> The Warriors of Chaos (Old version) > by The Warmaster > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter One > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon's POV I had done it. Finally I had finished it. Just in time for the con, too. The Cosplay of Kharn the Betrayer that I made for this convention was finally done. My friends had also made their own costumes, with Joey being Ahriman The Exiled, and Jared being Zhufor the Impaler. The other two had somehow managed to finish theirs before me, but I wasn't complaining. At least, not anymore. I checked the voice modifier to make sure that it worked fine, then proceeded to equip the suit of armor. When I finished, I walked out of my room and downstairs where my friends waited for me. They looked at me in my costume, and gave the thumbs up. They then proceeded to equip their armour as well, and we then exited the building that was my house. We all got into Joey's car and drove to the convention, each happy that we were going to our first con. When we arrived, we all filed out one by one, our armour making it kinda hard to move out of the car. After we eneed the convention center, we each split up and headed in our own directions. I decided to take a look around the stands, to see if there was anything worth buying. Let's see here.....Pony merch? No. I'm not a brony, and I don't think my friends are either. Star Wars? Nah. A Chaos Marine with a light Saber would look stupid. Then I spotted a stand that had a random assortment of items. I walked up his stand and examined the merchandise. Then I found what I wanted: a replica of Khârn's axe, Gorechild, and his Plasma Pistol. "How much for these?" I looked up at the Merchant, who looked like the merchant from Resident Evil 4. "The chainsword costs thirty dollars." He told me, and his voice even sounded like the merchant. I "The Plasma Pistol is twenty." He added. I quickly put down both items and pulled out my wallet. I handed Fifty dollars to Merchant. I then picked up both weapons and walked off. That was the plan. Instead, on my first step, I fall through a strange wormhole thing that appeared in the ground. As I fell, I twisted around and gave the opening of the hole the finger. "Fuck you wormhole! Where the hell did you come from?!" I yelled right before the top closed. Then the pain started. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Jared's POV As I walked around the stand aisle, I noticed a merchant staring off into space. I also saw that he had some interesting merchandise, a random assortment of items from games and whatnot. I noticed that he had Zhufor's Bolter, so I walked up to the stand. I picked it up. "How much for this?" I asked. He smiled in a creepy way and said: "Ten bucks." So I pulled out my wallet, which I had hidden in one of the skulls on my armour, and handed him ten dollars. I somehow managed to attach the bolter to my arm, and I examined it. Quite the good craftsmanship. I started to turn around when I felt like I was falling. I looked down and saw a swirling black mass beneath me. Before I could even yell for help, I fell in, and the entrance of the hole closed behind me. Then I suddenely felt like I was being stabbed by a million Yellow Jackets over and over again. Which is not fun. I screamed in pain before blacking out, and right as my eyes closed, I saw a beautiful night sky. Then I closed my eyes, and darkness claimed me. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Joey's POV I was checking over the wares of this creepy Merchant who looked like he belonged in Res. Evil 4. I then noticed, in the back, was a replica of Ahriman's Staff. I looked to the Merchant and pointed to it. He looked at it, then brought it over. "How much?" I asked, pulling out my wallet. "Forty dollars." He replied, and I gave him the money before taking the staff and turning around to walk away with it. Unfourtunately, I fell through a hole in the ground before I could do so. And as I fell, I felt my entire body disintegrate while I was still conscious. Damn it hurt, and I blacked out from the pain. > Chapter 2: Khârn The Betrayer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon's POV When I woke up, I found myself falling through the sky at a speed equal to that of a jet. Unfourtunately, I was rushing towards the ground. "Shit, this is going to hurt." My voice sounded different, but I hardly had time to think on it when I crash landed into a field. Suprisingly, I was still alive. Suprisingly, I was not hurt all that badly. Unsuprisingly, it still hurt like a deamon crawling through your stomach. While said Deamon tears your stomach apart and eats it. I stood up to find multiple spears in front of me. "Halt, creature! State your buisness!" I looked to who was talking to me and my eyes widened. It was a Pony with Bat wings. A Fucking Pony. I looked to the sky and yelled. "WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME UNIVERSE! WHY?!" The batpony things all held their hooves to their ears until I stopped, to which they raised they're spears at me again. "State thy buisness, Beast! Without thy yelling." The Batpony spoke again. I raised my hand to find myself holding my Plasma pistol, but it actually looked real. I raised my other hand to find a very real chainaxe. I put both on my waist and tried to remove my helmet. I couldn't. "Well, shit. Oh well, for now might as well play the part. I've always wondered what it was like to be Kharn. Didn't think it would be this." He muttered, too low for even a batpony to hear. The batpony leader raised his spear. "What was that?" He asked. I looked him dead in the eye, and spoke. "I am Kharn The Betrayer! The Avatar of the Blood God himself! I have faced countless battles and survived, claiming more skulls for my lord than any other! I was the first to break through the Impenetrable walls of the Imperial Palace, and have destroyed many Deamons of the warp! You would be wise not to make me your enemy." I boomed, holding the chainaxe Gorechild high into the air. The batponies backed up slightly at this, but still leveled their spears at me. The leader spoke up. "And what buisness do you have here, Kharn the Betrayer?" He asked. I looked down on him. "Nothing, really. I just fell through a wormhole and woke up here. Where am I, by the way?" I replied, forcing him to do a double take. "You are in Equestria, Kharn. Do you not know about this place?" He replied. I took a deep breath, let it out, then shook my axe towards the sky. "DAMN YOU UNIVERSE!!! I REALLY FUCKING HATE YOU RIGHT NOW!" I yelled, causing the batponies to jump a little. I looked down on the lead batpony. "So, I guess this is the part where I say 'take me to your leader', right?" I asked him. He looked at me oddly. "Unfourtunately, we cannot let strangers see the princess. Especially due to the circumstances." He replied. "What circumstances?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. He just looked at me in sheer shock. "You really don't know about the war? Are you just playing stupid, or are you being serious?" He asked, a ludicrous look on his face. "I'm completely serious. Did you forget the part where I mentioned that I fell through a wormhole?" I replied. "Fine. Come with us to our camp. We will explain on the way. For now, you will be treated as a prisoner, so we must confiscate your weapons." He looked me in the eye, or rather, the glass of my helmet. I shrugged. "I would, but... I don't think you can carry them. To heavy." On that note, before he could reply, I unhooked my axe and dropped it. It hit the ground with a thunk, and sunk a few feet into the hardened ground. The bat leader looked at it in shock, his mouth on the floor. He gulped, then looked up at me. "We will allow you to keep your weapons until we get to the camp. There, you will deposit them at the forge." He said. I just shrugged. "As long as they don't try to melt it down, I'm fine. " I answered. We then began walking back towards the camp, and batpony leader began telling me about the current war. Before he could, I stopped him. "First, what's your name? I'm not just going to call you Batpony leader in my mind. So what's your name?" I asked. He looked up at me, then sighed and replied. "Captain Steel Wings of the 45th Lunar Company of the Lunar Guard. Now then, let me tell you the current events, since you clearly don't know about it." He then restarted his tale. "For a thousand years, Princess Celestia and Luna ruled Equestria. But Celestia was always the one who got the most attention. She controls the sun, and most ponies live in the sunlight, and sleep and ignore Luna's night. So, after so long of being ignored, Luna struck out, Casting the world into an Eternal Night, and declared war on Celestia. We Lunar guards sided with Our majesty Princess Luna, while the Solar guard sided with Celestia. The war has been going on for a month now, and neither side has been willing to go down without a fight. The camp we are heading to is one of many in the surrounding area. We are preparing for an ambush on a Solar Guard Military transport bearing weapons for the Solar Guards. We are going to steal it before it gets to the Solar Capital. There's the camp right now." He finished, pointing his hoof at a large encampment a mile away. "Hmm, interesting. I would like to partake in this war of yours." I told them. They all stopped in their tracks. Steel Wings looked at me. "Why? This war doesn't concern you, and you want to join in? Why?" He asked. "Simple. You guys were the first creatures I met here, and I honestly like the night. And plus, I need to collect skulls for the Skull Throne." I replied. They just stared at me, some with incredulous looks, some with joy. Steel pondered this. "Very well, Khârn The Betrayer. We will allow you to join us in this mission. It will be your test of your abilities. Though, we will be keeping a close eye on you. Your title is 'The Betrayer' after all." Steel told me. I nodded. "Of course. It's only logical. Now then, let's head to the camp." I reply, and we all head towards the camp. ×××××××××××××××××× As we walk through the tent, all movement stops as the Batponies all stare at me. I look at them back. I followed Captain Steel towards what I assume to be a command tent. When I enter, I see that I was right. Military commanders and such were all discussing something at a table with a map on it. They even had those little wierd figurines that represent their forces. They ignore us until Steel coughs. They all turn, and, having me in their sights, stop dead. I wave. "Hi." I said. They then look down to Captain Steel. "Captain Steel, what exactly is this... thing?" One of them asks. "Sir, this is Khârn The Betrayer, Avatar of The Blood God, and a possible new recruit for the Lunar Guard." He states. They look back up to me, mouth agape. "He speaks the truth. I'm going to he you guys win the war. I am at your service." I tell them. They then look down to Steel again. "What are his capabilities?" The one who spoke earlier asked. Steel then gestures to Gorechild, which I grab. He looks to me. "Show them." He said flatly. I simply drop the axe, and it sinks into the ground. Again. They just look at it in shock. I pick it up again. "There's more. Prepare to be amazed." I activate the Chainaxe, and it's teeth roar hungrily, spinning into a blur. I deactivated ate it once I realize that they are holding their hoofs to their head. "This is a Chainaxe. It's part chainsaw, part axe. This will cut through pretty much anything. Considering you still only have simple spears, I'm guessing your not as technologically advanced to have armour that can survive this." I put the axe back in its spot, locking it into place. They look around at eachother, then look back to me. "What is your armor like?" One asks. "Stronger than anything you guys have available. Spears and such won't even dent it, let alone pierce it. It's also connected to my flesh, so I can't take it off." I reply. Just as one of them were about to ask another question, a courier galloped into the tent. "Commander! The shipment is almost here! The Loyalists are early!" He says, then notices me. He quickly squirms back, in fear and awe of me. "This is troubling news. It's almost daytime, when they are strongest. What to do?" The Commander asks his fellows at the table. Then, as one, they all look to me. I then understand perfectly what they are thinking. I simply nod. "Yes, I will go destroy the Solar Guard soldiers at once. But, since you don't know if I will betray you or not, you will send someone with me. I nominate Captain Steel Wings here. Is that all? I can start moving out now if you'd like." I tell them. They all nod, then look to Steel. He nods as well. "Alright, Khârn, we will trust you with this operation. If Steel Wings does not return with you, we will kill you. Steel Wings." THe captain shot straight up. "You will go with him and evaluate his capabilities. Remain in the shadows, and observe him." The commander ordered. Steel Wings saluted, and together we left the tent. "Omay, now lead me to where the supply route is supposed to be." I tell him, and he nods. I follow him through a canopy of trees until we arrive at a dirt road.I look to left and see a dust cloud, which normally meant that something was coming. I also saw the sun rise, and Steel shied away from it. I looked to him. "Stay in the trees." I tell him. He nods, and flies back to the cover of the forest. As the supply group draws closer, I unhook Gorechild, but don't activate it. Not yet. When the supply group got close enough, they stopped, and a large group of horned Ponies and Winged ones walk out to confront me, with spears and other weapons. "Move out of the way, creature! This is a supply group heading towards her majesty Princess Celestia's castle. Move now or we will use force!" One of the guards, clearly a captain, ordered. I revved Gorechild. "I think not, Loyalist scum." I then charge at them, and yell the famous words of a servant of Khorne. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" I then proceed to swing Gorechild into one of the ponies, and before the rest could react, said pony was torn to ribbons. I quickly grabbed my Plasma pistol, swing it into the face of another pony, and pulled the trigger, releasing a large ball of energy, and in the next instant, the ponies head was disintegrated. I swung my chainaxe around, cutting through three more ponies' necks. Soon all that was left was the captain. He had already pissed himself at the fact that in less than a minute, his entire squad was dead. He used his magic to levitate his sword in defence, but it was smacked away. I looked down on him, and got right up in his face. "You listen and you listen good. I am Khârn the Betrayer, Avatar of the Blood God Khorne, and ender of a million lives. I will let you live, if only to tell your precious Princess that I am going to crush her army, and claim each of their skulls. None in your world can defeat me, and I will destroy the entire Solar Guard myself. Do you understand?" I tell him. He quickly nods his head. "Good. Now, I'm taking this cart for the Lunar Guard. I want you to go back to your leaders pathetic castle and tell her about what just happened. In exact detail." He nods his head again, and I walk past him and pick up the cart with the supplies. I walk back into the Forest and out of sight. > Chapter Three: Ahriman The Exiled > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV I awoke to the sound of guards talking. I sat up, and took a look around me. I was in what appeared to be an underground dungeon of sorts. I noticed my staff on the opposite side of the room. Then I noticed the Guard. A Pony with Bat wings and ears. And then brain.exe stopped working. The guard looked up at me. "Ah, good your awake. Now I can go retrieve the Princess. He closed the book he was reading and walked out the door, stopping to look at two unseen guards. "Don't allow him to leave." He said, then continued on his way. I grunted. Seeing as I am a prisoner for now, I chose to remain to see what happened and where he was. And who was this princess? Tzeentch divine that sounds so girly-wait. Tzeentch Divine? Since when had ever said that? I took a moment to study myself. My armor had become very much real, and I could feel my new muscles, unlike the ones I had before. "Shit. I'm now Ahriman." I mutter. For some reason.... I'm not suprised. Or shocked. Or anything. I just felt acceptance. That this is my life now. I stopped my thoughts when I heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground. I look up to see a blue mare with wings and a horn, and with an ethereal mane that floated without air. She examined me for a bit before asking. "What are you?" She asked. I decided to reply. "I am Ahriman The Exiled, Member of the Adeptus Astartes Traitor Legion 'The Thousand Sons'. I am a sorcerer, and a strong one at that. I serve Lord Tzeentch, God of Change, Knowledge, and Power. Who are you?" I replied. She looked stunned for a bit before replying. "I am Princess Luna, Bringer of Night and soon to be Ruler of Equestria. I lead the Lunar Guard in a war against my Sister, Princess Celestia. We are sorry for confining you, but we did not know what thy was, and thought thee dangerous. Please forgive us." She then nodded to one of her guards, who removed the cuffs confining me. I stand to my full height, easily out class in Luna in that category. She looked up at me. "Would though like something to eat?" She asked. I shook my head. " I am unable to eat." I tell her. She tilts her head. "Why is that?" She asks. "Because I am now nothing more than dust and a suit of armor. But we can at least move some where more... suitable for conversation." I lie, and she nods, ignoring the words about me being dust and a suit of armor. She waves her head in a motion that says 'follow', and I follow her through the winding halls and stairs. Since they are ponies, I have to wonder how they managed to build a building, let alone the armor or spears the guards have. I follow Luna into a room with a table and two chairs. The guards wait outside the room, and close the door behind me. Luna sits in one seat and motions for me to sit in the other. I oblige, and settle into the seat. After a moment of silence, she begins the discussion. "Where did you come from?" She asks. "I fell through a wormhole and landed in this nation. That's all I remember." "That's all? Everything else is a blank?" "Yes. " "Perhaps I can use a memory spell to return your lost memories." She then charges up a flood of warp energy in her horn, and it washes over me. I sit there for a few moments, waiting for my memory to return. It doesn't. "Strange...." Luna says after a while. "What is strange?" "Your memories are there, just... corrupted. There are two set's of memories in your mind, and one is somehow suppressing the other. Try to remember your home." She tells me, and I do so. I see great spires and Glass Pyramids filled with knowledge, a great society that was full of scholars and psykers. Then, suddenely, it changed. Fire was everywhere, and men in armor much like his own, but pale white instead of blue, with an insignia of a wolf on their shoulder pads. They mowed down anything that moved, and his home burned. He saw two giants among men dueling it out, one using the powers of the arcane, while the other used blades of steel. In the next few moments, a great battle took place, but then, the mage and his followers, soldiers in red, vanished. Then the vision ended. I was back in the chair with Luna. She looked at me expectantly. I shuddered with rage before speaking. "It Burns..." I say. She looks at me with a frown. "What burns?" She asks, worry in her eyes. "Prospero.... it burns..." I continue. "What is Prospero?" She asks. "My home.... destroyed by the Wolves. They burned Prospero." "I am sorry for that, Ahriman, I truly am. What was your home like?" She asks. If I could smile, I would. I tapped into the warp, and created a vision around us. She yelped in suprise when the world around her changed suddenly. As she looked around, her jaw dropped to the floor. She saw Prospero in all its glory, the gleaming spires and pyramids practically vibrating with knowledge. "Its.. beautiful." She said after a minute. I nodded, then showed the scene of the Wolves destroying it. She watched in horror as the tall armored giants reduced the city to rubble, killing everyone. I shut off the vision after that. We had returned to the table and chairs. She reoriented herself before looking at me with truly sad eyes. "I am so sorry that your home was destroyed." She said, truly meaning it this time. "Think nothing of it. It has been ten millenia since it was destroyed, and I have moved on. I seek the knowledge of the Black Library, a place of such grand knowledge that it dwarfs some of the gods themselves. A library of all existence, containing every book ever made. And it is with this knowledge will I destroy the Wolves and their Corpse Emperor." I tell her. She looks at me. "Well, since it is without a doubt that you are a alien from another planet, as there was no city that beautiful in existence on this planet, I hereby welcome thee to our planet. But enough talk about you for now. I need help." She told me. "Help with what?" I ask. "The defeat of my sister. She has been the ruler of Equestria, with the ponies always loving her sun, and ignoring the beautiful night that I created. After so many years, I have decided to overthrow her, and encase the world in Eternal Night. I wish for you to help me with that." She asked. I nodded. "But, we cannot have it be an eternal night, your majesty." I tell her. "Oh? Why is that?" She asks, her gaze hardening slightly. "Because, your majesty, all life needs the sun to grow. Without sunlight, the planet will freeze and everything will die. This cannot happen. I will assist you, but you must not have the night be eternal." I tell her. Her face becomes slightly pale from that. "I see. Very well. We will, on occasion, allow the rise of the sun." She says, and I nod. I then kneel before her. "What will you have me do, your majesty?" I ask her. "There is a small group of mages in my army. Since you said that you were a sorcerer, I wish of you to teach them, as they are but novices. But before that happens, there is something else." "Yes, your majesty?" "There is a encampment to the north from here. Our spies have revealed that it will soon be attacked. We wish for you to go there and aid in the defence." She pulled out a map and pointed at a spot on the map in the north, marked with an X. "You can teleport, right?" She asks. "Indeed. But I need to know what the location looks like before I can go there." She smiled. "I have a solution to that." Her horn lit up and an image of a encampment appeared in my mind. I examined the image before letting it fly into my memories. "Very well. I shall be off then." I say, but she stops me. "The guards need to know wether or not your an ally. So, here." She gave me two items. A scroll with the seal of the moon on it, and a pin with the logo of the Lunar Rebellion. I took both. "Give these to the guards there and they will know to trust you." She told me. I nod, and without another word, imagine the place in my mind, before tearing a hole through the material realm. I walked through the portal, and it vanished behind me. I reappared in the middle of the encampment. Guards immediately surrounded me, spears leveled at my chest. One of the guards walks up to me. "Creature, state your buisness!" He orders. I hand him the scroll and the pin, and his eyes widen. He opens the scroll and reads through it then looks at me. "Very well. Warriors! This is the Head mage of the Lunar Guard, Lord Ahriman. He is the ranking commander here as of now, by order of Princess Luna. He will aid in the defence of the camp." A few cheers echoed through the camp, and the guards removed their spears from pointing at my chest. The Guard looks up at me. "Lord Ahriman, what are your orders?" He asks. "When is the enemy expected to arrive?" "Four hours or less." "Show me a map of the area." I follow the guard into the command tent, and on the table is a map of the surrounding area. "The Solar Guards will likely attack from here." He pointed to a small mountain. " What do you suggest?" He asks. I examine the map for a while before answering. "I believe that this spot." I point to a spot on the map. "Will be a defendable area. So, we should set up soldiers here, with two larger squads hiding behind the mountain. When the enemy gets into combat, the other two groups will surround them, forcing them to either surrender, or die fighting." I tell him. "But sir, if the defence position is too weak, the enemy could break through." He told me. "I know. Which is why I shall aid the main defence line myself." I declare. He looks up at me. "A mage would be a great boost in power, but how do you plan on getting them to surrender?" He asks. "Simple. I get up into his face. "With fear." I leaned back. "And I'm not a mage." I tell him. He looks up. "Then what are you?" He asks, slightly on guard. "I am a Librarian. Not your kind of librarian, I mean the ones who use the power of the warp to fuel my power." I tell him. "The warp? What's that?" He asks. "I will tell you later. For now, get your men into position. Also, what is your name?" I ask. "I am Sargeant Shadow Break, of the 23rd Company of the Lunar Guard." He answers. "Well then, Shadow, get your soldiers ready. I will meet you at the battlefield." With that, he ran off, ready to fight. ××××× 4 hours later As I awaited the Solar Guard, I felt the power of the warp course through me. I could sense that they were close. Suddenely, a guard shouted out. "They're here!" I immediately began channeling my power into my staff, preparing to unleash a spell. As I watched, the Solar Guard slowly marched toward us, shields raised. I saw a few horns in the mix, with Earth Ponies and Pegasi as well. I waited. The Solar Guard halted. "Leader of the Lunar Guard in this sector! You are to surrender yourself and your troops to the Solar Kingdom! We can avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but you must surrender!" I decided to play with them. I turned to my soldiers. "Wait here." I told them, then walked out in the open. The Solar troops saw me, and immediately prepare their spears. I kept my power in the staff, ready to use at a moments notice. I calmly walked up to them. "Who here is your commanding officer?" I ask. One of them walk up to him. "I am Captain Breaker of the Solar Kingdom. Who are you?" "I am Librarian Ahriman the Exiled, Avatar of Tzeentch, and commander of the Lunar Guard here." I tell him. "We order you to surrender your troops now and avoid unnecessary bloodshed. We will not ask again." Breaker replied, a stern look across his face. "That's the thing. I don't take orders from you. I take orders from Lord Tzeentch and Princess Luna, and I order you to surrender to avoid unnecessary bloodshed." I tell him. His face hardened. We will not surrender to a blatantly weaker army. It is the Lunar Guard who must surrender. If not, we will take you prisoner." He tells me, looking into my eyes. I sigh. "Very well." The Captains eyes lit up at that. "You leave me no choice. Lunar Guard, ATTACK!" And with that, all hell broke loose. Crossbow bolts fired into the Solar Guard just as the attempted to stab me. I then released the spell in my staff, surrounding them in warpfire. The Solar Guard Captain looked around as he and his squad was now trapped by blue flames. I leaned next to him. "Surrender now, or your squad burns." I tell him. He gulped, then shouted. "All Solar Guards! Lay down your weapons! We are surrendering!" He tells his squad, who quickly put down their weapons. I cease the Warpflame, and send an order to the Lunar Guard. "Lunar Guard! Confiscate their weapons and take them to the prison cells!" I then get in close to the captain. "But you are coming with me." I tell him, and he quickly nods before following me. As the Lunar Guard Take the Solar weapons, Shadow walks up to me. "What are you doing with their captain? And what in Luna's name were those flames!" He asks. "I am taking the Captain for interrogation. And the fire was the power of the warp made manifest. It's the simplest of spells for a Librarian." I then walk off with the Solar Captain into the command tent. I motion for him to sit down, when he does, so do I. "So now then, I am going to get the information I want." I tell him. "You won't get me to talk!" The captain snarled. I laughed. "Who said anything about talking?" I tell him before seizing his mind with my power and scanning it. I ignore his screams while I probe his mind. When I find the information I want, I stop. The captain slumps down onto the table, unconscious. Sargeant Shadow ran in. "Why was there screaming?" He asked, then saw the captain slumped on the table. He looked back to me. "Did you kill him?" He asks. "No. I simply read his mind and now have the whereabouts of the enemy camp that sent this squad to deal with us." I stood up, and calmly walked out the door. I motioned to two guards, then pointed inside. "Restrain him and bring him to the cells." I order. They nod and walk in. Shadow continues to follow. "They have an entire camp to deal with us? And this was just a small squad? Then we can't win! I'm calling a retreat." Shadow's say, but I stop him. "No. I will deal with this enemy myself. And before you ask, no, I won't be alone. I have a few... friends in the area. Just hold here, and I will be back by nightfall." I then walked out of the camp and began marching towards the enemy base. ×××××× 2 hours later. When I arrived, I turned myself invisible and examined the base. They had patrols every ten minutes and guards manning the walls. I turned back and headed into a cave. I pulled out a peice of chalk and drew a summoning circle. Then, I began to speak a language that no mouth should ever utter. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Solar Guards POV As I watched the area in front of me, I noticed a red glow coming from a cave a few yards away. I signaled one of the patrols to scout it out. They nodded, and went to investigate. After five minutes, they hadn't returned yet. Had they encountered something? Then, suddenely, a scream was heard, a horrendous, pained scream that echoed across the snowy tundra for miles on end. Then all was silent. All the guards had woken to the noise and we're gearing up. I started shaking, feeling a sense of dread fill up the area. Then I saw something. Strange, bipedal creatures emerged from the cave, with flaming blades. I pulled out my alarm horn and blew into it, signaling the alarm. All the guards manned the walls, with the rest guarding the gates with spears raised. The strange creatures charged toars us, screeching in a unknown language as they advanced. Then the Admiral spoke. "Fire! Send those things back to Tartarus!" After he said that, everyone either fired a bolt from their crossbow, or fired a magic blast. The creatures continued forward, ignoring the blasts of magic and crossbow bolts as they drew closer to the base. Suddenely, a scream emenated from behind the guards. I turned around to see a group of the monstrosities tearing into the guards below. I turned back around to see one right in my face. My eyes widened right before a large blade slid deep into my chest, and everything went dark. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV When I returned to the Lunar base, I announced that the enemy base had been dealt with. They all cheered, though some had doubts, including sargeant Shadow. "How did you break into their base and destroy it?" He asked. I shrugged. "I summoned the Deamons of the warp." That got Shadow's attention. "You can summon Demons?! And control them?!" He exclaimed. I nodded. He just sighed. "Is there anything you can't do?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "Hell if I know. But I'm returning to the Princess to tell her that the threat has been dealt with. Goodbye." With that, I opened up a portal to the Lunar Rebellion Base, and stepped through it. > Chapter Four: Zhufor The Impaler > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zhufor's POV I woke up to the sound of people talking around me. I slowly opened my eyes, and the sight that I saw nearly made me pass out again. Ponies. Fugging ponies. I notice that they haven't seen that I'm awake yet, so I let the prattle on and absorb whatever information I can get. ".... I still can't understand why the princess wanted us to have this thing contained. It fell from the sky, sure, but that doesn't mean it's dangerous or anything, right?" One of the doctor ponies said. "I know, but orders are orders. I wonder what Princess Celestia thinks is so bad about it. She took one look at it and was suddenely filled with rage, and then had us lock it up." A guard replied, shifting uncomfortably. Then he noticed I was awake. "Oh! It's awake! Why, hello there, alien. My name is Sword Hoof, Of the 13th Company of the Solar Guards. What is your name?" He asked. I grunted, then answered. " Zhufor.... I think. Either that or Joey. Or was it Jared?" I asked, mostly to myself. "Ok, I'll just call you Zhufor. Now then, where are you from?" He asked. I scanned my mind for a moment before coming up blank. "I.... don't know." I told him. He tilted his head. "Did you lose your memory? I'm certain we have some sort of memory spell for you--oh! Your majesty!" The guard turned around to see a white mare, with a horn and wings. Her hair was a sort of odd rainbow, and was flowing on some unknown wind. She nodded towards the guard before glaring at me. I stared at her blankly. She sighs, then looks back to the guard. "Leave us. Both of you." She ordered, nodding towards the doctor. They both nodded, then walked out of the room. The white one closed the door behind them. "Now then, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with your filth after Discord, but it seems that Chaos knows no boundaries. So, Chaos Vermin, prepare to be turned to stone." She said, charging up her horn. In reflex, I broke through my restraints, somehow managed to dodge the death beam, given my size that should be impossible. I glared at her. "Ok, first of all, who the hell are you? Second, who is Discord? Third, Why the frak are you so he'll bent on making me into a statue ornament? What the hell did I ever do to you?!" I asked. She ignored me, instead firing another blast. I dodged out of the way before tackling her to the ground. I then proceeded to run out the door and run like hell. I subconsciously checked my arm to see if the bolter was still there, and it was. Good. I continued to run towards the nearest exit when Celestia's voice rang out. "Solar Guard! The creature we captured is trying to escape! Capture it, or kill it! Do not let it leave the castle alive!" She yelled. Well shit. The guards at the door brandished their spears at me. I merely raised my bolter, and fired above their heads. Two shells punched through the wall, and exited out the other end. The guards looked at the holes, and then back to me. They then proceeded to get out of my way. I barreled out the door and into the outskirts of a forest. I ran through it, knocking down whatever was in my way, be it trees, rocks, rock Crocodiles, a wierd chicken Lizard, and lastly, a star bear thing. I ran and ran until I was out of the forest, and looked around me. There was a massive mountain, and I thought that it would be a safe place to hide out while things settled down. So, I ran towards it, and when I reached the base of it, began to climb. Eventually, I found a cavery big enough for me to fit in, so I stopped there and rested. Khorne that was a crazy start. After a while I looked back out of the cave. I saw armies filtering out of the plains, probably off to a battle. I noticed a smaller group was heading towards the mountain I was in, so I hid deeper inside the cave. Soon after, voices were heard. "Are you sure you saw the thing climb up here? One asked. "Yes, I'm certain! It was big, red, and fast." Another exclaimed. "I bet you the this is a ploy to go hiking." A third voice added. "Look, there's the cave right there. Let's just head in, see if we find anything, and leave. Simple as that". They peeked inside to see a giant red monster barreling towards them, a massive spear attached to its back. "Oh buck!" One shouted, right before him and his compatriot were skewered by the spear. "Oh Celestia.. Private Korona.... Private Blossom...." the last one said. I looked at her, then picked her up, and threw her. Right off the cliff. Unfourtunately, she had wings. As I watched, said wings unraveled, and she began flying back towards the castle. I cursed before raising my bolter and firing at her. She tried to bob and weave, but there were just too many bullets. One hit her wing, and screaming, she fell all the way down into the plains far below. I laughed. "That's what you get for messing with me, Sunbutt! Do you hear me? I am Zhufor The Impaler, bane of The Corpse Emperor's Space Marines! Do you honestly think a tiny pony could stop me? Hah! That's complete bullshit! Next time, find something that's actually a challenge!" I yelled out to the castle, hoping she could hear me. I then proceeded to remove the pony kabob on my back, throwing the carcasses into the cave, then ran down the opposite end of the mountain, heading north. Hopefully, I would find some place to hide out. If not, I could always scavenge for food. So I ran, for days on end, deeper into the North. Eventually I walked upon a abandoned camp. Or, at least, that's what it looked like at first. Then i saw that there were dead ponies everywhere, making this seem like a battle. Looking around, I saw a symbol I knew well. The symbol of Khorne. It was embedded into all of the Solar Kingdom's flags. I felt like I was returning home. I saw a small throne made up of skulls as well. Grinning, I sat in it. "Ah, it's good to be home." I muttered to myself, before drifting off to sleep > Chapter Five: The Battle For Manehattan, Part I: Planning > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV It had been three years since I had joined Princess Luna in her war against Celestia, three years of bloodshed. I had risen quickly in the ranks, and soon established a Librarian Faction of the Lunar Rebellion, which now called itself the Lunar Republic. As tales of me spread like wildfire throughout the Solar Kingdom, now named the Solar Empire, and now most of The Solar Guard would run at the mere sight of me. I soon became the right hand of Luna, her ultimate winning card. The novice mages I had trained grew into great Librarians, and could now cast most spells that use the warp with ease. And now, I am heading to the meeting room to discuss our next target. As I entered, most of the guards either bowed or nodded in my direction. I sat down at my seat in the war room, next to the Princess. When Luna herself entered, everyone, including myself, knelt down before her. She nodded. "Rise, my commanders." She ordered, and everyone returned to their seats. I carefully listened to what each commander suggested, but their goals weren't big enough. After a few more minutes of discussion, I decided to intervene. "I propose we go for a bigger target." I said, interrupting a commander speaking about engaging in a battle with a small town. Luna looked at me. "What do you suggest, Librarian?" She asked me. I examined the map before smiling. I pointed to a spot on the map. "Here." I said, and the commanders each looked at it before they're eyes widened. "Are you insane?! That's one of the most fortified cities in the entire Empire, aside from the Castle! How do you expect to take this one down?!" One of them shouted. I raised my hand, silencing him. "I know that Manehattan is a big target, and it is truly one of the most well defended places in the Empire. However." I lowered my hands onto the table, "We haven't been serious enough in our war against the Solar Empire. The most we have done is raid transports bearing weaponry or food. This city is a major trade route, sending out food and supplies to all corners of the Empire. If we take it, and hold it, we can cripple the enemy like never before, and possibly forcing Celestia to face us personally. This is the opportunity we have been waiting for. If we take this now, the enemy would take a few years to recover from this. I suggest we join all of our forces across the Lunar Republic and take Manehattan with the strongest force we have ever had. I will personally lead the assault, along with my cabal. Now then, are we in agreement?" I finished gazing at the commanders expectantly. Slowly, one by one, hoofs slowly raised in the air. I nodded. "Wait! If we move our forces defending our borders, the enemy could use this chance to attack!" The one general who didn't raise his hand exclaimed. I thought over it for a minute before getting an idea. "What if the major movement of our forces looked like we were preparing for a full-fledged assault? They would be more preoccupied with getting ready and trying to deduce where we will hit than attacking our borders. Plus, I have heard rumors of an armored warrior much like me with a distinct hatred for Celestia's forces. And I have seen the evidence. This rumored warrior is a Chaos Marine, like me. Except he is in service to the Blood God Khorne. Before the attack, I will locate him, and try to get him to defend our borders in case of Solar Empire assaults. Also, I would like to meet with the 45th Company. I have also heard rumors of a strong warrior, almost like an Astartes. I dare say that we might have two super soldiers serving with us. So, is that all?" I looked to the group. They all nodded, except for the general, who fumed before stomping away. This behavior concerns me, as if he wanted me to call off the attack. As the other commander's and generals left the war room, I pulled Luna over for a quick chat. "I want to have on of my Librarians keep an eye on the general who spoke out. He was actively trying to get us to call off the attack. I fear he may be a traitor." I whispered into her ear. Her eyes widened and her ears flattened before looking at me. "Art though sure?" She asked. I nodded. She sighed. "General Blade Work has been a general in my army since before the uprising. I should trust him, yet... what you say does trouble me to a great degree. Very well, send one of thy Librarians to keep tabs on him. We cannot dismiss the possibility of a traitor in the inner circle. We shalt take our leave now, Ahriman." With that, she teleported to her personal quarters. I sighed, then teleported to my Librarian training center. Over the years, a mass influx of new Psykers had risen up in the Batpony ranks. And I trained each and every one of them. I moved towards the area of one of my first students. Though they did not have the same amount of power as myself, they each had a very capable amount of power within them. I reached his room, and politely knocked on the door. I heard a grumble as he shuffled out of bed. When he opened the door, he immediately bowed. "Lord Ahriman! What brings you here? Training sessions aren't until tomorrow night." He asked. I gestured to his room, and he understood immediately, allowing me to pass inside. I sat down on a chair and faced him. "Elderith, my student, as one of my first students, I must go to one of you for assistance when I cannot get something done." I told him. He looked at me questioningly, before motioning for me to continue. "We believe that one of the Generals, Blade Work, is a traitor to her majesties cause. Though we do not have solid evidence. That is where you come in. I want you to observe him, probe his mind,and make sure that he truly is pure to our cause. If he is not, well..." I paused for dramatic effect. "He will be brought to Luna in chains, and I will reveal to her his mind. Then, I will execute him myself, and send his soul to the warp as an offering to Tzeentch. I trust you with this. Do you accept?" I asked him. He nodded instantly, a firm glare in his eyes. "Very well. You begin immediately. I shall leave you to it." With that, I got up from my chair and exited the door. I then went over to a desk, and, pulling out a few sheets of paper, began to write. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV As I finished up another patrol, I decided to head to the bar. When I got in, everypony there cheered for me. In the few years that I had been with the Company, I had quickly earned their trust and friendship. Hell, I even somehow managed to get a small fanclub, as well as a cult Dedicated to Lord Khorne. So I was content. I didn't come here for drinks, however. I walked up to my good friend Captain Steel Wings, and gave him a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see me there. "Oh. Hi Khârn. How's it hanging?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "Been good. Felt like heading over here to tell one of my infamous stories of the Great Crusade. I believe that it's time for the grand Story." I then sat up. "Everyone! May I have your attention please!" I asked, and everyone went quiet, knowing to never disregard Khârn, even when they were drunk. "I have come here today to tell of the Grand Tale of... The Seige of Terra!" I exclaimed, and the people in the bar cheered. I raised my hands in order to settle them down. "Now, gather round guys, this one's a good one." They all quickly gathered around my feet, and I began my tale. (Note: You can skip this if you want. It's just a retelling of the Seige of Terra. Everyone knows this. Except for ponies.) After The War master Horus' Fleet defeated the Imperium's fleet in orbit, we descended down upon the great cities of Holy Terra to defeat the Emperor. He had hid himself deep into his palace, which was turned into a great fortification. The first thing we did after beating the fleet was bomb the place. After that we dropped down in pods of metal, and quickly secured the closest spaceports. After we captured the space ports, the army of Horus came down to the planet en masse. The first thing we did in the true seige was push the Loyalist legionnares back into the Imperial Palace, and my Father Primarch, Angron, walked right up to the walls of the Imperial Palace and demanded their surrender, saying that they were cut off, surrounded, and defending a lord who did not deserve their loyalty. It would have worked, if it weren't for the Blood Angel Primarch Sanguinius. The two of them just stared at eachother before my father turned and headed back to the army saying the there will be no surrender. And so it began three times the Chaos Marines surged to the walls, and three times did The blood Angels and Sanguinius Push them back. Then, Horus got pretty Pissed that his seige wasn't going as quickly as he had hoped. So, he had the Titans sacrifice themselves to burst open the wall. They did, and we swarmed the place. I was the first in, actually, and scored millions of kills. As we prepared to fight on the next day, however, the Primarch Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars did a sneaky move. He broke into one of the spaceports, took control of it, and halted our fresh supply of troops. After fifty five days of attacking the palace walls, Horus got extremely tired of this bullshit of a defence, and, seeing a fresh group of Imperial soldiers nearing, issued a challenge to the Emperor. He lowered the void shields, allowing the Emperor and his honour guard into the ship. Eventually, Horus fought the Emperor, and lost, but not before gravely hurting the Emperor and getting him stuck to the golden throne. We were pushed back into the eye of terror, and loads of shit happened after that. ------------- As the crowd gazed on me in awe, a soldier, one of my personal squadron, burst through the door. "Lord Khârn! We have received a message from Luna's Right Hoof!" He passed the letter to me before exiting the bar. I read it out loud To the 45th Company, You are hereby ordered to return to the Lunar Republic Main Base to Prepare for our latest operation. The details will be explained once everyone has arrived. Also, as The Right Hoof of Luna, I am ordered to inspect our troops personally. I request that all of your soldiers are to report to the Parade Grounds for inspection. Do not leave a single soldier behind. You are expected to arrive in two days time. Her majesties Right and Iron Hoof, Chief Librarian Ahriman. After rereading the words at the bottom, I looked to the rest of the bar's customers. Steel Wings nodded, and spoke to the crowd. "Citizens! Please be warned. There may be an attempt to reclaim the town for The Solar Empire. But fear not! If you do not resist them until we return, and play the part of helpless captured civilians, you will be spared by them. Until this operation is over, we will be forced to leave you, but don't worry. We will return. That is a promise."he spoke to them. They seemed relieved at that. Steel then turned to me. "So, Khârn, shall we be off then? We have to gather the Company and head out immediately." He said, and I nodded, and followed him out of the bar. We walked to the middle of the encampment, where the entire Company was gathered. After a few moments, Steel spoke. "Soldiers of the 45th Company! As I'm sure you have heard, we are to return to the capital of the Lunar Republic to prepare for some sort of operation. Sadly, we are forced to leave the kind ponies of this town for now, but when the mission is over, we will return." Most of the batponies shuffled their hoofs. "And this is also a time to rejoice! We have been contacted by Princess Luna's Personal guard and been told to return home for the first time in three years! We can finally meet up with our old relatives and family! Also, our good Friend and Superior Officer Khârn The Betrayer wishes to speak a few words." He gestured for me to speak. So I did. "Throughout the three years I've been with you guys, you have shown me trust and friendship like no other. We have fought and died together, and I am proud to call you my Battle Brothers." I told them, showing a small hint of emotion. The Company were all beaming with pride when I looked up at them. "Now then, my battle brothers, let us head to the Capital, and finish this operation so we can share our stories of the most certain battle coming up! For Princess Luna! For the Lunar Republic! For Lord Khorne!" I shouted, and they all repeated our battle cry, which I had come up with in the heat of the moment during one of our battles. It somehow managed to stick. And with that, we marched out into the snow. ÷÷÷÷ Third person POV Little did Khârn know, him and his company were being watched by a group of Solar Guard hiding in the treeline. One of them turned to a new recruit, a rookie named Salesworth. "Send this news to the Princess. She must be warned." He told him, and the rookie nodded before taking off into the forest. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV. Today had been a long day. Report after report came through with basically the same message. That the Lunar Guard were leaving their fortifications. This could mean only one thing: Luna was planning something. But one report was different, for it had a report about a tall, bright red bipedal creature leading a full company out of their fort. This meant that Luna had made contact with the Impaler, and managed to recruit him, which spelled for a terrible defeat should their armies meet head on. That creature of chaos was in a league of its own, able to escape from the most defended location in the Solar Empire in mere moments. She called to her chief general. "Send this message to all forces in the Solar Empire. I want all guards in the smaller villages to pull out and to head towards the closest city and aid in its fortification." The pony nodded before rushing off to deliver the message. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Zhufor The Impaler's POV As I sat in my throne of skulls, bored out of my mind, a portal opened up right in front of me. And out of it stepped a being much like me, except Blue and with different gear style. "Zhufor The Impaler of The World Eaters Legion. I was expecting it to be you. How have you been?" The being asked. I simply shrugged. "Fine. But, who, pray tell, are you?" I asked, to which he chuckled. "I am Ahriman The Exiled, Right Hand of The Princess of the Night, Lord Luna. I am also pledged to Tzeentch. I come bearing a message from the Princess herself." This piqued my interest. I sat up on my throne. "What is this message?" I ask. He pulls out a note and begins reading. "Zhufor the Impaler, I, Princess Luna, Ruler of the Lunar Republic and soon to be Ruler of Equestria, hereby ask for your assistance in defending our border from the Soldiers of the Solar Empire, led by Princess Celestia." He stopped, putting the paper down. "She wants you to aid her in the defence of our cities. You are free to kill any Solar Guards you spot." I walked up to him. "I bet your all going off to fight in a big battle, eh? I want in this battle. If it has anything to do with making Old Sunbutt suffer, I want in. I will not be put on guard duty. Do you understand?" Ahriman nodded. "Send one of your own groups to patrol the border. I can easily compensate for them." I then took a closer look at him. "Do I know you? You look familiar. Granted, I can't remember anything since waking up in the Hospital and getting attacked by Sunbutt herself, but you really do look familiar." I asked him, and he shook his head. "Unfourtunately, I don't have my original memories. They are currently being suppressed by an unknown power. Instead, I have Another set of memories. Of Ahriman before I came to this world. But I agree. You look familiar as well. Perhaps we met somewhere in the past. Anyways, we best get back to Lady Luna's Base." With that, Ahriman opened up another portal, gesturing for me to enter. I nodded, and stepped through the portal. Ahriman followed soon after. A dark blue mare with a few splotches of black on her coat entered my view. She had an ethereal mane, like Celestia's, but the inside looked like a peice of the night sky was torn and shaped into hair. She also had a horn and wings, I noticed. I then started the greetings. "So, you are Princess Luna, yes?" I asked her. She nodded. Suddenely, I lunged forward, grabbing her by the horn. "I will go on this mission of yours, you hear? I will NOT do Fucking border patrol. I want to make Celestia suffer for trying to turn me to stone." She gulped, and nodded, and I then released her horn. I then noticed that all had gone quiet as ever pony, as well as Ahriman, was glaring at me. I raised my arms in exaggeration. "What? Don't you know how a World Eater Chaos Marine makes a deal? I tend not to take no for an answer." They slightly relaxed their glare, and after a few moments, returned to work. I looked back at Ahriman. "I will not allow you to harm her majesty in any way, shape or form." He told me, then whispered into my mind. "It's all part of Lord Tzeentch's Plan for her continued survival." I looked at him, snorted, then walked off. He grabbed my shoulder. "Wait. There is all so another World Eater in service to Luna, or so the reports and rumors suggest." I stop in my tracks, and turn to look at him. "Where is this World Eater? I would like to speak with him." I asked, trying to be polite. "He will be here in two days time. Best to wait for his arrival." He answered, and I sighed in defeat before nodding. He clapped my shoulder. "Attaboy. Now, let's go discuss where you will be during the assault." I followed after him, almost hungry to fight Celestia's soldiers. I also heard a voice in my head, repeating the same words over and over:'Kill Maim burn kill maim burn. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Two days later. Khârn's POV When my Company arrived, we were greeted with warn smiles and pats on the back for a good job. After all, my Company had been raiding most of the gear from the Empire and giving it to the Lunar Republic soldiers for quite some time now. I turned back to my Company. "Alright, brothers and sisters, we have an hour or two before the inspection. That is your time to visit family, friends, and relatives. Dismissed!" I order, and they salute me before breaking off into the crowd. I sigh, then turn towards the Palace that Princess Luna and Ahriman were currently using as a base. "Ahriman.... is it possible? Is it actually you?" I asked myself, before walking towards the main gate. The guards cross their spears, blocking my path. "State thy buisness, Marine." They said as one. I sighed. "I am Khârn The Betrayer, soldier of the Lunar Republic, and current commanding officer of the 35th Company." I told them. They eyed me warily, but still let me through. I walked up to a random house servant. "Excuse me, but where is Librarian Ahriman?" I asked. She looked up at me, contained a squeak, then pointed in the direction of what appeared to be a Library. I facepalmed. "Curse your Damn humor. Of course a Psyker Librarian would live in a library." I thanked the house servant, then walked up to the Library, the sound of said doors echoing throughout the small library. "Ahriman? Are you there?" I called out. No answer. Just as I turned to leave, a hand grabbed my shoulderpad. I whirled around, my fist almost making contact with Ahriman's armored face. I managed to stop myself before connecting the blow, though Ahriman just stood there, unfazed. "Khârn the Betrayer. I thought it was you. Now the three Chaos Marines of this world have united. Before we start to converse, follow me to our brother." He turned around and walked down one of the aisles. I followed him, hoping the third marine was who I thought it was. He pressed a few buttons in the wall, and it slid open to reveal a staircase. He calmly walked down the stairs, and I followed. When we got down to the bottom of said stairs, Zhufor was waiting for us. "Well, if it isn't Khârn the Betrayer. Haven't seen you in a long while." Zhufor told me. "Guys, it's so good to see you again. I thought I was the only one who got sent down the wormhole and into this war. " I said to them. They stared at me blankly. "What wormhole?" Zhufor asked. Ahriman just sat there thinking back to his time entering this world. "Seriously guys? Don't you remember who we were before being sent to Pony land?" I asked. They both looked at me as if I had suddenely grown a third arm. "You can remember what happened before we were sent here?" Ahriman asked. That stopped me dead in my tracks. "You guys... don't remember? The Convention, the two merchants, none of that?" I asked. "I don't remember a thing since I woke up in the Solar Empire Hospital." Zhufor answered. "Technically, I do have my memories, but they are being suppressed by an unknown power. I have the body and memories of Ahriman the Exiled, and remember nothing else since I came to Equestria. I take it you have your memories intact?" Ahriman replied, gazing at me intently. I nodded, speechless. He got up. "Please review what happened right before you got sent here in your mind. I will view it." I nodded, then thought back to the day of the Convention. After a few minutes, Ahriman moves again. "So, that's who I was before all of this...." He muttered to himself. I nodded. Then I saw how depressing the setting was. Time to change the subject! "So, why are me and my Company here?" I asked. He looked up at me. "Your Company? Since when did you take control of the 35th?" Ahriman asked. "Since the last Commander died and appointed me as his successor." I replied, shrugging. "I see. Anyways, to answer your other question, we are gathering the Might of the Lunar Republic's army together for the first time in centuries, and are preparing to take over manehattan. Afterwards, once the Solar Empire begins to run low on supplies, we will attack the Palace itself, and defeat Celestia once and for all, installing Luna as the new ruler of Equestria." Ahriman tells me. I nod, seeing the possibilities in that Plan. "Well, I can tell you that you won't be dissapointed by the 35th. After being installed as leader, I personally trained them, and some even began to give their services to Lord Khorne. We have hardy group of Chaos Ponies ready for combat." I tell him. Ahriman nods in approval. "Well, let's head to the meeting room, shall we?" Ahriman asks. I nod, and all three of us March to the meeting area, me following Ahriman and Zhufor since it was my first time here. > Chapter Six: Battle For Manehattan, Part 2: First Assault > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV As me and Luna watched, the entire Lunar Army slowly shuffled into the Parade Grounds. When the flow of soldiers ceased, Luna began her speech. "My loyal servants, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Faal Lohiim do Vulon, Capital of the Lunar Republic. We have gathered you here today because of a proposal by my trusted ally, Chief Librarian Ahrimam!" She yelled into the crowd, and the batponies cheered. When the cheering died down, Luna motioned for me to speak. I nodded. "Fellow soldiers of the Lunar Republic! As you may know, for the past three years we have done nothing but defend our borders and raid passing Supply carts. Well, that stops today. For I have proposed an invasion into the Solar Empire's territory, and the target of said invasion is the city of Manehattan." Most of the soldiers quieted down after that. Regardless, I continued onwards. "I know what your thinking, that we cannot fight through The Empire's territory, but your wrong! The only Eason we haven't done so already is because we have been stretched across the border, defending from assault after assault. That is why we have gathered all 60 Companies of the Former Lunar Guard together, as this will be a Lethal Strike right at the heart of the Empire. Due to the fact that this enemy city is well defended, me and my two Brothers, Zhufor The Impaler, and Khârn the Betrayer will personally lead this Invasion. Together, we will crush any defence they have arrayed against us. Are we ready?!" I continued, and the entire Army roared their approval. "Then we shall March tomorrow! Take the rest of the day off to see relatives and family before fighting in the greatest battle this world has ever seen! Dismissed!" I told them, and after cheering a bit more, shuffled back into the city. I turned to Luna. "Your majesty, I will take my leave now to ready the Librarius Faction, as well as divide them into seperate parts of the assault." She nodded, and I headed towards the Library. When I arrived, I saw that Khârn and Zhufor were there, waiting for me. I nodded to them both respectfully before entering the Library. As I walked in, Khârn called out to me. "I want the 45th Company to be on the frontlines. I'm not taking no for an answer. Even if I have to disobey orders, I want my Company to be in front." I simply nodded before heading into the basement. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV I was standing in the command post, discussing what we should do against the likely assault when two guards came in, with a familiar hooded pony walking in behind them. I nodded to the guards, and they left. The commanders had stopped talking, instead looking at the newcomer. The hooded pony knelt before me, then began to relay the news. "Luna's Right Hoof has targeted Manehattan for a seige, hoping to take it and cut off all trade throughout the Empire. Her right hoof, Ahriman The Exiled, appears to be a extremely talented Mage, and is head of their 'Librarius' faction. From what rumors I've heard, he is able to summon Demons and command the foul beasts like dogs. Some of their own soldiers fear him after seeing his power, but won't speak about it with anyone. He is the biggest threat, along with two others of his kind, Zhufor The Impaler, and Khârn The Betrayer. They March for Manehattan at the dawn of the night." He then stopped, knelt before me again, and slipped out silently. The Commanders all looked at me. "Who was that, your majesty?" Commander Lulamoon asked. I shook my head. "Nopony important, I assure you. Now, let us continue." I told them, and they returned to their previous conversation. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV After speaking to the other Librarians, I went up into my personal quarters, and meditated. I felt my Soul being pulled from my body and guided through the Warp by her tides. I felt the presence of the Deamons of the Warp trying to scratch at my enchantments, but to no avail. I continued to glide through the immaterium until I reached my destination. Walking towards the gates, I simply knocked, and closed my senses, since there is no need for eyesight or smells in the Warp. I sensed the gate open, and I walked inside. I looked up to the immeasurable power I felt in front of me. "Lord Tzeentch, the plan goes smoothly. Soon Celestia shall fall, and Luna will rule as your messenger, spreading Chaos throughout the land." I told the God of Change, and felt his words leak into my mind. "Good, Ahriman. The pieces are falling into place. Or not. Maybe they are all scattering throughout the Multiverse, like this item I found popping into our universe". He handed me a small item that looked like a Sword, from the reading I was getting from it. I also sensed a large Power contained within. I traced the power back to it's Signal, and saw thousands of other universes. I absorbed all the knowledge that I could from this token before exiting the memory of the token. I reactivated it's message. " Hi my name is Craig. If ever you are in danger, are scared, frightened or even just need an ally to stand by your side in your darkest hour. Call on me and I will come and do everything in my power to aid you." The message ended after that. "I see. So there are other universes like this one. Perhaps I should send my own Token out there. After the war, of course." I mentally looked up to Lord Tzeentch, and bowed again. "I thank you, Lord Tzeentch. May the Great Plan be a success." I tell him, and will my souls to return to the Material realm. I open my eyes to see one of the Librarians in front of me. "Hello, Lucky Charm. What brings you to my quarters unnanounced?" I ask her. She gulped. "Lord Ahriman, the cry of war calls for us. The time has come." She answered, shifting from one side to the other. I nodded, then rose to my feet. "Well then, let us lead the Army. You know where your to be assigned?" I asked. She nodded. "Good. I shall see to it that we win this battle. If the Loyalists do not kneel, then much suffering is at hand." I then walked out of my room, and she trotted in a different direction. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Lucky Charm's POV As soon as I turned the corner out of the Giants sight, I immediately let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. True, I had heard the rumors about Ahriman actually being able to communicate with Lord Tzeentch, but did not believe it until now. The amount of power coming from that hidden area within the Warp.... I shuddered from just the thought of it. I wonder what they were talking about though... Shrugging it off, I proceeded to move towards the Armoury to prepare for the coming battle, not noticing the feeling of dread ominous from within Ahriman's room... ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV As I approached the parade grounds, I was interrupted by a batpony. "Lord Khârn, you have been promoted to Major General by order of Chief Librarian Ahriman. You are asked to report to the command tent at once." With that said, he quickly ran off to join the army. I snarled before redirecting my course to the command tent. When I entered, I was saluted by most of the batponies there. Ahriman just nodded. I walked up to him, then proceeded to slap him upside the head. He stared blankly at me. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU MAKE ME A MAJOR GENERAL?! WHO IS SUPPOSED TO LEAD MY COMPANY NOW?!" I roared at him, noticing some of the guards clutching they're spears tight. "A replacement shall be arranged. But before that, we would ask of you to select your personal guard. A Major General who fights on the front lines will need a personal guard, even if it is you." He stated calmly, waving off the guards, who immediately relaxed. It seemed that Ahriman had major sway over the guards. I noted that, then turned back to him. "Fine. But I WILL be with my Company. You hear me?" I told him, feeling something start to drive itself into my brain. He nodded, and I immediately began listing off a select few of the 45th, which included Steel Wings, two Khornates, and five normal Batponies. Ahriman looked at the list, fetched a courier, and gave him the list. "Bring these soldiers to me." He told the courier, who rushed off to complete his task. ×××××××××××××× Third person POV Three days later. As the Batpony army marched through the Empire's terrirtory, they met little resistance in the towns that they passed through. Mostly a small regiment of Solar Guard, as well as patriotic citizens, both of which quickly fell before Gorechild. And on the Eve of the third day of travel, the vanguard of the Lunar Republic had reached the outer reaches of Manehattan. (Quick note: the cities of this time are like Whiterun from Skyrim.) During the night, they set up camp, and awaited the rest of the army. Said Vanguard was the 45th Company, led by the Khornate Khârn the Betrayer, whom by many in the Solar Empire had been dubbed the God of War's Avatar, or the God himself. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Quickfoot's POV As I studied the Lunar Camp, I noticed a few unknown banners strung about, with a symbol that hurt my eyes to look at. As I quickly scratched down my findings on a parchment, I quickly hid under a bush to avoid a patrol. I looked up again, and my heart stopped. Sitting in the middle of the camp, chuckling with a group of red Batponies, was the rumored war god himself. Ever since his first meeting with the Solar Guard, an attack on a convoy, rumor about him spread like wildfire. That's when the reports began to come in. Fight after fight was lost down South, with survivors telling the tales of a armoured giant in red, with an axe that roared like thunder. After a dozen losses, Celestia herself banned any assaults to the southern frontier, not wanting to risk any more precious lives. I quickly snapped out of the memories to scribble down my findings when a deep voice called out to me. "You there! In the bushes! Come out now, and I might not rip out your spleen to feed to the bears." I gulped, setting down my notepad before slowly stepping out. I looked up to see the face of death staring at me. Yelping, I quickly jumped back. The metal giant roared with laughter, a horrid sound like bones grinding into dust. "This one has a Spring to her step!" To that, the red Batponies joined in his laughter. After a few minutes, he stopped, looking down on me. I gulped, slowly backing up until I backed up into the bush, accidentally knocking my notebook out and onto the floor. The metal giant grabbed the book before I could even blink, flipping through the pages. "Hmm, pretty detailed info you got here. It would be a shame if this got into the hooves of our enemies. This won't do." He said, tossing the journal into the fire. He then looked down on me again, this time with a look that reminded me as a look of remembering something. "How about this, little pony? I will let you live on one condition: you serve me as a personal writer." To this I raised my head, looking at him like he asked me to give him a massage. "A... a writer?" I asked, finding my voice. "Indeed. You will record my glorious battles, and when all of this is over, you will retell these stories for all to hear. The Glorious Tale of Khârn The Betrayer!" He boasted, getting a roar of approval from the red ponies. I gulped, then considered my options. Either I take the job and live to possibly escape another day, or die here and now to Kharn. To be honest, living and writing stories was a better deal than death. So, I nodded. There was a sick gleam in his eyes. "Good. Now then." He turned to the ponies at the campfire. "Get over here, remove her armour and restrict her wings! Or remove them, whichever works." He ordered them. There was a sick grin on their faces as they walked towards me. "And no raping her! If you wanted to do that, you should've signed up with Slaanesh!" Some of the grins quickly fell. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷××××××××××× The next day. Khârn's POV. As I walked outside the tent, I stretched my arms, feeling the light of the sun shining down on my armor. I looked about to see my Company soldiers also waking up and grabbing their armor. Today was the big day. The assault on Manehattan was about to begin. I looked to a catapult, and got an idea. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Unimportant Solar Guard POV As I felt the radiance of the sun shined down upon me, I felt a surge of power, as if Celestia herself was giving me strength. After the news of the possible Lunar invasion, I knew I might need it. Suddenely, an unfamiliar horn blasted across the fields in front of the Manehattan walls. I quickly snapped my eyes open, searching for the source of the disturbance to this peaceful morning. I looked down and saw a batpony. I immediately raised my spear, but the foul beast spoke first. "The Lunar Republic strongly asks for your surrender! Surrender now, and your lives will be spared. If not, then the Warp will claim many souls until you do." The batpony asked, reading from a peice of paper. I pointed my spear at him/her. "Never! Though you may be many, Manehattan will not fall today! So tell your Traitor princess that we will never surrender!" I told the batpony. It just smiled before walking away. Remembering protocol, I quickly got out my horn and raised the alarm. As multiple guards manned the walls, silence filled the air. It was after five minutes that a gruesome scream of rage pierced the silence, along with a menacing growl. The sun was suddenely blocked by a shadow, and I looked up right before getting smashed in the face with a massive metal boot. I then prominently blacked out. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV "Hahah, yeah! I knew the Space Marine Catapult would work as a tactic!" I shouted, tearing my way through the guards at that spot. It was after I cleared the immediate area that I let out the signal to commenced the attack: a phrase that cut across the entire city, stilling the hearts of any civilians : "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" Then the 45th Company charged, their new banners flying high in the air, while also screaming the end of the phrase as one. "SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! Arrows began firing from some other areas of the wall, and a group of guards erupted from a nearby watchtower. They saw me, gaped at me, then ran back inside, leaving a rather large puddle behind them. I roared, tearing through the wooden door with Gorechild. I then looked through the massive crack, and referenced a certain movie. "Heeeres Johnny!" I told the guards, right before bursting through the door, the sounds of screaming all around me before a small spear stabbed into my exposed arm. I stopped, looked down at the spear, then the guard holding the spear, then proceeded to break the spear, as well as tear off his head with my hand. "Another slightly worthy skull to join the collection." I told myself, absent-mindedly tearing through the rest. I had recently begun to collect the skulls of any who managed to break through their fear of me and also manage to even slightly injure me, as a way of respect. After the rest were devoured by Gorechild, I added the head I ripped off to the small amount I had collected on my belt. I checked my kill counter, which showed me my amount of kills throughout the entire time I had been in service withas the Lunar Guard. 4,375. Good so far. As I exited the tower, my personal guard popped up around me in two lines, kinda like Vader from star wars. I subconsciously hummed the tune of Vader's walking, which sounded like I was trying to cough up a entire uneaten Pizza from my throat. The guards looked at me skeptically, but said nothing. We then moved on to clearing through the rest of the walls defence until the Solar Guard leader called for a retreat. The 45th laughed as they ran, taunting their foes as they ran with their tails between their legs. When they vanished, I turned to the 45th. "Good job, 45th! As much as I would gladly give chase, we should wait for Ahriman and the rest to arrive, as to give something for them to fight. So, let's set up camp here!" I boasted, to which they cheered and began setting up tents. I looked back to where the Solar lackeys had run off to, then headed back towards the camp, eager to retell the story of today. > Chapter Seven:Battle of Manehattan, Part 3: Endgame > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Battle of Manehattan, day six. Ahriman's POV As the days had gone by, the Solar Empire soldiers proved more resilient than most. After four days days, with many losses, we had managed to push them back into the keep, which they then proceeded to withstand many assaults for two more days, awaiting for reinforcements. We needed to finish them now, before their allies could send aid. They had somehow even managed to create a spell that could block all forms of Warp energy, including Khârn for some reason. And believe me, he has tried getting in. Many times. I sighed as I studied the map. The commanders of the Lunar Guard, which had been renamed to simply The Legion, had gathered for a meeting to discuss the next course of events. "...With many assaults failing, we do not believe that we can sustain any more losses. Therefore, I request a retreat." General Forefeather finished, returning to his seat as he did. "Denied, Forefeather." As he rose again, I raised my hand before continuing. "While I agree that we are losing far too many good soldiers, I believe we are close to cracking them. My fellow Librarians have nearly come up with a solution to the enemy barrier, to which I will send the full force of the Warp upon them. I have captured a many of the Solar Guards soldiers for just this thing." I told them, causing them to shudder. They had all heard of, or seen, the results of my powers. When I asked for captured Solar Guard soldiers, they knew what I wanted to do with them. Some had tried to stop me, but all resulted in failure, as well as a few MIA reports being made. "So, on the Dawn of tomorrow, when they feel their strongest, we will break their foolish barrier, and crush they're hopes flat. Each of them, except Khârn, gulped, then nodded. Khârn just nodded. "Very well." I then rose from my seat and exited the room, leaving them to dis cuss the coming day. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV As I exited the command center, I walked over to the 45th Company barracks. As I opened the door, I was greeted by a drunken party in full throttle. I stood at the door for a moment, then cleared my throat. Immediately, every movement in the area stopped, everypony barely even breathing. "45th company! As you are aware, tomorrow will lead the possible final assault on Manehattan." There were a few cheers, but mostly everypony just listened. "Unfourtunately, you guys will not be accompanying me. The only ones who will assault will be me, Zhufor, and Ahriman, along with his band of Librarians." The mood immediately dropped at that. One of them raised their hoof. "I though you guys weren't able to enter?" She asked. I nodded. "That's true, but the Librarians are close to removing that barrier. Then, as quoted by Ahriman, 'We will unleash the Horrors of the Warp upon them', though not those exact words." I replied, standing straight as a flagpole as I imitated Ahriman. That gained from snickers from the crowd. "So why can't we go in?" The soldier from before asked. "For one thing, we are trying not to suffer any more losses. As for the other thing.... we don't want to expose inexperienced minds to the nature of the Warp. It's madness for a pony to do that." I told her, to which she just nodded. "Any more questions?" I asked. No one raised their hooves. "Good. I'll see you when the deed is done." With that, I left, leaving them to continue their party. ××××××××××××××××××× Later, at Dawn. As the three Chaos Space Marines, as well as the group of Batpony Librarians, marched forward, the Solar Guard soldiers manning the defences laughed at the puny force, expecting them to surrender. Khârn smiled. "Alright Ahriman, do your stuff so I can bust in there." I told him, to which he nodded, and motioned for the Librarians. As they all surrounded Ahriman, Zhufor ran back for the prisoners. The Solar Guard watched on, interested in what the massive metal giants were planning. After about five minutes, the large group of POW soldiers came forth, led by Zhufor. Most of the Solar Guard troops at the walls gasped at their condition. Where some had cuts, others had bruises and other things. But upon each was the mark of Chaos, implanted where their Cutie Mark had once been. The Chaos Marks glowed with unnatural power, and it hurt for the ponies to look at. After another ten minutes, Ahriman stood. " It is done." He said, right before a bone rattling scream echoed throughout the keep as the Unicorns tasked with keeping up the barrier died in many gruesome ways. The Librarians immediately went to work on the prisoners, and one by one, each turned into a pony shaped Bloodletter. The Solar Guards gulped as they bear witness to these horrors. I smiled. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" Both I and Zhufor screamed before charging at the gates, followed closely by the pony bloodletters. As the guards took up battle positions, the strange beating in my head resounded once more. I ignored it as I charged forth, and smashed through the gate. The keep was immediately flooded with Deamons, and the poor souls close enough to hear the doors get torn to shreds by my massive bulk were immediately overwhelmed by the bloodletters, who tore through them like flies. Then guards who came down from the guard posts were next, each one torn to shreds as the bloodletters fanned out, tearing into Ponies quickly and efficiently. As the commander of the Guard stepped out, he screamed at what he saw. I promptly stepped up to him, then proceeded to headbutt him, which just so happened to crush his skull. Some of the Ponies tried to surrender, but to no avail, as the Deamons had no knowledge of the word 'mercy'. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Solar Guard POV As the strange abominations tore through the rest of the forces, me and a group of survivors hid in the basement. As some of the monsters passed, I used my magic to capture an image, before turning to one of the last surviving unicorns. "Write a letter to the Princess. Tell her what has happened here." As I said this, I handed her a paper and quill, as well as some ink, then projected the image that I captured onto the paper. The Mage quickly scribbled down on it, then used magic to turn it to dust, which flew off to the Princess. I sighed in relief. Now they could at least be prepared for the Horrors they faced. Then the monsters found us, and we tried every weapon available to destroy it, but to no avail. Every spear stabbed it, but it kept coming, claws erupting from its hooves. It then proceeded to tear into us, and the last thing I saw was the Horrors face. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV While I was at the planning room, a letter popped into existence right in front of me. I smiled, hoping it was word that somehow the ponies of Manehattan had beaten back the Lunar Rebellions forces. What the letter entailed, however, was far worse than anything I could have imagined. Dear Princess Celestia. We of the Solar Guard ordered to protect the City of Manehattan have failed. They beseige us for days, and we even managed to cook up a spell to use to keep out thsee 'Warriors of Chaos'. However, at the final battle, they broke through the barrier, somehow killing all the Unicorns skilled in the spell. Then came the monsters. These horrundous, Pony like things, born from our own imprisoned guardsponies. They tore into us like paper, and even now I know they will find us. I pray that Faust will protect our souls from these.... demons. Below is a picture of one of the monsters. Good luck in the future, Lady Celestia. You need it. The image of such a horrid creature caused me to yell in fear for but a moment, to which I calmed down, and slowly looked to the commanders. "My faithful subjects." I started. "Manehattan has fallen." > Chapter Eight: The Scheme Revealed > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV As I sauntered up to the stage, I knew the reaction I was going to get. It had been a month since we took Manehattan, and the Loyalist Guards had suffered dearly, both from trying to reclaim the city, or just doing nothing. Just as planned. "Warriors of The Legion! This past month has been very rewarding! After the reinforcements arrived, as you all know, we secured the city, and beat back every attack sent by the Loyalists. Now, not only have we starved them, we have also culled their numbers! But, a recap is not what I brought you here for." I took a deep breath. "Today, we will finally march upon the Solar Empires soil, and lay seige to Celestia's castle itself!" I told them, eliciting cries of shock. "But, Lord Ahriman! We do not have the resources available to attack the castle! We would need to recall all forces that have been raiding any extra trade routes!" A Soldier called out, to which many mumbles of agreement were heard. I raised my hands to calm them. "I have already done this. And they have brought the Spoils of they're journey as well. We now have much food, as well as some catapults. Khârn has accepted my offer to spear point the assault, which will be led by Princess Luna herself!" I told them. Many more cries of shock were heard as Luna stepped out of the shadows in full battlegear. Most of her body was now as black as the shadows, and her eyes glowed a sickly green. "Fear not, my Soldiers, for we can, and will, win this fight. Ahriman speaks true. Celestia's forces are weakened. Now is the time to strike!" She shouted, to which many cries of approval sang out. I smiled. "We march today! Grab your wargear, and prepare to move out in three hours!" Luna shouted, and the crowd dispersed, leaving only me and Luna left. She looked to me. "Ahriman, I simply must thank you for all the hard work these three years. Today, the war will be over, and Chaos will reign!" She stated, then blinked. "What? Why would I speak of something so foul as if to were a good thing?" She muttered, before I took action. "Sorry, your majesty, but Tzeentch needs you now." With that, I forced my powers upon her, warping her very mind itself. All of her mental wards broke, and she screamed, a scream so loud and horrible, it couldn't be heard by the likes of the batponies, who subconsciously shut it out, leaving only a minor headache. After about ten minutes, the screaming stopped. Luna looked up at me with a very calm stare, devoid of any emotion. I smiled. "So, your majesty, shall we prepare for the coming battle?" I asked. She smiled. "Yes, of course, Lord Ahriman. Together we shall crush my horrid sister and her precious light. And then, the night shall last, FOREVER!" She cackled, her eyes slightly misty. I merely smiled again. All those years of silently sending my thoughts into her mind had paid off, as I doubt I could have defeated her mind at full strength. I walked off to prepare the final part of the plan, watching as a New Moon rose high in the sky. > Chapter Nine: The End of The War > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV As the Legion marched, I thought back to what I had done to Luna. While she had been close to accepting Chaos, as soon as she realized it before then, she would try to purge it. So I had acted, forcing more of the powers of the warp upon her, which sped up and finished the process. A very tiny part of me felt a pang of guilt, but I purged it. I could see the dark and chaotic forest of the Everfree up ahead. I smiled. The instrument of their protection shall be their fall. I thought to myself. I sent out my senses to the warp, and sent my plan to the Librarians. They all nodded, before breaking off from the main group. When Luna arrived to lead the assault, many of the soldiers had been shocked at Luna's appearance. I assured them that it was to fight her sister head on, to which they relaxed. "Lord Ahriman, where are your Librarians going?" Nightmare asked. "They are going to fulfill a plan I set up." I told her. She snorted before turning back to the forest. Enemy guards had exited after the Librarians had entered the forest, spears raised high. I could still sense the Librarians presence in the forest, so I knew they were safe. Khârn broke formation, his axe held at his side, and walked up to us. Zhufor did the same, his own axe revved up. The guards faltered at this sight, but remained at their positions. As we walked up to them, we stopped. Me, Khârn, and Zhufor marched up to the terrified ponies. "Let. Us. Through." Khârn ordered. The guards gulped, but held position. Khârn leered in closer to one of them. "You will let us through." They held position. He growled before turning back, along with myself and Zhufor. When we got back, we walked into the end of Khârn'sspeech to the forces. ".... and so, we will deliver death and destruction upon their ranks. They chose their path. Now then, CHARGE!" With that, Khârn flipped around, and, gunning Gorechild up, charged right at the Solar ranks. I sighed, then turned around as well, red lightning crackling around my fingertips. Zhufor raised his left arm, and took potshots at the enemy, tearing into their ranks quite literally. Each shot made an entire section of a ponies body vanish. When he got close, he raised his axe. As soon as they got close enough for close combat, the Legion began fighting with spears, javelins, and anything else they had. Khârn was wading through a sea of blood, his Chainaxe messily tearing heads off left and right. Zhufor could just stomp on them and they would be crushed under the weight of his Terminator armor. He instead tore anypony who got close asunder, be it with his chainaxe, or his bare hands, he ripped them in two, Blood flying out of the bodies of his prey. I, however, was zapping them with lightning, the bolts of energy flying straight at the Solar Guards, due to their metal armor. Granted, some Lunar Soldiers got in the way, but they were collateral. As we tore through them, a gut wrenching cry rang out from behind the Guards lines. I smiled as Bloodletters rushed out of the forest, trees burning behind them. They savagely cut into the Solar Guard, who were quickly overwhelmed. Before they could begin attacking the Legion, however, silver chains appeared around their necks, and a portal to the warp appeared behind them, and dragged them in. I made sure to temporarily blind everyone, as to keep them from going mad. When the portal vanished, the Librarians stepped out of the forest, each tired. I walked up to them. "Good job, my Librarians. I knew you had the knowledge to succeed in summoning a group of deamons. But, seeing as you are tired, I will let you rest. Head back, and also, here. A good book to read." I handed them each a copy of the same book, and projected my plan to them. Once they received my orders, they nodded as one before walking back towards the lines. Once they left, I walked up to Luna, Khârn, and Zhufor. "It is time to keep moving. We can't let the element of suprise be lost." I told them, and they spoke these words to the Legion they all nodded, and as one, we marched through the forest. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV As I looked out at the scenery of the Everfree, I sighed, sensing that this day was going to be a bad one. I looked to the Northeast side of the forest to see it burning to the ground. I gasped, before calling for the guards to investigate. When they came back, they reported that an entire Company of Solar Guards had been wiped out. I then proceeded to mobilize the remainder of the Solar Guard to position themselves near the palace. I walked to the throne room, but stopped once I saw that all the guards there were dead. I immediately took up a defencive stance. Laughter filled the air, cold, cunning, and evil. Before my eyes, a Midnight black Alicorn stepped out from behind the balcony. She looked like Luna, but taller, with wavy purple hair, glowing green serpent eyes, and sharp teeth. "Sister. It has been a while." The Alicorn spoke, causing me to gasp. It was Luna! "Sister, I implore you. Please stop this madness! We were meant to rule together, not fight over it." I pleaded, but she only laughed. "Did you really think that with just words, I would go back to being you lapdog? You really are a fool." She then charged up her horn. Right before she launched her attack, I got a sense of her magic. It was vile, like polluted water, and I felt the Chaos it contained. I prepared to dodge it, but instead, she fired it up into the sky. After a moment of silence, a war cry sounded out. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" A voice shouted, and an entire army burst from the trees, causing the Solar Guard to jume before readying their spears. I looked back to Luna, who sat there with a smug smile. "Luna... how far you have fallen." I told her, and charged my own horn. She snorted, before doing the same. (Note: I am not good at writing a battle like this. You have been warned. Also, it's much like the battle we all know of.) Third Person POV As the first shots began to fly out, Celestia and Luna succeeded in destroying the ceiling on the castle. They rose in the air, watching eachother. Then, Celestia made a move. She shot a concentrated burst of magic, which Luna dodged around easily. She shot multiple beams, but to no avail. Luna shot back, a massive beam of chaos-imbued magic, which tore straight through a wall and out the other side, causing the massive structure to collapse. Celestia charged at Luna, horn raised at her heart. Luna leapt in the air, before punching down with her hooves, right into Celestia's back. Celestia cried out in pain, before falling into the Room of the Elements. She could tell that she couldn't beat Luna, especially due to the Chaos that had claimed her. She sighed in defeat, before summoning the six elements. Luna looked down on them warily, the son da of combat just now reaching their ears. Below them, ponies and batponies died at eachother's throats, both sides fighting for one reason or the other. Khârn had killed at least two whole companies worth of loyalists, with Zhufor doing the same, though at a slower pace. Ahriman had already entered the palace, tearing into any guard that remained inside. Returning to Luna and Celestia, Luna laughed. "Listen, sister. Listen to the sound of your soldiers being destroyed. Does it not please you? Does it not please you that your precious guards would die fighting for you? Because each of their souls won't go to heaven or hell. They will go to the warp, as playthings for Tzeentch." She gloated, which received a pained look from Ceoestia. She looked at the elements. Please, save my guards. Save us from Chaos. I beg of you. Restore harmony to this world. I pleaded, to which the Elements started to glow. While Luna laughed, a beam of Rainbow energy flew out of the elements, which hit four things: Luna, Ahriman, Khârn, and Zhufor. They all screamed as they felt the power of Harmony flood into them. They all vanished without a trace, but the moon, which had risen high in the sky, had the image of an Alicorn, with its eye being a Eight pointed Star. Celestia looked at it, the realization of what had happened slowly dawning on her. She then cried out, tears streaming down her face. The Solar Guards, who now had the advantage, quickly finished off the last of the Lunar Soldiers, and those that didn't flee were captured, and then executed. The 45th Company escaped, with little more than twenty survivors, out of a group of fifty. No one knows what happened to the remnants of the once proud Lunar Guard, some believing that they all died off, some believing that they were biding they're time. After many years, much of the history of this Civil War was lost, and no one knew how the Lunar Guard suddenely got so powerful. And now, after a thousand years, the Warriors of Chaos would return, spiteful and full of Malice. "And so, the elder sister used the most powerful magic of all, The Elements of Harmony, to defeat Nightmare Moon, and imprison her in the moon." Twilight finished. "Mare in the Moon... I know I've heard that legend somewhere." She pondered as she walked home. > Chapter Ten > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The second Millennium of Celestia's Rule, year 256 of the Solar Calendar. Twilight's POV As Twilight trotted through her castle, she felt naught but dread. And she didn't know why. Today I had just freed that town from Starlight Glimmer's reign of control. My friends and I had finally learned our calling card in life, and the meaning of this castle. So why did I feel the sense of something terrible about to happen? I decided to take a quick trip to the Royal Pony Sister's Castle in the Everfree. Not feeling like flying, I decided to use a teleport spell. I tapped into the Immaterial Realm of Magic, and, envisioning my destination, dematerialized myself, and flew through the magical realm. I popped into existence at the castle library. I decided to take a look around, read a book to ease my fears. As I searched, a book fell off a shelf behind me. I jumped, before looking behind me, sighing, and pulling it over with a simple levitation spell. I read the title. The Liber Chaotica: A Complete Guide To The Unknown That Is The Warp "Huh. Long title. Oh well, let's give it a read. It sounds fascinating!" I thought out loud. I brought the book over to the reading table and, sitting down, began to read. "The Warp is a manifestation of all thoughts, Emotions, dreams, and hopes. It is the reality that exists within our own reality, but doesn't affect it. We knew of the Realm of Magic, where all of our normal magic resides. The Warp, however, is its own reality, where the Laws of Physics has no meaning. 7th is an intangible place, home to many creatures. The four strongest beings in the Warp are Khorne, The Blood God, who's minions collect the skulls of his enemies for his throne. The next is Tzeentch, who is the God of Knowledge, Magic, and Change. We do not know what formed him, since our Lord has not spoken to us about it. The third is Nurgle, God of Disease and Decay." I gagged at this. The fourth, and youngest god, is Slaanesh, God of Pleasure. She/He/it is to be avoided at all costs." I continued to read on, feeling more and more sick as I learned about the foul creatures of the Warp, and after a full thirty minutes, I closed the book. I couldn't read any more. I then hid the book somewhere so that any wandering soul doesn't find its dark secrets. I then teleported back home. I used a small memory wipe spell, wanting nothing to do with that book. After a while, I awoke to my friends all looking down on me, with looks of concern. "Yo Twilight?" Spike asked. "Ya'll right?" I simply groaned as a response. I let the others lift me up onto my hooves. "Yeah, sorry.... I just felt faint, and next thing I know, I'm on the ground, with you six staring down at me. I guess that the Friendship Mission took alot out of me. I'm going to take a nap." I told them, and sauntered off towards my bedroom. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Unknown POV As we sang the cries of the Warp, I sensed our long lost master finally returning to us. After a thousand years, we had finally done it! We had listened to our ancestors instructions to the letter, and now he will return to us. I walked up to the pony trembling at the stake. "Shh. Don't worry, it will all be over soon. And your sacrifice will do us a great deed. So, I thank you for your efforts." I reassured him, before slicing his stomach, stepping back as the guts spilled from the cut. "Please..... let me go......" The pony pleaded, now actively crying. I frowned. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we can't do that. And also." I replied, before sending the knife straight into his neck. Blood sprayed out of his mouth as he quickly died. "I don't like it when the sacrifices cry." I finished, wiping the blade clean before observing the final part of the ritual. As I watched, the blood flowed into the center, before splitting off into eight directions, and on occasion, the blood would branch off to form a circle. A few moments later, it finished, showing the Eightfold Star. I quickly prayed to the dark gods. "My lords of the Warp, we offer to you another sacrifice as to release Lord Ahriman from his imprisonment. We have done what you asked. We even planted the book in the library, just as ordered. Now, please, Lord Tzeentch, free him from his prison!" I cried out into the open air. The other sorcerers slowly muttered under their breath, speaking words that should not be uttered in this realm. Suddenly, a blue fire erupted in the center of the room, blinding me. When it vanished, I looked back to the center. Where there was once blue flame, now rested one of the Deamons of Tzeentch. I quickly bowed, as did the others. "Lord Tzeentch has heard your plea. He will release Ahriman from the prison those abominable Elements created. However, it will take another day to release him. Also, by summoning me, the Royal Guard have sensed the disturbance in their reality. You have three choices: hide, and pray they don't find you, run before they can arrive, or allow them to execute you, and remove any possible trace of Ahriman's return being leaked to the Princess's. Your choice. Or maybe it isn't. Either way, you don't have much time, so I'd best be on my way." With that, the deamon vanished. I looked to the others. "We planned for this. You two." I pointed at two cultists. "Remove any trace of our Cult existing here. Everyone else, prepare the the Teleportation spell." They all nodded, and began to mutter once again. The other two began to remove most of the gore they had placed, and after a few minutes, the place looked good as new. Right as the Cult Teleported, guards burst in, A squad of Batpony and Solar Guards. I gritted my teeth as we teleported to a spot in the badlands. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Guard POV "Halt! Batponies! You are to come with us for some questioning!" I ordered, but the two batponies began to laugh. "I order you to come with us, now!" I shouted again. "Soon! Soon! Soon the Great Lord will return! And you, Traitorous Brothers of mine." He pointed to the three guards who were indeed batponies. "Will be his first kill!" With that, they both channeled arcane magic, like the type I had never seen before. I quickly raised a shield. Just as it completed, the two unknown batponies imploded upon themselves, splattering blood all over where they had once stood. I turned to my fellow guards. "Send a report to the Princess. They should be warned of this." I ordered. The guard quickly saluted before running off. I looked to the batponies. "I believe you should send your report to your commander. They specifically threatened your people." I told them. They all nodded before rushing off. > Chapter Eleven: The Return > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Day Later Twilight's POV After I put Spike to bed, I slipped into my own bed. I yawned, before drifting off into sleep. I was in a place I had never seen before. The ground beneath me changed every so often, and the sky rained a dark red liquid. I felt like I knew where I was, but the memory eluded me. I got up onto my feet, and began walking. Every so often, something flew through the sky, above the clouds. As I walked, I notice a strange, multicolored creature flying towards me. When it landed, I got a good look at it. It had the head of a bird, with a staff topped off with an unknown symbol. It's colors changed every second, to the point where I thought it was every color in existence. "Madam Twilight, at last." It said in a dark voice that sent chills up my spine. "Um... who are you? Where are we?" I asked, hoping to gain some information. It sighed. "Isn't it obvious? You are in the Warp, and my Lord wishes to speak with you. As for me, I have no name. Now, please follow." It replied, walking off. Having nowhere to go, I decided to follow him, and meet his 'Lord'. After about two hours of walking, we arrived in a strange castle, that denied description. We continued until we came into a grand hall. Creatures unlike any I had seen before sat at the table, eating unknown food. But what really caught my attention was the bipedal being at the head of the table. His skin was red,his arms rippled with muscles, and he wore strange armor, with tusks coming out of his chest. His face held only one eye, which stared at me. With a the move of a hand, all of the creatures dining vanished into smoke. He gestured for me to take a seat. Almost reluctantly, I sat. "So, Princess Sparkle, I see you've found your way to my castle. Did you like the scenery?" He asked. I shook my head. He sighed. "Not many do. Anyways, introductions are needed. I am Magnus The Red, Deamon Prince of Change, Knowledge, and more. I had my servant bring you here to ask you a few questions. Also, I will answer any questions you have in consolation." He told me, to which I nodded, wanting to know more of this strange place, as well as gain some Intel on why he wanted me here. "Alright, let us begin. Have you heard of Ahriman The Exiled, once the mightiest Sorcerer of Princess Luna during the Civil War of your people?" He asked. I shook my head. "Do you know what the Warp is?" "No, Magnus, I do not. I feel like I should, but I don't." I answered, the feeling of dread I had been feeling starting to settle in. He nodded. "Would you like to study under me in the ways of the Warp?" He asked. I considered this. He was asking me if I wanted to study under him for something I had never heard of. Well, color me Intrigued. "Sure. I always love learning new things." I told him. He smiled. "Ah, a studious mind. I do love those who seek knowledge. Now then, I've asked most of my questions for now. I will let you ask some of yours." He told me. I immediately began asking him questions. "Who is Ahriman? Why have I never heard of him if he was Luna's top Sorcerer? Do you mean the War of Darkness that resulted in Nightmare Moon?" I asked. He laughed heartily, causing me to stop for a moment. "Why are you laughing?" I asked, pouting a bit. He raised his hand. "Forgive me, Sparkle, I just love a curious mind. You remind me of myself when I was young." He explained between laughs. When he stopped, he had to recompose himself. "Anyways, to answer your questions, some I cannot tell you, because you will learn of them soon. And yes, I mean the War of Darkness. The reason you never heard of him was because both Celestia and Luna don't trust you to know of his terrible deeds. But, let me tell you this." He was suddenly right in front of me. "Ahriman has been banished by Celestia since the war, along with his two brothers. But soon, they will return. I want you to do nothing when they do." He told me. I looked at him strangely. "What? Why? Who are they?" I asked. He smiled. "Beings from another realm, and served Luna to the end. Also, there is a group out to the badlands. A group of batponies, as well as some normal ponies. I want you to find them tomorrow, and ask to join them. Give them this." He passed a piece of paper to me. "If they don't trust you. They are some of my students, who serve the greater gods. Give them that, and they will see you as a Great Prophet. You will tell them any orders I wish to give them. I will speak to you in your dreams. Along with them, you will learn the powers of the Warp. But, ignore some of their more.... repulsive hobbies." He told me. I looked at him curiously, but nodded in acceptance of these terms. He leaned back in his seat. "Good. Now then, I will see you soon, Apprentice. You are waking now. And, whatever you do, do not tell anyone about this, except the group. Do not tell your friends, or even the other Princesses." With that, he faded into nothing, and I woke from the dream. I looked at the parchment in my hoof. Nodding, I put it in the saddlebag at the end of the room, which I picked up and filled with travel supplies. I walked into the kitchen to see Spike making some pancakes for breakfast. "Good morning Spike." I called out to him. "Mornin, Twi. You feeling better?" He asked without looking in my direction. I say down at the table, and began to eat. "Yep. Also, I've got to go somewhere today. I'm going to be a while, maybe a couple of days. Look after the castle for a few days, will ya?" I told him, to which he nodded as he passed me a plate of pancakes. I greedily dug in, devouring the pancakes. When I finished, I put my dish in the sink before heading down the long halls. At the exit, I called out to Spike. "See you later, Spike!" I then walked off towards the train station. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Cult Leader's POV I walked around the Main cult home, joyous thoughts flying through my mind. "Lord Bold Bolt, sir." One of the other cultists called out. I walked over to him. "What is it, student?" I asked. "The preparations for our Lord's return is complete. We need only wait for his return." He told me. I nodded. "Good. Let us return to the main area. We must be there when he arrives." I told him, and we walked off towards the Main Hall, only for a guard to stop us along the way. "My lord, there is a purple Unicorn on the surface asking to join our group. I wouldn't bother you with this if it weren't for this." He handed me a small parchment. I took it from him and began to read. When I finished. I looked up at the guard. "Bring her to me at once. I will be in the Main Hall." Nodding, he turned and ran back the way he came. The cultists looked at me. "What is it, lord? Who is that Unicorn?" He asked. I looked him dead in the eyes. "She is The Student of Magnus the Red, Deamon Prince of Tzeentch. Our new Prophet." I told him. He gulped, before heading back. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Twilight's POV "So, where is everybody?" I asked as we walked down the halls of this strange building. "At the main hall, madam." He replied. "My name is Twilight, and wish to be called that." I told him. "Yes, Madam Twilight. Forgive me." He said, to which I just rolled my eyes. After a while, we walked into a large chamber, packed with at least thirty ponies garbled in cloaks. After a while, a Batpony walked to the front. "My fellow followers of Tzeentch!" He began, and I felt another pulse of pain in my head at the name 'Tzeentch', like I should know who that is. "We are gathered here today, because our Great Lord, Ahriman the Exiled, and Great Sorcerer of Luna, shall return to us on this night!" Lots of cheering occurred. He then gestured to me. "And, as a surprise from Tzeentch, the Protégé of Magnus the Red, Primarch of the Thousand Sons Legion, and Lord Ahriman's father. Madam, please come to the stage with me." I nodded, and walked up to the stage, cheers from the others behind me. "Please, madam, please tell us your name." He asked. I took a deep breath. "Hello! I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, once the Protégé of Princess Celestia, and once Bearer of the Element of Magic." At the name 'Celestia', hard glares from the rest were affixed to me. I backed up nervously. "Please, cease the aggression, my brothers and sisters! This only speaks of Prince Magnus's skill! To bring this mare to our members would take great determination, and power!" The glares vanished at his words. He looked to me. "I am glad you chose to join us, and not believe the lies that your old mentor had preached to you about us." He told me. "As far as I know, she has never told me of any of you. She hasn't told me about Ahriman, either." I told him. His face darkened. "So, they don't even speak of us?! Goes to show how forgetful the Enemy is. To not even remember us, her main opponent during the Great War!" He told the crowd. Lots of booing was heard. "Magnus said she didn't trust me enough to tell me. Though, I doubt that. I've been like a daughter to her. Her own words. Though, I doubt that. She She has told me everything. She probably just forgot to mention you. If you were part part of the War of Darkness, then I'm suprised they didn't mention you." I told them. "So, she doesn't even trust her own student, a person she treats as her own daughter, to know about us? She is truly a creature of lies! And you say that the history books never mentioned us? To think they forgot the most powerful group of Librarians, assigned by Ahriman, in their history books! The nerve of the ponies!" He shouted. Many cries of rage called out from the crowd. "Wait, what? No, no, I'm certain they just didn't know. We have never heard of the Warp, either." I told them, when suddenly, a portal of blinding colours opened up in the back of the stage. Both me and the leader backed up, while him and everypony else bowed. As I watched, three tall, bipedal creatures covered head to hoof in armor stepped out. The first one was clad in dark blue armor, with four bronze tusks pointing out of his helmet. He carried a staff, with two spikes jutting out of the centerpiece of the staff, which was a blue eye. The second one was bright red, with two long pincer like flats on his helmet. His left arm was bare, revealing bronze like skin, with bulging muscles. In his hand, he carried a massive axe, with what looked like metal teeth where the blade was meant to be. In his other hand, which was armoured, he carried a blocky weapon, with a blue pulse emanating from its center. The third and final one was massive, with skulls decorating his armor. In one of his hands, he too carried an axe, though this one had a normal blade. On his other hand, which was bigger than the other, a large, bulky square with two circular holes jutting out out of it sat snugly on his armor. He was red, just like the other one. They filed out and stood in a line in front of the crowd of Students. The leader stepped forward. "Lord Ahriman, you have returned! As well as Lord Khârn, and Lord Zhufor! We have awaited your return!" He stated. The blue one looked down at him. "Who are you?" He asked. "I am Bold Bolt, current leader of the Librarians. I will gladly step down for you, my lord." He replied, bowing quickly. He looked to me. "Who is she?" He asked. Bold Bolt quickly glanced at me. "She is Twilight Sparkle, Protégé of your father, Prince Magnus the Red." He answered. Ahriman stared at me. "So, you are his student?" I nodded. "Well, let me introduce myself. I am Ahriman The Exiled, Chief Librarian of The Legion. I will tell you now that you do not order me, and neither does Magnus. I am the founder of this Librarian Cult, and wish to be treated as such." He told me. I nodded. "Good. Now then, Bold Bolt, how long has it been since we were banished to the Warp?" He asked, turning his attention back to the batpony. "It has been little over a thousand years since the war. After your disappearance, we lost, and Luna was banished to the moon. Now, Princess Luna has returned, but is now back to how she was before the war. We can no longer serve her. Lord Tzeentch graced us with a way to return you to this plane of existence, and, the result is pretty clear. We don't have the power at the moment to follow your plan, but we are close. Anyways, we are at your command." He replied, discussing the recent events very poorly. "Is that so? Well, I am going to go have a chat with Celestia and Luna. I will be right back." Before anyone could say anything, he opened a portal and leapt through. When he vanished, we all looked to Khârn and Zhufor. They both shrugged. "I'm going to head home now. I'll keep in touch." I told Bold Bolt, then teleported home. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV As I dealt with the petty squabbles of Prince Blueblood, a portal opened up in the back of the room. The guards immediately sprang into action, getting in front of Blueblood and myself, as well as Luna. As I watched, a being in blue armor walked out. Luna gasped in recognition, and when I looked at her, her eyes were ablaze with hatred. "So, you must be Celestia. I had hoped to meet you face to face a long time ago." The creature said, taking a step forward. The guards leveled they're spears, but he merely waved, and the spears flew out of their hooves. "What do you want, foul Ahriman?! We thought you were banished, much like we were." Luna asked the creature, now identified as Ahriman. He shrugged. "I came here merely to say hello, and to tell you that I have returned." As he spoke, I examined his aura. He was covered in chaotic energy. "What does a servant of Discord want with us? We both know you haven't just come to say hello." I asked. He laughed, a cold, empty laugh, like a Griffon scraping his claws against a chalkboard. "I do not know who Discord is, but I don't serve him. I serve Luna, or, at least, I pretended to." He replied, still chuckling. "What is this abomination! Quickly Aunt, dispose of his filth!" Blueblood shrieked. Ahriman looked down on him. "Oh? And what of all the foul things you've done? You've blackmailed, cheated, and worse to achieve your fame. I would see you as worse filth than I." Blueblood immediately shrank, his ears flattening on his head. "Enough! you will come quietly with our guards for questioning. Or else." I told him, spreading my wings out in warning. "Oh, I don't think so. You see, my master, Lord Tzeentch, had not seen me doing that in my future. I only came to give a warning. Soon, your peace will fail, and Chaos will rule this land. I and my brothers will topple your thrones, and when we do, Tzeentch will claim your souls." He told me. With that said, another portal opened, and he stepped inside. After he walked through, the portal vanished. I looked to Luna. "Luna, who was he? Why does he threaten us?" I asked. She looked to me with pleading eyes. I nodded. "Blueblood. Leave us. We will talk about what he said later." I ordered, and he nodded, before running out the door. Luna sighed, then began explaining. > Chapter Twelve > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight's POV When I returned home, Spike ran up to me. "Twilight! While you were gone, the Princess sent a letter!" He told me, holding the aforementioned letter in his claw. Guessing what it was about, I opened it up and began reading out loud. "My Dearest Twilight, You and your friends are needed immediately. A great threat has reappeared. From, Celestia." I finished reading, before resealing the letter, and placing it over on the new pile. "Spike, can you gather the others? Tell them to meet me at the train station." I asked. Spike nodded, before running off to gather everyone. When he left, I began having doubts. Should I do what Magnus said? Or should I remain loyal to Celestia? I know that I should tell Celestia about the cult, but... I pondered. She didn't trust me enough to tell me about Ahriman. What else has she been hiding? What else has she lied about? A stray thought asked. I shook my head. "No, no. I should first at least hear Celestia out. Perhaps it's just some enemy from the past." I told myself. She always sends you to deal with her problems. She hasn't raised a hoof to help in the slightest. "Yes she has! Back when Discord corrupted us, she sent me the letters to remind myself of the power of Friendship!" I argued. But how did she know to send the letters? She would have had to know beforehand that it was going to happen. "..... That's true..... how did she know?" I asked the voice. And at your brother's wedding. When she actually tried to fight Chrysalis, she was easily overpowered. She is weaker than she claims to be. Weaker than you. She sent Discord to stop Tirek, knowing that he would betray you. She knew that he would give you your key to the box. What if she set up each event? What if she planned these things? "She.... she couldn't have... could she?" I asked. She sent you to fight Sombra, a Tyrant that needed both herself and Luna to banish the first time. What if he killed one of your friends? There was a constant danger. She has been testing you, like a lab rat in a maze. If this is how she treats her 'prized pupil', how do you think she would treat her precious ponies? She is unfit to rule. "I will hear her out. Then I will make my decision to tell her or not." I told the voice, before marching towards the train station. ×××××××××××××××××× "So, what ya callin us out 'ere fer?" Applejack asked. Everypony was aboard the train at this point. "Celestia has called for our assistance. We should go see what she wants." I told them. Rainbow pumped one of her hooves in the air. 'If she has a problem, we're the best team to deal with it!" She boasted. I sighed, remembering the earlier conversation with the voice. Applejack noticed my mood, and spoke up. "Somethin botherin ya Sugarcube?" She asked. I looked up at her, and forced a smile. "I'm fine! I was just getting into reading a good book when the letter came in." I lied. She looked at me strangely, but said nothing. The rest of the trip was uneventful as the train drew closer to Canterlot. When we got off the train, we ran towards the castle. The guards spotted us, and let us through the main gate. We ran through the halls of the castle before bursting into the throne room. "Celestia, we came as fast as we could!" I told her, feeling a slight amount of Deja vű. She looked at me, with a smile plastered on her face, though her eyes were full of worry. "Twilight, and the rest, it's so good to see you again." She told us. "I brought you here today because of a threat made to myself and Luna. In person." She explained. Everyone gasped. Except me. "How could someone be able to threaten you, and escape the castle? Wouldn't the guards, or yourself, be able to imprison him?" I asked. She looked down at me. "This creature is unlike any you have encountered before. His name is Ahriman, and he was once Princess Luna's most powerful Sorcerer during the War of Darkness. During the war, he and his brothers betrayed Luna, and corrupted her with thoughts of violence, eventually resulting in the rise of Nightmare Moon. When I banished her with the Elements, they too were banished." She answered, though I realized she didn't actually answer my question. "Why are they only just now appearing? Wouldn't they have reappeared with Nightmare Moon?" Applejack asked. Celestia shook her head. "While Luna was banished to the Moon, Ahriman and his brothers had been banished to an unknown realm, that neither I nor Luna know anything about." Celestia replied. Luna raised a hoof. "Actually, dear sister, he explained it to me when he was still my servant. He called it the Warp, a Realm made purely of emotion, thoughts, and dreams of all living things." Luna added. Something in my mind clicked, and I remembered the place in my dream. "Is that so? Either way, we need you to locate him, and defeat him with the power of Friendship. He is a danger to everypony in Equestria, no, the world. If left to his own devices, he would become a major threat." Celestia asked. She is sending you to deal with her problems again. The voice told me. I nodded, and Celestia smiled. "Good luck, Twilight." She said. We left without another word. When we got back on the train, Rainbow was the first to speak. "So, does anyone know where this chump is?" She asked. I shook my head, along with everypony else. "I suggest we search around, find anyone who knows about this 'Ahriman'. Then we can try to trace him back to wherever he is." I told them. They all nodded. "So, what about the other two?" Rainbow wondered. I smiled. "I'm sure they are with him. I also doubt they can beat us. I'm gonna head to the Old Castle of the Two Sisters to see if I can find anything."I lied, before teleporting away. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV As I studied the latest world history, a purple light appeared behind me, and vanished just as quickly. I turned around to see Twilight Sparkle. "Ah, ms. Sparkle. What brings you to my quarters?" I asked. She looked at me. "I want to know why you threatened Celestia." She replied, staring at my eye lenses. "And how do you know this?" I asked, puzzled. "Because I used to be the Element of Magic, as well as Celestia's former teacher. She ordered us to find you, but I want to hear your side first." She told me. I blinked at this. "Celestia's Personal Student? My my, Magnus, you really got yourself a high up informative. "I see. Well, to answer your question, me and my brothers despise Celestia because she banished banished us to the Warp for a century. To be in the Warp for that long either preludes possession by a deamon, or insanity. My brothers and I barely managed to survive, and that's only due to us being Astartes." I told her. A half truth. "I... can see why you hate her so. To be in that place, for that long....." She shuddered. "You have been in the Warp?" I asked. She nodded. "In my dreams, when I first met Magnus." She answered, examining my armor. I nodded. "Be sure to keep Luna out of your dreams. I'm sure Magnus can handle it, but it pays to be cautious." I told her. She nodded. "Alright, that's all my questions for now. Plus, it's getting late. I should head off to sleep." With that, Twilight activated her horn, and vanished in a purple light. I chuckled. "I wonder how father will teach her? It's a mystery." I told myself, before getting back to the task at hand. Namely, figuring out that token I found a while ago. It was a strange thing, a Sword with one side bearing Celestia's Cutie Mark, the other side Luna's.I once again scanned it. Gathering all the Intel I needed, I placed the sword aside for now. Then I focused. Using the powers of the Warp, I recreated my staff. I gingerly picked up the new one, then spoke. "To those that seek the power of Chaos, or have a score to settle with Celestia, summon me in thy time of need. I am Ahriman The Exiled, and may thine enemies cower before my name, for I shalt bring naught but destruction raining on their heads!" having said that, I tossed the copy of the staff into the air, to which it dissapeared. Grunting in satisfaction, I returned to my studies of the new cult. > Chapter Thirteen: The Dragon Tribe > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Khârn's POV As I stormed around the cult base, I could feel a sharp pounding in the back of my head. It hurt like hell, that's to be sure. "Come on, Khârn, what was it called again...." I muttered to myself. I still had my old memories, thank Khorne, but they were jumbled, with major gaps in between. So, I just stayed with the Khârn memories. It was too much if a hassle to sort out my memories when I had this massive headache.. "Aha! It was the Nails!" I cried out, before realizing what I had to do to get them to stop. I sighed. The cultists were out of the question, they were Ahriman's servants. I guess I could look around in the badlands? It was bound to have something there. So, with my destination set, I walked out of the exit. The Guards looked at me, but said nothing. "I'm going out for a bit." I told them. They just nodded. So, I walked out into the magma filled wasteland. ×××××××××××××××××××××× After a while, I found a decent amount of dragons. Though most looked like teens (I guess? I don't know dragon age stuff.), I could see a few adult dragons lounging about. Perfect. I stormed right into the hive, making sure I woke them all up by revving Gorechild. In but moments, I was surrounded. "What is your buisness here, strange one?" One of the bigger adults asked. I grinned behind my helmet. At least, I think I did. "Well, I'm here mostly for a fight, so if you could point me in the direction of your strongest dragon, I would be greatful." I told them, the sneer evident in my voice. They all chuckled. "Very well, we haven't had decent entertainment in ages. Follow" the big dragon from before replied, turning away. I followed after him, the other dragons all heading towards the edges of the mountain. When the big dragon stopped, I move to his side to see a decent sized dragon. He had awesome black scales that I knew would look great with my armor. He had some razor sharp claws, that looked like they could at least dent the Ceramite plating. "My lord, an unknown warrior seeks combat with you." My dragon escort told the beast. It glanced at me, then chuckled. "As if this pathetic creature was even worth my time." The Dragon said, snorting. That slightly ticked me off. "Watch your tongue. I am Khârn The Betrayer, Champion of the Blood God Khorne. I have slain thousands of warriors and claimed the worthy skulls. I am also the fiercest warrior that the Princess of the Night had during the Dark War. The funniest part is, the pony guards couldn't so much as scratch my armor. Now, I have come here seeking a battle to the death with you, and will fight you, whether you accept or not." I snarled, catching the two dragons by surprise at my tone. The black dragon laughed. "I can tell you are speaking the truth. You also have the fierce determination of a dragon. Very well, I accept your request to duel to the death. I am Naalthuzor, Leader of this tribe of dragons." The black dragon said, before heading out to the middle of the field. I grinned, putting my weapons on the ground. I was gonna have some fun with this. Naalthuzor chuckled. "So bold, to go against a dragon without your weapons. I commend you, Khârn. My tribe will speak of you for generations to come." He told me, to which I took up a fighting stance, my fists raised in anticipation. Three minutes passed, both sides waiting for the other to start. Seeing as I was driven by the Nails, I eventually got impatient and charged. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" I screamed, and quicker than he could blink, my armoured fist crashed into the side of his face. He roared, back handing me with his claw. I did a quick flip, landing on my feet, and charged him again. In reply, he shot forth a burst of fire. I ran through it, feeling the unarmoured arm blazing in pain. I ignored this, and quickly gave the dragon an uppercut to the jaw. The fire immediately stopped flaring, and I gave him a kick to the chest before jumping out of range of his talons. Naalthuzor snarled, before charging at me, his claws raised in a fist. He brought said fist crashing down to where I had been a moment ago, but he expected me to dodge, instead hitting me with his other fist, which sent me flying into a wall. I chuckled. "Heh. Now this is what I'm talking about!" I snarled, before jumping back in. The dragon tried to use his tail to swat me away, but I managed to jump over it and onto his back. He roared, before unfurling his wings and taking off. He tried to shake me off, but my grip was like steel. I climbed up to where his head was. "You were a truly worthy opponent, Naalthuzor. But this is where it ends. I will take your scales, as a way to beef up my own armor. I'm also claiming your skull, as you were an honorable and worthy fighter." I whispered into his ear. His eyes widened, right before I somehow managed to break his neck. His cry of fury was silenced immediately, and we began to descend to the mountain below. "Shit... did not plan this through..." I muttered to myself, before both me and the dragon carcass hit the ground. When the dust cleared, I stood victorious over the body of their leader. All of them were shocked, but then, one by one, they all knelt before me. I looked at them, puzzled. "What's this?" I asked. The Dragon that escorted me here walked up. "By defeating our leader, we are honor bound to serve you, by ancient dragon law. We are now your soldiers. Lead us into the depths of Tartarus itself, and we will still follow. We are at your command." The dragon told me. I deadpanned at this. "So, I now have an entire tribe of dragons that will follow my every order?" I asked. He nodded. I nearly yelled in amazement. I had a strong group of ponies before, but Dragons?! Even better! At the thought of the 45th Company, my mood fell. I nodded my consent. "Very well. We will move out to my base a few miles out. Bring whatever horde you have. You can come back here occasionally. Now, get packing. I ordered, and the dragons dispersed, heading off to their horde of gold and jewels. I looked back to the body of Naalthuzor. I picked up my axe, and revved it up. I first took a few scales, about fifty of them, then I carved the Skull out of his head. I toted the thing all the way to HQ as quickly as I could, before heading back to lead the dragons there. I also made sure to tell the guards about our new soldiers. When I came back, Ahriman and Zhufor stood there, examining the dragons. "When I heard the guard, I didn't believe it at first. But now I can understand. It's the Nails, isn't it?" Ahriman asked. I nodded. He simply shook his head before continuing. "Well, if it gets us an army, I'm fine with it. Find them somewhere to set up shop. Preferably around the entrance. That way, any curious ponies will know better than to come here." With that said, he and Zhufor turned around and headed back to the cave. I nodded to the dragons, and they began to set up the encampment. > Chapter fourteen: Crossover > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV Today, I decided to move out and about to explore the Badlands. The cultists had already made a map, but I wanted to see it with my own eyes. So, after leaving the underground base, I chose a random direction, and started walking. After about an hour of walking across the desert, I came upon a strange structure. It reminded me of the Tyranid Hive Fleets, but grounded. And as black as a shadow. Curious, I stepped towards the peculiar structure. Then the Bug ponies showed up. They almost looked like they appeared out of the ground, because suddenly, I was surrounded by at least a hundred of the horrid things. I quickly charged my energy into my staff, but it was knocked out of my hand by an armored bug, and their spears all leveled at my head. Thinking quickly, I fed power into my hand, and it shot out, disappearing into a small portal. When I pulled it out, in my hand was the sword Amulet with the strange message. I grunted. Now or never, I guess. I fed some power into the Amulet, and felt a connection to it in an alternate realm. My powers quickly latched onto the other end, and pulled. Seconds later a white light began to glow and a human in a dark blue chestplate appeared in front of me holding it’s head. it then said “I hate it when people force me through portals” he then stood up and looked around to see the changeling surrounding us. he then turned to me and said “what the heck have you done?" "I simply walked towards the strange building when they popped up out of nowhere. Now then, should we just stand here arguing while they try to tear us to pieces, or are we going to break out." I replied. He sighed, nodded, and braced for combat. I remembered a basic levitation spell from a book I read during the war, and my staff flung back to me. Gripping it, I fed it a large dosage of power from the Warp. While I could use some of my warp powers without the staff, I used it to amplify my power tenfold. I slammed the blade edge of it into the ground, resulting in a massive shockwave. The Bug things reeled from the blast, but while most of them were swept away, some remained, clearly stronger than the others. I grinned from within my helmet. "That should even the odds a bit." I told the newcomer, to which he rolled his eyes. The rest of the bug pony things charged, mostly focusing on me, since I released that shockwave. I raised the staff, then, thinking better on it, placed the staff in my pocket dimension. Instead, I drew my Bolter Pistol. The Tyranid copycats, because, I mean seriously, look at them. All they need now are some big giant Carnifex's and they would be a complete ripoff! Anyways, I voxed in my report of the Tyranid wannabe to my other brothers, telling them to meet me at these coordinates. I then shot lightning at a bug, frying it instantly. I had too many on me to see how the sword guy was doing, but I was too preoccupied to care at the moment. Irritated, I raised my bolter into the air, and fired it once. The bugs all flinched. "Okay, now that I have your attention, cease all hostilities and take me to your leader before anyone gets--" a groan of pain emanated from one of the downed things. "--Anyone else gets hurt. I only came for an examination of your apparent home, and this is the welcome party? I'm not impressed. My brothers will be here in but a moment, and trust me when I tell you that they will not show mercy like I am. Do I make myself clear?" I yelled, and the bugs nodded. I looked over to my new 'partner'. I could tell from the moment I looked at him that he was one of those 'Heroic' types. And I could tell that he sensed the bone chilling powers of the Warp I unleashed earlier. "So, should we head in, or do you want to wait here for my brothers?" I asked. He shrugged, and so we waited, the Bugs eyeing us warily. After about thirty minutes, Khârn and Zhufor came into view. Another ten, and they were close enough for communication. "Khârn. Zhufor. Welcome to the Tyranid Wannabe school. This is.... forgive me, I forgot to ask your name. I assume it's Craig, as the amulet suggests?" He nodded. I turned back to Khârn and Zhufor. "This is Craig, a human from an alternate world as far as I'm aware." I told them. They both looked at him and nodded in greeting. Craig then look at them both and says “It’s a pleasure to meet you” "The pleasure is ours. I am Khârn, Chaos Space Marine and Champion of Khorne. This is Zhufor, also a Chaos Space Marine, and a Khornate. And I see you've already met Ahriman, our brother sorcerer. So, Ahriman, what is this? It looks like a miniature Tyranid Hive Ship crash landed and burned into a black husk. And what are these bug creatures? I admit, they look a little like Tyranids, but there's more bug than 'Nid. For example, 'Nids don't have cheese legs." Khârn said, turning to me. Craig then smiles and say “these things are called Changelings they a pony like creatures that can fly, use magic and shapeshift. They also follow a queen and are all connected as if they were one mind.” I nodded. "I see. Well then, let's go meet the Queen of these... Changelings. I would like to discuss a few things with her. Oh, also, Khârn, Zhufor, don't forget to later make your own tokens." I replied, before marching into the hive. Khârn looked at Zhufor, then at Craig, shrugged, and followed. After a few minutes of wandering through the hive, we arrived at what appeared to be the Throne Room. A few guards took up positions, guarding their queen. I looked up at her, then bowed. "Your majesty." I said sarcastically. The queen scoffed. "Who and what are you, and why do you intrude upon my hive?" She asked, glaring at us. "I have come with a... business proposition. If you will hear me out without your guards attacking me or my friends here." I replied. She looked at me, then to Craig and the two Khornates. "Are they some sort of honor guard? If so, they aren't much." She told me, to which I just looked at her. "No, they aren't. And even if they were, just one of us could defeat your entire hive singlehandedly. So, I suggest you not make any of them angry. Just in case though. You guys should wait outside the throne room. Any bugs give you trouble, you know what to do." I smirked, but also sent out a small burst of Warp energy, too small to notice even by a magic user, and sent it in a wide area to scan the entire hive. Craig's POV As we walked out out the room i threw a small device into the corner of the room and then said “You realise you don’t own me but i will leave you two in peace” I then smirk and say “have a nice date” with that i follow Khârn Zhufor out of the room. Once we get outside i then ask “What is your brother hiding. I’m not that thick there’s something wrong with him” "Oh, he's always hiding something. Ahriman's a follower of Tzeentch, God of Change, 'magic', schemes, and more." Khârn replied, glancing at the doors. “But you still trust him I don’t not one bit” i then click my fingers and say “lets see what your brother sent us away for.” I then throw a small projector onto the floor that brought up a screen showing an image of the room. "So, strange creature, what business brings you here?" The queen asked. Ahriman leaned on his staff. "I honestly doubt you know about this, but do you know of what the ponies call, 'The War of Darkness?" He asked. She nodded. "Yes, I remember. I was a part of it." She replied. "Well, I don't care which side you were on back then, but do you remember who Luna's Top Librarian, as well as her Right Hoof, was?" She looked to be thinking about it. "I believe his name was... Ahriman? Why do you ask?" She replied. "Oh, that's right. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Ahriman The Exiled, once Chief Librarian of The Lunar Guards mage squadrons. I lead the armies of the Night in the Siege of Manehattan. I summoned and controlled the Deamons that finally claimed the Keep. I am Champion of Tzeentch, God of Change, Sorcery, Knowledge, and Strategy. In the final battle between Luna and Celestia, I, along with my brothers, were banished to the Warp, a Realm of all emotions and thoughts ever made by any creature in this universe. The remnants of my Librarians brought us back from it. For us, it was a century. For them, it was a thousand years. And I want you to join me. We are going to give them a taste of revenge." Ahriman declared. To this I just sigh and say “always hating Celestia but still another Displaced i meet being banished seems to be a running trend with the alternate celestia’s.” Khârn looked at me. "If you were just banished, with feelings feelings of hate towards her, into a Realm that contained every emotion ever felt, for a hundred years, trust me, you would be angry too. Granted, our feelings were probably heightened due to the emotions, but still." He told me. I then smile and say “I understand what you mean, even though what happened to me was different i still understand what you must feel. However i have forgiven the one who caused me pain and now he is a trusted ally maybe the best thing you could do is to just forgive her.” Khârn snorted. "Sure, if you're a normal human. For one thing, normal Humans who look into the warp will go insane, and they can't even see its true horror. The only way we survived with our sanity intact was because we were Space Marines, and also, we are used to it. We Chaos Space Marines spent more than a thousand years in the warp before we came here. And normal Space Marines are bred Xenophobic. We see a creature that is not human, we get the urge to kill it." He stated. I then smile and say “Wouldn’t say i’m completely human anymore either but oh well.” I then turn to see a changeling lunging towards me and I sigh as a blue tendril flies out of my back and spears the Changeling straight through the body then just as quickly as it appeared removed from its body and disappeared. "Impressive. But we are made to fight. You are not. We can't do peace. We can be diplomats, sure, but peaceful civilians? Nope. Impossible. Our entire purpose in life is to fight.” “Then you will struggle in the upcoming years the world is at peace. Well mostly.” I then look back at the screen and continue to listen to the conversation. The queen looked at him, smug. "Prove it." She ordered. The temperature in the room dropped suddenly. "As you wish." He replied, before focusing his magic onto his staff. It began to glow a dark red, and a portal made out of every color, even some that didn't exist, appeared in between the two. A horrendous creature stepped out. It's skin was a bright red, with razor sharp teeth and a forked tongue for a mouth. It's tail was ablaze with fire, as was the massive sword it carried. Upon it's head rested a strange glyph. With a snarl, it lunged at the queen, only to be held back by a chain, which ended at Ahriman's hand. "This, your highness, is a Bloodletter. A Deamon of Khorne, and denizen of the Warp. It is with these that the Keep of Manehattan fell. Normally, it takes a lot more to summon, but as this is only an example, it will die off and return to the Warp in but a moment." As he said that, the beast screamed, before disintegrating, and returning to the portal, which closed afterwards. "Believe me now?" He sneered. The Queen nodded. "Well, Ahriman, I am Queen Chrysalis. I believe it is in our best interest to work with you. After all, I too have a bone to pick with Celestia. But what of Luna?" She asked. "Her? I have no reason to serve her anymore. Even if I did, they would try to kill me on sight." He replied. "Well then, I guess I can consider your offer. Where should we meet?" Chrysalis asked. "We will meet at the mountains. Three o'clock PM, on Sunday." He replies, then marches towards the door. I then quickly switch off the screen and pick it back up off the ground just before Ahriman came back out the door. "So, are you all ready to leave?" He asked. To this i just nod my head and say “Ready when you are "Then let us be off." With that said, Ahriman and the other two began walking towards the exit. When we exited, Ahriman turned to me. "As a gift of thanks, I give you this." He reached his arm out, and a portal sprung up. He reached his hand in, and pulled out a massive gun. "It's a Bolter pistol. I don't know if you can use it, but if you can, then it won't be just an ornament. It has infinite energy ammunition. It should serve you well." I then reach out picked up the gun and said “Thank you” I then brought it up in line with my sight and pulled the trigger as the gun instantly fired and my back leg moved backwards to compensate for the sheer amount of force the gun released. I then looked at them in surprise and said “That's got a lot of power behind it.” I then look at them and say “Is there anything i can do for you?” "I doubt it. We got pretty much all we need at the moment. Khârn controls an entire tribe of Dragons, I lead the remainder of the Librarians, and Zhufor.... he doesn't need an army. His Terminator armour is like a tank." I then smile and say “Well lets hope i never have to go toe to toe with any of you.” i then take my necklace off and place it in my right hand, I then close my eyes and my hands begins to glow and as i open my left had two perfect copies of my token appear. I then toss the copies of my token to Khârn and Zhufor and say “If you ever need my help don’t hesitate to give me a call” "Alright. If that is all, then you are free to leave. Let's see, how do you do this again? Oh right." Ahriman told me. "Craig, our contract is complete." He recited. He then tossed me a staff. "That's my token. If you ever need my powers, give me a call. Just send your thoughts into it. It will also unlock a being's ability to look into the Warp, and control it's power. But only if you want it to." ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV When Craig left, I looked back to the other two. "So, you don't think he knew I had known about his recording device the moment he dropped it?" I asked. They both shook their heads. "Very well. Let us return home. I have many more plans to enact. Also, Zhufor, since you don't have an army of your own, I will give you control of the changelings. When they decide to join us." I told them. Zhufor nodded. "Then let's go. We got a meeting to plan for, and a war to incite. But first, I've got someone else to visit. Return home on your own and await me." With that, I opened a portal and stepped through. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Discord's POV I was washing the dishes from my sink, the things turning from clean to dirty, when I heard a noise outside. Thinking it was another lost mailmare, I teleported outside. My shock was visible when I saw the Chaos Space Marine out on my porch. I regained composure quickly. "Well well, what have we here? A Chaos Marine that's lost from home. And you're one of Magnus's group too. Well, what is it? I've got a lot planned." To emphasize this, I pulled out a long list of things to do. "Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, I presume?" The cold, grating voice asked. "The one and only. To think that my reputation has passed on to even those of the Dishonorable Chaos Space Marines. I'm flattered." I said, giving a quick bow. "I am Ahriman. I heard about you. Your a Chaos Deamon, correct?" The guy asked. "Well, by your terms, yes I am. More of a Deamon Prince, but still. What do you want with me?" I quickly pulled off the crown on my head. "I wish for you want to join me." I turned to him. "Sorry, but I'm retired from evil. Find another Chaos Spirit to join you." I blew a raspberry at him. "You are in service to Tzeentch, are you not?" This was getting annoying fast. "Well, technically, but I tend to stay out of his plans, instead doing my thing." I replied, irritation clear in my voice. "Tzeentch wants Equestria. I am gathering my armies to destroy Celestia and Luna in his name. And trust me, I know where to find other Draconequus. They aren't extinct, just in a far away land. So, if you won't join me, then I will be on my way." He started to create a portal. "Wait. What? You know where the other Draconequus are? How? I've searched the entire globe for them!" I asked. I could sense his smile. "Well, I could tell you, but why should I? I'm able to find all of them, and can sway them my way." "Rghhhh." I knew he was baiting me. But the possibility that they were alive..... "I'll....join you. But you have to tell me where they are." He chuckled. "Very well. Do you swear to Tzeentch himself that you will?" I nodded. "Good. Now then, here it is. You say that you have checked the entire world, but did you ever think about the rest of the Solar System, or the universe?" My eyes widened. Of course they would go to a separate planet! One uninhabited, of course. I quickly raised my sense to the magical realm, and swept my gaze across the System. Almost immediately I found multiple traces of Draconequus magic on three separate worlds alone. When I returned from my gaze, Ahriman was gone, and in his place was a staff. I picked it up. Looking at it, I sighed. "Great. Now he can pull me to wherever he is at anytime he wants. Oh well, I suppose I should head to the closest of those planets." With that, I snapped my fingers, and vanished. > Chapter Fifteen: Prisoner > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zhufor's POV As Celestia came into my cell, she stared at me, with a cold, and very very angry look. "So, Princess, long time no see! How's the Solar Empire been? Considering your leading it, it's probably both Xenophobic and full of Phobias related to Chaos. Am I right?" I start, seeing as I might as well annoy her. "Zhufor the Impaler, you are charged with many crimes, such as Murder, Arson, Assaulting the Guard, resisting arrest, and much more. We will like for you to tell us why you were out in our territory when you were captured. As well as why your species loves to kill." She stated. I laughed. "Oh, you want to hear my story? Fine! If you want, I can even tell you of my many achievments! Then again, we would be here for centuries. Oh, wait, you can read my mind! Granted, I will keep some things a secret, but I give you permission to look into my mind. So I can escape being bored with telling a story." I told her, laughing still. She scrunched up her muzzle, before lighting her horn up with golden magic. I felt her begin to probe my mind. While she did that, I thought back to my capture. ×××××××××××××××××××××××××× 12 hours earlier. I had been wandering through the Equestrian Territory, looking for my old base. In all hknesty, I had hoped they hadn't gone and reclaimed it. I still had many trophies there. But, to my disdain, they had already reclipsed it, with guards patrolling it every so often. I stared at the fools who dared to claim it. I readied my axe. I took aim with the Storm Bolter, and fired. The stupid ponies were taken completely by suprise. One moment, all was peaceful, the next, a loud noise popped up, and the next instant, some ponies head exploded. I then charged, bursting through the barriers at the door. One brave guard charged at me, but I punched him in the face, a sickly sweet crunching sound erupting from his skull, as well as a shower of blood bursting out on the other side like a fountain. I swung my axe behind me, the sweet sound of it lodging itself into a ponies forehead. I ripped it out, the body flying into a group of guards. "Come on! I'll personally tear each and every one of you from the face of this planet!" I roared, before a energy beam caught me square in the forehead. I felt myself losing consciousness against my will. I looked to where it had fired from to see a White Unicorn with blue hair and purple armor. I snarled before passing out. ×××××××××××××××××× Present time. I came back to the world to see Celestia on the ground, sobbing. I could also see two guards with their spears pointed at me. She looked to me. "Why? Why does your universe exist? Why must there be constant war? Why must you bring it here?" She asked, tears streaming down her face. I got as close as I could and sneered. "Because, Princess, we are the harbingers of Chaos. We slay, we crush, we burn, we kill, all because we were created to do so. Your world is weak. Too long has your pathetic world been at peace. We have been sent to remind you that the Universe doesn't work with peace. Constantly changing, constant Chaos,and constant death. That , my dear Celestia, that is how the universe works. Through blood, sweat, and tears. Friendship is a temporary thing, and can be broken by a few carefully woven lies. Your species is worse than those damnable Tau. At least they actually conquer. You? No, you try to reason with your enemies, make them believe that you can be trusted to stay with. But it's hurting them. While Equestria prospers, the rest of the world dies, thinking everyone except the peace loving ponies are the cause. They can't attack you without risking the loss of the sun and moon." I told her, causing her to cry some more. "Silence, foul creature!" A guard said, slapping me. I felt my rage build up. The magic-embeued chains creaking, trying to control my rage and strength. With a roar, I broke free, my unarmoured fist meeting the face of the pony who slapped me. I felt his bones break from my brute strength, and I pictured the broken bits stabbing into his brain. He was knocked out by the pain, possibly dead. I body slammed the other, breaking his back in the process. I made sure to keep him alive, as an example. I looked down on Celestia. "Listen here, Celestia." She looked up from the guards bodies. "I will leave you alive, if only to make you suffer the feeling of all your precious ponies dying by our hands. And remember. Me and my brothers aren't the only ones out there. There are thousands upon thousands of us constantly fighting. Imagine if they found this world. It would be conquered in a day. Now, I'm going to the land of the Minotaurs. Don't come after me. Any guards do, they will die." I walked away. I quickly found and equipped my Terminator armor, breaking the neck of the scientist examining it. I walked out of the prison, breaking any guards I met under my foot. I left them alive, to show that they are too weak to even bother with. Most of the Unicorn Guards shot energy blasts at me, but couldn't puncture the thick Ceramite Plating of the armor. When I finally exited, I found myself surrounded by a squadron of soldiers, the one who knocked me out standing at the front. I pointed my axe at him. "I challenge you to one on one combat. Do you accept?" I asked. He looked startled, but nodded, using his magic to draw a sword. I smiled before charging at him. I swung my axe, but he dodged, stabbing his blade into a small kink in the armor, punching through and stabbing into what skin was there. I grunted, back handing him. I quickly pulled the blade out, before throwing it aside. It was then enveloped in a purple aura, and brought back to the Unicorn. I pointed at him. "You. What is your name?" I asked. "I am Shining Armor, former Captain of the Guard, now Prince of the Crystal Kingdom." He declared, panting. I smiled. "Well then, Shining Armor. I will remember your name, as you are the first to do harm to me on this backwater planet. I will let you live, as a show of honor." I put my axe on my belt before walking towards the line of guards blocking my way. I raised my Bolter and fired once into the sky. "Out of my way." I growled. They all suddenly moved out of my line of sight. I walked past them all, and walked down the mountain. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV When Shining Armor found me, I was still on the floor of the cell, crying. "Your majesty." He started. I looked to him. "How many did he kill?" I asked. "Only one, though he left many with multiple broken bones. I faced him in combat one on one, but he left afterwards, saying I was the first ever to wound him." He answered, and I looked up at him. "I saw his memories. I saw the true horrors of the universe. He and his two brothers aren't the only ones out there. There are thousands, if not millions. And everything out there will try to kill us." I told him. He shuddered. "Then let's hope and pray that those others do not find us." Shining replied, looking up at the ceiling. I sighed. "Hope is but the first step to dissapointment." ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV " Lord Ahriman." I turned to see Twilight looking up at me. "What is it Sparkle?" I asked. "Today I got a report from a archeologist named Daring Doo who discovered a massive under grunge chamber. It had housed a massive metal craft, with the metal being unknown to us. Here's a picture." She quickly handed a small piece of paper to me. I looked at it, then dropped the paper. "Twilight, gather the cult, as well as Khârn and his dragons. We are going on a trip." I ordered. She nodded, and dashed off to deliver the message. I picked the photo back up and looked at it again. The picture was of a Chaos Strike Cruiser. > Chapter Sixteen: The Scion of Prospero > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV When we arrived at the dig site, a brown Pegasus with a gray mane stepped out of the dig area. "What's all the ruckus- who and what are you?!" She shrieked, floating up in the air. I chuckled. "I am Ahriman The Exiled. A warrior from a long time ago. I see you have found my ship." I lied, hoping to get through this without intimidation. She looked me up and down. "Oh yeah? Prove it." She ordered. I merely smirked, then brought up my bolter. A very loud bang was heard after. She held her ears. "What in Celestia's name was that?!" She asked. I pointed to the gun. "This is a Bolter pistol. It's designed to fire mass reactive bullets. One shot could remove half of your leg. Now, if there are any more questions, you will take us to the ship." I told her, to which she gulped, before turning around and heading back into the cave. I turned to the others. "Wait here. Also, have this." I tossed them a vox bead. "That is a long range communication system. Put it in your ear, and you can hear me as long as I am in range." I then walked inside, with Khârn close behind me. When we reached the ship, we were able to see it in all its glory. Though grounded and buried, it still gleamed with its paint like it was made yesterday. That is, as clean as a Chaos vessel dedicated to Tzeentch could get. I walked to one of the emergency exits, and pressed a few buttons. The air lock creaked open, and we stepped outside. The pegasus followed. "Wow, so this is the interior? It's amazing." She muttered, looking over the hallways in awe. I chuckled. "Trust me, where I'm from, this is pretty common. There are hundreds of these ships." I told her, to which her jaw dropped. "The amount of resources needed for something like this would be astronomical!" She cried out. While we walked, I caught sight of something. I motioned for them to stop. I walked into a rather large room. In the middle of it stood a Dreadnought. It was a Thousand Sons Dreadnouggt, just sitting there, motionless. I walked up to it, and tapped it. There was the sound of gears clanging as whatever was in there woke up. It looked down at me. "Who.....are...you?" The deep, gravelly distorted voice of the dreadnought asked. The pegasus leapt back in fright, hiding behind Khârn. "I am Ahriman, noble Dreadnought. But who are you?" I asked, feeling a small memory spark from seeing this type of dreadnought. A MK IV Ferrum Infernus dreadnought to be precise. "I am....Khadeth.... I remember....you....Ahriman, Captain of the....First Fellowship." The dreadnought rasped. "Ah, so your from before The Rubric. That's good. I wouldn't be able to talk to you anyways." I said, and the Khadeth looked at Khârn. "You....are Khârn....The Betrayer.... why....are you..... here?" He asked. Khârn shrugged. "I'm with Ahriman here. We found this ship underground. Say, I've got an idea, Ahriman." Khârn told us, to which he leans into where my ear is and whispers to me a bold and daring plan. I smiled. "It might work. But let's test it, shall we?" ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Third person POV The peace of the world was shattered as the sound of a massive cannon shook the world. Ten minutes leater, in the southern jungles of Equestria, a mighty roar was heard, and a massive ship flew out of the earth, struggling to break through the gravity of the planet. When it did, it floated alongside the planet, sitting into an orbit. (A.N to fly it, there was a bunch of working servitors, plus chaos powers OP) ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Back to Ahriman "It worked! Now, not only do we have a base that our enemies can't get to, but now we have an entire ship full of weapons!" Khârn cried out. I nodded. "So...what foe....do you face?" Khadeth asked. "A bunch of xeno ponies. With psychic powers. Who are pretty easy to beat, but we want to make them die slowly. In reality, we could March up to their leaders, and kill them right now. Now then, let's go get our troops ready." With that, I walked back towards the armory. When I arrived, the dragons had all gotten some decent weapons and armor. Same with the cultists, though they had to find mounted weaponry. "My warriors! This massive battle barge, the Scion of Prospero, is our new home. We are currently in orbit around the planet, and are unreachable by our enemies. But, the same cannot be said for us. We can strike from above, anytime, anyhwere, and crush the enemy easily. Now then, let's send down a warm welcome to Celestia, shall we?" I asked. They all roared. And followed me as I led them to a Thunderhawk. I pointed to it. "This is a Thunderhawk. It is a drop ship that can come from orbit and deliver new soldiers to the field, and supply heavy firepower too. Now then, get aboard. Khârn, deploy Khadeth with a drop pod. I want him down on the field to let the princess's know of our new firepower." I ordered. They all climbed aboard, while Khârn and Khadeth walked off towards the drop pods. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ It was just after the attack of Zhufor. The ponies didn't know it, but Zhufor had just escaped. Celestia was still crying on the floor, and Shining was still there. "Alright, Shining. I'm ready to go." She said, and He nodded. They both walked outside. As they approached the city, the sound of engines roared. They both looked up to see a bulky, metal flying creature hovering in front of them. "Celestia! How good it is to see you. I'd like to introduce the Thunderhawk!" Ahriman's voice rang out. "Ahriman! You dare show your face?!" Celestia roared. There was the sound of chuckling. "Technically, Celly, I'm not showing my face. I'm showing you the power I possess." With that, it turned, and released missiles into the city. The citizens went into a panic after the first bombs dropped. Then, a drop pod crashed into a building, releasing the dreadnought inside it. "Even in death I serve!" The horrific voice declared, firing it's weapons, and using its claws to tear into anypony who got close. "Celestia, some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold. But you will remember me. Remember me for Centuries." Ahriman told me as he destroyed Canrerlot. ×××××××××××××× Three hours later. Celestia's POV Canterlot was burning. Every house was demolished, no stone left unturned. Many ponies had died, and many more were guardsmen trying to fight off the giant metal robot. When the two things left, not much was left. Only the burning buildings and carcasses of Canterlot. Very few were left alive. "Shining..... how can we stop this? What weapon could possibly defeat them?" I asked, looking at the ruins of a once proud city. "I don't know, princess, I don't know." He replied, and the sound of somepony coming up behind us made us turn to find Luna, a shocked expression on her face as she looked on. Suprisingly enough, Ahriman and his metal monster had left the castle intact. "Sister... what did this? Ahriman?" She asked. I nodded. She gulped. "To think I had such a monster as my subordinate once... but how? How has he done this?" She asked, gazing upon the ruins. "It seems he has found a great weapon. Two in fact. A flying metal bird, and a powerful robot. These two things destroyed the city. We cannot fight him. Shining." He perked up. "Send a letter to all members of the world meeting. Tell them we must meet." I ordered, and he quickly wrote it down, with a paper and quill that came out of nowhere. When he did, I activated a spell, multiplying the letter, before sending each of them to their locations. > Chapter Seventeen: Twilight, Master of Magic > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Khârn's POV Me, Zhufor, and Khadeth all stood at attention, awaiting for Ahriman's orders. Since he was the better tactician, and a follower of Tzeentch, he sorta became the de facto leader. "My brothers." Ahriman began. "Now that we have this battle barge for our base, we can strike anywhere, anytime. I want to put that to use. So, today, we have discovered a small detachment of Griffons flying towards the Equestrian border. Behind them is a larger army. So, either it's an invasion, or a group heading to assist the Equestrians. Either way, we cannot allow this to happen." He pulled up a small map. "Khârn, I want you and a detachment of your dragons to move in here. You will be used as bait." He pulled up a small simulation. "When they attack, I will have Zhufor and Khadeth, along with a small detachment of the Changeling Horde, to come up from around, and surround them. Zhufor, I want you to be at the back of the enemy. Make sure they don't retreat." Zhufor nodded, a savage grin plastered on his face. "Khadeth, you will tear into them from the side. Leave no survivors. Don't kill any changelings." Khadeth nodded in the way only a Dreadnought could. "As for me, I will be observing the battle. If they surrender, let them. Don't kill unless I give the word to kill after the surrender. We are going to try to recruit them." I nodded, seeing this as a sound possibility. "What if they betray us after we recruit them? They could take over the entire ship if they got their hands on our tech!" Zhufor asked. This raised a good point. "Don't worry. We will not position them in the Scion of Prospero. They will be set up in our old base. We will not give them any of our weapons." Ahriman answered. Another good plan. "Then let's get started. The sooner we take them, the better." I told them. "Load up into the transports. Give the dragons some Las-guns. Even the flashlights are enough to kill these fools." Ahriman told me. I nodded, not wanting to waste any good weapons. ××××××××××××××× 2 hours later "My lord, when will they get here?" One of the dragons, A red one who's name started with 'G', asked. "In a few minutes. Ready up. When they get close enough, fix bayonets. But until then, just open fire. The enemy is so packed in that even these inaccurate things will hit. Ah, there's the vanguard." I pointed. True enough, a small group of Griffons had walked into sight. One of them looked like royalty, while the others were just bodyguards. "Stay here. When I give the order, open fire." With that said, I rose out of cover, and walked out into the open. The bodyguards immediately tensed, drawing weapons. The Royal guy waved his claw, and the guards lowered their weapons. I walked forward. "Greetings, strange creature! What is your purpose here?" The royalty boy asked. "I am Khârn, second leader of the New Legion, and leader of the Iron Claw Dragon clan. I am here to offer you a deal." I told them. The Griffon raised his eyebrow. "And just what is this deal?" He asked. "Me and my brothers plan to take over Equestria. The ponies are weak, foolish. They could be overtaken by naught but a few soldiers. When we do, we don't really care to control the nation. We believe that your species would be much more capable. So, what do you say? We take over, then give the nation to the griffons, gift-wrapped. All you have to do is assist us in taking over. Like, say, the massive army you've got marching." I told him. He perked up. "How do you know of them?" He asked. I chuckled. "I have my ways. Now, what do you say?" I asked again. "Why exactly should we have you do so? If what you say is true, then we could just as easily destroy them ourselves!" He told me. "Because, Griffon, my brothers are the most technologically advanced things on this planet. We have weapons that could lay waste to your entire army. I could slaughter them without so much as a scratch on me. However, the enemy military is big. We need a distraction to get to the Princess's. That's where you come in. When we give the word, your army can swoop in, destroy the enemy guard, and climbed this country for yourselves. We don't care. Just as long as you answer to us whenever we need, and Equestria is yours." I told him. "Well, I suppose so. But, I am currently en route to the Equestrian meeting that they called for. If we don't go there, they will suspect that something happened." "Then go there. Spy on them. Gain some intel. If the enemy gains new allies, we will be encouraged to give you some of our weaponry." I told him, and his eyes sparkled. "Very well. We will accept your offer. However, we will have to wait until the rest of the new Griffon Kingdom agrees as well. You will be safe there." He answered at last. I nodded, then looked out on the Horizon. "Also, my name is Fleet Sword." He added. "Recall your soldiers. We will tell you when the assault begins." I told him. He nodded, then turned back and walked away. After they left, Ahriman came down. "What was that?" He asked. "I believe we made some allies. I promised them control over Equestria in exchange for his army assisting us. They have also allowed us to have a base in the Griffon Kingdom. We will also give them Las guns if the Equestrians gain new allies. The Equestrians called a meeting, and he will act as our spy." I told Ahriman. He pondered this. "Well, it's better than fighting them. Good work. When he gets back, give him this." He handed me a small vox bead. I nodded. ×××××××××××× "Fleet Sword, here." I handed him the bead. He looked at it incredulously. "What is it?" He asked. "Put it in your ear. It will allow us to listen in. Now get to the meeting." I told him. He nodded, then continued towards Canterlot. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Fleet Sword's POV "My friends, thank you for coming here today." Celestia said, sitting at the head chair of the table. The other representatives and I sat down in our own chairs, and the meeting began. "As you saw on your way here, the once great city of Canterlot was destroyed. It was destroyed by a group that call themselves the Chaos Space Marines. They have very powerful weaponry that far outclasses magic. They have declared war upon the Equestrian Nation, and I have asked you all for help." She told us. "Why should we help? This does not involve us!" The Minotaur representative asked. "In fact, Lord Serius, it does. They have a personal vendetta against me and my sister, and want us dead. If they succeed, then we will no longer be around to raise and lower the sun and the moon." She answered, causing a lot of gasps. I, of course, heard of the Great Ahriman's power, and knew that he could raise and lower the sun and moon on his own. "What is in it for us? Besides keeping the Sun and the Moon rotating around the planet?" The Zebra Representative asked. "We have heard of the hardships of the rest of the world. We will personally supply your countries with resources until you are once again proud nations. Granted, we cannot supply so much that we ourselves will lose our prosperity." She answered, to which many of the Representatives nodded. "Well, what if the war makes it so that you can't supply us? What then?" I asked. She looked at me incredulously. "What?" She asked. "Well, if they make it so that you can't even supply your own people, then you're not at liberty to give us anything. I don't see it as an interest to the Griffon Kingdom to join you in this war without insurance that you will hold your word." I stated. The rest of the representatives all looked at me, then back to Celestia. She sighed. "While that is a valid point, Fleet Sword, we promise that we will try to repay the debt." She replied calmly. "When? For all I know, you could wait till we are all dead and the 'debt' is forgotten!" I shot back. She looked astonished. "We would never do such a thing like that to our allies! What causes you to have such thoughts?!" She asked. I smirked. "Why, it's the fact that, now that I think about it, everybody is always trading with you. And I find it funny that, out of all the Nation's in the world, your's is the only one not suffering from poverty or worse! While the rest of the world suffers, your precious ponies have been living in pure happiness! I do not trust you, any more than you trust these 'Chaos Space Marines'! In fact, I wonder how the world would be if you were beaten by them! Who knows? Maybe if we no longer trade with you, our Nation's will prosper! Then we will know who the real enemy is!" I roared. The entire table was silent, with Celestia bearing a shocked look. "I will be leaving now." I told them, and walked out of the room, silently dropping the bead in the door. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV How could he say such things? The Griffons and ponies had been allies for years! Of all the Nations, she felt sure that they would ally with us. I looked to the rest of the group. Most had confused looks, while others had slight traces of anger. "Well, I am sorry for that, but shall we continue?" I asked. The Zebra Representative scoffed, and exited the room. So did the Dragon Representative, and the Changeling's. I sighed. "Princess, Yaks help Princess. Ponies friends with Yaks." The Yak representative said. I smiled. "Thank you." I told him. Cadence, The Crystal Kingdom representative, nodded. "As always, the Crystal Ponies stand by your side." She raised her hoof. "Good. Not as many as I had hoped, but it's still good to have you." I told them. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV "Fleet Sword did a good job, leaving the vox bead in the door. Now we know where to hit." I muttered. I activated my vox. "Khârn, tell Fleet Sword he did an excellent job. I will allow the Griffons to bear Lasguns. Tell them to have their leaders meet me in the badlands. Also, contact the Zebras, and the rest of the dragons. Tell them to meet there as well." I deactivated my vox and sighed. So far, so good. But really, what Fleet Sword did was genius. "Telling them about the fact that Equestria prospers and they suffer, then make it seem like the Equestrians were at fault was excellent. Now, the Nation's are more likely to join us." I muttered to myself. ××××××××××××××××××××× "Welcome, proud representatives. I am Ahriman, leader of the New Legion. I am here to ask of you to aid us in destroying Celestia and her nation." I started, sitting at the table we set up. The representatives had all come, and were now sitting at the table, examining me. "What reason do we have to aid you? For all we know, you could be as bad as Celestia!" The Zebra asked. I chuckled. "Here is my offer. In return for assistance in taking over Equestria, I will section off pieces closest to your nations, and give these areas to you. I will have Canterlot, and only Canterlot. The Changelings will have the area South of Canterlot. The Griffons will have the land closest to the shores. The Zebras will have the western shores. Also, as a bonus, whoever takes down the Crystal Kingdom of the Yaks will have all rights to those lands. If you work together to take it, then I will allow you to sector off the lands there. You can also do with the Ponies there as you please. So, do we have an agreement?" I explained. They all pondered my offer. Then one spoke up. "So, what about the Dragons?" He asked. "Ah, sorry, I forgot. The Dragons will have claim to the Southeastern part of Equestria. The Changelings the Southwest." I answered. He nodded. "If you would all sign here then. This Script lasts till the end of the war. Then you all may do as you please. I will also supply you with weaponry that will aid in the destruction of Celestia's people." I pulled out a Lasgun. "This is a Lasgun. It fires a high concentrated beam of light. It doesn't do much to armor, except heats up the metal, but contact with flesh will cause severe pain and damage, as well as death. These will be distributed to all forces that are part of our military." I explained, then fired an example weapon at at an unsuspecting lizard. It was cooked immediately. They all looked back, then signed the paper. The Griffon king looked at me. "Thank you, Lord Ahriman. Your offer is fair, and benefits us all. The Ponies and their allies will not stand against us." He told me. I nodded. "Now then, please give me the coordinates of where you want me to drop off the weapons." I asked, showing maps of each Nation. The Representatives pointed at certain locations, and I nodded. "Thank you. I will have you your weapons by tomorrow. Also, we will bring our armies to the badlands on the first day of Spring. They will not expect us." I told them, and they nodded. "Very well then. I will see you all in two months. Don't trust any lies that Celestia might send to you, but don't tell her that you are my allies." I ordered, and they all nodded, before dispersing towards their kingdoms. I smiled. "Perfect." ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Twilight's POV As I slept, Magnus spoke to me in my dreams once more, teaching me of the powers of the Warp. Today, we were learning about Deamons. "So, Deamons are a manifestation of certain emotions. Bloodletters are filled with rage and a need to kill. Deamons of Tzeentch are more confusing, and great tacticians. Deamons of Nurgle are Plague Bearers, and will poison the very air just by existing. Deamons of Khorne are much easier to summon and harder to control, as they will try to kill anything and everything. So, you should merely point them in the direction of your opponent, and let them do the rest. In order to summon a deamon, you must provide a host. A sacrifice of a living soul must be made to give the deamon flesh to walk the earth." Magnus explained. I scoffed. "Then why would anyone summon a deamon?" I asked. "Sometimes in order to save some people, you must sacrifice one to save the many. Now, to explain how to banish deamons, first you have to-" He never finished as a bright light showered the area between us. When it faded, Princess Luna stood there, glaring at Magnus. "So, villain, you wish to corrupt fair Twilight? Then you shalt have to get past me!" She yelled, a sword appearing in the air. Magnus just laughed. "So, you are the one known as Princess Luna. My son Ahriman has told me a lot about you. Unfortunately, I do not take kindly to people interrupting my class." He snarled, rising to his full height. "Princess Luna, what are you doing? Magnus hasn't done anything wrong! He has been teaching me about The Warp!" I cried out. Magnus looked at me. "Don't try to reason with her, Dear Twilight. Her mind has been clouded by what my son did to her so many years before." He told me, and I shut my mouth quickly. I could feel the amount of rage building within Magnus, now that my magic was attuned to the Warp. It felt like a sea of rage was boiling around me, with myself being but a small island. Luna, however, did not notice. "So, thou wast corrupting her through teaching? Even worse! Have at Thee, demon!" With that, she lunged at Magnus, her sword raised high. A staff appeared in Magnus's hand, and he easily blocked Luna. "So blind to the truth, fed by rage. Such a waste of potential. However, you know not what you face!" I quickly put up a thousand mental shields as Magnus unleashed a wave of Warp energy, completely encompassing Luna. "What foul Sorcery is this? I shall not be stopped by such paltry tactics in the dream realm!" At that, she dispersed the warp energy around her. Magnus laughed hard. At her confused look, he spoke again. "I don't know what's funnier. The fact that you think you can stand against me, or the fact that you still think this is the dream realm." He explained. Luna looked around, her brow creasing. "Yes, you see it now. This is the Warp. Twilight's dream is a gateway to the Warp itself. I have been teaching her how to control it. But, you are an unenlightened fool. You do not belong here. BEGONE!" Magnus then blasted Luna right in the face, and Luna vanished. "What happened to her?" I asked, worried. Magnus looked at me. "She was sent back to her body. But, now she knows about me. You must flee, otherwise Celestia will have you captured and killed." Magnus told me. My jaw dropped. "What?! Celestia would never do that!" I shouted. He shook his head. "Luna told Celestia many lies about the Warp. That it corrupts, and she will believe you to have turned to Darkness. Celestia won't hesitate to destroy any traitors. You must flee. I will teleport you to Ahriman's ship. I will give you a few minutes to leave a note." He told me, and before I could respond, I was back in bed. I sighed, seeing that he might be right, and I packed my bags. I left a quick note for Spike, and said, "I'm ready." I felt myself being torn apart, then rebuilt in another location. When I opened my eyes, I was in a metal hallway, with two tall beings standing in front of me. "What are you doing here, Twilight?" One of them, Ahriman, asked. He looked down, and picked something up. It was a letter. Before I could respond, I promptly blacked out. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV "Sister!" Luna burst into the room, panting heavily. "What is it, Luna?" I asked, concerned. "I... visited Young Twilight's dream, but what I found was most troubling." She answered, looking down. "I am afraid that Twilight has been corrupted by Chaos. She was speaking to a Human named Magnus, who had the vile stench of Chaos all over him. I dueled him, but he had lured me into the Warp, and shoved me out. We must capture Twilight before it's too late!" She explained. I gasped. "Twilight? Corrupted? But how? I know her to be better than to trust humans!" I asked. "That's the thing. She was being 'taught' by Magnus. I believe he promised her knowledge, while corrupting her in the process." Luna replied. "Very well. I will send a letter to Spike to keep her there while the guards come. I only hope you are wrong." I told her, then brought up a piece of paper and a quill. "Dear Spike, We need you to keep Twilight at home until our guards arrive. We need to get her to a safe location, as a fellow princess, she will likely be targeted. Celestia" That done, I rolled it up, and dispersed it into magic dust. I sent the guards on their way, and waited. Then a paper popped into existence. Dear Celestia, Twilight was not in her bed when I woke up. All she left was a letter saying something about leaving due to some sort of enemy targeting her, and not wanting to put us in danger. Please help! -Spike "Oh no." I muttered under my breath. Luna read the message, then looked up at me. "They moved her somewhere else to hide. What I say is true! She is a traitor! Corrupted by the same monster that corrupted me!" Luna roared. A small tear fell from my eye. "Very well. Gather her friends. We should explain to them why she is missing. No more lies. I personally will tell them. But, for now, I will be in my quarters." With that, I teleported into my room. And cried. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Twilight's POV "No, she couldn't have. I can prove it." I told Magnus. He raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He asked. I nodded. "If I go to them, I will not be captured. That will prove it." I told him. He nodded. "And if you do get captured?" He asked. "Then you can teleport me out. I will then trust you wholeheartedly." I told him, not believing the words I say. She won't capture me for this. I know she won't. With that, I teleported outside the castle walls. The guards were immediately at alert, but when they saw me, they relaxed. They let me through, and I walked towards the throne room. When I got there, Luna, Cadence, and a Yak were present, along with a detachment of guards. Luna's eyes widened when she saw me. "So, they send you to spy on us? Well, they are fools. Princess Twilight Sparkle, I place you under arrest for Treason against the Crown, and aiding the Dark Powers. Guards, take her to the cells." Luna ordered, and I stepped back, shocked. "What?! Why?! What did I do?!" I asked, even as guards surrounded me. "You betrayed us, Twilight. You consorted with the same dark powers that even now threatens the peace of our land. We hereby strip you of your title, and you will be interrogated, then sent to prison for life, if not executed." Luna told me. I felt myself lose control of my body suddenly, and another being enter. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Luna's POV As I watched, Twilight twitched, and began Jerking uncontrollably. When it stopped, all the guards around her were blasted away. A deep, dark, and threatening chuckle emanated from Twilight. When she rose, her eyes were pure black, with red pupils. Black mist flowed from her eyes. "Well well. Looks like I was right. Anyways, I'm sorry, miss Luna, but I can't allow you to do anything to Ms. Sparkle. She has a very important role that she must accomplish. And doing this will interfere with her destiny." Twilight said, though her voice changed into a deep male voice. One that was very familiar. "You again! Whatever foul Sorcery you are using, you will cease now! Twilight is charged with treason, and we will not allow her to escape!" I shouted at him. He smiled. "Oh, don't worry. You don't have a choice in the matter. And also, a small hint of info, Twilight came here because she thought I had lied about you guys putting her under arrest. She trusted you both, and you betrayed her. She might have come back to you, but you burned that bridge. Now, I'll be going now." With that, Twilight teleported away. I looked down in shock. "Twilight was coming back to us? She wasn't a spy?" I muttered under my breath. Cadence had tears in her eyes. "If only I had known..." I cursed myself. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Twilight's POV When I awoke, I heard Magnus speak in my mind. "What did I tell you? They betrayed you, all because you simply wanted Knowledge. Just like my father." He cursed. I looked up. "Where are we?" I asked. "We are back on the Scion of Prospero. The ship hovering in orbit around the planet." He told me. I snapped up on my hooves. "We are on a spaceship?! Eeee!" I squealed, jumping up and down. Then I remembered something. "Say, why did you take over my body?" I asked, a small amount of hatred beginning to boil. "Simple; You were not strong enough to deal with them and escape, and your mental state was as wreck. I stepped in and saved you." He told me. "What's the whole destiny thing you were talking about?" I heard some soft chuckling. "You will know when you are ready. Now then, since you are aboard a vessel that is imbued with the Warp, I can speak to you directly. Let us continue our training. I have a lot to teach you." He told me. I nodded, and he continued the lesson. > Chapter Eighteen: Loyalty > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV The strategists of the alliance (Still thinking of a name) all met at the Griffon Kingdom, awaiting my arrival to begin. So, I decided to come in style. The Thunderhawk dropped down onto the floor gently, and I deactivated it, before exiting out the hatch. "Fellow strategists." I called, smirking at their gaping faces. "I hope we are ready to begin. We have a lot of planning to do. Khârn and Zhufor are currently training the forces in the use of the Lasguns. I am here to discuss how we are going to conquer Equestria." I told them. They picked up their jaws and nodded, before heading into the command tent. I quickly followed them inside, pulling back the drape and walking in. "Now then, Ahriman, The first thing we need to debate is when the armies will be ready for combat. The new weapons are quite advanced, and most of our top engineers and scientists are still scratching their heads in confusion. The weapons work just fine, but we don't know how to reverse engineer them to make more." The Griffon General began. The others nodded. "I can see the point you are making. I highly suggest against reverse engineering the Lasguns until I can begin trading my technology with the world. As for the training, I believe it will take a few months. That's also how long it will take for me to recreate flak armor for equine shaped bodies. I also suggest asking around for new recruits in the cities and villages. We need all the soldiers we can get." I reported. They all pondered this. "Yes, but we must also make sure that there aren't any spies within the Capitals. They could bribe many of our own people to spy on us and report our plans." The Zebra General told us. "This is why I suggest the implantation of a Chaos Cult. That way, we can keep our eyes on our people without them knowing. Consider it..... like a missionary exploitation. The people won't know the truth of the Cult, and no one can know it exists, except for a select few. That way, they can find any people who speak against the Government and remove them." I explained quickly. Most of them nodded in approval. "We have already set the law keeping the ponies out of our Nations. What more do we need to remove their spies?" The Griffon general asked. "The ponies have visited all of our kingdoms quite often. Who is to say that they didn't make 'friends' with some of our own people, who care more about friendship than loyalty to their nation?" I asked. They all pondered this, seeing my point. "The ponies are a horrid species. They rant on about their 'friendship' while actually they are planting defectors should we declare war on them. We need to remove any friends of the ponies. Or, we can make them run themselves." The Zebra proposed. We all looked at her. "What do you suggest?" I asked. The Zebra grinned. "I propose we make them want to leave. We need to ruin their business. Or, we can just throw them out onto the Equestrian soil. Or, we can execute them for treason. Your choice, my friends." The Zebra explained. I nodded in approval. "Let us adjourn this meeting. We can set up another one later. Also, let's come up with a name for our united armies. We can't just keep calling ourselves 'The Alliance'. With that said, I bid you all ado." I walked out of the tent, noticing a shadowy figure behind the trees quickly moving away. I smiled, then chased after. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV "Alright you worms! Today I teach you how to use your weapon! This is the MK. IV Las rifle, or Lasgun. It fires a beam of focused heat that appears as a laser. These weapons will heat up enemy armor, but that's it when it makes contact with armor. Skin, however, will burn. These beams stab into the enemy, and overload the nervous system with heat and pain. It can and will cause death or wounds, so no pointing at your friends!" I shouted, pointing at two guards messing with their rifles. I grabbed one and showed it to them. "This end is what you point at what you want to kill." I pointed at the barrel. "Do not look down the hole! You might shoot yourself, and trust me, we will laugh at your death for eternity. Now, I've set up a target practice field. There will be two teams. We have recently upgraded the Lasgun with a 'stun' function. Instead of killing, it merely knocks you out. Press the button on the side." Everyone pressed said button. "Now then, like I said, there will be two teams. Team Red, and Team Blue. You will shoot at eachother and stun the opponent. First team to have everyone stunned on their team loses. There will be multiple versions: Capture The Flag, to train in obtaining and extracting objectives. Team Deathmatch, where each team fights to the 'death', and Free For All, where everyone is your enemy. Am I understood?!" I yelled. "SIR YES SIR!" They shouted. I nodded. "Alright! Now, this half is team blue, this half is team red. All of you get to the bases set up by me.Training begins in three minutes. Move out!" I hollered. They dispersed, both teams running in their directions. When they got there, they found red or blue bandannas. "That is how you recognize who is on who's team! Now, Start!" I explained, and immediately the shooting began. Blue beams of energy flew across the field, either hitting walls, other fortifications, or Soldiers. Blue team decided to get bold. "Charge!" Blue team hollered, rushing out of their base and running up to the other fortifications spread across the field. Some didn't make it, but most did. The Reds kept them pinned, shooting at the forts all the time. Blue charged again, shooting while running, which tripped a few up. Those poor souls were stunned next. Then Red got mad. They ran out of their base, firing wildly at the Blues. The blues, more coordinated, shot back as one, tearing into the ranks of the Reds as they got closer. The Reds, realizing their mistake, began to retreat, but it was much too late. Blue rose, walking slowly while keeping up the barrage. The Reds were all dropped one by one, until all were down. I congratulated Blue Team. "Good job! I saw a keen difference between the two teams! You, Team Blue, had cohesion, while Red acted like a ragtag group of rebels. You fought as one, overwhelming the enemy. That will make a keen difference on the battlefield. You guys go rest up. Get some food. I'm gonna go wake these fools up." They all nodded, happy at the praise, and ran off. I sighed. "This is going to be a long while, isn't it." I muttered, kicking the reds to wake them up. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Twilight's POV "Twilight. You have mastered the power of the Warp as I have. You are now ready for the battle with Celestia. I expect great things from you, Chaos Lord." Magnus told me as I knelt before him. It had been a long while of teaching and practice, but it had been worth it. "I'm ready, Lord Magnus. But also, my lord, I have a suggestion." I told him. He looked at me. "What is it?" He asked. "Where my Castle is, there is a mirror portal. It leads to another world, full of humans. If I could reverse engineer it's magic, perhaps...." I told him. He pondered my offer, before realizing what I meant. "Ah, so smart, my student. Truly worthy of Tzeentch's praise. Soon, your destiny shall be completed. I have absolute faith in you, Twilight." I smiled. "Yes, Lord Magnus. I will be back. With the portal." With that, I flew back into the material realm, and my body. I sat up, before running to the forge. When I got there, a dragon was manning it. "Excuse me, is my armor ready yet? I need it for something." I asked. The Dragon looked at me. "Yes, young Twilight. It is ready. I shall retrieve it for you." He stalked off. After a minute of waiting, he returned, and in his claws was a full set of special armor, made specifically for me. I teleported inside it once he set it down. I tested it's weight on my body, and seeing it as usable, turned back to the dragon. "Thank you. Now then, I will be gone for a bit. Tell Ahriman that I am out." I teleported before he could reply. The Castle looked just like it had before. Just as shiny as usual. But I did feel something a tad bit..... off. Like something was trying to remove me. However, the presence was too weak to do anything, so I shrugged it off before heading towards the library. When I arrived, the Portal was right in the middle. However, there was a group of guards and scientists all around. I hid in the shadows, warping reality to make me actually invisible. I observed. "What do you expect to find here, Professor?" One of the scientists. "I want to bring the portal back for study. Who knows what secrets of the Universe we could find!" Another one, the Professor I presumed, replied. I mentally sighed, not wanting to have to do this. However, they could not be allowed to remove the portal. So, I bent the Warp to my will. The room cooled suddenly, frost building over parts of the Library. The scientists looked around. "What the? How did that happen?" The professor asked. No one answered as I stepped out of the shadows, chuckling darkly. The guards immediately flocked around me, spears raised. "Freeze! Who are you?!" One asked. I stared at him. "Sorry about this, but none of you can be allowed to remove the portal. I wish it didn't have to be this way, so I'll make it quick." They all started, preparing to attack, when I unleashed a wave of dark energy, knocking them all back into the walls, unconscious. The scientists cowered in fear as I approached. "Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!" One yelped. I sighed, and removed my helmet, revealing my face. They all gasped. "The.... Traitor... Twilight?" One gasped, recognizing me. I set the entire library aflame with Warp Fire. As much as I hated hurting books, I knew this wouldn't harm them. I knew that the books would be teleported to the Scion. The scientists and guards, however, would not. I prepared to teleport. "Why would you do this?!" One asked. I hesitated. "I do this for Tzeentch." I told them, then opened up a portal to the Scion. I tossed the Mirror in, and jumped after it. The portal closed with the death cries of the scientists. I sighed, then examined the Mirror. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV I'll admit it, this spy is resourceful. He had managed to run for quite a while, and even outrun a Space Marine. For the time being. I was getting close now though. The spy quickly ran into a alleyway, which met in a dead end. Gulping, the spy turned around to find me blocking the exit. I cracked my knuckles. "Now then, spy, why not just spill it? I might let you go free. Emphasis on 'might'." I told him. He unfolded his wings and took off. I growled in frustration, and unlocked my Bolter Pistol. I took aim, and fired a single shot, removing most of his left wing. He squawked, a sound a bit like a girly scream, and fell, hitting the ground with an audible thud. I ran over, keeping my pistol trained on his chest. I removed his hood to reveal a female griffon, tears in her eyes. "You could have been spared that pain, you know." I told her. A squad of guards armed with Lasguns ran up, and awaited orders. "Take her to the medical wing first. Get her wing patched up, but keep a constant watch of two or more guards. Then, when she reawakens, take her to the prison block. I will personally interrogate her." I told them. They nodded, then picked her up, gently. "I recognize her sir. Gilda, you are hereby placed under arrest. You are guilty of Treason against the Crown of the Griffon Kingdom. You have any words to say?" One of them asked. She glared at us, me in particular. "Yeah. You guys are all fools for following this freak. He's a servant of Chaos, a.k.a Discord. You dweebs are going to condemn our species to chaos for eternity. So, are ya gonna take me away now, or what?" She ranted. I sighed, then signaled for the guards to take her away. They slightly hesitated before complying. I took note of that. I also took note of the civilians surrounding me. "Disperse, civilians! This is a military matter." I told them. They didn't budge. "Is what she said true?! You're a servant of Discord?!" One called out. I turned on him. "Why would I ever serve that buffoon that calls itself a spirit of chaos. If anything, he serves me now. You will disperse now." I ordered, with more force this time. They took a step forward, some with pitchforks and torches. "Where exactly did those come from?" I pointed to the weapons. They glanced at them, shrugged, and turned back to me. I growled in annoyance. Then again, she only spoke out loud near these griffons. And now are threatening a high commander. This was technically treason. And, as the laws dictate, Treason must be dealt with in only one way. I smiled. "Well, if you continue, then as a commander of the military, I charge you all with Treason." I told them. They stopped for a moment, then continued forward. "Oh yeah?! Well, if we kill you, no one will know! They would just suspect an assassin or something." The head honcho replied, and I howled with laughter. "You think you can beat me?!" I asked between chuckles. I composed myself quickly. "Then, allow me to show you the error of your ways. I told them, right before all hell broke loose. ××××××××××××××××××××××× 5 minutes later With the bodies now gone, I returned back towards my Thunderhawk. Today had been a long day. Just as I was about to board, a Griffon called up to me. "Sir! The prisoner is now both fully healed and awake! You can begin your interrogation now!" I groaned, but turned around and followed the soldier. When I entered the containment room, the Prisoner was gagged and blindfolded. I turned to the soldier. "What is with all this?" I asked. "She kept trying to spread lies throughout our guards, so we had to shut her up until you arrived. This was the best solution." He told me. I nodded, then waved him off. After he left, I closed the door, and soundproofed the room. I sat down at the table, and removed the gag. "So, you're finally here. Ready to try to interrogate me? Trust me, it won't work. I won't abandon my friends." She spat at me. I dodged the wad of saliva. "Now then, Ms. Gilda. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Your choice. Though, if I were you, I would choose the easy way." I explained. She just snorted. "You know, I do know about all Griffon torture methods. It's to keep us obedient." She snapped. I chuckled. "Who said I was going to use Griffin torture?" I asked. She snorted. "Oh please, nothing's worse than that." She then turned towards me. Before anyone could blink, I had torn the blindfold off. She blinked at the sudden light, then glared at me. "Ugh, I hate to do this, but you leave me no choice. Remember, what happens now is on your talons." I then began chanting, the circle I made beginning to glow. After about ten minutes, the ritual was complete. A Deamon rose out of the circle. It appeared female, except with random parts of other strange creatures. "Oh~ Lord Ahriman. What can I do for you?~" the Daemonette asked. I pointed to Gilda, who was gaping at the deamon. "Torture her until she gives me the information I want. I know I could just search her mind, but I want her to survive. As an example. Now then, do your thing. I'll be back in a half hour." With that, I left, shuddering at the fate of Gilda. When I closed the door, the screaming started. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbow Dash's POV As I flew through the sky, keeping a lookout, another guard called out to me. "Dash! Dash! You gotta get over here!" He yelled urgently. I rolled my eyes before turning back towards him. When I landed, he pointed me at something. I looked, then promptly vomited. It was Gilda. Her feathers were scorched, with many bald spots. Her talons were missing their...well, talons. Her beak had been sawed in half. These were only the first things I could identify. I ran up to her, ignoring the smell. "Gilda! I yelled, shaking her. She groaned in absolute pain. I looked back to the other pegasus. "Go get a medic!" I screamed at him, and he rushed off. I looked back to Gilda's broken body. "D...dash?" Gilda croaked, her eyes creaking open. "Yes, it's me Gilda, now just hold on! We are going to get you to a medic!" I reassured her, keeping a gentle hold on her. She coughed up a spot of blood. "Dash.... the Griffons...Dragons....Changelings....and Zebras, working.... with Ahriman. They plan to.... destroy Celestia. Warn her. The others have been found. Tell her!" Gilda pleaded, gripping my hoof. I nodded. Then the sound of wings flapping grabbed my attention. I turned to see the pony from earlier, plus a pegasus in white medical garbs landed. The medic checked Gilda quickly. "She needs to be brought back to HQ if she is to survive." He told us. I nodded. "Take her. I've got a message for the Princesses." I ordered, and before they could protest, I leapt into the air, shooting towards Canterlot. ××××××××× One hour later "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" I yelled, bursting into the throne room. It had been remodeled to serve as a main base, and it worked well. "What is it, Ms. Dash?" Luna asked. "While I was on patrol, we found...." I gulped. "We found Gilda. She looked to be tortured. She told me to tell you this: The Griffins, Dragons, Changelings, and Zebras are all working with Ahriman. She also said that the others had been found. What did she mean by that?" I asked, looking around. "Rainbow Dash, we, uh.... had to find a way to spy on the other nations when they banned ponies from crossing the border. We chose those who had ties with ponies. Gilda was one of them. But, to think that they found them all.... and left her alive...." Celestia told me, looking down. Realization hit me. "You....you used my friendship with Gilda to use her as a spy?! You caused this?!" I accused, charging forward. A group of guards held me down. "You manipulated my friendship as a way to use Gilda as a spy?! You sick, twisted fuck!" I yelled, causing all of them to gasp. Not many had heard of the human swears, but my friends and I had. I am glad to say that it worked. Unfortunately, it worked a little too well. "Guards, take her to the dungeons until she is ready for a civilized conversation. I will meet with her shortly." Celestia ordered, a pained look upon her face. They nodded, and began to drag me away. "You heartless monster! Who let you rule?! Why would we have such a cold-hearted bitch as our leader?! Oh wait, we haven't been able to decide on that! You've been ruling for over a thousand years, and never even gave us a choice on whether or not to have you be our leader, have we?!" I accused, which earned me a punch to the muzzle. "Quiet, prisoner!" The guard who hit me ordered. Celestia's pained look turned to one of anger, and rage. "To think that you dare to accuse me of such things! We gave them a choice, and they let us rule!" She shouted, using her own version of the Royal Canterlot Voice. It boomed across the halls, making many clamp they're ears. "Oh yeah?! Well, they can't control the sun or the moon, now can they?! If they refused, you could have destroyed our ancestors crops and homes! You didn't give anypony a choice." I gritted my teeth, and before I could hear Celestia's comeback, I felt a sharp knock to the side of the my head, and lost consciousness. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV Right before I could say anything, Luna appeared behind Rainbow and knocked her out. I felt my anger diminish. "Guards." I said, keeping the RCV down. "Take her to the dungeons. Also, she is hereby accused of attempted rebellion against the Crown. I will speak with her when she wakes up." I ordered, and they quickly dragged the unconscious pegasus away. I sighed. "First Twilight, and now Rainbow Dash. Who next? Fluttershy? Applejack?" I asked Luna. She glared at me. "Sister, what you did was wrong, and Rainbow was right to be angry. You manipulated her friendship to serve your needs. And now look what it's done. It's put her friend in the hospital, possibly forever, and now you've lost the Element of Loyalty. You betrayed her. All that other stuff was to get at you, to make you angry." Luna stated, keeping her distance. I looked at her. "Even you, Luna? I'm only doing this for my ponies. They need to survive. What's a Griffin or two to that?" I asked, confused at my own words. "Why would I...." "Celestia, you've become obsessed. You are trying to keep your civilians alive so much that you're losing your mind. Your becoming a tyrant." Luna interrupted. I glared at her. "I'm doing what it takes to keep this country safe. It doesn't matter the cost, I'll save my people." I told her. "Yes, but if you keep going down this path, it will lead to your people no longer supporting you. They will see you as a monster. I will let you think about this." With that, she left, leaving me alone. Alone, except for the Voice. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV "Ah, good. Just as I had hoped. Now then, time to pay our friend a visit, shall we? I asked. Twilight nodded. Together, we stepped into the dreamworld. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbow ' s POV Black. Everything is black. I feel the chains holding me. I look at them. They are the chains of my Loyalty to Celestia. I grow angry, grabbing at the chains and trying to break them, but to no avail. Suddenly, a deep chuckle echoed through the darkness. As I watched, a tall, blue bipedal creature walked out of the darkness. "So, Rainbow Dash, you now see your misplaced loyalty. Celestia is a horrid creature, keen on keeping her status as Ruler of Equestria. She is not worthy of your loyalty, not after what she did to Gilda." He said, looking up at me. "Buzz off, Ahriman. I know you're not worth it either. Get lost." I muttered. He merely chuckled. "Ah, but young Dash, I offer you freedom from her bothersome rule." With a snap of his fingers, the chains of loyalty evaporated, and I fell to the ground. "Oh, and what, your going to do better? Your chaos." I snapped. "Oh, I don't care about Equestria. You all can do whatever you want with it.i only want Celestia and Luna." He replied, walking around me. "It's true Rainbow Dash." A familiar voice called out. I looked up in shock as Twilight walked out of the shadows. "What he speaks is the truth. After the war, he plans on leaving is to our own devices, after fixing the sun and the moon. Celestia's Rule is corrupt and full of lies. If you join us, you can have your freedom once again. Think about our offer. If you decide to accept, whisper these words." She leaned into my ear and whispered it to me. Then she leaned back. "Then we will know to evacuate you. See you soon." I reached out to her, but the dream evaporated, and I was falling. > Chapter Nineteen: Honesty > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Khârn's POV I needed something to kill. Now that the dragons were allied with us, they were no longer an option. Ponies were too weak. Maybe the Yaks.... As I pondered these thoughts, I was stopped by Ahriman. He pulled me to the side of the hall. "Khârn, I know what your thinking, and we can find you an opponent out there. But, we cannot allow you to fight our best soldiers. Perhaps we can find a Minotaur or something?" He asked me. I nodded. "I was thinking maybe the Yaks, but that can work too." I answered, watching a Dragon soldier walk past. I had sent a few of the soldiers that had been just too terrible for the front lines to a small canyon. I had them each set up a base, as Red team and Blue team. Their orders were simple: kill each other. Hopefully, they will each accidentally blow themselves up with a few frak grenades. If not, then they will be there for a while. I brought my attention back to Ahriman. "Very well. I guess we can send you and a few recruits to the frigid north of Yak Yakistan. Perhaps they will gain some decent combat experience. Or die a horrible death. Either way, we can thin the enemy hordes bit by bit. Go. Gather your soldiers. I will debrief them at noon." Ahriman ordered. I gave him a quick salute, and wandered off, eager to gather some soldiers. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV As I watched Khârn run off, I turned to the soldier that was hiding. "Follow him. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. If he does, use this." I handed him a small cylinder. "That is a custom EMP grenade. This one will shut down everything in his armor. And, it will force it to autolock, rendering him immobile. For about five minutes. That is the time you have to talk some sense into him. Otherwise, you will be torn apart in his rage." I explained. He nodded, then slipped into the shadows. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV "Your majesty! The Yaks are under attack!" A guard burst in, screaming at the top of his lungs. I looked at him. "What? How many? Either way, send them some soldiers!" I ordered, and the guard nodded before running off. I turned back to the map. "Are you certain that these weapons are even of any use? They are relics!" I asked again. Cadence nodded. "Yes, auntie, I'm sure. We only recently discovered these, but our scientists can assure you that they work. We've already lost one of them to accidental weapons fire while examining it. And two missing limbs. We can finally fight back against these Chaos soldiers." She replied, tossing me one of the weapons. I glanced at it. "Good. I want you to modify one for me and my sister. And give me one of the swords." I told her. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbow's POV Day 26 "Hehee..... the great ones speak to me...." I muttered, trying to unnerve the guards. And it was working. "Dude, she's been going on about these 'great ones' for hours now. When is she going to stop?" One whispered to the other. He shrugged. "I don't know. But it doesn't bother me at all." The other guard replied. "My friends will come for me." I told them. "I doubt it. No one even knows you're here except the princess's. That way, no one gets into a riot about loyalty being imprisoned. You ain't getting out any time soon." They replied. I simply grinned. "Oh no. I didn't mean those friends. I meant my new friends." I replied, my smile turning into a sinister grin. "Oh? And who would these new friends be?" One asked. "Ahriman The Exiled, for starters. Isn't that right, Ahriman? Aren't we friends?" I asked. "Indeed." A deep voice replied. Both guards turned as one, raising their spears, only for the spears to be snapped in two by two massive hands. Ahriman grabbed them by their necks, and lifted them off the floor. "I don't like the way you have treated miss Rainbow Dash. Prepare for my repayment." He told them, before snapping both necks and dropping the bodies to the ground. He turned to me. "Excellent job, messing with their fear before saying the words to bring me here. I applaud you." He clapped his hands. I smirked. " 'My friends are coming for me'. Nice wording for it. Now then, let's head to Ponyville. I've got a letter I want to write." I told him. He nodded, and broke the chains holding me. I got up on my legs, stretching them as well as my wings, before nodding to Ahriman. He tore open a portal, and we both stepped inside. I closed my eyes before entering, remembering what he told me. I heard many whispers for a moment, before they suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes, and suddenly we were in Ponyville. It was night, luckily. I quickly flew to my house, grabbed some ink and a quill, and flew back. I quickly wrote a note, and Ahriman duplicated it. I flew each one over to each of my friends houses, before returning to Ahriman. Together, we teleported to the ship. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV The next day. While Cadence was out at the Crystal Empire gathering the special weapons, I was sitting in my throne and thinking back to what had transpired since they returned. The Minotaurs decided to aid Equestria, hoping for a good fight. The Diamond Dogs were bribed with gems, and two of the elements of Harmony Bearers had been taken prisoner, with only one actually going to prison. "Twilight....." I muttered to myself. Suddenly, the doors burst open. A guard scrambled in. "Your majesty! I just went to switch out with the guards in the prison, but the guards were dead, and the prisoner was missing!" He reported. I stared at him in shock. Rainbow Dash killed two guards? Before I could reply, a group of mares rushed in. The other former element bearers. "Your highness, what's the meanin' of this?!" Applejack asked, shaking a piece of paper. "What do you mean?" I asked, actually curious. "You know what we mean. Today, when we woke up, Rainbow Dash gave us each a letter, exactly the same." Rarity seethed, tossing the note over. I glanced at it, dreading what I would find. My friends, Today I broke out of the Canterlot prison. Why was I there? Because I talked back to Celestia after she abused my friendship with Gilda and nearly got her killed. Celestia, our 'glorious' leader, had me arrested for simply speaking my mind. She probably lied about where I was. Anyways, don't bother trying to find me. I'm not going to put it down on this paper just in case a certain Somepony managed to get this before you do. Just know that I have made a new friend. He got me out of jail. He is more deserving of my Loyalty than Celestia. So, when you next see her, slap her upside the head for me. She deserves a lot worse, and it will be coming. See ya. Your friend, Rainbow Dash "So, ya care to explain, princess?" Applejack asked, venom dripping on every word. I sighed. "I was tired, this is the first time in years since a war broke out, and I was just so stressed that when Rainbow called me out, I snapped. And now, I fear she has gone over to our enemies." I explained. They all raised an eyebrow. "Ahriman, Sorcerer of Chaos. He declared war on Equestria a few months ago. He corrupted Twilight, and now I fear he has taken Rainbow." I told them. They all sniffed, before turning away. "I don't think I can trust ya anymore, princess." Applejack told me. "What? Why is that?" I asked, confused. "Because, princess. You lied to us before. For all we know you could be lying again. So, until we see some actual proof, we can't believe ya." She turned back, and exited the room. I sighed. "It seems I have made an error in my judgement." I told myself. Indeed you did, Celly. I'm shocked. "Oh shut up. You nothing more than voice in my head." I replied. He chuckled. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Applejack's POV "Alright girls, I guess ah'll see ya tamorrow." I said, and the others nodded, before heading to their respective homes. I sighed, and looked at the note again. Suddenly, a part of the paper fell out. I picked it up. If you found this, then that means you showed it to Celestia. This part was designed specifically in case she was near it. Two hours after, it would fall out. Thanks to my new friend. Anyway, listen. Celestia is a LIAR. She has always been. She is weak, pathetic. Whenever danger rears it's ugly head, she sends us to face it. But not them. The dark gods actually repay you for your hard work. They grant you great powers when you listen to their whispers. I have personally taken the Mark of Khorne, and Twilight has taken the Mark of Tzeentch. The secrets they whisper... are glorious. They speak of power far beyond Celestia. They can move an entire solar system while taking a nap. These powers could be ours. We can repay Celestia for her misdeeds. Meet me at this location two days from now. If you decide to come, I will show you what I mean. But do NOT show Celestia. She is the true enemy. Rainbow Dash I reread it. She looks to be telling the truth. "Well, ah might as well go ahead and check it out. At least to figure out what in the hay is going on." I said to myself as I reached Sweet Apple Acres. ×××××××××××××××××××××× 2 days later "Rainbow? You here?" I called out as I walked the strange halls. I had discovered this place right after I arrived. It was a winding maze of identical hallways. I walked into a massive room, with strange glyphs dotting the walls. I walked up to a platform in the middle. Suddenly, the lights flickered on. "So you were the only one to find the note? Or did the others decide not to come?" A familiar voice said behind me. I quickly turned to find Rainbow right behind me. I jumped, startled, before crushing her in a hug. She simply rolled her eyes. "Rainbow, what happened? Why did ya'll run off?" I asked when I let go. She shrugged. "I already explained it in the letter. Celestia used my friendship with Gilda to spy on the Griffons. Gilda almost died. I back talked to her, and she locked me up. But, while I was in prison, a voice spoke to me from the shadows, promising great gifts if I were to join them. For example, freedom from Celestia's rule. I took the offer, and now here we are. So, you want to know about the Dark Gods, eh?" She explained. "Well, I guess. But you seem... different. Mellowed out. You alright Sugarcube?" I asked. She nodded. "Yeah,I'm fine. We just haven't managed to find Gilda. Now then. This won't hurt a bit." She reached out with her hooves, and I felt a presence shifting into my head, filling my mind with strange knowledge and promises of great power. Some were lies, but others held some truth. After about an eternity of this, which hurt a lot, it finally ended. I sat up groggily, like I just woke up from a nap. My mind felt broken. All that I knew about Equestria was a lie. The Ruinous Powers controlled the aspects of the entire universe. And Celestia stole from them. > Chapter Twenty > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Khârn's POV My axe found purchase in the Yak's armor, and proceeded to tear into its thick fur, the teeth biting into the skin underneath and shredding it like a paper shredder. The Yak roared in pain, before slumping down onto the ground, dead. I removed my axe and examined it. I sighed. "Stupid Fucking fur......." I said as I began to pick hair out of it. The others were using long range weapons to tear into the Yaks, while I went up close. So, I put my axe away, pulled out my plasma pistol, and began firing into them, the superheated air burning clean through both the Yak's armor and hide. Though we were winning, I was having no fun at it. What's the point of fighting your enemy if not to get in close and personal to tear their face apart? I'm not a asshole Tau. Anyways, we eventually took out most of the Yaks, and the survivors were near dead or dying. I looked to my troops. "Maybe now they will learn not to mess with us!" I roared. The soldiers stomped their feet together in a cheer. Then a Las burst shot over my head. I turned back to the Yaks. Within the ranks of dead Yaks, there was a single pony. But said pony had a Lascannon. I quickly put a plasma bolt between her eyes, melting her head into a puddle of liquid flesh, blood, and bones. I turned back to my warriors. "We need to report this." I told them. Then the ponies sprung their ambush. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV I was sitting up in the bridge when a vox signal cut into the tranquility. I activated the link. "Khârn? How goes the battle?" I asked, expecting a clean victory. "Ahriman.......reinforcements..........ponies.......Lasguns........major casualties......send help!" The vox transmission abruptly cut off after that. I immediately activated the ship vox speaker. "Attention, all soldiers! Khârn is requesting reinforcements! The ponies have gained use of our technology and have ambushed his small squad. All forces to the Thunderhawks!" I ordered before rushing down to the hangar. When I arrived, there were multiple squads prepping for launch. Teenage dragons manned the controls of the Thunderhawks. I boarded mine. "Where to, my lord?" The dragon asked. "Yakistan. Hurry." I ordered. He nodded, before the engines activated and my squad and I were quickly flown to the Yak country. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV I was hiding behind a small trench, occasionally firing shots from my Plasma pistol. The ponies had killed most of my troops, with only two Griffons and one dragon remaining. We were pinned down, and it was only a matter of time until the ponies decided to move forward for close quarters. "Lord Khârn, how did they gain our weaponry?!" One of the griffons, a male named Careless Joy, asked. I shrugged. "Maybe they found a repository somewhere." I raised my pistol and fired again, and the sound of a pony shrieking in pain confirmed my kill. The Griffons raised their Lasguns and fired, scoring a few shots. I groaned. "I guess this means we need to step up our own game." I said to myself. My chainaxe was almost clear of Yak fur, so I revved it up, and charged forward, screaming and shooting as I ran. Every shot made contact with a pony or their weapons, rendering them inoperable. Or exploding. Which also rendered them inoperable. Anyways! I reached their front line, and they went and grabbed bayonets and swords. I broke these. One pony, a leader, had a Power Sword, however. This proved to be a problem. He was also a Unicorn. Even more of a problem. "Foul monster, your tyranny ends here!" He cried, brandishing the Power Sword, which was bearing the insignia of the Blood Angels Legion. This riled my blood. A filthy Xeno dared to use an Astartes weapon?! Even a Loyalist one? This breach of sanctity needed to be resolved. I roared, Gorechild swinging towards the pony’s neck, the axe screeching in rage. The pony countered it, the Power Sword blocking the massive chainaxe. However, the pony did not have the strength to block it fully, and was blown back. I charged after, grabbing the sword and bringing it to a stop at the pony’s neck again. "Filthy pest. You aren't even worthy to bear a lasgun, let alone a Loyalist Astartes weapon." I then cut off his head, the blood spurting from his neck like a river, staining the snow around him. The blood on the sword slowly turned to steam. Suddenly, an entire army of ponies appeared on the horizon. With my enhanced vision, I saw that they all carried weapons of the 41st millenium. Lasguns, chainswords, etc. I growled. Not even I could fight that many. But I heard a faint but familiar sound from behind me: The sound of a Thunderhawk. I turned to see the great war bird landing next to me, and a squad of dragons poured out, along with Ahriman. He gazed at the army amassed before us, and at the weapons littering the ground. "Collect the weapons. And the bodies. We are leaving." He ordered. The Dragons immediately got to work, scavenging the weapons surrounding us. He then looked at me. "We are going to need a few more soldiers. Maybe about thirty thousand. I will contact the leaders. Perhaps they can provide us with some much needed assistance. I believe we can modify the Lasgun design to fit a pony like body. I already got Twilight some Astartes pattern armor. She should be here.... now." A bright flash appeared, and in its place stood a black armoured pony, with full body armor designed like the Astartes. The symbol of the Black Legion adorned the shoulder pads, and on the eyes, the symbol of Tzeentch was stamped on each one. Two heavy Bolters were attached to the sides, and had planted thick bracing legs into the ground as it tracked the enemy army. Steam hissed from the helmet, and it broke apart, folding into the armor to reveal a purple pony, with the mark of Chaos painted around her horn. She grinned sadistically, revealing pearly white fangs. "Don't worry, Lord Ahriman. I can easily hold them off." She snarled with glee, before opening fire with her horn, as well as her two heavy bolters. In two moments, ponies started dying, either by being destroyed by the combined power of both the Warp and magic, or blown apart by the heavy bolters. I nodded in approval. When the guns ran out, two servitors that had teleported with her quickly reloaded while she focused on her Warp magic. A singular pony stepped out, dressed in full body power armor, a power sword raised proudly above the stallion's head in an aura of magic. A similar color of magic enveloped the helmet, and it floated off, revealing Shining Armor, a hard glare set upon his face. Twilight disengaged the Heavy bolters, which then added more legs until it became a turret, but held fire. I again nodded approvingly, before tossing her the Blood Angels sword I claimed. She caught it in her magic before resuming her march towards her brother. I smirked before pulling a bag of ungodly buttered and salted popcorn. "This is gonna be good." I muttered, munching on the glorious popcorn. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Twilight's POV When I stood face to face against Shining, a swell of memories popped into my head. All the good times I had with him. I snapped back to the present, crushing those feelings and memories. "Twily..... what happened to you?" He asked, examining me with a look of shock and horror. I smirked, revealing my fangs. "I grew up, brother. I have learned the secrets of the universe, and see the error of all of ponykind. I am here to correct that error. Equestria shall be serviced to the Dark Gods as my offering to them! And any who stand in my way shall die. That includes you, Shining Armor." I replied, brandishing the Power Sword Khârn gave me. It was an elegant blade, with a symbol of a red tear of blood flanked by two angelic wings emblazoned upon the hilt. Shining Armor sighed, and a tear fell from his eyes, before brandishing his own power sword. "Then, as Prince of the Crystal Kingdom, and commander of the great United Army, I will stop you." He told me, before charging forward, his sword held in front of him. I leapt back, my helmet forming around me. I blocked his blade, twisting it to the side, before striking at him. He dodged the strike, the sword slicing the side of his armor. His eyes widened in surprise before he swiped his sword at me. I dodged, the blade parting the air under me, and then forced him on the defence side, my blade slicing and dicing all around him. He cursed, before activating his horn and erecting a shield all around him. I smirked. "Well then, Shining. I guess this just became a magic duel." I channeled my Warp-imbued Magic into my blade, and throwing it at the shield. When the tip hit, I activated my levitation spell, and forced the blade into the shield. Inch by slow inch, the blade parted through the shield, and before Shining could react, I unleashed the Warp Spell carefully woven into the blade. Tendrils of energy lashed out, latching onto Shining's horn and sucking him of his magic. The shield failed, and the power sword punctured his armor and dove straight into his heart. He gasped, before collapsing. I removed the blade from his chest before walking up to him, grinning in victory. He looked up at me with blank eyes. "Why....would you.......do....this?" He asked, tears in his eyes. I laughed. "Two reasons: one, Celestia will die. And two, it was to buy enough time for my forces to retreat. But thanks for the sword. I really appreciate it." I told him, and then levitate his sword over to me, before teleporting away. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Random Solar Guard POV "Your majesty! We must return you to the Crystal Kingdom at once!" I yelled, signaling some other guards to bring him. He raised his hoof. "No, Fleet Work. This is the end for me. My heart is destroyed physically and emotionally. Tell Cadance... that I love her. And that..... Twilight has.... changed." He then collapsed. I quickly turned to the other guards. "Quick! Get me that strange Sarcophagus!" I ordered. They ran back to the end of the group, before coming back with the massive thing. I placed Shining Armor inside, and the sarcophagus immediately put him in stasis, preserving him until we could heal him. I looked back to where Twilight had resided before. "I will find you. And I will kill you." I swore, before the army began the trek back to Canterlot. > Chapter Twenty One: First Engagements > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV "Okay, you two. Remember. In order to create your token, you must use something that can represent you. Then, focus on it, and say something as a message." I told them. They both nodded, before picking up an item. Khârn picked up his plasma pistol. Zhufor picked up a small bolter pistol. "I am Khârn The Betrayer, Champion of Khorne, the blood god, the Skull Taker, Yada yada. If you need my help, or just want a decent fight, then summon me to your side." Khârn chanted. "I am Zhufor The Impaler, a soldier of the great God Khorne. To any who need a battle resolved, or who needs help in the way of destruction, summon me to crush your enemies. All I require is one item or weapon to use in battle." Zhufor called, before chucking the bolter pistol up into the air. Khârn did the same. "There. Now, you will be randomly summoned by another Displaced. We need as many allies as possible for the upcoming war against Equestria. Of course, we may also end up making enemies." I told them, to which they nodded. "Tell me of any Displaced you meet. Now then, I'm off to check on Twilight's studies. Khârn, you go check on Rainbow Dash. Zhufor, you go check on Applejack. We will reconvene in an hour, with our respective element bearer." I added, and we split off, heading to different directions. When I arrived at Twilight's quarters, she was practicing summoning a deamon. I sat silently as she muttered the language of deamons. When she finished, a Bloodletter rose from the ashes of a corpse. As I watched, a purple chain erupted from her horn and around the Deamon's neck, trapping it. The thing tried to get rid of the chain, but it's claws could not find purchase on the energy chains. She then banished the deamon, before turning back to me. "Lord Ahriman, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked. I chuckled. "Your studies are advancing faster than I expected. Quite soon, I believe you will be ready for the final step." I replied, before realizing I didn't answer her question. "Oh, forgive me. I am here to make sure you are ready." I placed a hand on her shoulder. She nodded, and collected her books in a nice, orderly pile. "Okay, so what else?" She asked. I was about to reply, when I felt a tugging sensation. Before I could blink, me and Twilight were flung through the void and dropped off into another world. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV "So, RD, are you ready to greet the troops?" I asked. She nodded, her face set in grim determination. As we walked to the hangar, I glanced at her. Her colors were faded, and she had a Mark of Khorne ingrained upon her chest. I looked back in front of me as we entered the hangar. "Attention! Commanding officers on deck!" I barked. The thirty griffons and dragons stood at attention immediately, their heads held high. "Warriors of the New Black Legion, this is your current leader, Captain Rainbow Dash. You will answer to her and follow any order, unless it goes against me or my brothers orders. I am sending you all out to the area around the Crystal Empire as a first assignment. There is a military convoy of weapons en route to Canterlot. We cannot allow these weapons to arrive. So, in order to combat the new weaponry, we have allowed our soldiers to use standard issue bolter pistols." I popped open a weapon box, before pulling out one of the weapons. "These guns have quite a kick to them, but deliver an even bigger punch. They utilize mass reactive bullets, which explode on contact." The soldiers gazed at the gun in awe. "Since I will not be joining you, I have given Rainbow a modified set of power armour for a advantage against the enemy, as well as an emergency in case the enemy has a soldier with power armor. You have thirty minutes before deployment. Rainbow wants to get to know you, so have fun." I then walked back into the halls. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbow's POV "So...." I started. The Griffons and dragons all stared at me. "First of all, at ease." They all slumped suddenly, and walked towards the gun crate. "Okay, so first order of business will be to organize our chain of command. I don't expect to fall, but if I do, I want the oldest soldier here to take over command." I told them as they checked out the pistols. I had two heavy bolters strapped to my sides, deactivated. One of the Dragons walked up to me. "I am the oldest dragon here, ma'am. My name is Burning Blazer." He told me. I nodded, before looking to the others. "Alright! This guy here, Burning Blazer, is your commander if I fall. Now then, I want to know each of your names, and something about you. So, line up when you get your gun, and present yourself to me." I ordered. They nodded, before lining up in a single file line. I nodded in approval. I walked up to the front. "Name?" I asked the griffon. "Sword Arm, ma'am! I was a mercenary for the Griffon Kingdom back before the war!" He answered, looking dead ahead. "Good. Return to your duties, Sword Arm." He nodded before walking off. I looked to the next guy, a dragon. "Name?" I asked. It continued for a while after this. When I finished the last name, Khârn came back. "Alright, it's time to move out!" He shouted, and we all clambered into the Thunderhawks. After a few seconds, the doors sealed shut, and the Thunderhawk took off, heading towards the planet below. "Ten minutes until we reach our destination." the pilot called out. A hologram of Khârn appeared in the center of the ship. "Okay, your mission is simple. Secure the weapons, kill the guards, and bring the weapons back. We need to do this as quickly as possible. No survivors. Don't let them call for reinforcements. As soon as the weapons are secure, radio me. I will send in a Thunderhawk to bring the weapons back. The cargo is being carried through this route." His image was replaced by a map of the route. "Land the Thunderhawks here, then trek to the road on foot. Then, wait for them to get close. Then you can engage. That is all." The hologram shut off. I looked to the rest of the squad. "Alright, you know what to do now. Five minutes till we land." I told them. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Zhufor's POV "Alright Applejack. Your mission is to destroy this enemy encampment. I will give you a squad of heavy troops as support. Your modified Terminator Armor has been equipped with a Vulcan Heavy Bolter for enemy forces. You meet with your squad in hangar B in ten minutes. Get suited up and report there." I told her, before walking off. I had faith in her abilities. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Applejack's POV "Alright, so I'm your commanding officer, Applejack. Our mission is to destroy a large enemy encampment based on the border of the Badlands and Equestria. By removing this, we clear the way for the rest of our forces during the war. Board the Thunderhawk when ready." I stated. They all nodded, their special modified heavy bolters at their sides. The squad was a group of ponies in heavy armor not power armor, but still full body. They grabbed their heavy bolters, the gemstones embedded in them decreasing their weight and knockback. They quickly boarded the Thunderhawk, and I followed behind. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbow's POV When we landed, the soldiers all ran out, securing the area. I walked out, my heavy bolters activated and following my eyes as I scanned the area. "Area secure, Sargeant Rainbow." Burning Blazer reported. I nodded. "Alright. Head to the ambush point." I ordered. They all got back up and began walking forward, keeping their pistols trained in front of them. We walked for about thirty minutes in the snow before we arrived. The soldiers all took their positions. I nodded to them. Then we waited. After about fifteen minutes, and the end of my patience, we heard a rumbling sound. At the front of the enemy convoy, a large metal transport, a Chimera, rolled up. We had expected heavy transports. I looked to Fire Razer, and he nodded, lifting up a Lascannon. It fired, punching into the hull of the transport. After a second, the transport stopped, it's engine destroyed. The ponies quickly ran out, brandishing Lasguns. "Fire!" I shouted, and the empty tundra opened up in Las fire and bolter fire. My heavy Bolters locked onto the main enemy group, and opened fire, tearing into them. Their flak armor was no match, as they were torn to shreds, blood and gore flying everywhere. I deployed the Heavy bolters as turrets before charging into the fray, my chainsword attachment roaring in hunger. My wings had been outfitted with two chain blades in the front, and I used them effectively. The chainswords bit into the ponies flesh, tearing it to shreds. The ponies screamed in agony as chunks of flesh flew off from them, before I cleaved off their heads. My soldiers continued a barrage of disciplined fire, tearing into the ponies disorganized group. After a few minutes, the fight was over. The pony guards were defeated, and the weapons secure. I opened up a secure vox channel. "Khârn, the weapons are secure. Awaiting extraction." I reported. "Acknowledged." Was the reply. Another rumble became apparent, and everyone readied their weapons. As the vehicle climbed up the road, I gazed at it in horror. Khârn had tutored me in what types of tanks I might face, and I remembered this one. "Baneblade! Take cover!" I yelled, leaping to the side as the massive tank fired it's main cannon. Everyone else did the same. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Applejack's POV "Alright, let's move." I ordered, and we fanned out, the enemy camp in front of us. It was heavily fortified, weapon emplacements lining the wooden walls. I nodded to one of the ponies, who lobbed a Krak grenade. We waited. An explosion, as well as screaming, was heard. "Now! Charge! For The New Black Legion!" I yelled, and we charged forward, heavy bolters lighting up the enemy fortifications. The walls cracked under the heavy firepower,and collapsed, taking down the gun fortifications. My Vulkan Heavy Bolter barked, spewing out bullets into anything that moved. We kept the fire going, and slowly took out the enemy base. It was quick: the enemy was under armoured, with few decent weapons. "Alright. I'll report this to command." I activated the vox channel. "Command, objective secure. What next?" I reported. "Heavy Apple squad, new orders. Return to the Thunderhawk immediately. Sergeant Rainbow Dash is currently engaged in a battle in the North and requests reinforcements. She says to bring anti-armor weaponry." A voice replied, and I nodded. "Acknowledged. Moving out." I replied, before turning back to the soldiers. "Alright! We are moving out! Rainbow Dash is in trouble up north and requests backup! Return to the Thunderhawk!" I ordered, and they rushed back to the Thunderhawk. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbow's POV "Sergeant Rainbow, please wait. Reinforcements are on the way. Sergeant Applejack and her heavy squad is en route and will be at your position in five minutes." The pony on the vox said. "Acknowledged." I muttered, cutting the link. "Reinforcements are on their way!" I shouted, receiving a burst of bolter fire from the Baneblade. The strike force had suffered a few casualties. Private Grey Wing was torn to ribbons by the heavy bolters, and was still staining the snow with his blood. Tough Talon was disintegrated by a blast from it's main cannon. And Fluffy Fur was torn apart trying to get to cover. We continued to fire uselessly at it's armor, doing nothing. A few lucky rockets took out a Bolter gun, but that was it. I heard a sound of a Thunderhawk in the distance. "Relief is almost here!" I shouted, getting another spray of bolter ammo at my cover. The Thunderhawk flew overhead, and eleven soldiers and one Terminator dropped down, Lasguns and melta guns at the ready. They opened fire at once, carving into the massive Baneblade. The Terminator charged forward, firing a heavy plasma gun as they ran. The heated air punched into the massive machine, as well as the rest of the fire, and everything went still. My group walked out of cover, making sure that the massive tank was truly dead. "Thanks, Applejack. We would've been done for if you hadn't shown up." I told told the Terminator, whose head fell back to reveal the orange mare. "Ah, shucks. You know ah couldn't leave my friend hangin." She told me. I smiled, before turning back to the weapons from the convoy. "Let's get this packed up and move out." I told her. She nodded. > Chapter Twenty two: Church the spartan > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [WARNING FROM THE AUTHOR: around this was the beginning of a crossover spree that I, to be perfectly honest, I apologize for. I didn't originally mean to do so many, and eventually I lost control of the storyline. Anyways, if you don't like mass crossovers, you should probably stop at the end of the arc. The sequel to this story will hopefully not have as many crossovers.) I had just finished the firebase when I found a staff that looked identical to the one Craig used to open a portal. Could it be? I pick it up and hear "To those that seek the power of Chaos, or have a score to settle with Celestia, summon me in thy time of need. I am Ahriman The Exiled, and may thine enemies cower before my name, for I shall bring naught but destruction raining on their heads!" "Huh, let's see here... I summon thee Ahriman The Exiled! Let's Chat." A portal opened up in the sky, depositing a massive armoured person and a similarly armored pony. "Now I understand what it's like to be sent through the void.... no wonder Craig was a bit angry." The armored human said to himself, before standing up and dusting himself off. He looked around before setting his eyes on me. "And who are you?" He asked. "Epsilon-Church, Memory of the former director of Project Freelancer. Current director of Project Overlord. There's a lot more but that's the basics. You look like you've never seen an AI like me before." "Well, I am Ahriman, Greatest sorcerer of Tzeentch, Leader of the New Black Legion, and the soon to be conqueror of Equestria. This here is my father's Apprentice, Lady Twilight Sparkle, and you are right, I have not seen a AI like you before. Where I come from, ai are treasured, and sometimes worshipped as gods. But that doesn't matter." He replied, motioning towards the armored pony, whose helmet retracted into the armor to reveal the purple pony from earlier. "Indeed. I-*radio transmission* AGAIN?! Sorry about that you two, these assault carriers keep coming." I motion to the three mile covenant starship in orbit. "For whatever reason the covenant keep sending them every time I destroyed another." Ahriman looked at the ship before smirking. "A small ship like that? I could easily tear it to shreds. As my Loyalist brothers would say, 'Suffer not the alien to live.' Do you want me to get rid of them?" He asked. "At least it isn't one of these again." A holopanel appears showing a 6,000 mile warship. The panel shows the specifications. "You ever see something that big?" "I've seen bigger. Imagine an 8 kilometer long ship. Then imagine a ship so massive that the 8 km ship is like a tip of an arrow puncturing it. That was the Necron World Engine." He replied. "Oh okay well personally I didn't destroy the warship... It kinda... you know... got ripped in half... by a black hole..." "The World Engine literally eats planets for breakfast. Plus, I can summon and control black holes." He glanced at the covenant ship. "Go ahead. I know you want to." "Oh, I have a better idea. A way that leaves the ship entirely intact too." He raised his hand, and began muttering words that shouldn't come from a human mouth. After a few seconds, he stopped, before casting an image on the screen. It showed strange, monstrous, abominations with burning swords tearing into covenant left and right. He looked back to me. "Bloodletters. Demons from the Warp." He explained simply. "Neat. Huh, she doesn't talk much do you?" I nod at Twilight. She glanced at me. "Sorry, I've just been thinking about some things.... back home, we are prepping for a war." She told me, a small smile plastered on her face. "One second I sensed the covenant losing control." I exit my armor, appearing ghost-like. "Initiative Covenant Hijacking Protocol DZN185_56." The shields on the covenant ship flare before failing. The carrier starts to turn towards the planet. "Easy enough." I turn towards the two to just see them staring at me, "What?" Ahriman recovered first. "Well, I have never met an AI that can turn into a mobile transparent hologram. But before we take the ship, allow me to disperse the demons. They don't really have much if a mind." He raised his hand, and multiple black chains erupted out of it, phasing through the window and towards the covenant ship. Twilight stepped forward, her horn glowed, unleashing a similar version of Ahriman's ability, except purple this time. A siren starts ringing throughout the base. "All forces prepare for combat, there was a second carrier behind them! Approximately 1250 aircraft detected!" I facepalm. "They are going at least mach 10. Did you notice that carrier before?" "No, I didn't. But I'm not wasting any time with them. One moment please." He closed his eyes in concentration, and for a small amount of time, nothing happened. Suddenly, however, a massive portal of all sorts of colors ripped into existence between the carrier and us. As I watched, a massive ship flew out of it, with giant guns bristling across it's hull. "Scion of Prospero, this is Ahriman. Open fire on all craft in front of you. Also, prepare to launch boarding torpedoes. That is all." Ahriman said seemingly to himself before turning to me. "This will be over shortly." He stated, before the massive ship opened fire, energy beams flying into the multiple covenant fighters. My claimed covenant ship finally landed. We turn around to see an army of over two thousand of my Lopez drones firing at the covenant with magnetic accelerator cannons and railguns. "Into the pelican!" I walk into the unlocked pelican and wait for them to follow me inside. "Welcome to my pelican which is apparently a full warship using quantum mechanics and other bullshit laws nobody cares about." "Laws that nobody cares about?! I think not!" Twilight seethed, her eyes turning a bit red. "I want a book about these 'quantum mechanics' and whatever makes this thing work!" She ordered, then got control of herself. "Sorry. My rage has got a bit of an itchy trigger hoof lately. Don't know what to do about that." She apologized. A green spartan AI, Delta's hologram appears next to mine. "I could transfer the data to you neurally but there is a 19.6183% chance of failure. Failure could cause a coma or expiration of brain." "Well, how about this?" She asked, hovering a dataslate over her head. "How much space does it have?" I ask before giving a laugh that could make Satan shit himself. "Well, let's see.... about Twenty digital libraries put together?" She replied, holding a hoof to her chin in thought. "Hehe...Hahahaha. HAHAHA the size of the data I'm transferring is approximately 2 quadrillion bytes. Like I said before it hurts my fucking mind." I pull out an empty datapad before copying all the data on the ship to it and placing it down. "The amount of data on that pad is more than all the atoms in a standard human. And yours. Knock yourself out." She squeed in delight before picking up the data pad and tucking it into her armor. "Let's just say you may as well have the answers to literally everything now. Don't ask how. It was all there when I found this ship." Twilight gazed at the pad in wonder. Ahriman shrugged. "I bet it doesn't have any knowledge of the Warp. After all, I can sense it all around me. It's barely even active in this universe. And anyways, the Warp could never be understood. Nothing can understand it, not even Lord Tzeentch himself. Anyways, it has been a pleasure. Also here." Two massive guns appeared in front of me. "These are heavy bolters. Pack a decent punch when dealing with infantry. It uses mass reactive ammunition, which is nearly infinite for some reason. Each shot can take a creature's head off with ease." Ahriman stated "Kinda like this?" I unsling my sniper rifle and set it to automatic and accurate aim before unloading 200 rounds in succession, leaving a crater that goes... I'm not even going to bother counting that. I see Twilight clutching her ears in pain and Ahriman looking amused. "Sort of. But it has a bit more kick to it, as well as firepower." He picked one up, and opened fire. The massive shells flew out, punching into the wall before exploding, and created an even bigger crater at the same amount of bullets. Twilight clutches her head again, before her helmet reforms around her. Discord teleports in front of us. "Would you kindly, SHUT THAT FUCKING THING OFF!? I CAN HEAR THAT FUCKING THING FROM SPACE!" He teleports away. I just stare at where he was. "Uh..." I try to start the conversation back up but fail miserably. "Just don't question him. It's best not to. Anyways, I might as well add a magic suppressor." He implants a glowing gem into the side. "There." "So uh... I kinda remember your token saying something about chaos power or something. Ah yes that is why I originally summoned you." "Ah, I understand. Here, take this." He tossed me a book. "That book holds many spells and rituals that enable you to summon demons, shoot lightning out of your hands, and burn people with your mind. Or send them to the Warp for shits and giggles. Everything you need to know." "Uh... By the way, you mentioned a war. Any way I can help? I'm basically invincible since I can go body to body and possess others." "At the moment, no. In reality, we are going to be needing weapons. As well as soldiers. We got that entire ship full full of troops, but we need more. The ponies are kinda superior somehow. Plus, they have our own weaponry. I've taken the liberty and removed some covenant weapons from the carrier for reverse engineering, but we could probably use more." He replied. A forerunner looking weapon forms in my arms. "This alone could probably deatomize a star... Any use for it? Actually that's a horrible idea. What this weapon does is sends a signal that causes anything hit to either implode, disintegrate entirely or not exist. Found it in the weapons bay. It's called a Type-4 Galaxy Destroyer. Experimental, really." "That would definitely be a boost to our capabilities. Let's see here.... what can I summon from the Warp..... aha!" He held up a image of a massive machine. "This is a Reaver Class Titan. A God machine, really. Nearly unstoppable, and can destroy most of an entire city with one shot. Strange, how did an uncorrupted titan manage to get out here...." Ahriman puzzled. "If you question it you will go insane, hehe I'm neither sane nor insane, I just am." "Good wording. Anyways, I must get going. I have a war to prepare for. That titan will appear in the badlands tonight. It has a limited battery supply for some reason.... who switched it's generator with Duracell batteries? How did they?" Discord appears looking embarrassed. "If it ain't broke don't fix it." He disappears again. I scoff, "Amateur hour." "I HEARD THAT!" I turn towards Ahriman, "Duracell, seriously?" "I am not kidding. This thing is somehow running on a Duracell battery. HOW DOES 'A TITAN RUN ON BATTERIES?!" Ahriman replied, shaking his fist to the ceiling. "Oh, by the way, you haven't been in your body for a good while. Just thought I should mention that." Ahriman added. I look down and see myself without armor. "Shit." If anyone had strong enough hearing, Twilight for example, they would hear a battle between the red and blue grunts going on. "I have one question for you before you and best pony leave." "And that question would be?" Ahriman asked, while Twilight looked around. "Does anyone else hear that?" She asked, though she was ignored. I turn on the recording of the red and blue grunts fighting. "KILL THE REDS KILL THE REDS!" "HUT HUT HUT HUT HUT HUT!" "*Gunshots" I look at her pointedly, "Oh, you mean those idiots. They are probably more religious about their flag than they are smart." Twilight winces at that. "Anyway my question is how the fuck are you losing to ponies who have primeval technology?" I turn towards Twilight, "No offense." "None taken. As for your question, we technically aren't losing. It's a standoff. The pony army somehow managed to find a large amount of our own weaponry, and are using it against us. I'm surprised they learned how to use the guns so quickly. We believe the Crystal Empire might have discovered it, and we are planning to take over to control the weapon supply." Twilight explained. "Or," I argue, "The weapons were always there, by the way, I find it odd that you are on the side against Equestria or so I see. Different timeline that caused you to choose that side or...as you say... destiny?" "Lord Magnus, Ahriman's father, taught me the powers of the Warp, and enlightened me to Celestia's crimes. Also, Princess Luna had me arrested just for knowing about the Warp once she found out. Both of them can kiss my flanks when we destroy them. They don't deserve to be rulers. They can't even properly protect a town right in front of the capitol. How can they expect to lead a country?" Twilight replied, poison in her words. "Ah, this land you are standing on I manipulated Celestia into giving me. She thinks it's a protectorate. Ha! I'm going to use this land to make a militaristic society run by artificial intelligence. Impenetrable by moles because of our capabilities. Unless she wants to attack and come back with all her troops disintegrated." "Welp, since you have this land, I am moving the Titan here now. Also, in case you want a better body than that, I gift you a robotic set of Terminator Armor." A portal opened up, and a massive, bulky figure stepped out, carrying a sword as long as a man was tall, and a heavy gun on its other hand. "In this, you are literally a walking tank." As he said that, a massive robot stepped out of another portal. "And here's the titan. Also, there's a spy in the bushes behind you." Before I could reply, Ahriman shot a ball of fire at the bushes behind me. A pony rolled out, burning. After a few seconds a blue fire erupted revealing a blue insectoid equine thing or changeling, not to be mistaken with the black ones from Chrysalis. "Wot." "Oh great. More Tyranid Wannabe's. I mean Changelings." Ahriman groaned. My second in command, Virgil, still her Sangheili General form chuckled before wrapping her arm around the changeling's neck and holding it above an energy sword. "Well aren't you cute?" The changeling faints. Virgil scoffs before carrying away the unconscious changeling into our Forward Operating Base. I look at Ahriman and Twilight. "Do any of you like torture and intimidation?" Ahriman smiled. "I can summon a demon that is excellent at that." He stated. "Hey Twi, got any mind-delving spells or know any revival rituals Ahri? Kill and revive until they surrender information." I laugh. "Not too demented right?" "I've seen worse. And yes, we do. However, that was a drone. It's linked to the queen and and has no mind. However, we can trace the link back to the Queens home, if you want." Twilight replied. "Do you hold a grudge changelings like this Equestria's Twilight? I do but not for the same reason. They turned to spying and impersonation for something they could have not needed. Why drain love when you can drain hate, apathy, betrayal, hatred and such." "Who knows? But anyways, I do not hold a grudge against them. In fact, they are our allies in the war." She answered. "You misunderstood, I only hate Chrysalis and hers. She even failed when she could have killed and impersonated Celestia. Anyways these other changelings show potential." I sigh, "Have you found the hive?" "The changeling hive that one was from was beyond the badlands, and heard from Chrysalis about you." Twilight answered. "Precursor classification gravemind detected on ruins." "Why? Why is it always the ones who could evolve us and make us immortal with but a thought that I have to fight. Changelings aren't really a problem. But that gravemind? A single flood spore could destroy an entire species." "I can drop it into the Warp for all eternity if you want. Let Nurgle teach it a lesson." Ahriman said. "I don't think you understand. Even if you wiped all life in this galaxy yet again they'll always come back. Through blood, and metal, and time." "I don't think you get it. Nurgle is the fucking GOD of Plague, Disease, and Decay. He invented every plague and disease ever encountered. He probably created the Flood too." "The flood weren't exactly created. They are the inert remains of a possibly multi-trillion year old race. Technology tier 0 Transsentience." "Nurgle has been around since the birth of the Warp, which was a few hundred years after the birth of the universe. He gifts immortality so long as you bear his plagues and shit." "Both of you stop acting like fools. There is a threat to the world and you two are arguing." Virgil says angrily. I jump. Where the fuck did she come from. "Oh, I dropped off a few Nurgle demons to deal with it." "Hey Twilight can you lead us towards the hive? Just input the coordinates into the ftl and warp drive." "Sure thing." She inputs the coordinates. "Welp, it's been fun, but me and Ahriman need to get going. Give us a call sometime okay?" Twilight said, before leaping into a portal. Before Ahriman can leave I throw my token at him. "My token, works like an energy sword. Infinite charge. Don't end the war without me!" "Wouldn't dream of it." He replied, before stepping through the portal. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV "Well, that was interesting. Wouldn't you say so Twilight?" I asked. She nodded. "Welp, I'm gonna go read the datapad they gave me. See ya!" She said, before dashing off. I sighed. > Chapter Twenty Three: The Shadow War > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- .    Ahriman's  POV     "Brothers, what news?" I asked, looking around. Khârn  and Zhufor, along with RD and Applejack,  had all gathered in the center of the ship.    "Well, Rainbow Dash successfully managed to secure the supplies, as well as, with the help of Applejack, destroy an enemy Baneblade.  We now have a surplus of fresh new weaponry for the recruits, and morale is always high. Within the  supplies, we discovered a few ponified  Power Armor sets, with Heavy Bolter mounts. We also discovered  a few Krak  Grenades, and, surprisingly, a Vortex Grenade. We found  a few  Lasguns  and plasma weapons, but that's it." Khârn  reported.     "Applejack has successfully  destroyed the enemy position keeping the Changeling's  from crossing the border. We managed to capture a few, and those ones are undergoing an interrogation." Zhufor answered.    "Well, me and Twilight managed to meet another Displaced, and made him our ally.  We now have a massive amount of weapons not of this universe at our disposal." I finished, and they nodded in approval. A portal burst into existence between us. Khârn  grabbed his chainaxe, and Zhufor readied his bolter. The portal disappeared, leaving only five ponies that looked familiar.    “You what!?” Yelled a demonic sounding Alicorn Twilight look alike, though her coat was darker, and her cutie mark was… Different… She was yelling at a black maned Applejack and a dull Rainbow(who also had horn-like ears made of metal). The other two looked like Fluttershy with a red mane, her right eye red, white tail, and a red and white top hat, and a red Pinkie with a flat mane.      "Who are you five, and how did you manage to get aboard our ship?!" Khârn  asked, chainaxe screeching.  I waved a hand at him.    "Calm yourselves, brothers. It's easy to see that these...visitors are clearly of the displaced group. Now then, you five, would you care to explain why you are here?" I asked.    “Heh… That’s my fault, actually…” The ‘Rainbow’ look alike said in a cybernetic voice, “I was looking for other Displaced to recruit and… Broke our teleporter…”    “And since she was looking for Displaced, we all ended up here.” e ‘Fluttershy lookalike said with a glare. Her voice sounded extremely high pitched.   "I see." I interrupted.  "Well, perhaps we might be of service. What seems to be the problem with your teleporter?" I asked.  “It broke when Rainbine overloaded it with commands! We should get that thing fixed before Twah uses it,” ‘Applejack’ stated, “Names Apple Pills.”    "Greetings, Apple Pills. I am Ahriman The Exiled, and these are my brothers, Khârn and Zhufor. And I believe you probably know who the armored ponies are." I replied, and the three ponies unlatched their helmets and revealing their faces. "Also, Khârn, we have an experimental  Teleportation  device on board, correct?" He nodded.  "Excellent. We can provide parts from it to fix your machine." I told the five. "However, it will be a long walk to the teleporter room. We can chat on the way. Although, in all honesty, it might not work. It's a massive machine, taking up an entire room."    "In all honesty, Lord Ahriman, why should we help them? We don't even know who they are! And what's  this about recruitment?" My Twilight asked, looking at the new ponies with a curious look.    “And here we go…” The Alicorn Twilight grumbled, “We are the Elements of Insanity, keepers of… Uh…”    “I guess we don’t keep anything,” The Pinkie asked, “We just… Beat up people we dislike.”    “Anyways, I’m ‘Princess’ Brutalight Sparcake, leader of our group.”    “Also the egghead. Rainbine Dasher, second in command!”    “Fluttershout…” The Fluttershy lookalike said.    “Hiya! I’m Pinkis Cupcake! Can I eat you?”    Pinkis was smacked upside the head by Rainbine and Brutalight.        "Well then.... I welcome you all to The Scion of Prospero, The New Black Legion headquarters and only space vessel. We have meat in the mess hall, due to our dragon and griffon recruits. Khârn, if you would lead our guest to the mess hall." I said, looking at Khârn. He nodded.    "Right this way, Pinkis." He gestured before walking down the hall.   Pinkis, Apple Pills and Fluttershout followed, while Brutalight grumbled to herself, and a disgusted looking Rainbine turned to me, “I’m actually not that hungry… Cannibalism makes me sick… I’ll just look and the teleporter.”   "Fear not, Rainbine. We only ever use pony meat for.... Special  cases.  Most of the meat we have is from creatures out in the Badlands or the Everfree. We also have herbivore food on board for the few pony soldiers, as well as the Zebras. Anyways, I would like to discuss about this 'recruitment' you mentioned. What do you mean?" I asked.   “Oh, some Displaced are trying to kill each other and want help, so there’s a ‘kind of’ war. Meaning no death, and more like a videogame.” Brutalight explained as a fork and knife appeared and she quickly followed the others.   "I see. So, who is the the leader of the two teams? I would like to know as many details as possible. Me and the others might just want to join. And Twilight, escort your counterpart to the Herbivore cafeteria. We don't want her accidentally  following the others to the meat section." I asked, and Twilight nodded before running after Brutalight.   “Lee Connors and Darth Folteren. Lee’s a Venom Displaced, and Folteren’s a Revan Displaced. You know, Marvel and Star Wars. Whole thing started when Lee cut Folteren’s daughter, and Folt injured Lee’s girlfriend. Neither wanted to apologize, so now they’re at it. At least two of us are going to join either side since Brutal was ordered to have four of us in it.” Rainbine explained, “I with I didn’t have to join, but what’cha gonna do against a person keeping a friend alive?”    "I see. Well, I believe that, due to your explanation, Lee attacked first. So, since he is the attacker, Folteren acted in defence. I wish to aid Folteren, and can supply him with weapons and soldiers. If you see him, give him this." I tossed her my token, a replica of my staff. "That's my token. He can summon me whenever for conversation and other such things." I told her.   “Cool! I know I’m with the other guy cause I think that one of my friends think Lee’s in the right, and I don’t want her to feel teamed up on. Pinkis and Brute are with Folt though.” She placed the token in her arm, “So, any questions not about the war? About us? We like those.”    "Why yes, I am quite fascinated by your group. For example, you managed to go through the void to get here, and in order to get to this universe, you have to travel through the Warp, which an unprotected mind can go mad in. But that's not the only thing. Where  did you get the cybernetics? I'm sure my universes Rainbow Dash wants to be like that." I asked, looking down the hall where she had walked off towards.    “Huh… Guess I missed that. Well, I guess your protected when you’re already mad, or when you’re fused with monsters. I don’t know about the Warp, but it might have something to do with that. Cybernetics, eh? I got these bad boys when I was Displaced! Though I have made a few modifications,” To this, a pair of laser pointers popped out of her ears, “Not that cool, but I’m testing waters. If Rainbow wants to be like me, I could fix her up with something, though that’d mean she’d lose feeling there.” Rainbine shrugged, “Nah, I won’t put her through that. Anything else?”        "Well, the staff I just gave you has the ability to protect you through the Warp. Most universes I come into contact with have their version of it in a docile state, until I go there. And as for Rainbow, she doesn't want most of her feelings. She just got out of jail from our opponent, Princess Celestia. Celestia used her friendship to have Gilda, a Griffon, spy on us and get seriously hurt by my guards.  She joined us because she realized how corrupt Equestria  is, due to the Princess. But she is distracted by her emotions because she knows they can use Gilda against her. And as for the Warp, madness isn't the only thing you have to worry about. Demons, and they can possess machines, and people, causing mutation and other things." I stated. "As for a few questions, well, what is the rest of your group like?" I added.    “Well, I guess I could work on her if she wants, but it’ll be permanent… And I think I saw something coming through, but Fluttershout screamed it away and Brutalight protected us,” Rainbine chuckled, “Well, our team has one more Element known as Rarifruit, she’s a fashion lover. There’s Derpigun, another cyborg, and the Cutie Mark Creeps who are our sisters Creepy Bell-Rare’s-, Francy Bloom-Apple Pills-, and Karateloo-mine. Rare’s a bit of a coward and scout, Derp’s a bit… Klutzy, Creepy is overly happy, Francy’s always negative, and my sis is so random she puts Tom and Jary to shame.”    "I see. Also, here. Give this to Brutal." I tossed her a book. "If she is anything like my world's Twilight, she will want to read it. It's the Liber Chaotica, a book on everything about the four gods of chaos. Or the gods of the Warp. Whichever. Also, before I forget." I clicked on my vox. "Rainbow Dash, please report to the center of the ship." I said, and a quick "Roger." came back.  I turned back to Rainbine.    "And a question, if I may." Zhufor, who I forgot was here, asked.  "What is your world like?"   Rainbine chuckled nervously, almost afraid to answer, “It’s… Messed up… Sunbutt’s more than a tyrant, our Pinkie’s dead, the Elements of Insanity are on the run, and… I don’t really wanna talk about anymore. It’s stressful as it is.”    "I understand." I said as Zhufor said "Sounds like a world shrouded in the dark gods influence. Or the Corpse Emperor." I glared at him. "Anyways, mrs. Rainbine, why don't you ask us a few questions? I'm sure you're curious."    “Probably not as curious as… Screw it. Why do you call each other brother? Is it that you’re actually related or brothers in arms? Who’s the Corpse Emperor? What’s with the space ship? Why was it you assumed that we used a small teleporter? How advanced is this universe? Why do you hate Celestia? And why, oh why, is my screen saying warning: danger imminent?” Rainbine asked in one breath.   "Well, allow me me to answer your questions. We call each other brother due to us not only being battle brothers, but we have all gone through the same psychological  treatment of becoming a Adeptus Astartes, or Space Marine,  which is the process of being implanted a bunch of new organs, increased muscle size, and getting a sheet of metal stuffed underneath your skin while awake for all of it in the time span of ten years.  Question two, the Corpse Emperor was once our leader, until he abandoned us. Then we struck out in the Horus Heresy. Question three, the Spaceship was buried under a forest until we managed to bring it into orbit. It is 8 kilometers long, and bristling with weapons.  Question four, we thought that it was small due to you needing to hold onto it to bring you back, or to another universe. Question five, as far as we know, primitive. However, there are possibilities of a more advanced civilization  out there. We have only been on one planet. Question six, we originally served Princess Luna during the Lunar Rebellion one thousand years ago, until she trapped us in the Warp. We were freed by a group of followers last year. Question Seven, I do not know. It could be an enemy spy aboard our vessel, but we cannot be sure. Either that, or a rebellion, or an enemy space vessel." I replied, in one breath.     A dark, pony shaped  figure  leapt out of the shadows, a knife aimed for Rainbine's neck. I lurched forward, grabbing the pony by the neck, before knocking the knife away. I brought the pony up to my face, before removing the mask it wore. A cowering blue unicorn was revealed. I chuckled darkly.    "Don't think I didn't know about you, vermin. I can sense all life forms through the Warp. And I was just waiting to see who you would target. I might just let that Pinkis pony have you for dessert. Alive. But first, I want you  to tell me why you were here. And trust me, if you don't answer, I will break into your mind to find the answer I'm looking for. And it won't  be pretty." I ordered, keeping a deathly glare upon my face.    "Alright, alright! I was ordered by Celestia to record this conversation  and hopefully assassinate one of the traitors! Just don't kill me!" The unicorn shouted.    The Elements of Insanity came in a few seconds later, with Pinkis licking her lips, “Who said I could have him!?”    Brutalight’s eyes widened in horror, “No! She’ll literally swallow him whole!”    Apple Pills shuddered, “Uh… Yeah, what she said…”    “This dude tried to kill me!” Rainbine glared, though she was ignored. Fluttershout stepped forward.    “What will you do with him?”   I chuckled.  "Well, how about this. I have a massive maze at the bottom of the ship. I can place him in there, and you girls can hunt him. Whoever finds him first gets to do whatever she feels like with him. Agreed?" I asked.    Pinkis nodded, Brutalight shrugged, “Seems ethical… I wonder what I’d do with him…”    Apple Pills just trotted away shaking her head, and Fluttershout stepped forward, “I think I’d be the most humane…”    “I’d go all Dr. Robotnik on ‘em. See if I can make an army of robot/pony crossbred!” Rainbine smiled darkly. “Think we got all the players!”    I nodded. "Also, as a  bit of fun, I will add two more prisoners we captured. But he is the winning score. And whoever kills him also gets a special modified suit of Power Armor. Think of of it as extra." I added, before turning towards the elevators. "Deal? If you kill one of the other two, you can also get a weapon. Maybe a Bolter or Plasma gun."    The four looked excited, but Rainbine raised a hoof, “I should work on Dash first!”    "Oh, yes I forgot. We can wait for a bit while you bet her upgraded. And that will also give me time to fully set everything up for the hunt. How long do you need?" I asked as Rainbow walked in.    “Depends on if AP’ll help… Pwease?” Rainbine pulled out her bottom lip in a puppy dog face.    Apple Pills sighed, “Ah’m gonna be the nurse, aren’t Ah?”    “SHUT UP NURSE!!!” Rainbine cackled with laughter along with Brutalight and Pinkis, while Apple Pills and Fluttershout just rolled their eyes. When Dasher calmed down, she said, “I’ll be able to fix something up in… Say about an hour or two. I’m pretty fast.”    I nodded, then turned back to Rainbow Dash.  "I take it you heard what we are talking about, RD?" I asked. She nodded.      "Yep. And I'm  all for it. Let's make me a cyborg!" She answered, floating in glee.    “Well then,” Rainbine said as she pushed a pair of round glasses she didn’t have before up closer to her face, “Let’s go practice medicine… I’ll need twenty two cece's of awesomeness, stat!”    Apple Pills raised an eyebrow, “Ah’m pretty sure that ain’t a thing sugarcube-”    “Oh, wait, why am I asking you? I’ve already got it!” Rainbine laughed, “But seriously, I’ll need every piece of medical equipment you’ve got, including lots of computer parts and metal, as well as a few small weapons.” Her tone went from careless to absolute monotone in ten seconds flat.   I nodded.  "Follow me to the medical lab. We managed to create a lab that doubles as a testing lab and medical area for use of experimental  modifications to troops. It's got everything you would need." I said, before escorting them towards the medical lab, my prisoner in tow. Later    "Here we are." I said, gesturing to the massive room. The walls were white, with mechanical parts scattered about on tables. Computers and computer parts all lined one wall, and there were multiple tables meant for doing surgery. There was also a few rooms  with bulletproof glass.    “Worse setup for a hospital ever, but perfect for what I’mma bout to do! Brutalight! I’ll need your magic! Unless there’s a more qualified Unicorn, I’d rather have somepony else.” Rainbine stated, “Apple Pills… Why did I call you in here? You’ll eat all of the pills bulletproof cases or not!” Said pony ran out screaming about pills.      "This isn't a hospital. The medical Ward is two halls to the left. This is the experimental surgery room. This is where we perform experiments to better our soldiers. We mostly use mindless animals for testing, like the cockatrice." I said. "Do what you gotta do. I'll see you in a few hours." I then walked out, followed  by Zhufor, Khârn, Applejack, and Twilight. "If you  want to stay, you can stay. We will be setting up the maze." I added. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainbine’s POV      Well this’d be fun. Brutalight was looking at me with uncertainty. “I don’t think you’re qualified for this. You were a mechanic, not a doctor.”    I had already dosed Rainbow with that sleep thing, so I was glad she didn’t hear that and freak out. “I actually downloaded an app for that,”    “What!?” Brutalight yelped, “An app!? That’s it!?”    I shrugged, “It’s a good app. Look, I said I’d do this, and I’m gonna do it. It’s that simple.”    “Okay, let’s start with the right foreleg. We won’t take it off, just… Okay, take it off. Take them both off. Then we’ll do the wings… Should have asked… Anyway! Then we’ll work on reinforcing her heart, replace her right ear, and then we’ll do her right eye which will be the control hub for the rest of her. Seem good?” I suggested. “I’d do the vocal cords, but that’d be too much.” I looked right.    "Hello. I am Medical Servitor number 1454. Please state what you need, and I will give my services." The Servitor droned  on.   I chuckled in embarrassment, “Uh, would you by any chance have a milkshake?”    "Why yes. We always have  some on board the medical servitor mini fridge for patient stress relief. Would you like some?" It replied, opening up its chest and pulling a milkshake out.    “Of course!” I took it with a thanks and gulped it down.    “I’ll ask the more important question…” Brutalight sighed…    And oh gosh was it bloody…    Half an hour later…    “Oh my gosh! It’s still beating!!!!” Screamed Brutalight holding Dash’s still connected heart. A blade appeared in her aura and she was about to stab it when I head butted her and took the heart.    There was a grey edge to it that I added that was the heart support. It detected heartbeats and would administer any calming agents she would need or adrenaline boosts hr body required. I tightened it. Now, with any other heart, it wouldn’t survive, but Dash’s was a magical pegasi heart, and magic plus technology makes the world go round. I placed the heart in the proper place, and Brutalight used her magic to seal Rainbow’s chest.    “Perfect! This is going better than I expected! No interruptions, no severe blood loss, and a quicker time rate than thought! Just a few installments and she’ll be ready!” I exclaimed. Thoughts of killing Rainbow entered my mind, but I expelled them as nothing but past pains from my own Rainbow.    “Glad I didn’t stab it…” Brutalight muttered, “Can we get a break?”    “Nocando! We’ve still got the eye, ear, and the upload to do.” I stated, “Got the ear?”    Brutalight used her magical levitation to pick up the earpiece I’d had built prior to the surgery.    “Perfect! Let’s get this going!”    “You’re an idiot…” I heard Brutalight mumble. I quickly turn to her and yell.    “SHUDDUP NURSE!!!”    Once the ear and eye were in place, I sighed. “Well, this’ll be my greatest creation…” A happy smile graced my lips. “We just have to wait for the software to kick in… What kind of operating system does it use?”    Brutalight sat next to the computer, “Uh… Vista!”    I, unfortunately, was drinking another milkshake when I heard the news, “What!?”    “Vista!” Brutalight confirmed.    “What browser!?” Fear gripped my heart as I awaited for Brutal’s response.    “Uh… Internet Explorer. Why?”    I nearly passed out, “Again!? I thought Apple Pills fixed our tech!”    “Dasher, she did, but this isn’t our tech!” Brutalight defended, “Besides, we can fix all of this, just… Do your computer thing.”    I sighed. This was going to take longer than I thought…    When everything was fixed, I leaned over Rainbow. “Dashie~ Rise and shine~” Before getting punched in the face when she tried to stretch.    "~Yawn. What's up? Did you finish already?" She asked, before getting up.    “Yes…” I growled from my position on the floor, holding my bleeding nose, “Yes, you’re finished. Your emotions are filtered, but not gone, that’d make you not you.” I growled again.    She chuckled.  "Eheh... sorry about punching you.... so, what upgrades did I get?" She asked.    Rubbing my nose, I stood up for my explanation, “Your forehooves are lined with a dozen weapons, your right ear has a sound amplifier, your heart has a protection field around it, you’ve got a battle computer to enhance your precision, a short ranged teleportation with limited battery, emotion control, adrenaline and morphine administering devices, a magic power source with a backup power source in case anti magic, and a few more that I forget at the moment. Upgrades can be made, and I might send you extra equipment for those if I can get the teleporter back home working again.” I listed off.    “And you call me an egghead…” Brutalight joked.     "Awesome!" She shouted, jumping into the air. The door opened behind us.    "Ah, I see that your operation was a success?" Ahriman asked.    “There were moments I wanted to scream, like messing up software and a near heart failure, but everything else went smoothly.” I stated.    "Ah, I see. Either way, the maze is set up. Also, if you want, as a thank you for upgrading Rainbow, perhaps we can give you a few organic upgrades? We Space Marines have extra organs that stop bleeding, nullify poison, and enable us to shut down portions of our brain temporarily, extending the time we are awake. We could give you one of these." Ahriman replied.    “You had me until the brain part. Thanks, but I think I’ll be okay without those…” I said. I almost said yes, but I didn’t know what benefits there was in that.  He nodded. "I understand. However, the offer will always be open. Anyways, shall we head down to the maze?" He asked, gesturing towards the exit.   “Sure, just let me…” I quickly sipped the last of my ninth milkshake and sighed happily. “Okay, let’s go!” Third POV    Rainbine, Fluttershout, Brutalight, and Pinkis stood lined up. All looking confident.    “Kay! No flying, teleporting, Pinkie sense, or… Staring… Pretty much covering up the rules. Killing is how you get point, right?” Brutalight asked.   Ahriman nodded. "The fleeing ponies are the points. Whoever gets the Blue one, whose horn we removed for anti cheats, is basically the ultimate prize. Whoever kills him will receive a specially modified Power Armor set. I have one set available for each version. An Alicorn Mark I Power Armor, a Pegasus Mark I, and an Earth Pony mark I. The other two will be worth a special weapon. Your choice on that. We can bring you to the armory later." He answered.   “Seems like at least one of us ain’t getting a thing!” Rainbine said, “Bet I can get ‘em all!”   “In your dreams Rainbine Crash!” Fluttershout mocked.   “I can beat this with my eyes closed!” Pinkis stated.   “You’re all going down,” Brutalight said playfully.   "Ah yes, one more thing. Somewhere in the maze is a...Special prisoner. He is hard to beat, and whoever kills him will receive a very unique set of Tactical Dreadnought Armor, or Terminator Armor as well call it." Ahriman added.   “Well… Ready girls?” Asked Brutalight, to which the others nodded and hoof bump.   "So AJ, who do you think is gonna win?" RD asked. The Terminator-armored  Earth pony shrugged.    "Ah'd say maybe Brutal or Pinkis. What about you?" She replied.   "Rainbine is definitely  gonna take it! If not, then maybe Fluttershout. Who knows what she could be hiding." RD answered.    "Wanna bet?" AJ asked. "Fifty bits on Pinkis, and thirty on Brutal. If either one gets the armor, or terminator."    "Your on! I'm putting seventy on Rainbine, and twenty on Fluttershout." Rainbow replied, and they shook on it.    "Betting on them? Never mind, that's just like you two." Twilight said, rolling her eyes.    "Lighten up, Twilight. A simple bet does no harm." Ahriman said, putting  a hand on her shoulder while chuckling.        "Yeah.  And plus, don't let Ahriman bet. He always wins with that Damn future sight of his." Khârn  grumbled.    "Let's see who will win." Zhufor stated. Ahriman nodded.   "Well, then. Let the hunt begin!" Ahriman shouted, pressing a button.   Pinkis was the first to go, and she shot off like a rocket. Rainbine screamed, “Damn it! Forgot Pinkie speed!”   Brutalight quickly trotted in, horn glowing purple.   “Course, tracking spell…” Rainbine grumbled. She looked over her shoulder to see Fluttershout… Pulling out a brown bunny. “You brought Demon?”   Fluttershout nodded, “She get’s lonely when she’s not involved.”   The bunny hopped down and started sniffing. Fluttershout followed the brown ball of cuteness and kindness incarnate.   Rainbine groaned, “Fine, I’ll use heat sense.” Her eyes turned red and she galloped into the maze full speed.    Rainbow facehoofed. "A bunny named Demon.... let me guess, she is nice isn't she?"    Everypony looked at the camera they were looking through and said, “You have no idea…”    "Yep. That's what I thought. Anyways, Ahriman, what did you put in that was hard to beat?" Rainbow asked.    "Nothing much. Just a teenage Minotaur general from the pony military." He answered.    “Doesn’t sound that tough. Any one of us could take ‘em on,” Rainbine said confidently.    “For once, I agree with Dasher. A Minotaur is nothing compared to a demon Alicorn.” Brutalight said.    “Or cyborg,” Added Rainbine.    “Or a cannibal!” Pinkis shouted.    “Or me…” Fluttershout said.     Khârn  snorted. "Yeah. Wait till you meet him. He was a bitch to even capture. He nearly broke an adamantium  chainaxe in two. Plus about fifty dragons beforehand. And was immune to Twilight's  magic. So if you see him, use everything you got. He is the exception to the rules."    “And… And you sent us in without TELLING US THIS!?!?” Screamed Rainbine.    “... I’ll still take him out without a fuss. I beat a Dark Souls boss.” Brutalight stated with uncertainty.    "Then again, he was wearing Power Armor at the time, so he should be a bit weaker than that. I'm certain you girls can bring him down. If he gets near to killing one of you, Twilight will step in and subdue him." Ahriman added.   “Then there’s nothing to worry about! Brute’s eaten a nuke before! Taken a bullet to the head and a solar beam to the face! And I’ve survived just about as much!” Rainbine declared. “Piece of cake…”   The ponies continued, though Pinkis seemed to be eating some of the maze. The first to encounter a prisoner was Fluttershout, and it was one of the lesser ones.   “You must be my, uh, adversary… Um, who are you before I kill you?” Fluttershout asked in a Fluttershy manner.    "My name is Flash Gantry! Wait a minute... Fluttershy? They managed to corrupt the element of Kindness?! Very well. I will defeat you and escape!" The purple Pony shouted, before lunging at her hesitantly.   Fluttershout side stepped with a smirk, “Nope, not Fluttershy…” She slammed her hoof into his ribs, causing a cracking sound, “I’m Fluttershout, emphasis on Shout.”   Before he could respond, Shout created an ear piercing screech that turned the air around them red. Flash Gantry fell over to his side, dead.   “Was that good?” Shout asked, “Oh, and I think I heard thousands of voices crying out in laughter…”   “Funny, Shout, we get it, you hate Equestria Girls…” Rainbine rolled her eyes, “We’ve heard this a thousand times!”   “I thought it was funny!” Shout yelled. Demon hopping out of nowhere, earplugs in her little bunny ears.   “Sh! I think I’m getting close!” Pinkis shushed.   "Well, she can certainly shout. I see why she was called that." Ahriman stated, his ears protected within his  helmet.   "Yeah." Twilight replied.   "WHAT?" Applejack asked.    "Thank Rainbine for the augments." Rainbow  stated.   "Hello? Who's there?" A whimpering voice called out.   Somehow, Pinkis morphed into Pinkie Pie and asked, “Pinkie! Who’re you!?”     The yellow unicorn gasped.  "Pinkie Pie?! You were taken too?! I bet those filthy traitors took you. I'm Lemony Twist." She said.   “What’s going on? Why are we here? I can’t remember much of what happened.” Pinkis said. Her face looked confused, scared, and most of all, not happy. It was a perfect impression of a scared Pinkie Pie.    "Amnesia, eh? Well, after the demon Ahriman declared war on Equestria, and destroyed Canterlot City, attacks from the Zebras  and Changelings, as well as  Griffon raids increased. Then Twilight Sparkle attempted to kill the commanders of the military but was caught and arrested. But she broke out. Then Rainbow vanished, as well as Applejack. Luckily, the Crystal Empire managed to recover a multitude of advanced technology from under the city, and we could finally fight back against the invaders. I was captured in the latest assault. They took a small outpost near Manehattan. And now I'm here. Does any of that ring a bell?" Lemon replied.   