Waypoint, Luna and the Chief were among the first in the palace to hear word of what the public at large was now calling the recent battle. ‘Battle of Solaris’, ‘The Great Turning Point?’ and similar names were now plastered across the headlines of nearly every major news network anchored by ponies, humans, gryphons, and beyond.

“Chief, you’ve seen this war firsthoof since its inception; do you see this battle as a potential turning point?” Luna inquired. “For my part with such preliminary information I possess, I am cautious in my optimism.”

The Chief watched the headlines crawl by on the screen in Luna’s quarters, quiet for several moments before he responded with a neutral gaze. “We have powerful new allies with which we can achieve the near-impossible, but just as they are an example of it, this war has proven to have a habit of throwing unexpected developments our way. For my part? I say things are simply beginning to get interesting.”

Absentees
Canterlot Palace, Dining Room
Friday, 25th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

“Very odd,” Trixie mused as Luna, Celestia, Twilight and herself sat down to breakfast at the dining room’s nearly continent-sized central rectangular table. “Even with the heavy drinking last night, Trixie was almost certain they would have returned to the castle by now.”

As conversation was had, servers and even a few Imperial chefs busily went about the room, carrying around the various courses for a group of four and soon likely to be more.

Mithril and ceramic plates, platters, and bowls populating the table were full of everything from stacks of pancakes and honeyed waffles, to omelets, pastries, virtually every kind of edible fruit available on the continent, and more. There was even such delights as bacon, ham, and sausages prepared for non-vegetarian ponies, humans, and other meat-eating members of the court that were potentially soon to arrive.

“I have received no complaints or reports of Fenrisian soldiers being found asleep or wandering about the streets of the city, only a large number of sailors here and in parts of Downtown,” Celestia said, filling a chalice with orange juice from an ornate pitcher on the table in front of her, “so at least that worry is not present. Perhaps they decided to resume without us? Or perhaps they have a method or ritual of clearing their minds as we did.”

“I would wager bits on the former, but it is hard to say,” Luna weighed in, prompting Celestia to nod before the Empress peered around to see if any aristocrats were present before taking a massive drought of her orange juice with an immodest flourish.

“Johnson and Ruman informed me that their armour is still presently under the watch of the Royal Guard,” Master Chief informed everyone as he joined them, taking the empty seat beside Luna that she offered.

“No doubt like hens with their eggs,” Twilight joked as Trixie was currently digging into an omelet with a side of hay fries and hashbrowns.

“But then what would be the proverbial feed that could lure them away?” Trixie asked the other unicorn, taking advantage of what Twilight had unwittingly set herself up for.

Twilight frowned and her lips pursed on her muzzle, ears flattening. “Erm, uh … an invasion of the palace by Covenant or Insurrectionists? Wouldn’t we have heard of such a thing happening though?”

“Of course we would have, Sparkle! Nothing can distract a Royal Guard, except for maybe your older brother,” Trixie quipped. “Oh don’t be so stern-like, Trixie is just poking fun at your joke.”

Twilight, with an utter deadpan, promptly swatted Trixie on the back of her head with a rolled up newspaper she had happened to be reading.

“Remind me to be dull and humourless when you’re around just to spite you from now on,” Twilight retorted before breaking into a smirk as Trixie glared back at her.

“Ohhh no, Sparkle. Trixie will always find a way to annoy you, playing the disinterested scholarly type is impossible for the likes of you, Trixie is skeptical you can pull it off.”

“We’ll see about that!”

While Celestia focused on her orange juice, Luna and the Chief watched the pair’s exchange with bemusement as the Spartan began politely loading his plate with the most carbohydrate-heavy options available in a subconscious effort to compete with Luna’s already massive appropriation of pancakes, waffles, syrup, toast, all oddly topped with slices of oranges and apples with bacon, oats, and yogurt off to the side.

Internally, Trixie was now fighting with all her willpower not to fall out of her chair in rib-cracking laughter, yet externally she remained glaring. Twilight’s defiant expression indicated that her efforts soon to come when around the former showpony were likely to provide Trixie with material to work with that was beyond golden to her.

“Ahem, so is it true, what that one inebriated pony reveler blurted out? About the Fangs military aircraft descending down and actually deploying kegs? Sorry, but I am skeptical of that,” Twilight asked as she shifted focus from Trixie back to the breakfast.

“Actually, Twilight,” Celestia finished the rest of her orange juice, trying not to guffaw at the mounting food contest between the Spartan and the younger alicorn, “during the drinking I may have also authorised some ‘special’ air missions into the capital’s airspace. I needed supplies airdropped into the courtyard for the Grand Galloping Gala soon as well and … it was convenient.”

Recruitment
Canterlot, Lakeview District

The early morning streets of Canterlot’s lakeside district was more akin to the empty fields of Fenris, as there was no life to be found at all. The only ones enjoying the dead sight was the group of towering Capricorns that had been on course for the Lakeview District. Despite their massive forms, their movements made no sounds except for the small jingle of weapons and ornaments brushing against their bodies.

At the head of the group was Leman Russ, his face still, devoid of any true emotion as his mind raced as to what needed to be done. It is said amongst ponies that only alicorns can comprehend the level at which their minds work, Russ’ mind worked in a similar way.

Yet the rest of his group kept themselves busy with speculation and recanting. Their words flowed with their native tongue of Juvjk.

“So, remind me again why we needed to stop drinking?” Viveka asked, her voice showing no signs of the busy party they had partaken in, yet her rosy cheeks showed that she was still a little tipsy.

“Because we don’t need another liquor drought,” Erik replied quickly before dodging a swat from Viveka.

“There’s a batch of aspirants that are supposed to leave within the hour and Lord Russ wants to inspect them,” Dagmar stated with a small yawn. If anything, she was the most affected by alcohol but even that was barely anything compared to a normal being.

“There must be something special about the batch that has caught his attention, perhaps a figure of notability?” Emil noted, trying to draw a word out of his Great Wolf. Yet Russ was still quiet, though his ears indicated he had heard them.

“Bah, until they prove themselves amongst us, they are nothing,” Krom grumbled, holding his natural scowl upon his muzzle.

“Oh, lighten up. You were having fun last night! Where’s that Krom?” Solvi said as she jabbed him in the ribs, earning a low growl of annoyance from the Morkai. “Calm down, big boy.”

While his Guard chatted and bickered amongst themselves, minus Ran who hadn’t said a word since the festivities back on Fenris, Russ kept silent as they neared their destination. A rather inconspicuous warehouse for the most part, aside from the fact that there was four Grey Hunters stationed outside the building, talking quietly amongst themselves.

Russ didn’t even need to be in sight of the warehouse to know this, his senses were that highly attuned. He knew their smell as members of Onn, his pack. So when he rounded the corner he was glad to see that despite their talkative nature, they were prepared for the sight of their Great Wolf. Hands held over their chests, heads bowed as he neared.

“Jarl Russ, it is an honour,” one of the Grey hunters said, a capricorn mare with a dark black mane yet pale fur. “Wolf Priest Heinrik Open-Handed is inside, my Jarl.”

“Thank you,” Russ spoke before opening the heavy metal doors, specifically old doors that required manual operation instead of the modern tech that opened automatically. Fangs, despite wielding advanced weaponry and armour, were traditionalists when it came to other tech.

The initial room after the door was an open area that had minimal seating, and was a generally cold area. Inside there was another Grey Hunter who had his head bowed before nodding to his left, indicating the door Russ would take to speak to Heinrik. The Great Wolf led his guard through the door and up and set of completely enclosed stairs before finally coming to a halt on a second floor platform that overlooked an extremely empty warehouse. Empty save for roughly fifty normal capricorns that were in varying forms of relaxation.

The empty floor of the warehouse offered little to them but even to a capricorn, cold concrete is more warming than the ice fields of Fenris.

Watching out the windows of the viewing platform was Wolf Priest Heinrik Open-Handed, his pitch black armour and wolf skull helmet obscuring his features but nevertheless, there was a compassion that radiated from the Priest. He turned to face the group that had arrived on the viewing platform.

“Jarl Russ, an honour to see you again.” Heinrik gestured towards the assembly of Capricorns with a gauntleted hand. “The Capricorns gathered in this humble shed today have been chosen to attempt ascension into the ranks of our packs, and await the time for their mettle to be tested to its very limits.”

“Hmm,” Russ spoke as he walked to the window and gazed down on those on the floor. His eyes quickly passed over them, making little notes of which he expected to see fail and those he saw as worthy in his eyes alone. Every once and awhile his eyes would stop on a certain capricorn longer than others before moving on. “And what of those in this group. How many do you see as fit for our ranks? Do not put them up higher than they are capable of.”

“All gathered have the skill, but less than half are likely-bound to possess the willpower. A further half of that reduced number may yet succeed but not before their every limit and beyond is tested.”

“Indeed,” Russ muttered, the room silent aside from the two as the Wolf Guard knew it wasn’t their place to talk at the moment. As disruptive as they were, they were also smart enough to not earn the ire of their Great Wolf. “I wish to see them myself.”

“Of course, they await you,” Heinrik replied with a small smile. Heinrik proceeded to walk towards a door on the other side of the viewing platform, Russ following right behind him, the Wolf Priest descending down another set of stairs that led to the ground floor.

Russ took slightly longer to allow Heinrik to reel in the young capricorns, and prepare them for their first sight of their Wolf King. Thankfully the protected stairs hindered all that wished to view those walking down it.

“Quiet! You will greet your future Jarl not as rabble, but warriors that know when discipline is necessary over roudiness,” Heinrik barked.

The gathered warriors hustled quickly to form a line five capricorns deep by ten across, all of them standing neatly in a line. Their eyes were wide as they saw the one that had been told about in legends stride onto the concrete floor. It was a tough feat for many of them to not bow or show their awe at Russ. The threat of the Wolf Priest kept them orderly enough as Russ paced up and down the ranks of the group while his Wolf Guard stood watch over them.

One thing that came to many of their minds was just how tall he was compared to the rest of the Fangs in the room. Even in armor, Heinrik only came up to his shoulders.

“Warriors to be, the tests and trials that will lay ahead of you will be beyond your current imagining,” Heinrik began. “I could continue to tell you that you will be tested to your limits, that you will discover capabilities you did not know you as a being possessed, unlocked in full by the seeds that make all of us Fangs what we are and will forever be.”

As Heinrik spoke, Russ continued to pace up and down the rows of aspirants, his face never losing it’s judging look and his eyes burrowing deep into each capricorn as he inspected them, looking for the slightest hints of anything that would be a weakness.

“But I will not. Those lot would be honeyed words that would rig you for self-destruction. You will be pushed beyond your current capability, and for some their journey will end there on a somber note. It is not just what you are now, how you will prepare, and to what magnitude. but the cost of what you must become. Are you willing to shoulder that cost, my fellow Capricorns?”

Heinrik's words were met with an affirmative roar from the eager assembly

“Good, but know this. No amount of willpower will be able to cover the immense cost for some of you. Debt in this surely means death.”

Russ’ pacing stopped in front of one particular capricorn mare as the Great Wolf detected something, at the moment, vaguely different and yet familiar about her compared to her brethren.

The mare’s white fur seemed to have an almost turquoise aura to it the longer Russ focused on her which could have easily been played off as a mere trick of the light. She met his gaze with a set of fiercely intelligent cyan eyes that seem to hint at a kind of wisdom that none of the capricorns assembled should feasibly yet be in possession of. Her face and muzzle were beautifully angular, but in a way just short of seeming entirely Capricorn-like, framed by a deep silver mane that flowed around her horns elegantly.

As the two Capricorns made eye contact, Russ parted his lips to directly address her but instead he closed them immediately after, a smirk coming to his face instead. He looked upon her with the first hint of a smile he had given all day, before shaking his head and walking back towards his Wolf Guard.

The action caused more than a few Capricorn’s to shift their eyes at the capricorn that got Russ to smile, but other than that they did nothing but continue standing. Russ moved to address Heinrik, the smirk still upon his muzzle.

“Thank you, Heinrik, this has been … rather enlightening,” he spoke out loud, loud enough for his guard and the rest to hear but then he closed the distance before whispering into the ear of the Wolf Priest, the hushed sound inaudible to all but the two, “I want the name of that mare.”

Heinrik did not reply vocally but instead just bowed his head as Russ backed away. The Great Wolf nodded before leaving through an adjoining door, his visit done and his direction aimed back at the great mountain that dominated the capital’s heart.

Akasha and Zarabel
Canterlot, Canterhorn District

“Sightseeing the lake, you say? Haha, Trixie knows better than to fall for that hasty explanation!” Trixie stated with a mischievous giggle, head turned to Russ as everyone made their way down the pedestrian causeway of one of the many carefully engineered roads that criss-crossed Mount Canterhorn’s slopes.

“Even with warrior blood flowing through us, it is nice to see a body of water that doesn’t contain kraken among other things,” Russ stated with a grin, chuckles from the Wolf Guard following behind him.

“I bet you were hitting up more taverns down on the lake shore, this time ones with waterborne crews rather than space sailors! Trixie bets you were all throwing swearing contests as well as playing Who-can-get-shit-faced-first.”

Trixie’s efforts at gleaning a straightforward answer only merited chuckles from the Great Wolf as their party found themselves coming within a few hundred meters of the Downtown district.

The winding, multi-laned mountain road possessed causeways for foot and hoof traffic on either shoulder, and the road itself neatly connected to a large square and the expansive network of city streets by a bridge that spanned a stretch of trees and a natural stream that carried rain and snowmelt down from the mountain’s peak to assist in watering gardens and parks, one of over a dozen that spanned the city.

Being the main mountain road that lead down from Canterlot’s Old Town, Luna, Celestia, and the others were greeted by the impressive sight of a tall bronze statue, only half-aged to a weathered green that depicted a human man in a suit and tie joined by the sitting form of Celestia herself. The man’s hair was depicted as neatly trimmed, and his hairless face was prominent and stout yet kindly-like.

Both figures were cheerful in demeanor yet stately and professional. The two were of roughly equivalent height, with Celestia on her haunches as the both of them amiably shook hoof and hand in a gesture of friendship and diplomacy.

The statue welcomed those coming down from the mountain to the vibrant skyline that dominated the horizon. It seemed to stand between three parts of the city considerably different from one another like a milestone of history, reminding onlookers of the accomplishments of the past as well as the accomplishments of the present as they paved the way for vast potential still ahead.

While Celestia paused to gaze upon the statue in immediate and fond recognition, Twilight could already see the curious inquiry in Luna’s eyes before it was even uttered. “That’s the renowned Statue of Friendship, Luna!”

“Between equinity and humanity, I assume?” Luna ventured.

“Correct!” Twilight responded with a grin, holding off on a history lesson she was preparing to bestow as she saw that her mentor’s body language indicated Celestia had something to say.

Celestia did not remove her eyes from the statue as she said, “The Statue of Friendship commemorates the first meeting between myself, when I was still Princess of Equestria at the time, and a human civilian leader in July of 2495 … not just any civilian leader, either. The President of Earth and its colonies. Lance O'Donnell was his name.”

“Impressive, and where is this president now?” Luna asked as they all entered Downtown, the sounds of people, carts and cars, and aircraft greeting them as audibly as the sights did visually.

Luna noted the subtle shift in Celestia’s features as the question was asked. The Empress’ features remained no less bright and cheerful, but her eyes seemed to glimmer with an acute sadness.

“He was one of the most renowned humans to hold that office, but the entire United Earth Government has been temporarily suspended of its governing powers for the vast majority of the war with the UNSC in emergency control of its worlds,” Cortana said with a contemplative frown, surprising Twilight as well as Trixie by her sudden appearance, although Luna had already sensed her intent to appear on her hoof once more, whilst Celestia as well as the sole human and group of Fenrisian super soldiers anticipated it with almost supernatural perception.

”And we actually have no confirmed data on his current whereabouts,” Twilight followed up as she chewed on her lip, taking a cue from Luna’s gaze at Celestia and registering what the Princess must have been detecting.

“There are many claims of what happened after Lance’s office was made defunct for the duration of the war, each more ridiculous as the last,” Celestia stated cryptically, her expression falling into neutrality.

“Almost as ridiculous as the theory that he vanished while secretly attending that expedition with Admiral Cole to an ancient alien construct a Covenant fleet were amassing at. He disappeared from the public eye and probably retired to some remote colony on the Perseus side of the GSC,” Trixie chimed in before turning pale beneath her fur as her ears flattened, “Trixie apologizes, Your Majesty, if that came off as rather … brusque.”

Celestia’s newfound smile of reassurance quickly lifted Trixie’s spirits in seconds as Luna and the others observed the exchanges of body language with mixed amounts of curious analysis. “Lance was a great man. Wherever he ventured off to, I’m sure it was not without some kind of noble objective. I will say this now: he always had such child-like fascination and enthusiasm with the xeno-archaeological findings the GSC continues to make to this very day.”

“Every statue, every inscription, such rich history behind each, even those of contemporary origin,” Luna said with wonder, filing her observations of her sister’s reaction for later and continuing to appraise the statue with approval.

“A story for everything, indeed,” Cortana agreed with a smirk. “Back to work for me, but I’m far enough along now that I can maintain my avatar whilst still running my necessary subroutines to the task.”

While Luna and Cortana conversed, it was noticed by Celestia that Russ and the Fangs had since seen their fill of their current location in particular, and could all but smell the precursory signs of a mounting anticipation to forge ahead.

“Speaking of contemporary, is everyone ready to see the Downtown?” Celestia chuckled. “Well, for some of us, see again.”

“As always, Your Majesty,” Chief replied which merited a knowing smirk from Celestia.

“Trixie wishes to go and see her posters in the city streets again with the propaganda, they are a … morale boost.”

“I am!” Twilight all but cheered. “Every trip down the mountain to the big city is always as exciting as the last, always something new to see. It nearly gives Manehatten a run for its money.”

“And our Capricorn friends?” Celestia asked with a widened smile and a raised brow.

Celestia was met with a round of grunts that were passed off as answers. Even Russ hardly answered, showing obvious signs of boredom yet was at least committed to staying in the group for the time being.

“Lead on, my sister!” Luna gestured forward with her right hoof now that Cortana had flickered out of it and into a semi-hover on Luna’s withers.

Without further ado, the group began moving once again across the elevated causeway – which formed a square arcade around the Statue of Friendship’s square – that took them past the entrance to the district and deeper into the city.

While the road traffic was bustling, it was still slow-moving enough for many drivers and passengers of their vehicles to stare out at the group with surprise and wonder, while several pony and human pedestrians could not help but incline their heads or bow despite the encouragement of Imperial officials to respond to the presence of such powerful individuals with modest deference.

“Luna, before I forget … I’ve cracked the data, whatever guarding it is some kind of … ancient AI, barely functional and very off kilter; it’s probably rampant,” Cortana said as they walked. “And the data itself is, for the moment, rather confusing.”

“In what manner?”

“Most of it is in those unidentified languages but sometimes the remains of a translation program appear to try and kick in, and I see the words ‘reclaimer’, ‘keys,’ and ‘exigent’ appear quite often.”

“Reclaimer? This is most verily information of great worth. Please store what intelligible information you can at your discretion,” Luna instructed.

“With pleasure,” Cortana replied with a nod before snapping her fingers and adopting a playful smirk. “Oh, and this might interest everyone in case they haven’t been listening to the civilian networks as of late.”

Cortana remotely activated the radio on Twilight’s datapad within her satchel, turning the device to full volume and tuning to a station as Twilight let out a squeak and Luna began looking around for the source of the noise with her muzzle forming a surprised ‘O’.

Luna soon discovered Twilight to be the source while some of the others broke out into a laugh, and began listening as a mare’s voice was heard playing over the airwaves. Twilight glared at Cortana for several moments until her mild annoyance gave way to a curious focus on what was being broadcasted, causing Cortana’s smirk to broaden.

“You’re listening to DJ PON3 on IE-43.9 Ponyville and this your host Vinyl Scratch, bringing you the finest melodies and the most breaking news this side of of the galaxy! One story here on the newswire … word is from GSC Allied Command that the holier-than-thou Covies have been pushed back and their invasion fleet blown to bits by the navies. Not only that though my dear listeners, ohhhh nope. Thanks to the direct actions of Capricorn soldiers, the Prophet of Regret himself is now rotting in a GSC cell, waiting to be drilled of his fellow bad guys’ dirty secrets and the Covenant Prophets’ dirty laundry. Gods must it stink, phew!”

“Huh,” was the only thing stated by the Wolf Guard, specifically Calder. The rest were looking between each other as if having conversations without words. Even Russ didn’t speak a word about the mention.

“To our Capricorn siblings, your brothers and sisters here on Equis offer our humble gratitude, what you did was beyond awesome. Word also is that our boys and girls in uniform up there took a real beating though while sending them Covies right to Hades … or Tartarus, if they’re still in their mortal coils.”

“She’s my favourite, I always tune in when Catherine would leave me to watch over the lab,” Cortana remarked to Luna quickly.

“If you see a sailor, a trooper, pilot, a legionary, or a marine, give ‘em a hug, give ‘em a cold one on the house, just give em’ your love. And now onto our next track on the playlist, this was was actually submitted by the Capricorn King himself uh … frak, can’t pronounce the name of it. Umm … Joomalten Kau … cow? Something about punks … ?”

Vinyl paused as her laughter filled the airwaves. The laughter continued for a few seconds before the DJ got a grip on it and continued. Trixie found herself joining in on the laughter, but it mostly remained contained to her – as well as a decent number of Vinyl’s millions of other listeners.

“Two hats in an oven. And something something Burronesian maybe, whatever, however you pronounce that! Alright, basically the guitar play is just amazing, even though beats and bass are my thing! Listen and be enlightened.”

“Interesting, news breaks fast as expected with such technology,” Luna remarked as Cortana went to tune out and return control of Twilight’s datapad to her, but Russ stopped her from doing so.

“I wish to listen to the music of my people,” Russ spoke, swiping the datapad with surprising deftness and precision.

“Hey!” Twilight protested, before realising that between a supersoldier and a UNSC Smart AI, she had temporarily lost all control of her device. “Fine, I got another one in there anyways. Good thing they’re a bit a dozen,” she muttered.

Trixie giggled at Twilight’s expense, meriting her a swatting.

They continued on their way, all the while listening to the song which got progressively harder as it went on. Oddly enough, Russ’ eyes were focused on the datapad and the music entirely, his face looked closer to a frown more than anything.

“Are you not fond of these curious musical arrangements?” Luna inquired with a raised brow. “I find myself appraising it fairly and thus far, I am finding enjoyment.”

“No … it is perfect music for a capricorn. The lyrics for this song just …” Russ said, trailing off as he stared at the datapad with a glassy look to him. “Hmph, It’s nothing to worry about.”

The song came to a close with a descending melody of flutes as Vinyl Scratch’s voice returned, enthusing about the song and preparing for the next track she had in sequence. As she did so, the actual language title of the song appeared on the device’s screen, accompanying DJ Pon3’s musical note logo above it on the radio stream interface: Jumalten Kaupunki/Tuhatvuotinen Perintö.

As they began to wander the streets, Luna found the Downtown up close to be unlike anything she had ever seen before. The modern city was almost like a linear network of glass and metal canyons, but the buildings were well-spaced apart, leaving the streets, parks, and plazas frequently bathed with just the right amount of sunlight.

Twilight described the skyscrapers themselves to Luna as being what was effectively standing art, as they appeared to accent the cityscape rather than simply cast some areas in shadow with their mass. It was a notion Luna was quick to accept with only brief hesitation as she continued to recover from her awe.

Balconies and sky bridges formed hanging gardens, and the glasswork of windows changed their colouration in specific parts of buildings at will to display everything from advertisements to art and official city information postings.

Luna found herself dumbfounded for a time as everyone witnessed one of the rectangular sections of a spire change from a Canterlot City Commission PSA regarding the misuse of public displays for street art to something new with spontaneity.

The mugshot-like depiction of the adorable insectoid menaces was replaced by a cartoonish depiction of the Prophet of Regret.

Regret’s eyes formed into the shape of an ‘X’ and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth. The robed San’Shyuum was in chains as a stylized Capricorn in full power armour and the ENV Divinity respectively fired bolter rounds and deployed fighters and boarding torpedoes at him, repeatedly dinging against his battered crown.

“News travels with such haste, it impresses me ever so,” Luna mused as she appraised the illustration.

“I would suggest seeing if there is anything your codex can tell you about superluminal communications,” Cortana responded. “Before it, ships had to deliver messages manually between systems which often could take months.”

“A striking analogue to the oceangoing ships of yesteryear Equestria! I shall research both and more when time allows.”

It was not long before everyone's sightseeing took a new turn as a large storefront in the nearest building drew Luna’s eye. “Sister, Chief, Russ, everyone cast your gaze upon this! ‘Tis a most interesting looking shop of curiosities.”

Occupying the corner of a large commercial highrise at a prominent intersection was a store with towering windows flanked evenly by marble columns that reached to the roof. The building looked to most of the group like a bank, but its signage said otherwise.

A sign decorated with stars and stylized cratered moons that hung above the main group of entry doors proclaimed: ‘Akasha and Zarabel’s Emporium of Interstellar Curiosities.

“I wonder just how curious of curiosities we’re talking, here,” Cortana wondered.

“Shall we survey their wares?” Luna inquired hopefully to the others.

The question was met with the usual nods of agreement, all save for Russ, who had spied something further down the street from the emporium. A trio of on-duty Royal Guards, a stallion, a mare, and a human woman, were patrolling the sidewalk with their default expressionless demeanor. They likely were on the watch for rowdy sailors still as well as practicing their marching with the Empress and her sister nearby.

Russ looked from the guards to the emporium and back again, an idea glimmering in his eyes. He silently motioned to his Wolf Guard to follow before turning around and heading back towards the castle. His shift in movement was instantly caught by the others.

“Have something to attend to elsewhere, Leman Russ?” Celestia inquired curiously.

“I wish to see your guard, perhaps give them pointers, we’ll see,” Russ said with a smirk and what looked to be mischief in his eyes.

Celestia winked and flickered her right ear. “I must admit, even though your background is ancient and technologically adept, I am still surprised at how quickly your warriors and yourself are becoming accustomed to our world. Do have fun, now!”

The smirk on Russ’ face only grew as the entire group split into two, the Capricorns now going their own way and scouting for the quickest route back to Old Town and the palace while the rest watched them or appraised the self-proclaimed Emporium of Interstellar Oddities.

“Sweet merciful Gods be kind to the souls of whatever guards the Fangs run into,” Trixie remarked.

With a light smile, Celestia turned to Luna, who wore a mildly sheepish grin as the former’s turned to a full on smirk that rivaled that of Russ. “I quite like the newest of your friends, they have a tendency to … speak their minds freely. Perhaps that is one reason why they adapt to our world so well.”

“Mayhaps,” Luna stifled a chuckle, “Now, let us visit this most fascinating establishment.”

Everyone made their way into the emporium, immediately greeted by an exotic scent of incense and flowers, mingling with the mustiness of antiquity. The interior proved as spacious as the exterior, and was host to all manner of different artifacts, art, antiques, and outlandish collectibles from a variety of different cultures both native and offworld as the signage had indicated.

All were neatly arranged in their various display cases, on plinths, tables, transparent crystal vessels, and some hidden from view beneath embroidered silk shrouds towards the back of the emporium. Luna marveled at the vast array of visuals. Even the red and orange-tiled floors were draped in elaborate rugs that appeared vaguely Saddle Arabian. The walls were a mixture of stucco, alien frescos that stood floor to ceiling, and marble pillars much smaller than those outside.

“Ahh, most distinguished customers arrive in our midst! Welcome,” a feminine, thickly-accented voice all but purred in greeting from behind the large rectangular counter space that dominated the heart of the emporium.

The group turned to see two, vibrantly-coloured bipedal people clad in light white and blue tasseled robes waiting patiently at the front counter. By their overall forms compared to other bipedal species, it was clear to Luna that they were female. They each had one elbow up on the counter, hand cupping their chin thoughtfully in a manner that mirrored their counterpart to the left and right respectively,

One had skin that was a prominent crimson that faded to lighter shades of red in many places, including her angular face, framed by flowing white hair and eyes with glowing yellow irises.

The second female’s skin looked like the surface of a main sequence star: a brilliant fusion of yellows and reds dappled by darker oranges. Her eyes glowed orange. Hair, shoulder length, topped her head in silver locks.

Luna’s impression was immediate that like the Covenant and certain Concordat citizens she had seen thus far, the duo was very much not of Equisian origin by any means.

“Thank thee for thy kindly welcome,” Luna greeted back to the alien duo. “We were drawn to your establishment by curiosity of course, and seek only to browse your exotic wares for the purposes of …”

“We’re just window shopping, thank you,” Celestia interjected, causing Luna to scrunch her nuzzle before sticking her tongue out as she realised the subtle teasing jab at her verbosity.

“Before we do so, might I have the privilege of learning your names?” Luna ventured with a smile.

“Of course, Your Highness,” the crimson alien replied as she continued to hold her chin up luxuriantly. “I am Zarabel.”

“And I am Akasha, honoured alicorns!” the yellow-orange of the pair followed up, standing fully and smiling with regal fashion like the alicorns in front of her, but also youthful enthusiasm.

“I can tell by your eyes, Princess Luna – yes, we know of you – you are curious of our people?” Zarabel inferred with a bat of her eyelashes.

“You would not be incorrect,” Luna replied as she broke her regality and pulled her muzzle into a cheeky smile.

Twilight reinforced Luna’s smile as she displayed her own glee at the prospect despite already possessing a solid academic understanding of the aliens’’’ race.

“We are sisters of the Samek, Your Highness, though the two of us here are sisters by birth as well as by culture and race,” Akasha introduced. “We hail from Planet Samek, in the distant Algol system. We are the largest trading partners of the GSC outside of it, and it would seem one of the few alien civilizations it knows of that is not the … eugh, Covenant.”

“Do we wish to really get into that?” Zarabel asked quietly with a sigh as she watched Luna’s group, the Master Chief and Celestia especially, grow serious – the former even more serious than usual.

Akasha continued, seemingly oblivious to her sister for the moment. “They’d be a mere bore to us were it not for the fact that they are a great power that could dismantle our entire civilisation alone in a mere decade if they did not have the GSC to fight.”

“Sister.”

“Hmm?”

“Do we wish to bury them in a torrent of our species’ lore, or do we wish to show them around as they came in here to do?” Zarabel questioned with a raised brow.

“A little bit of both, but I’m not complaining either way,” Cortana said privately to Luna.

“Welcome knowledge that is the harbinger of wisdom. If thou fails to digest ere it fades from memory, then so shall they in turn be digested into dessert by it, Stari Swirl once said,” Luna replied mentally with an inward chuckle.

“Ehrm ahem … sorry, sister,” Akasha apologised as she coughed into her right fist. “Right, would like us to show you around?”

“Lead the way, thank you,” Celestia said with a newfound smile as Luna gave a friendly wave of her foreleg that said the same.

Twilight seemed to visibly deflate, while Trixie and the Chief gave little reaction as they found themselves engrossed in studying the emporium’s diverse collection of valuable miscellany.

Akasha and Zarabel were beaming now as they both exited from the purchasing counter and began leading their guests around.

During the tour, Luna was introduced to a variety of new cultures as well as reminded of old ones that were newly-arisen and storied alike in her previous time based on specific artifacts alone. They all saw everything from tablets and scrolls from ancient Anugypt, Human coins from Earth, Samekian paintings of both their own and GSC historical figures, Jiralhanae tribal carvings, a suit of Kig-Yar gladiator armour perfectly preserved, assorted treasures from kingdoms and republics all up and down the Equisian continents of Equina and Mu, and much more.

One corner of the store was even dedicated to uncharged Covenant ordnance as well as armour and miscellany, including confiscated plasma rifles, blamite needler shards that were pinker than classic chewing bubblegum, and even the crown of a Lesser Prophet.

“Who? And better question, how?” came the Master Chief’s taciturn question as he regarded the crown.

Zarabel chuckled at the Spartan’s stoic demeanor, the luminosity of her eyes increasing noticeably from her mirth. “One of our most prized bits of merchandise. We know it to be the property of the Covenant’s Minister of Fortitude, appointed by the Hierarch Truth herself, so claims Chol Von. Yes, the Chol Von. She is both one of our greatest contributors as well as our finest patrons.”

“Wait … you mean this crown was retrieved in the Battle of Eayn?” Twilight tasked as her ears perked up.

“By Chol Von as she cut down the Minister himself personally in Tilu City as Admiral Clara Cutter smashed his fleet in orbit,” Akasha enthused. “Were you to grip the helmet to see the interior, that will cost you a hundred thousand bits, you can even see the faint traces of the San’Shyuum’s treacherous blood!”

“Most … curious,” Luna remarked with an awkward smile that caused Akasha to laugh as they resumed the tour of the emporium.

“And here, for the low price of just fifty thousand bits,” Akasha gestured enticingly at a gold-wrought throne embellished with carved figures of Unicornian royalty, “the one and only one-time seat of power of none other than Oscura the Great, founder of the second incarnation of the Nimbian Empire, over a millennium ago!”

“Trixie wonders how you acquired such things. She also wonders how you acquired that Alicorn Amulet that you ended up selling to the Ministry of Intelligence so it could be put in containment!”

Akasha just smiled, while Zarabel rubbed her hands together. “Trade ‘secrets.’ Literally, trade. Only the Kig-Yar rival us in trade and … ship ‘liberation’ on this half of the galaxy. Besides trade, diplomacy is our truly favoured form of interspecies interaction, and is another great avenue for the acquisition of such relics and treasures.”

“The internment of that amulet was of the utmost urgency, I might add,” Celestia said.

“Eh-heh-heh, indeed it was,” Twilight giggled sheepishly. Luna’s questioning glance made her add, “I found it in another curio shop up in Canterlot Old Town about a year ago, the proprietor said he had found it in a lake years back. One thing lead to another and I … almost wrecked half of Ponyville with it after putting it on … thankfully my friends were able to help get it off along with the help of a local zebra, and … sorry, I tend to ramble.”

Celestia patted Twilight reassuringly on the withers while Luna just quirked her brow in slight amusement. Trixie blew a raspberry while the Chief scratched at his hair as he recalled news stories about the incident on Waypoint from the time.

They then proceeded to finish the rest of the tour, ultimately exiting the establishment but not before doing so empty hoofed and handed.

The Master Chief surprised Luna by being the first to have purchased something: a Human quarter coin and a quarter bit coin from the time of the Kingdom of Equestria for a mere twenty UEG credits that amounted to twenty three Imperial bits.

Twilight purchased a volume of Roaman magical theory texts, Trixie got a magic kit that once belonged to a renowned Maresnayan mystic, and finally, Luna convinced Celestia to buy an ornate, claw-footed and opalescent Aztlan coat rack to serve as a perch upon the latter’s mentioning of having a pet phoenix Luna had yet to see, while the Princess herself found her purchase in two flags.

The first flag was the blue of the Kingdom of Equestria, the Stars and Alicorns as it was also called, and along with it was an older example of the red Imperial sun banner, which Celestia identified before both Zarabel and Akasha as having been one of the first ever sewn and woven. Luna planned to put them in pride of place in her apartments back at the palace.

Akasha and Zarabel sent them all on their way with a warm bevy of gratitude, which was met with a reply from Luna that she would, for her part, be sure to visit again soon,

Soon after exiting the emporium, the group was met with an rather peculiar sight as one of the skyscrapers nearest them encountered a technical error of some kind and had a large section of windows change and the anthem of the Equestrian Empire began playing.

An combined advert for Sunburst Soda along with a PSA posting regarding private VTOL and airship flight around the Elysia space tether was replaced by a stylistic depiction of Princess Luna in her usual equine form but rendered in Imperial Legion armour, standing triumphant and mighty atop the limp form of the Prophet of Regret, whose tongue was out and eyes comically shut with double X’s. To Luna’s right was what was perhaps the first ever, though somewhat inaccurate, visual depiction of Leman Russ, wielding his sword poised to strike at a charging Elite, while to Luna’s left stood the Master Chief in full armour like the others, firing his assault rifle at enemies unseen.

It was clearly not official wartime propaganda as a company of police officers at a nearby donut establishment began shouting in protest at the sudden change, crying out about ‘rogue street artists’ until they finally took stock of the art’s content.

Not noticing a grinning Luna or the others in the vastly busy square as the incident occurred, the Canterlot cops promptly whooped and cheered at the art as some of them tossed their badged caps into the air.

After the advertisement change, the latter quarter of Luna’s day consisted of further exploration, including several more such stores as the Emporium of Interstellar Curiosities, a few of Canterlot’s many parks, taking in the vistas of the surrounding countryside for hundreds of miles on the slopes of Canterhorn, and a brief walk through Lakeview’s famous fish and lake kelp market as well as taking a glimpse of its factories, repurposed warehouses, and myriad examples of both rustic and urban art.

By the start of the evening, Luna was near the point of passing out despite her robust metabolism and seemingly bottomless enthusiasm for all sights, smells, and sounds that were both new and old.

Celestia took notice immediately and managed to convince her sister that it was time that everyone should retire to the palace for the night. Those that did not already have quarters in the palace from prior business with Celestia’s court or the Royal Guard were encouraged to choose their own rooms from the dozens available.

To the surprise of some Imperial stewards and palace servants, some of their guests chose to reside in the Royal Guard barracks for the night to interact with the night shift guardsmen and guardsponies, after donning their power armour once more. Russ and his warriors were soon joined there by the likes of Trixie, who initiated the futile challenge of staying up with them until the crack of dawn when the Empress would routinely cast her magic upon Equis itself to adjust its normally sluggish rotation and raise the sun over most of the Equestrian continent.

While Trixie set herself up for an invetiably humiliating defeat that would no doubt earn the jeering of not just the Fangs, the guards, and two of the four captains present but also of a familiar Spartan III.

Avery Johnson’s laughter joined by a chorus of others rang down the halls as one of the signals that the palace was settling for the night. Whilst much of Canterlot’s Old Town followed suit, the rest of the city both above and below the district never slept, and for them the night was simply just beginning.

Nightmare, Dream, Repose
Canterlot Palace

Luna let out a contented sigh as she collapsed bodily onto the sheets of her bed as the sheer weight of the past five days beared down on her, only to pass right through and melt into the bed below. Her only action prior to doing so had been tiredly marching into the bedchambers and leaving her Equestrian flags, bag, moon scarf, and crown atop the dresser.

Cortana had already beat Luna to the punch, and had entered into a brief, hour-long hibernation period as she processed data she had picked up over the past day.

To her knowledge and experience, while her kind were clearly susceptible to exhaustion, sleep was not compulsory and simple conscious relaxation for a long enough time was sufficient to not only replenish the body’s metabolism in full but also to facilitate the recharging and reconcentration of an alicorn’s magic.

In essence, sleep was a practical luxury, but a luxury that Luna nevertheless chose to indulge in for this particular occasion.

While her equine body fell into sleep, her mind remained perfectly conscious as it always did when she did not immediately engage in a dream of her own, or more commonly, entered into the Dreamspace itself.

This time around, one of the first such slumbers in just over a millennium, Luna immediately chose to partake in her subconscious. She aimed to see what variety of dreams it could conjure up for her scrutiny and exploration.

What she encountered was a rather troubling and mysterious affair to the point of some being full-fledged nightmares and scenes of utter nonsensical surreality, though the stream of dreams were not without some of true joy and bright tidings that served as paradise islands hosting lighthouses in her own mind.

One was the image of a city of multi-hued crystalline majesty sprawled out in geometric fashion to form the six pointed star that so much resembled that of Twilight Sparkle’s mark from Luna’s contemporary recollection, as well as those of the mysterious sigils and other more familiar locations such a variety of star shape had been found. The city was a sea of spires quite akin to Canterlot’s downtown but of seemingly even greater sophistication in design and exotic in nature.

Despite the chaotic and surreal dream-induced vision of the city, Luna could still recognise the region. It was a place where once, over a thousand years ago, the king known as Sombra ruled for the briefest of reigns as its final monarch. It was the Crystal Empire.

Luna was standing on a remote mountain as old emotions surged to the front of her mind, viewing down upon the metropolis as its very image flickered and morphed between different states from different time periods. She knew of it as the capital of the lost crystal pony empire as its buildings assumed familiar decoration and shorter height from engineering techniques of differing eras, yet something in her mind told her she knew further still but could not yet grasp it as even the high crystal towers garnered some kind of recognition whenever they winked back into being.

After some point in time—Luna attempted many times to chart it in Dreamspace, but to no avail—the towering version of the city vanished with finality, to be replaced by the Crystal Empire she knew.

An ominous phantasm of the fallen king flashed before her. Rageful teeth gnashed and corrupted crimson eyes burned with seething dark magic in violets and sickly greens. Luna reeled back on her mountain perch in shock as another ambivalent wave of emotion cascaded over her.

As her mind responded to the sensations, the city vanished with finality, leaving no trace of itself as the verdant green valley it had once populated was met with the immediate embrace of the Equisian Arctic’s snow-laden wrath. It billowed in over the mountains without the shielding of the city to hold it at bay. A few blinks of the eye and snowdrifts were rapidly overtaking what had once been well kept farms and chromatic meadows.

Just before the snow could fully conceal the remaining stretches of green and any indication of warmth, Luna was beset by another vision, another nightmare.

Luna was in the same valley, but the towering version of the city returned as snow overtook it. There was a radiating pulse of cobalt light spreading across the horizon from the depths of space itself in a great all-sweeping arc that crossed everything in sight, even blotting out the stars it passed for a few moments before vanishing beyond the mountains behind Luna.

Whatever it was, it had been passing across the entire planet, and it made Luna’s very body and mind feel as if it were being burned from the inside out as the energy wave passed through her. Her mind was hot, searing agony as the snow advanced further and everything turned a blinding white, paving the way for the next in sequence.

All was but a view of star-laden deep space awash with the luminescent glow of a nebula in every possible direction, yet Luna felt solid ground beneath her. A second, more intensive glance revealed that there was indeed something solid present, just now becoming visible.

A variant of tangible solid light, a field of blues and purples, formed the sprawling platform upon which she stood.

One look behind Luna yielded nothing but a dense fog and a billowing, weathered flag of the Kingdom of Equestria that was misplaced outside of a planet's atmosphere, causing her to face forward again. Luna immediately beheld with much apprehension that the shattered remains of Nightmare Moon’s armour now lay before her. As she advanced to investigate, the remains vanished to give way to that of three alicorn figures standing expectantly, one equine, one bipedal, and the third a curious combination both as all were cloaked in white light that obscured all features other than that of their general androgynous profiles.

First, was the equine who held a foreleg out, wings flared open as it levitated an alien symbol or sigil in its hoof. It appeared to Luna like a powerful centaur wizard's horns disembodied and turned upside down, an abstract orb of magic readying to be casted in the very center of the rough oval the horns formed. Alongside the sigil was another unfamiliar symbol: a mithril shield crossed by two ornate swords, the humanoid skull of an alicorn imposed atop them in the middle.

Second was the bipedal alicorn who had an arm outstretched, levitating the harmonic symbol of the two alicorns and their sun and moon from Equestria's flag above its palm alongside a familiar-looking book, its wings also fully out and open.

Third, was the alicorn that stood in between them and possessed the head of an equine looking to its left and the humanoid head of an alicorn looking to its right. Both heads were horned.

This most bizarre member of the trio did not have its wings open, and in one hand hovered a miniature phoenix gripping a key in its talons, whilst the other hand levitated a circular seal bearing the same geometric glyph Luna had seen before alongside the star and phoenix insignia that was becoming a recurring sight. The sigil of the mysterious civilisation was crowned by a stylised hourglass that hovered just above it.

Luna ventured forward to address them, but the figures moved further back in a hypnotic gliding fashion whose speed was nearly dazing. Every hoofstep forward caused the hardlight platform to warp, forming abstractly-shaped obstacles she had to navigate, and nonsensical creatures the likes of a Draconequus would spawn that she had to strike down with her magic, all the while the other alicorns drew ever closer as their retreat from her slowed and slowed.

In time, Luna was nearly upon them. When they became what could not have been more than two meters away from being touched, a sense of triumph overcame her.

As the triumph lingered, the trio of figures coalesced into a single sphere of light in front of which the esoteric objects they had presided over levitated, waiting for her approval. When they each were collected in Luna’s magical aura, the phoenix letting out a welcoming screech, the Princess had only seconds to appraise each before the next dream came.

Some of Luna’s remaining dreams during her sleep were fraught with even greater peril than those before them, but they came with tender moments that bridged into pleasant dreams, and each and every dream’s conclusion was as bright as the sun shining through her window when she awoke the next morning.

Chapter 8: Sized for Success

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Meeting of Sun and Moon
Equis, Canterlot, Canterlot Palace
Saturday, 26th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

When Luna awoke to the sunlight filtering in through the windows the next day, two things came to her attention immediately. The first was of the sun itself as well as Selene; had the moon been set yet? The second affair was the fact that her sister was presently sitting on her haunches on the balcony just outside, watching the sunrise over a cup of tea.

“Tia, what brings you here?” Luna asked with both surprise and amusement. “Did you fly across from your own quarters?”

Celestia turned around to look at Luna through the windows of the ajar balcony doors, a mischievous smile plastered on her face as Luna opened them to their full extent. “Perhaps … or perhaps I just let myself in so I could steal your balcony.”

Luna blew her sister a raspberry, promptly flinging the doors shut magically with a fabricated sneer. They opened once again a second and a half later as a now giggling Luna stepped outside to join Celestia.

“You slept, I can tell by the aura about you,” Celestia said with a beaming face as she offered Luna a second cup and saucer of tea she had been keeping warm. “I can tell also … by the fact that you were laying in bed, obviously. And don’t worry, I left the moon for you to lower.”

“Truly?” Luna responded with sheer delight that further warmed the older alicorn sibling’s heart.

“You had to resume your role sooner or later, is that not right?” Celestia asked with a delicate chuckle. “That includes raising it during the Gala tonight, and carrying on from there every day that you happen to be on Equis if you think you are ready.”

Luna sipped at her tea as Celestia spoke, increasingly delighted at the prospect. “I know that I am ready. I feel in my very being that I am. Come, I shall lower the moon as you continue the dawn whilst we discuss the dreams … and nightmares … that my mind presented to me!”

There was a noticeable fall in Celestia’s sanguine face at the mention of nightmares, but it was soon recovered.

“I would love that, Luna,” she replied.

Their tea finished, both sisters stood up side by side as their horns turned aglow in unison. Solaris continued its gradual ascent into the morning sky, whilst Selene meanwhile dipped below the horizon and away from view as both astronomical bodies serenely parted ways for the time being, to be met together again hours later.

As the arcane astrophysical ministration carried on, Luna proceeded to describe to Celestia the details of her dreams and nightmares during the night. The Empress was neutral and analytical in expression but her eyes remained warm and assuring as her sister retold what she had seen.

When the visions of the Crystal Empire, King Sombra, and the destructive wave of flashing energy were broached, Celestia grew concerned for the moment.

“Most of these dreams and nightmares are so abstract that it would take us days sitting here to properly interpret them, but this … this is something entirely different altogether. I know not about this great blue arc, but could it be that the Empire and that dreadful king could return?”

“After a thousand years, many things can change … I bear firsthoof witness; I would not deem this nightmare of mine a hollow suspicion for my part, my sister. The Crystal Empire could be returning,” Luna replied as her own expression sobered for as long as they were on the present topic.

Celestia’s response came without delay, “And neither should I, we both know that this particular event of our past would come back to directly affect us and the world again one day. Should it happen during this war, and likely it shall, it has the potential to alter the tide … we must prepare in the backdrop for its eventuality.”

Luna simply hummed in agreement as they both finished their tea and watched the rest of the dawn unfold. An unspoken consensus hung in the air that nothing more needed to be said for now in regards to the Crystal Empire and all attached to it.

It was then that Celestia prompted them to move the conversation forward again. “So, what came after those troubling visions?” she asked with a tender tone, reading in her sister’s eyes that there was more positivity yet to tell from the previous night.

“What came first was … still off putting ever so mildly at the beginning, but nothing of any kind of ill omen. It ended with one of the greatest senses of triumph I had ever experienced outside of the waking world. Lo, I beheld three of our kind, in our bipedal forms, our pony forms, and … in between.”

“Alicorns? More of us, like the Asphodel from our earliest years before we answered Starswirl’s call and travelled to Equestria?”

“Most definitely alicorns, but whether they were meant to represent our mentors is unclear to me. What I do know is that they carried what seemed to signify the Codex you gave to me, as well as the star on Twilight Sparkle’s mark.”

“Cutie mark,” Celestia interjected with a jester-like smile.

Luna’s face, which had up to that point begun to assume a one of lingering wonder, promptly fell into a blank, blinking stare of incomprehension. “Pardon … ?”

“Pony symbols and marks have come to be called ‘cutie marks’ by most Equestrians over the past few centuries,” Celestia explained, her smile readjusting to her usual default serenity.

“I see … that is a modern custom I am unlikely to ever adopt. No offense to those who use it, but are we all but little fillies these days?” An accompanying snort with Luna’s remark caused first Celestia then both sisters to share a bout of chuckling before the younger Princess continued. “Furthermore, the alicorn in an uncertain state between our two forms bore the familiar of a phoenix gripping a key in one hand, and a glyph I have seen in the company of the ancient ruins on Fenris in the other. The meaning of the glyph is lost on me, and the phoenix I can only speculate … well really all but the Codex we can only speculate upon in truth.”

“Did you attempt to greet or approach them?”

“Aye, and they retreated, each as quickly as their erstwhile counterpart whilst I had to circumvent and overcome each obscure obstacle the dream realm casted onto my path. It was that moment of triumph when I reached them and collected their possessions that the dream came to its terminus.”

“This is another one I feel we should delve into at a later date if you are willing, Luna,” Celestia stated. “We cannot be fortune tellers, but perhaps we can yield some new insights,” she added with a smile,

“Verily! Now, of the bright things that followed before I awoke!”

For the next several minutes, Luna told story after story. Celestia was regaled by descriptions of of lush gardens bathed in moonlight, pranks, moments of inspiration and the creation of treasured art, the slaying of foul beasts and the rescuing of innocents, the rallying of allies to the final moment of decisive victory in battles hard-fought, chocolate and coffee and the wonders of modern technology, and more.

By the time Luna had finished, the both of them found themselves in a hurry as they realised just how much time had passed already on what was promising to be a busy day and a prominent night.

With all her attire on, Luna grabbed a still sleeping Cortana and placed her crystal into her bag before scrambling to begin her day.

Suited for Battle
Canterlot Palace, Royal Guard Armoury

Breakfast had been light and fast for Luna, as well as for almost everyone else in the Imperial Palace.

Most activity in general was urgent and bustling for the rest of the morning, as final preparations were being made for the Grand Galloping Gala that evening. Save for Celestia on the balcony, Luna did not mention to anyone the cryptic dreams she’d experienced the previous night. With the Gala so close, everyone, including herself, was simply too busy for such discussions.

Luna had still yet to meet with Rarity for her sizing and fitting, making that undertaking part of her immediate object of focus. She recalled from Galas long ago that even as an alicorn, simply appearing in the usual royal regalia was not considered ‘regally festive’ enough by Canterlot’s cultural standards.

With that in mind, Luna’s aim as encouraged by her sister was to be sized for whatever passed as modern regalia for royalty in Equestria and the western hemisphere of Equis.

Also on her mind was the eventual acquisition of armour that would serve her well in her quest to help end the Great War she had only just recently found herself awakening to.

Others besides her also had pressing thoughts on their minds, dominated by a central and obvious overarching affair and punctuated by the distinct sounds of Equestrian, Capricorn, and human footsteps across the royal floors.

“Some of the admiralty and generals of the various nations will be present in small numbers,” Trixie stated to nobody in particular but still partially aimed at Luna as their by now default company followed them as a single group to their current destination.

They were headed for Canterlot Palace’s forge and armoury for the Royal Guard that defended the capital and most of its rulers. Celestia could not accompany them due to being needed elsewhere in the castle for Gala preparations as well as other daily duties.

“I would expect nothing less in a wartime social event as this,” Luna remarked.

“Admiral Tempest and Lord General Svelte will be present,” Trixie stated. “They are some of Trixie’s most favourite Imperial commanders besides Vice Admiral Clara Cutter.”

“That’s hilarious, you bothered to actually leaf through that damn bloated invitation list, just like approximately four other people in the whole Imperial Province,” Johnson chuckled with a slow clap. “You just won the Colonial Cross and the Star Swirl Prize for sheer Trixieness!”

“What about a Star Swirl Prize, now?” Twilight asked with a frown. “I have never heard of such a thing before … and I would definitely be the pony to know about such a thing!”

Trixie tsked. “Just another product of what Trixie has long since dubbed the Johnsonverse. It is probably a region of the Elsewhere dimension.”

“Elsewhere?” the Master Chief asked. “Something attached to Tartarus? Combat does not give me a chance to get versed in other dimensions unless fighting takes me into one,” he added after Trixie looked at him with an arched brow.

Luna offered an explanation, for the name was familiar to her and caused her ears to prick up.. “Where spirits of chaos and other mischievous and surreal attribution hail from. Discord’s homerealm; I presume you know of him? I saw Elsewhere once.”

“What’s it like?” Johnson asked, blinking twice as he recalled the statue he had seen in the garden dozens of times.

“Imagine if you will a circus in a dream, but inverted and you cannot tell audience from troupe, or clown from ringmaster. Throw in confectionary shops that also offer mercenaries and city streets rife with drunken celebratory mayhem, then you have the slightest of ideas of Elsewhere’s nature,” Luna finished.

Russ remained quiet, but his neutral expression gave way to a smirk at the mention of the city streets’ apparently most predominant activity.

“Like Luna said, it’s where they say that Discord’s kind hails from as well as Johnson’s personality it would seem,” Trixie replied with an eyeroll to Johnson as the Sergeant Major smirked.

“Oh, well … anyways, I can’t wait for you to meet the rest of my friends at the Gala, Luna! I already know that Rarity will positively adore you, since you are already in the ‘regality category’ as she would put it,” Twilight enthused to the Princess.

“I look forward to meeting your friends as well, Twilight. You appear to be of the nature of pony that attracts the noblest of friends,” Luna replied, smiling.

“I do? I mean … erm, thank you, Princess!” Twilight replied as her humbleness melted away and she offered Luna a beaming smile that was positively glowing.

“There is no need to offer gratitude for me pointing out the obvious,” Luna added with a wink as they all reached the entrance to the armoury.

Ruman and the armoury that well predates his own custodianship of it was set in the least decorated and mostly plain portion of the palace, where its stately and opulent royal look gave way to just the mighty and proud construction and walls that the palace and indeed Old Town’s foundations both also boasted.

Only the wrought iron wall sconces of yesteryear and the trim on the tops of doorjambs demonstrated any kind of strictly decorative craftsponyship.

“Your Highness,” the two unicorn Royal Phoenix Guards watching the armoury entrance greeted plainly with matching salutes against the breastplates of their crimson and gold armour.

“Good morrow,” Luna greeted them kindly as they let up their stoicness just enough to genuinely return her smile and opened the ancient heavy wooden and iron doors to usher everyone inside.

To some degree of surprise amongst Luna’s companions, the guards continued lukewarmly smiling even as Bjorn’s hulking frame passed them by as the last person to be admitted into the armoury.

They were immediately greeted by the expected smell of a forge and applied alteration magic in addition to the distinct ringing of metal against metal and other hard surfaces. A particularly massive male minotaur garbed in a simple red tunic and multipocketed apron was hard at work while an orange-coated earth pony mare with a blonde mane observed his work with something akin to delightful admiration.

Some of them were semi-surprised, Luna included, by the added and conflicting smell of something more fit to the rest of the palace wafting over from the far end of armoury room.

Weapon and armour racks shared space with anvils, workbenches, chests of tools, and the forge itself that dominated the closest portion of the armoury with the minotaur and the mare. High, narrow windows provided natural light to the room and the forge ventilated via a sizeable steel hood in the ceiling. The remaining portion of the workshop was a sharp contrast, and not just visibly.

At the far end was another, white-coated unicorn mare whose mane was, arguably, more than a little ostentatiously kept in delicate violet coifs and curls. She surrounded herself with workbenches just like the equally busy minotaur armourer and blacksmith. Instead of metals and heat however, she was working heavily with textiles, fabrics, gems, and illustrations all in a telekinetic and auditorily chiming flurry that appeared ostensibly chaotic to Luna at a glance.

But Luna knew better, for she was well acquainted with both of the trades that were currently being practice in the room she and her friends had just been admitted into.

As the doors closed, with everyone having finally entered, it was the orange mare that registered the newcomers’ intrusion first as she heard their boots and hooves in unison with the doors thudding shut.

“Ruman, Rarity, oh man! You’re not going to believe who finally paid you all a visit,” the earth pony said with a welcoming grin; both the minotaur and the unicorn tailor immediately turned their surprised gazes to follow that of their companion’s. “Princess Luna, a legend with some other bona fide legends in her company. Your Highness, Ah can’t even begin to elaborate on how honoured and delighted Ah am to see you.”

“The honour is mine, Lady… ?” Luna intoned questioningly.

“Wait, I would know this mare anywhere, this is my friend Applejack!” Twilight rapidly informed the Princess before the mare could speak. “Hi!”

“Hi there! Twi’s got it right, Ah’m Applejack, Your Highness. And this here is Ruman,” the mare called Applejack answered with a chuckle before she bowed her head, and then waved to the royal weapons master before also doing the same to Twilight. “Ah was visiting around the armoury to check up on Rarity’s progress, seems my timing couldn’t have been better!”

Ruman continued to stare across his anvil and several tables at the newcomers, Luna in particular, and blinked in astonishment as he processed just who it was that had assembled into his armoury. His eyes were practically twinkling. Had Trixie not met the armourer and weapons master before, she personally would have anticipated him letting out the minotaur equivalent of a squee based off looks alone.

Any of Ruman’s visitors that had similar expectations of seeing a minotaur squee saw them promptly dashed as the bull finally greeted back with possibly the simplest baritone response imaginable. “Hello.”

Hammer and tongs were placed neatly on a nearby table while heated metal was placed in a bucket of water to cool as Luna and the others approached, the former giving a friendly nod. “Well met! Another soul I have met in long succession that has been humbled by the toil of a forge. And let us not forget … Applejack, who is the other fair inhabitant of this reputable shrine of armament and armour?”

“That there, is …” Applejack was promptly interrupted by the other mare as she put down what she was doing and joined the rest of the armoury.

“I am called Rarity, and by Celestia I cannot begin to iterate how long I have been waiting to finally meet you in person, Your Highness!” the seamstress greeted as Applejack scoffed at the interruption, as well as the mare’s posh voice that fit the city and her readily dramatic flare of mannerism. “Or perhaps I can … approximately one entire grueling businessweek, heavens what an ordeal!”

After spending a few split seconds tracing the curvature of Rarity’s mane with her eyes and puzzling to a rather intense degree over how long it must have taken to facilitate such over the top extravagancy when it came to one’s hair, Luna found herself taking a cue from Ruman and offering a simple greeting of, “Charmed, fair Rarity.”

“Not as much as myself, Princess Luna!” Rarity responded with elation, gleefully putting a hoof to her muzzle.

“Are you quite alright?” Luna asked, her puzzlement lingering. “You seem as if you are on the cusp of fainting, or possibly … hysterics.”

“That’s actually just Rarity being Rarity,” Twilight offered as a cryptic, if rather lacking explanation for Luna’s taste.

“Or perhaps the fact that your company includes a veritable contingent of armoured supersoldier giants, war heroes, and the like … hehe,” Rarity elaborated as she rubbed at her withers before rapidly shifting to a more mercantile but still entirely posh demeanor that made some of the Wolf Guard, Erik especially, want to poke fun in some manner on an almost instinctive basis. “On to business, if you all do not mind? Pleasantries can wait for the evening, after all, is that not right?”

“You’re not wrong,” Johnson commented with a chuckle. “Just depends on your definition of ‘pleasantries.’”

“Pfft, semantics, oftentimes as useless a field as politics in the grand scheme of things,” Trixie added on.

Ruman folded his arms and looked neutral as he disregarded much of the sidebar commentary being thrown about as many of the others present with a comparable mindset instead focused on Rarity and Luna’s exchange or continued to visually inspect the entirety of the armoury from wall to wall, appraising the multitudes of weaponry and armour.

“I understand I was to meet with you much earlier for this very affair?” Luna ventured sheepishly, her ears flattening as she fully recollected the fact.

“Indeed you were, but there’s no need to fret over a trivial little thing. It was a good development; it gave me and Ruman—mostly Ruman as I am a mere designer—time to perfect your gift!”

Ruman, still quiet and having turned completely casual in his demeanor, shifted and began grinning at Rarity’s mention of a gift as well as to reach inside a chest he opened at the foot of the closest work bench.

“A … gift?” Luna answered back in curious awe, too speculative of what it could entail to be more verbose.

It was already obvious to Luna that the high chance probability dictated it was armour, but of what kind?

“Not just any gift,” Ruman said as he broke his own quietude with a note of pride in his voice. “Perhaps the finest armour I have ever worked on, certainly for a non-Royal Guard and quite possibly for any Royal Guard as well.”

The weapons master produced a sizeable parcel wrapped in burlap in his weathered and powerful hands, handling it as a filly or a little girl would hold a beloved doll.

Applejack tapped her right hoof against the armoury floor with excitement. “That there fella that Ruman is holding is the reason Ah was grinning like a fox in a henhouse when you all came in. He was just in the middle of working on another version of the armour, using the same pioneering technology and forging processes.”

“It is a new armour system hosting highly advanced technology,” Rarity proclaimed. “It is the first ever Imperial-reconquisitioned collaboration I have ever done with Ruman. I have accepted GSC military contracts before for uniform and ballistics armour designs that brought out the best in soldiers’ appearance as well as their defense before. But this? This was the most challenging and, dare I say it? It was the most fun project I’ve had to date!”

“Advanced technology?” the Master Chief asked as Luna quietly processed the trio’s words as well as the parcel Ruman was still gripping patiently and almost lovingly with her own sense of awe still budding. What the group didn’t notice due to their keen interest in the armour or general indifference, was the Fangs in the background snickering and eye rolling at what was being talked about.

“Advanced by current standards as sure as my apples are red, Chief! This will also interest Trixie and Johnson for sure, dunno about you, Twi, or your big armoured friends, there,” Applejack began as she eyeballed each person she mentioned. “You see, Your Highness–”

“You may call me Luna,” the alicorn Princess interjected as she gently levitated the parcel away from Ruman and began opening it.

“You see, Luna,” Applejack began again, this time with an admiring smile as Luna paused to listen, “this here armour they’ve made for Luna is a cousin of the Mjolnir project, it’s a prototype for the armour systems that the Praetorian Guard is about to be fitted for before the year is out.”

“Wait … Luna here is getting Phase II Praetorian armour?” Trixie sputtered in shock. “We’re still only halfway through our own augmentation procedures just to be considered Phase II-ready. Trixie hasn’t even undergone the procedure yet … ”

“I saw the data from Luna’s medical tests. Alicorn bodies, at least Luna and Celestia’s, are already physiologically robust enough to equip all known kinds of powered armour without the need for prior physical augmentation.” Twilight said, but noticed Luna’s curious glance and leaned in to her ear to add in a whisper, “Celestia showed me the results because my curiosity was so infectious.”

“Intriguing, most certainly,” Luna said in reply to Twilight, Trixie, and Applejack at once. “I thank thee for such a wonderful gift. It is time, methinks, that I inspect it for myself.”

Luna finished unwrapping the heavy parcel to first discover the lustrous mithril helmet of the Praetorian Guard that slightly resembled those worn by the Imperial Legion, but without the crest and instead a place for a crown to rest in addition to a socket through which the wearer would fit their horn. The argent helmet sat on its side atop a yet more complex affair that was neatly folded on itself with the only non-flat shapes of the bundle being those formed by the curvature of the cuirass and other armour sections.

“You are going to equip it here?” Ruman asked with an expectant look.

“But of course,” came Luna’s smiling reply.

Luna proceeded to unwrap the bundle in full, holding the suit out in its proper arrangement with her telekinesis.

Like Trixie’s armour, there were a distinct set of symmetrical plates accompanying a violet gambeson that came down to the barrel on ponies and to the waist on humans. Luna recognised with a personal eye for armours that the plating encompassed the whole body with only minor chinks in between each plate.

“Any variety of full bodysuit, pressurized or not, can be worn beneath it and the gambeson for usage in all environments,” Ruman informed the Princess. “Pressurised bodysuits enable operation in the vacuum of space, complete with magnetized boots that can be worn under the knee plating.”

“Some find the bodysuits more comfortable, whilst others still find just the armour and gambeson suitable alone in comfort over their coat or uniform,” Rarity added before she turned sheepish. “Luna, may I take just a few tiny measurements of you in bipedal form before you try out the armour? It’s for the bipedal version of your new Praetorian suit as well as your attire tonight.”

To Rarity’s relief, Luna’s smile did not falter despite her obvious eagerness to don the new armour. “You may measure me, aye. I will assume my alternate form. Do take your time, within reason, fairest seamstress.”

Rarity gleefully gathered up his measuring equipment and set to work as soon as Luna cast the magic to assume her bipedal form. Once more her humanoid body was without a lack of clothing save for her crown and the moon sash she always wore. Only Ruman demonstrated any kind of noticeable reaction to the change, eyes widening for a split second before the bull cleared his throat and leaned against his anvil with the default neutral gaze.

A minute passed as Rarity measured Luna’s height, waist, arms, and legs before finishing up with a satisfied hum. “Excellent, these numbers will work perfectly!”

“Are you making something for me like the armour ere the Gala begins, or do you have attire in mind already?”

“Secret!” Rarity replied in a sing-song tone. “I mean, you could of course order me to elaborate, but what fun is there in premature reveals? You shall see just before the Gala’s opening events!”

Luna chuckled at that as she shifted back to pony form. “Touche. Now, my armour!”

Cobalt magic fetched the Praetorian armour from the workbench top Luna had set it on and brought it over to the alicorn for a second examination before being equipped. Luna put on the tunic-like gambeson first with a deft flourish that was more subconsciously than intentionally done. Nevertheless, the movement garnered the awe of Rarity, Ruman, Twilight, and even Trixie.

Twilight was quick to recover as she began enthusiastically briefing Luna on what she knew of the armour, eventually causing even Rarity and Ruman to begin looking at clocks and their own devices to chart the passage of time.

“For regular soldiers, this armour would grant heightened reflexes on top of existing physical augmentations they would have undergone to be compatible with the suit, as well as magic casting accuracy, and basic life support functions including internal temperature regulation! My favourite aspect of it has to be the full-body energy shield that can ward off, in order of effectiveness: ballistic projectiles, directed energy, and destruction magic.”

Cuirass, pauldrons, and then knee and leg plating were donned as the unicorn mare finished her lecture, with the helmet being slipped on last. Now in full armour, Luna walked a meter in one direction and then another back, also testing the joints. To her initial surprise despite Twilight’s information, the plates had coalesced their enchantments together via internal miniaturized magitech components, forming a fine layer of energy shielding that encompassed Luna’s entire body.

Luna paced once again for a final judgement of her new vestments. She nodded with approval as she tapped the tiled floor of the armoury with her right hoof three times.

“Look at you, Princess, you look suited for victory,” Johnson commented with a grin.

“Sized for success!” Rarity threw in off to the side.

“Yes, my friends. My standing in full war regalia that is not the cold of Nightmare’s plating in this new world triggers a foregone conclusion when we shall face the enemies of this age in earnest. Now … this feels quite like the armour Leman lended me …” the alcorn and the Praetor both exchanged brief nods of respect. “It feels ... right. You have my thanks again, Praetor Russ. The touch of uncorrupted armour, fighting as a warrior within such armour once again, was but one thing of many I had craved during my internment on the moon.”

“My pleasure, it would do us no good to let you fight without armour,” Leman added.

“I have heard word of your discovery. I hope that someday we might have a chance to take even a peak at armour of your own designs, Fangs of Fenris,” Ruman said with the beginnings of a smile, “compare our work and see just how wide the technological gap is.”

“Someday? Well why not right now seeing as how we’re in the armoury,” Applejack interjected. “We’ve got a few hours yet till the first parts of the Gala begin and all.”

“Haha!” Ylva laughed, cutting off any reply from Russ. The barking laughter of Ylva caused more than a few good chortles from the rest of the Fangs, even Russ was grinning. “You ponies are sure entertaining at times. Asking to look at our armour!”

“‘Sharing is caring’ is an old unicorn adage my grandparents tried to teach Trixie,” Trixie said with a cynical eyeroll.

“Ahh but why take away the fun of designing and building new equipment in the hopes of improving upon old creations?” Emil asked.

“Simple,” Twilight interposed as her scholarly side was triggered. “The accruement of ever more powerful and efficient tools to achieve an end.”

Before another Wolf Guard could respond, Russ voiced his final statement, “The armour of a Fang is maintained only by a Fang, no other. Not even a capricorn uninitiated can own or study that which we design for ourselves. The weapons you have used are shows of good faith, weapons that most likely you know of already, and weapons that break over time. Our armour is different, for it is beyond personal and a Fang that cannot keep his armour is no longer a Fang. Such knowledge is held to our hearts and ours alone.”

“Well, that settles that affair,” Ruman said with a simple shrug. “All well, plenty of other exotic armour out their in the galaxy. I’ll have something new to tinker with by and by.”

“Anyhow, Luna, this is all so promising. Oh my stars and garters, I take it as a compliment already!” Rarity all but squeed.

“Yours and Ruman’s creation is comfortable, to be sure. But lo, I know the mettle of the wearer, but what of the worn?”

“We actually have a huge cavern adjacent to the underworks of the castle just a few minutes walk from here, used to be an ancient unicorn mining works over a thousand years ago. Now the Imperial Legion and Allied Command share it with the Guard for War Games simulations,” Ruman proposed.

“Training and practice matches using illusions?” Luna asked. Several nods responded to her from those familiar with the practice, prompting her to chuckle. “Consider me interested. Let us begin these ‘War Games’!”

Chapter 9: War Games

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Match One: Team Slayer
Canterlot, Mt. Canterhorn War Games Complex

Luna stood alongside the Master Chief, the Wolf Guard, Trixie, Johnson, and Ruman in the middle of the roughly circular cavern Ruman had described, and for the umpteenth time her awe was in clear demonstration. The space inside the mountain had to be well over two hundred meters in diameter.

The cavern was lit both by lights and by the sun, which shone in refracted rays through the wall of water that spilled down from Old Town in front of the cavern’s opening to the outside. The golden light and water in turn caused the few remaining crystals lining the walls, floors and ceiling to glisten in their various colours and hues.

Beside the natural formations, the cavern was also host to a wall of metal and glass through which Luna’s group had entered from facing the outside opening.

It was there that Luna chose a set of weapons from the small facility that housed an onsite armoury which supplemented Ruman’s operation located several stories above, the control room, and utilities access points for the simulation, and even break room and spectator areas.

In the armoury, Luna went for what was most familiar as the others each chose their respective weapon loadout or readied and inspected the arms they had already brought. She trusted the weapons she had already seen in action and decided that she would test out the strange new weapons from the various species’ arsenals as time allowed.