Pinkis’ right ear twitched, “I think so… Why were you captured? And why did they take me?”    "Well, the traitor Twilight probably told them about you and the other former bearers of the Elements of Harmony. And they probably didn't want you to be a possible problem. As for me, probably for their sick entertainment." Lemony replied.   “Were you a part of the military?” Pinkis asked again.    "Yeah... I was a Sergeant." She answered.     “Okay. We should find a way out of here, lead the way sarge!” Pinkis smiled happily.    "Right! Let's find a way out!" She smiled, before turning her back on Pinkis  and walking forward. A flash a guilt appeared on her face as she pulled out a syringe.   “So, you have any family?” Pinkis didn’t know why she asked, but she wanted to know. She hid the weapon in her mane in case Lemony turned her head.    "No. My boyfriend ditched me right before I joined. My parents died in a raid from the Griffon pirates." She answered.   “Oh my gosh Pinkis! Are you trying to feel bad!?” Rainbine asked, though it seemed only the other Elements of Insanity and the overseers. “Just kill her already! Fluttershout was faster than you!”   “Pinkis used to want to be an actress…” Brutalight sighed, “She took a liking to playing Pinkie Pie.”    "Huh. That's interesting. In all honesty, the feeling of betrayal is a very tasty treat for the demons of the Warp. That reminds me. Brutalight, I gave Rainbine a book to give to you. It's called the Liber Chaotica, and it is a complete guide of the Warp. When this this is over,  she can  give you it." Ahriman stated.     “Interesting, I’ll add that to my collection.” Brutalight commented.   “You collect books?” Rainbine asked, surprised.   “I have hobbies.”    "Anyways, let's see what Pinkis will do next." Ahriman said, turning back to the screen.    Pinkis followed Lemony for a bit, until they reached a dead end, “So… How do you know me? I heard something about Elements of Insanity, but I’m not sure if I remember…” Pinkis giggled a bit.    "Everyone knows the Elements of Harmony! Wait.... Insanity? What do you mean?” Lemony asked, turning her head around.    Pinkis shrugged, “Amnesia thing. I must have misheard you.”    "Oh, ok. Anyways, I think we are getting close to the entrance!" Lemony said, a smile upon her face.    Pinkis tilted her head which released the syringe. A twitching smile appeared on her face and her mane fell flat. “I th-think I re-remember n-now…”    "Oh, you did? That's wonderful! Wait.... why do you have a syringe?" She asked, a bit nervous.    Pinkis lunged at Lemony and plunged the syringe into her neck. She giggled, and tilted it, causing Lemony to scream in agony.    “Heheheheheh… Beg for your life…” Pinkis wheezed.      "Pl-please! Don't kill me Pinkie! Why are you doing this?!" She cried out in pain.    “Because I’m s-sick!” Pinkis then pulled out the syringe and stabbed it into Lemony’s neck again and again until she stopped breathing.    “... You know what? You’re right, you are sick.” Rainbine groaned as she heard Pinkis begin to eat Lemony’s remains.     "Well, it seems Pinkis claims the second victim.  And I can tell that the demons of the Warp are pleased. Well done Pinkis." Ahriman said.     "Well.... that was... gruesome." Applejack said, trying not to puke. Rainbow was also trying not to.    "She did quite the  spectacle. Making the pony trust her, before betraying her  trust and killing her. Pure genius." Khârn  added. Zhufor nodded.    “I’ve detected two lifeforms up ahead. Looks like I’m going to get two points.” Rainbine smirked.    “Look behind you,” Stated Brutalight. Rainbine turned quickly, only to see Brutalight right there. Dasher yelped, and Brutal trotted around her, heading towards the lifeforms. “Guess we’ll meet that idiot who tried to kill Rainbine and the Minotaur.”    "Indeed. You will have to decide which one you want." Ahriman said.    “Oh, that wouldn’t be fair to the betting duo! We’ll just see what happens.” Brutalight used her magic to turn her and Dasher into female Royal Guard, “Wika this work? I wanna get a surprise outta them.”     "Sure. This is all about you deciding how you want them to die." Ahriman replied.    The two smirked evilly, “Oh, I think this’ll be awesome~” Rainbine said.    They made their way until they rounded a corner and found the two targets.    “Help!” Yelled Brutalight, her voice sounding normal and fearful. Rainbine followed Brutal’s tail, her face containing a giddy smile instead.   The  blue unicorn smiled.  "The Royal  Guard! We  can finally escape!"  The minotaur, however, wasn't so sure.    "State  your  name, and rank." Was all  he said.    Brutalight stood straight. She had taken the form of a Pegasus with blue eyes and a large scare running down her face, “Skyquake, Capitan.”    Rainbine seemed to take a more clumsy, rookie approach. “Slashing Stones, sir! I’m a new recruit!” Dasher had taken another Pegasus with green eyes.    "I see. Which camp were you stationed in?" The minotaur asked.      “We were stationed in Los Pegasus but we were being moved to Manehattan. Our squad was ambushed on the way.” Brutalight, or Skyquake, said like any good captain.   He nodded.  "I see. Well, I am Brutal Hooves. I am a general of the forty fifth Equestrian Guard Regiment. My forces were assaulted by  a large enemy group. I took as many of them as I could, and even fought Khârn  the Unkillable before I was captured. Why do they put us in a maze? It's almost insulting!" Hooves explained.    “Oh…” Rainbine groaned, “I think I know. I saw one of our own getting slaughtered by the Element of Laughter herself! And if you heard that scream, let’s just say the Element of Kindness isn’t so kind anymore. She killed another! By shouting! And Pinkie even started eating her victim…”    The blue pony shuddered, along with Brutal Hooves.   "Cannibalism. Perhaps that is how they corrupt the Elements. They drop them in this maze to slowly drive them mad, then provide a food by another pony prisoner. The sick bastards." Brutal stated.    “What should we do general? By now those two are gone beyond redemption.” Brutalight asked.    "Indeed. The two of them must be stopped. I have seen many of my brethren  fall to Cannibalism  before. The hunger never leaves them, and they will want to devour anything they see. And as for the sonic killer, if they have that kind of power, then many soldiers will die. We cannot allow them to survive." Brutal Hooves answered.    “But-” Rainbine started coughing a bit. When she stopped, she continued. “But they saved Equestria!”   "Indeed they did. However, that means that we must save them from the monsters they have become before they can be used as a weapon against Equestria." Brutal Hooves replied.   Rainbine started coughing more violently, to the point that she was gasping for breaths. ‘Skyquake’ tried to help, but ‘Slashing Stones’ wouldn’t let up.     "Are you ok, ms. Slashing Stones?" The blue unicorn asked, walking up to her. That was, until ‘Slashing’ “bit off” ‘Skyquake’s’ ear. ‘Skyquake’ screamed in pain and backed off.    "What the hell?" Blue pony asked.    A cannon appeared on Rainbine’s arm as the disguise fell, “Got’cha.” And fired, blowing off the would-be assassins head.   Brutalight faked surprise, “B-but Slash…”   “Killed ‘er, bitch screamed for weeks…” Rainbine smiled sadistically.    "So, the Element of Betrayal dares to present herself to me. I can see why you have been dubbed that, traitorous scum. Very well, I will destroy you myself!" Brutal Hooves charged, his horns dipped down.    Rainbine’s cannon blocked the attack effortlessly. She stifled a yawn, “Element of Betrayal, eh? I prefer the Element of Kickass, or better yet, Element of Death. Cause I’m loyal to the core,” She then shoved his away as if backhoofing him.   The minotaur stepped back, before roaring, his hands balled into fists. He charged again, and scored a punch to the side of Rainbine's head.   Rainbine went flying back, cackling in joy, “Wee!” She slammed into the ground a giggling mess. “You’ve got a nasty right hook~”   "Rghhhh. Perhaps this will do the job." He grabbed something from his back, before pulling out what looked like a crude sledgehammer.     Ahriman groaned.  "I was wondering where all the metal he broke went....."   Rainbine stared at the weapon blankly, “The hell…? Is that a joke?” She narrowed her eyes to see is the light was tricking her.    "Rainbine? I also want to state that when he builds something, it is a very dangerous thing. So I would suggest dodging this next strike." Ahriman said, before Brutal Hooves slammed it into the spot where Rainbine had just been. The hammer sunk deep into the metal.   Rainbine teleported behind him, “Dude, what about all that bonding? We could still be friends, that blue dude was personal, he tried killing me.”     "I am a loyal servant of Equestria, Betrayal. I will serve the country to my dying breath. And, as a member of Ahriman's army, you are therefore an enemy of Equestria. If I fall, it will be in glorious battle!" He roared, bringing the hammer out of the ground and swinging it around.    Rainbine dodged easily, “But I’m not! I’m actually an alternate Rainbow sent here to look around!”    He paused, before resuming his attack. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!" He roared, his hammer flying into the ground where Rainbine  had been.    “And to think, that’s the one time I’ve told the truth to you… Maybe Princess Brutalight Sparcake can teach you!” Rainbine gestured behind Brutal Hooves to Skyquake.     "Do not think you can fool me with that old trick, Betrayal." He stated, before an energy beam cut into his side.    “Actually, Rainbine is correct in this matter.” Brutalight shed her disguise. Two blades appeared and slashed his hands off.    He roared in pain, his hammer clattering to the ground. "Curse you, Princess of Despise." He said,  gritting his teeth.    “Ohhh~ I like that one! But I think I’ll keep the Princess of Night Terrors. Any last words?” Brutalight levitated her blades ing a scissor motion.    "Forgive me, Celestia." He was about to say, before Brutalight cut him off by the head.    “Oh! Oh! Make a Star Wars reference!” Yelled Pinkis.    “Good Anikin, gooooooood. He was too dangerous to be left alive,” Rainbine said, and Pinkis burst out laughing.    “Very well! All prisoners have been executed! You may return to the entrance to the maze!" Ahriman said.    “If we can find it, that is.” Fluttershout mumbled.    “I got it,” Brutalight said as she teleported everypony to the outside of the maze. She levitated the head of the fallen Minotaur next to her head. “I was pretty sure he’d have said, ‘Forgive me, Celestia, I love you~’.” She used magic to play with the mouth and did a mock impression.    "Now then, follow me to the armory and we can give you your prizes. Remember. If you don't want the prize, you can either say no or trade it in for a different one." Ahriman said, before walking towards the armory.    “Send this head to Celestia, it’ll make you look even scarier!” Brutalight said, still playing with the head.    “Brute, if Derp saw you like this, I think she’d be fawning!” Rainbine laughed. The group trotted with Ahriman.     He chuckled. "I have  a better idea. Twilight and Brutalight, do you remember the spell that you enchanted Spike with to send letters to the princess?" He asked.    “I don’t think I do,” Brutalight said, “I never had a Spike. But I can easily learn it.”    "Well, you're in luck, cause I do know it. *one explanation later* okay, let's send it!" Twilight  exclaimed.    Brutalight readied her horn, “Ready! On three?”    "One, two, three!" Twilight said. Brutalight blasted the head with green flames.    ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's  POV      "Sigh.... more complaints about Ahriman...." I muttered, before a familiar sound popped into my ears. I looked up and saw a trail of green ash fly in. It must be Spike.    Then it turned into to a Minotaurs head.    I threw a curse to the sky.   "AHRIMAN!!!!!!" ÷÷÷÷ Back to the group.    "So, since Brutalight managed to kill the Minotaur, with assistance of Rainbine, she has won the Terminator Armor!" He pulled out a pony sized shape. It was a massive suit of armor, with thick plating all over. On its sides were two massive miniguns.   Brutalight’s mouth watered for all to see as drool drizzled down from her mouth.   “Seems like you Brute, heavy and hard to move!” Rainbine laughed, to which Brutal just glared.    "This armor can withstand a tank shot to the face.  And probably a nuke. And the miniguns fire water bottle sized explosive bullets at a rate of a thousand per ten seconds. It also features a portable teleportation device." Ahriman added.    “Holy shit…” Rainbine stated, “How did I not build this!?”    “Maybe because yer too stupid?” Apple Pills suggested.   "Oh, and apparently, due to crazy displaced magic, this thing has unlimited ammunition. I don't know why." Ahriman said.   Rainbine’s right eye twitched, “This is the holy grail of military tech… How haven’t you beaten Celestia with these things?”   “Maybe the behemoth that nearly chopped your head off,” Fluttershy shrugged, “Or the sun manipulator?”     "Rainbine, if you think this is  the best we got, your wrong. The best we've  got is the Vortex Grenade. And Terminator suites are rare. As for the vortex grenade, picture a hundred Space Marines." Ahriman stated.    “Jeez!” Rainbine looked about ready to explode.    "Then imagine all one hundred of those marines dying instantly  to a single grenade. That is the vortex grenade."   “Finish the war and ask Time Spinner for a duplicating spell. You’ll love it!”    "So now then, Rainbine. For your prize, you get a custom model Mark IV plated Pegasus Space Marine armor. Not as tough as Terminator armor, but it can survive most bullets. It would take  a high intensity laser or a Bolter gun to punch through. Normal laser guns just bounce off. It a also  comes with wings that are outfitted with Chainblades. Rip your opponent's top shreds with these." Ahriman said, showing off the armor   Rainbine just stared at it for a moment, “Huh… This is cool…”   “Oh! Oh! Me next! Me next!” Pinkis hopped over.    "Well, since you have a love for eating your opponent's  flesh.... I recommend a chainaxe. It's It's a chainsaw combined with an axe. Very messy, and chops up your food for you! Oh, and also, as an extra for the good display, I give you a flamer. It's pretty much a heavy duty flamethrower. So you can chop them up, then cook them. Sounds like you." Ahriman presented the weapons. Pinkis took them and proceeded to hug Ahriman.    “Thank you!” She squealed.   "And as for you, Fluttershout, I think you could do well with this. It's a sonic weapon. Since you can kill with a shout, this amplifies it in a wide area. Perfect for dealing with the occasional angry mob  at your door." He handed her the weapon.    “Thanks…” Fluttershout took the weapon.    “Ah’d guess this’s a success?” Apple Pills chimed, “Dasher, mind checking their teleporter?”    “Sure thing Pills,” Rainbine said, “Bet Loo will love my new armor…”     "Wait, Rainbine. I just thought of a better fit for you." He pulled out a different suite of armor, similar, but with servo claws hanging about. "A Tech marine pegasus type armor. This can assist you whenever you have a project, and the servo claws are detachable." Ahriman presented the armor.    Rainbine giggled like a school filly, “So! Awesome!” She started equipping the armor, “So, what was your life likes before you were Displaced? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”   He shrugged.  "Only Khârn  remembered. After  we were displaced, our memories were suppressed by the memories of our character. And Khârn  is having memory problems, so that's no  help." He Answered.   “Sorry dude, I really am. Our memories are what keep us going, and even then we have faith assuse.” Rainbine apologised. “Heh, I was even a guy before this!”    "I only remember one thing. Our Displacers." Khârn  said.  "One was a real shifty guy in a cloak. The other was some Loki guy."    “Never seen them,” Brutalight said, “If we do, we’ll call you.”    When Rainbine finished, she trotted around a bit. “Well, this is pretty comfy.”     "Yep. Also, later you can upgrade it so that the servo claws can interface with your cybernetics, so you can control them with your mind. For now, they just pick up orders from your mind. Somehow." Ahriman explained.    “I better not end up like Doctor Octopus…” Rainbine said, “Thanks. I’ll go see that teleporter, anypony wanna come with?” Silance. “Suit yourselves.”    "Don't worry about the servo claws being permanently linked. They  can detach at  your command." Ahriman  said. "Khârn, please assist her with  whatever  she needs." He added. Khárn nodded, before following Rainbine  out.   “So how was Rainbine?” Whispered Apple Pills to Brutalight.   “Better than me,” Brutalight responded, “She didn’t even make a snide remark.”   “Guess Owen had a bigger effect on ‘er than Derpi,” Apple Pills finished. “So! What’re we gonna do? Q&A? Ah’ve got a couple questions for y’all.”    "Ask away." Ahriman replied.   “We’ll do turns, and we’ll ask first.” Brutalight said.    “Why’d they call Dash’n Twah traitors? Ah got that they’re on yer side now but they didn’ used ta be, but why’d they join ya? And what’d ya do ta Celestia?” Apple Pills asked.    "They  joined us because we showed them the corruption that Celestia created. In our world, Equestria lived peacefully. That was at the price of the suffering of other nations. Equestria bled them dry, and the only reason they didn't declare war was because Celestia run the sun and moon. And also, due to Twilight learning about Warp magic, she was imprisoned. As for Rainbow, Celestia used her friendship with Gilda  to get Gilda to spy on us. Sad to say, Gilda was captured and brutally hurt by my guards. When Dash found out, she called the princess's  out. Said that their rule was unfair, since they couldn't  die from old age or wanted to step down. She switched her loyalties to us."    "And as for Celestia, we joined Luna during the Lunar Rebellion. When Luna became Nightmare Moon, we were imprisoned in the Warp for a thousand years, while Luna was in the moon." He finished.   “Okay… But why didn’ you at least show this here information with the prisoners. Lemony just seemed blind.” Apple Pills asked, punctuated by Pinkis burping.   “S’cuse me,” Pinkis blushed in embarrassment.     "Well, consider this. If  you had been  raised believing Celly  was good, and then a guy who is at war with your nation says differently? Who are you gonna believe?" He asked.    “Well, ya got these three with ya. It’s also a good idea if ya give ‘em no reason to really hate ya b’cause a yer hospitality.” Apple Pills shrugged, “Still worth a shot ta save a naive mares life.” She glared at Pinkis.   “Oh shut up Apple Pills, what’s done is done!” Brutalight stated, “Your guyses turn, anymore questions?”    "Well, just one. Why are you called a 'demon princess'?" He asked.    “I’m an Alicorn, and I’m part demon. Simple as that.” Brutalight said, “The Princess was more of a joke. I also think the other Elements are trying to get me to ascend to Queendom when our Celestia is gone.”    "Well, that  Terminator armor will definitely  help with that." He replied, chuckling.    “Any questions for the kiddy’s?” Brutalight turned to the three mares not in her team. “I can answer any question relating to me and my friends.”       Pinkis sat in a corner mumbling to herself, “Wonder if Chewwy and Gummy are okay…”      "Well, what do you plan on doing to  get  rid of celly?" Zhufor asked.    “Kill her. She’s caused my friends and I too much pain and killed an Element of Harmony.” Brutalight sighed.    "Well, obviously you plan to kill her, but my question is how do you plan to kill her."   “I don’t know yet. We’re still scrambling from her latest attack.” Brutalight scratched her head, “And this time traveling is messing with our heads…”    "Eh. Blame the Warp. It messes with everybody's heads." Ahriman said.   “Anything else?” Fluttershout asked as she was petting Demon.     "Nah, not really." Zhufor said. The other three shook their heads.    “Well, I’ll answer one you would never think to ask. Me and Dasher were the only two of our group turned into mares while the others were girls before our Displacement.” Brutalight said.    "Well, that must of felt weird." Zhufor replied.    “You have no… Idea…” Brutalight shuddered, “I’m neither human, man, nor omnivore, and I get moody all of the time!”    “It’s a pain in the arse.” Apple Pills sighed, as did the others.  "I see. Ah, here's Rainbine. Did you find the parts you were looking for?" Ahriman asked.   “Actually, the teleporter is back home. I fixed yours and made a few modifications to it! Only thing it needs to be is a Stargate! And I wanna build one of those!” Rainbine dey dreamed.    "I see. So it is ready?" Ahriman asked.    “Indeed.” She mocked, then focused her gaze on the other Elements of Insanity, “You didn’t say anything about my crush, did you?”    “Eenope! Never heard of a ‘crush’ before.” Apple Pills said as she trotted the way Rainbine came.    “I hear nothing, I see nothing!” Brutalight said as she levitated her new armor and followed Apple Pills. Fluttershout dashed with the two, and Pinkis giggled.    “I told them!” She lied and galloped away from a screaming cyborg.     "Well, wonder what they're on about? " Khârn  asked.     Rainbine growled, “Don’t act like you don’t know! Ugh! They promised!” She turned and ran after them.   Ahriman looked to the others. "When did the subject of a crush come up?" He asked. Rainbow looked up.   "My new records do not indicate any topic  of a crush coming up. Oh gods, I sound like Twilight. " She muttered.     Pinkis reappeared upside down, “Rainbine for the past three Displaced we’ve met has been teased about having a crush on somepony in this room! And Rainbine said you’ll get used to the emotion filter and have absolute control of them in a week or two!”    "Alright. Well, might as well see  you  guys off then!" Rainbow said, before walking towards the teleporter room. Everyone else followed. Ahriman was surprised when they got there and Pinkis kissed his cheek.    “Bye, bye!” She yelled as she hopped onto the pad.    “I love meeting other Elements and Displaced,” Brutalight started, “It was nice meeting you all.”    “If any problem happen with your system that these guys can’t handle, send me a note!” Yelled Rainbine.    “Ah have nothin’ ta say…” Apple Pills grumbled.     "See you! And I'll keep that in mind!" Rainbow said.        "Just say bye Apple Pills!" Applejack said.    "See you! Let's meet again sometime!" Twilight said.    Apple Pills submitted, “Byah! There, Ah said it!”    “Wait, is this an attam teleporter?” Fluttershout asked, eyes wide.    “Oh damn it! This is gonna hurt-” There was suddenly five screams, and the five ponies were gone.  "You think next time they might set us up with a better teleporter so that they don't get hurt every time?" Khârn  asked.    "Who knows. Anyways, we need to get back to the war. I'll leave it up to you for the next assignments. Dismissed!" Ahriman said, before walking away. > Chapter Twenty Four: Rainborg, Attack on Cloudsdale, Ascension > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash's POV As I walked around the room, I concentrated on activating my weapons. Unfortunately, Rainbine forgot to leave an instruction manual. So, I had to learn how to do this on my own. Ahriman decided to help me. "Focus on your eye. That is the control point." He told me. I focused on my eye, and sure enough, a menu screen popped up. I scrolled through the data there until I fell upon 'weapons'. I blinked, and it loaded up my weapons database. I scrolled through until I found one called a 'Sound Barrier'. I selected it, and blinked. My right foreleg exploded into machinery, metal doohickeys flying about, and connecting to each other. Before I knew it, my foreleg had completely transformed into a massive black gun. I smiled. "Score one for Dashite!" I said to myself. Then another problem. How do I shoot? That problem was answered quickly enough when, after merely tensing my shoulder, a burst of sound and weird pellets shot out, embedding into the waIl. I deactivated the weapon, and it returned to its previous state. I glanced at Ahriman before continuing. Checking through my systems, I discovered I had a 'U Blaster', a 'Rainbine Detonator', a Shrink Ray, a 'Disintegrator', a Necron Energy Cannon, a Eldar Shuriken launcher, a Bolter Rifle, a grenade launcher, a Hellgun, a Terminator Assault Cannon, and an Exitus Sniper Rifle. The grenade launcher had a multitude of different types of grenades: Krak Grenades, Frag Grenades, Haywire Grenades, a few Rad Grenades, and more. I nodded in appreciation before turning to Ahriman. "Okay.... I've got the basics of weaponry down. I'll need to test thee weapons out on the battle field. Also, I have been thinking of a new name for myself. Maybe Rainborg Cydash? What do you think?" I reported to Ahriman. He nodded. "It's a good name. As for the weapons, you are free to use them in your next asignment. We are currently revising your armor for your new upgrades, so you will be going out with only some flak armor. Your mission is to lead a squad of Griffons deep into Equestrian Territory and assault an outpost near Cloudsdale. It is located in the sky, so we need an airborne team to remove it. Your assault force will be the Vanguard to our assault on the city of Cloudsdale itself. We don't want them to be able to produce anything for their own benefit. Once Cloudsdale is taken, you will use your forces to secure it, and I will leave you in command of the forces there. We have multiple converts hiding within the city waiting for the attack. Our intelligence reports that twenty percent of the city has been turned into a medical facility. Capture it, but do not hurt the residents inside. We don't want to hurt the weakened unless they attack us first. Once captured, it will be up to you to convince the Pegasi that they should join us. You move out in ten. Also, tell Twilight to meet me. We have some things to discuss." Ahriman ordered. I nodded, and giving a quick salute, dashed out the door. I found Twilight in the mess hall (Vegan wing.). I tapped her shoulder. "Hey Twi, Ahriman wants to speak with you. It's important. Anyways, I'm off." I said, turning and heading for the hangar. When I got there, the team of Griffons was already there. "Alright, Vanguard Squad, I take it you know what we are dealing with here?" I asked. They all nodded. "Good. That saves time explaining it to you. However, don't underestimate us Pegasi. We might be light, but that's our advantage. Pegasi are some of the fastest things in the air. I'm sure you griffons are capable of around their speed, but pegasi can easily use the sky to their advantage. I want you all to be prepared for quick enemy movements. We also have sharp eyes. Pegasi can easily find the weak spots in our armor, so don't give them a chance. Kill them as soon as you can. Also, remember that the ponies have the same technology as us. Expect Thunderhawks in the air, so bring anti air weaponry. That's all, so get on the Thunderhawk!" I reported. Everyone climbed aboard the Thunderhawk, ready for the coming battle. I myself was quite excited to get to use some of the new upgrades. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Celestia's POV "Sister. I have an idea." Luna suddenly said. I looked all her. "Well, what is it?" I asked. "The Ex Princess Twilight Sparkle has, before she was corrupted, explained quite a bit about the world beyond the portal, has she not?" Luna began. I nodded. "Well, I do remember she mentioned about there being other versions of her friends there, native to that world. As well as us. So, with our current Elements of Harmony seperated, why can't we ask for the others assistance?" Luna explained. I considered this. "...Maybe, but they must agree to it first. We won't force them into assisting us in a war. And plus, we don't know if Twilight corrupted them when she stole it. We were lucky our spies managed to recover it at all. As Co ruler of Equestria, I will go and meet them. I leave you in charge of the army until I return." I said, before walking towards the portal room. The guards at the door gave me a salute before opening the door. I walked in. The portal looked pretty much the same as before. In fact, nothing changed. I walked towards it, amd, taking a deep breath, stepped in. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Sunset Shimmer's POV While my friends and I had a picnic in front of the portal, it vibrated, and a person popped out. I expected it to be Twilight, but no. This one was taller, with wierdish Rainbow hair. A golden sun rested upon her chest. "Principal Celestia? When did you go through the portal?" Rainbow asked. I realized who this was immediately and bowed. "Princess Celestia, it's been forever. But why are you here?" I asked. The others gaped at me. "Princess Celestia? As in, Twilight's Celestia? The one she said runs the sun?" Rainbow asked. I nodded. She stared at Celestia. "Forgive me for this intrusion, but I need to talk to this world's Celestia. It's an emergency. I also need you girls." Celestia asked, before locking onto Twilight. "I take it your this world's version of Twilight Sparkle? Good. I'll need you to come with me as well." She said, before marching towards the school. "So, this is her castle, eh? What strange textures..." She muttered as she walked forwards. She walked up to the door, before slamming into it, and backing away. "Oww... I guess this is one of those 'glass' doors Twilight talked about." She muttered, before pulling the door towards her, and walking in. Me and the girls looked at each other, shrugged, and followed after her. When we found her, she was at Principal Celestia's office. The two Celestia's stared at each other, one with shock, one with determination. "I take it you are me from this world?" Princess Celestia asked. Principal Celestia nodded. "Yes, I am Principal Celestia of Canterlot High School. What can I do for you, err, princess?" Principal Celestia replied. "I have need for you and Sunset Shimmer's friends. My people are at war, my student and fellow princess Twilight Sparkle has joined the enemy, and I need help. We believe that we can fix everything with the Elements of Harmony, but we need six ponies to use them. We hope that your world's versions can use them to defeat our enemy. Of course, I will let you decide." Princess Celestia explained. Principal Celestia was about to say no, but pondered about it. "Very well. I will let them decide if they want to help you. If they agree, I will go with them, to ensure that no harm befalls them. I hope you understand." Principal Celestia answered at last. The Princess nodded, before turning to us. "So? Will you help Equestria?" She asked, and I finally saw the desperation in her eyes. I nodded, then turned to the others. They nodded as well, even Fluttershy. "Then let's get going." She said, and we followed her back to the portal. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainborg's POV When we arrived at the outpost, the Pegasi were already setting up defences. The backdoor of the Thunderhawk flew open, and I dived out, my wings blazing as I activated the thrusters. I flipped through my weapons and activated the Sound Barrier, and my arm swapped into its shotgun mode. I sped towards the closest pegasi, and I stopped, aiming my gun right at her face. Before she could scream, I fired, the pellets digging into her skull. She stopped screaming, and plummeted to the ground below. I twisted around as a lasbolt passed by my head. My gun flared as I blindly fired, the pellets finding purchase in a Pegasus's skin, burrowing into the areas of exposed fur, and digging into the armor. The pegasus, a stallion, cried out in pain, his wings shredded. Then the rest of my squad arrived. They fired, their new Bolter guns barking as bolt after bolt flew out, removing forelegs and other body parts. The Pegasi zoomed towards them, while a few stayed to deal with me. Suddenly, a small red Rainbine hologram appeared in my right eye. "Hello, I am the AI designated 'Firefly'. I am to assist you with you every need when it comes to you new upgrades. How may I assist you?" It asked. "I need a targeting computer online. Can you make that happen?" I asked it, firing my gun into another ponies gut. "Yes, I can. Targeting computer has now been engaged. Targeting retinas will now appear in your eyesight, designating friend and foe, as well as locking onto enemy units. This will use up ten percent of your main power supply. Happy hunting!" Firefly replied, before vanishing. Circles began appearing around me, with the center being pegasus soldiers. The Griffons turned green. "All right! Anypony who doesn't want to die surrender now! I am Rainborg Cydash, and I am your doom!" I shouted, causing most of them to flinch. "Rainbow Dash? Is that really you?" One asked, glaring at me. I nodded. "You traitor! I won't back down to a creature like you!" The pegasus screamed, charging at me with his sword drawn. I activated my left foreleg, and a power axe burst out, glowing with energy. "Come on! I'll tear you a new one!" I yelled, my axe swinging towards his blade, which I realized was a power sword. A captain. My axe blocked his strike, tearing it off course. I snapped my gun up, with the end of it directly in front of his face. I smirked. "Game over pal." I told him, before firing, but he dodged a millisecond before it fired. He swung his sword in a wide arc, but I blocked it again, this time by shooting it. While I did that, I swung my axe over, and managed to chop off his hindleg. He screamed in pain, his wings freezing up, and he plume Ted plumeted a few feet before he regained control and soared back up. I opened fire, switching the gun to semi auto. I pumped three shells a second at him, tearing into him no matter how he tried to dodge. Up down, left or right, I shot a shell into him. As he reached me, I pumped the last one into him, the pellets tearing into his brain. As he fell, I hooked onto his sword with my axe, before placing it on my back. "That's one for the keepers." I said to myself, before swapping out my axe for another shotgun. I fired into the remaining pegasi, each shot killing a soldier. I looked to where the griffons were to see that they had just about finished up. I nodded, before turning back. I stopped firing when I saw that the remaining ten pegasus soldiers had surrendered. I grinned. "Alright, Vanguards! We got a few prisoners here!" I shouted, and the griffons hooted. I flew down down to the pegasi, my left arm returning to normal, while my right arm was kept trained on the soldiers. "Alright, put your guns down, and keep your hooves up. I want no funny business! My squad will escort you back to the ship, and if I hear even a peep from them about you guys doing something, I'll let them pump ya full of lasers! We clear?" I barked. The ponies nodded, tossing their weapons into the clouds below. "Alright! I'm gonna report this to base. Guys, you know what to do!" I ordered. The Griffons nodded, before taking the ponies to the ship. "Commander of the Cloudsdale operation, this is Rainborg. The main enemy outpost has been cleared. Your free to attack the city." I said, hooking into the vox feed. "Affirmative, Rainborg. We will send in the troops shortly." A familiar voice replied. "Khârn? Your leading the mission?" I asked. There was a chuckle. "Yep. Anyways, have your team scout out the city. Of course, knowing you, I'll let you do what you want. Khârn out." The link ended. I smirked. "All right boys! We are ordered to scout out the city! Or at least, you are. Report to captain Sword Wind as of now. See ya!" I said, before rushing towards Cloudsdale. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV "Lord Ahriman, you wanted to see me?" Twilight asked. I nodded. "Twilight, my father contacted me. He says that you are ready." I told her. "Ready for what?" She asked. "Your ascension. Come to the middle of the circle." I ordered. She nodded, before walking into the middle. Flames flickered, and the hoods of the Cabal masked their faces. I nodded to them, and they began to chant. "Twilight Sparkle, the great deamon god Tzeentch has blessed you with knowledge. And, with my father's approval, you will be ascended. Are you ready?" I asked. She nodded. "Then let the ritual begin." I replied, before walking up to a prisoner, one of many who sat in a circle around us, and, using a ritual knife, cut his neck. The prisoner fell to the ground, his lifeblood draining into the cold ridges of metal below. I began walking, and randomly selected the next sacrifice. The chanting grew louder with each cut. After thirty minutes, the ritual was complete. A dark pool of blood sat underneath Twilight's floating body, filled with dark energy, and magic. Then, it flowed upwards, spiraling into Twilight's open mouth. When the blood was all sucked up, a burst of magic erupted around her. She screamed, her body transforming. At the end of the transformation was a vaguely humanoid creature. A jagged glowing horn protruded from her forehead, and dark wings sprouted from her back. Her face, once that of a pony, now looked more like a deamon, with viscous teeth sprouting from her gums. When she opened her eyes, they were multicolored, changing at a rate too fast for the eye to see. A dark halo of magic erupted around her head, and glyphs of the daemonic language fluttered around her. Her body donned a thinned space marine suite of armor, which was covered in dark writing, secrets that would drive a normal creature mad. The shoulder pads bore her cutie mark, except with the star of Chaos intertwined with it. The other bore the mark of Tzeentch. In her new hands was a blazing crozius, crackling with dark energy. She floated gracefully to the ground. "Well, Twilight, how do you feel?" I asked. She smiled, her teeth glistening. "I feel better than ever, Ahriman. And I am not Twilight. I am Midnight Sparkle, Element of Chaos, destroyer of Celestia." She spoke, her words sliding around me, and filled with power. I nodded, and bowed. The rest of the Cabal did the same. "Your highness, the battle of Cloudsdale beckons us. Shall we go?" I asked. "Why yes. For today I make my mark on this pathetic world." The new Deamon Princess replied. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Rainborg's POV I dodged another shot, and returning fire with the U Blaster. A deadly boomerang shot out, decapitating the pony who shot at me. The boomerang returned, sliding neatly back in place. I swapped out the U Blaster for the Rainbine Detonator. I quickly fired into a group of unsuspecting soldiers, who exploded, with the survivors coughing and gagging as the Radiation took hold. I nodded appreciatively. Before I could swap out for the last one, The Disintegrator, a Warp Portal opened up in the sky. I stared at it, before shrugging and returning to my mission. I burst into the hospital, to be greeted by a familiar Yellow and Pink pegasus. "Fluttershy?!" I asked, surprised. "Rainbow? Oh what happened to you? And I am still angry! How dare you kill innocents! What happened to the real Rainbow? My friend? What happened to make her change to you?!" Fluttershy raged, and I activated my emotion filter. "I'm not Rainbow Dash. Not anymore. She died the day Celestia used my friendship with Gilda and nearly got her killed. I am Rainborg Cydash, Element of Destruction. And you are in my way. Move." I scowled. She stared back, searching for some part of the old me. I swapped out my weapon for the Sound Barrier, before aiming it at her. "Don't even try to use your Stare on me. It won't work. I've got a emotion filter now. Get out of my way. This hospital belongs to the New Black Legion." I ordered. She looked appalled for a moment, before finally backing down. She whimpered, looking heart broken, before stepping to the side. I nodded, before barging into the main area. I shot into the ground. "Alright! We are taking over! I am Rainborg Cydash of the New Black Legion, and we are taking over! Do not resist, and you won't be hurt." I barked. Immediately two guards rushed me, guns raised. I whipped my gun at one, knocking him back, before focusing on the other one. I backhoofed her with my gun, and brought it up to her face. "Night." I said, before pumping a bunch of spiked pellets into her head. I turned around just to get knocked in the head by the other one. "Ohhh, you've done it now bitch." I muttered, pulling out my Necron gun. It pulsed with a dark green energy, and fired, disintegrating the pegasus to the atom. Unfortunately, at the same time, he managed to blast his lasgun, which hit the Necron weapon head on, destroying it. I cursed, swapping it out for the Sound Barrier. Suddenly, the doors disintegrated, and a vaguely humanoid creature stalked in. I could feel the dark power coursing around it, and shuddered. "What's wrong, Rainborg? Suprised to see me on the battlefield?" A familiar feminine voice asked. "Tw...Twilight?" I asked. She smirked, revealing shark teeth. "Sorry, but I'm Midnight. Her replacement. Now then, you will all surrender, or else." She ordered, and everypony knelt in fear. Green wisps of energy leaked out of all of them, and condensed around Midnight. "Ahhh, the fear tastes good. Now then, all guards will surrender. Now." She commanded, and all the guards were forced up front. "Now then, what to do with you..... ah! I know!" The she demon said, before tapping each of them on the head. One by one, they all mutated, turning into the familiar Visage of Bloodletters, except this time with wings. "Go, deamons! Kill everything outside! Except the griffins, of course." She ordered. The Deamons squaled, before rushing out the doors. > Chapter Twenty Five: Cyborg Experimentation and War > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainborg's POV 2 hours after the Fall of Cloudsdale What Twilight did... what she became.... terrified me. The energy readings I got from her were of the charts, and that was when she was calm! I don't know whether or not she might turn on us, but I hope she doesn't. But that's enough about that. Something Rainbine said kept nagging me. A certain sentence involving 'Cyborg' and 'Army'. So, I decided to head to the medlab with a newly acquired prisoner. The medical Servitor helped me restrain her long enough to give her a knockout pill. Then we got to work. "Okay, hand me that foreleg....no, the other one. NO, the Robotic one! Alright, now let's begin with the nanotechnology upgrade..... ah shit, the nanobugs are tearing her apart! Give me some anti nanospray. Holy shit, we actually have some? Okay then. *sigh*, another failure. Bring in the next one. Maybe we can try Living Metal next." I muttered as the robot removed the now dead corpse from the operating table and tossed it into a airlock. Another Servitor brought in the next patient. "So, let's check up on your condition. First, what's your name?" I asked as I pretended to check his temperature and other things. "Um, Wind Raider. Why?" The Stallion asked, unsure of what was going on. I strapped him into the table, and activated the knockout gas. Lucky for me, I had managed to install a air filter in my lungs without killing myself. The last thing the poor guy heard was me saying, "Well, your Upgrade, of course! I always want to know my patient's name, in case they die!" I got to work, removing most of the lower area. I removed the back legs, and got to work replacing them. I carefully placed the Living Metal tissue onto the stump where his leg had been, and watched with fascination as the metal latched onto the leg, sealing up the wound and forming into the shape of a hind leg. Quite soon it was finished. Life signs normal. I nodded to myself. "Okay, so the Living Metal works for his legs. Good. Now, let's try something else. Firefly! Bring up the schematic for the Neural eye transplant I downloaded!" I said, and a blueprint of the machine I requested appeared in my eye. "Thanks." I quickly put the machine together, before carefully cutting out the poor guys eye, and quickly affixed the machine in the socket. Wires sprang to life, digging into his head and affixing itself. I quickly linked myself to the pain sensory system and lowered it. Vitals returned to normal. "Servitor, bring me the earpiece." The massive machine brought it over, and handed it to me. I took it and placed it over his ear. The master crafted item quickly attached to his ear, and wires spread across it, covering it up entirely. I nodded to myself. "Alright! Test Subject #41 is a success! Now then, let the mechanics do their work, and affix the Master Control Rod to me." I sat down on another table, and the Servitor walked over to me, carrying a earpiece similar to my own, except this one pulsed a dark red. The Servitor stared at me. "Are you certain, Cydash?" It asked. I nodded. "Begin implantation. Lowering pain receptors to zero." It droned on, quickly removing my other ear and swapping it out with the new one. The whole time Firefly regulated the process, and when she finished, the new ear was in place. "New ear mechanism installed. Beginning calibration process. Connecting Main Control Node to the Eye. New data regulated. Beginning activation. Code 224yRBCD. New ear transplant uploading internal upgrade node. Linked. Congratulations, the new implant has successfully integrated with your main control node. In order to use the internal upgrade machine, please deposit any form of metal, and what design you wish to use. Rainborg Corporation is not responsible for the death or destruction of pony life and/or property. Please use responsibly." Firefly droned through the various things I implanted into the control node. "Yeah yeah, blah blah. Better report to Ahriman of my success with fully integrating a pony with new Cybernetics." I quickly activated my vox link. Ahriman was apparently busy, and wants to leave a message. "Ahriman, this is Rainborg Cydash. My pony - cyborg integration project was a success. We can now begin the transplants at any time." I cut the link, and returned to the table. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Ahriman's POV "So, Discord, you've finally returned." I said as the Draconequus stepped out of the portal. "Why yes, I have. So, now what? Some checkers? A good old game of Regicide?" He asked, the fame boards appearing in front of us. "Sorry, but no. We have bigger fish to fry. Like removing Celestia." I told him. He nodded solemnly. "I supposed it was only a matter of time. So, what do you want me to do?" He asked, all form of being funny flying out of him. Literally. "I'm leaving Commander Fleet Blade in command for a bit. I will be leaving for a bit, along with Khârn, Zhufor, Khadeth, Midnight, Rainborg, a squad of her new Cyborg soldiers, and The entire First Company to fight in a Shadow War soon. Hopefully, we can defeat Celestia before then. If we do, then I can focus the entire Legion onto this. That's where you come in. If we leave, you are to place the universe in a time stop until we return. That way, nothing will have changed between the two times." I told him. "So, what you're saying is, you want me to keep the entire universe frozen in time until you return. I suppose I could do that." He replied. I nodded. "Then get ready." I marched down into the commons area. When I arrived, everybody was there, standing at attention. Khârn, Zhufor, Khadeth the Dreadnought, Midnight, Applejack, and Rainborg stood on the stage, as well as the leaders of each nation. "Greetings, Warriors of the New Black Legion! I come bearing news. Soon, we will march upon Canterlot, and destroy them once and for all! But also, we have another threat. A friend of ours from another universe, named Darth Folteren, asks for our aid. He has a major amount of enemies, and wishes that we aid him in his war. A literal god has made it so that none will actually die, and I have made it so that not a single second has passed between then and the end. If we are in the middle of the siege of Canterlot when it happens, we will bring only the First Company. Are there any questions?" I asked. No one raised their hoof, claw, or other. "Then prepare. The Siege of Canterlot begins tomorrow!" I cried, resulting in a cheer from the army. > Chapter 25.5: In the Rainborg Factory.... > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainborg's POV I double checked all my upgrades. It had been a month since the encounter with Rainbine. I always had my weapons on me, just in case the Shadow War began. And, in my spare time, I had upgraded myself with lots of upgrades. I recently installed a teleportation pack, and through test results, it worked fine. As for my Cyborg Army... Ahriman let me use the forges on the ship. I proclaimed it the Rainborg Factory. I had gotten a few workers there to help with the production, and an entire staff of medics to assist in the implant mentioned faze. Our overbearing number of prisoners slowly dwindled to about twenty percent of its original form. We now had two types of cyborgs: Close Combat, and Longe Range. They all had assault AI implanted in them to override most brain control. The close combat type units had Chainswords, Chainaxes, and much more. Long range had pretty much every type of weapon imaginable. Granted, they could only carry one weapon, but together as a squad they could decimate most fortresses. The newest batch of cyborgs just dropped off the line. "Rainborg, our records show that our prison cells are at nearly zero capacity. At this rate, we will need more prisoners. And your upgrades are showing remarkable adaptations to the Astartes Organs. The Larramans Organ has shown no mutations as of yet, and has been working to full capacity. The multilung is filtering out any and all poisons from the air of the factory, and you are more healthy than ever. And the Melanochrome is working at its top ability. Your cybernetic upgrades , such as the Motion Sensor, have been working at full capacity. No signs of viruses detected, besides the Scrap code that Ahriman insisted you were implanted with. As such, this 'ScrapCode' has wormed it's way through all systems, but has only small side effects. But the strange thing is, it's almost....alive." Firefly reported. "Oh, it is. Ahriman told me about it while you were being recalibrated. Said it's a strange intelligent virus that is possessed by daemon, and will assist me in any way possible. Hell, he said it can even damage enemy systems by spreading through communication, and can severely damage enemy systems. And it absorbs other viruses." I told her. The AI looked stunned. "That is... an impressive weapon to use against our opponents. I am amazed by this, and will avoid contact with it at all costs. I don't want a virus with that kind of power to get to me." She replied. I nodded. "Don't worry. I told it to not damage you. Or even touch you. You'll be fine." I told her, and she sighed in relief. "Anyways, the next deployment is..... Canterlot." She continued her report. I stared at her. "What?" I asked. "Canterlot. There is also an order for everyone to report to the commons area. Immediately." She confirmed. I stopped in my tracks. "Well shit. Better get to that." I muttered, before running towards the commons area. > Chapter Twenty Six: The Fall Of Canterlot, part I > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahzek Ahriman walked around the strategium of the Scion, observing his lieutenants and commanders as they made battleplans for the upcoming battle. He would occasionally give them his advice, directing them away from plans that would lead to an eventual defeat. Over a dozen commanders from every nation who joined Ahriman’s Legion were gathered around a large hololith, which displayed a flickering holographic image of the mountain of Canterlot and the surrounding area. The Sorcerer had been required to show his servants how to operate it, which had taken time, but it appeared that they had gotten the hang of it “Ahriman.” One of the griffin Commanders spoke to the towering Space Marine. Sharp Beak, the Sorcerer recalled. “It is likely that the ponies will likely attempt to fortify the town Ponyville. It is one of the few places with an easy path to Canterlot itself. We should strike there first, secure our road to Canterlot, and then strike at the palace itself.” “Forgive me, Beak, but that is an unwise move.” Ahriman replied, coming forward towards the hololith. “The path from Ponyville to Canterlot is a narrow one. Our infantry and vehicles will be slaughtered up to the front gate if we take that road.” He raised his hand, and the hologram bent to his will, images of different Legion forces appearing in the hologram. “I propose we strike at both Ponyville and Canterlot at once. The Griffons and Changelings will strike at Canterlot, while those without wings will strike the town. I shall have Khârn, Rainborg, and Zhufor lead the assault on Ponyville, while Midnight and I shall lead the assault on Canterlot.” “Yes, my lord.” Sharp Beak nodded after a moment. “And what will happen once either objective has been destroyed?” “If Ponyville is captured, then head to Canterlot. We should have the enemy preoccupied enough to let the ground forces pass unhindered.” Ahriman replied. “I shall assign battlefield objectives to all attacking Canterlot, while Rainborg will inform the Ponyville battlegroup of their roles. Is that understood?” He turned to the rest of the soldiers in the room. “Yes, Ahriman!” They all responded, giving him a brisk salute.  “Good. Now then, Lieutenant Tempest, I would like you to lead the attack upon the barracks.” Ahriman began giving orders to the many commanders in the Strategium, highlighting their targets, or targets of opportunity. He would also estimate how many soldiers each task would require, and how many he could provide.  This went on for a few hours, until finally the preparations were ready. Khârn roared with glee as he smashed his armorless fist into Zhufor’s face, sending the bulkier Khornate reeling backwards. Zhufor recovered quickly, backpedaling before sidestepping another punch from the World Eater. He lunged forward, barreling into Khârn and slamming him against the blackened walls of the fight pit. “You’ve gotten better, you miserable skulltaker.” Khârn laughed as they backed away from each other, taking a moment's reprieve from their sparring.  “And you have gotten weaker.” Zhufor spat out a glob of blood. “If I had been fighting the real Betrayer, I would have already been defeated. Scum like you is unworthy of Khorne’s praise.” Rage rushed into the Berzerker, but before Khârn could respond, someone from up above cleared their throat. Both marines looked up to see Rainborg hovering over the fight pit, an irritated look on her semi-robotic features. “If the two of you are done with your petty squabbles, we’ve a war to finish off.” She grumbled. “Everyone else was debriefed twenty minutes ago.” “Then why are you only now informing us?” Khârn asked.  “I’ve been trying to talk to you for the past twenty minutes.” Rainborg growled back. Zhufor growled back. “What makes you think that you have any right to give us orders, whelp?”  “Ahriman gave me that right.” Rainborg replied, not taking too kindly to Zhufor’s insult. “And the fact that I am the only competent leader in our part of the invasion, you bloodthirsty bastard.” Zhufor glared at her, before turning and exiting the fighting pit. “Just point me to the next slaughter, Warpsmith. And pray to the gods that I don’t claim your skull for Khorne as well.”  “As if you’d even be able to.” Rainborg grumbled as he left, before turning to Khârn. “We’re going to be attacking Ponyville, while Ahriman and Midnight take the fighting to the Princesses themselves.” “Ponyville?” Khârn growled. “You horses are terrible with names. But wasn’t that your hometown?” Rainborg flinched, and Khârn noticed a hint of regret in her eyes before they went back to being angry. “Yes, it was. Which is exactly why the Sorcerer is sending me there. My knowledge of the area will at least allow me to guide your raving lunatics in the right direction.” Khârn laughed, the noise booming loudly thanks to his armor. Rainborg flinched from the sheer volume. “Very well! We shall raze that pathetic village to the ground, and build a monument to Khorne out of the skulls of its people!” Rainborg nodded after a moment, then turned to leave. “Just make sure you don’t have sentimentalities about the place. If I find you helping the enemy, I will kill you.” Khârn said with a sudden coldness that sent a shiver down Rainborg’s back. “R-Right.” Rainborg said, before exiting the room. Canterlot was in a state of evacuation. Ponies flooded the streets, carrying belongings and whatever they could carry, while the Royal Guard watched on from above, occasionally stopping fights from breaking out. Many buildings had been repurposed, houses set up with heavy turret emplacements, restaurants becoming munition stockpiles or set up as emergency hospitals for the coming battle.  Celestia watched from one of the many windows of the castle, worry plastered upon her white muzzle. She jumped a little when she heard Luna appear behind her, accompanied by a burst of blue light from a teleportation spell. “Sister, the new fortifications are nearly complete.” Luna said, moving to join her sister in looking over Canterlot. “And the civilians have mostly been evacuated. We cannot give an estimate of when they will all be gone, but we must have the streets clear before the next morning. These ‘mines’ our ponies found in the weapons vault will be well used during the battle.” Celestia sighed, shaking her head. “Luna, is this truly the best course of action? Surely we could mount a defense away from Canterlot and Ponyville…” “And give up an advantage our home gives us?” Luna asked. “No. We need every advantage we can get when it comes to fighting Ahriman.” Celestia sighed again, understanding what Luna meant. “Very well. Shall we retrieve our armor then?”  