Cortana had awoken again right in the early stages of the princess’ weapon browsing, offering information regarding each weapon in a similar manner to how she’d done so a few days ago back in the Aett. Luna’s first selection was one that Cortana recognised instantly and that Luna had selected with enthusiasm.

“The Chief’s primary weapon!” Luna enthused.

“On most occasions,” the Spartan informed her as Chief met Luna’s smile with a slightly warm nod before going for and inspecting a Kig-Yar-modified Covenant plasma rifle. “Not that I don’t mind mixing things up a little.”

“Misriah Armories MA5C assault rifle, a standard issue service rifle in the UNSC Navy and Marine Corps, as well as the Grittish Royal Navy and Griffonian Armed Forces to name a few more,” Cortana informed her. “Quite a bit of stopping power, but not as much as the MA5B variant of the series. It’s a general improvement over the latter nevertheless.”

“I can’t believe I have yet to visit this War Games complex before! It’s on my list now for next shore leave. And stopping power? I got your stopping power right here!” Johnson interposed as he holstered a magnum pistol. “M6D has the most ‘bip, bap, bam!’ of any ballistic sidearm here.”

“You are a ballistic sidearm,” Trixie tossed at him from across the room. “Trixie doubts even the trilinear bright energy shielding that envelopes and underpins the simulation map boundaries could withstand such sheer, raw firepower.”

“Oh, I smell something in the air,” Solvi had interjected as the rest of her compatriots largely spent their time scrutinising their allies’ weaponry of choice, winking at the Spartan-III before smirking at Trixie. “Better move your cushy ass on him before I decide that he’s better for the pack, blue one.”

Trixie’s flusterdness widened the grin that Johnson had already possessed. “Trixie’s insult was not intended to be delivered in that manner, she was simply making fun … ugh! I … Trixie has weapons to peruse.”

“Be stopping power a virtue, Johnson?” Luna inquired, impishly. “Perhaps methinks, but not a universal one. And this one, Cortana, I saw Equestria’s legionaries have frequently in hoof and hand,” Luna said as she levitated the white barrel and stock of a bright rifle in front of her.

“That would be the MM-1 Precision Bright Rifle, Manehattan Munition’s signature main production weapon for the past fifty years and standard issue for the Imperial Legion since its foundation.”

“Two rifles, one of rapid fire and the other singular fire for intermediate range precision … how the arquebusiers and musketeers of my day would envy us now,” Luna mused before she and Cortana had ventured from the War Games station and out into the cavern to join the others who were already ready and waiting for her to join them on the practice field.

Now in the present, having appraised her surroundings, Luna waited for the cues to begin and readied herself for the war signal to announce the start of the battle as did her companions. From the elevated spectator decks, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, a few War Games personnel and Royal Guards, as well as Russ and Bjorn all patiently waited for the combat to begin.

“Behold one, behold all, the Games Master appeareth!”

A Smart AI’s avatar, Canterhorn War Game Complex’s custodian, appeared before the combatants in the form of a life-sized adult human male in his late twenties with blue-green eyes and cleanly cut dark brown hair as shown through holographic view screens that dominated the ceilings facing both arena and spectator stands.

The AI’s kempt hair stood juxtaposed to the urban casual wear he wore under a set of irregular ballistics armour dotted with small glowing components that implied a slight energy shielding capacity. Said armour had been decorated with multihued graffiti, Waypoint symbols and jargon ineffable to the likes of Luna, and a stylized white 1.1 was hand-painted on the chest piece.

The digitized newcomer was facing the opening of the training cavern whilst rubbing at his chin thoughtfully and had yet to regard the soon to be combatants. “Welcome to Canterhorn’s War Games simulation, everyone, I’m Bellicose the Gamesmaster to all newcomers. How goes it?”

“It goes well, Bellicose,” Luna greeted. “I see I get to meet another of Cortana’s kind. ‘Tis a pleasure.”

Bellicose did a double take as his avatar finally turned to face them with a look of pure shock as he recognised most of the combatants instantly, the only speech he emitted amounting to what sounded like a nonsensical ‘blargh’.

“Princess Luna, this humble mortal digital intelligence welcomes your regal presence in this facility!” Bellicose gave a play actor-like bow before continuing to stare in amazement. “And your companions … there is not enough ‘yes’ or devotion I can offer to suitably welcome such titans.”

“Your warm greeting is plenty sufficient,” Luna assured him with a chuckle.

“1.1?” Johnson asked as he inspected Bellicose’ attire. “I’ve heard about those quasi-Spartans bumbling around the colonies, getting into skirmishes with the Split-Chins. May be paramilitary, but power to ‘em I say. I recognise who you’re based off, Bellicose, but can’t remember the particular 1.1 guy’s name at the moment.”

Bellicose simply grinned at him, still processing his presence as well as that of the others despite his actual processing power as an artificial intelligence.

Trixie snorted. “Bellicose, you’re still Gamesmaster for Canterhorn? I thought you were nearing the end of your seven year lifespan? Trixie suspects a magical countermeasure, or has your flesh and blood counterpart in the 1.1 pulled strings in public sources and asked the Empress to make more of you?”

“My progenitor may be a 1.1 vigilante and or mercenary, but this Bellicose is 2.0, wahey!”

“I sincerely hope you are an exaggeration of your human progenitor’s humour and more eccentric mannerisms, and not a completely perfect imprint,” Cortana greeted, her violet avatar appearing with her arms crossed analytically on Luna’s hoof. “I know a few others of our kind that are … and it produces some rather surreal scenarios wherever they are stationed.”

“Haha, more or less. And … that armour on your Capricorn companions. Distinguished warriors of Fenris, I have to say, this is the first time I have seen Capricorns of your specific appearance and bearing, in here or well, anywhere.”

“Can’t say the same about you, little AI,” Calder replied nonchalantly, not even really looking at Bellicose. No other words were said, leaving the implications hanging in the air.

Bellicose shifted from amusement to an intensely stern and professional gaze as he folded his arms behind his back. “Now, I anticipate that you’re all ready to begin?”

“Verily!” came Luna’s immediate response.

“Right-o! Now, a brief but verbose explanation of how War Games works for those who are unfamiliar,” Bellicose said, much to the groaning of those were the most eager of the team to jump straight into the thrill and adrenaline of a firefight.

“You are not physically present in the simulations in a true sense, your actual bodies and present equipment are phased into micro-transdimensional bubbles that conform to your exact shape until they deposit you neatly back into our world at the end of the match.”

“Hold on … which dimension?” Johnson asked with wary interest.

“Elsewhere! The wackiest plane of existence known to ponykind and the alleged home of the Draconequii. Slipspace is incredibly hazardous for that and communication would be impossible for the simulation,” Bellicose explained as he moved to redundantly brush dust off his armoured outfit.

Luna seemed skeptical for only a moment as she parsed the gamesmaster’s words. “We will temporarily be where from whom Discord hails? I would be wary of that were it not for knowledge first hoof of just how shockingly hospitable the realm of Elsewhere can truly be.”

“Yes, Your Highness! You see, what happens is that holography operates alongside powerful magic of the illusion and alteration schools and projects the map set around you, while the ground of the cavern and other tangible assets transmute to meet the exact geometry of the location while weapons, vehicles, and other materiel are simply teleported in.”

Bellicose continued, clearly enjoying himself as he broke down the general workings of the operation he oversaw.

“Cutting edge holo-drone avatars represent where you would be in physical space. Your movements in our secured corner of Elsewhere space are the exact movements of those holo-drones, whilst Illusion magic takes care of the rest. Spells feed sensory data across the planes of reality to you in real time. They will make you feel false pain when your avatar is hurt, it will ring your ears when an explosion detonates, your holo-drone will die and you will be deposited by the bubble out of the simulation if ‘you’ are, say, dismembered or pass out from loss of blood … insert the rest of the gritty details here …” Bellicose coughed awkwardly.

“How do spectators observe the matches?” the Master Chief asked.

“Augmented reality, otherwise all that would be seen is the physical warping of the cavern’s structure. Oh, and before I forget, you will not notice the shift in reality on your bodies at all. That’s how natural it feels! Now, because randomness is a virtue, it gets first pick for map selection.” Bellicose paused and tapped on his armour as he gazed at the ceiling expectantly. “And we’re going with War Games Map Set 701-5, ‘Coagulation.’ A favourite of mine as chance would have it, although I do prefer the ‘Blood Gulch’ title myself. I now give over the stage to our beloved announcer as our first map begins to take form!”

Bellicose vanished with a wink. Then, a vast and arid gulch of sparse grass and conifers that contained a small concrete circular fortification near them as well as an identical one on the far side materialised up into existence in the cavern. It was even replete with a simulated violet and almost cloudless dusk sky, Selene clearly visible high above.

The War Games announcer’s voice chimed in, with a competitive and mildly belligerent tone to their speech to signal the start of the game. “Team Slayer. One team detected, adjusting virtual enemy combatants.”

“Right-o, there you go, Mr. Announcer,” Bellicose approved through the PA system in the cavern’s ceiling.

“Wipe out the enemy team, fifteen minutes to win.”

Weapons were cocked and readied as a holographic display ticked down to zero in the air above them with a distinctive beep. Those with the best vision of the group, Luna included, could see distinctly alien, slender bipedal shapes winking in from the digital aether, holding weapons in their hands as still larger armoured shapes materialised behind them.

“Match start! Skulls on!” the announcer proclaimed.

“I see vehicles,” Luna called out to all rapidly as she deftly gestured a hoof in various directions. “Those who prefer them, mount up! The rest, form up with me into the bunker; we shall use its battlements to scope out our opposition.”

“Understood. Time to give em’ hell! Hog can hold three, so if we have any takers, follow me!” Johnson urged.

Ran wordlessly approached, her eyes conveying her intent so that no words were needed.

Johnson nodded to the Capricorn as Ruman stepped forward to join her with an affirmative expression. As Johnson broke into a sprint, the much bulkier Ran Deadmoon and Ruman also made their beelines for the nearest Warthog.

Ruman stowed his Tayrisian gatling rifle long enough to hop into the passenger’s seat before bringing it to bear once more. Meanwhile, Ran hopped onto the gunnery platform on the back of the vehicle to take control of the much larger Vulcan rotary cannon, nearly ripping it from its mount.

Obviously evident, Concordat vehicles were indeed situated around the three-level circular bunker. Included was a UNSC Hornet attack craft in the basement level that was seen through a three meter-wide opening in the floor that also ran through to the roof as the Wolf Guard, Luna, Chief, and Trixie meanwhile all advanced to the interior of the bunker’s second level.

Many of the Capricorns’ heads were just mere centimeters shy of touching the ceiling as the thundering main body of Luna’s diverse team came to a brief halt inside.

“The previous and first time she participated in the Royal Guard War Games, Trixie had discovered that the matches dubbed ‘Slayer’ and ‘Team Slayer’ are not exactly the same as in other War Games programs, and were completely random in what type of enemies it sent us, and not all of them were even Covenant … With approval, Trixie shall go up top to pick off the enemy from afar, Luna,” the unicorn said.

Luna inclined her head. “Very well. Emil, that mechanical eye upon your visage, its vision is augmented over a natural one, correct?” Emil nodded and hummed affirmatively. “Most opportune! Calder, can you spare Emil to be our scout of the enemy’s strength?”
“That we can,” came Calder’s reply. “Go on, Emil. I’m sure the blue one could also use a spotting eye as well.”

The report of a rotary cannon’s fire from Johnson and Ruman’s Warthog could be heard outside, alongside a sharp ‘krshaw’ from what could only have been a plasma mortar launching its destructive ordinance. A blue streak whistled over the bunker and based on its sound and accompanying vibration, the mortar impacted the rocks at the rear of the gulch behind them.

Trixie galloped and Emil quickly sprinted out of Luna’s sight as the weapons fire began, the former with a scoped Equestrian rifle longer and more slender than Legion bright rifles that the mare had colloquially dubbed the ‘brightsnipe’. While they stormed off to their new post, the Chief said, “Wraiths … Calder, can some of you take out that armour while the rest of us focus on the infantry?”

Calder grinned, looking almost maniacal with the way he looked before charging off, his legs carrying him faster than what should have been possible in the amount of armour he wore. Solvi and the ever collected Uffe followed close behind.

“Emil, what do you see?” Calder asked of the Capricorn perched above them, before dropping out of auditory range and entering the team’s local radio channel. “However many wraiths there are, Johnson and the weaponsmith will be useful in harassing the armour and the Hunters while we close the gap to them.”

Now on the radio as well, Emil answered with, “Something akin to a threat. I’m stealing glances on twenty Elites …”

“Zealots based on the armour colours, assuming the wraith tank pilots are Sangheili,” Trixie interjected.

“A lance of Unggoy gunners,” Emil continued. “Two lances of special operations Unggoy, at least four wraiths, two hunter pairs providing combat support, and some form of Covenant I have yet to familiarize myself with …”

“Oh wonderful …” Trixie sighed.

“What is it?” Luna pressed, eyes alight with anticipation as they all began moving outside at a wave of her hoof.

“It’s a …” Trixie’s voice held not even the tiniest of candles to the sheer volume of the spontaneous bellowing emitting from a being that was close by.

“Drinnnnnolllll!”

It ceased as soon as it had begun, to be replaced by a few auditory grumbles from the same source as well as the constant pattering of weapons fire. The new voice had carried clean over from the other side of the gulch where the Covenant were already engaging first the Warthog and then Calder and his companions.

“It’s a ... that, yeah. Drinol. Wonderful!” Trixie griped. “You all better be quick, Trixie has a feeling this hulk could wreck the entire match for us if underestimated. Trixie is going for the Hornet. But first ...”

A flash of linear gold erupted from the team’s bunker as Trixie fired a bright round that pierced clean through shielding, before going through the musculature and bone of an enemy’s neck. The sole Zealot wielding a Covenant beam rifle that Trixie had spotted then promptly toppled down like a felled tree, his impact wound still smoking.

“What’s the frakking fuss about? I’ve slain beats ten times this size!” Krom exclaimed with minor derision over the comms.

“We shall deal with this new threat with all necessary caution,” Luna said as her immediate comrades began opening fire with their longer ranged weapons, as they exchanged fire with the approaching Covenant.

Exchanging shots continuing across low hills and grassy prairie by both sides, and as they carried on, Luna gazed across the sweeping ravine. She beheld the sight of a lumbering beast, restrained by gravitational devices and supervised by one of the Mgalekgolo pairs that looked almost puny by comparison. The coinciding event of the team’s Hornet taking to the sky went almost entirely unregistered by Luna as she sized up the new hostile.

The Drinol was clad in partial dull grey armour covered in Covenant symbols over brimming grey musculature. Its head and face was concealed by a cyclopean helmet and its boulder-sized fists topped by spiked gauntlets that the Master Chief reckoned could rend through an armoured fighting vehicle with ease.

Despite the size comparison and the ensuing chaos of battle unfolding in full, the Hunters managed to keep the flailing beast under control for the time being via a tight grasp on the Drinol’s gravitic bonds.

“What, pray tell, in the name of fairest Equestria is a Drinol?” Luna asked, narrowing her eyes at the sight of the Covenant-controlled beast.

Cortana was quick to respond with, “The Covenant call them Sharquoi in the Sangheili language. We’ve only seen three such confirmed examples of them in the whole war, and two of the three encounters were literally crushing terrestrial defeats.”

Luna levitated and fired her bright rifle while priming a destruction spell as she rapidly processed the information, cutting down the nearest Covenant. “‘Crushing?’ Clever, even in the immediate face of danger.”

“See? You’re starting to get the hang of me,” Cortana replied with a hint of playfulness. “Intelligence has revealed that they’re a territorial and warlike species the rest of the Covenant keeps in fury-inducing captivity until the very moment of deployment. Heads up by the way, a lance is nearing!”

Simulated Spec Ops grunts were already advancing with zealous fervour towards the bunker in scores.

Most remaining Zealot leaders had elected to hang back, manning a number of shade turrets or positioning themselves on the bunker roof and ridges with their heavier weaponry in an attempt to stop the ensuing decimation of their Wraiths at the hands of the Wolf Guard, to little avail.

Luna wondered if the Zealots were distancing themselves as well to avoid the Drinol, which could be let loose at any moment. The second Hunter pair had already moved to support the Wraiths, while the Drinol’s handlers appeared to waiting for the proper time to unleash their living weapon before joining the fray as well.

The first of what had turned out to be six wraiths was permanently put out of digital commission as Calder, charging forward with a warcry, leapt onto the pilot canopy of the tank and bisected the gunner in one stroke of his personal power axe. Immediately, he followed up by tearing through the canopy hatch and leaving behind a fragmentation grenade inside for the enraged pilot.

Another Wraith was devastated by the missile salvo of Trixie’s Hornet before the mare began focusing the light VTOL’s autocannons on the hunter pair currently engaged in the fighting.

“There ya are, heretic devils!” one of the Grunts belted out at the closest of the enemy team as he discharged his plasma rifle rapidly and furiously, his targets dodging them almost artfully with only a few bolts of plasma hitting their mark and scorching outer layers of ceramite. “Prepare to be smashed by the might of my gruntiness, for I …”

The Unggoy’s taunt was silenced with a yelp turned-groan as a gauntleted punch from Calder sent him flying across the remainder of the gulch, slamming into the wall of the Covenant-held bunker and shattering his methane tank as a second Grunt joined him further down the wall from a punch courtesy of the Master Chief.

Both punches prompted the near-instantaneous teleportation of assorted grenade types where the Unggoy had previously stood only moments before.

Some of the Wolf Guard picked them up readily, and subsequently Chief and Solvi used a plasma grenade and a krak grenade in unison to destroy a wraith that had attempted to ram them. The core of the plasma mortar erupted in a sizeable superheated inferno that the Master Chief did not recall exploding wraiths being capable of.

Several other Grunts were mowed down by weapons fire as the wraiths numbers continued to shrink one by one. A few of the stocky aliens received headshots, their skulls popping into confetti in a surreal show before the fatalities flickered out of the simulation.

“What curious buffoonery,” Luna remarked to her comrades as she pummeled an Unggoy into the ground with her forelegs whilst finishing off a now unshielded Zealot with her aura-held assault rifle that had decided to attack up close. “What would be the cause of this, Cortana?”

“I believe it was the ‘skulls’ the announcer mentioned,” Cortana theorized.

“Yes, it is the skulls!” Bellicose interjected with excitement. “Anger, Cowbell, Feather, I Would Have Been Your Daddy, Piñata, and Boom!”

“Who devises these … Such an amazing yet strange era this is,” Luna chuckled at the nonsensical names.

With her immediate hostiles dispatched, Luna turned her head as Cortana gave out a warning. “Luna … the Dr–”

“Drinnnoollll!”

Cortana’s voice grew wary, almost anxious-like as the name reverberated throughout the entire simulation boundaries. “The big guy is running loose now, this battle just got a little bigger …”

“Let Havrom handle the Drinol, he’ll take it down faster than the rest of us combined. Just give him the space to move,” Dagmar reassured.

Johnson’s warthog had succeeded in outmanoeuvring a fourth wraith and withstood a near hit from its mortar round just after Uffe and Solvi teamed up against another Mgalekgolo. The gunner had been dispatched by Ruman while Ran tore through the wraith’s rear power core with the light anti-aircraft gun, finishing the tank off just as the raging Covenant beast began thundering towards them with speeds that rivaled that of the UNSC vehicle.

Unrelenting, the Drinol did not hesitate to pulverise the fifth Wraith which had foolishly crossed its path to the once again moving Warthog, the mass of the tank doing little to slow it as it kicked up more dust than any of the other vehicles combined. The Wraith’s metallic polymer plating proved no match for the beast’s knuckle spikes that were bigger than an average stallion.

“Rage … Drinol crush every no-Drinol!” the alien bellowed, smashing through one of the previously destroyed Wraiths to change his course to match the Warthog’s.

“Big hulking dumbass,” Johnson said over his radio with a wary tone.

“Luna, Johnson, Trixie cannot support you three from above. She must deploy her remaining ammunition against the shade turrets before they punish Trixie for trying to be a pegasi,” Trixie informed them.

It was then that the final active hostile Wraith in the gulch fell to Krom Morkai, who commandeered the vehicle directly and wasted no time in turning its mortar against the remaining Covenant with much greater ferocity than the tank’s previous owner.

“Proceed, Trixie,” Luna responded as she and the Master Chief joined the Calder and the rest of their comrades behind the burning smoking wrecks of the wraiths. “Calder, we shall focus on the Sangheili and remaining Unggoy and Mgalekgolo. With the Drinol out of the way, the rest are easily dealt with.”

“Indeed,” Calder replied before adding in one last thing. “Havrom, the beast is all yours.”

Havrom took no delay in readying his stance as he sized up and analyzed the full mass of the Covenant beast. The Drinol was coming about to face Havrom’s direction as Johnson’s warthog passed by the group, the sergeant himself having heard the decided approach via radio.

While its opponent scrutinised it, all the Drinol had concluded in its simpler mind was that the being before it was smaller, and therefore was clear to be smashed without much repercussion.

“No-Drinol, Drinol smash!” the creature roared as it charged towards the waiting Fang, double-bladed axe in hand and more than prepared for the approaching mass of muscle and bone.

With surprising speed for its bulk, the Drinol brought its spiked knuckles down towards the target in what would have been an immediately devastating blow on most targets, but with equivalent speed, the blow connected with the adamantium of Havrom’s axe.

Metal rang sharply around the area from the collision. The stallion barely even so much as flinched a millimeter or two against the force as the giant paused just long enough to register surprise on its cyclopean face.

A few heartbeats passed before, with another roar, the Drinol resumed and brought down a salvo of three successive blows. Each were met with the axe, and Havrom gave no true indication of being winded by any of them.

When the next blow came, separate from the previous chain attack and with increased anger in its delivery, it was then that Havrom swapped out his tactics and completely dodged it, sidestepping and giving the Drinol a considerably wide berth. A gust of air was generated by the swing and waved through his mohawk as well as reaching some of the others, triggering Luna to briefly give the designers of the simulation a mental applause at their attention to detail before resuming her focus.

Havrom, having regained his distance from his foe, stared the glowering Drinol down again in his battle ready pose with a clear visual indication that fight could likely carry on this such fashion for a long time yet.

“Oh for … stop playing with your food already, Havrom,” Erik laughed over the comms. Havrom didn’t reply, instead his grin just grew even wider.

This time with a low growl, the Drinol charged again, the spikes of its right fist aloft for another downward strike. Once again, the blow was easily dodged with an immediate duck. But this time, instead of using the dodge to regain distance like the previous time, Havrom emerged from the partial crouch stance and used his newly mounting momentum to bring his axe clean through the thick hide of the Drinol’s left leg.

Such a precise stroke had cleaved through more than a few major muscles and circulatory vessels. The enraged Covenant was rapidly forming a pool of violet in the dirt and grass beneath it as it recoiled. Havrom navigated around its flailing mass in a manner almost akin to a dancer before the Drinol loudly brought down a retaliatory strike that trembled the ground and saw the spikes of its right fist temporarily embedded in the now torn up terrain.

To the Drinol’s semi-comprehension, it had in its effort to counterattack doomed its own limb. Havrom seized the window of attack now as wide as a hangar opening and brought his axe down onto the arm, cleaving it off close to the Drinol’s shoulder and triggering one of the loudest vocalisations it had yet made.

Havrom’s eyes glistened with satisfaction to accompany his grin as the Drinol began to groan, using its remaining arm to prop itself up, staring at the now soaked ground as its mortal wounds quickly worked to take their toll. The alien monster’s fate was now clearly sealed.

With a triumphant howl, Havrom hefted his axe up and brought it down one final time. The blade made sharp contact with the helmet protecting the Drinol’s already dense skull and head plating. Despite the metallic ringing, the blow had not been the least bit impeded by the layering, and Havrom’s axe head was now buried a few centimeters into the Drinol’s skull.

Havrom twisted the axe diagonally to free his weapon, splitting the skull with a meaty squelch and a distinct crack before retrieving it in full and proceeding to wipe the blood from the axehead clean. No sooner had the axe been freed did the Drinol at last toppled over with finality, its remains dematerialising from the simulation soon after.

Seconds later, the last of the Zealots were massacred as Krom obliterated the final shade turret with a mortar round, the Chief stuck an Elite with a plasma grenade, and Luna took down what must have been the Zealot commander as his attempt to draw an energy sword upon her, which resulted in a brief scuffle and the very same blade being driven through one of the Sangheili’s hearts.

As the last of the Covenant crumpled to the ground, the announcer’s voice rang through the gulch this time, rather than that of a rampaging alien beast. “Match over. Victory!”

The team began to gather in the foreground of the formerly Covenant-held bunker as bodies and wrecked battle equipment began to wink out of existence regularly.

“As if there were any other possible outcome,” Trixie remarked upon exited from her Hornet with a huff.

“An amazing exercise to be sure,” Luna added.

It was then that Bellicose appeared once more, clapping enthusiastically. “Those simulations stood not a chance in Tartarus. The GSC has its champions right here, that’s beyond a doubt. But hey, War Games is typically a three-round gig. Would you all be interested in another two bouts?”

The looks on the warriors’ faces, the Chief included for he had removed his helmet, was all the answer Bellicose needed, although Luna provided the de facto clincher.

“We still have time before the Gala; it is occurring late tonight which leaves the whole day free, afterall,” Luna reasoned.

“Map Set deactivating in fifteen seconds,” the announcer informed the entire facility.

Bellicose grinned to them. “Match Two it is, then. I have just the map in mind. It consists of highly classified material, mind you, but technically as of tonight you will be the second most powerful mare on the planet politically speaking … so that should be of no concern.”

Match Two: Horde
Mt. Canterhorn War Games Complex, Classified Map Set

Luna and her team had been offered time before starting the next match to rearm and inspect armour, restock on ammunition, and swap weapons if so desired. They promptly capitalised on the opportunity, but did not spend much time and were once more ready for battle as they reemerged into the expanse of the great waterfall-dominated cavern.

“This map will take a wee bit to fully load into the simulation. It’s one of the bigger ones in our database, but for good reason. You’ll see,” Bellicose stated cryptically.

Once more the cavern promptly gave way to the almost ghost-like holographic and magical visual fields of the simulation.

An unfamiliar coastal city of parks, marble, rotundas, steeples, high rises, and bronze and copper-topped roofs that had largely given way to a fine aged green emerged into being around everyone as they found themselves in the middle of a tree-shaded and stone paved plaza. From the view of the plaza it would appear they were situated atop a hill towards the heart of the city. A sizeable harbour with dozens of piers and smaller docks laden with vessels were visible. The mostly cloudless sky was orange and pink from the late sunset, and at least two moons were visible amongst the stars in the approaching night sky.

Unlike the previous map, Blood Gulch, this map was far more active in its distant surroundings. Evidence of battle could be seen, including the distant patter of gunfire and detonations, faint shouting and war cries, columns of smoke rising from several buildings, as well as many of the barricaded or sandbagged thoroughfares and alleyways that bordered the plaza.

Propaganda posters depicting what could possibly be humans in foreign, heavy modern cyan armour riddled some of the walls of the otherwise stately buildings just as much as bullet holes and scorch marks. More strangely, the sky was populated not just by panicked seabirds but also by Covenant Banshees and strange flying beasts sparring against a kind of rotorcraft supported by GSC aircraft and aerial infantry.

Two starships were also present above the city as if to finish the backdrop. The ominous, illuminated silhouette of a Covenant Assault Carrier loomed near a bank of clouds in the eastern sky. Juxtaposed to it was the readily visible, vast hull of a ship that was the exact twin of the ENV Divinity. ENV Apotheosis was emblazoned on its visible starboard side, and the supercarrier was currently in the process of lowering via levitation from one of its ventral bays a seagoing battleship into the harbour below where a naval portion of the unidentified battle was unfolding, its own point-defense cannons firing at the enemy air units as well as at ground targets.

“Horde. Defend your position against the enemy for thirty minutes to win.”

The presently quiet plaza, compared to the rest of the alien city, was within moments filled with the sounds of readied weapons and armoured foot and hoofsteps as the position’s surroundings were assessed and available fortifications were manned. Heavy bolters and one bipod-bearing bright repeater Trixie had brought were also deployed.

“This … architecture almost reminds me of some towns on Tayros’ border with Nimbus,” Ruman remarked as he spun the barrels of his gatling rifle inside their frame whilst surveying the area. “I would be homesick in more peaceful circumstances.”

“Me and the Earth sometimes, my man. Me and the Earth,” Johnson chuckled.

“Am I the only one with so many questions about this particular simulation right now?” Cortana asked as she appeared on the shoulders of a wary and analytical Luna.

“Mine may yet outnumber yours by scores, but they are all to be explored and answered at a more convenient time!” Luna responded.

Cortana folded her arms with a nod, winking back into her chip safely stowed in Luna’s armour satchel. “Silly me. I have a tendency to get curious and investigative when the booms and bangs are about to begin.”

“Boom!” exclaimed a baritone voice from vaguely in the direction of the harbour to the west, the sound being carried towards them by the narrow streets and alleyways, accompanied by a string of unintelligible grumbling and roars from higher pitched, incredibly coarse and grating voices.

“What the hell?” Johnson said. “Another Drinol or something?”

“Something tells me we should be prepared for a creature of comparable mass if anything,” Luna cautioned, to which Havrom’s smile only widened.

From first the alleyways then the main thoroughfare that connected to the plaza, there was a sudden eruption of clouds of an odd ink-like substance, which as a result, completely obscured the view of what lay beyond while the barricades they had enveloped could be heard being blasted and torn apart.

By the time the barricades that had supposedly been left by the simulation’s backdrop natives had been destroyed, the unruly and warlike grumbling had silenced completely, to be replaced by a distinct sound of ticking as something spindly and pointly must have been hitting the stonework in rapid succession.

“We’ve got company,” the Chief stated, aiming down his assault rifle’s sights.

It was then that a shrill shriek filled the air as over a dozen rodent-like shapes the size of large dogs darted out from the obstructive ink clouds on needle-like legs, now the obvious sources of the ticking sounds.

They were targeting the team with intent as their directions were unmistakeable. Even with the rapid scampering it was evident that the cylindrical objects on their harness-laden backs were actually explosives, thus confirmed when a combination of bolter rounds, bullets, and brightmatter opened up on them.

“This is the first part of the so-called horde? Living landmines? I don’t even …” Johnson shook his head as he kept firing.

The chorus of alien war cries returned from the same direction in which the suicide bombing rodents came from as well as from behind everyone to the east as well, joined also by the recurring utterance of the word ‘boom!’ The broken Equestrian and English became increasingly audible.

“Groundwalkers … all, die!”

“Advancing!”

Most commonly heard was, “For the Horde!” which was chanted in constant repetition by what had to be dozens of voices. The constant chanting prompted Krom, Emil, and Viveka to man the heavy bolters they had been given.

More of the bomb-bearing alien rodents emerged in a steady number, constantly detonating under the weapons fire as the first of the apparent bulk of the enemy horde arrived in person.

Squad after squad of humanoids in pitch-black armour adorned with glowing red lights and brandishing bulky rifles streamed in from the two sides of the plaza with no signs of slowing down, taking cover and firing heavy munitions in semiautomatic and burst modes in way that somewhat reminded the Fangs of their preferred shooting strategy, to which they responded with firing back at the advancing enemy using their own firearms.

The ‘Horde’ humanoids came in several discernable varieties, but the most common trait of the humanoid enemy as a whole was that they appeared distinctly reptilian with beady eyes often covered by goggles and a face dominated by permanent sneers due to a lack of lips and most other soft exterior tissues. They rivaled the Master Chief and Johnson in height but were much greater in mass and were still dwarfed by the Wolf Guard in their power armour.

Humanoids with the baritone voices lumbered into the battle behind them as their smaller compatriots were being mowed down, still nevertheless gaining centimeter after centimeter of ground as they slowly advanced with apparent single mindedness for their targets.

“Boom!” the nearest giant exclaimed with a voice that indicated its possession of all the wisdom of a boulder as it hefted its massive grenade launcher at the hip.

The giant’s grenade arced over Luna’s forces and shattered a tree on the north side of the plaza. The ‘boom’ giant’s attack was rewarded by a concentration of fire from both Trixie and Krom that tore through his thick scaly hide and layers of fat rapidly. The beast never stopped approaching despite the mortal wounds being inflicted, and its angered grunts did not stop until it finally collapsed with a heavy thud and a drawn out groan. Many of its brethren were meeting and would soon meet similar fates.

“We thought the Drinol was stupid? It clearly has a rival,” Trixie huffed as she vented some of the excess heat from the bright repeater before resuming firing upon another target only to quickly be interrupted.

One of the alien insect-like rodents had managed to come within range of Trixie and thrashed in preparation to trigger its bomb. The mare yelped as she gave the creature a fierce kick with her hind leg, sending it up into the air towards the approaching humanoids before Krom, bellowing his laughter, promptly detonated the creature with a single heavy bolter burst just as it landed near a sizeable clump of the Horde’s standard infantry. The explosion sent the creatures and their equipment splattering across the stonework and several of their fellows.

Other nearby rodents’ bomb packs were also triggered in a symphony of detonations that caused the humanoids’ roars to heighten in volume. Despite the buildup of bodies on the part of the humanoids, they continued to slowly gain ground until they would seemingly form a new barrier composed solely of deceased soldiers around the plaza steps.

“That’s it? I can see why Russ didn't want to participate,” Solvi muttered over the comms, sounding rather sad.

“Be wary, as said by Russ ‘Those awaiting an enemy will never know when they stop,’” Calder replied.

“‘So we must change the roles and take the fight to them,’” the rest of the Wolf Guard intoned.

With building howls and warcries to match that of the still advancing Horde, the Wolf Guard all drew their melee weapons and close quarters firearms as they rose up from the team’s position and charged both to the east and west. Luna and the others adjusted their positions accordingly, some of them waiting for their own openings to potentially join in the soon to be close quarters fray.

“So much for holding just one position,” Johnson chuckled as he fired.

Luna watched as the Capricorns continued to advance as attentively as she could while raining gunfire and various offensive spells onto the enemy.

In apparent response to the counteroffensive, a high, shrill voice that sounded like the gale of an encroaching thunderstorm from the ocean shouted from amongst the Horde’s cacophony of voices.

“Succumb!”

Chanting and growls in the Horde reached a new volume. To the surprise of some amongst the team, a low rumbling began across the entire district of the city as the streets began to splinter in various lines, the tremors and shaking of a miniature earthquake as the simulated ground gave way in the rapidly shrinking no man’s land between Horde and charging Wolf Guard.

“How is it that the War Games simulator is able to simulate the very instability of the ground beneath us?” Luna wondered out loud, standing up and firing two bright pistols in her forelegs almost like an old time unicorn aristocrat in a duel while using her destruction magic to vaporize several of the humanoids with lightning.

“The floor of the cavern has several levels below it for such things,” Trixie answered in between bursts of fire. “Bellicose can tell you more later!”

Sinkholes took form as the plaza continued to endure the trembling. Their bottoms were shrouded from view both by depth and by an omnipresent green mist that was nearly as thick as the ink clouds the humanoids were still charging in from. Grappling hooks and massive fists appeared at the rims of these sinkholes, their occupants emerging in entire squad sizes as more of the Horde’s soldiers emerged from them.

This emergence coincided with numerous smaller holes appearing, admitting a new variant of the enemy infantry to the battle that donned a bizarre cyclopean helmet and automatic rifles whose design differred in comparison to the rest of the Horde’s firearms, which made them appear to be the spoils of the war that were likely being fought against the natives that had built the city.

What immediately drew some of the team’s attention to them was not the helmet or the new enemy itself, but the bayonet that was affixed to its rifles.

Cyclopes advanced ahead of their more common brethren with greater speed and recklessness, and were the first to meet the Capricorns in close combat. The bayonets were in actuality miniaturized chain-blades under the grip-shielded barrel, and the Horde soldiers revved them via the lever in front of the trigger housing and just above the magazine, rifle barrels skyward as they advanced.

Luna’s comrades began tossing what explosives they had into the holes that were admitting the largest amounts of their foes, collapsing them and burying any within them alive in a virtual tomb of debris and soil.

Leading the charge on the east side of the plaza, Calder fired his bolt pistol at the closest cyclops with his power axe ready in the other hand for a midward slash at the neck that could likely decapitate. The explosive round hit the reptilian square in the gut, piercing right through the armour and wreaking havoc on the thick hide beneath.

“Rage!” the humanoid seethed as it did not let up, bringing the bayonet towards where it estimated Calder’s left shoulder to be beneath the many layers of plating and anticipated cleaving through the armour.

The bayonet instead was easily met by the axe, which gave no sign of yielding as sparks flashed between the two sparring soldiers. A second and a half passed as Calder brought his pistol back about and fired another round into the humanoid, causing it to reel back and allowing him to swing his axe in counterattack. Calder’s axe made swift contact with the reptilian’s remaining body armour and cut the warrior right in half.

Nearby, the humanoids which were not being cut down by Dagmar, Emil, and Uffe’s blades—whom had joined him on that side—let out cries of rage and broke out from behind of their cover or increased the speed of their sprint towards the Fangs. Some of them brandished jagged combat knives and swords while others approached with their chainsaw bayonets at the ready or with the intention to use their rifles as clubs.

Taller humanoids of the Horde in much bulkier and robust armour appeared from the inky black as well as the sinkholes that were of a more comparable height to the Fangs than the cannon fodder they commanded. They were also joined by yet another unidentifiable subtype of the humanoid attackers, a single figure that was incredibly sinewy and towering slender in build, clad in a priestly cap and billowing onyx robes that resembled the charred banners of a sacked temple.

“Ha! Heretics! There!” the robed creature shrieked, sounding like a rupturing teapot.

As they approached with slow and belligerently measured gaits, their vocalisations revealed them to be the owners of the more shrill and harsh, grating voices that oddly complemented their stature.

“Groundwalkers,” the armoured ones hissed, drawing bow-like weapons from their backs. “Fall before the Horde!”

To some surprise, the Horde leaders were accompanied by the appearance of a small but quickly identifiable squad of Sangheili Spec-Ops in their silver and white armour.

“By decree of the Prophets Truth, Mercy, and Regret in compact with the Trinity of Worms, the Locust Horde shall aid in propelling the Covenant towards salvation. You shall be left behind, burned and bloodied in our wake, heathen vermin,” the supposed leader of the Sangheili military attache snarled through a Covenant voice amplification device.

“Die, equinoids!” some of the other Horde soldiers hissed and chanted in agreement as the largest yet sinkhole erupted in front of Calder and his immediate companions.

The roars that emerged from the latest sinkhole was unlike anything that Luna thought that the humanoids were capable of producing, prompting Luna and the Master Chief to join Calder’s fray on the east side alongside Havrom and Krom, while Trixie and the rest moved to shore up the advance on the west side.

“Something massive this way comes, but no doubt your blades are beyond ready for it, my allies!” Luna said to all after dodging one of the tall armoured reptilian’s swipes of their explosive-fire bows and running it through with her horn as the fighting picked up in ferocity on both the east and west end of the plaza.

Luna was greeted by a chorus of fervent howls and eager shouts of agreement.

By now, the entire grounds of the city square were becoming increasingly deteriorated. It was at this point that the flow of ticking bug-rodents on the Horde’s part had stopped, as if helping to set the stage for whatever was to come out of the titanic circular rift that was now threatening the stability of the buildings around the plaza.

A series of heavy thumps at bizarre intervals beneath the ground immediately around the rim of the large sinkhole heralded the new foe’s arrival as it climbed towards the surface.

What emerged first was not a massive fist, a weapon, or equipment of any kind.

Instead, a collection of eight arachnid-like limbs each as thick as an oak tree’s trunk and covered in artificial armour the same decor scheme as the humanoids erupted out of the hole. The limbs each sunk over four centimeters into the remaining street with a shaking of the earth as the monster pulled the rest of its bulk up and out onto the surface. What appeared behind the legs was a neckless head attached to the thorax and abdomen with several miniscule legs that upheld the latter. The massive frontal legs were attached to the towering thorax above the head and the creature possessed a revolting, almost human-like face with multiple glowing eyes and a mouth of needle-like teeth.

Luna, Calder, and their companions moved back a few paces from the crumbling ground, firing their weapons as the creature finished pulling itself up right. Roaring once more, the monster raised all its claw legs into the air before thundering them down into the ground in front of it, spaced right next to one another to form a terrain-pulverising nearly gapless wall blocking its face.

Munitions ricochet off the leg armour as the creature twitched and croaked from the occasional round that slipped past the defenses and peppered its face and head. After three seconds of stationary defence, the monster uprooted itself and began scuttling towards them, twitching even more erratically from a hail of weapons fire as it approached in order to try and flatten them.

Havrom was one of the first to notice the massive being, and instantly took strides towards it but this time he wasn’t alone. Krom had noticed it as well and made to take it down as well. “Oh frak no, you’re not getting to take this thing down by yourself!”

With their respective axes brought to bear, Harom and Krom charged as one towards the beast. More and more of the Horde’s humanoids were gunned or cut down as they advanced, including the majority of the Sangheili present, who were adamant on stopping the slaying of the spider-like beast of war.

Havrom was the first to connect a blow with the spider-like monster, cleaving through one of the centermost legs as it was just about to raise up, with intent to expose the face and more vulnerable soft points. Krom meanwhile used the momentum of the beast’s attack to grapple and propel himself up another of the legs, landing squarely atop the crown of the thorax right where the leg joints met.

The Morkai wasted no time as he proceeded to hack away at the carapace beneath him, targeting the nerve bundles and soft tissue that it protected.

When the beast’s attack met the ground, Havrom had to roll out of the way of the impact and subsequent shock wave before moving in for another severing of a leg. By now Krom’s attacks above had reached an intended weak spot, and the monster was now flailing more than ever, threatening to slam its entire mass into one of the crumbling buildings nearest to its radius of destruction.

Another leg was bisected by Havrom’s battleaxe as the monster twitched and flailed violently as a consequence, revealing its face to further fire from Luna and Calder’s force. Several of its eyes had been shot out, which only seemed to escalate its bloodlust and mayhem-seeking rage as it tried to remove the Capricorn hacking away at its carapace above its head. A series of bolt pistol bursts from Emil served to blast apart a third central leg that Krom had weakened substantially.

Scanning it with rapidfire eyes, it appeared to Luna that with the remaining legs it had it was going to attempt to bury itself, attempting to take Krom with it while it possibly regenerated itself. Whether due to the mechanics of the simulation or via a simulation of its actual metabolism was unknown, but what was clear to the Princess was that they could not allow it to get away, where it could then reemerge in almost any location around the plaza.

Master Chief sensed Luna looking at him, and met her cunning gaze with an expectant posture as Luna pressed them both into action with the words, “The face, the beast’s face! Havrom and Krom have provided us an invaluable opening.”

“Then we seize it,” the Chief agreed with a nod as the duo sprung into motion, one readying a combat knife and the other igniting her horn.

After having made a second successful detaching of his foe’s limb, Havrom was just about to begin his third attack when a grinning, determined Luna and charging Spartan both darted past him and into what would have otherwise been a prime killzone on the beast’s part, prior to its massive limb damage.

Havrom picked up their intended strategy rapidly. The ancient warrior could already read their intent based on angles and movement alone, and moved to join them. Krom followed suit after he stole a precious second to gaze at the bloodied and chaotic ground below.

In almost complete synchronisation, Chief’s combat knife, Havrom and Krom’s axe heads, and Luna’s beam of magically-conducted blue plasma made contact with each of its four eye clusters.

Blood sprayed everywhere from the front of the creature, causing the remaining and already slick pavement beneath its mass to become dangerously slick from the excess gore. The damage inflicted was instantaneously fatal as the Horde beast’s metabolism completely failed to begin the regeneration process under such shock and physical trauma.

A few victorious howls were let loose as the being flailed one last time before crumpling over, its four slayers having long since retreated to a safe distance during its death throes. It’s death triggered a mass-chorus of bellowing roars from the Horde.

The Horde resumed charging from east and west with renewed vigour, but Luna’s team did not by any means diminish their inflicted lethality in kind.

Casualties were had as the enemy reached the peak of their brutality. Ruman fell in the midst of the fighting, rifle at the hip gunning down a Locust that had run him through with their chainsaw bayonet into his shoulder in a downward motion. With his remaining strength he had been able to detach the now limp enemy’s weapon out of him with a sickening squelch and a bellow of pain before tossing a grenade towards some Elites in a final act of defiance before materialising out of the simulation.

Trixie’s horn was shattered from a glancing round of a Locust rifle, whilst one of the Fangs even lost an arm from a Sangheili’s lucky blade swipe as the capricorn was dodging an explosive bow bolt from the tallest of the Horde soldiers.

Two more minutes of the one-sided bloodbath continued before the entire simulation underwent a sudden change.

“Time up, match over. Victory!” the announcer chimed in, his disembodied voice echoing down from the simulated sky. To some degree of surprise, the declaration was accompanied by the subsequent and spontaneous mass-death of every simulated enemy as if from cardiac arrest as the projections gradually winked out of existence and the map began preparations for resetting itself. “New kill count and killstreak records set!”

The team promptly gathered in the center of the reappearing cavern, visually appraising each other and their equipment in the Horde match’s wake.

“I uh … guess that’s one way to end a battle,” Johnson commented as he scratched his head at the dematerializing map set.

“Indeed. Gamesmaster Bellicose, what is our third bout to consist of,” Luna submitted her question to the air around them all. “I will confess that adrenaline has even me in its grasp and I am eager for another taste of combat.”

“A spectacular performance just now! Please gather in main spectator area if you would please, and we shall discuss what the final match shall be,” Bellicose responded promptly, an unseen grin implied by the cadance of his voice.

“Very well,” Luna replied. “Trixie, lead us to the spectator stands, please.”

“Will do, but Trixie hopes she will have a moment to access a vending machine in the process!” the unicorn agreed.

“By all means,” Luna chuckled.

Match Three: Team Juggernaut
“Ghost Town”, War Games Map_Set/: 673-15

While Trixie attempted to prevent leaving crumbs from a peanut butter treat she had procured, everybody assembled in expectant anticipation in front of Russ and Bellicose’s floating avatar.

Bellicose was the first to speak, beaming like a Waypoint late night show host as he used his avatar projection to simulate ticker tape falling from above him. “Esteemed warriors, we here at the Canterhorn War Games complex like to save the best for last when it comes to sessions consisting of consecutive rounds. And ...”

“Best for last?” Trixie interrupted, her mouth still mostly full.

“Please, continue,” Luna pressed, arching a brow at Trixie.

There was a nod from Bellicose, whose grin did not let up. “And, I might add, special occasions such as this where the consecutive rounds are part of a perfect winning streak merit that the best for last consists of the most cunning … the most deadly … the most harrowing combat challenge any GSC warrior could ever face outside of true battle ... That is to say, match three for your party, Your Highness and friends, shall consist of the most powerful opponent this War Games center has probably ever seen and ever will see! Is that not incredible?!”

“Wait, don’t tell me. After what I’ve seen of the simulations here, it’s probably going to be a Scarab clown car type deal, with a bunch of tiny grunt soldiers that will emerge from it in the tens of thousands, armed with needlers and fuel rod cannons,” Johnson chuckled.

Bellicose only chuckled back. “Not quite.”

“What you describe, human, does not even come close to what you face in the last round,” Russ said, a small grin coming to his face.

“Another kind of alien beast, this one almost too big for the simulation cavern, mayhaps?” Luna ventured.

“Afraid not,” Bellicose replied with a grin now splitting from ear to ear.

“An eldritch abomination of some kind! Newly escaped from Tartarus! No … oh! Trixie knows! What if it’s a simulated, evil clones of ourselves! Surely that is the obvious and true answer … we should be worried … our own worst enemies!” Trixie conjectured with a dramatic, eerie voice.

By now, Bellicose’s chuckling had given way to outright giggles. “No dice … although, for future reference that could be an interesting idea with Royal Guard training.”

A few moments passed after Bellicose responded, Luna’s companions attempting to guess their way to an answer. It was then that Solvi’s eyes widened before she gave a rather dry and pained chuckle. “Oh we are so fucked … and I usually save that for better occasions but we are completely fucked.”

It was as if a collective thought went into the Wolf Guard’s minds as they slowly came to the same realisation as Solvi had. Though it was still lost on Luna and her companions.

“I’m sensing … odd trepidation,” the Master Chief commented.

“Whatever might you mean, fair Solvi?” Luna inquired.

Solvi said nothing and simply pointed, slowly and deliberately, at a now fully grinning Russ.

“This … should get interesting,” Johnson said as his voice trailed off, his hands fumbling in his pockets for a Sweet Williams Cigar to light up.

“We shall, all of us, be facing you and you alone?” Luna asked with her brow completely arched.

“That’s the only way to make it a fair fight,” Russ replied, his grin never faltering.

Luna’s grin was relatively slow to form, but when it did, it proved to be a direct rival to Russ and Bellicose’s combined. “I have never backed down from a challenge. My friends, what say you?”

“Auntie Marcille have mercy, me neither. I’m in,” Johnson stated as he puffed out a ring of smoke. “We have any sissies in the room?”

“Trixie is a fully grown mare,” Trixie huffed. “My magic and weapons are ready as ever.”

“I’m with her by assignment so that’s a given,” the Master Chief said simply as he gestured the hand he held his helmet in towards Luna.

“And I wish to see what Luna’s armour is made of in one final match,” Ruman added before a deliberate pause. “That was intentional.”

“We should get you out of the forge more often than you already do,” Johnson quipped as the minotaur scratched at the fur atop his head awkwardly from the neutral gazes casted his way.

The Wolf Guard meanwhile looked a little unsure of the actions, considering their loyalties obviously laid with Russ, there was no doubt about that. Though it wasn’t spoken, they nodded their heads in approval of the match up. If that was what their Great Wolf wanted, then so it would be. Russ disappeared down into the arena far ahead of the group, to give them time to prepare and fully recuperate.

Cortana appeared on Luna’s hoof, her lips pursed and a hand on her hip. “I’ve been busy for a while just enjoying the … crashing and banging, it’s an interesting ambience for my data compilation, data comparison and stratagem programming routines . But before we just go in blind for this final matchy however, any of you mighty and war-seeking GSC soldiers care to inquire of Russ’ Wolf Guard as to how your latest opponent is likely to fight?”

“An admittedly ingenious question, you stole it right from my lips,” Luna replied to the Smart AI before turning to the gathered Capricorns. “How shall we face your king as he stands before us?”

“Depends on how he will fight us,” Emil answered, his mind working fast to try and predict Russ’ actions, but even he knew his Great Wolf to be an enigma.

“A keg of Mjord says he rushes us pretty quickly,” Krom exclaimed. “That’s how he fought our enemies, and he was always at the head, the old bastard won’t change his ways.”

“Russ is smarter than that, Krom. He doesn’t fight like a Morkai, after all,” Erik replied with laugh, earning a growl from Krom.

“Krom might have some merit, Russ is direct in his approaches, only using stealth when it was the only option,” Calder countered, somewhat hating how he was agreeing with Krom. Either way, the Wolf Guard fell quiet for a moment as they all thought about the situation, leaving Luna and her companions in a little bit of an awkward silence.

One that Dagmar eventually broke.

“It’s just a hunt to him. You could see it in his grin … he’s going to pick us off one by one,” Dagmar said, to which the Wolf Guard slowly nodded after a moment of thinking.

“So what’s the damn game plan then?” Johnson asked impatiently.

“Stick as close as you can to Uffe,” Dagmar said, pointing to the more wolf-like Guard. “His nose is stronger than all of ours, and that’s saying something. It’ll force Russ to stay away from the entire group, we’re packing too much muscle for a head on attack. Ranged weapons will be almost pointless in this, our armour is too thick and his speed is ours twice over, be prepared to swarm him tactically in close quarters.”

“From what she hears, it sounds like anypony but a capricorn is useless then,” Trixie scoffed at Dagmar’s assessment.

“No, you’ll drive the dagger into his back while we take the brunt. He can only be in one place at a time,” Emil replied to the mare.

“Very well,” Luna replied with finality, processing the information in her mind as she turned to a still grinning Russ and Bellicose. “Ready the simulation, Bellicose.”

“My pleasure, Your Highness! Prepare for War Games Map Set 673-15, ‘Ghost Town!’”

After a brief three minutes spent in the armoury once more, Luna’s team emerged into the cavern. Already they were scanning the by now familiar rock faces and sparse crystal outcroppings with wary and rapid movement.

No sooner did they reach the center of the cavern, the announcer declared, “Team Juggernaut. Slay the Juggernaut to win. Match start!”

While the announcer spoke, the third map winked into existence as an overcast night sky replaced the cavern ceiling and crystals and boulders gave way to thick jungle overgrowth rife with the sounds of insects and birds.

Luna and the others were standing in a clearing, and besides the jungle, they were surrounded by the remains of a vast human water pumping and purification complex that had been left to nature. Through collapsed sections of brick walls and around the meandering exposed moss-dominated piping that a pony could easily walk through, the team could see signs of catwalks, high perches, and pipe labyrinths mostly veiled in shadow that only grew as the lone moon was frequently blocked by clouds.

The rest of the ruins offered dank and messy rooms full of encroaching plants and tall, rusting equipment as well as debris-strewn corridors that while easily defendable, could also spell doom for an occupant caught unawares. Completing the scene of industrial desolation was the frequent placement of abandoned water crates each taller than a Fang, which were spread throughout theinside and outside the complex.

“Hey, I recognise these star patterns,” Johnson remarked in a whisper to the nearest ears of Luna, Calder, and Master Chief as the team hunkered down for a moment to take stock of their surroundings. “Well I’ll be damned. That there is Mount Kilimanjaro … this simulation is set on Earth.”

“Not only that, but this isn’t the standard War Games map set … it’s been altered into a map variant I have no preparation for … so all the strategies I devised in the last three minutes are now down the drain,” Cortana lamented in Luna’s head.

“Wait … if you can devise strategies so quickly, why not do so now as we analyse our new match realm? Do you not realise who we are now truly pitted against?” Luna retorted.

“Yes, but why do that when it will be so much more fun watching it unfold without my interference. It’s not like you all can literally get killed by this.”

Luna gave a mental ‘harumph’ as Uffe began taking point with Luna close behind and leading the rest in a tight formation. It was not yet confirmed by any of them that Russ had even dropped into the match yet.

Uffe lead the ever vigilant party around the bend of the nearest pipes, and using his scent true to Dagmar’s words, found something within moments. Or at least, his nose spotted something off.

“There is no scent. None. Great Wolf could be anywhere,” Uffe muttered, his eyes darting side to side trying to figure out why he couldn’t smell anything aside from the original scent of the jungle.

“Frak,” Krom muttered under his breath.

“He’s covering his scent somehow … right, Plan B,” Calder spoke over the neural comms, not wanting to possibly vocalise the problem in case Russ was watching.

“And what is plan B?” Trixie hissed in response.

“Wait till Russ messes up,” Ylva spoke up.

“Eventually he will. The numbers game is just too strong for him to overcome,” Johnson estimated.

“We shall see for ourselves. Neural and gesture-based communication only from henceforth until the end of the match,” Luna murmured in a cautious fashion, ending all further discussion in its tracks.

The team was faced with a large, overgrown concrete-floored clearing full of the large vehicle-sized crates haphazardly disturbed about the rectangular space as they stood as inanimate sentinels for the entrance to nearest building of the water facility. As they all began to cautiously navigate their way around the obstacles whilst simultaneously trying to retain their cohesion and their lines of sight, something was noticed almost immediately.

Something shimmering was seen atop a crate nearest the closest stretch of jungle. Viveka and Emil both registered it just as Johnson and Solvi meanwhile heard a heavy thump atop one of the large collection of pipes that ran along the side of the building just below the lip of the flat roof.

Closely following the first two phenomena, a third took the form of more shimmering coming this time from one of the partially broken windows of what a pair of worn human signs deemed to be the secondary waterflow control station. Havrom and Erik focused their eyes on the building while the rest had their melee weapons ready and eyes trained on the treeline or the rooftops.

What happened next was so fast that none had even seen it coming in earnest.

A rapid yet faint set of armoured hoofsteps were heard across spongy ground and broken pavement from somewhere amongst a bank of giant ferns before Emil was wounded badly with a well placed sword swing that opened a gaping, crimson-awashed gash through his breastplate. The attack caused him to reel slightly with a shocked growl as Trixie’s horn was then shattered by the assailant’s fist as she attempted to both attack with a sword she levitated and illuminate the area.

Solvi lost her right arm to another blade stroke after managing to swipe the burning claws of her left gauntlet across Russ’ back to pierce the armour and cut down to the fur and skin.

After Johnson landed a kick in Russ’ gut that sent him back a few centimeters, then spun around counter-clockwise in a followup to Solvi’s attack that would ready him for a knife stab through the claw marks Solvi had left in the armour, the Spartan was fatally run through by Russ’ sword. Johnson let out a pained shout as he coughed a few flecks of blood, “Damn wolfhorse!”

With nearly frightening speed, Russ had turned about in the opposite direction almost too fast for the human supersoldier to even physically register in his mind. As Johnson slid off the blade and collapsed onto the ground, the others moved to rush Russ but it was already too late. The Great Wolf’s hulking and temporarily smoking form darted around the now scrambling team and vanished into the shadows of one of the massive pipes they had all just went around.

“By the stars, Emil, Solvi, Trixie, is life with you still? Johnson … lamentable,” Luna said quickly out loud, still processing the speed in which it had all unfolded as she ignited her horn to immediately stop Solvi and Emil’s bleeding whilst also tentatively working similar restoration magic to speed the healing and regeneration of Trixie’s horn.

Solvi didn’t respond verbally, instead gnashing her teeth and suppressing a growl at an apparent simulated pain, or possibly anger at having lost an arm.

“Ready explosives, Trixie feels we must flush him out and level this entire facility if need be. This is so on, now!” Trixie seethed, her eyes watering from agony.

“Inside, now! Cover entrances and keep together! Cut off his approaches!” Calder seethed over the neural network.

“Emil, you, Trixie, and Solvi join the center of our formation,” Luna instructed. “If we remain in rank at as full force as possible then we will still serve to force him out to fight.

The team promptly adjusted their spacing and set about again.

A furious storm of armoured hooves and feet thundered into the crumbling pump control station, all but the most collected of the warriors beginning to feel their respective species’ variation of adrenaline flood their systems in earnest.

Inside, the rusting consoles that once provided diagnostics and functionality for the various systems now served only to once again conceal sections of the structure from view. What especially concerned Luna and Calder’s force was the catwalk network above.

True to their anticipations and concerns, a rattling sound against one of the banks of computers that drew some eyes was followed by a scream from Trixie.

“Dammit, dammit, dammit!” she yelped as her tail was caught under an armoured hoof by a shadowy mass that descended from the catwalk on the far side of the expansive room from the control and monitoring area. Trixie attempted to fumble for one of her grenades whilst pinned but her window of opportunity had proven far too narrow.

All that was seen in the brief expanse of time was the muzzle of Russ, grinning triumphantly as he brought down the pommel of the sword on the unicorn’s wounded head with a sharp cracking before rushing out of a breach in one of the walls of the waterflow control room and into the jungle. In the process of his rapid departure, Russ had managed to headbutt a barely prepared Ruman, winding him before beheading Erik with an upward stroke that had followed a savage punch as the Fang attempted in vain to roadblock him.

“Dammit, again he evades us! The foliage and canopy … pursuit would be suicidal for more than a few of us,” Luna assessed with barred teeth. “Then he could draw it out, not pairs of attacks he could inflict but rather slaying us one by one.”

“We need to find a chokepoint and try to lure him in,” the Master Chief suggested. “The atrium over there at the end of this room that dominates the ruins will have the most light with the closest quarters compared to the jungle.”

“It is against our teaching but we need to regroup here and prepare for an assault, he can only wait so long,” Calder assessed but received many snorts of derision, mainly from Viveka, Krom, and Ran.

“Let it never be forgotten that there will always be times when rigid doctrine can stifle you in battle, mayhaps fatally,” Luna commented. “While the atrium would be optimal, it is possible that Russ is waiting for us to resume mobility and strike at a potential weakness revealed by even so short a distance as this.”

Luna was met with a mixture of nods and wary growls and grunts as everyone prepared themselves for holding their position near the long-inactive water flow controls.

“Infantry square, form ranks!” Luna called upon them, expecting so simple of a formation to prove an almost universal one. Though there was an obvious lack of hostile cavalry, any direct attack by Russ in their present, unaltered position would serve to force him into the center of the square where all capable combatants could then counterattack. At least, that was what the alicorn princess was anticipating.

Without delay, the entire team assumed the formation, much to Luna’s restrained satisfaction. Solvi stood in the center of the square, her remaining wolf claw retracted and a bolt pistol in hand until the claw was needed once more. Emil joined her, both his bolt pistols drawn and ready.

Forming the rest of the square around both of the previously wounded Capricorns, Luna and Calder’s force was a mixture of ranged and melee weaponry, with the ten fully battle-ready warriors alternating the two weapon classes and assuming their preferred postures of readiness.

Together they formed a living obstacle of muscle, firepower, and magic that would have been a daunting prospect for an equivalent or slightly greater force hoping to pass them. Their foe on this occasion however, had no intention of conventionally surmounting such an obstacle. Russ had other plans, and none of them were sure to be enjoyable for any on the map but himself.

Save for the frequent meeting of hands against the hilts, barrels, and handles of weaponry, as well as the occasional sigh or low growl and the sounds of the jungle outside, the nature-claimed ruin was devoid of sound as the square formation never ceased in scanning ever centimeter of the surrounding building.

“My motion sensors are clear, no movement at all,” the Chief stated. “He must be estimating the range of our scanning technology and skirting around it.”

“Then we shall continue to temper our gazes until our quarry returns,” Luna replied.

Tension was as thick in the air as a mighty fogbank. That status quo was soon shattered after a whole three dragging minutes passed as Luna registered a humanoid shadow moving near the windows nearest the computer bank area.

“Russ is upon us once more, to arms!” Luna cried, igniting her horn and reducing a stretch of concrete wall nearest the shadow to glass.

The team’s ranged weapons opened fire, peppering the control center with explosive bolter rounds, high caliber bullets, and bolts of lightning from Luna that tore the outer layers of concrete and other objects down range apart. The bombardment continued for a few seconds before they all stopped in unison, another shadow appearing elsewhere as heavy hoofsteps rang around the catwalks above.

Coinciding with the footsteps was a series of dull metallic sounds as they impacted other metal ringing out from multiple locations, threatening to divide the formation’s attention. As the sounds expanded to include that of metal against stone and vice-versa, the footsteps continued.

Krom took his best estimate of where he thought the lurking Great Wolf to be, and barring his teeth, positioned himself to fire his storm bolter at a particularly dark-shrouded stretch of the catwalk network. The Wolf Lord was only able to get out a single large burst before the loud report of a bolt pistol erupted from the opposite side of the catwalks during a brief lull in the footsteps. The surprise shot shaved off a portion of Krom’s head as he was too slow to react and dodge in full.

A drastically slowed second past before the rapid footsteps resumed from on high. Several more bolt pistol rounds were discharged in rapid succession, this time not hitting anything but the ground extremely close to some of the team, glancing the ground and sending water and pebbles flying.

Everyone began returning fire again, some with increased anger this time as ordinance was dealt out in both directions flanking where the most recent bolter shot had gone off. As the chaos of gunfire resumed, another timely bolt pistol round struck true from on high.

Ruman toppled to the ground as Krom had moments before, his gatling rifle clattering to the ground with him as more hoofsteps sounded. Krom, like Ruman after him did not die without consequence however, for Emil had since succeeded in anticipating where Russ would be and when within that window of time, and managed a return fire with both of his bolt pistols that struck Russ in the back as he was speeding to his next position. One of the explosive rounds clanged against his left pauldron, doing negligible strategic damage while the other of the duo scored a direct hit in the wound that Solvi had inflicted, producing a slight recoil in Russ’ gait that only Emil and Luna’s respective sight was able to make out.

“We’re running around like a newborn litter! Cut off his attack routes! Bring down that catwalk with grenades!” Dagmar growled over the neural net, having long since switched over to a separate comms channel from what the Wolf Guard traditionally used for mainline operations.

Avoiding load-bearing columns, Chief was the first to let out grenades. He tossed a plasma grenade towards one of the distant catwalk pillars, and a fragmentation grenade towards its counterpart in a parallel corner. The ensuing blasts caused a large portion of the suspended walkway to sag while some smaller parts collapsed, but the rest held firm.

Some of the others followed suit with higher-yield Capricorn fragmentation grenades and promptly blasted the entire control apart beyond recognition as the rest continued what they hoped was suppressing fire against Russ.

In a final protestful groan of corroded metal, the catwalk gave out from the vibrations as the entire facility shook from the prior collapse of the catwalk section which the Master Chief felled and the subsequent explosions from the Fangs’ grenades, prompting the infantry square to make a slow charge into the moonlit atrium and away from the resulting eruption of dust.

All spells and weapon discharges stopped along with the advance as Luna and the others waited for the dust to clear. Some readied melee weapons; the collapse had generated such noise that it was impossible to tell if Russ had been amongst the heavy impacts to the ground or not.

“Outnumbered eleven to one … but the odds were always in my favour,” Russ chuckled from within the dust.

With the dust still settling, the concern of more than a few of the warriors present was finally made real as Russ, ever-grinning, came charging through the cloud of debris with his blade ready to strike. The Earth’s simulated moon, sent its light down through the atrium’s haphazardly shattered panes of glass, which seem to add a glow to the Praetor’s sneer-like grin as he advanced.

Calder directed Havrom, Viveka, Ran, and Dagmar to form a rough arc formation as they met his charge in return while Emil and Solvi verified that their bolt pistols were fully loaded. Coordinating with the others, the rest of the team lead by Luna diverged into two groups and flanked around both sides of Calder’s arc. All were acting with the intent to end Russ’ match-long tactic of outmaneuvering them via sheer brute force, expecting the risk to pay off swiftly and decisively.

Much to Luna and Calder’s collective woe, Russ’ charge proved to have only been a feint, and he promptly broke off from his charge with a ground stomp that sent Luna, Uffe, and the entire arc of Wolf Guard flailing back and redirected his momentum towards the Master Chief and Ylva at break neck pace. The Spartan was able to dodge Russ’ lunge by sheer luck, and the blade instead made contact with Ylva’s wolf claws as they formed a criss-cross pattern across her chest and neck to block the attack.

Ylva and Russ struggled for only a second and a half as they tenuously matched might for might, with Russ slowly gaining ground on his opponent just before the tip of the Chief’s combat knife plunged into the wound Solvi had inflicted like Emil’s bolter round had prior.

The stab seemed to produce little to no visible physical response from the Praetor as he responded with a backward kick square in the abdomen that sent the human super soldier, energy shielding completely depleted by the kinetic impact, tumbling at least two meters back just as the others were beginning to regain their bearings.

Russ broke through Ylva’s defense just as Luna and Uffe were rushing to her and the Master Chief’s aid, having leaned into his opponent enough that her very wolf claws themselves shatter under the stress of Krakenmaw’s blade. Russ’ momentum carried the rest of his original attack through, and Ylva suffered an even more grievous slash than Emil had, the violent contact of the metal producing as many sparks as the attack did draw blood.

Calder and Dagmar, the first two of the winded to have recovered, charged at Russ as he let Ylva’s now limp form slip onto the devastated concrete beneath them. Meanwhile, Luna was charging a spell as Uffe and the Chief attempted to gain optimal angles of attack.

A gauntleted fist stopped Calder’s power axe mid-swing, while Dagmar’s golden blade clanged against Russ’ sword sharply as the Great Wolf stood between them. Russ then became like a whirlwind as he made several moves in the span of barely more than a second. Calder’s axe was forced into the air as the stallion was kicked back, and when Russ regained his previous stance, still fending off Dagmar’s blade, he caught a punch she had aimed at his gut in midair before aiming a second, solid kick at her as well.

A low flying Dagmar collided with Ran, sending them both sprawling across the floor and giving Russ enough time to run Calder through just as he recovered his axe.

Russ was then forced to dodge as he heard the priming of a destruction spell just before a bolt of magical electricity arced through the air a few hairs’ breadth away from him, filling his nostrils with the foul smell of ozone. Luna was igniting her horn for a second go of it only for the casting to be interrupted as she had to raise her wings and cast a shield to block Russ’ sword swing in the absence of a drawn sword to block with.

While Russ’ blade made contact with the solid wall of bright particles, the Praetor had to shift to ward off via kicks first Viveka then Ran and Dagmar, with Uffe, Havrom, and the Chief waiting for their own openings.

Luna violently collapsed her shield outwards with a war cry, forcing Russ back a smidgen and sending a light rain of glass down from above as everyone rapidly shifted about the atrium in an almost dance-like manner as they attempted to gang up on Russ and break his defenses.

When Luna was able to next let out a destruction spell, it was a cyan beam of concentrated plasma that Russ fended off with his blade, creating a shimmer effect as the beam died out into the surrounding air that blinded Emil as he was taking aim as well as Dagmar and Ran as they’d begun another join charge; the others had managed to shield their eyes quickly enough to suffer only visual blur for a split second.

It was in this charge that Russ was able to fell Dagmar during her downward swing by aiming the point of his sword for her exposed neck, before pulling the crimson-soaked blade free and parrying Ran’s slash of her sword, opening her defenses up for a decapitating strike as Russ followed up with a rapid draw of his bolter pistol to take down a fast approaching Emil who had both pistols at the ready.

The three consecutive kills proved costly, however, for while busy, Russ had opened himself up for an inbound charge from the hulking mass of Havrom. Havrom had his double-headed axe out to his side, and as he passed by Russ, he swung the blade hard in an arc that connected with Russ’ waist, opening a new wound through the thick plating just as deep as Solvi’s, which still had the Chief’s combat knife jutting out of it.

Havrom was hefting his axe for what he was hoping to be one of the final such attacks as he saw that the Chief had drawn his assault rifle and had his sights trained on the chinks now formed in Russ’ power armour, but he was forestalled by the likes of Solvi and an infuriated Viveka who attempted to rush Russ.

Solvi proved the faster of the two, and with her wolf claws raised to pierce through Russ’ back and finish what she had started, the Wolf Lord was not prepared for the thunderous sweep of Russ’ leg that toppled her over in an instant. It was almost blinding how quickly Russ was able to first make a fatal downward slash at Solvi’s throat before bringing Krakenmaw to bear against the brute force of Viveka’s warhammer.

The force form such a heavy weapon as Viveka’s hammer was enough to force Russ into a high crouch and several centimeters back, but the Capricorn mare’s vastly inferior speed proved her undoing. She fell soon after Russ’ sword cut through her organic arm and then swiftly found itself buried in her back, deeply enough that Russ had to use a hoof to pull the blade out faster.

It was here that it became fully obvious to Luna that the battle had reached its climax. Remaining was herself and a wounded Solvi, the Master Chief, Uffe, and Havrom against a wounded but still fully battle-capable Russ. They formed an impromptu ring around him as the Praetor regarded them with his seemingly simulation-permanent grin.

Crimson pools were now everywhere, making the ground treacherously slick. What had previously been a scene of industrial decay had become a scene of true apocalypse as the building itself seemed almost ready to come down at the next massive vibration.

If there was ever an urgent time to end the battle and thus the match to avoid the potential simulated experience of being crushed, it was now.

“Warriors, as one!” Luna called out, needing to say no more for the meaning of the declaration to be clear.

Russ’ grin only widened as Luna rushed forward with a lightning spell on accelerated charge. At her current speed, she would reach him before the others could gain the reach for their attacks, and before the Chief could do more than squeeze the trigger of his rifle. Krakenmaw redirected the currents to bend around him, but the action also opened him up for Luna to levitate a golden sword, Dagmar’s, away from under her body and into the attacking alicorn's telekinetic grasp.

By now, the Chief had had enough time to open fire at Russ’ back and sides, while a charging Havrom and Uffe covered the other two flanks to ensure they would seal the deal if Luna did not.

Luna’s own attack proved true and drove home first. As Russ was finishing redirecting the last of the electricity out harmlessly into the surrounding atmosphere, the point of Dagmar’s blade ran itself with a blue aura up through Russ’ armour in the narrow stretch where the lower chest plates met the belt, aimed towards the heart.

Dagmar’s blade did not slow its speed as it gained purchase and continued its deadly journey through armour, coat, then flesh. The attack proved enough to produce a few flecks of blood from Russ’ muzzle, but his facial expression was unchanged as both Luna’s magic and her momentum drove the blade to the greatest possible depth it could reach without further physical manipulation.

Krakenmaw was dropped, but Luna registered with dismay in the narrow three second window that Russ still held a firm grip on his bolt pistol, which in lieu of grasping at his wound, he used his reactionary force from the sustained damage to fire the weapon at Havrom just before his own attack could connect. What had been intended to be a vicious decapitating cut through Russ’ neck instead took the form of Havrom falling over with a distinctive thud that echoed all across the atrium, which had since fallen silent with the subsequent cessation of the Chief’s firing.

A now spent bolt pistol clattered to the concrete as Russ loosened his grasp on it too, its barrel still smoking from the recent discharge.

With the sword still in her grasp, Luna barred her teeth as she first forced Russ down onto his knees using the blade as leverage, before forcing it further in and fully puncturing the Great Wolf’s powerful heart.

The alicorn’s first fierce and then triumphant sneer only gave way to confusion as the dying avatar of the Praetor, still ever-grinning, met her gaze and said with amusement, “Good match.”

A fresh torrent of bellowing laughter was carried by the acoustics of the ruins and out into the simulated jungle beyond. It was the kind of laughter exactly akin to one who had heard or delivered a joke cryptic to all but a very specific audience yet was directly relevant to the entire audience whose ears it met.

Luna continued to look on in confusion giving way to bemusement as Uffe came within centimeters of Russ with one of his claws raised and ready if need be, the Chief likewise still aiming down the sights of his rifle.

The combative stances proved unneeded as Russ’ eyes closed as the laughter died down to a sharp quietude before and quickly after Russ fell to the ground, taking Dagmar’s sword with him as Luna relinquished her telekinetic field.

“Juggernaut eliminated! Victory!” came the immediate call of the announcer as the map set rapidly began deconstructing itself and giving way to the real world again.

“Wow. Simply wow, need I say any more?” Bellicose said with a round of applause as his avatar appeared along with the real forms of Russ, Johnson, Trixie, and the others back from their respective world barrier-shattering bubbles.

Some of the team appeared to still be reacting to and coming back from the recent simulation of death they had undergone, looking exactly like sleepers that had just been rudely awoken from a dream or nightmare.

Luna scrutinised them all with now fully fledged bemusement, but it did not last long as many of her friends and allies began to either grin or demonstrate their frustration from the latest and final match of the day’s War Games simulation. Yet still there was a thought in the back of her head; one of why Russ had reacted as he did in his defeat.

Amusement rapidly took root Luna broke into a chuckle before declaring, “‘Twas one most adventurous way to spend a morning before an impending gala, to be certain! Such magnificent battles; such proper-feeling armour. This would easily put the capturing of the enemy flagship days ago to shame if it were only a series of events that had truly unfolded in reality.”

“That is perhaps putting it lightly by a titanic magnitude,” Trixie weighed in as she reached for her horn protectively for a brief moment.

Luna’s ears flattened as she adopted a sheepish grin. “Indeed … ‘twas magnificent with close allies dying notwithstanding, yes! Sobering that most definitely was in its recent time. But aye, the day marches on does it not?! Let us see if modern Grand Galloping Galas are worthy of any comparison to those of my day, my friends! But first, let us have lunch and finish our final preparations.”

Chapter 10: The Gala

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Just Wolf it Down
Equestria, Canterlot Palace, Dining Room
Saturday, 26th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

“I still wanna know what in the hell those lizardman things were in the second match, I have never heard any mention of such a thing in my life. Not from the GSC, not from the UNSC, not anybody,” Johnson expressed his bemusement as he fiercely locked himself, knife-in-hand, in mortal combat with a massive slingtail steak. The tough but succulent meat was produced from a species of the same name that thrived in vast number in Equestria’s southern Badlands.

Food for the day’s luncheon leading up to the Gala that night had been brought in on an individual basis to each dining guest’s order, and the majority of Luna’s companions, herself included, knew exactly what it was they were craving.

Stewards and servants, even the imperial chefs themselves, frequently manifested in the room to tend to their patrons or inquire as to the quality of their culinary creations The end result was the expansive table being populated by a menagerie of Equestrian, human, and Fenrisian cuisine. The latter of the three took up the most space, with significantly larger portion sizes.

Adding proper complement to the food was an equally diverse assortment of drinks, including a frothing mug of Quetzalcoatl cocoa Celestia was partaking of as she briefly appeared in the room during Johnson’s vocalisation, which was the closest of an entire table teeming with various conversations.

The chatter was lead primarily by the likes of Leman Russ, Trixie, and Erik. Johnson had abdicated his own throne as a master of mealtime topics to focus on conquering his actual meal.

“I saw that portion of your War Games session myself, ever so briefly in between errands here and checklists there,” the Empress said to Johnson with a wink. “Not to mention, Bellicose shared the ‘post game carnage report’ as he described it to me for leisurely reading.”

“Your Majesty, with most honoured respect, could you please not keep a good sergeant waiting? Curiosity killed the dumb Covenant bug that thought itself to be god’s gift to the galaxy.”

Celestia took a slow, jovial sip of her cocoa before replying. “I could tell all of you about that planet and its hostile residents featured in the map set, but it would be more fitting as part of an official debriefing on a general basis about the galaxy and war’s status in a few day’s time.”

“Oh, that’s right. The twentieth annual briefing of the GSC’s Grand Offensive is coming up on the first.” Johnson nodded at that. “Luna, you’ll wanna be there without a doubt.”

Luna’s ears perked up in an instant as she was levitating salt that the Chief had passed her for a vegetable and meat stew. Meat from strictly non-sapient creatures had long been a delicacy back in her time, one she enjoyed on occasion and its newfound abundance in the modern world was striking to Luna for some time after having first learned of it, but mention of the impending briefing proved even more striking for her.

“Most verily, Sergeant Major. Any summit of such import would merit my entire party’s presence as circumstances would allow,” Luna responded candidly before looking across to the far end of the table and catching Russ’ attention with a wave. “I anticipate you will be joining us as well, Leman? No doubt prime targets for us shall be presented at this briefing?”

“There is no question,” Russ said with a nod of the head. “You’ll be given many targets to choose from, I don’t doubt that.”

Luna took a moment to look herself over as the others finished up their meals and the conversations began to quiet down. “I do not have my vestments for the Gala yet, I should see about speaking with Rarity before the afternoon gives way to the festivities.”

“Indeed! Some of you have yet to fully shed your armour,” Celestia pointed out with a chuckle to Trixie, who was still wearing her chest armour, as the Empress moved to take her leave and resume preparing. “I shall see you all later. Please take your time in getting ready, but be wary of the clocks.”

“Clocks bend to Trixie’s will, Your Majesty! That is to say, they do when she removes their casings and manipulates their gears to manually adjust the. Trixie shall be the fastest to prepare, all shall see!”

Trixie’s rather offhand declaration merited a few skeptical chuckles from the room around her. Many were already getting ready to go to their respective destinations to get ready for the evening ahead.

“Umm … everyone has already finished up their meals except for you,” Twilight deadpanned to Trixie, directly across the table from her.

Trixie was silent for a moment, muzzle inexpressive before saying with a roll of her eyes, “Bah! Inconsequential! Trixie shall just wolf it all down and then leave all but the Royals here in the dust!” The Knight-Errant proceeded to practically inhale the remainder of her colourful salad of native and alien fruits before huffing and hopping out of her seat and dashing out of the room after a quick incline of her head to Luna and the others. “Compliments to the chefs and the servers!”

The last statement echoed back to them down the hall Trixie had taken as her exit. Twilight shook her head and said, “I don’t get that mare, none of us probably do.”

“Mhm,” Johnson agreed with a sassy flare and light grin as he arose from his chair and donned his UNSC sergeant’s hat.

“You know who has yet to fully ‘get something’? That mare would be I, and that something, esteemed friends, would be this era and its colourful inhabitants,” Luna stated with a lighthearted chuckle.

Rarity’s Gift
Canterlot Palace

Time between the luncheon and leading up to the Grand Galloping Gala flew by rapidly like a hummingbird’s wings. Luna and her band of usual suspects had spent the afternoon attending the brief and considerably bore-inducing explanation of the general structure of modern day Grand Galloping Galas that Johnson and the Fangs promptly vacated prematurely, assisting with preparations here and there, exploring the halls of the castle further, and additionally for Luna: briefly studying the codex she carried.

Whilst in particular doing his wanderings of the palace to kill time and accomplish a set of mischievous goals until the evening and the Gala’s start, Johnson found himself entering the presently sparsely-populated wing of Canterlot castle responsible for administrative support for Equestria’s senate and ministries that served under her.

One of the first such ministries he passed by the office door of happened to be for the Ministry of Harmony’s Ambassadorial Corps. The ornate wooden door had been left ajar, and a small number of quiet voices could heard from within.

The first voice Johnson keyed in on was one he recognised immediately,

“It’s a rather curious phenomenon, isn't it?” the voice of Dr. Catherine Halsey inquired with a hint of amusement behind her usual analytical and subtly haughty cadence. “Ever since Leman Russ ‘returned’, the capricorn population on Earth, while relatively small in the tens of thousands compared to the several million Equestrians with residence there, seems to be migrating in veritable throngs back to their homeworld.”

“It’s not just Earth, many colonies from several GSC powers with any kind of capricorn population is experiencing this,” came another, masculine voice.

“Common knowledge at this rate, Mr. Sekibo, but fair to point out nonetheless,” Catherine replied as she then said, “Thane Arnora, you represent your people here as ambassador. What is your take on the mass migrations?”

Ever curious of the affairs of diplomats, politicians that arguably had some true worth, Johnson felt an inquisitive smirk dominate his features as he began moving silently and rapidly closer to the doorjamb, just out of sight and in near perfect hearing range. Feeling a little more daring, he peaked his head around to corner to catch a glance at the other conversation holders.

It proved to be a capricorn mare and an older human man that were in Halsey’s company. The capricorn was slenderly built and garb in the heavy fur clothes of Fenrisian nobility, covering a blonde coat. Her mane and tail were a deep brown and her green eyes glimmered with experienced much in the same manner as that of the dark-skinned human man, who was of gangly build and appeared to be in his upper middle ages.

“It’s the Sammekull by the Great Wolf,” Thane Arnora replied simply before taking a drink of the glass filled with amber liquid. When she received only looks of confusion, she chuckled slightly.
“Sorry, I forget that we are so different sometimes. Our Great Wolf has called for all willing capricorns to unite under his banner. It is an honour beyond measure to be called upon to serve in Russ’ Fangs. I ‘d be among those going from the very moment it came to my attention were it not for the fact that I was given stay on account of my duties here as ambassador.”

“If you wish to join us, it is simply no trouble, Sergeant Major, you need not eavesdrop,” Halsey said without looking in Johnson’s direction as she remained focused on Arnora as both herself and Sekibo turned to regard the newcomer. “Curious, a call to union from a single figure can inspire their people to rally to them regardless of such distance. Is there anything more you can tell me about this ‘sammekull’ and its circumstances?”

Johnson entered the room and stood beside the capricorn ambassador with a look of amusement on his face, not having been the least bit phased by being caught eavesdropping.

“As it just so happens, I can also throw in that there have been recent sightings reported of small packs of Fangs personnel wherever capricorns can be found,” the sergeant added to the conversation.

“Like your armies have recruitment stations, the Fangs have those who recruit for their numbers,” Arnora responded quickly to Johnson before returning her attention to their conversation at hand. “Sammekull means summons. Though it has never happened in my life or any capricorn that isn’t currently a part of our Great Wolf’s Einherjar, it is something that all capricorns feel in their very soul. For as long as our history tells, when there was need for warriors, the the Wolf King would send out a sammekull, calling for our people to join the Vlk- … The Fangs as he prepares to march the Legion across the stars. Many don’t join, for they know they are not worthy, and they know that they are not guaranteed to ever return if they follow the call. It is the way of Fenris at its very roots; to survive or fall upon the harsh ground.”

“Legion?” Halsey inquired with an arched brow, keying in on that specific word. “We have noticed from the start the … incredibly advanced engineering yet aesthetically primitive nature of the Fangs technology. Some of the ruins we have found we have dated back to the tens of thousands of years and older, and in them are oftentimes banks of incredibly limited data left behind seemingly like a breadcrumb trail, however unlikely that would be. But that is not what is intriguing to me, what is intriguing in this instance is that … one of the most frequently encountered words is ‘legion.’ It is most commonly found in the company of such terms as ‘warrior-servant’ and ‘praetor’? Without any form of context this coincidence is most amusing.”

Arnora smiled at Halsey before shaking her head. “I’m not sure of what any of it means either, Doctor Halsey. Our Wolf King is most likely the only one that could clear up your curiosity. I’m sure you know what it says about him in our history?”

“The legend of the Great Wolf, you mean?” Sekibo interjected as he looked between Halsey and Anora with a hint of confusion.

“Yes, the one that posits quite explicitly that the Great Wolf, of whom we have identified the actual historical figure as Leman Russ, was as old as planet Fenris herself,” Halsey said in response to both ambassadors with a sardonic edge, rolling her eyes for added emphasis.

“Oh, don’t be that way, Doctor. You cannot honestly expect, with the galaxy we live in, that such a feat is impossible,” Arnora replied with a chuckle. “You have met our Wolf King, which I am envious of by the way. His presence alone disproves so many assumptions everyone had about our culture, what is to stop him from disproving many more?”

Halsey’s symposium-loving side of her personality was awoken from hibernation at Arnora’s statement. “Ultimately not a question that is mine to answer, for in my line of work, there are no such things as assumptions, what is impossible and what is possible can only be determined by hard facts and even that can have its limits. There is what we know from observation and testing which applies even to the scientific fields of the magical and arcane, and then there is what is still yet to be discovered, and it is the hard facts of your culture that I seek to discover just like any other culture I study when the time or mood strikes me.”

While Halsey was preparing to continue, Sekibo adjusted his glasses and Anora watched the doctor with rapt attention.

“As for Russ’ age, one without any context to this conversation could misinterpret it as a matter of faith, and that is an entirely different realm of thought and discussion altogether, ambassador. With that said, I look forward to further study of your people as time and circumstance allows, for yours have caught my eye as the first instance of an ancient being from another time being directly observed alive. Being present in the technical opposite of an ancient tomb almost reminded me of what it was like to have the wonder of a small child.”

“Following your exploits thus far, Doctor, has been a very worthwhile endeavour!” Arnora said with a genuine smile, though her tone shifted to an undeniable one of snark. “Though as for exploring our culture, I have no power over what you will be able to uncover, if anything at all.”

Halsey seemed to let up on her sardonicism a noticeable bit at the smile, and promptly shook hands with the ambassador as Sekibo drank some wine and moved to clean his eyeglasses. “A scientist is always pleased to hear their work is appreciated in some … capacity. And as to your power, well let’s just say there is no shortage of ruins to explore in this galaxy of ours. I suspect more shall be open to us soon as the Covenant threat is annihilated and pushed back.”

Arnora picked up from Halsey’s intonation by moving to take her leave of the office. As her back was turned to the scientist, Halsey’s eyes glimmered as her mind conjured up a last minute question that had been vying for a bid to fully broach her attention. “Hold on, how come, if it's common knowledge to your people since time immemorial, no Capricorn has spoke of the Fangs to someone not of their own race until we finally made a discovery ourselves?”

Unfortunately for Halsey, the Thane was already on her way out, but still despite being within auditory range, the mare continued her exit at a leisurely pace. A deadpanning Halsey could all but see the knowing smile that the capricorn must have been wearing on her way out.

“Right, Mister Sekibo, we won’t keep you,” Halsey said out of the blue after a few moments of tapping an index finger against her cheek, arms folded before turning to Johnson. “Go out and have fun, Spartan. You might wear my rival’s armour system but I know an Orion original when I see one. I have pursuits of my own that demand my attention tonight. Good night, ambassador.”

“Do enjoy the Gala, Sergeant Major, Doctor,” Sekibo replied with a jolly wave before he followed them both out and proceeded towards his own destination in the castle.

As Johnson and Halsey split off to their respective destinations, Johnson found himself then wondering what exactly his newest blue-coated friend must have been up to.

In keeping with her word, Rarity had been swift in her appearance during the timeframe she had established that she would have something ready for Luna to wear to the Gala. She manifested in front of the surprised princess as she sat with her codex open alongside a parchment and datapad-busy Celestia in the throne room, almost forty-five minutes to the dot before the events officially began and guests would be welcomed in by Celestia.

“Your Highness, I finally finished it! Your second surprise, the secret I mentioned!” Rarity had stars in her eyes but was nearly out of breath as she galloped to a stop several centimetres away from Luna before she adopted as best of a regal posture as she could.

Luna could only look at him in astonishment for the moment. Equally surprised was Celestia, whose iridescent phoenix crimson and gold dress skirts rose with her slender legs as she stood up from her throne and peered at the familiar newcomer.

“Your entrance … while shocking when caught off guard, is most impeccable in its timing,” Luna smiled, “I am eager to see what wonders you have worked in such a brief period of time as these few hours since we made our mutual acquaintance.”

Pure elation blossomed on the seamstress' face. “It is one of the fastest productions I have ever produced. But with me, quality is never sacrificed when heightened speed must be applied … oh heavens, no. Inner tranquility is instead! Ahem, Princess Luna, I hereby present to you, a gala dress as closely tailored to your very essence itself as I could muster!”

Rarity proceeded to reach into her saddlebags before producing a significantly flatter and less weighty parcel that, like the armour that had preceded it, had been neatly folded into compact size.

The package was levitated by Rarity into Luna’s waiting hoof while the Princess looked on in intrigue, eager to see what was awaiting her. Luna wasted no time in freeing the contents for her and her sister to see.

“Well, maybe not tailored to your very essence, more like my first impressions of you, but I do hope you approve!” Rarity expressed as Luna got the first glimpse of the finery the mare had weaved and fashioned for her.

The dress was a vibrant cobalt affair that echoed Luna’s magical aura. The blue backdrop featured dapples of dark blue that similarly echoed her distinctive symbol along with argentine embroidering forming stars and more crescent moons from the neckline down all the way to the skirts, which tapered off into the flounce just above where Luna’s silver shoes would be visible that seemed to be alight like the tails of comets.

“What an impression I must have made!” Luna remarked as she beamed at Rarity. “This dress is beyond beautiful, Lady Rarity. I shall put it on without delay.”

“Your work never ceases to amaze, Rarity,” Celestia added with a warm smile,

Rarity inclined her head gratefully. “Thank you both! Do please enjoy the festivities as well as the dress, I hope to encounter you both at some point tonight, my lieges! Now my sincerest apologies but I simply must prepare myself as well, oh heavens so much to do … so little time!”

“If you’d like, I can save you a spot alongside me in greeting the arriving guests,” Celestia offered just as Rarity was about to dash out of the room after a quick bow.

“Please do!” Rarity said with a flourished bow before making a swift departure to her suite.

“An absolute gem of a mare,” Celestia said with a kindly tone and a fond gaze at the retreating unicorn mare. “And the maker of my own dresses as well, I might add.”

Luna nodded. “Indeed! Speaking of which, I best be off to follow in Rarity’s footsteps. Shall we meet up in the foyer?”

“That will do perfectly. I look forward to seeing you in the foyer in such fine raiment.”

With that, the sisters shared a brief smile before they both set off from the throne room to their respective destinations. Luna quickly donned her new dress after having flown up to her tower apartments, the procedure for doing so having become muscle memory in an era now long since passed. Luna’s sash-like scarf was put back on over the dress, and her shorter, silvery mane was put up in an elegant bun.

The best I have looked in a thousand years, Luna thought to herself in a bit of dry, private humour. How eager I am to see my mane, tail, and height restored to their full glory. It cannot come soon enough, but this shall suffice greatly for now. Let the Gala commence!

The Gala Begins
Canterlot Palace, Grand Foyer

A quick canter on Luna’s part to the foyer in the satisfyingly movement-accommodating dress was followed by the eyes of Celestia lit with wonder as she caught first glimpse of her sister now clad in the flowing blue finery.

The foyer was opulent and striking on its own, possessing the same white marble and gold filigree as most of the Old Town Canterlotian architecture. In addition to this was stained glass, banners of Equestria’s heraldry both recent and ancient, and was complete with a mural above the front doors of a phoenix grasping the golden garlands and sun insignia of the Equestrian Empire that a couple of intensely-focused pegasi artists were working on making last minute touch ups to. In comparison to Luna, though, the room faced a fierce rival when it came to inherent beauty.

“You look as stunning as ever, little sister,” the Empress complimented with an admiring smile, analysing Luna’s dress in greater detail than back in the throne room. “With it being your first gala since your return, perhaps even more so.”

Luna returned the smile as she joined her sister on the middle landing of the grand foyer. “As do you, Tia. You still greet the host of guests one and all, I see.”

“Always,” Celestia replied, her serene expression belying a clear desire to roll her eyes in boredom at the tedious prospect.

“Mayhaps we shall find some way to mix things up during this night?” Luna suggested with a conspiratorial wink, to which Celestia gave only a cryptic smile.

Both sisters turned their gazes as they heard newcomers approach from further up the stairs.

“Something tells me that things will mix themselves up before long,” came the voice of the Master Chief as the human approached with an ever-formal demeanor from the top of the stairs that Luna had just descended, alongside Trixie who seemed to be emulating the Empress’ demeanor but with her own distinct additions, such as a vaguely haughty twinkle of the eyes.

“Trixie personally hopes for some kind of ‘mix-up’, all galas she has ever attended have been either incredibly stuffy, or incredibly amusing.”

Luna was quick to register her friends’ obvious change in attire from when she’d last seen them.

Trixie was wearing a mostly red with gold-trimmed Equestrian royal dress uniform that covered from the collar down to her fetlocks, complete with a small number of fairly new-looking medals and a blue sash. Meanwhile, the Chief was garbed in an updated, decorated version of the predominantly grey, white, and similarly gold-trimmed UNSC dress uniform he had been depicted with in the artwork Luna had seen at the museum, complete with a matching peaked cap.

Their arrival coincided with several events. The pegasi working on the mural completed their modifications only a half a minute before the Royal Guards and a group of stewards at the base of the stairs opened the doors for a growing crowd of guests that were lining up or clustering around the front castle grounds just outside. The mares, stallions, men, and women of the Guard present stood at attention.

Meanwhile, the senior-most steward stepped out to begin delivering an address to those waiting outside. The steward could be heard faintly as a dress uniform-clad Johnson on the ground floor appeared from one of the rooms adjacent to the foyer and peaked out, gazing mischievously at the stewards and the entrance before chuckling to himself and disappearing the way he had come, which Luna knew to be the direction of the castle’s massive kitchen, pantries, and cellars.

Luna shook her head at the sight, pretending she had not seen him so as to safeguard the security of any hijinks yet to come.

“There you both are,” Luna greeted Trixie and the Chief upon noting the occurrences. “Have you seen Russ and the Wolf Guard or Johnson and Twilight yet?”

“Johnson is still preparing last I saw him, and when he finishes even then he might just end up wandering and being an outlandish airhead for quite some time, which means I win … against him at least!” Trixie declared as she snickered to herself.

“Twilight is likely mingling with Rarity and their friends somewhere else in the palace. Leman and the others should be just about … oh, there they are,” the Chief added as they all turned to further newcomers, some of whose footsteps rung clearly and loudly down several of the halls.

“Good to see the drinking hasn’t started without us,” Russ boasted as he and his Guard got closer.

The fourteen capricorns, hulking mechanical one included, came to a stop on the middle landing of the stairs to watch the influx of gala guests through the windows outside.

“Give it time, Praetor Russ,” Celestia replied with a wink that left Luna curious.

The Empress obviously was planning something mischievous for tonight but what exactly it was, she could not quite place a hoof on. Something involving liquor and spirits, clearly, but surely what was implied was too straight-forward for the likes of Celestia?

Luna filed her conspiracy theorizing to the back of her brain for now and focused on the newly arrived Fangs.

Russ and his Wolf Guard were once again without their immense power armour, but they still stood tall with heights that dwarfed even the Chief by at least a head at average. Bjorn meanwhile stood high over everyone as he did in the vast majority of circumstances, a sentinel for whatever location he went to.

Watching the arriving foreign and Equestrian guests at the front doors with an assortment of reactions ranging from vested interest, to amusement, to indifference, the capricorn warriors were in no shortage of native Fenrisian attire. Outfits featuring heavy cloaks, capes, and wrappings all of leather and durable animal fur abounded. The garb covered various parts of the body and none in a uniform fashion to any of their compatriots, with some parts of the body being left entirely uncovered such as the nape of the neck and upper back, chest, or midriff and waist.

Strings of beast fangs and bones, runic talismans, and leather straps adorned many of their outfits in addition, while a few of the Wolf Lords had also anointed the visible portions of their coats with the runes and sigils of their ancient clans and tribes of origin. Russ’ outfit in particular was perhaps the most complex arrangement of pelts and animal furs. Like the plating of his power armour, they were arranged mostly in regular layers for ascetics.

Joining the Capricorns on the ever-growing list of newcomers first was a quartet of earth ponies bearing instruments who were to provide some of the music for the evening and night. They were lead by a mare of grey coat and black hair carefully carrying a cello, with intelligent violet eyes that appraised all around her with fair judgement that slightly conflicted with her vaguely aristocratic demeanor, of which her three colleagues were sporting with much greater intensity.

The earth pony’s muzzle opened slightly as they entered after submitting their tickets to the stewards, and her brow raised at the sight of the denizens of the next planet over whose height was dwarfed only by the pillars of the foyer itself. Meanwhile, the rest of the musical ensemble’s jaws were nearly to the ground.

Celestia waved them in, smiling, but waited to give verbal greetings until enough guests had entered. The wait was not long by any means.

Immediately after the ensemble came first in an ordinary fashion not the expected Equestrian aristocracy but rather a delegation of a dozen well-dressed Unggoy lead by a matriarch and a male Unggoy that Luna recognised from several days ago. Yayap, veteran Unggoy soldier, seemed out of place where he was not because of the location nor his ancestry, but rather, on account of the fact that he was not currently hefting a Covenant-made fuel rod cannon or some equivalent heavy ordinance.

Yayap gave first Luna, then Russ and the Chief an enthusiastic wave as he in turn recognised them as well as the Unggoy joined the Equestrian musicians waiting patiently a couple of meters from the landing of the staircase. The wave was returned by the three but most awkwardly from all but Luna, whose reflexes from Grand Galloping Galas of yore were in full show tonight, but this time with full rather partial warmth to them.

Following them then was the usual bulk of almost every Grand Galloping Gala to date’s guest roster. The ancient aristocracy of the capital began making their entrances in what Luna regarded as a by and large unremarkable throng of glimmering regalia withs a sizeable minority by a slim margin standing out from the airs of superiority that the nobles effused.

Those that did stand out clearly had the look about them that their presence at the Gala was due not to having just been born into wealth, but rather from achievements years of long strife leading to their present day wealth.

Regardless of this distinction, the first portion of the guests were fully admitted into the sweeping foyer, and Empress Celestia moved to greet them. A trio of stewards with the assistance of some Royal Guards rushed about in the seconds-long window to do final checks of the audio system and enchantments that would carry her greetings to not just the front grounds but also the entire castle.

Celestia inclined her head with a graceful flourish before speaking. “Welcome, dear distinguished citizens of the Empire and the Concordat, to the two thousand, five hundred and forty-fifth annual Grand Galloping Gala. I would like to personally wish you a wonderful night in celebrating what has evolved from a monumental union between three tribes, three nations, three races, to a member state in a resolute union between many more and growing!”

“Honour to the Empress~!” came the enthusiastic chanting of some of the Unggoy, Yayap included as the rest of the arriving guests bowed or inclined their heads in their various manners in response.

“It is with great pride that I officially declare the Gala’s commencement!”

A general murmur of the events to come began to spring up amongst the arrivals after Celestia stepped back a few hoofsteps to indicate she was finished. Many of the whispers and subdued speech was directed towards the presence of the Fangs, who stood out as much as the Unggoy, likely even more so.

Luna’s equine ears swivelled about instinctively as she picked out some of what was being said.

“Some detachment of particularly exotic Jiralhanae, perhaps?”

“They’re clearly not regular Fenrisians, dare I say. I have met capricorn nobility. Such poshness rivalled my own, I admit … until I began integrating amethysts into my latest outfits.”

“Barbarians?! Mayhaps preferable to the Unggoy; time will tell.”

“It must be them! Only such distinguished people would be amongst us in such outlandish apparel!”

Attention towards the Capricorns waned slightly as the stewards allowed the flow of guests to resume its normal pace while Luna looked between the approaching guests, her friends, and her sister with uneasiness, who gave her a reassuring wink.

“It’s too late for me as I am expected to remain here for a while, but not for you … go and have some fun tonight!” Celestia murmured into Luna’s ear at a tone that only the most acute of ears present could detect. “I’ll remain here. Just let it be known though that you should expect a surprise before this gala and the night are through.”

Luna had no need of any questions for the majority of the statement Celestia’s primary meaning was obvious, and Celestia gave her a final parting wink before turning to personally greet Octavia’s group, who were inquiring for further details as to how to set up.

While that was undertaken, Luna turned to her friends to see how they wished to initiate the gala in their respective ways, and lead everyone into the least populated of the hallways connecting to the tops of the staircase, coming to a stop in the closest corner of the still largely empty ball room. “What shall we partake of first, my friends? The night is younger than a recently swaddled foal, how time abounds!”

Russ, who had his back facing Luna briefly, turned around to reveal a surprisingly large pitcher of amber coloured liquid in his hand. He didn’t even speak, just grinned before proceeding to down the entirety of the pitcher in a single swig.

With the emptying of the pitcher, Russ found his attention pulled from it, along with those of the others as a slyly smiling Cadance appeared from the far side of the ball room in an elegantly flowing dress inspired by her symbol. Alongside her was Shining Armor, who was wearing the same type of dress uniform as Trixie but with the more elaborate decoration of a Royal Guard captain.

“Dear Aunt Luna and friends, wonderful to see you all again!” Cadance greeted warmly. “I have someone very special here to introduce you all to. This is Shining Armor, he’s the captain of the Royal Guard’s Solar Guard unit.” Shining smirked and raised an eyebrow at her conspiratorily, which prompted her to shift her attention to Russ in particular with a return of her previous smile.

Russ read the exchange between the couple closely, and turned neutral in expression as he put his hands to his hips in general analysis. Mischief was clearly afoot even as introductions were being made.

The fur cape of Russ’ outfit made him appear to Trixie like a surreal real life equivalent to a superhero. It was a fact she rapidly relayed to Luna’s ear in an amused whisper as Shining Armor gave his greeting. Following that was a hasty, rapidfire explanation of just exactly a superhero was.

“Like heroes of old, godlike champions of justice who fight criminal evil doers!”

“Fascinating.”

“Hello, everyone. It’s a real pleasure; hope you’re all prepared for an interesting evening. Oh, and welcome back to your first gala in … many years I might add, Princess Luna!” Shining Armor said with a slight incline of his head, his own smirk retained.

“Good evening, you two. A privilege to meet you, Shining Armor, and to see you again, dearest Cadance,” Luna replied back mirthfully. “It would seem mischief is abound in every corner these days … I shall be grossly cross if this night disappoints me,” she added lightheartedly.

Everyone else also offered their greetings and a few hooves and hands were even briefly shook. With that done, some of the Wolf Lords wandered off from the group on their own accord and just outside the ballroom where a large bar tended to by two ponies, a human, and a capricorn who were just about finished with setting up their vast array of drinks on offer was situated.

“King Russ, might I have a moment of your time?” Cadance asked as some of the. “There are some of the nobility who wish to speak with you over there. Now, before you say anything, they heard of you from Fancy Pants and wish to offer their gratitude for your involvement in the latest battle in the best way they know how.”

Cadance proceeded to gesture a hoof at a grouping of five Equestrian unicorn nobles presently sipping from wine glasses as they appraised an alicorn sculpture closest to the tall, expansive windows. They were clearly engrossed in both the wine and the art they gazed upon.

“You can totally trust her word on that,” Cortana interposed as she flickered into being with an arched brow atop Luna’s hoof, folding her arms. “I have never seen a more honest face in my life, equine, human, or otherwise.”

“It is quite honest,” Russ replied, following along with the sarcasm.

Russ simply made a ‘go on ahead’ gesture to Cadance, who resisted the urge to giggle as she in turn lead him over to the aristocrats.

“More wine, more wine to make me temporarily ignorant of the existence of those that demand we be wasteful and liberally generous with our ancient fortunes,” one of the aristocrats lamented, preparing to flag over one of the rapidly moving servants by flexing her gold-shoed hoof whilst holding it aloft.

“I say, what is that low, pulsating noise? Did some fool servant actually let a random lowly Brute soldier into here?” another of the nobles, a stallion with a severe demeanor inquired.

When the nobles turned in response to the subtly thundering hoofsteps, they no sooner found themselves under the direct, withering gaze of a disapproving Russ. He all but snorted in their direction just as surely as one of them would upturn their muzzle without a second thought.

“Dear friends, I would like to introduce you to none other than Praetor Leman Russ of the Fangs of Fenris, the dominant military power on Fenris,” Cadance said to the nobles with a dramatic wave in the Praetor’s direction and a grin plastered on her face from ear to ear.

All of the unicorns visibly blanched beneath their coats like fuzz-covered quilts nearly buried in snow. “You, clearly … are no Brute … eheh heh,” a third noble managed a greeting, his voice nearly cracking as he gave a terrified laugh.

“Pleased … to make your … uh, acquaintance?” the strict-looking unicorn whimpered.

Wearing the most elaborate sneer he could muster, which was no real effort given the subjects of his stare, Russ approached ever closer to the nearest noble. He said nothing, while Cadance only watched on with a growing urge to fall over and rock about the floor in laughter.

When he got just close enough for the unicorn to feel the outer range capricorn’s breath in his face, all Russ had to do was sharply tap a finger on the pommel of his sword to send the entire party of five scurrying like rats out of the ballroom, somehow managing to have retained their telekinetic grasp on their wine in their terrified flight.

Hearty laughter chased the fleeing aristocracy out into the castle’s courtyard as the entire group, along with both Shining Armor and Cadance now trembling with laughter, found themselves with the ballroom temporarily all to themselves. The servants had been spooked out too by the spontaneously fleeing group of so-called nobility.

When the laughter died down, the topic had shifted from Cadance’s prank back to Luna’s original inquiry as to the plans for the night. Meanwhile, the room was beginning to fill again as first the servants returned, followed by Octavia’s quartet who began setting up their instruments on the low stage that occupied the far end of the ball room, and at last by a large influx of freshly arrived guests.

Discussions of impromptu itineraries were however halted as chance would have it when Luna noted the presence of a well-dressed Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack in the company of four new faces, two pegasus mares and an earth pony mare, as well as a tiny purple and green dragon.

“Twily!” Shining Armor greeted almost automatically as he registered his younger sister’s presence in the room.

“Shining, Cadance, everyone! And Luna! I’m surprised that the Empress didn’t somehow rope you into being stuck with her on greeting duties,” Twilight greeted with much surprise.

“I was pardoned such tedium by sister, actually. Something tells me however that come next year I may not be so lucky. I recognise but half of your fellows, Twilight Sparkle. Warm tidings to you three, ‘tis a most gracious pleasure. Might I have your names?”

“Pinkie Pie’s the name, and throwing parties is my game!” the pink earth pony piped up first, a living embodiment of enthusiasm as she grinned in wonder at Luna, nearly on the verge of bouncing from the looks of her legs beneath her dress. “That totally sounded a lot cooler in my head! Prolly why I’m not Rainbow over here!”

The sky-blue mare that Pinkie Pie was gesturing to stepped forward in a vaguely boast-like manner that somehow still translated into an expected greeting of royalty as she bowed slightly with a grin. “Full name is Rainbow Dash, Your Highness! I just wanna say real quick that I caught a few peeks at the War Games stream and, well … you and your super-powered friends with you now have a new biggest fan! I can’t believe how quickly you guys move, its outright incredible-awesome! Incredsome!”

Next to come forward was the young dragon that seemed to practically hover around Twilight like a little moon. He was eyeing the aristocracy with a look of annoyance before he met Luna’s gaze and appeared to turn somewhat nervous, if his smile was any indication.

“Hi there, Nightm … I mean Your Highness, Princess Luna hehe ... I’m Spike, Twilight’s assistant in the Golden Oak Library at Ponyville!“ Spike made a poorly devised fake cough before finally collecting himself and smiling in earnest. “It really is an honour to finally see you in person, I couldn’t believe it when I heard about you on the news! Oh, and just a heads up … Fluttershy here might take the longest of us to speak up … but trust me, get to know her and she can light right up!”

“Again, I am most pleased to make your acquaintances, you three!” Luna smiled before turning her attention primarily to the yellow pegasus that had yet to speak up. Now, what of you, my fair pegasus? You seem to have a most kindly aura about you.”

Up till that point, the one called Fluttershy had been concealing the majority of her nervous features behind a curtain of soft pink mane, and Luna’s slight approach and reassuring posture unfortunately only proved to draw Fluttershy a smidgen deeper behind her hair.

“You have no need to reply if it is too great of pressure, I will not take offense,” Luna informed her with a lighthearted chuckle, taking a step back to give Fluttershy some space as the rest of the pegasus’ friends look at her with encouragement. “I have seen but a glimpse of what it must be like; the first encountering of another thinking creature outside of Nightmare Moon’s control was a most intimidating prospect, even cloistered as it was in the back of my mind at the time.”

Luna’s words seemed to have carried some degree of weight, for it proved enough to get Fluttershy to step forward ever so slightly and give Luna a small smile as one eye became visible.

“I’m Fluttershy,” the timid mare finally managed in a voice as delicate as a white dandelion. The tone of her voice was clear that no further words were to follow any time soon.

The greeting garnered a beaming look from Luna as both some of her party and Twilight’s party chuckled at the exchange.

Unfortunately, the moment was made fleeting as Fluttershy finally made notice of Leman and the other capricorn warriors present after hearing Ran’s hoofsteps towards them with a tankard in hand. Seeing Bjorn wandering in a vaguely patrol-like manner in the gardens outside was the final cinch.

Fluttershy seemed to go almost catatonic and freeze in midair before darting outside and into the royal gardens in the opposite direction of Bjorn, with a high-pitch yelp of terror that carried far and eft Luna in a shocked daze before she muttered loudly, “Oh by the frozen tits of a frost giant, did that truly just occur? Truly?!”

Such a sudden utterance along with Fluttershy’s vastly audible fright caught her companions by surprise as well as a good portion of the entire ballroom, not at the least Russ as he began staring at her with one of the biggest grins she had ever yet seen on his muzzle.

Already the interest of most of the room had returned to what they had been doing before, to the surprise of some such as Trixie, who began to marvel at the short duration attention span some of the Canterlot aristocracy seemed to have on demonstration.

Luna rolled her eyes in annoyance before letting mirth rapidly take hold again. “That was good practice for a return to form on my interfacing with my subjects in times when tenderness is called for, but then the moment, shattered!”

“For what its worth, I think you did quite well in the brief time that you did,” Rainbow offered her input as she took to hovering. “Usually most attempts with new ponies tend to send Flutters fleeing right off the bat.”

Rainbow turned to look at the mare in question, who was sticking her head in through the nearest patio doorway that lead out into the gardens, checking to see if the coast was clear to rejoin everyone now that it was clear that four-horned equine giants in animal skins of all things were not out to chase her.

“I agree with Rainbow Dash. Someone in your position could not have handled such an encounter any better, at least that’s my assessment off the top of my horn,” Cadance weighed in. “Should you ever be interested in advice or tips on such things, my doors are always open.”

“Mayhaps I shall if time permits, and my gratitude, you two.” Luna then adjusted her voice a bit so that it was out of earshot of some of the other guests.

Enough of the Wolf Guard had come within earshot to satisfy Luna’s prerequisite that she would be heard over the pervasive low chatter and the classical music that had started up.

“Now, my Capricorn friends: for this minor transgression, I want every over privileged aristocrat inside this castle, outside the Imperial family, spooked to within an inch of their souls before this Gala reaches its end. You can tell them apart just by looks, the way they carry themselves is always the same. Remind them of why they have long since become nothing more than figureheads sitting atop glittering hordes that would make a dragon blush! No offense to your possible heritage, Spike.”

“Ha, none possible, Your Highness! Hatched by your’s truly,” Spike replied smugly as he patted a smiling Twilight on her shoulder.

“Princess, as much as I like to feast,” Dagmar said, her eyes twitching a little, “I don’t think giving these fools that much room to chase their tails is a good thing. It will only end in something horrible.”

“We love you two, Day-Bringer,” Solvi replied with a chuckle.

“Some different variety of horrible shall be our aim then, Dagmar. Mud-stained petticoat horrible. Sister will perchance have something already in motion that will fulfill this end, but we could always build upon it,” Luna conjectured with a conspiratorial wink to everyone. “Drunken warriors running amok with such weapons as yours would be a magnificent primer but admittedly a most dangerous one at best.

“Pranks, pranks! Of course, they can always be made better! A perfect prank is just an old mare’s tale!” Pinkie Pie interjected.

“Indeed. Whatever the approach, I look forward to it. The old nobility mostly serve, as they did in my prior era, to besmirch the decent names of such elite and productive houses as those of Fancy Pants, those who rightfully enjoy their earned affluence. Now enough talk of the nobility for now, methinks. Let us all get to know one another for a time!”

“A gesture I, Prince Blueblood, could not agree more too!” came the interjection of yet another new voice to enter Luna’s attention.

A white-coated unicorn stallion with blonde hair bedecked in the same uniform type as Trixie and Shining Armor approached with a tall, fiery-haired man in his company. The human was clearly Prince Tobias, whom Luna remembered only having briefly encountered before during her first day back on Equis from Selene.

“Especially if it means getting to know this particularly gorgeous warrior-mare, here,” Blueblood spoke in a tone of general address to all but his body language – a noticeable batting of his eyelashes – clearly conveying that he was addressing Ran in particular.

Prince Tobias turned to regard his unicorn companion with what appeared to be annoyance bordering on loathing as he could practically detect Ran’s response supernaturally without even needing to look in her direction for verification.

While Blueblood’s eyelashes were batting luxuriantly, Ran’s eyes meanwhile were staring dangerously still, as if daring the unicorn to try any further with his obvious mode of address.

Luna could only look on with much amusement as Tobias, sensing imminent cataclysm within a very small defined geographic space, promptly raised his hand as a telekinetic aura form around it and in turn one of Blueblood’s ears.

“I was going to be on the lookout for either gender, but your way of going about it has sullied my interest in it tonight, Blue,” Tobias griped.

“Magically unhoof me, Toby. You’re interrupting my show of absolute beauty, the beauty that helped conquer not one, not two, but three enemy worlds!” Blueblood whined as Tobias proceeded to drag the other prince out of the ballroom with perhaps the staunchest deadpan that Luna had ever seen.

A quake of laughter erupted amongst the Wolf Lords, but it nearly wavered as Ran then trained her gaze on her comrades rather than watching Blueblood be unceremoniously carted off.

“Well, that’s one death averted,” Dagmar muttered while shaking her head. She knew that Ran would have easily run the pony through if he had kept talking.

“Always a nice thing, that,” Twilight ventured with a chuckle.

“Especially under the watch of the Royal Guard,” Shining Armor added as he let up his cheerful demeanor slightly to convey his seriousness. “While we anticipate that capricorns and a lot of booze will inevitably make for probably some broken bones and even broken furnishings potentially, all things we can live with no problem even despite the mountain of paperwork and digital forms it would produce. Actual death would be a whole another factor, judicially and diplomatically speaking.”

“In a more lighthearted way to put it, Shiny is bracing for a mountain of paperwork either way, first thing tomorrow,” Cadance followed up, giving a wink to the capricorns in particular

“He isn’t the only one looking a little tense,” Solvi said to Cadance, slowly shifting her way to the young alicorn. “Many, many years of experience has taught me many ways to remove tension. I’d be glad to show you.”

Cadance regarded the capricorn with a playful expression. “Perhaps some gaps may appear in my schedule sometime soon. They seem to happen a lot with this one, here,” Cadance looked in turn to Shining, who bit his lip in what appeared to be embarassment. “Our invitation to Leman Russ also extends to his Wolf Lords and we would be most … offended if we were to be turned down.”

“If I’m not mistaken, this entire gala is one big gap,” Solvi replied with a smirk, completely shutting out the minor snickering from her fellow Wolf Guards not too far away.

“Then perhaps we should find a place to fill that gap while the night is still young,” Cadance said as she prevented her voice from becoming an outright pur.

“Well then, why don’t you show me all the best places to not be heard,” Solvi did purr this time.

Luna observed the exchange with a budding amusement that was only bolstered by the sight of an increasingly sweating Shining Armor, who seemed like he could bite his lip no more fiercely.

“The observatory tower. Since its the Gala, all the researchers will be busy at the bar outside or elsewhere in the castle, and the orrery there creates such a perfect dulcet ambience.” Cadance then turned to regard Shining before they took their leave, who at this point was sweating bullets. “Will you be coming with us, Shiny?”

The inflection that Cadance had added to the pronunciation of his name did no favours for his speech patterns in his current state. He replied in a sputter, “Uhh, erm, soon honey. You two go on ahead … I’m sure there will be, uh, plenty to look at up in the observatory.”

“I can vouch for the night sky personally,” Luna said to him with a wink, now leaving Shining Armor to the point of suppressing a squeak.

“Trixie likes this, she will not deny it,” the unicorn mare whispered to Luna.

“We’re off then,” Cadance said with a passionate chuckle as she and Solvi took their leave of the ballroom. “See you soon.”

“Sooner rather erm, than later … “ Shining Armor said back before announcing the sudden necessity of ‘surveying the battlements’ as he mustered up a respectful parting to Luna and the others before he took his own leave of the ballroom to retain his visual modesty.

Luna could barely maintain a rising chorus of laughter in her gut as she watched the rapidly retreating unicorn stallion, who was taking a route that she knew from having explored the castle dozens of times was yet another direct route to the observatory. She then turned to see a Master Chief that was barely maintaining his usual stoic expression.

Laughter was exchanged for surprise however as, once again, someone’s voice captured her attention.

“Guess who,” came the voice of a particular UNSC marine as first Trixie and then Luna and the others turned to regard him. Johnson had two large glass bottles carefully in his grasp as he smirked at them. “You all miss me? C’mon now, you know ya did!”

Luna grinned. “Mayhaps, Sergeant Major. That depends. What venerable beverage did you bring our way this evening?”

“Florienburg riesling, vintage 2499. Also, some whiskey from Reach.”

Trixie said nothing in reply, simply electing to huff at him before levitating both bottles out of his grasp whilst also telekinetically fetching some glasses deftly from a passing servant’s tray. She brought all of that about in front of her and offered to pour drinks for those who wanted some. Twilight accepted some of the wine while Shining and Cadance both sampled a glass of each, along with Johnson and Luna while the Chief declined for the time being.

Many of the Fangs grinned mockingly at the offer of the pony wine and only slightly less so to the human whiskey, but nevertheless the drinks were then shared amongst the Capricorns in single rapid draughts to humour their fellow guests. Some of them even managed to find traditional songs that matched the present music being played at the time, and sung it quietly amongst themselves, their systems not yet possessing enough alcohol to drive them to truly fitting volumes.

Canterlot’s Grand Galloping Gala was starting in earnest now. The earth ponies on stage were beginning to pick up in their music, now performing a more baroque style compared to their predominantly classical performance set to dominate the majority of the Gala that night. As that occurred, Fluttershy had finally managed to drive herself back into the ballroom to rejoin her friends who were now all celebrating near the stage.

Luna spied Ruman and Bjorn both in the garden, one standing with other guests with a glass of something in hand but saying nothing, and the other slowly approaching the topiary gardens and hedge maze. An idea sprung forth. She decided upon seeing both people by chance in the garden to introduce the two largely reticent individuals and strike up conversation between the two after temporarily parting with her present companions.

“Fair Ruman, I hope the evening treats you well thus far!” Luna greeted with a moderately sanguine flare, having approached him first thanks to him being the closest in proximity.

“Modestly so, Your Highness,” came the royal forgemaster’s neutral reply as he then took a sip of his drink.

“Would you desire some company? You are not the only one on the grounds here that is with only the company of themselves.”

Luna punctuated her question by gesturing to the ancient Promethean Wolf some paces away, still patrolling and at times observing the interactions of the other guests with what could be a degree of interest.

“An idea I am open to,” Ruman admitted as his face took on a faint but noticeable glow. “I must admit, my curiosity only grows for the era that the sapient construct … “ he trailed off his voice to indicate he did not know his name.

“He is called Bjorn,” Luna informed him.

“That Bjorn came from. He is a warmachine of such complex construction and yet there appears to be far more, from what I can observe, to his essence that belies his warlike appearance.”

“It has been made clear that, for the time being, questions of their direct origin cannot be answered with detail as a matter of private directive, but something tells me that Bjorn still has plenty to say if his interests are found and touched upon. Shall we gather you two?”

“Lead the way,” Ruman answered with a nod.

Delighted, Luna proceeded to lead the minotaur over to the analytical, contemplative giant currently dominating his own corner of the gardens. She caught his attention with a wave of her hoof, and greeted him with, “Warmest good evening to you, Bjorn! I have found two in these gardens bereft of company and you complete the pair!”

Bjorn shifted his digitigrade form and turned to regard the alicorn and the minotaur. His snouted face shifted to convey a slight analogue to a friendly expression that was possible given his imposing and mechanical nature.

“Luna figured it a good idea to introduce us, and while I admit I may be less socially inclined as far as minotaurs go, I still possess the trademark hospitality our race is famous for enough to enjoy meeting new faces. I am Ruman, the chief blacksmith for the empire’s Royal Guard.”

Bjorn’s head tilted down to the minotaur for a moment before returning back up to continue looking out over the Gala. There was no reply from the metal giant.

Luna’s ears flattened form awkwardness as Ruman simply scratched his head at the silence, his features still neutral. The quiescence continued to linger in the air for a few moments before Ruman had a thought and inquired, “I have always wondered, being a maker of arms rather than a soldier that fights with them, what is it like to serve in battle alongside a commander whom is as hotheaded as a plasma-fed forge?”

There was a snort from the giant wolf before his head turned around to face Ruman. “Hot-headed does not even begin to describe that thickhead capricorn. There are entire wars that … prove he thinks with his ass.”

Ruman chuckled slightly. “Do you suppose he can hear that from such a distance? I assume capricorn hearing must be of high calibre, let alone his.”

“Like he would do anything about it. Despite everything, he cares not about … what he is called,” Bjorn replied.

Bjorn’s reply proved enough to draw Ruman out of what had turned out to be a mask as a massive grin dominated his face and his bovine ears flickered, also causing Luna to light up again. “We need more of that kind of thing in Canterlot. Everywhere. The war has dulled seemingly almost everyone’s sense of humour in the higher echelons.” Ruman downed the rest of his drink. “Then there are those who have always had their heads up their asses no matter what the situation of the galaxy. Me, I just tend to my forge as my duty calls me. Were there many like the capricorns of your day, as well as the capricorns of ours?”

“There was only Fangs and those who saw the Fangs as mythical gods,” Bjorn answered somewhat solemnly. “There was never capricorns like you see today.”

“Deification? Just why?” Ruman scratched his head again. “Aren’t pantheons enough, and all they do is just stand around being statues and whatnot. Can’t recall a time in living memory that an actual legitimate god or goddess appeared and did something fun or nasty, unless one buys into them old mare’s tales and the claims of the darn immortals that wander around the planet here.”

“I met a wrinkly immortal once, an actual centaur. I think he was named Sendak,” Johnson interjected as Luna found him appearing near her for the second time that night, this time smirking at the other three with yet another bottle in his hands. “Bearded wizard type, with skin like sandpaper. Anyways, glad to see two of some of the biggest lugs in this castle are making nice along with Luna, here. Would four be a crowd?”

“Not at all, or would it, my new friends?” Luna turned to regard Bjorn and Ruman.

Both gave their respective form of welcoming gesture. Nodding to them with a smile, Johnson pulled over a patio table that he set his new bottle, Luna read the label as being a form of human-made whiskey, down upon before fetching chairs for Ruman and himself.

“So Bjorn, got some curiosities of my own! Namely, can you paint a picture of what a good battle was like in your time? You know, just enough to give us an idea of what asskickery was like in what we consider to be the damn age of stone and caves.”

Bjorn’s head turned to regard Johnson, “you’re like one of the fresh pups, so eager to hear tales of old. There is only a few stories … I can tell to non-Fangs. One being the sacking of Yonhet, a rather quick but brutal war; for them.”

“Always been a sucker for war stories. If the youthful spark ever truly leaves someone, then something went wrong somewhere down the road,” Johnson replied with a grin, pouring drinks for himself and Ruman after it immediately became obvious that Bjorn was not capable of consuming it.

“A sacking? You have my undivided attention now. Ancestors of mine have worked in this city during attempted sackings and sieges centuries ago, helping to break them,” Ruman stated.

“Long before your time, during what the Fangs call, the Great Crusade, there was a planet … one that hosted a species of dishonour and greed. What they are, is not important, or what they did for that is history. All that matters to time is … that once we were done with it, it was hardly a planet,” Bjorn began, his deep synthetic voice rumbling yet hardly loud enough to get past the table.

“Do enjoy the tale, you two. Unfortunately I cannot remain for I wish to check and see if sister has set her mischief into motion yet for the Gala at large,” Luna said as she gave an apologetic look to Bjorn before training her eyes on the bar and then towards the entrances of the ballroom.

As Bjorn began reciting the war story from memory with his audience of two listening with rapt attention, Luna made her way back towards the ballroom with parts of the story still reaching her ears.

“The initial bombardment was nothing of note, our Great Wolf decided he wanted to test us. To see how easily we could take the planet. Leman comes up to me, as we approach our shuttle, and asks me if I wanted to sit this one out, for I was apparently getting too old. I grinned and bore it before telling him I would slay more foes than he could even count,” Bjorn continued, seemingly more than eager to tell his story.

Luna’s ears swiveled a bit with curiosity at the words but she filed them into the back of her mind as she set about searching for Trixie, Leman, Chief, and the others in the now crowded ballroom.

What Wolf Lords Luna found were within proximity of a second bar that had been quietly but rapidly established by some stewards to complement the other one outside. Amusingly to her, some of the Unggoy of Yayap’s party had joined the capricorns in the drinking taking place and were already beginning to hobble about at random and start rambling from the intoxicants flooding their systems.

“All drinks on me, my people, if my name isn’t Matriarch Zayaz! Oh wait, it is … Matriarch Zayaz is best noble in all the galaxy.”

“Maybe if me drink more, me grow taller. Maybe if me drink more, tall people grow shorter, hehe.”

“Scrub grubs, the lot of ya!”

Unggoy height and high-pitched voices, thanks to the methane they breathed through their snorkeling gear-like rebreather devices, in sheer comparison to the capricorns was so striking that Luna felt herself repressing the urge to snicker. Their numbers were not enough to draw much attention, although in combination with their capricorn counterparts they could yet prove to put on quite the display.

Just as Luna spied Trixie drinking something, whilst Leman Russ downed a flagon of mjord and the Master Chief watched them both over a datapad he had on the table he was seated at on one end of the room, she also spotted her sister over at a door where the servants were coming and going from. Celestia was waving her over with an urgent but mysterious demeanor, her eyes alight with playfulness.

“Luna, please come here! I have something to show you!”

Luna pursed her lips for a moment before rolling her eyes and smirking. She increased her pace and detoured towards her sister. “I hope this proves worthy of your urgent air, sister.”

Behold … Booze! And a Secret!
Canterlot Palace, Kitchen Wing

Luna followed after her sister with an increasingly anxious but excited expression as they all but stalked the corridors leading to the castle’s royal kitchen.

“It is something simple and straightforward,” Celestia stated vaguely as frequent looks to her sister behind her levied the unspoken question again and again. “If it was too obvious of a conclusion to jump to, it will be even more obvious what the plan really consists of when we get to our destination,” Celestia said with a wink.

“Just following your lead, sister mine,” Luna replied with a chuckle.

“Not long now, just down this corridor!”

Both alicorns continued on until they reached a heavy oak door replete with a sign portraying stylized wooden kegs, leading down deeper into the palace basements.

“The … royal cellars. Truly?” Luna broke out into laughter at that. “Avery Johnson nearly gave it away.”

There was only the pearlescent showing of teeth from Celestia before she declared in a most uncharacteristic fashion, “The ‘Empire’s solution’ to tonight's monotony! Behold … booze!”

Under Celestia’s golden aura, door swung open to reveal the expansive cellars nearly full to the brim with stacks upon neat stacks of various boxed bottles, barrels, and kegs. Servants and other staff were quietly milling about amongst the stacks, moving assorted liquor about, performing audits, and hefting clipboards and datapads around.

Celestia gave a sweeping and quasi-villainous gesture to the entire collection of rooms before them. “I personally ordered extra alcohol of all kinds for the Gala out of my own pocket, and instructed our staff to offer it especially and persistently to the corrupt of the nobility; their names are notorious and they are readily identifiable by all Canterlotians. Our staff can also be quite persuasive.”

“Allow me perchance to conjecture!” Luna said with enthusiasm. “You plan to sow mischief and chaos amongst their ranks, give the Royal Guard reason to remove them from attendance and fine them, thus humiliating them whilst transferring some of their wealth back to the capital’s coffers?”

Cheekiness lit up Celestia’s features. “Believe it or not, the plan mainly is just for the mischief portion in mind, but that would be a most fortunate byproduct!”

“And what if it has ill repercussions too, however? Already the Unggoy were beginning to behave erratically from intoxication, and might a number of drunken warriors such as Leman’s Fangs of Fenris prove to become an unwitting fatal threat whilst also in the presence of drunk aristocracy?” Luna inquired as her features sobered for the moment.

Luna closed the door behind them to assure privacy for the duration of their presence in the

“I anticipated that beings of such ancient origin and such powerful technology millennia ahead of even the Covenant’s would also possess great restraint even under the influence,” Celestia stated with an equally serious expression.

This made Luna tilt her head a bit. “And if they are not?”

Celestia peered into Luna’s eyes so that her sister could read her more easily. “Even if that proved to not entirely be the case, anyone foolish enough to attempt to pick a fight with a warrior of their average size and threat level would also in turn be challenging the Royal Guard, a prospect that promises almost instantaneous arrest. You have not be informed of this yet, but the Royal Guard have already undergone the augmentations that the Praetorians have yet to, and beyond thanks to the limited yet staggering xenoarchaeology and reverse engineering that has been done. I do so ever wish for full public discourse of our most advanced developments, but our intelligence organisations appeal to my more secretive side of my personality nearly ever time, gridlocking the effort that I admit my weakness in this regard further impedes.”

”You did say the Guard was here for the city’s protection mostly, rather than that of yourself. I assume they are also for Cadance and the rest of the imperial government’s security,” Luna mused, before following up with, “We digress terribly though, my sister. This is discussion enough for another time. If we can contain the riskier side of this mischievous endeavour, then let us spring it!”

Both siblings’ joviality returned within moments as they nodded to each other before making their way out of the castle cellar.

Two Anthems, Two Mares, and a Lot of Drink
Canterlot Palace, Ballroom

When Luna returned to the ballroom with Celestia entering it for the first time in full that night, they found that Celestia’s scheme had already begun to take fruit in a most visible form.

Small groups of Canterlotian aristocrats nearest the interior bar, which had mysteriously doubled in its staff and liquor supply since the sisters had returned, were already beginning to appear tipsy or more flamboyant in their interactions than usual from such stuffy demeanors. Much to the alicorns’ surprise however, the odd conduct still had yet to reach the full attention of the rest of the ballroom.

Instead, many of the foreign guests were still engrossed in either the earth pony ensemble’s music or the decor and architecture. The nobility meanwhile were steeped in their own respective conversations of gossip and alleged political and economic intrigue.

Due to the current state of the Gala in respect to the ballroom in particular, Luna separated from Celestia, who was beginning to mingle with some of the guests, and took the time to scan the crowd for faces she both recognised and that were unfamiliar but could easily be distinguished from the Gala-goers to be avoided.

Professor Anders was quickly spotted in enthusiastic conversation with Twilight and Rarity and the rest of their friends. Following her was the sight of A.K. Yearling, possibly discussing archaeological findings with what could be fellow colleagues, a diverse assortment of humans and ponies gathered around her listening with greatly focused attention if their body language were any indication. Lord General Svelte was also seen to be in attendance chatting with the holographic projection of Obligation, the physically present weapons master Sanjiik Kusovai, and a small collection of Royal Guards.

Amongst the unfamiliar faces to Luna was a number of pegasi clothed in blue and gold flight suits with goggles on their foreheads, as well as apparent colleagues draped in similarly coloured military dress uniforms. Most prominent of these pegasi to draw the Princess’ eye was a fiery-haired pegasus mare that, by the way she carried herself, appeared to be the leader of the group currently present at the Gala.

“Princess Luna, nice to finally make your acquaintance!” the mare had said as she introduced herself as Spitfire, a major captain of the Wonderbolts.

“Likewise!”

“So, how’s this year’s Gala treating you? Bored to death yet from all the stuffy and insufferable air around here?” Spitfire’s wink was just able to be made out through her body-covering flight suit, but it nonetheless earned a snicker from Luna.

“Methinks it shall not be a problem before long,” Luna said with a wink back before the two had to give their partings as their respective activities and companions called them and their full attention back.

As Luna resumed her surveying of the crowd, in a most Bjorn-like fashion at that, she noted that many of the other unfamiliars were diplomats, powerful merchants and the like if she had to wager. She was nearly finished with her crowd-gazing before her eyes chanced upon some of the most alien members of the guests participating in the Gala, and she recognised them instantly.

A whole millennium having been spent observing them whilst being a prisoner within her own mind and body, the Nyx of Selene were unmistakeable to Luna, none the least the tallest amongst them that she had last seen five days ago fully restored from the Nightmare Forces’ corruption.

Larry the Dreamweaver stood at the front of his small group of morphologically diverse brethren, wearing an odd type of modern black and white finery complete with a crisp white tie and partaking of a glass of wine as he stared at everything with a passive wonder much like what she possessed still to the very moment for the world around her.

Luna expected herself to hesitate due to what a figure such as Larry represented, but to her surprise there was none at all save for the initial shock as she found herself purposefully striding towards the group of Nyx, who all could spot her out of the crowd just as surely as she had with them.

“Princess Luna, imagine our awe at seeing you free from the shackles of the Nightmare Forces!” Larry said the instantly she had reached the optimal range of his normal speaking voice, his hands held aloft to illustrate his awe. “Our leader Gaiman says that all Nyx are in the debt of those who freed us as well as yourself using the Elements of Harmony.”

“The awe is mutual! It may yet only increase when I inform you that those who freed us from the forces of Nightmare Moon are now amongst my friends, and we have since made even more powerful friends in the days leading up to this Grand Galloping Gala you may yet meet tonight. Those, dear companions all, are but a portion of their total number.”

Larry followed Luna’s sweeping gesture towards where Russ, Trixie, and the Chief had since moved to, all three of them now drinking some form of liquor or another while Russ continued on with seemingly endless drafts of mjord.

“If visual stature alone is any indication, they are most powerful and formidable friends indeed!” Larry said with a note of admiration in his vaguely avian voice. “Princess Luna, since our restoration as a people, this Grand Solarian Concordat that rules everything around our system has briefed us of the state of the world outside of Selene.”

“The war, aye,” Luna said simply, nodding for him to continue.

“Yes. In addition to our debt, Gaiman and all of us have pledged our allegiance to the Concordat, and given our mutual millennia-long struggle with Nightmare Moon, that allegiance extends to yourself and all who associate with you. Should you ever need the services of the Nyx: our warriors, our thinkers or our dreamweavers, we are at your disposal!”

Larry’s declaration caused Luna to smile gratefully, and she even flared her wings partially out in delight at the prospect of a new power, however slight in size, joining the alliance her sister had helped forge in such recent history. Such solidarity had proven incredibly rare in the Equis she had been familiar with.

“I would like to offer you my personal gratitude for your allegiance, I am sure Equestria and its colonies follow suit … I admit I am still growing accustomed to the latter element of our civilisation.”

It appeared that Larry had more to say further as he nodded his thanks in return after expressing his delight that she had not possessed apprehension by the Nyx’s presence. Unfortunately, whatever it was found itself caught in his beak as the alcohol guzzling of the aristocracy finally had reached enough prevalence that antics were being made manifest.

A chorus of gasps threatened to nearly overtake the prevailing sound of the musical quartet as a number of finery-clad unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi of both genders embroiled themselves in internecine brawls.

Celestia appeared grinning but analytical beside Luna as the nobles began hurling slurred insults at one another over each other’s deteriorating speech, their attire, and even their respective choices of drink. Glass was being shattered and some were tearing at each other's garments. Outside in the gardens, some of the nobles were beginning to host impromptu magical duels with one another in a most tipsy fashion, or were hollering at one another as if they each were servants to the other.

Luna could make out Royal Guards in the far distances of all four varieties, watching the Gala attentively but their stances no more stoic than was usual for them. All of the more aggressive and hostile nobles were already being carted out of the Gala by the armoured escorts whose severity put to shame nearly every notoriously straight-laced professor that had ever dwelled in the entire breadth of Equestria.

Despite the gasps and the commotion, somehow the main body of guests in the ballroom carried on in their regular business, this time adding in bouts of amused and shocked observation of the drunken ponies currently shattering their false facades of genteel superiority. Some of them, especially the equally inebriated Capricorns, were howling with laughter at the circus unfolding both inside and out.

Even Twilight Sparkle and some of her friends, to Luna’s surprised laughter, were contributing to the chaos whilst Spike had taken to deadpanning and hovering near the musical ensemble whose constant melodies seemed to create a forcefield of order around the stage which Luna had positioned herself next to.

To add to matters, Yayap’s party was in the midst of an activity where they were sprinting about the ballroom floor, cheering and seeing how many aristocrats’ muzzles they could tap whilst making a ‘boop’ noise before they could be stopped by unicorn magic.

While Russ and the Chief had gathered with some of the Wolf Lords at the bar inside the ballroom, Trixie had meanwhile broken off from that trio and had joined up with Twilight, Trixie, and Applejack, who proceeded to perform one of the most notable drunken acts of the night as they giggled their way towards the stage just as the musicians were in the closing seconds of their latest song.

“Octavia Melody! Make way for Trixie and Twilight, the ultimate vocalist duo this side of the galaxy!” Trixie said in between giggling fits in a slight slur to the grey mare that lead the ensemble.

Octavia’s eyes seemed to almost bug out of her skull in response to the two unicorns’ sudden appearance on the stage. Her colleagues’ reactions were fairly comparable, and Spike’s eyes widened before his deadpan returned.

“Excuse me?” Octavia chirped out.

“We’re gonna sing the anthem!” Twilight all but blurted out as she seemed almost unable to retain her balance.

“Oh brother ... “ Spike sighed.

While the duo visually assailed Octavia and company with their current unruly states, Luna briefly stole a glance at Celestia. She found the Empress to be caught in an internal civil war between mortification and rib-shattering laughter.

“I’m sorry … you what?!” Octavia stammered out in what appeared to be horrified disbelief.

“The Equestrian anthem, silly!” Trixie added as if it was the most helpful tip in the universe.

“Both … b-both of them?” Octavia replied, stammering further as one of her eyes twitched at the prospect.

“Sure, why not?! Everything's better when doubled!” Pinkie Pie threw in with glee from the disorderly crowd.

“Hear, hear!” Luna found herself calling out in a similar fashion

“Both anthems it shall be, so sayeth the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Trixie proclaimed, prompting Octavia to place the flat of her hoof against her muzzle in dismay before giving a sigh of resignation and instructing her quartet to make way for them for the time being.

Pinkie Pie somehow appeared next to Trixie and Twilight, grinning with an antiquated microphone and its stand which she deployed for the, in the short span of time before darting back to the crowd.

“Gods have mercy on us musicians,” Octavia muttered as the two unicorns then stood side by side at the forefront of the stage, grinning at the entire ballroom.

“Royal anthem first, as always,” Trixie said as she raised a glass with her magic in a toast, not realising it was empty as she moved to down its nonexistent contents.

“Take it away, Trixie!” Twilight prompted the other as she paused to hiccup.

Trixie smiled with a flushed face, passing the glass over to a laughing server and priming her vocal cords before singing.

O’ Land of Harmony
Fair Equestria, for thee we rise
For amity, liberty, and joy
Land of magic, the free and wise

The crowd and indeed the rest of the castle that could hear the sounds being carried over was shocked to behold midway through the first anthem that even inebriated, Trixie’s singing voice rang out articulately with only slight slurring. She produced a performance that was still in its own unorthodox merits considerably enjoyable. Even Twilight’s audible hiccuping was still not enough to diminish it entirely.

As Trixie continued, Twilight joined her with an equally passable yet still marred singing voice for the final half of the anthem.

For friends of old, one and all
Three tribes as one stand tall
O’ Land of Harmony
Fair Equestria, for thee we rise

When the duet finished, the entire ballroom was awkwardly silent. Even the most blazingly drunken nobles were gawking like fish or had their lips pursed. Both mares were on the cusp of breaking out into nervous sweats before an unrestrained, free-spirited mixed chorus of laughter, booing and cheering erupted.

Celestia was cheering. Luna for her part meanwhile was amongst the laughing portion even despite her propensity for oftentimes excessive decorum.

Both mares onstage brushed off their brows with relief as Octavia caught their attention with a tap on both their shoulders, the crowd’s sound lessening gradually.

Octavia was actually donning a smile of pleasant surprise. “That actually wasn’t half bad, erm–”

“Trixie,” Twilight blurted out.

“Twilight,” Trixie equally blurted at the same time.

When they realised their mix up, their faces became ever more flushed as Octavia continued. “Believe it or not, you have inspired us!” Octavia gestured to her bandmates, who nodded in agreement, “We shall play the instrumental of the imperial anthem as you continue!”

Trixie and Twilight both exchanged questioning looks before shrugging, this time going bipedal as they shared the microphone.

Octavia’s ensemble quickly got into position and began to play the instrumental of the anthem with the instruments they had on hoof.

O’ Empire of Harmony
Fair Equestria, for thee we rise
From sea to sea afar
From sky to gleaming stars
A vibrant soul immortalised
May we be humbled by
Our great, majestic might
By day, and by the night
Forever amity will take flight

By now, a lot of the ballroom had taken to singing along as a general sense of unity began to conspire with the alcohol to overtake their normally arrogant and proper attitudes

Ev’ry world and ev’ry star
Under fair blue and white
United with glowing hearts
Under proud red and gold
Flourish dawns and starts
O’ Empire of Harmony
Fair Equestria, for thee we rise

More cheers erupted this time along with an equal amount of booing heckling from the previous rendition as the instrumental carried on for a few more seconds before Octavia and company brought the song to a graceful conclusion.

Even the hecklers found themselves compelled to shift their sounds to a new stance as Octavia surprised everyone moments later by playing the instrumental of the GSC itself.

Luna’s sense of wonder ignited in that moment as some of the foreigners began singing the lyrics of their anthems, prompting Leman and the rest of the Fangs present to join in with some Capricorn warsongs. Voices combined as the Equestrian anthem was sung again to join the eclectic and vibrant mix in addition to a number of folk songs both from Equestria and beyond its borders.

The singing outlasted the actual anthem of the Concordat by almost a minute before a quiet had returned to a ballroom whose atmosphere had been briefly transformed from one of extravagant opulence to a variety of true solidarity.

Rounds of applause and cheers hailed Octavia’s group and the various guests themselves for their combined performance. Octavia and her companions gave prideful bows, each beaming as a certain alicorn shared their expression.

Luna was smiling in her own right, but to her, Celestia appeared to be positively alight like an actual star as she moved to join her side near the stage. Philomena, Celestia’s pet phoenix, had perched herself on Celestia’s elegantly slender foreleg as she approached.

“My sister, clearly this event had moved you just as much as myself, if not more so,” Luna pointed out with a raised brow, amused.

Philomena gave her a welcoming chirp, prompting Luna to coo at her as she stroked her plumage affectionately.

“Prepare to eclipse me, Luna, as I make an announcement on your behalf,” Celestia stated cryptically, still maintaining her smile as a by now confused Luna watched her ascend the stage and took her place where the microphone had previously been, herself having no need for it due to centuries of vocal practice. Philomena had removed herself from Celestia’s leg and was now circling the air of the ballroom above everyone.

“Citizens of Canterlot, Equestria, Fenris, and the GSC, I would like to formally introduce to you all, the de facto Crown Princess of the Empire of Equestria!” Celestia waved a minorly startled but delighted Luna up to join her as applause rang out once more.

“Celestia, I … “ Luna chuckled as she mustered words, but Celestia caused her to pause mid-sentence with a wink.

“Consider this your informal coronation, little sister,” Celestia informed her before saying to the Gala-goers, who were already beginning to bow, “As the former diarch of our prior kingdom, Luna now has full status as a member of the imperial family. She will be given fledgling command of military forces, and is now a living embodiment of our collective diplomatic, academic, and cultural voice. She is my equivalent in all executive authority. I hope for you all to welcome her, a true daughter of harmony, with the combined warmth of Equestria’s heart.”

Celestia finished by turning to her sister and offering her the forefront of the stage, encouragement adding to her glow as she ushered Luna forward.

Luna accepted with gracious nod, grinning as she took her sister’s place and looked out over the crowd that was dominated by admiration and approval. Those that had any sign of dissent were easily blotted out of notice, and the remainder, including the Fangs, regarded with approval tinged with a form of reminiscence only they at present understood.

As Luna cleared her voice and surveyed her audience, she was shocked for the umpteenth time that night. Words she expected to have come with difficulty from such a sudden event actually came with relative ease, flowing like water as she delivered a brief speech to what was now by Celestia’s decree her legal subjects as well.

“Citizens of Equestria and her allies, friends all, I am beyond humbled. The restoration of my ancient office is the greatest boon I could have ever been granted outside of freedom from the Nightmare herself. For the wrongdoings of Nightmare Moon for centuries, afflicting your dreams, robbing you of your sleep and far more, and for the land I long ago came to call home, your Crown Princess reaffirms her loyalty to the subjects she serves.”

Luna paused to take a breath as her audience looked to her with encouragement.

“In my service as a co-ruler of our empire, my first order of duty up until this moment already self-assigned, is to oversee and aid in the Equestrian efforts of bringing to justice the corrupt and criminal dregs of the Covenant Empire. We shall culminate in that power’s complete and total destruction, so that no civil and free society should ever stare down the threat of its genocidal tyranny again!”

With that, the Gala marked the start of its final hour that night to a hailing cry, laden with eager howls and various war cries and patriotic slogans that filled the castle with the sound of determination and unity.

Epilogue/Arc I Finale: The Ancients

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The Alicorns of Asphodel
Equis, Equestria
Saturday, 26th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

While Canterlot was preparing to celebrate the Grand Galloping Gala that day, a significantly different organisation from the Empire of Equestria was on the cusp of holding a meeting of dire importance to them.

In a city veiled behind the omnipresent yet distant roar of an immense wall of cascading water, housed within a sun and gemstone-lit, naturally-formed Central Grotto whose breadth spanned well over a kilometer in either direction, seven elaborately-robed bipedal and quadrupedal figures converged at a quick but not hurried pace on stone that never seemed to lose its polished-like shine.

Their destination was obvious to any of the city’s possible onlookers as they bustled about the streets in similar exotic attire, for they approached in glide-like steps towards a metal, stone, and crystalline complex close to the city square where trade and festivities of the arts occurred. Several circular wings a dozen stories high decorated by colonnades and winged, horned statues of their people that were just as tall coalesced into a single middle crystal arch-roofed spire that stood almost like a lighthouse as the highest precipice under the grotto ceiling.

It was an imposing structure to be sure, and would be considered ancient to most on the planet but by the locals’ standards, it was quite new. This extended to the city itself, which shared similar forms of architecture as the building the locals were preparing to enter.

One of them tilted her head to look up and appraise the growing facade of their destination as they approached. The building's tall, elegant windows appeared to be only mere frames, devoid of any kind of glass, but the being knew that something was in fact there. The field of magic in every frame, as thin as a razor’s blade, regulated everything that attempted to pass through it. Moreover, much more to the window field was its ability to change appearance at a user’s will to depict any number of decorative artistic scenes or simple displays of vibrant and vivid colour.

Decor of most all Asphodellian buildings were very often a reflection of their inhabitants’ dominant mood at any given time, with such visible effects being increasingly likely the more prominent the official of the building was.

At present, the blandly transparent and blank nature of the Citadel’s windows gave one clarion indication: The First Councilor of the Asphodel was in an informational mindset today. They’d best be prepared for much numerical figuring and the frequent tossing about of data, for the times called for such intensive analysis and parsing of information.

This laid at the crux of the group's visit. The First Councilor had summoned the entire Council of Asphodel to convene today to discuss events that they had all been keeping tabs on since the very moment of their first occurrence.

The councilor gazing at the front of the building casted her gaze down to rest her eyes upon first her silver and white-clad companions, and then the various inhabitants of the city all going about their daily business. Also drawing the eye was the variously-placed large, six sided star-shaped planters of lush vegetation that were each dominated by the flower from which the city of Asphodel had been named.

With all usual procedure, the councillors admitted themselves into the vast gallery of the Council Citadel. Its opulent floors proved to be just as bustling with activity as the streets outside.

Their brief walk took them all straight across the gallery to the middle of the citadel inside the council chambers that laid within the base of the spire. The spire’s main staircase was visible through the chambers’ apertured ceiling, and offered a near vertigo-inducing view straight up to the ceiling of the spire’s second-to-last floor.

Inside the council chambers was a circular table surrounded by twelve holographic terminals that all faced a six pointed star inlaid with a tree-like geometric rune. Five of the twelve were already present at their respective workstations, including the First Councilor himself as the group of seven remaining members joined them in the session. The humanoid First Councilor nodded to his fellows as they each took their places around the table.

Sounds from hooves and covered feet could be heard on the multihued stone floor. This was thanks to the serene quietude of the chambers compared to the distinct murmuring and busy-bodying that one could hear outside its doors.

“Welcome fellow councillors. Alicorns of Asphodel, the times we have been long preparing for are nearly upon us. Today we shall overview our mission once more and on consensus pass a final course of action. But first, let us commence with our openings,” the First Councilor proclaimed, whose attire was the exact same as his colleagues save for the addition of an ancient and weathered cape that bore an insignia similar but more complex and detailed than the symbol of the Asphodel.

Its glyphed star clutched by the phoenix was one of renown to the inhabitants of the room, although its rarity was by design as much as circumstance.

“It’s a privilege to be amongst one another as always,” one of the council replied with a friendly wave of their foreleg as they all gave their greetings to one another and the First Councillor or set about tending to their business at hand, their angular and elegant facial features mostly wrought with concentration and analysis.

A chiming following by a wink of light caused a projection of an alabaster male alicorn in an equine body to manifest atop the council table. He wore a set of distinct armour that hailed from the same era as the First Councilor’s cape. Its design principle emphasized overlapping, perfectly segmented plates and contained the same ancient insignia.

“Offensive Bias in attendance. Progress and status reports are available, who wishes to deliver them as I prepare presentations?”

“I shall, metarch,” a second councilor stated before he sung a seven-note melody to summon forth the screen of his station.

Over the tabletop, the galactic Local Group appeared with a chiming of Asphodel’s symbol. At first it was focused on the Andromeda galaxy, but a shift later and the projection focused on first the Milky Way, then a phoenix-shaped nebula in the Perseus Arm. Finally, the Solaris system, and Asphodel’s location on Equis.

“It is a fine day, in spite of the recent naval engagement in Equus’ proximity with the belligerent Meddler hegemony. The Inheritors were successful without potentially fatal localised losses thanks to the intervention of the Old Imperium’s Sixth Legion. Our preparation for involvement proved unnecessary,” the second councilor reported.

“Sixth Legion: archaic, defunct outside of enduring colloquialisms. Why not Fangs of Fenris if we prefer contemporary terminology, which I do?” Offensive Bias offered.

“Many terms of interchangeability in our times,” the councilor responded with a fleeting note of musing before continuing. “Since the incursion by the Meddlers, Inheritor military strength has already begun to react and flex, repairs and the construction of new vessels are underway throughout Solaris and their colonies.”

Text displaying damage and loss figures appeared into being in the air. Following alongside that was a sizeable projection of Equis and hundreds of tiny projections of ships of all kinds, overlays included with each providing vast amounts of detail on its status at the time the presentation was captured, compiled, and published by the AI Offensive Bias.

First Councilor smiled with recognition as a projection of the Praetor Leman Russ appeared with a statistics overlay as the presentation continued.

“It is most fortunate that one of our old allies was able to not only awaken, but to also be met with battle he no doubt craved and at such a needed time,” the First Councilor commented thoughtfully. “What is the status of our fair city?”

Another councilor smiled as she put a finger to a holographic button and initiated the table to shift to a view of the entire city around them. “All of Asphodel’s systems reporting in. Infrastructure is optimal. Baffler array is optimal. The flows of magic are within regulations. Neighagra Falls’ water flow is within regulations, and the recurring Inheritor tourist presence is devoid of any unusual behaviour. Offensive Bias, you … are optimal, obviously.”

“Always,” Offensive Bias replied with a wink as he moved to indulgently recline on his haunches.

“All subterranean connections to the Crystal City site, our remote outposts, and listening posts are optimal,” chimed in another. “Corruption from the Nightmare Forces remains within the Cathedral Network as it has for millennia. But take heed, we are continuing our regular work flows in stabilising it until the Domain becomes viable once more.

“Optimal! Diplomatic standings?” First Councilor proceeded onwards.

“The Diamond Dogs are maintaining their goodwill with us, as are the cervines of the Everfree and the Quetzalcoatl south of Equestria. All other cooperative powers follow suit,” the second councilor contributed. “Asphodel Pact members are submitting status reports, and should be finished and compiled for perusal by midnight.”

Offensive Bias arose from his luxuriant pose and turned to the First Councilor. “First Councilor, I believe it would be kind of a good idea to see to it before the Pact’s reports are compiled that we now overview our mission again and finalise our official action in regards to the Old Imperium’s Reclamation Measure. Remember that with the exception of Leman Russ and his forces, the bulk of the Reclaimers that shall assist and counsel the Inheritors have yet to be awoken from their no doubt blissful slumber.”

First Councilor nodded, smiling rather poignantly as his mane began to pick up in its flow from an invisible breeze. “Of course. When one has so much to remember even with ageless minds such as ours without the Domain … well, truncation and pseudo-senility. But indeed, Offensive! They must be awoken, and we must be there to aid in their tumultuous transition to a new world. Also remember the one that preceded Leman by mere days ...”

A few of the councilors chuckled while a few looked minutely saddened at the mention of the vast quantum repository of knowledge and history they had long been without for millennia. The remainder retained their looks of concentration as they interfaced with their terminals, electing to not display their emotions at present.

Poignancy vanished and the chuckling gently settled into newfound quietude as a smirk worked its way onto Offensive Bia’s visually flickering muzzle. “It is most pleasing to see that another of your daughters is active once more, and on the same continent no less.”

“Aye! Now, my friends, in regards to our mission.” The table resumed its display of the Milky Way, and the First Councilor grew the expression of a lecturing professor for the moment. “Long ago we saw our shared realms amongst these stars shattered not once but twice with a total scouring in betwixt. Our Forerunner brethren and ourselves left in exile while an internally fracturing equinity remained to uphold empire. Ages past and now we are stewards of matters of succession and reclamation of what was lost; before we can return home to Andromeda, we must ensure that the Mantle has been properly passed. Now on to the the means to that end.”

“Such exposition, as a military metarchy these redundant organic mind-dependant actions amuse me ever so,” Offensive Bias jibed.

Following the First Councilor's lead, the second senior-most member of Asphodel’s council stated with budding enthusiasm in her voice, “The Tree of Harmony has already expressed its approval of what I consider the most straightforward plan.”

“Your lips to our ears,” another councilor said with an encouraging tone.

“We still possess the ingress songs for the majority of the Reclaimer’s cryptums in this system including those on Fenris and contact with the Sixth Legion’s active units can be established conventionally; they still make use of their original neural networking and quantum entanglement. I advocate that we awaken all cryptums and technology shortly and reveal our existence. The Inheritors will expect that we will not explain all of our nature and background on public channels immediately, given their majority wartime status which begets practicality. They have been guided well but without a forceful hand.”

There was a humble nod from the First Councilor as he processed his colleague’s words. “The internal stability of their most prominent powers and their teetering on the brink of Technological Tier Two lends weight to this. Very good. Are there any in this council who are of a different opinion?” None made any gesture to say so and every pair of eyes was affixed patiently on First Councilor and Offensive Bias.

A clear landslide consensus was now apparent to all.

“I always loved decisive conclusions, such thrill!” Offensive Bias enthused, his eyes glittering. “As always, you have my fervent backing. Let us catch the ear of the Capricorns and then proceed to reawaken our long lost compatriots!”

As the council broke into a light applause, the First Councilor flared out his wings and gestured both hands to his assembled colleagues. “Alicorns of Asphodel, the Reclamation has begun!”

Alright … That’s Not Plate Tectonics ...
Fenris, Aurora Continent
Sunday, 27th June 2551 CE Celestial Standard Calendar

Immediately following the conclusion of the prior night’s Grand Galloping Gala, Praetor Leman Russ and his Wolf Guard had been quick to find themselves taking their leave of Equestria and the planet at large to respond to something demanding their immediate attention.

An encrypted transmission on an ancient frequency from an unexpected party had been sent to Leman and the Wolf Lords in advance of what was presently revealing itself to be an en-masse reactivation of ancient technology all over the Solaris system.

Included in another broadcast from the same party, so-called ‘Alicorns of Asphodel’, was a concise explanation for the event, as well as instructions for present powers of the Grand Solarian Concordat to evacuate areas where cities had unknowingly been built atop ancient facilities or their entrances due to the inevitable geological shifts from the reactivation of some surviving installations.

As the news broke and the event unfolded, the journey from Equis to Fenris downstar had been brief but heavily laden with shocked, wary, and excited communication chatter from all over the system. Following up the chatter were the myriad intelligence and military responses from the nearest systems reporting no activity yet from any ‘anomalous sites’ within their colonial jurisdictions.

Portions of Selene not lit by contemporary facilities had been lighting up from ancient installations long hidden under that moon’s lunar craters and dunes. Likewise, the Capricorns’ own moon, Sæmundar, was even more brimming with newfound illumination as its global and normally frigid, stormy and churning ocean became the host of newly arising facilities of varying purpose that were each the size of entire cities.

Fenris was not without its own such occurrence, as was Equis. For Fenris in particular, Leman had elected to preside over the event himself as a new time was dawning where a great deal less restricted knowledge would need to be kept safeguarded.

For a brief moment, Leman inspected the moon on the horizon of the blustery Fenrisian day, its newfound luminosity rendering it a more familiar sight to him than it was in its natural state. He was quick to return his focus to the events unfolding in front of him as he and his Wolf Lords stood on a hill overlooking grassland in their full armour before the towering precipices of the Spines of Fenris which were at present shifting and rumbling with a great and primal-like force.

The craggy spires were shaking chunks of their glaciers free as the geology at the feet of the range in front of the Fangs was sliding open, revealing a vast and brightly glowing artificial opening in the planetary crust kilometers across and around five hundred kilometres deep according to the data provided by the Fangs’ devices. It lead straight down into what was by definition an entirely new world.

Truly, the Aett’s emergence from the ice was being beyond outcompeted as a visual spectacle.

Already the opening was revealing itself to be rife with activity amidst its faintly blue illumination as Fangs sentinels that had long oversaw the maintenance of the vast subterranean facility now set about establishing and constructing from design seeds the common access points for safely reaching the opening and descending it without access to spacecraft or aerial transport.

Russ felt a small smile grace his face as the frames of translocation nodes were erected near his waiting party, knowing what lay in wait for him and the others on the other side of the slipspace portal.

“You have seen the slumbering beasts within our world before, but never have you seen the might of all of them at once. This crusade will see the might of the Fangs rain down once more; and you my brothers and sisters will bring about the end of the Covenant in space and on ground,” Russ stated with a large smirk.

As one they all proceeded through the waiting portal which took them into the inner world that Fenris concealed beneath her frigid, untamed surface and the natural underlying mantle.

A constant stream of familiar sights greeted them when they emerged on the other side. The Fangs’ portal emptied out into an entrance platform meant for holding cargo waiting for transit that doubled as a perfect observation overlook of the interior of Fenris.

In every visible direction not obstructed by one of the many colossal levitating facilities and other large objects could be seen the complex arrangements of continents and seas that covered tens of thousands of kilometres.

Gazing long enough, the eyes would eventually be drawn towards the center where a carefully cut alloy and natural rock sphere coupled with a sophisticated series of condition-regulating stations contained Fenris’ original core, whose light also served as an analogue to a star in addition to the other myriad life support systems contained within the interior.

After a brief survey of their planet’s heart, Leman wasted no time in setting about waking the denizens it contained within.

Iron Shamans and other Fangs from the surface joined them in rapidly growing numbers, interfacing with the resident sentinels for diagnostics and maintenance, forming packs to seek out specific cryptums at once to open, and some even to just briefly take stock of interior world’s overall status. Soon, Ancient ship captains set hoof for the first time in a new era, observing everything and everyone around them each with a temporary attentiveness exceptional even for their kind as their senses adjusted to the outside world from the deep, often meditative sleep of cryptums.

The Ancient captains were much different than the Fangs that moved around for they were not of the exact same flesh and blood that the warriors of the Sixth were. To be a ship captain amongst the Sixth, one could not be inducted into the pack like any other capricorn. They were more akin to a heavily modified capricorn, one that was superior to any non-Fang but did not have the primal instinct and genes that a Fang had pumping through them.

As the reunions were had, the Praetor declared that they would hold a feast there to celebrate the occasion.

Variations of mjord and other drinks from millennia ago were brought to the capricorn captains to complement the vast array and tonnages of food and drink being brought down from the surface as the Fangs held their celebration in the mead hall of the installation’s control center.

It was in the middle of this feast that Leman arose to speak of something that truly gave the reawakened Fangs something to raise their tankards for.

“Brothers and Sisters! Soon our ships will be awakened and our rightful place, marching against our foes will resume!” Russ shouted over the hall, earning thousands of shouts in return, howls erupting into the air. Once the sounds died down enough, Russ continued, “Tonight we feast in preparation for a fresh batch of Blood Claws that will soon join the ranks. We feast in honour of our fellow brothers and sisters that are awakening and are eager to fight once more! We feast for the time has come, to cleanse the galaxy in the name of the Allfather!”

The following howl that erupted proved strong enough to carry out from the control center near the core and towards the nearest portions of habitable surface. A few of the subsystems within range detected the vibrations and misidentified them as ingress songs for the production of inclement weather as a defensive measure. Within minutes of the howls breaking out, fierce lightning storms and blizzards began to spring forth in the affected habitats, while a maritime cyclone even manifested in an entirely oceanic sector.

Wherever the storms proved the least harmful to their surroundings, the Iron Shamans allowed them to rage on until their fuel provided by the biomes ran out, whilst continuing their inspections and various work. Some of the senior-most shamans lead by Elder Tolfdir came before Leman’s table to report on the full status of Fenris’ interior.

Tolfdir’s mechanical eye unfocused from his dataslate as he regarded Leman with a small smile. “Praetor Russ, I’m pleased to say that the shield world is in as good of condition as it was when we had to last seal the majority of it off all those millennia ago. All systems are functioning at full capacity and very few things require the touch of one of our shamans, the automated systems were quite diligent in their care of the Wolf Shield.”

“Excellent!” declared Russ with a howling laugh. He looked around the hall at the ruckus that the Fangs were creating and he smiled a smile only a proud father could have. He turned to his Guard and Wolf Lords. “I do believe it is time to re-introduce ourselves to the vessels that will carry us across the stars!”

Nods and grins were all that he got in return as he made to follow Tolfdir towards the core of the world, where some of the captains would no doubt be waiting.

The journey towards the heart of Fenris was a brief one across suspended stone and hardlight bridges that connected waystations and their platforms to each other and other facilities, with the stone becoming increasingly prominent the closer one got to the slightly noticeable heat of the core.

At the waystation marking the exact halfway mark between the control center and the largest of the shield world’s docking towers that hosted over two dozen mooring masts for massive capital ships, Russ and Tolfdir met two of the ancient Fangs awaiting them, a mare and a stallion.

The duo of captains, like their colleagues, were not clad in full power armour. They instead wore lighter ceramite, adamantium and hardlight suits that consisted of a cuirass, light pauldrons, and armoured boots for their hooves over grey naval uniforms. The uniforms featured yellow trim and epaulettes, all of which was complete by the heavy fur capes they both sported that were emblazoned with the standards and ensigns of the vessels they commanded.

One of them was immediately familiar to Russ. While the female captain’s coat was a darker mauve colouration with ashy blonde hair and blue eyes, the sharp snow-white coat of Leman’s personal ship captain Randagulf the Gale-Hearted, nigh identical to his own, was unmistakeable, as well as his charcoal hair and intelligent green eyes.

Randagulf and his companion gave the Fangs equivalents of salutes, the latter smiling while the former did so as well as letting out a quiet but hearty chuckle of welcome. “Praetor Russ, it has been far too long since I have laid eyes on my most favourite passen … I mean the leader of the Crystal Imperium’s mighty Sixth.”

Russ and Randagulf shared smiling nods, Russ even chuckling slightly. “It has been a while indeed Randagulf, but there was no way I would travel the stars without the very best navigating the Kveldúlfr.”

“Aye, and the very best shall be at her helm once again, regardless of the foe!” The captain then turned to regard an analytical Tolfdir as he followed his fellow captain’s curious gaze. “Ahh Elder Shaman? It is an honour to have you amongst us here.”

“Indeed; it is Elder Shaman Tolfdir specifically, captain. As I reported to Praetor Russ here, the Wolf Shield is in near impeccable condition. You will be pleased to hear that we continue to make all of our creations as built to last as anything of yours and Russ’ time.”

“If you forge it with care, it will care for you in turn,” the mare remarked to nobody in particular.

“Ysolda, was your cryptum within range of a lectern for one of those aphorism codexes left behind by a Wolf Priest?” Randagulf asked the other captain with a grin.

“Unsure, I spent my first several moments out of my cryptum sprinting away from it, the fresh air outside of it is like nothing else I’ve ever … until you realise that it is simply air.” Ysolda gave an experimental flex of her arms to punctuate her words before inclining her head to Tolfdir and saying, “Elder Shaman, you said impeccable condition? It would be a pleasure if you could accompany us to the docking tower. We have yet to run diagnostics on the Kveldúlfr or the others, our armour cannot yet as it is running its own diagnostics and all local sentinels are busy working on the moorings and other naval facilities … anything but the warships themselves.”

“Clearly the captains long for their warships, hardly am I surprised, Captain Ysolda,” Tolfdir said with a lighthearted chuckle to the other three. “But of course, I shall see about rerouting some of the constructor sentinels to focus their diagnostics on the fleet. Of course, the rest must carry on with the docking facilities, preparations are underway as you might expect for redeployment itself, we simply cannot have any form of sustained damage to a vessel on account of an undocking mishap. Praetor Russ, shall we proceed?”

“Let’s us begin the first steps to this Crusade,” Russ stated with a grin only he could match.

All four shared mutual grins as they took matching strides towards the kilometres-tall docking tower. There, at the spire’s apex, the elongated silhouettes of ancient ships of war awaited them.

A Flexing of Olden Wings
Equis Orbit, Elysia Station, Parliament Chamber

Queen Gladys of the Kingdom of Griffonia sighed as she came to rest her haunches on her seat after coming down from a low hover. She looked around, verifying for the umpteenth time that save for herself and her cup of tea, only a small number of Elysia Station’s resident technicians populated the chamber.

The GSC’s parliament had not yet convened again since the Prophetess of Obligation’s diplomatic inquiries. All heads of state, ambassadors, and other dignitaries that frequented the station were busy planetside or elsewhere in the galaxy and thus the entire chamber was dead of all political and diplomatic activity.

A technician’s datapad beeped and chimed as they interfaced with one of the diplomats’ terminals in a desk a few rows down, closer to the central rostrum.

Gladys sighed again. This was hardly the place for both drink and entertainment; the gryphoness shut a manila folder closed with a definitive flick of her wrist, then neatly collected her notes and tea in her talons and set about exiting the library-like atmosphere. She took flight and exited through one of the balcony doorways, emerging into one of the many skywalks that overlooked Elysia’s sprawling, vibrantly lit alabaster concourses. Gladys looked down on her way to the Griffonian embassy.

Like any other day, the station thrummed with activity. Peaked caps and highly decorated uniforms of innumerable colourations mixed in with the crowds and airborne, organised flocks of civilians and bureaucratic officials, contributing urgent-paced strides and stoic wingbeats to the hustle and bustle of wartime affairs in the Concordat.

Each and every person Gladys flew by paused in midair to incline their heads, pay their respects, or exchange pleasantries with a fellow head of state as they recognised either first her distinctly falcon profile, or the crown atop her plumage.

While the Gryphoness was more than happy to reciprocate the kindly exchanges, she was nevertheless dead set on not just her primary destination, but what lay in between the embassy and herself.

Gladys let out a happy squawk to herself as she saw that her favourite drink stall on the whole station was presently open and not yet busy with a deluge of salaried desk-occupiers taking their breaks of the day.

The queen swooped down and readied her nation’s currency she always kept on her person; she was a regular and thus the staff manning the stall was by now no longer shocked when the monarch would always appear.

“Half and half?” one of the clerks inquired, a relatively young minotaur that was part of a staff of an additional unicorn mare, a pegasus stallion, and a human man,

“You know it,” came Gladys’ pleasant reply as she made a gesture that clashed with her genuinely amiable smile via a placement of her folder of notes on the countertop with a flourish that might have conveyed distaste at their contents.

“Lime wedge?”

“Silly question! Always.”

Gladys’ readied drink, only three-fourths full, was passed to her as she remained in a hover. She then dug into her satchel bag and produced a flask from which she began to pour an amber liquid in to fill the remainder of the currently pinkish-coloured tea.

It was then that Gladys finally sat down to enjoy her tea in a more suitable environment to her tastes.

Gladys’ moment of bliss was incredibly short-lived, unfortunately, as several of the major Waypoint screens, all the ones at her stall included, promptly flipped channels to feeds from major news networks.

Reporters of several races sat, amazed, in dazes, or wearing urgent faces in their newsrooms as journalistic staff similarly bustled about in the studios around them. Images and video feeds could be seen alongside them as they delivered their reports in varying degrees of composure based on the veterancy of the anchors in question.

A dull murmuring was now picking up amongst Gladys’ fellow patrons from the report, as well as the rest of the station as far as the queen could tell.

For a few moments, the Queen of Griffonia knew little to think of it as she processed all the sights and information being hastily reported on, but it quickly sharpened in her head and she began a predator-like analysis of the breaking news.

The images and footage being broadcasted across Waypoint were displaying an orbiting view of several locations in the Solaris system, especially Fenris, where the focus of the documentation there was what appeared to be a growing number of massive starships emerging from inside of the Capricorn homeworld.

The revelation of such a surreal technological feat was eliciting more than a few gasps and excited exclamations from the growing audience.

“What in the name of the Boreas is … wow ...” Gladys narrowed her eyes as she tried to assess the vessels as they were in the midst of assuming a kind of naval formation, a staggered line if the queen recalled correctly. Her drink now lay neglected next to her notes.

Whoever was providing one of the footage streams from space was first panning the camera before focusing on the ships themselves. For a brief moment, the dark side of the moon of Fenris, which was officially an uninhabited celestial body save for a research station or two, could be seen lit as if its surface were dappled with massive cities before the emerging fleet returned back into view with a zoomed visual shot.

Gladys did not recognise the designs of the vessels at all as ship after ship was focused on; they were quite unlike most general design approaches for spaceborne warships she had seen in her many years up till now.

“My poor engineers must be drooling if they are seeing this,” Gladys mused out loud.

The minotaur that had given Gladys her drink clinked a glass thoughtfully as he too stared at one of the monitors. “My sister signed on years ago with the Equestrian military, the Imperial Engineering Corps, and taught me a thing or two about ships … and that there is no kind of hull plating style I have ever seen her work with before, let alone the basic styles of those behemoths.”

“Making it all the more astounding,” came Gladys’ reply.

What first came to mind in the monarch’s head upon viewing the foremost ship of the grouping was of something vaguely primitive in design yet still thousands of years ahead of what her own contemporaries could produce. The prow of the warship, like a small but sizeable number of Equestrian and generally GSC ship classes, sported a sizeable ram obviously meant for cleaving right through an opposing vessel amidships.

Unlike their modern counterparts, the ram was also as decorated as it was likely effective. It was engraved with the likeness of a fangs-barred wolf frozen in mid-lunge. No doubt an identical scene also existed on the opposite edge of the ram.

A large rectangular section, the largest portion of the warship, encompassed the stern and possessed the thrusters, unknown engine types, and a symmetrical and intricate collection of spires that no doubt held the bridge or command center. Forward from the bow was the slender, sleek midsection of the ship that connected to a larger rectangular bow that was dwarfed by the stern in comparison, the latter two pieces seemingly almost like the grips of a mace with the stern being its head.

Large runes possibly for designation and naming and other insignias adorned large areas of the hull and silver armour plating in distinctive yellows or as colourless engravings, largest amongst them consisting of a star-bearing phoenix.

By now, the staggered line was holding position in orbit, as if waiting for further instruction from those that commanded it on the planet below.

Having taken her fill of studying the vessels, Gladys finally shifted her focus to the reporting coinciding with their appearances. The media frenzy continued on with no signs of letting up anytime soon as the multiple races reported their stories in a symphony of various languages, many of which the Queen of Griffonia could speak fluently.

“Confirmed reports of unidentified alien technology awakening all over the system … !” one minotaur anchor read off in rapidfire Tayresian. “Governments, militaries, and academic bodies are responding; more on this story as it develops.”

Another, a zebra mare, opened her breaking story with a hearty, “Ave, citizens of the Grand Solarian Concordat and Imperium Roamara alike! Incoming messages indicate that the phenomena currently unfolding across our system is technological in nature. Most prominently, as you can see in supplementals provided, activity is currently centered around Fenris and her moon, as well as our very own Selene. Emperor Arcadius is still pending for comment before Roam’s Senate and GSC Parliament, and reflection of Roam’s brief spacefaring history on the neighboring planet is expected to be one of his highlights.”

“Officials of the House of Winter, one of Fenris’ governing bodies, have stated the military force the craft belong to to be the Fangs of Fenris. All further inquiry as to the full extent of this organisation were met with no further comment, however their stance as allies of the GSC powers was firmly iterated,” a human anchor stated.

Not all of what Gladys heard was journalistic in nature, and proved to be quite eccentric. It was not a surprise to her however, given the present confusion and awe overtaking the public as well as the myriad of Waypoint programs being flipped to by the station’s staff and other users.

“Ooooh giant ships, giant ships that aren’t genocidal maniac ships … how about that, huh?! I could almost cheer at the thought of new friends coming from the inside of Capricorn World, but caution-caution-caution! Now back to our original programming of the hour: Ponyacci and his legendary guide to professional clowning! Cheese Sandwich will join us in the fun after the next break!” The earth pony Pinkie Pie, hosting her variety show Party Time, commented in a mostly singsong voice as one of her popular Waypoint programs played on an adjacent monitor.

“Just breaking: activity continues now with the mysterious appearance of unidentified warships at approximately 11:36 Concordat Universal Time. Military officials and Canterlot’s Royal Academy is a flurry of frenzied activity and impromptu research as its Departments of Astronomy and Xenoarchaeology are amongst the first organisations to issue official reports in the form of an impromptu posting on a Waypoint academic channel,” an Equestrian unicorn stallion reporter stated as he was clearly trying to resist gawking at the very footage he was reporting on.

The Equestrian reporter’s co-anchor, a pegasus mare, then picked up with, “The hasty posting says, ‘Unidentified starships. Giant frakking prows. End of the worlds? Most likely not, as speculation abounds that they are Fangs of Fenris in nature on account of their point of origin from inside, we can confirm inside Planet Fenris. Standby for further postings.’” The mare shifted deftly in her seat as she set down her datapad. “Concordat Parliament is currently being called to assembly once more for deliberation on this phenomena.”

The latter report really caught Gladys’ attention in full as some of her feathers stood up, having expected a relaxed day due to her own court being devoid of pressing matters.

“Well,” the gryphoness mused to herself as she straightened out her crown, “This will be an interesting day.”

‘Vadamee
Urs System, High Charity, Chambers of the Covenant High Council

The Hierarchs Truth and Mercy presided over surrounding stands of San’Shyuum and Sangheili councilors from their dias at the head of a cavernous and towering room.

All around, councilors and other functionaries spoke amongst their ranks in bickering tones. Walls of multihued violet, blue, and purple surrounded a small collection of recovered Forerunner and, if legends were true, Alicorn columns that stood amongst the councilor’s stands as the incessant sounds of rancorous commotion rang off them and reverberated through the whole level of the tower, one of a collection that peered out over the city below.

What lay before the dias of the presently austere Prophetess and much older and angered Prophet was an active holographic projection they had received mere days ago but were just now beginning to appraise after much time spent ensuring the full security of High Charity. It was the clear point of contention in the chambers for all present as Truth in particular listened to the projection with her hand at her chin in deep study.

Xytan ‘Jar Wattinree, the late Imperial Admiral of the Covenant fleet, flickered rapidly due to the damaged state of the recording as he wove a poignant and cryptic narrative from beyond the grave to the agitated theocrats.

“Despite the staggering blow delivered by our foes’ new allies, these capricorns, Primal Halo was found. But much more is there than anticipated. So much more. Massive damage was sustained to it from unknown actions aeons past, and it became immediately obvious why the … the Heretics … had not yet encountered it in their own system for so long. It was not entirely there in normal space. Time itself seemed … off kilter, foreshadowing what my teams and the Huragok found. What follows is not just discovery but what will have to serve as final will and testament.”

“Halo’s majesty, clearly even he was unfit of mind for gazing upon its holy visage in its true glory,” Mercy muttered with venom in his voice, which only served to add more fuel to the fires of the councilors who were now locked in conflict over the commander’s posthumous honouring, and condemnation as an apostate and heretic for his failures.

“Not only did it elude his grasp and prevented a consecration of its sacred icon to commence the start of the Journey, a Hierarch was captured by Heretics and High Charity endangered by his incompetence. What he found is of no matter,” a San’Shyuum councilor declared with comparable bite to Mercy.

“It must be played in full,” a Sangheili insisted with frustration dangerously bordering anger. “That we may properly understand his failure, and of greatest import, what lore he gleaned of our Lords.”

The rancor amped up even further, prompting Mercy to slam a decrepit fist onto the side of his gravity throne. “Quiet with you all!” he growled.

Xytan’s avatar vanished swiftly from view.

It was then that Truth levitated her throne forward to regard the High Council with a serene gaze, raising a hand as she did so towards Mercy to signal him to calm. “It shall not be reviewed here, that I delegate to myself alone. This is but one footnote of the reason we have convened here. The War of Inquisition rages on and we are bereft of Regret’s throne with us today, a certain predecessor similarly missing.”

Mercy shook his head. “Obligation, a heretic in her own right. To that there is no need for further discussion when the course is clear, we must accelerate our exalted efforts and smash and dominate the Heretics everywhere they dwell. Those we placed in bondage as spoils of war to fuel our production of weapons are only so many in number.”

“The course is indeed clear but the way remains long,” Truth replied as they kept the Council’s ears. “This war will continue on but such crude measures will not be called upon when unnecessary. Enter one of our greatest assets.”

“Hierarchs Truth and Mercy, you have summoned me?” came the deep voice of a newly-arrived Sangheili clad in golden armour whose entrance in the company of honour guard had immediately brought the High Council to a new murmur.

“Thel ‘Vadamee, the supreme commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice graces us with his presence this day,” Truth said in greeting, waving a hand to him as the Sangheili knelt briefly. “As said to fairest Mercy, crude tactics of brute force alone will not allow the Covenant to triumph with grace over heathen armies. Yet ostensibly it shall be our primary instrument. As for you, supreme commander …”

“My hierarch?” ‘Vadamee inquired with great expectancy. “My fleet is at the ready for whatever mission we might be assigned, their momentum and morale remain steady.”

There was a nod from the Prophetess. “For years you have lead your charges in some of the most effective and daring acts of holy inquisition against our foes. However, your targets have always been fringes and minor hubs of their military might while the bulk of ours locks them in stalemate,” Truth began.

“Stalemate we must shatter for our continued favour from the Gods as much so as the upkeep of Sangheili honour,” Mercy interjected.

“The bulk of our might I continue to ensure will only grow from its current status, but as stated it shall not triumph alone. You have a greater duty now to rest upon your shoulders, Thel ‘Vadamee.”

“Despite my anticipations I would not be impudent and vocalise my conjecture as to those duties, Prophetess of Truth,” ‘Vadamee told her. “I humbly await your instruction.”

Such forthrightness from the Sangheili commander brought a warming smile to Truth’s face.

“Your quest is as follows,” Truth outlined, “You are to prepare your strategy for full galactic reach whilst we shall feign charges into the Perseus Arm, the very heart of heresy itself. The movements will lure the battle-exhausted humans into believing us to be in retreat, goading them to reveal the path to their homeworld. Your fleet will be bolstered with all hands, vessels, and materiel you shall need.”

“We will adapt, my hierarch.”

“Furthermore, you will retrieve the Prophet of Mercy and the Primal Halo at all cost, while our search for the other Rings continues. Their capital will be temptation itself for conquest with its presently weakened defenses but steel yourself, it is not within our designs, and their newfound allies are fierce and daunting not just by the Imperial Admiral’s reckoning but also by our direct appraisal. When you are successful in the restoration of Regret to his office, you shall then serve alongside all other of equal rank in deploying our newest forces when their preparation is complete and inquisition will be enacted in full. Victory in fulfillment of inquisition and the finding of the Sacred Rings shall be our final acts of faith ere the Journey begins.”

“Gyrations and convolution … Alicorns smile upon us from our humility as we proceed with this momentous undertaking,” Mercy intoned.

‘Vadamee’s mind was already formulating what his next actions would be, almost without conscious thought to ignite the process as he this time balled one of his slender hands into a fist and brought it to his chest. “It will be done, noble Hiearchs. The Imperial Admiral’s failure will be corrected, and I will secure the holy installation apace.”

Ever fickle, the High Council now filled the chamber with praise and cheer as Thel ‘Vadamee paid his final respects to the Hierarchs before taking his leave as the Honour Guard shifted their positions with the adjourning of the Council session at Truth’s declaration.

Awakening
Solaris System, Sæmundar, Unidentified Equatorial Installation

With the Gala still fresh in her mind, Luna had found little time for rest from the celebrations before the system-wide anomalies began and every major government and organisation in the GSC was roused to shock-filled response.

Luna was no less shocked than any other when the events coincided with a broadcast she could pick up from her Waypoint connection. It had been from those identifying themselves as the Asphodel, those that Luna had recalled being hers and Celestia’s mentors from long ago as far as the crown princess could recollect.

“Leaders of the Grand Solarian Concordat, we extend our hands and hooves in friendship and solidarity. We are the Alicorns of Asphodel,” the audio transmission had said. “We have set in motion the final stages of what is called the Reclamation Measure. Powerful technology lies dormant in this system and hundreds more, of the former we are now activating for your immediate usage in the defense of harmony and life in the galaxy. In moments you will receive coordinates to these sites as well as procedures for evacuation and safety in regions where technological activation poses geographic risk to your cities, monuments and installations. Further instruction and context will follow soon in anticipation of the reawakening of custodians that will assist you with the dispensation of this technology and all requisite knowledge.”

Soon after followed a rapid meeting with Celestia, and the gathering of her friends to discuss their own response, a decision was made.

Equestria and its empire would approach with cautious and lukewarm diplomacy, seeking to establish a direct connection with the Asphodel. Meanwhile, Luna would spearhead a small but elite team to investigate a particular location of technological activation that beared a remarkable trait, ahead of a fully-fledged expedition only an hour behind them.

The same signature that Leman Russ’ cryptum had emitted days ago was being replicated in scores on Fenris’ moon. Facilities laden with cryptums in their vast numbers awaited someone to reawaken their occupants; they were almost certainly the ‘custodians’ the Asphodel had mentioned.

On the flight to Sæmundar, Luna witnessed the now confirmed fleet of Praetor Leman held position above their homeworld. The ancient warships were expectant, their crews and complements eagerly awaiting the moment to launch a campaign against their newest enemy, the Covenant.

Now, the mysteries of yet another facility of ancient beings lay in wait for Luna and her company.

“Look, that door ahead! Scans indicate it should be the final barrier between ourselves and the cryptums,” Cortana declared to Luna and her friends as they, an GSC science team, and a detachment of Royal Guard of all four units, Onyx, Lunar, Solar, and Phoenix at the lead of Onyx captain Magic Barrier, treaded their way through ancient halls not disturbed in thousands of years.

“It bears the central glyph of this Imperium we keep hearing about,” Luna replied as she scanned the door with her eyes as well as her magic, horn lit with an analytical spell that probed its surface for clues to what could open it.

It was a bright white crystal material like diamond, the latticework framed by a white alloy with light blue accents like the rest of the installation’s construction. All other architecture seen thus far from orbit, suspended just above the moon’s oceans, followed this same design pattern.

The door furthermore was a vertical rectangle overall, with two inner panels forming transparent but fogged, diamond-shaped latticeworks whose tips pointed towards the center of the door that portrayed the cobalt-cyan glyph holographically.

Cross-reference with what had been seen prior in Fenris’ northern polar region left Luna with doubt no longer that everything she had seen thus far was all connected. It was the same civilisation that had left all these mysteries and marvels behind, the Crystal Imperium. And if the Asphodel’s sudden appearance and activity said anything, it was that they laid near the heart of it all.

“What do you see, Luna?” the Master Chief inquired, staring ahead at the door as she was while the others continued to survey their exotic surroundings and kept watch on their flanks for any possible threat from the unknown.

“Cortana and I are still studying, Chief. It appears to have a most curious locking mechanism.”

“Auditory lock of some kind if I am analysing this from the right angles.” Cortana interjected.

Thus far no hostile automatons or other sources of danger had been seen. Despite this, wartime left many of the martial trade ever wary.

“Trixie does hope you have found a way through by now. It would be an irritating disappointment to venture to this stormy place only to be stalled by a single door …” Trixie’s annoyed look shifted to a chipper smile as a thought came to her mind. “Wait, wait, Trixie forgets that she is a soldier sometimes, and soldiers often carry explosives!”

Luna could all but see Twilight’s look of horror without actually turning around. The Royal Guards with them all shuffled awkwardly in their armour as the majority of them detected the dismay in the air on the spot.

“Trixie?! How could you possibly suggest such a thing?” Twilight shrieked in protest, causing Trixie to roll her eyes. “Everything in this facility is priceless … it could well be our very heritage from before recorded history!”

“Irreplaceable!” one of Twilight’s colleagues bemoaned.

“Absolutely deplorable, Praetorian … have you not read of or seen what the Covenant do to similar sites they find?” another scientist shot out.

“Would it better for you researchers’ dispositions if I added some of my leftover smoke bombs from my previous magical shows to the demolition?” Trixie added with a scoff-laden deadpan.

Twilight appeared to be growing livid. Captain Magic Barrier let out a nicker, the sanctity of the ancient facility clashing with practicality in the mind of the charcoal-coated unicorn whom Luna could not help but draw an uncanny resemblance to Shining Armor.

“Tartarus confound it, I back this only if we have no other option,” Barrier stated with a ponderous tapping of his hoof against the crystalline floor.

Twilight turned to sneer at the guard captain whilst some of the other scientists and scholars grew restless in frustration and started studying the holography adorning some of the corridor walls. “Don’t encourage her, Captain Barrier!”

“I’m not, unless you want me to, Lady Sparkle,” Barrier said with a wink that left Trixie beaming, like a unicorn-shaped imp before turning serious once more. “Don’t worry, Twilight, not all of us here are eager to use military hardware to keep some belligerent sexual tension in check towards a number of certain figures. Coarse jesting aside, we do need to get through this door somehow, Luna doesn’t need to be reminded of that. Not even I condone the wanton destruction of ancient things.”

Barrier’s statement was accompanied by a series of annoyed mumbling from the science team, whilst Trixie seemed to grow pale under her fur as she glowered at him.

“Barrier, Trixie will have you know, that I … er … okay, Trixie is not falling into her own kind of quip-filled traps.”

“All of you, calm, please!” Luna said in even-toned fashion whilst casting a reproachful gaze at Trixie’s less than delicate proposal for ingress into the unexplored rooms ahead of them.

“Sorry, just taking my uneasiness of this place out on Twilight,” Trixie replied without illeism in a frank fashion that was shocking to some of her companions, her exasperation at Magic Barrier’s innuendo having vanished as well.

Luna blinked to hide her surprise at the mare’s sudden shift in mannerism.

“Yeah … now that I think about it, something seems a bit off about this particular section of the … should we be calling them ruins, or no?” Barrier shook his head as he chewed at his lip.

“It’s almost as if … something tragic happened here, like this door was sealed off as part of a defensive move against an intruding outside force,” Twilight mused as she and some of the other unicorns in the corridor seemed to grow increasingly uncomfortable. “Something that was a threat to the cryptums and their occupants. Maybe more”

“Whatever it was, it is long gone if my own magic and senses speak truth to me,” Luna replied as she turned back to the door with a frown. “What you experience now is but their residue: a mere trace of the faintest of echoes.”

“It is definitely long gone,” Cortana concurred. “I am picking up no life signs on the other side of this door. And the cryptums likely block any form of organic signatures from their occupants though I am not entirely sure on that yet. Now about getting inside … apparently the auditory lock and much of the Ancients’ technology in general operates based on … well, musical and verbal operation. Certain tunes, melodies, phrases, and entire songs activate and access things.”

“What tunes could possibly allow for ingress?” Barrier inquired as he rubbed at his horn in apparent discomfort. It seemed almost as if he were about to break into a sweat

“My question exactly,” Twilight said as she passed by the Chief with a smiling nod before roving her eyes across the still access-defiant door.

“Wait … ingress … ingress song!” Luna exclaimed as a dormant section of her mind reawoke.

“I think she just magically found us a way in,” the Chief remarked with his by now signature – to Luna – hint of humour as he added, “Pun intended.”

“Someday, Chief, someday you might be able to stand upon a stage,” Trixie managed to quip through her nervousness.

“Aye, I have … admittedly it frustrates me that I cannot recall as to how I could possibly know it, but … I shall begin anon,” Luna responded to the Chief as she closed her eyes and cut out the stream of alteration magic to her analysis spell.

When Luna opened her eyes again, they began to glow white as she concentrated them on the geometry of the Imperium glyph in the center of the door. Her lips parted and she hummed a seven-note melody, her companions’ jaws falling and eyes widening. The heavenly sounds met the crystal of the door and resonated within them, the notes repeated back to her in a gentle and perhaps poignant chime.

Luna repeated the melody once more with greater force, approaching that of a veteran opera singer. Once more the door replied in kind with the note, chiming the melody in echoes three times with an increasing sense of resolve and solace. The glyph began to see the star and phoenix insignia take form around it in a dazzling holographic display of spreading wings.

In a final repetition of the ancient melody that struck chords in between her first and second vocalisations, Luna got the door to respond with its greatest yet reprise.

The seven-notes chimed with back to back echoes, forming a chorus that lasted for several seconds before the door gave a final affirmative chime that saw it begin to slide open.

As the panels disappeared into the doorjamb, the Crystal Imperium’s insignia held position in the threshold for a few moments before fading out. The phoenix’s vigilant gaze was like a final gesture, one to welcome them inside as rightful visitors of what it contained.

“Fascinating,” Cortana remarked as Luna, joined by Chief and Captain Barrier, formed the trio to spearhead the exploration of the room now open to them.

“These cryptums and their occupants must be very important,” Twilight remarked, her voice laden with wonder for a moment. “Like Russ, their surroundings are quite, umm for a lack of a better word, robust. And judging by this door and my first glimpses guys, this chamber up ahead is quite ornate.”

“‘Tis Perennial splendour from a bygone epoch,” Luna agreed.

The space immediately behind the door was laden with decorative columns, forming a gallery that lead upwards at a gentle slope to what had to have been a rotunda-type substructure.

This facility possessed several of these as viewed from orbit, domes resting upon a white-coloured alloy star-shaped platform approximately one kilometer across that floated just above Sæmundar’s waves.

Accompanying them had been docking locations, an inactive defense perimeter, a myriad of support facilities, control towers, and what could have been a weather station, for the immediate sea surrounding the platform was kept calm and in strict regulation. Despite its ascent from beneath the ocean, the platform like all others that had been seen on the way to it had even been devoid of sedentary marine life on its surfaces.

Everyone ascended the gallery with Luna still in the lead, towards the main body of the cryptum chamber itself.

Just before the cryptums and their main chamber was a smaller antechamber whose contents immediately stopped the entire party in their tracks. Shock manifested on many of the group, even some of the Royal Guards as everyone got a glimpse of what stood between them and the cryptums.

“Twilight … methinks your instincts were indeed true,” Luna ventured, her serene features growing sullen as she took stock of the sight. Many of her compatriots had their ears flattened, and she subsequently joined them.

“Gods … what are they, how long have they been here?” Trixie asked as she cupped her muzzle in an uneasy hoof.

“Overwhelmingly longer than how long it would take me to estimate a window of time through some scans,” Cortana said in a reserved tone.

The antechamber was separated from the rotunda by a towering bureau bearing a mural, stretching from the floor all the way to ceiling where it joined with the nearest rim of the domed ceiling with crenellated and alcoved pillars.

In front of the bureau stood the remains of what appeared to have been a quick but bitter battle. The very sight of the apparent tragedy caused many of the group to ready their weapons on instinct

A bipedal skeletal form, encapsulated in white, silver and blue armour was seated against the middle foot of the mural. Its horn still sat atop its head and the unmistakable remains of its wings sprawled out on either side of it with a tattered cape behind it as it clutched a weapon in one hand and a cube-shaped device in the other. The argent pommel of a sword of some kind could be seen, jutting out from a scabbard that was clasped to the back of the armour’s cuirass horizontally.

Between Luna’s party and the dead alicorn, the bones of her own kind not unrecognisable to her, lay the crumpled forms of what must have been the warrior’s foe.

At least thirty of them were arrayed in a rough arc around the alicorn, with a few more scattered in some far corners and about the floor. Like the fallen warrior they had calcified completely, their quadrupedal equine-like forms seemingly a surreal meld of critically damaged armour and an intrusive layer of chitin the colour of pitch.

A few amongst the forlorn grouping appeared to be entirely equine. Representations of at least the three common types of pony could be seen, possessing no evidence of chitin but whatever coats they’d had having been entirely shorn away by time, only a slightly glimmering film of energy remaining over dessicated skin. Like the alicorn, they gripped similar weapons in their hooves, all frozen in time.

“These look like changelings … “ Captain Barrier stated with alarm as he gazed upon the majority.

“Not any kind of changeling type I have ever seen or read about before, but the standard hallmarks of their race are all there … “ Twilight said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“We must leave them for now, the GSC will have plenty of time to study everything on this moon after we are done. Be careful not to step upon them and strive for reverence, for we now know these cryptums to share space with a tomb. Let us learn from them to honour their memory,” Luna said in a gentle tone, her voice as reassuring as she could make it.

Luna lead them gradually around the macabre maze of fallen warriors, before she came to a stop before the alicorn and the mural they had kept their back to in their final moments. Her eyes studied the warrior for a few long seconds before they found themselves moving upwards to gaze upon the mural.

“A bit of brightness despite this … I can now in fact scan the interiors of the cryptums themselves and I can safely say that all occupants are alive and stable should we awaken them at this very moment.” Cortana announced as the timbre of her voice seemed to pick up slightly.

Luna nodded simply as she studied the mural, delaying her response by several moments yet.

What the alicorn and their comrades had had their backs to during their defense of the cryptums was a sight of sheer awe to Luna, for her intuition told her that she was gazing upon her very heritage.

While miniscule portions of it were obscured by scorching that somehow did not harm what was concealed beneath as she brushed the soot and residue off, the princess first noted the vibrantly coloured illustrations of four alicorns forming a rough diamond pattern. Two were in pony form to the left and right, and two in bipedal form at the bottom and top, with all of them stretching their wings outwards and upwards.

A golden halo of light exuded from the surrounding space of the wall the alicorns occupied, like the crepuscular rays of a sun in the midday sky. The bottom-most alicorn had a frail appearance to her, cloaked in a flowing white dress-like garment that stood against her pale skin. Her eyes were violet and her straight mane of hair a two-toned dark and light gray. She was smiling almost bashfully as she held a heart-shaped item aloft in the palms of her hands. Above her, a male alicorn stood bedecked in armour similar to the deceased alicorn in the room yet more ornamented, his lighter gray hair neatly cropped above a set of powerfully-gazing amber green eyes and fine bronze skin. He wielded a longsword that he held aloft in one hand and a set of scales in the other, his legs positioned so that it appeared he was in mid-flight and climbing in elevation.

To the left was another, quite cheerful male alicorn, whose equine fur was vivid pink and their hair a deeper pink, accented by brilliant sapphire eyes. He held aloft what appeared to be a chalice in a foreleg whilst levitating a lute alongside it, and his gaze seemed to suggest brighter days ahead for those who gazed upon him in turn. The fourth alicorn and second pony one was a mare with a bluish grey in coat and possessed a light violet mane. Turquoise eyes with sharp intelligence completed a phlegmatic expression as she chiseling at stone, a pick-like tool in hoof and a weathered block of stone before her.

Luna’s eyes’ appraising journey was not yet over. Despite the vast area of the bureau that the four alicorns took up, more space remained above the primary mural that the ancient artists had not hesitated to fill with more of their work.

Amidst small and obscure scenes of battle, artistry, procreation, discovery, and celebration, at the apex of the bureau laid the most solitary of the scenes.

A single feminine figure stood in full armour from toes to horn, obscuring her features save for hair that flowed and billowed in the air from under her helmet. Oddly, her figure was devoid of any colour, armour included, but the rest of the scene was by far one of the most colourful of all. The warrior stood in between the rising sun to her left and the rising moon to her right.

Luna had to all but tear her eyes away from the mural, lest Cortana go unanswered. “We shall awaken one for now, Cortana. Multiple ones in unison, I think not, for a multitude of reasons.”

“Veering on the side of caution, Your Highness?” Magic Barrier inquired as he continued to deeply frown at the remains.

“Indeed. We know not what states of mind these Ancients will be in, all we have established by the Asphodel is that they are custodian figures of everything presently around us and all materials of the like.”

Master Chief added as he inspected one of the changeling-like beings, “It would be wise in my opinion that we awaken the senior-most member of the group in their cryptums, if we can identify them.”

“Only by eyeballing, I’m afraid. I have no access to any kind of data stream coming from the components of this facility and I haven’t found any access points as of yet, or else I would have hollered,” Cortana established.

“This location is extremely ornate,” Twilight echoed her prior statement. “Hopefully the design schemes of the cryptums follow suit and we can judge based on ornamentation.”

“Let us hope,” Luna agreed with a quick nod. “Come, we shall proceed into the chamber and attempt to locate a leader’s cryptum if possible.”

Luna began to take careful strides around the antechamber mural and into the rotunda beyond.

Long awaiting visitors, the cryptums’ floating forms greeted them with their sights as they numbered two dozen under the domed ceiling that was painted to depict a nighttime canvas of stars and nebulae. Like Russ’ warrior keep down on Fenris, each of the cryptums possessed their own interface terminals for control and monitoring, and each were as perfectly functional as the last even after millennial if visual appraisal told anything.

Immediately, the group began their survey of the room for the most ornate of the cryptums, as sure enough, some were smooth and largely unadorned as Leman’s had been. Many others however possessed such motifs as argent-coloured engravings of unicorn battlemages in mid-spell, unidentified embossed insignias of various stations and organisations, assorted glyphs, and even weather formations, animals, and plants.

A few moments of analysis passed before the Chief was the first to single one out for direct investigation. It was incidentally one that was directly across from the antechamber, and featured the battlemages most prominently atop a filigreed shell. Alongside the cryptum’s unknown insignia, a set of scales and a unicorn’s horn atop a runic shield, was the Imperium phoenix.

A nearly identical one was beside it to its left. Meanwhile, a security station laid out in a desk-like fashion stood just before the cryptum that the Chief was gesturing to. At a glance, the bizarre intruders in the prior age had apparently not reached far enough for that station to have been used as cover in a supposed firefight.

No remains could be found at the station, only more terminals and levitation racks neatly holding unused weaponry. Many of Twilight’s colleagues wasted no time in inspecting the station whilst leaving the cryptums be for the moment.

“I would recommend that one, or the one beside it,” the Spartan II proclaimed, the group already making their way over to it as they followed his gaze.

“This first one,” Luna said simply, without need to ruminate.

“Expecting a friendly but there is the anticipation of potential danger,” Trixie thought out loud as she readied her bright rifle in a neutral position. “Trixie is always ready!”

“Hey, Knight-Errant, can’t win for losing” Captain Barrier said to her with a brow raised, garnering him a huff from the azure mare.

“Cortana, are you ready?” Luna said as she produced the Smart AI in her hoof.

“Go ahead and yank me, Princess,” Cortana confirmed, giving a light but reassuring smile to Luna and the others before turning around to face the cryptum and tilting her head as she eyed it.

Luna proceeded to withdraw Cortana’s data chip from her pack and approached the first of the two unicorn battlemage cryptums. Reacting to her presence, the console’s screens brightened and stood up as they awaited command.

Following the procedure Cortana had taught her well in the past week, the Princess transferred Cortana off the data chip and into the crystal base of the terminal projector with her magic.

“Immediate success! Data is already rushing to me about this facility … quite a bit as expected; processing it for later. Now onto this cryptum.” Cortana reappeared with her arms folded just above the console’s middle of three screens. “Now, the release mechanisms appear ready to be deployed on demand. It should just be a simple pressing of your hoof on the middle display, Luna.”

“Simplicity to command such sophistication, mayhaps it speaks to us about the principles of this facility’s builders,” Luna speculated as she followed Cortana’s instruction.

The console sounded in confirmation as Luna withdrew her hoof, and the light of the cryptum’s inner shell began to shift from an orange to a more neutral blue as it levitated closer to the terminal, which stood just beside where the cryptum would open to deposit its occupant into the outside world.

Ancient alloy resounded as the cryptum unfurled itself and revealed the glowing white interior within. A pony-shaped figure was already making its way out at an unhurried but measured pace, surprising a few onlookers as it seemed as if the occupant had been waiting up till that very moment for release.

Luna and Twilight, joined by Barrier and the Chief formed up to be the first party for the ancient to meet. Trixie meanwhile paid only a few glances to the opened cryptum as she instead elected to study the security station with the Equestrian researchers and scholars. The lab coat and civilian-attired humans, ponies, and gryphons were discussing their immediate findings with each other as they poured over screens they were surprised to find that they could operate.

While Luna and many other sets of eyes observed, what emerged was an unarmoured unicorn mare whose glossy, almost iridescent coat was one Luna immediately recognised with great surprise as one of crystal pony nature.

Light violet fur was topped by a deep purple and lengthy cerise mane styled in a drawn back tie with intricate braiding. The mare was of the same general build as Twilight Sparkle, albeit more slender with a horn adding a few extra centimeters to her height.

Sæmundar’s mysterious resident had her eyes closed as she took her first steps onto the ground outside her cryptum in millennia.

As if awaking from a sleepwalk, the mare opened her cyan eyes and blinked in wonder at her surprised and raptly-attentive observers.

Just as Luna was a moment away from delivering what she hoped to be the most appropriate address to the ancient, the crystal pony flashed them a warm if rather poignancy-tinged smile that brought her to pause. The mare parted her lips to speak.

“You look like … no-no, you are her! And other ponies, humans, you brought Inheritors!” Her voice was soft, with her distinct accent rendering her pronunciation of Equestrian quite melodious. “Princess Luna!”

“I am Luna, yes ...” Luna replied, her voice trailing off as her expectations of a dazed and reticent ancient were evaporated like water on a stove top.

“You are one of the custodians the Asphodel mentioned!” Twilight said as her wonder rendered her voice trembling and her apprehension momentarily dispelled.

“Really? And here Trixie thought the cryptums were actually holding a race of wish-granting fairies,” Trixie quipped as she joined her four friends standing before the released crystal pony.

The ancient unicorn adjusted her stance as she tested her legs and balance, giving the metal floor an experimental tap with a hoof before casting her smile on the others again. “Fairies? Where is my wish?!” Trixie huffed at her as she continued, “And If you wish to consider me as such, a custodian, though my name is Amaranth and it is not my actual title from … before. Princess Luna, may I inquire of you some very random things?”

“But of course,” Luna said as her ears pricked to attention. “Let it be laid plain that we are here before you with rapt attention.”

Amaranth grinned. “What is the conversion rate of hamanune karekaals to crystal sovereigns? Who are the chief gods of the Jiralhanae lunar pantheon? How many Corvas make up an imperial grex? Who was Archon during the construction of Maethrillian? Last one is a trick question! So, can you answer any or all of these?”

Luna could only blink at her as the mention of Jiralhanae and a lunar pantheon were the only elements of Amaranth’s questions that garnered any glimmer of recognition. The look on the alicorn’s face caused Amaranth’s grin to fall and her features turned analytical with a returned hint of poignancy, her ears flattening in the process as she looked around to face the unopened cryptum closest to hers before looking back.

“No memory, blast! The magic must still be wearing off even after all this time, but it can’t last forever,” Amaranth mused. “I’m sure all of you are starving for context. Hopefully in a brief amount of time, we can … wait ... “

Trouble became etched on the ancient’s face, causing Captain Barrier to inquire, “Something amiss, Amaranth? Did you sustain some kind of injury or encounter a problem during … well however long you were in there?”

Amaranth’s eyes darted towards the antechamber before she shook her head and said in a slightly hurried pace, “Luna is here, and I know he is still yet to be awoken from his cryptum. Now, thanks to the connection I was able to maintain to the Imperium’s last surviving data network via my cryptum for the past couple thousands of years, I know Celestia and Praetor Leman’s statuses as well as a general idea of the state of the galaxy. Though … there is one I still need to verify the status of … excuse me for one moment please …”

Turning apologetic, Amaranth proceeded to break from a walk and into a trot towards the entrance. The motion caught a few researchers off guard, but the Royal Guard present watched with scrutiny and curiosity as they assumed watch positions with their guns readied and telescopic spears at their backs or attached to their satchels at the withers.

“Amaranth? What is wrong? Is someone in danger?” Luna asked as she and her three immediate companions hurried after her.

“No, not now fortunately. That was long ago, I … whatever we find in the antechamber will speak for itself.”

A deep frown settled upon Luna as they began to go around the mural wall.

Amaranth’s pace slowed to almost nothing in an instant when she caught sight of the remains from the ancient skirmish. Her eyes fell upon the fallen alicorn the longest as she stood their mournfully.

“Oh admiral … you and your warriors could have gone to your cryptums and left them to the sentinels ... “ she said in a low voice. “I suppose when one’s civilisation is ending, it makes sense to some of us to engage that chaos on our own terms, even if it means it will be one of the last decisions we make.”

“They sacrificed themselves?” the Master Chief asked after a brief but heavy silence fell upon the area.

“Not exactly, as I see that the Elements of Harmony ultimately dealt the fatal blow to the enemy. That cube you see there in Admiral Thanaxes’ hand? It is a durance, containing imprints of their final memories and emotions, which means they were in a state of warriors’ requiem. Willful self-destruction, basically.”

“Yet further evidence of the cost that vengeance carries,” Luna mused. “They chose valiant ends, hopefully it was a decision they were at peace with.”

“I’m going to access the durance. I want to see, please,” Amaranth stated as she carefully approached Thanaxes’ skeletal form.

“You need not ask, most definitely not!” Twilight replied as they watched her slowly free the runic silver cube from the alicorn’s grasp. “We actually hope we didn’t desecrate something without knowing … “

“Don’t worry. Despite this, this place is no tomb, nor must I allow it to be,” Amaranth said with a small smile to everyone before activating the durance with a hoof after having levitated it over to her. Her gaze was neutral as she stated, “It’s a place meant to be one of the emergence points for the dawn of a golden age, a milestone on the road to attaining the Mantle of Responsibility. And your looks, Inheritors, yes … it will be explained as soon as we are all awoken and have been given time to recuperate. Imagine my hunger.”

With the activation of the durance, a holographic scene in full colour but of flickering quality unfolded into being around and above the macabre maze that covered the floor at present.

Admiral Thanaxes, olive-skinned, dark-haired and with violet eyes narrowed in concentration, could be seen standing in front of his warriors, presumably also the sailors of unknown warships. They were frozen in time as the admiral held out the cube, mouth open and likely reciting a ceremonial line as the rest stood bipedal with their forelegs resting on hardlight shields in a dignified posture while others held their weapons high just as stiffly postured.

Amaranth interacted with the durance cube again and the scene shifted to an animated capture of what had unfolded following the ceremony, though it was devoid of sound. The Imperium soldiers were arrayed in a wedge formation with Thanaxes at its head in the center. Their weapons were shown to be beam-based and precise, whilst others fired the beam in heavier, short bursts such as the pistol-like weapon the admiral brandished.

These weapons were of great note to some of Twilight’s present colleagues, while more further were scrutinising every last detail they could from the durance’s projections.

Bolts of plasma from their unseen foe flew through the air past them, a few of them striking and felling two pony warriors of the formation before the entire rank drew swords of hardlight or plasma and rushed forward on either two or all fours. Thanaxes was pointing the tip of his sword forwards at their targets before he retrieved his scabbard and put the blade back in its place then both at his back. The final element of the projection consisted of the admiral readying a spell in his free hand as he wielded his pistol once again.

The spell was let loose into the antechamber of yore before the recording had ceased completely.

There was a quick and quiet hum from Amaranth. “Judging by size and latency of this durance … their actual consciousnesses and genetic structures may in fact be within it. If so, we can partially restore them later into Promethean constructs or some other platform if they so desire, as we will be hard-pressed to find the alicorn technology necessary for a full physical reconstruction any time soon.”

“You mean the Crystal Imperium was not capable of such feats?” Twilight conjectured with disbelief.

“While it is true we were capable of things that could seem godlike even to people of your present day and age, alicorn technology designed to restructure an organic being’s consciousness back to a biological state was ancient even when the Imperium was young. It was mostly lost to time and the alicorns of the late Imperium by that point had forgotten how to even reproduce it.”

“We shall arrange to have accommodations provided for you and your compatriots as we awake them,” Luna announced to Ameranth as she began looking over the remains a second time. “Is there any specific way we should handle the deceased? Is there a kind of rite that must be performed?”

Ameranth shook her head after giving Luna a grateful smile. “After their requiem and us playing back that durance, I think we pretty much covered all necessary ground. Those weapons in the security station? I will use the embershard rifles to physically lay them to rest, one by one. Not a fun task obviously but it has to be done. It was what was making you, my fellow unicorns and magic users all, so full of unrest. Puppets of the Nightmare Forces often give off a negative aura even long after death.”

“Should we delay the opening of the other cryptums then, you think?” Twilight wondered as she looked between Amaranth and the cryptum chamber repeatedly.

“Not by much, my work will take only a few moments once I have my materials gathered. After that I hope to eat and then … find where my husband’s Exarchate stashed my armour and personal effects, assuming there even was time to do so.”

“Very well,” Luna stated with a nod. “I shall direct most of my companions here to explore the facility as they see fit until we are ready for opening the cryptums, your defenses were all inactive by the time we arrived so there should be no threats to personnel or materiel.”

“By all means … fellow Reclaimer!” Amaranth replied with a smile. “As Inheritors it is technically their birthright to do so anyhow. By all means completely, but oh, Luna?”

Luna quirked an eyebrow in question. “Hmm?”

“Helping to crush this meddlesome ‘Covenant’ I have read about on the Cathedral Network is going to be a much needed new highlight of my long, long life.”

Imperial Equestria: Moonrise

by Word Worthy

Prologue: Reveille

Prologue Pt. 2: Blessed Immolation

Chapter 1: Call Me Luna

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Twenty-Sixth Century

Chapter 3: A Brief History; The Great Wolf

Chapter 4: Winter and Stars

Chapter 5: Sublime Transcendence

Chapter 6: Wolf Kings and Turncoat Prophets

Chapter 7: Moonlight's Repose

Chapter 8: Sized for Success

Chapter 9: War Games

Chapter 10: The Gala

Epilogue/Arc I Finale: The Ancients

Codex