Luna nodded. “It is likely we will have to fight that accursed Sorcerer ourselves. Our magical powers may be vast, but the armor will greatly help.” “Just like it did against the Everchosen…” Celestia nodded. “Has the Guard learned how to use those ‘lasguns’ yet?” Luna laughed a little. “Only barely. You really should have unlocked the armory a lot sooner.” “But the balance-“ Celestia began, but was cut off by a hoof from her sister.  “Yes, I know. As our parents said, we must not upset the balance of the project.” Luna nodded. “But I doubt our ponies will be able to properly use these weapons in time.” “Yes, I know…” Celestia looked longingly to the horizon. “To think that all of this started from something so simple as a sisterly squabble…” “Indeed… things should never have escalated to the point that they had.” Luna nodded, before her expression turned a bit dark. “Speaking of the balance, sister… We have heard some unsettling rumors regarding thee.” “Luna, you know better than to listen to rumors.” Celestia chastised her, turning from the window and heading towards the throne room. Luna swiftly followed, the younger alicorn keeping pace. “Sister, did you truly threaten the other races with the sun if they did not give aid to Equestria?” Luna asked, and Celestia stopped dead in her tracks. “I…” She sighed in defeat, knowing she couldn’t lie to her sister. “Yes.” Luna stepped back from her sister, appalled. “Why would you do such a thing?” “Equestria was in the middle of an economic crisis, Sister.” The Sun Princess began, continuing towards the throne room. “Resources were being used far too quickly, and soon Equestria would have nothing left but dust. I went to every nation, begging for them to lend Equestria as much resources as it needed until our farms could recover.” Celestia paused as the gates to the throne room swung open, and the two Princesses went inside. “But barely anyone gave their aid. Those that did delivered only the barest minimum of food and the other essential resources we required. Eventually, I grew desperate, and… well, you know what happened next.” “Indeed, Sister.” The first sign that an attack was underway was when the sky went dark. Several trenches had been dug up all around the village,  now filled with the bodies of hundreds of ponies of all races, carrying lasguns designed with the equine form in mind and wearing uncomfortable flak armor. The laser rifles were affixed to the soldiers, their sticky barrels jutting out over the lip of the trench while the trigger lay uncomfortably in their mouths. Many of the ponies were volunteers, ready to give their lives for their families and for Equestria. Many less were soldiers from the Royal Guard, sent to defend Ponyville and to take command of any who would aid in the defense. The majority of them were held up within the dozens of battle tanks behind the trenches. Dragged to the front line by unicorns and their magic, very little was understood about their mechanisms, save how to load them, fire their cannons, and rotate the weapon turrets.  Their blocky and terrifying presence cast a shadow over the back line, though many found them to be a comfort.  But when the light of the sun suddenly vanished, the soldiers of the trenches looked up in confusion.  Above them,  hundreds of multicolored dragons, feathery griffons, and the buzzing black chitin swarm of changelings flew above them, practically blocking out the sun with their bulk.  The soldiers began to raise their guns, only for lasgun beams to strike out from the forest, sending dozens of ponies backwards into the trench, some getting lucky with only scorch marks on their armor, while other, less fortunate ponies screamed in agony as they found fresh holes burned straight through their bodies. Even less fortunate soldiers ended up with a hole in their head. As the ponies reoriented themselves and began to fire at the forest, a group of heavily armored creatures of varying race rushed out of the forest, lead by the blood red Khârn. He roared as he charged, laser beams bouncing off of his armor as the sound of his cry of rage caused many ponies to turn and flee. The berzerker crashed into the first trench line within moments, far ahead of his band of followers. “F-For Equestria!” A terrified yet brave Pegasus cried, before charging Khârn, a blade attached to the end of his lasgun. He died before he could even comprehend the massive chainaxe swinging towards him, the front of his body torn to shreds in a single pass along with five others.  “Blood for the Blood God!” Khârn roared, every swing of Gorechild eviscerating a pony as he tore the first line apart.  By the time his band of screaming lunatics arrived, leaping into the trench, they had already lost a quarter, and Khârn was already practically done cleaving through them. The ground was slick with fresh blood while Khârn leapt up out of the trench, chasing after fleeing ponies. Ahead, several gun turrets began to turn towards the raging red berzerker, the turn slow and clunky as the ponies struggled with the ancient controls. Unbeknownst to them, they were also fighting the almost prehistoric machine spirits, who were enraged that they were forced into awakening without the proper rites.  Before they could properly fire, several missiles suddenly tore into the hull of these ancient, boxy tanks, destroying the turrets of the second line’s tanks and detonating their ammunition. The tanks exploded in a shower of shrapnel, killing many and wounding dozens more. Khârn dropped into the second line as Rainborg recalled her Rainbine Detonator, her front left hoof reforming into her U-Blaster. She dropped down into the trench line, raising her blaster and launching the deadly boomerang-like disc, the projectile decapitating or cutting straight through dozens of ponies before returning. “Lieutenant Long Shot, first trench is clear.” Rainborg called into the vox channel for the command staff. “Second trench will be cleared shortly.” Demolisher Cannons fired overhead, tearing into the Everfree Forest. Contact with the Griffon Lieutenant was cut moments later. “Dammit! 2nd Lieutenant Firestorm, tell those fuggin’ Heavy Support teams to set up their Lascannons! If I have to deal with those tanks myself, I’m going to take the heads of every single one of you!” She took to the skies again, quickly scanning for where to strike next.  “Zhufor, this is Rainborg.” She spoke, contacting the Terminator-clad berzerker via a private vox link. “Input the coordinates I am sending you into the teleporter. I have identified a target worthy of your attention.” There was a gruff reply on the other end before the link was cut. “Damned Khorne Worshippers…” she ducked as several lasers flew past her, tearing a few unlucky changelings some new holes. Canterlot Midnight cackled as she flew past a line of Royal Guards, the ponies losing their heads as they turned towards her, and away from the magical blades behind her.  “We’re these mortals always this easy?” Midnight asked herself as a squad of Pegasi charged her, spears raised and aimed towards her head. The Daemon Princess raised her new hand, and a barrier of pure energy sprung up between them. The Pegasi tried to turn away, but three were far too close to evade the barrier. They flew into the barrier, passing through without difficulty. They could not even get a scream out as their bodies turned against them, and they began to fall apart, quickly turning to nothing more than dust in the wind.  “Come then, servants of my former teacher.” Midnight taunted the remaining five pegasi with a single clawed finger. “Come! I shall take your souls and offer them up to my new Teacher!” Some of the Pegasi paused, shock lining their faces as they recognized the creature before them.  “Tw… Twilight?” One asked in shock, lowering his spear.  Midnight laughed as she was finally recognized. “Yes! I am the one formerly known as Twilight Sparkle. Celestia is a fool who could not  comprehend the true potential I had, but my new teachers have awakened that potential! Gaze upon my brilliant new form, a gift for my service to Tzeentch!” Midnight spun around, showing these mortals what she had become. “But of course, this is not my true form! You are not worthy of seeing such a magnificent sight!” “You… you are an abomination!” One of the Guards roared, rushing forward. Midnight raised a psychic shield, but it was too late as the spear tore into her side, breaking through her armor and drawing glowing purple blood. “Aaaaugh!” Midnight screeched loudly, reeling backwards as she held her bleeding side, her body convulsing as if it were threatening to grow outside of itself. She held control of her body however, her eyes glowing bright red with her unbridled fury. “How dare you! Pathetic mortal!” Midnight roared, a clawed hand rushing out and grabbing the Pegasus’ neck. As the others in the squad rushed forward to help, she turned her glare to them, and within moments they all were set alight with burning blue flames. As they screamed in agony, Midnight turned back to the struggling pegasus in her grip. “You will suffer for what you have done. Your death will not be swift, nor will it be painless. Every atom in your body will feel an agony the likes of which you will never have known before. And once you die…” She grinned savagely as she looked into his fearful eyes. “Then I will make your soul suffer for all eternity. There will be no escape for scum such as you.” “Lord Ahriman, Midnight is no longer responding to calls.” One of the changelings informed the Sorcerer as he walked through a blood-soaked street, the blade of his staff easily cutting through stone as he walked towards the castle. “We last heard she was wounded.” Ahriman made an odd wheezing noise repeatedly. It took the changeling a moment to realize that the Space Marine was laughing. “She must be taking vengeance upon the mortal who wounded her… leave her be. I do not need her for what is to come.”  “And what is that, my lord?” The Changeling asked. He could not see it, but underneath his helmet, Ahriman was smiling. “The death of a nation.” He said, raising his staff. “Inform your Queen that she shall personally see to it that my arrival at the castle is unhindered. I do not wish to waste my strength on these weaklings.” “Y-yes, Lord Ahriman.” The Changeling nodded, but before it could buzz away, one of the buildings to Ahriman’s left was destroyed in a explosion of dust and rubble.  “Bring… me… Ahriman!” A deep and robotic voice roared as a massive rotary cannon swung out from the dust cloud, whirring as it opened fire in Ahriman’s direction. The Sorcerer raised his hand, and moments before the projectiles tore into him, they were caught by an electrical barrier right in front of him. Out from the dust cloud lumbered a massive bipedal walker, the Assault Cannon smoking as it ceased its barrage. Heavily armored legs slowly moved the machine towards the Astartes, and its left arm ended in a power fist that flexed its fingers out. The body of the walker was bulky, with what looked like a helmet protruding with a metal halo surrounding it. “Bastard…” It growled as the bullets caught in Ahriman’s barrier detonated, leaving the two to stare at each other. “You corrupted… my sister!” The Contemptor Dreadnought swung its fist at Ahriman, though it soon found its arm unable to move mere feet away from the Sorcerer, who bent his psychic powers towards holding the devastating weapon back. “Ah, Shining Armor…” Ahriman finally recognized the soul piloting the ancient machine. “I was not the one to turn Twilight against you all. You can thank your princesses for that!”  “Cease your lies!” The twin Boltguns inside the dreadnought’s fist roared, too close for Ahriman to block them. He roared in pain as the bolts detonated against his leg, wounding him. The distraction was enough, as the force keeping Shining’s fist back faltered, and it slammed into the Sorcerer, throwing him backwards. Ahriman groaned in pain as he slammed into the pavement, cracking it under his weight. He pulled out his pistol, snapping off a few shots at the Dreadnought rushing towards him. The bolts impacted a shield around the machine, doing no damage as Ahriman got to his feet. “Fine then… I’ll ensure you stay dead this time!” Ahriman declared, and the fight was on. > Chapter Twenty Seven: The Fall of Canterlot, Part II: The Final Confrontation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Khârn grunted in pain as bolts thudded into his armor, the detonations breaking bone as he rushed a Heavy Bolter emplacement. His vision was red as the Nails dug into his mind, driving him further down the crimson path as he rammed the heavy weapon, scattering the ponies who were desperately trying to kill him. He tore the Heavy Bolter apart, roaring triumphantly as the ponies regrouped.  The raging berserker didn’t care, but the battle was going only slightly in their favor. The trench lines had been taken with only large casualties, but the real battle was inside the village. Of the spearhead of warriors who had dedicated themselves to the Blood God, Only Khârn survived, the rest having died trying to leave the trenches. The soldiers previously hiding in the Everfree had moved up into the trenches, and were only starting to trickle into the village in minor scouting squads.  Above, Rainborg tried once again to get Khârn to follow even a single order, but the screams of pure rage filling her vox quickly made her realize just how much of a fool’s errand that was. Zhufor had teleported into the center of Ponyville along with a dozen or so dragons with heavy battle armor, and was busy clearing the square of ponies. The dragons bore bolt pistols and power swords, though they mostly just used the blades, as their own natural fire breathing gave them a much better ranged weapon. “Zhufor, once you’ve finished wiping out the town square, move to Target Theta and continue the fight.” Rainborg ordered. “Of course!” Roared Zhufor as he buried his axe in the hide of a fleeing unicorn, the buzzing blades quickly tearing through her armor and organs before cutting her messily in half. She died screaming. “Khorne shall scarcely be pleased by these meager offerings! I shall turn this pitiful village into a monument to the Blood God!” “Yeah, sure. Whatever you say. I shall give you your next orders once Target Theta is destroyed. Khârn should be near your position, so see if he can help.” Rainborg’s  voice crackled in the vox, before it was cut. Zhufor raised his power fist, firing a quick burst from the combi Bolter into the rears of fleeing ponies. He laughed at the carnage surrounding him, and almost didn’t noticed the agonized cry of one of the Drakeguard. He turned around to see a bisected dragon writhing on the bloodied ground as the life fled from his eyes, his legs and tail a few feet away. Running over the dying lizard, Khârn ran towards the other Khorne Berzerker, an earsplitting roar erupting from his box grill as he fired his plasma pistol. Zhufor barely got out of the way of the superheated plasma blast, which tore through the building behind the Terminator lord. “Khârn! What in Khorne’s name are you doing?!” Zhufor demanded, only just managing to block a strike from the oversized Chainaxe with his own.  Khârn’s response was another scream of rage, and Zhufor could feel blood trickling out of his ears as Khârn spun around, Gorechild moving too fast for Zhufor to block as it rammed itself into his side, tearing through armor and ripping through flesh. The heavily armored space marine roared in pain as he slammed his power fist into Khârn, sending him reeling back. “Drakeguard, Khârn has gone insane!” Zhufor yelled as he clutched his side, though his enhanced physiology had already begun to heal the wound. “Bring him down!”  The nine remaining dragonic warriors turned to look at the crazed Berzerker, before charging once they saw the body of their fallen kin. Fire shot from their mouths and engulfed Khârn as they rushed him, swords raised to be brought down upon Khârn. Unfortunately for them, he flung himself out from the flames, barreling into one of the Drakeguard and crushing him under his weight. His exposed arm had been charred black, but other than that he suffered no damage as his axe found another victim, splitting the dragon from the dragon’s groin all the way to his head in a spray of freshly spilt gore.  The others flinched at the sight of their fellows being butchered in such a way. That costed them dearly, as the raging berzerker melted their breastplate to their chest with a quick shot of his plasma pistol, and cut another in two from his abdomen.  It was here when Zhufor intervened, barreling into Khârn and driving his axe into the downed berzerker’s breastplate. Khârn roared in pain, before firing his pistol point blank into Zhufor’s shoulder. The pistol whined, before a blast tore through the Terminator Armor and melted through his flesh and bone. Zhufor roared in pain as he staggered backwards, and Khârn pressed the advantage, jumping up and tackling Zhufor. Before the Terminator could force Khârn off of him, the Khornate champion’s axe tore through his left shoulder, cutting his arm from his body as Khârn kicked it away. “Khârn…!” Zhufor tried to call to his attacker, but before Khârn could raise his axe for a finishing blow, the tip of a power sword burst through his already ruined breastplate, and Khârn roared, swinging around and crushing the skull of the Drakeguard with his bare fist. He rushed off into the remaining few Drakeguard, who stood no chance against the fury of the berzerker.  “Khorne damn you…” Zhufor grunted through the pain of his missing arm, hefting his chainaxe rather clumsily. “Kh...Khârn!” He roared, knowing that there was no reasoning with the berzerker any longer. “By Khorne, I swear that your corpse will hang atop my armor by the end of this day!” With that declaration made, he charged the Khorne berzerker for what he knew would be his final fight. “Blood for the Blood God!” “Skulls for the Skull Throne!” Khârn bellowed, finishing the warcry as he rushed towards Zhufor, the first words he had spoken throughout this fight. Power armor smashed into terminator armor, and chainaxe met chainaxe as the two Warriors of Chaos clashed. Ahriman grunted as a stray bolt pierced his leg, before unleashing his psychic might upon the Contemptor, black lightning tearing through the air and cutting into Shining Armor’s leg plating, damaging the servos and pistons beneath.  The Dreadnought slumped forward as its leg faltered, it’s assault cannon just barely missing the Sorcerer as it pummeled the marble construct next to Ahriman into dust.  “I must admit, mortal.” Ahriman growled, using his powers to slam the ancient dreadnought with several tons of marble. “Your desecration of such a powerful weapon angers me. Where did your foul masters find such an ancient machine?” Shining Armor burst through the blocks of marble, his golden exterior scratched and dented. “That is none of your concern... Monster.” Shining growled, as he raised his rotary cannon to fire again. Before he could fire another deadly salvo, however, the body of the Dreadnought was suddenly engulfed by a devastating blast of technicolor magic, sending it crashing to the ground as Midnight dropped down next to Ahriman, her horn crackling with energy. “To think that I failed to kill him…” Midnight growled, her arms bulging as her hands turned to long, impossibly sharp talons.  “Midnight, I leave this matter to you.” Ahriman grunted as he began to walk away. “Make sure he stays dead this time. I shall deal with the Princesses.” Midnight nodded, using a mix of magic and her newfound psychic power to form a barrier around her changing form, before charging Shining Armor, bullets bouncing off her shield as she slammed into his armored body, the ceramite melting as it made contact with the immaterial energies. “Twi...ly.” The machine groaned as it backed up, its assault cannon whirring. “What… have they done… to you?!” Shining Armor asked as he fired his weapon, peppering her shield with explosive shots.  “I have obtained powers far beyond anything Celestia could dare attempt to wield.” Midnight growled as her neck stretched outwards, feathers growing from her flesh as her face elongated, growing a large avian beak in place of her mouth while the rest of her body bulged out, stretching the confines of the shield. Her legs whined and cracked as they reshaped themselves, bones grinding and snapping angrily as they regained an equine-like state, though now with three long Talons sprouting from her feet. “Those worthless vermin dared to limit my knowledge of all of reality, to deny me what I am destined for! But now I am enlightened to the true masters of the universe… and I shall make that useless wretch beg for my forgiveness before I torture her soul for all eternity!” Inside the casket entombed within the Dreadnought, Shining Armor stared, horrified at what his sister had become. Purple flesh pulled itself taught over bulging muscles that broke through bright purple armor with dozens of etched runes that glowed with unholy power, while a pair of bat-like wings stretched out to their full length behind her. Her hands had grown into talons, each as long as a space marines arm, and sharp enough to cut through reality itself. “But come now, brother.” Midnight cackled, now just as tall as the ancient machine as she extended a clawed hand towards her brother, the shield disappearing. “You need not share in the princesses’ fate, Shiny.” Her voice had grown deep, with hidden tones of malice and a lingering smirk in every syllable. “Join me, my brother, and perhaps my Master may grant you the same gifts as they have to me!” “I…” Shining Armor hesitated for a moment as he took in the abomination his sister had become. Somewhere deep inside him, he wanted to join her. Just the feel of her magical prowess after getting these “gifts” was enticing enough. But he crushed those thoughts before they could gain any footholds within his mind. “You… have become an abomination! I will... never join you!” The former captain of the Royal Guard bellowed as he fired his Assault Cannon, pummeling his former sister with hundreds of bullets as she screeched in pain. “Damn you!” Midnight roared as she lunged at him, moving far faster than what Shining Armor’s sensors could keep up with. Her claws suddenly were upon him, tearing their way through his armored plates and ripping out the front in its entirety. Black and oily blood leaked from a dozen holes in her arms as she held his gaze, power hungry eyes meeting fearful ones. “I was trying to save your worthless soul, but now I see that you crave damnation! So as a parting gift from your loving sister, I shall grant you what you desire!” Midnight growled, before crushing the life from him slowly and painfully. A group of about a few dozen Royal Guardsponies stood before Ahriman, a ring of dead Changelings and griffons surrounding the entrance to the Princess’ castle. The moment they saw the horned Sorcerer moving towards them, they raised their lasguns and fired, bright red beams tearing through his cloak and pinging against his armor, though they could not find purchase. Ahriman responded, bending the powers of the Immaterium to his will and rending the energies around his staff. The jeweled eye in his staff began to glow a bright green, and the psychic powers took a physical form, purple lightning crackling between the twin horns of his staff before Ahriman unleashes the fury of the Warp at his foes. Lightning tore through their ranks, vaporizing many  before they could blink. “Weaklings!” Ahriman growled as he cast another spell while the guards attempted to regroup. The sky above darkened, black clouds forming overhead. Before the guard realized what was happening, bright green streaks of blazing flame crashed into them, obliterating the gate and what remained of the royal guard. As the dust settled and green flames began to spread across the building, Ahriman stepped through the shattered gateway, pulling his bolt pistol out from its holster and making his way to the throne room. > Chapter 30.5:Craig > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahriman's POV            “Okay, so our scouts have located three Blood Alicorn facilities to the north, near the Crystal Empire. Maybe setting up for an assault to reclaim the city. Zhufor, your thoughts?” I explained, pointing at the map before looking at the Chaos Marine.             “I think your logic is sound. They probably will be expecting a fight from the citizens, as everything else has so far. The Crystal Empire, however, will most likely assault the few soldiers we have guarding the city and welcome the Blood Alicorns. We cannot allow them to make a permanent hold on the Crystal Empire.” The massive soldier said, and I stared back at the map, before sensing a portal open up not far from here. Maybe another Displaced.             “Portal breach three miles from here. Zhufor, grab Khârn and Khadeth. I've already signaled Midnight, who is getting Rainborg. Meet at the front of the camp in five minutes.” I ordered, and he went to complete my task. I sighed, before switching to my Warmaster armor and stepping towards the front of the camp. ×××××××××××××××××××××××××× Five minutes later        After everyone had gathered, I teleported us to where I could sense the Displaced’s energy. It felt familiar…        No one else was there. I glanced around, before noticing a small scroll. Unrolling it, I gazed at the contents.            Hello Ahriman,                If you are reading this then I am replying to the challenge that was set when we met previously. I will be with you momentarily, I hope for fair fight, but sadly I know you well enough to not expect that.                                     See you soon, Craig         “Well, I didn't expect him to appear. Or this soon. Then again, a hero’s tenacity knows no bounds… everyone, prepare for combat. It's Craig.” I muttered to myself, before pulling out my power mace and extended my Lightning Claw.         A voice from above us then laughed and said “Am I really that much of a threat?”            “Not really. But all Displaced are to be considered major threats. Even you.” I replied, glancing up.         “Ah, you wound us Ahriman” Craig then lands in front of us and says as smiles towards us, clearly feeling cocky.            “What do you mean, ‘us’?” I inquired.         Craig then smiled and said “Well there is me, Disord, Bii and someone new, but I’ll leave you to figure the last one out.”             “Meh, possession. Not exactly the most common thing Daemons do, but it's around there.” I sighed.         “Nah, I ain’t been possessed, but I ain’t gonna lecture you on what's new.” Replied Craig.             “Well, I suppose the time for talking to end.” I stated, before activating my Mangekyo Sharingan and raising my Lightning Claw. The built-in bolter popped out, before opening fire on Craig, the massive rounds flying straight towards the Displaced Hero.               In that moment, he threw down some sort of smokescreen and hid inside it. Seconds later it dissipated and he was nowhere to be found.           “Midnight, use your eyes.” I ordered. She nodded, before her eyes switched into  their Tenseigan mode and began examining the area. Seconds later there was a flash of light as something smashed into her horn, and it was severed from her head as Craig reappeared a few metres beside her wielding a scorpion Chainsword.    Midnight smiled. “Ah, there you are.” She said, before using her Tenseigan to crush Craig into the ground with gravity. The destroyed remains of her horn dissipated before reappearing upon her head. “I'm not some mortal unicorn, you know. Daemon Princess and all that.” Seconds later there was an ominous laugh from behind her as a voice said “Not bad, Princess, but you really should watch where you aim.”           “Predictable, Craig. Really.” She sighed, right before her staff glowed with raw energy, forming an energy field around her. “I expected you to have known about Byakugan, and come up with a way to counter it. Leading you right into our trap.”         “Are you sure about that? Maybe I have already made a plan? maybe it’s already in motion? how do you know what I am planning?” Said another voice from a different place.             “Daemon Princess of Tzeentch, God of Schemes. That's how.” She raised an eyebrow. “All futures are seen by him. As well as plans.” She teleported next to us. “So, shall we take him out all together? Or all at once?” She asked me.         Craig then laughs and said “I so called that that was going to happen.”             “What, her being used to test if you worth the effort? If so, then good job. You got smarter since the last time we met.” I replied.         “I got smarter since two days ago? That is a surprise.”             “Indeed. Though, I must admit, you surely must realize that we have already learned your location by now.” I smiled. “I mean, we can sense your soul, after all. Add the Mangekyo Sharingan and the Tenseigan, and we could probably still locate you from across the planet.”         “Oh my, you really got us in a corner, whatever shall we do.” Mocked the voice. Seconds later what sounded like a gunshot rang out but seemed to do nothing.            “Sarcasm isn't very becoming of you.” Rainborg muttered, mimicking Rarity perfectly, eyes scanning the area.         There was no reply as a second gunshot rang out from a separate location to before and yet again, nothing seemed to happen.             “Rrggghh, face us you coward!” Khârn shouted, annoyed.             “Fan out. Don't let him mess with you.” I ordered, walking forward. The others nodded before spreading out, weapons at the ready.         Seconds later three gunshots rang out and yet there was still no reply from Craig and nothing happening.            “This is getting ridiculous…” Rainborg growled over the vox, getting annoyed. I simply stopped moving, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. Within my mind's eye, I examined the swirling eddies of The Warp for a sign of Craig.   Seconds later another wave of gunshots was heard, and still nothing was happening.    “Silly rat.” I chuckled in my mind, the thought floating out into the vast Warp. I added a bit of the Rinnegan’s energy to the mix, just to be sure. “Even if you hide your presence, I can still feel your little outputs of energy.” Seconds later four more gunshots were heard then seconds later a loud explosion that caused the ground to collapse creating a giant chasm below us. From what was able to be seen there were multiple tunnels etched into the sides that seemed to lead into a large underground network of tunnels. Right then a voice shouted that seemed to come from all the tunnels at once “I’m done hiding come and get me!” I stared at the tunnels in disappointment. “Do you believe us stupid enough to try to navigate your little labyrinth, little mouse?”   There was then a loud bang from below us as a voice said “Not all of you… but maybe there was never a choice in it for any you?” Seconds later the ground beneath us disappeared as a strange gravitational force pulled us through the holes and then sealed above us, dragging us to different locations in the cave.         “You continue to show your cowardice.” I sighed, shaking my head. I activated a vox channel. “Everyone report.” I ordered, waiting for Craig to attempt to cut the feed.        “I'm ok, Ahriman.” Khârn's voice replied, swiftly followed by the others.        “For now, try to navigate the tunnel. If it all goes to hell, Midnight, then bring down the tunnels. All of them.” I ordered, before cutting the feed. Sighing, I began walking forward, making sure to keep my mental guards up. Remembering a spell I learned from Nightmare, I wrapped myself in shadows, becoming invisible to eyesight. Then I hid my presence in the Warp, and continued on, my heavy boots silent on the stone beneath my feet. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ Khârn's POV      “Jeez, and here I thought I'd get an actual fight out of this.” I growled, activating my night vision.         A moment later a condescending voice whispered “Did you really expect me to fight you all at once little mouse?”           “No. I'm not an idiot. Still, I would have thought a hero to be above little labyrinths and mind games. Isn't that what people like Midnight and Ahriman are for?”         “Does my token say Hero for Hire? No, I never said I was a hero, everyone just assumes I am because I like helping people. But you all forget, I have Discord with me and he’s just the person who likes this sort of thing, little mouse.” mocks the voice.             “Discord? Please. We have an entire planet of his species in our solar system aligned to us. And as funny as you think you are, I've got business to take care of.” I chuckled before walking forward again. “Well done, Just follow the path in front of you and you will find me little mouse.” said the voice once again. “you will get the fight you crave, that I promise you.”      “You know, I'm not an idiot. I know it isn't going to be you, but some little monster. Just because I'm a Khornate doesn't mean I'm a moron.” I growled.         The voice then sighed before saying “I Pinkie Promise that I will be there, the real me, I came her to accept a challenge from a great warrior and I wanted a fair fight, kind of hard to get when you're being attacked from multiple directions.”             “Pfft, I've met ponies with more spine than you. But fine, if you want a fair fight, then we will fight.” I snorted, but continued walking forward. “At least that fucker Jason fought us all at once. Too bad he left.”         “Well i’m no Ben Ten knock off, I’m either leaving victorious or in a body bag.” said the voice.            “I expect you'll be in a body bag by the time I'm done.” I muttered, before walking on.         “We shall see… You know what because I want this to be fair, The area you will be in is made to look like the Everfree Forest. I let you plan what you’ll do beforehand. See you soon little mouse.”             “Oh sure. ‘Let's have a fair fight. In the Everfree Forest, where I have lot's of places to scuttle around, while my opponent has to trudge through a bunch of plant life in power armor.’” I mocked. “That's about as fair as fighting Madara as a normal Earth Pony.” I unhooked my plasma pistol before walking forward.         The voice then sighed and said “Well then I will let you choose the environment we shall battle in, as a gesture of good faith. Where do you want to fight?”             “Well, let me think. Hmm…. Maybe the frozen tundra outside the Crystal Empire? Just an open field with no cover. Perfect for a fair fight.” I answered.         The voice then laughed and said “you shall have your chosen location, I will wait for you just follow the annoying music.” moments later some dreadful music rang out through the tunnel.             I chuckled before walking towards it. Turning off my speaker in my helmet I chuckled again. “Let’s see if this plan bears fruit.” I muttered to myself, while outside of my armor it seemed like I was completely silent.     From what I saw, I guessed I had arrived. Probably the snow that gave it away. “Alright, you fucker, let's end this!” I snarled, honestly annoyed at having to walk all this way. And listening to the music the whole time. I could feel the Nails digging into my brain, demanding a fight.         Moments later Craig appeared in front of me then smiled and said “Welcome little mouse”            “You know I am taller than you, right?” I raised an eyebrow in my helmet. Thanks to Rainborg, a mechanical eyebrow raised outside of my helmet.         “Oh I know, but Discord wanted to have some fun with you, so I let him take control whilst you were on your way here… Sorry for that by the way” Replied Craig.             “Sure you are. So, are we gonna fight?” I asked, getting bored. “When you are ready” Craig then draws two swords from his sides and lowers himself into a deep stance with one sword in front of him and another behind.             “I believe you already know the answer to that, Craig.” I growled, pulling out Gorechild and Gorefather, the massive chainaxes dwarfing his smaller swords. And his body. As my grip tightened, my fingers pressed into the activation button. The twin axes roared with bloodlust as the Mica-dragon teeth blades began tearing through the cold air. Before Craig could blink, Gorechild’s whirling teeth were in his face, hungry for a taste of his blood.               “Just because I'm a giant with two almost equally giant weapons, doesn't mean I'm slow! Astartes biology at it's finest! And also, Power Armor bitch!” I taunted. Craig then just stepped back as one of his swords collides with the Axes but strangely didn't break. He then smiles and says “gift from another Displaced, Scorpion Chainsword adapted to break anything” He then throws his second sword around in an ark knocking my arm slightly upwards as he quickly disappeared into the ground.             “Too bad for you then.” I growled, jumping back. “My axes can't be broken!” He put back Gorefather and replaced it with his plasma pistol. “Now then, little coward, come out!” I roared loudly.         Seconds later a gunshot rang out but this time my plasma pistol fell from my grip and disappeared from sight.            My eye twitched. Putting away my other axe, I growled. “You. Are. Dead.” I growled, the Nails ushering on my rage and coloring my sight red. I felt my armor begin to steam. Or maybe burst into flame. Yeah, that's definitely fire. Craig voice then sighed as I heard him speak “Khârn, you burning up, if you don’t calm down you won’t see what's right in front of you.” “Khorne-Damned psykers fucking with me…” I cursed, forcing myself to calm down. Not easy with the Nails egging on my rage. “I swear, you fuckers are all gonna burn from Khorne's wrath.”         “Khârn look at the floor, your gun is in front of you”            I picked up the plasma pistol. “Focus…” I muttered, reaching out to my mind. I felt the edge of the Blessing of Khorne, activating it. “Well, at least I learned how to do that. Alright you fucker, come out and fight, or else I will find you myself.”         I  felt something touch my back as Craig said “you just needed to ask.”            I ground my teeth in anger as I pulled out Gorechild. Putting away the pistol, I reactivated the axe, before jumping back to deflect whatever attack was coming.         Craig then smiled as his hands smashed into the ground and an arena appeared around us. Craig then looked at me and stated “I don’t ever use the full extent of my powers, but I will fight with all I’ve got from here on out, I wanted this to be a fight that's worth it, a fight between two swordsman… but it’s clear that you are stronger in every way, I know that but I chose to never give up. So come at me with all you’ve got. Give me a battle to remember.”               “I doubt you will remember anything. Everyone who has fought me so far has died.” I grinned, tearing off my helmet. “I'm gonna tear you to shreds!” I leapt forward, plunging my axe into the ground. The teeth tore everything under it to shreds, and I swung at Craig, launching a wave of high-speed rocks flying towards him.         Craig then threw five objects to the sides of the arena that dug into the walls as he disappeared and then seconds later reappeared near the wall behind me. He then brought two fingers to his head and said “ you are truly one of the most powerful people I have ever had the pleasure to meet and I know that you will do your friends well but if you can’t calm yourself easily you have no hope of tracking me… if you want to win this you need to follow my movements carefully… I have no issues with helping my enemy to understand their flaws it is what a teacher does.”               “You'd think that, wouldn't you?” I grinned. “But you forget, I have the memories and experience of Khârn The Betrayer, and he won every battle he faced for ten thousand years.” My arm shot up, lobbing the frag grenade high over my head. I immediately switched around, running behind the explosive as it flew towards it's target. Adding to my assault, I tossed five more explosives to the left and to the right, trapping Craig in a small area.         Craig then sighed as he quickly teleported to another side of the room using the same method as before and then said “You still are not getting the point to this. If you keep running in without considering what I will do next you will not be able to plan the next move.”             I only grinned as I pressed the button in my hand. The ‘grenades’ from before twitched, before flying towards Craig. I placed an extra behind me, then chucked more to each side of the arena. “Who said I was running in without a plan? I just wanted to test how you were vanishing.” I told him.         “So you think you’ve figured it out. Okay then how am I doing it?” Asked Craig.              “Well, it's obvious you're using that teleportation method from DBZ.” I answered, rolling my eyes. “I was the only one who didn't lose my memories, if you remember.”         Craig then laughed and said “Try again, I didn’t use instant transmission, but you are on the right line with teleportation… don’t forget I had to adapt after the no long range teleportation in the war rule.”              “Oh yeah, that reminds me. I haven't tested the teleporter Rainborg made me.” I said, remembering my time in her facility. Sending a signal into my armor through the carapace under my skin, I began to feel all tingly. In a flash, I relocated to one of the corners. Turning around, I chucked a live grenade at it, destroying the wall. “My second guess was the stuff you threw at the wall. Kunai with Naruto stuff I take it?”         Craig then smiled and replied “Well done… you finally understand how i’m moving around, and it only took you four minutes since I placed it down. You are finally looking at the larger picture and thinking about what i’m going to do next.” He then disappears and says “Okay what am I going to do next? You know how I’m moving around so what will my next move be?”            “Duh, you're going to change it around. Do something different. And don't treat me like a dumb recruit. If we were to take memories as an example of age, I'm older than you.” I shook my head. “By the way, are you ever going to react to the flying bombs I sent at you?” I asked as I pressed the detonator. The little bombs had swarmed to the sides of Craig, and now exploded in his face. “Oops, too late.”         Seconds later, there was a laugh, and where Craig was standing was a flicking image that looked like him as Craig said “yes I did react to them… I reacted the second you threw them and oh by the way… five minutes.”            “You know, I am a Space  Marine.  My senses are greater than an average human. Better eyesight, better smell, so I can tell when an opponent moves. Even after the little after image. Now, stop treating me like I just learned how to hold a sword and actually fight.” I growled, punching the after image behind me. “I have been, but I needed to charge this stupid attack, so I was just buying time, I never stopped fighting you… So here is what I had planned from when I started five minutes ago. Special Beam Cannon!” In that instant a purple beam of energy erupted from his fingers and charged towards me. Seconds later I felt something strike me in the back as I heard Craig say “And I learn’t a few other tricks along the way. Rasengan Barrage!” Second later I was catapulted towards the oncoming beam.            “I don't know why, but for a moment there I thought you were going to  use the Spirit Bomb. This is much easier to stop.” I swung Gorechild in front of me, splitting the beam in two. “And I've got to say, that little trick was bad. I've had that same trick happen to me for ten thousand years.” I blinked. “Oh, wait, that's the memories talking. Memories aside, I have seen every trick in the book.”         Craig then looked around then began to applaud me and said “well done… I’m actually impressed… but what did you think about the Shadow Clones?”            “I've fought Daemons that did stuff like that. Many times.” I replied. “Plus, Ahriman knows pretty much every Jutsu known, thanks to his Rinnegan and that book from Madara. He practiced it on me plenty.”         Craig then begins to laugh and points up then says “oh I never said that they were fighting you directly, and you did predict the Spirit Bomb so well done.” He then quickly disappears as a large ball of energy begins to fall towards me.             “Remember when I said that the SBC was easier? I meant it.” I snarled as I pulled out Gorefather  and raised both of the axes. “Alright, let's see if this works!” I jumped up at the ball, my weapons hacking at the energy. The axes tore at the energy, disturbing it's usual flow and redirecting it upwards. Then, switching out for my pistol, I fell back before firing a few bolts of plasma into the hole I somehow made. It made a vwoomp, but did nothing.            “Oh Khorne dammit!” I cursed, putting both weapons away. “Guess it's time to see if that blessing accounts for Ki, or if Khârn has some sort of super endurance!” I was about to close my eyes, but noticed that it was moving upwards. “You have got to be kidding.”         I then heard Craig start cursing as his hands were placed above his head near one of his clones as he was absorbing a second Spirit Bomb.             “Oh like hell you will!” I shouted, firing off shots from my Plasma Pistol, plus a grenade or two. I mostly hit clones. Craig then smiled as a portal opened in front of me as five blue spear like tendrils lashed out at me almost trying to slice at the unprotected parts of my armour.      “Haha, no. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!” I screeched, my axe slicing through the tendrils while firing at Craig with my other hand. Mostly firing in a circle.         Craig then looked around as a dark blue shield rose from the ground deflecting the plasma away from him and instead colliding with some of the incoming plasma canceling each other out.             “Alright that does it. Time to finish this.” I growled, pulling out a grenade. Pressing the button, I threw it at Craig as fast as I could, before flipping around the portal and teleporting to the entrance. The grenade dinged off the shield, before hovering in midair. “Sorry about this!” I called out. “But it seems I have no choice but to use that Vortex Grenade!” The grenade folded in on itself  before erupting in a massive portal of Warp Energy, destroying everything that it touched.         Craig then looked around as he muttered whist abandoning the remainder of the Spirit Bomb “This is getting ridiculous” and with that he teleported once again as he disappeared from view.                  “Welp, I guess I should evacuate.” I pulled out the Homing Beacon, activating it as I ran. Craig then appeared next to me as he grabbed me with one hand and we both teleported out of the room and back onto the surface just in front of where we all fell from originally. He then let me go and landed a few metres away before asking me “are you OK?” “Oh please, it's not like I just activated the one thing that could kill us all as a last resort. Oh wait, I did. Oh well, nothing to complain about.” I replied, stretching. “I'll be back aboard my ship in a few minutes anyway.” Craig then sighed then says “no sense of loyalty to your allies” A screen then appeared in front of him as Ahriman's staff appeared in his hands.            “Oh please, the Homing Beacon in all of our suits get activated after one goes off. They will be pulled along with me. As a side note, because they wouldn't go out and fight, the original Khârn slaughtered most of his own legion, earning him the title, ‘The Betrayer.’ it's in the job description.” I chuckled. “That’s not why I grabbed the staff” He then smashed it into the ground as a large pulse of energy shook the ground below us. “I am trying to siphon of energy from the vortex grenade into my version of the warp”       “Can't be done. At most, it will take your energy. Do you really think we would use the Grenade as a last resort if it could be siphoned by any old psyker? It'll wear out in a few hours. On that note, I wonder if there's a Multiversal law against destroying or altering another Displaced’s world….” I pondered. “Multiversal Lawyers, now that would be something….”         Craig then sighed before stating “At the moment I don’t need to think about a lawyer” He then smashes the staff down as a small portal appears in front of him as he says “Discord… I can’t believe I’m saying this but we need to… lose control in god mode and fly into the center of the storm.”               I just stared at him incredulously before bursting into laughter. “You can't be serious! Ha ha….” My laughter trailed off as I realized he wasn't joking. “Your serious… you really don't know much about these things, do you?” I sighed, putting a hand to my head before continuing. “Look, when a Vortex Grenade is activated, it opens a ‘hole’ to the Warp in realspace, which destroys any troops it comes in contact with. It is a highly unstable Warp Gate, destroying everything it comes into contact with. All matter and energy is drawn through the vortex and consumed by the energies of the Warp, Empyrean, and many more names. Entering that is to not only see the Warp, but to become nothing in it's endless currents. In other words, it's more suicidal then detonating a nuclear bomb five feet away from you.”         Craig then smiled, before replying. “Maybe… but you don’t know me as well as you think you do” Seconds later he jumped into the portal and disappeared.              “Well, at least we no longer have to deal with him, should the need arise. Now we just need to get Jason to jump in one…” I shook my head, before the faint tingle of teleportation came over me, and I reappeared next to the others on our Chaos Battle barge, The Scion of Prospero. Ahriman looked over at me.               “Did you really have to set off a Vortex Grenade?” He asked, and I nodded.              “He just kept teleporting all over the place, and nearly dropped a Spirit Bomb on me. What else could I have done?” I replied, shrugging.               “I don't know, maybe you could of ran?” Rainborg snarked.               “He warped our planet to his purposes. Which Tzeentch will be very pissed about, I'm sure, but how exactly could I have gotten out of there? He could just lead me back to the arena. Plus, Khornate Pride.” I puffed out my chest a little. Zhufor just sighed, shaking his head. Moments later there was a dark creepy laugh that then said “Khornate Pride… what a joke, Pride, what a waste, all that will ever do will cause you to make mistakes.”       “Ok, Craig, or Craig’s Discord, or whatever. First off, fuck off, and secondly, how the hell did you survive jumping into a unstable Warp Gate produced by a Vortex Grenade?!” I growled. The Voice then laughed and said “Wouldn’t you like to know and nah I’d say you’ve got more to worry about than me surviving that pathetic excuse for a grenade.”         A whistle blew out from nowhere. “All right, that is enough!” A zipper appeared in the air, before pulling down. A small portal to some unknown dimension without form opened, and a Draconequus stepped out, wearing a police officer uniform. “Mr. Discord, my boss Tzeentch is pretty angry at you at the moment. Let's see here...violation of his planet, playing mind games in his universe, and insulting one of his more powerful weapons. What do you say to that, little guy?” Discord asked, pulling out a clipboard and reading the contents.         The voice then laughed and said “You think I care you try to do anything and you put Craig who is unaware what's happening by the way in danger… so are willing to risk the life of an innocent boy to get me to say that I’m sorry… you have no chance.”             “Okay, little boy, here's the thing. I may bear the same name as you, maybe the same form, but here's where your real problem is: I'm from a alternate universe from yours, mostly influenced by the Warhammer 40k universe. And this universe saw fit to make me a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch. So, as one of the greatest types of Daemon, I could honestly care less about the life of one little boy from a different universe. Also, as part of your punishment, my boss Tzeentch has seen fit to remove all your powers in the Immaterium. As a side note, your universe no longer has the Warp present.” The Draconequus raised an eyebrow, casually flicking his baton while chewing bubblegum.         “So you're going to make it so Craig can't use the Warp, because I chose to make you suffer… he’s had little control from the beginning he barely knows what's been going on.” Mocked Craig’s Discord “And besides removing my magic will just cause him to kill himself during a power overload.”             “Firstly, we aren't removing your magic, just your link to the Warp. That goes for his too. And even if we were, Tzeentch couldn't care less about one displaced human, as entertaining as they are. He also decided to just consider you both as guilty of these crimes against the Immaterium. And I should note that he wants you put in a bottle for the next few centuries. As a fellow Discord, I asked him to remove that punishment.” The Daemon Discord replied, casually playing basketball with his own head.          Craig's Discord then collapsed as a voice shouted “Discord stop! You’ve caused enough trouble!”         “Screw you Craig I’m taking your body then I’m gonna kill everyone you love maybe your child and then destroy your parents statues and force you to watch, and there is nothing you can do about it”             “Well, he might not be able to, but I sure can. Because you are in my boss’s universe, and he has just decided he has had enough of your bullshit.” Daemon Discord raised his claw, and a empty bottle appeared in midair. “This bottle is impossible to break, and any soul trapped inside can never escape unless Tzeentch allows it. Guess where you're going!”         Craig’s Discord then began laughing and said “You're gonna subject Craig to a life of torture… Ha this is even better, he will never see his daughter again and I will be able to torture him forever. I win.”             “Poor, misguided Draconequus.” Daemon Discord  chuckled, waving his claw in a ‘tsk tsk’ motion. “This bottle can remove a parasite like you from his soul, and then seal only you in. Craig will remain in his body, while you spent an eternity in a bottle.” a dark purple mist began pulling out of Craig’s body,         “No anything but that! You don’t understand what you’ll do to him… without me you're sentencing him to death. I’ve already told you what will happen…. you can’t do this!” screams Craig’s Discord whilst attempting to grab Craig's token to escape.             “Hah! You forgot to notice something, I'm afraid.” Daemon Discord removed the token from the area. “You see, unlike your universe, and many others, where the Draconequus Race has gone extinct, this universe is different. On the planet below, an entire civilization of Draconeqi escaped Equus and began a new life on this planet. I'm certain one will be willing to assist Craig in your place. Toodles! Tell Tzeentch I said hello when you meet him!” The purple mist began collecting inside the bottle, which expanded to take in the rest.         Discord then laughed and said “well looks like you win… but you won’t find one in time to save him… not when he’s already overcharged, he’ll die before someone can save him”             “Poor little guy, you forgot something else! Tzeentch can see every possible future! He had me retrieve one before I arrived!” As Daemon Discord said that, another draconequus appeared, a light smile on his face, before turning into a blob and sinking into Craig. “You lost the moment you got here!”         Craig’s Discord then laughed and said “One day, I will escape and when that day comes I will find Craig again and he will wish he was never born… I swear on my mother's grave”             “Well, even if you do break out somehow, you will be stuck in the Warp, filled with unnatural horrors who would love to get a taste of Draconequus Soul. And even if you somehow survive that, you will have to find a Imperial vessel traversing the Warp, which will have Geller Fields to keep you and any other Daemon out. and the moment you slip through somehow, they will have soldiers ready to destroy your soul and send it right back to Tzeentch, and back at Step One. Oh, and you'd also have to learn how to traverse the Warp. And plus, the Warp in Craig’s universe is gone. Sooo.... your kinda screwed.” He explained as the remainder of the purple mist slipped into the bottle, which then sealed shut. Seconds later Craig's body collapsed on the floor and he curled up into a ball and says “No, please no, not them anyone but them, please don’t hurt them.” over and over. “Ah, little buddy, you don't need to worry about him!” Daemon Discord patted Craig as the bottle fell through a Warp tear. “He is meeting a God who is very angry at him. And don't worry about going crazy, we got a replacement who is much better than that old fart.”         Craig then shivered in fear and asked “what do you mean?” Before noticing who was talking to him and screamed as a blue skin covered him as he faded away into the ground. “Oh please.” Discord grabbed the air, and Craig rematerialized in his paw. “I'm not the smelly old demon who had been trying to mess with you. I'm from Ahriman’s universe. As for the draconequus we put inside of you as a replacement, give him lot's of time to play around during the night, and you'll be fine.” His eyes then turned to pinpricks and said “God no… not him… he’ll kill me. ” “Look kid, I'm only saying this one more time. The guy messing with you is currently in trial for fucking up my universe. The guy we put inside you is a carefree and mostly lazy draconequus who will keep your powers from going wild.” Discord sighed. “It’s not the old guy I’m scared off… It’s Ahriman.” whispered Craig “Him? Please, he has no reason to try to kill you. I read his mind to make sure. And also, he doesn't kill Displaced unless they either have declared war on him, it's in the War of Shadows, they seriously fuck up the universe, or if it's Jason. And you haven't done any of those! Well, you did fuck up the planet, but he knows you didn't really do it.” Discord nodded at Ahriman. “And while you didn't consciously do anything, Tzeentch wants some form of punishment. And that is the removal of the Warp in your universe, and the staff… mostly because of misuse of a special artifact.” Craig then sighed and said “It’s no less than I deserve for what I did… but there is one thing I’d like to do to apologize for what happened.” “Well, alright. Though it had better be quick. Tzeentch's mood tends to swing.” Discord huffed. “Thank you.” Craig then turned to the area he destroyed before opening his hand as it began to glow and the damaged area began to change and revert back to how it was before the fight. He then turns back to Discord and says “Look I'm sorry about everything that happened you shouldn’t have had to save me from him… I should have been stronger, I should have never trusted him from the beginning.” “Do not get all sentimental! The Warp reacts in a negative way to a Displaced’s emotions! And I have to clean it all up!” Discord flicked his fingers, sending Craig back to his own Universe. "Well, now that that's done, we should get back to our assault on the Blood Alicorns." Ahriman sighed as he stood up. I began walking towards the hangar to return to the planet. "Good job, Discord." Midnight stated as she walked by. Suddenly, I felt a tingle, right before being pulled into another universe. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ After War of Shadows Empire Chapter Third POV As the Warriors of Chaos returned to their universe, Khârn and Rainborg began walking towards the Factory, the stump showing where Khârn had lost his arm. "Alright, I'll be about....five hours, give or take, to rebuild his arm." Rainborg called back to the others. "Now, I wonder what is in that message...." "I swear, we get pulled into things way too much." Ahriman sighed, walking towards the bridge. > Chapter Thirty One: The Master of Shadows > --------------------------------------------------------------------------    “Rainborg, how is Khârn doing?” Ahriman asked as he and Midnight walked into The Factory. It was renamed, because ‘Rainborg Factory’ was a terrible name. Thus, it was named simply ‘The Factory’. A eerie song played throughout the vast complex, instilling fear in any living ponies still there, either to work or to become a cyborg. The song was accompanied by a constant thump of a automated assembly line, a massive engine driving a large block into the metal below, forming it into new metal limbs and weapons. An occasional scream could also be heard from one of the many ‘Enhancement Rooms’ in the back of the Factory as prisoners were given new implants and turned into Rainborg’s personal cyborg army. Jason would hate it.        “Oh, hey Ahriman! Khârn's doing fine, the new arm has been fully implanted, and he shall be leaving shortly. I just need to oversee him for the next few days to make sure that it works perfectly. How are you and Midnight?” Rainborg replied, the cyborg pegasus flying up in front of them, covered in grease.        “Me and Ahriman are well, Rainborg.” Midnight answered, examining the assembly line. “We will be leaving for the Rainbow Falls Camp soon, so we came to collect you and Khârn. The Council demands we take action and rid Equestria of the Blood Alicorns as soon as possible, and wish us to send these letters to every nation specified. We will also be moving The Factory with us, so we can continue our creation of ammunition and weapons. As a side note, the Council requests that we send weapons to the Griffon Kingdom, so they can then deliver them to the other nations.”         “Geez, ever since you became a Daemon Princess, you've been all cold and calculating. I'm a cyborg with a emotion filter, and even I can tell.” Rainborg commented.         “We are fighting a war with the Blood Alicorns, and The War of Shadows, Rainborg. There is no time for pleasantries. Gather your equipment, get Khârn, and prepare The Factory for transport.” Midnight stated. Rainborg sighed before nodding. ××××××××××××××××××××××××××××× 2 hours later        “Glad to be out of that stuffy room!” Khârn said as he walked out of the Thunderhawk. Ahriman, Rainborg, and Midnight stepped out after him.        “Oh come on!” Rainborg complained. “The Enhancement Room isn't that bad!”       Before the group could do anything else though, Ahriman felt a familiar tug at the back of his mind. He sighed, collecting Midnight and the other two, before signaling Discord. The Draconequus appeared in front of him.        “Ahriman, buddy! How's it been? Claiming the planet for the Dark Gods still?” He asked, morphing into a redheaded girl with Chaos symbols everywhere. “Wheee tahke this plaahnet for Chaooosssh!” ‘She’ shouted, planting a flag with the Chaos Star emblazoned on it. Discord sighed before reverting back. “I hate Tzeentch for taking your memories. Now all my references are lost on you!” He growled.        “I'm being summoned by a Displaced. You remember our deal?” Ahriman explained, ignoring his prattle. Discord sighed before nodding, snapping his claws. Time stopped.          “Good luck in whatever universe you find yourself in!” Discord called after them as a portal opened up, sucking the four inside. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷         Teridax had not expected such a change in his plans, let alone that they would need changing at all.  Maybe it was due to his arrogant devaluing of the inhabitants of this world, had he truly assumed he could bully his way to the top with small schemes, a force of big scarier dragons, and throwing a few thunderstorms around?  Was Eris as powerful as he expected?  Yes, but she was far more capable than he had assumed. The question was how many of others he had underestimated. Going through his notes on the Equestrian obstacles gave him second thoughts, causing him to revaluation his plans and further notes on them.  He’d been looking at them with contempt and disdain, letting his inner misanthrope takeover and see them not as ponies, but human beings. This was unacceptable of him, that kind of attitude, and could lead to his defeat.  He would not become a cliche movie villain that loses do to petty revenge or miscalculated actions.  All of this time he saw himself as superior, and while that may be true...it did not mean that others were immediately inferior in every way.  Even the most brash of the Elements of Harmony could cause significant harm to him, both her loyalty acting as a tool to lead her into a trap could also become a tool of leadership and encouragement. “Alterations are inevitable,” The Makuta sighed, looking around at the empty room.  Ember was suppose to arrive shortly, her presence was needed in his next steps.  His magical map filed through dozens of different events and locations, the machine glazing over each one.  “While I planned on going solo on this...I think I may have been taking too much of a direct approach.” “You don’t say?” A familiar voice huffed, taking Teridax’s attention away from his research.  He tilted his head in both amusement and somewhat annoyance, getting told the negatives about yourself or your plans by your minions was degrading.   “I’m surprised we don’t have the whole nation of Equestria coming down on us,” The pink dragoness snorted, still ruffled about being turned into a statue.  “With both the shady dragon popping up to make a deal with Equestria about weapons mere days after they were confronted by a new threat.”  The Makuta straightened up a little at her assessment of my blunders. “You’re right--” Teridax tried to say, but was immediately interrupted by a shocked Ember. “Are you saying that I’m right about something,” She questioned skeptically, unsure if she was talking to the egotistical machine she grew to somewhat like, or some kind of replacement sent to test her loyalty to the world.  “And that you were wrong?”  While the expression could not be displayed through normal facial features, The Makuta gave her the impression that he was peeved at her comments. “I’ve been going at it all wrong,” He said, giving Ember Root a look that dared her to make anymore sarcastic comments before he finished.  When a second or two went by, and the dragoness remained silent, he continued.  “I’ve been up close and personal with some of my more major threats, it was probably the table incident that led to Eris pinpointing my location.  Here I am, in a world of magical and susceptible creatures just waiting to be misguided!”  He snapped his fingers, having the table behind him pop out various info-like cards of certain inhabitants of Equestria and beyond. One that seemed to stand out was on Nightmare Moon, the failed usurper of Equestria.  While her plan to take over Equestria was poorly constructed, Teridax could not ignore the power or inner intellect that she could show if her silly goal was not in the way.  Even if her plan had succeeded, he was sure she had a way to preserve Equestria through eternal night.         “So...I don’t know whether to talk that as an insult or not,” Ember Root sighed, giving up on her boss to admit some pros the inhabitants of her world had over him.  “But how do you plan on getting Nightmare Moon with Eris and who knows what is just waiting for you to step out of your bedroom--”         “Evil Lair!” Teridax interrupted, slamming his fist on a nearby table.  He had not adorned the room with lava, black spikes, menacing statutes, and other evil stuff just for people to call it a bedroom! “Whatever,” She huffed, giving the mechanical monster a tired look.  He had shut himself up since Eris came by uninvited, and when he had shown himself, it was only to give orders.  “What are you going to do!?  Hide and leave us in the dark until we too give up?”  Teridax remained silent, not moving as the dragoness began to pace around the room. “So what, someone is able to step up to you and you’re just going to run and hide?”  Ember Root challenged, her spikes standing up to full display.  She had planned and rehearsed what she was going to say to Teridax, how he had left them all questioning their future.  The didn’t rely on him for happiness, nor did they rely on him for strength… But they did rely on him for a plan.  Something to point them to a brighter future for them.  One where they would choose what would happen with their lives, not Celestia of Blackfang. “I admit...I’ve been distant from all of you,” Teridax finally said, walking towards the door that exited his place of dwelling.  “But I assure you, it has been through my need for silence, not fear, that I have remained alone.”  Teridax stared at the door in front of him, somewhat unsure of what will lie beyond it.  He knew that he could still turn back, attempt to return home. He could stop himself from being an abusive jerkass, taking his fantasies out on the innocent inhabitants of this world.  But he knew deep down that this was what he wanted...power, influence, and all of the other benefits that came with his arrival. However, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t choose how he would go about it.  He didn’t need to kill thousands or torture the innocents of the world, he was in a position where only those who proved to be the greatest should meet that fate.  That he was certain of. “I have found artifacts, Tokens if you will, that allow me to call upon powerful beings,” He said, catching the attention of the frustrated dragon.  He had informed her of the Displaced, what they were and both their faults and good deeds.  “As I said before, I have been going about this all wrong.  It’s time to stop pretending to be something I’m not, this malicious monster who sees only reason when bodies fall.  He failed, where I will succeed...through my own way of doing things.” Opening the door, Teridax made his way to the right of the inner sanctum.  Her heard the door close behind him and Ember Root trailing close by.  “What do you plan on doing when you summon these ‘people’? She questioned, unsure of her leader’s actions.  “You said that some were...unstable and could prove unreliable.  How do we best determine that those you call will prove useful to our needs?” “You said to me once that I need to ‘lighten up’ and have ‘fun’,” The Makuta chuckled, his memory of the dragon attempting to get out of work had always been annoying and yet funny.  “Those I plan on summoning will be useful to our cause, but I should atleast have some fun before we get down to business.  I think we should test out our little defense system, don’t you agree?”  She gave him a small smile as he asked about their project. They had constructed a series of puzzles, defenses, traps, minions, and all kinds of obstacles that Teridax had come up with.  Even some of the dragons pitched in ideas...although not all of them were effective.  But they had managed to set up a dimension hole of sorts on the outside of the village and inside the volcano that would teleport the intruder to a series of rooms created by The Makuta himself. “Should I also get the waivers as well?”  She questioned, a large grin emerging from her face.  “Wouldn’t want them to call some lawsuit on you.”  All participants in the testing of their defense systems had been briefed and required to sign legal documents that ensured that they were well informed and that they had personally agreed to participate despite the dangers. “Yeah, that might be a good idea.” Teridax mused, taking out a golden staff.  It was a strange object, the two demonic like horns coming from the golden rod would make anyone second guess those who are called to it.  “Just prep the first room, our friends are about to have a fun time…” With his last order given, a small cloud of shadows consumed the massive machine and took him away. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷     The two Displaced, as well as Midnight and Rainborg, walked out of the portal, scanning the area. A well lit room, with a reddish earthy floor lay before them.  The walls glowed as lava trickled down the cavern.     “Where is the one who summoned us?” Khârn asked, glancing around in slight confusion.  A small chuckle greeted the perplexed group.         “While I would happily greet you in person…” The voice responded, a blurry image forming in front of the party.  It was a single floating mask.  Black in color with two slits with blazing red eyes, it seemed to distort itself every once in awhile.  “But I am unsure of your intentions, should we come face to face.  Although it would be rude not to introduce myself…”         Shadows erupted from the hologram, pouring onto the ground and covering the floor.  “I am he who works in the shadows...a plotter and schemer, one who will bring a world under his iron fist.” The voice boasted, giving off a vibe of egotism.  “I am Makuta Teridax, and I have called you--”         “Would you stop with the monologuing and tell these guys what we want before they blow the crap out of this place,” As second voice took over, the noise of frustrated yelling could be somewhat heard.  After about a minute of what seemed to be struggling, the original voice came back online.         “Okay, you know what...I’m not restarting that,” The voice huffed, the mask slowly circling the group.  “How about you just introduce yourselves?”              “I am Ahriman, Warmaster of the New Black Legion, Herald of Tzeentch, God God of Change, and current ruler of the territories once known as Equestria. I control my world's entire military. As for my compatriots…” Ahriman introduced, letting his allies finish off.               “Midnight Sparkle, Daemon Princess of Tzeentch, Weaver of Fates, God of Sorcery.” Midnight followed up, producing her staff from the shadows.               “Khârn, known mostly as Khârn The Betrayer, Herald of Khorne, God of War, Hate, and a bunch of other titles.” Khârn shrugged. “I lead the dragon portion of the Black Legion. Also, don't let my title say anything about me, I rarely betray people.”                “Rainborg Cydash, Head of The Factory, our portable cybernetic and weapons manufacturing facility. Commander of the Pegasus, Griffon, and Cyborg armies of the Black Legion.” The cyan cyborg declared proudly.         “Tzeentch huh?  Warhammer, I presume,” Teridax guessed.  While he had not been too familiar with the game, some of its lore had come across him during his human days.  “And what do we have here?” He asked, his mask’s hologram floating around the cyborg pegasus.  “Rainbow Dash, is that you?  My oh my, Ahriman...you seem to have got your own little thing going for you.” The shadows that crawled on the floor launched themselves towards one of the walls, creating a small door-like vortex.  “I apologize for any inconveniences, but I seem to have run into a slight...problem.  Such a problem that I seem to need your help.  As I said before, I would enjoy meeting you in person, but I need to put you through a little...test.” The Makuta said, his voice setting of a giddy tone.  It had been a long time since he ran into something new...that wasn’t trying to kill him that is. “So, what do you say, pal?”  He seemed to goad his new ‘friends’.  “You feeling up to some good old fun?”  The lava flow in the room seemed to increase, but not becoming a thing of concern for the party. “Well, I do need to test out the new arm….” Khârn muttered, turning to Ahriman. “What do you think?” He asked the Sorcerer. “I suppose it would be worth it. Gaining a new ally is always worth the hassle. After all, if we were to ever meet an extremely powerful opponent, our allies could definitely be able to help. Add to the fact that he can use Shadow Magic, a very rare and extremely difficult to master type of magic. Alright, we will partake of your ‘test’.” Ahriman said, thinking out loud.         “That is just perfect,” Teridax said cheerfully, a pile of papers dropping onto the four.  “But first, you’ll need to sign these binding contracts that you know the dangers that you will have to go through and that in the event that one of you dies or is maimed, you won’t sue me...legal reasons of course.”                “Didn't know there was a government system in the multiverse…” Ahriman muttered, levitating all of his papers. Pens appeared, writing his name on all of them.         “You know lawyers...they always find a way!” Teridax laughed, old memories of a certain car came to mind.                         “Then they will have many problems with us.” Ahriman stated. “Considering we started a World War, corrupted Princess Luna, twice, destroyed countless cities, killed Celestia, the list goes on.” Ahriman chuckled. “That sounds like fun...but I’m more of a ‘behind the curtains’ kind of guy,” Teridax shrugged, but taking into account to ask about the way they went around trumping Celestia later.  “But at least I can keep my head down, no need for the multiverse to hate Makuta Teridax, right?”  He said genuinely, unaware of how bad a rep that his name actually carried across the vast universes.             “Tzeentch says there was a Teridax before you, who died after starting a multiversal war. So technically, your rep is already bad.” Midnight replied, signing all her papers in a similar fashion to Ahriman.         “Oh...so now I have to worry about other Displaced getting blood thirsty...great,” The machine huffed, collecting the signed papers with his shadows, sucking them into a dark pocket.  “By the way, I’ve gotta ask...what’s up with you and Dashie, if you are Ahriman’s Twilight Sparkle that is? I got the idea from the name.”              “Before Ahriman took over, I had been receiving dream visions from Magnus The Red, the non-displaced Ahriman's Primarch. He taught me how to use the Warp, and when Luna found out, I was arrested for ‘Use of Forbidden Magic’, even though the Warp is used in every form of magic. Magnus took control of my body temporarily, broke me out of prison, and led me to Ahriman. After a while, I was ascended to Daemonhood. As for Dash….” Midnight explained, turning to the cyborg.              “When Ahriman returned from his thousand year banishment to the Warp, he got the Griffon Kingdom to join him. Celestia used my friendship with a Griffon named Gilda to spy on the Griffons, and she returned, body broken and battered. When I confronted Celestia, she had me arrested for insulting royalty and some other bull. Afterwards Ahriman and Twilight convinced me to join them.” Rainborg finished. “As for the Cyborg stuff.. we met another Displaced, Rainbine Dasher, also a cyborg, who upgraded me. After a few years of upgrades, I'm now mostly mechanical. Oh, and Rainbine also hates me.”         “Well...my nonexistent heart goes out to you all then,” Teridax said, truly feeling a sense of pity for the Equestrians.  “We displaced bring many things to our Equestrias, good and bad, but it seems that this ‘Celestia’ did not deserve your loyalty.”  The dark vortex widened and it slowly drew those in the room towards it.  “But onto the games, or in this case...deadly challenges.  Don’t worry, I’ll give you hints along the way so you can get through.” Just as the Marines and their Equine companions entered the portal, Teridax chose to let them know of one last thing before they encountered their first challenge.  “Oh, and try not to shoot the defenses...they’re not automated, but run by my dragon minions.  You have no idea how many villains get themselves or their employees killed by some automated turret.”  With that last remark, the four universal travelers entered the unknown void. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷         The four members of the Black Legion found themselves in a long hallway, with a long iron passway with small platforms, lava under them to punish anyone who failed to make it across the sea of molten fire.  The walls had small tubes, which seemed to be fixated at certain locations.  The length that was between them and the door on the other side seemed to be three or four football fields in length.            “So this guy leads dragons too? I get the feeling me and him are gonna be good pals by the end of this.” Khârn chuckled, examining the hall.                  “Remember not to kill anything.” Ahriman warned. “Use either stun weapons, spells, or your fists, in Khârn's case.” “Okay, first level,” Teridax said, somewhat pumped to see how his new defenses worked.  “This one is pretty easy.  The panels, the ones that will keep you from taking a lava bath, are your only way to get across to the next door--and yes my winged friends, even you since I’ve got an electric field above--and those tubes you see, they're going to fire spiked bombs at you.”  The machine explained, using his telepathy to command his dragons manning the weapons to fire the cannons.         They fired at the platforms they were aimed at, upon impact they exploded and shrapnel danced around the area in which they were set off.  “But here’s the catch, they can only fire at one location and they take a while to recharge...which is where my employees come in...Greg, you there?” The Makuta called out, getting a shout in response from this ‘Greg’.         “Loud and clear!” The voice of Greg called out.  The simplicity of the name catching the four unawares.  It was not every day they got to get shot at by Greg the dragon...or for anyone to get shot by a dragon named Greg for that matter.             “And here I thought the Equestrian Multiverse always had weird names… oh well.” Khârn shrugged. “I suppose Ahriman is first, since he is our leader.”         “Greg took some time away from his lovely family to be in charge of this first level for you,” Teridax beamed, his mask’s eyes glowing a bright yellow.  “How’s the family, Greg?”  The Makuta asked the diligent Dragon. “Just fine, your Darkness, thanks for asking!”  Greg responded, giving a thumbs up to the hologram overlord. “Good, that’s good,” Teridax said with glee.  “You know, it’s hard to find the special someone that fills that little gap in your---SHOOT THEM NOW GREG!” Teridax shouted, the Dragon firing his cannon at the party.  Ahriman stepped forward, eyes forming the pattern of the Star of Chaos. “Shinra Tensei!” He yelled, and the cannon ball was repelled by an invisible force.         “....” Teridax remained silent, somewhat confused on what had transpired.  “It seems you have countered my Greg...I assume that this ‘Madara’ is responsible for that nifty little trick?” Teridax sighed, somewhat disappointed that his surprise attack didn’t have any effect.            Ahriman pointed to his eyes. “The Rinnegan, yes. He gave it to me in return for a viral warhead capable of killing all life on a planet before the virus itself dies out in five minutes.” He explained. “He also gave me a list of all Chakra based abilities.” “Sounds like a swell guy...although it does come into question on what he’ll use that bomb for,” Teridax mused, the platforms before the four moving horizontally and diagonally.  “Anyway, that’ll come in handy for you later.  As of now, the first level begins.  See you on level two.” The illusion seemed to distort and seemingly vanish from sight.  While Greg was still reloading, the other ten drakes prepared themselves for their opponents to make their move.            “Rainborg, show them your abilities.” Ahriman ordered. The cyborg pegasus nodded, before her body expanded, panels flipping this way and that. After five seconds, her fur and skin was replaced with ceramite armor plating, with two chainswords in place of her wings. She morphed her front left leg into a gun before leaping towards the first platform.         The dragons were shocked by the sudden transformation, reluctant to provoke the unknown.  That and Greg was still reloading, so only Jerry could fire upon her.  And so Jerry did, although his expectations on the cannonballs effectiveness waned as he saw the chainswords buzzing happily.  Rainborg flipped around, aiming her Eldar Shuriken Launcher at the incoming projectile. Six blue energy stars shot out, tearing through the cannonball and embedding the wall behind it, next to Jerry. Her arm switched again, forming a black gun, pulsing green as she hopped to the next platform. Jerry, the ever cautious dragon he was, chose to distance himself from the cannon and the cannonball.  The other dragons gave skeptical looks towards the cyborg, unsure whether they should even bother at this point.  Finally, Blazing Torch chose to employ the plot twist His Awfulness employed should they run into heavy resistance.  Flipping the switch next to him, all of the cannons became free to aim at any location.         With all cannons aimed at Rainborg, the dragons felt slightly more confident with their attack.  Of course they all fired at her, but forgot that they would not have enough time to reload should they do so.  But hey, they weren’t hired to think that far ahead. Seeing the mass wave of cannonballs flying at her, Rainborg cursed.             “Firefly, activate subroutines four and five.” She ordered to seemingly no one, before her other limbs began morphing. Her front right leg was now a glowing Power Axe, with her hind legs forming into a Lascannon and Power Hoof. She aimed her left leg, the Necron Energy Cannon atomizing a cannonball before burning into the wall. Her Lascannon opened fire, the beam of energy tearing through the cannonballs behind her. Her Power Axe sliced any from the front. The Power Hoof demolished any that got too close. Within minutes Rainborg was at the end, body returned to normal. Honestly, the dragons had come to the point where they knew that this was a waste of time for the four strangers.  With the thought of these poor guests losing precious time (and being scared shitless by Rainborg’s display of power) they chose to let up on them.  “Okay, we’ll let you four off easy, but remember that we’ll be waiting for a rematch!” Blazing Torch shouted, he and his compatriots scrambling out the room. Ahriman shrugged, tearing open a rift in reality  and walking through it, reappearing next to Rainborg. Khârn shrugged, leaping across the platforms. Midnight teleported.         Entering the next door, they were greeted with instant darkness and being reunited with their good old pal Teridax.  “That was probably hard, wasn’t it?”  Teridax said, somewhat embarrassed by the first level.  He needed to remember to fix the reload time on those cannons.  “The next level is a bit of a dosey...I don’t even know if I should let you guys do this, just when I was starting to like you.  Oh well, good luck on this one...remember, no killing and a quick tip, what you’re about to face will have one serious lacking, exploit that and you’ll win!”         With Teridax’s advice said, the party of four awaited what horrors that may await them.  What they were met with instead was both confusing and made them uneasy.  Before them was a room, with a comfy bed and fuzzy interior.  Sitting on a beanbag was a maroon metallic creature, lumpy spikes stick from his back.  And while they they couldn’t tell the exact expression due to its single look, they could sense an extreme lack of determination emanating from it.         “Hey,” The tired sounding creature said, his voice filled with boredom.             “So, you're the one we gotta fight?” Khârn asked, stepping forward.          “Oh mannnn,” The maroon machine whined, seeing his foe approach.  “I just want to go to bed...but I guess I have to do something.  My name is Drowsey, not that you probably care.”  Getting up, the machine stretched its mechanical limbs.  “I’m a Rahkshi...Dad, or as you know him as Teridax, said I had to fight or do something.  I was too busy napping to be listening.”             “Well, let's fight then.” Khârn replied, getting into a combat stance.         “Okay...I guess,” The Rahkshi sighed, taking out a staff that had two curved blades on each end.  “I’m the Rahkshi of Sleep by the way...so I can do this…”  Five astral like phantoms appeared, one being a familiar Draconequus.  “Dad said that you might be tough, so I guess I should at least try to put some effort into this…”  Each of the phantoms other than the draconequus were unicorns, and the four of them each targeted the group with bizarre spells. The one attacking Rainborg unleashed a torrent of flaming chipmunks towards her, another summoned a hail of anvils down onto Khârn, and both Midnight and Ahriman were taken on by twin ponies who each fired some kind of green goo from their horns.               Rainborg snorted, reforming her armor. She charged the chipmunks, leaping over them. A net formed around them, trapping them. Khârn grinned, pulling out his chainaxe, Gorechild, and revved the blade, the teeth screeching in hunger. He swung the axe, the entire thing as long as a human is tall, at the anvil storm, the teeth splitting the anvils in two with ease. Ahriman activated a shield spell, while Midnight blasted her enemies attack away with a spell.         “Ugh, you guys are just going to blast away any Equestrian force I send at you...aren’t you?” Drowsey groaned, looking at his defeated minions with little to no interest.                       “Actually, I'm immune to pretty much every type of magic.” Khârn said, before giving Drowsey a solid punch to the stomach region, badly denting the armor there while sending Drowsey flying.         “Ugh,” The Rahkshi of Sleep groaned, landing on the cold hard ground.  Looking up at the powerful opponents, he gave a child like shrug and got back up.  “You say that...and yet you’ve already been entrapped by my powers...not that you likely care.” The unmotivated creature said, the dent reforming with a loud pop.  “But you know what they say about heroes, right?”              “Did you honestly think we didn't notice?” Ahriman asked. “For one thing, space marines like me and Khârn  can willingly shut off portions of our mind, resulting in us not needing sleep. Midnight is part of the Warp, and is almost a god. And Rainborg is a cyborg.” With that, he tore apart the dreamscape. “And I am one of the Greatest Sorcerers in existence.” He forced himself awake, pulling out a bolter pistol while standing up, shooting the Rahkshi’s legs out from under him.         “Oh...well then I’ve got nothing,” Drowsey laughed lightly, he then crawled over to the bed and laid down.  “Well, this was fun...I guess.  Good luck with the next level...because what’s on the other is something you will care about.”  And with that small warning, the machine fell into a deep trance. Ahriman shrugged, before the group walked through the door to the next level.              “So, what do you think we will face next?” Rainborg asked the others.              “Well, so far we've faced an obstacle course that needs improvement via Heavy Bolter emplacements, possibly a Tyranid of some sort at the bottom instead of lava, and moving platforms. Then we faced a robot called a ‘Rahkshi’ that uses sleep spells. The pattern seems random….making us unable to guess the next level. This Teridax is indeed a pretty good planner.” Midnight commented.              “Indeed. He would make a great asset for our current situation in our world. And this test could be useful in our universe…. Especially when it comes to dealing with those ‘hero’ Displaced. Perhaps we can set up a morality test before meeting them, and if they prove to be too ‘heroic’, we can send them back.” Ahriman muttered thoughtfully, glancing at his staff.         “Heroic Displaced?  And here I thought we were a large collection of sociopaths...but I guess that depends on what one considers a ‘hero’.” The familiar robotic voiced butted in.   “Nice job with the last challenge...it will prove helpful to not be susceptible to dream magic when we go and take care of a small task.”  Some fumbling was heard, as if the Makuta were talking through a microphone, and the group heard his muffled voice yelling in the background.  All was silent for a few seconds, then they heard the thumping of metal and Teridax was back.         “I have no idea how these salesmen found this island,” Teridax grunted, somewhat agitated by the commercialism that seemed to hit the island after his small deals with Equestria.  “It’s that time of year again...Hearth's Warming Eve I think.  Kind of like Christmas or some other winter holiday.  But there I go ranting again…”         “That being said, I guess I should inform you of your next challenge!” Teridax said cheerfully, a door to the next room starting to shimmer into existence.  “Two more of my Rahkshi and their experiments involving the manipulation and advancement of the environment lay before you...just don’t trust anything that Lehrak may give you,we already lost three drakes to his latest beverage.”         With that warning given, the group of four found the surrounding darkness dissipate and before them lay an ocean of tropical trees.  A small wind swayed the trees’ branches back and forth and the noises of the local wildlife echoed throughout the forest.  A calmness taking over the mood of the area.             Khârn chuckled. “I don't think that will be a problem.” The group walked forward in a tight formation, watching the forest around them. Ahriman lead the way, Lightning Claws cutting their way through the forest if it got in the way.         Some the the dense forest growth hissed as it was removed from the traveler's’ path, and the faint noise of of growling seemed to come closer as more and more of the plant matter was demolished.  As they continued their way down a dirt road, the members of the Black Legion soon found themselves in a large clearing with a wooden picnic table standing proud in the middle of the path.         “Greetings, friends!” A cheery and feminine voice cried out, a mechanical figure emerging from the other side of the clearing.  Her body was similar to her sibling Rahkshi, but her body was green unlike Drowsey’s and she had brown arms and legs, her metal body hunched over as she walked towards the group.            “Greetings.” Rainborg replied, raising an eyebrow as her mechanical eye began scanning the Rahkshi. “So, what form of Rahkshi are you? My probability processor puts a 2% chance of Teridax using the same tactic, so I assume you have some other form of power?” “You’ve been walking in it since you came here, actually,” The Rahkshi replied cheerfully, pointing her staff towards one of the destroyed plant life, replenishing the plant back to its natural state.  “Welcome to my little jungle...well, half of my jungle anyway.” “Control over plant life. Noted.” Rainborg droned, before her eyes flashed. “Firefly, do not hijack my body! I didn't even know you could do that!” She growled to the invisible AI. “Forgive our friend here.” Midnight said, glancing around the forest again. “I am Midnight. We were told about you and your brother. What form of test are we entering here?” “Well...we may have run into a small problem when a certain Draconequus broke in,” The Rahkshi sighed, walking over to a recently blooming flower.  “Lerahk and I have been manipulating and growing all sorts of plant life from various parts of our Equus and others...unfortunately, my brother got a little too carried away when Teridax supplied him with draconequus blood...which is prone to cause random and sometimes volatile change.”         Turning back around, the Rahkshi seemed to scan their surrounding as though she was in search for something.  “My name’s Nightshade by the way...but the main issue you’ll be facing now is the plant life that you’ve managed to annoy by trampling through the forest,” She then used her staff and opened up the pathway ahead.  “Lerahk may be nearby, so watch out for him.  Oh, and I suggest you hurry up...because by the time we’ve been talking, those hungry little fellas may already be close, sorry!”         With her warning delivered, Nightshade used her staffs power one more time and cocooned herself in a flower yet to bloom.  The plant then took both of them down into the ground.             “Little fellas, huh…” Khârn muttered. “Well, we can take care of it! We got our abilities! I'd like to see some tiny little animal or plant beat us!” He boasted.             Ahriman sighed, before hitting Khârn's helmeted head. “You probably just jinxed us to suffer a bunch of giant daemon-plants. Keep your helmets on in case of Poison Joke.” He ordered, switching out into his normal armor. Pulling out his enchanted bolter pistol, the group walked down the path. Rainborg quickly swapped into her armored mode before following.         “That's them!” A squeaky voice shouted, the group turning to face their sudden guest.  What their eyes met was not some horrifying daemon, but a small venus flytrap-like plant with small leaves growing on its side and a large mouth with small, beady red eyes popping out the sides of its flat head.  “They're the mean ones I was telling you about!” it sniffed, giving off a small hiss towards Ahriman.            “So that's what she meant by little fellas…” Ahriman sighed, before examining the plant. “But looks can be deceiving…” He added, turning off the safety on his pistol.         “You think you can just come here, cut us to bits, and walk away like it’s no one’s business!?!” The strange plant questioned, purple liquid spraying from its mouth and melting away anything that it came in contact with.   Going underground, the creature then popped up in front of Ahriman and glared daggers at him.  “Who do ya think you are!?!” The multiple fanged creature squeaked, attempting to gnaw on Ahriman’s leg, but to no avail.  “You ain’t getting past me, ya hear!?!” it challenged.         Ahriman stared down at the plant trying to eat his leg. “I could burn you to ashes with a look, little bug.” He took off his helmet to reveal his eyes, which had changed into Mangekyo Sharingan. “Would you like me to prove it?”         “Matters little!” It screeched, now head butting the Sorcerer with its small head.  “We always adapted, always evolve!  We are change, never stopping, never ending!  Your puny fire would merely build our resistance, or path to perfection!”         “Never ending perfection!” More voices cried in chorus from beyond the trees.  “Non will stop it, non can stop it!”             “You are change?”Ahriman asked, his voice empty of emotion. “I have met the God of Change. You are pathetic, weak, and pointless little insects compared to him, and compared to me.” A dark wave of invisible energy pulsed from Ahriman's body, sending shivers down the spine and stem of anything that lived. “You remind me of another group I, or rather, the one I became, had met. They wanted nothing more than a perfection that didn't exist. And they were quite an annoying group.” The grass around his feet burst into black and blue flame, the essence of Change and his own personal Chakra stored within. “You would be wise to choose your next words carefully, plant.”           Khârn chuckled. “He’s right. These guys do sound like the Emperor’s Children Legion.”         “Per---fection impossible!?!” The planet cried in dismay, multiple voices giving off noises of despair at Ahriman’s words.  Looking around, the small plant seemed ready to move by and retreat and mourn for its lost goal.         “...but we are Chaos...Change,” It mumbled to itself, a small smile forming on its face.  “You are right!  We are Chaos, we are Change!  We cannot become perfect, for to do so would mean no change…”         “But then how does Chaos win?” It asked the four before it, sounds of trees breaking and leaves rustling could be heard all around the clearing.  “What is the point of Change, but to further elevate the world?”  Behind the small plant grew a creature of the small appearance, but its size was greater than the small mouthed plant, and it didn’t look like its growth was stopping.         “God of Change...does he always change?” It asked, humming to itself as it thought of its new goals.  “Can he win, or does his nature always lead to defeat...does our nature always lead to defeat?”           “He appears in many forms.” Ahriman replied, and Khârn rolled his eyes. “He Changes, he schemes, simply to do so. Chaos has no goal except to cause even greater chaos. His schemes counteract themselves, and he pulls at the strings behind us all. He is the puppet master, controlling all lives in the universe. To change is the goal of all creatures, and through it he will grow stronger. Even his defeats are parts of his plan.” The dark Warmaster concluded his rant, before glancing at the plant. “I am Ahriman, Herald of Tzeentch, God of Change, and the Weaver of Fate. I request that you allow me and my allies to pass.”         The plant simply gave Ahriman a toothy grin, tilting his head to one side in mock pondering.  More maws could be seen from all around the clearing now, multiple necks stretching out ever so slightly as they made their way towards the group.         “You seem like a great guy, you really do,” The fanged creature chortled, his size increasing as he spoke.  “But you’ve gotta understand that we want out of this place as much as you do...but that damn Lerahk and his poisons constantly counteract against out adaption ability!” Several of the heads hissed at the mention of the Rahkshi’s name, purplish liquid drooling from their mouth’s and burning through the ground below them like acid.         “However, if we were to say…adapt to your attacks,” the plant chuckled malevolently, thorns erupting from sections of his body and the voices of his fellow ‘friends’ seemed to increase dramatically.  “We could get past that pest, and after him we can deal with that god-wannabe!” The room was filled with the cackling of the sentient plants as their new idea came to life, but it was cut short by a familiar, if not unsettling voice. “For the love of all that is me!” The shimmering image of the Great Kraahkan came to life and appeared before the group and their latest advisary.  “Could you monologue any more than you already have!?!” The mask then turned to face Ahriman.  “I do apologize for this entire ordeal,” The Makuta groaned as he looked around at the snapping mouths of the hungry plants.  “Carnivorous plants weren’t exactly what I asked Lerahk and Nightshade to cook up here, but what can you do?” Giving a small chuckle at the anger he was gaining from the plants, Teridax chose to stir the pot a little more.  “While they can’t exactly be killed due to their rapid adaption to attacks, they do have a weakness just incase they chose to work against me!” “You will not interfere--” The lead plant was ready to interject the dark lord, but was quickly silenced when Teridax’s eyes glowed an unsettling red and the monstrous plant started to melt.                 “Good old heat vision.” Khârn said, examining the burnt plant. “Though we could have handled it. I mean, after dealing with a very….heroic taste, and just happened to be able to turn into an immortal and eternally adapting lizard, we developed a virus made out of the Warp itself, capable of nullification of the targets strongest abilities. Plus, Midnight has control of gravity.” He boasted, earning a hit on the head from Rainborg.         “Heat vision is best for toast...if I could have toast that is,” Teridax said, the sickening sound of the plant he had fried reconstructing could be heard in the background.  “And while I commend you on your, uh...confidence, I’m afraid that I may have made a dosey on this one…”             “Elaborate.” Ahriman ordered, erecting a shield around him and his allies in case of attack. It also went under their feet.         “One of the reasons I summoned you was so I could get my hands on something to deal with these weeds,” The Makuta informed, looking around at his traitorous experiments.  “So when you were teleported, I also copied your equipment...and tried to use it on the plants.  They ate the virus, one gulp and all...same with the bullets.  But since your friend just offered to perform some weeding for me, I suggest you get to Lerahk’s lab south and help him out.”              We don't carry any vials of it on us, so you probably got a piece of our medical supplies.” Ahriman stated, walking in the direction of the lab, followed by the others. “Midnight can produce the virus from herself, though slightly tiring in a universe without the Warp. As for the copying of our equipment, I would highly suggest you ask before doing so. For one thing, I doubt you had the actual materials to produce our weapons, especially not the armor, and sometimes our weapons have special enchantments. They were most likely of a failed batch.”         “Eh, the Map of Harmony is kinda iffy when it comes to doing things,” The bionicle replied as he watched his angry experiments attempt to eat through the constantly repairing shield.  “It’s able to perform certain task and alter reality through its connection with the Tree, but it really doesn’t like to do what it’s told to do.”         “LET US DEVOUR YOU!” The familiar voice of a certain annoying plant screeched as it bashed its head against the shield.  “YOUR RUINING THE PLAN!”             “Unfortunately, plant, my plans far outweigh yours. For example, I have to run an entire planet’s worth of soldiers, destroy the enemies attacking my planet, possibly turn a few to Chaos, and then destroy an entire space faring empire. And plus, even though you believe yourself to be of the same stuff Chaos is made of, you are not. You are only a plant with the slightly unique ability of adaptation. Of course, we could easily nullify that power and then burn the forest to the ground. So I have one warning for you. Get. Lost.” The Warmaster turned, brandishing the Mangekyo Sharingan and using it's illusion powers to show the little plant what would happen if it continued it's futile attempts at eating him. “Oh come on,” The plant chuckled nervously, giving the warrior another toothy grin.  “surely we can work something out, you don’t need that bucket of bolts after all.  I mean, look at him-” the plant then created a picture of Teridax by warping its body.  “he can’t even be a proper villain!  He had the chance to kill those meddlesome ponies and even those guards, but you know what he did instead?” “Let me guess.” Rainborg rolled her eyes. “He let them go.”         “Yeah, and he even faked those two guard’s deaths as well because he thought they were useful,” The create spat out more acid as he tried to stomach his own words.  “But do you want to know why he spared them, why he called you out here trying to throw these insane challenges at you and act all evil?”                “To test us so that he can tell if we can deal with his problem?” Khârn shrugged.                “Honestly, we couldn't care less if he acted all evil.” Ahriman raised an eyebrow at the plant. “But please, do continue.”         “Poor little Ahriman,” It cried in fake sorrow, giving a crazed laugh at the Warmaster’s words.  “You’ll always be the puppet, but you’ve accepted that.  Teridax can’t, and in order to break away from his strings he has to attack the puppetmaster.  But in order to do so, he has to shed blood, he has to kill!  And yet no matter how hard he tries, he never can!”             “Eh, he is just a rookie on being all evil. He will get the stomach for it. Eventually.” Khârn shrugged. “As for you, little plant, why exactly are you still following us? Didn't we already tell you to get lost?” “I’ll have you know, good sir, that I am a skilled villain!” Teridax interrupted, the shuffling of papers could be heard in the background.  “I even had Ember Root write a list of all of my evil deeds, alphabetical I might add!” “The most evil thing you ever did was trick Celestia to give you those bits by pretending to be some charity,” The plant deadpanned, giving the projection of The Makuta’s mask an unimpressed look. “And all you’ve done is waste my time and resources, you homicidal weed!” The robotic overlord retorted, electricity sparking from the mask.  “My plans simply take time and calculation, you simply want to eat stuff!” “Both of you, please.” Khârn chuckled darkly. “I have the memories, and portions of the personality, of the guy who killed most of his legion because they didn't want to fight in a deadly storm, has slaughtered thousands of innocents across a galaxy for the simple reasoning of ‘Blood for the Blood God!’ and who is so murder-happy he implanted a fucking kill counter to mark how many people he has killed! And right now it says over 18 trillion! And that was from my hands!” “Hmmm, you think if I make a religion around myself, people will commit whatever crimes I command?” Teridax questioned, already coming up with a couple of religious schemes. “But then you’ve got to organize it and then there’s paperwork…” The vegetated evil added in, bring up the downside to organized religion.  “Then you’ll have a dozen ‘priests’ attempt to kill you and act as your ‘voice.”         “True...but maybe if we put in certain regulations--BURN THE PLANT NOW WHILE IT’S DISTRACTED!!!!” The bionicle shouted, lasers launching out of his eyes and towards the many vines that were in front of the shield.              “Please.” Ahriman rolled his eyes, before black flames began burning away the foliage. And then began burning the rest of the forest. And didn't stop. “You don't announce your plan of attack. And the Amaterasu can deal with most of the forest.”         “AH, I’M ON FIRE!!!” The malicious plant screamed as it withered in pain as the flames burned away at its many heads.  “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?!  DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH DAMAGE YOU’VE DONE TO THIS ECOSYSTEM!?!”         “Smokey the Bear will never know…” Teridax said, his eyes shifting to the side as he watched the wonderful carnage around him.  “Worm, I would consider destroying the forest with a bomb capable of wiping out a planet in five minutes or less, and then kill itself, just to get rid of an extremely tough weed such as yourself. This is a mercy compared to that pain. And I know how to make living, walking, immortal versions of it.” Ahriman glared at the smoldering plant.         “You win this time you eco-terrorist!” The planted growled as it started to burn away into ash.  “But this isn’t the last you’ve heard of Larry the Plant!  When I break free from this idiot’s pocket dimension--”         “--Which you won’t!”         “--I’ll come over for a friendly visit!” It pronounced, giving one last chuckle as his body burned away.  “Which will not be friendly at all...just incase you don’t understand threats!”              “Ah, but there won't be a next time.” Ahriman chuckled. “For the Amaterasu isn't a normal fire. It can only be stopped by me, and will burn everything it touches, even other fires, until everything is nothing but ash. It can burn for seven days and seven nights, so have a nice week.” Ahriman turned from the destruction, a cold smile plastered on his lips.         “I give it a week at most before the bugger finds out how to get out of it,” Another voice said and a green Rahkshi leapt down from the trees.  “but A for effort!”            “So I should bring out the Plague Marine?” Ahriman asked, getting ready to contact his ship.         “I think Lerahk can handle cleanup here, but thanks for the offer…” Teridax answered quickly, not comfortable with the idea of more multiversers coming by so quickly.         “Do you guys want a drink?” Lerahk questioned, pulling out a coconut with a strange purple liquid spilling from the brim.  “I’ve got the Kooooool aid!”             “Ah, fuck it.” Khârn took a drink, not caring about the possibilities of poisoning. Good old Astartes biology.         “Finally, someone who can actually stomach my masterpiece!” The Rahkshi shouted with joy.         “With that being said...I guess it’s time we finally met,” Teridax said, one last door appearing before the group.  “I’ll explain what I have planned once we meet up, until then enjoy the ride!”              “What does he mean by ‘ride’? And boy, that stuff is good!” Khârn asked, patting Lehrak on the back. “You would give the Space Wolves a run for their money!” “I’ll be sure to send you more later...as for the ride,” Lerahk looked around for any remaining energy of Teridax.  “Well, he made some kind of rollercoaster based off some ride he went on in Disney Land...I swear, the boss is always going from an evil nature to one of a child.  He calls it ‘humanity’, whatever humanity is anyway.” “Sounds like a typical human.” Ahriman said, stepping into the doorway with the others. “And Astartes have enhanced hearing.” Khârn quickly followed, leaping into the doorway while shouting in an Italian accent, “Let's a go!”         After leaving the vomit inducing ride behind them, the four members of the New Black Legion soon found themselves in a earthy cavern with lava dripping from the walls and pipes filled with magma that was being redirected all over the volcano.  Various pits of the hot lava could be found along the floor of the cavern as well, save the silvery liquid pit that sat next to a luxurious forge.             “So, this is where Teridax lives, eh?” Khârn examined the area. “Yeah, it looks like the kind of place he would live in.” “Technically, it’s where we used to hold our town meetings,” A voice said as a pink dragoness walked out of the entrance of another section of the volcano.  “But with all of his projects along with his ‘need for evil secrets’ he made it his personal room.” “Okay, so where is old Dark and Spooky?” Rainborg asked, glancing around. “Well hello to you too,” The drake retorted, giving a wave for the four to come towards her.  “He’s busy setting up his presentation, so I’m going to give you a tour around the base.  Ember Root by the way.” “Name cataloged.” Rainborg stated in a robotic tone, before switching back to normal. “So, Ms. Root, why are you following Teridax?” She asked.         “At first I tried to kill him, which I failed if you couldn’t tell,” She replied, walking over to Teridax’s forge.  “In my defense, he was acting like a total dick, which he still kind of is...but he let me live and promised our little colony a better life.”         Looking over her leader’s latest work, she examined some new techniques he had employed into a long barrel shaped weapon.  “He’s great at smithing and I respect that, so having him as a personal teacher will go a long way for me...but I guess when a magical robot walks into a bar and offers the world to you, it tends to draw attention.”             “Well, a giant armored soldier with an axe almost as long as he is tall that has indestructible teeth and can function as a chainsaw tends to draw more attention.” Khârn shrugged, examining the weapon. “That looks like a gun or something.”         “He’s taken an interest in the four of you,” She shrugged, putting the new weapon back where she took it.  “Your weapons, past, plans, all of it.  It’s good for him to see his own kind, or whatever he can consider his own kind anyway...especially after she made her little entrance into his life.” Her last words filled with venom.             “Oh, so he is interested in our weapons?” Rainborg asked, pulling out a cube. “Well, lucky for him we had this in transit mode!” Pressing a few buttons, she placed placed it down, watching as it unfolded into a metal door. “Presenting the New Black Legion’s transportable forge, The Factory!” She opened the door, before stepping inside, being sure to mute the doors with the ‘secret’ products.         “Well...that’s awfully nice of you to do for us,” Ember Root said, blinking in surprise at the sudden forge.  “But what does it do?”            “Well, let's see. Here, we have our cybernetic production line.” The enthusiastic Cybermare pointed to the side, where pieces of robotic limbs moved slowly on the assembly line. “Over to your left is our Bolter assembly line.” She pointed a hoof to the left, revealing a long line of mostly complete bolters, with mechanical limbs putting in the missing parts. “Up ahead is the ammunition production, and beyond that is my ‘special’ Robotic Testing Facility.” She concluded, pressing a few buttons. “There is more stuff here, but these should suffice for now.”         “Teridax will like this, I can see him spending hours working with this and his protodermis,” The dragoness said, turning back towards the entrance to the next room.  “But I feel like I should show you around the place, maybe get something to eat.”  With that said, she took off from Teridax’s workplace.             “Very well, perhaps we can discuss it with Teridax later.” Rainborg said, returning the pocket dimension to its cube mode. “I also have a template for the Bolter, albeit a previous version.” Rainborg followed after the dragoness, in turn followed by the others. “Perhaps we can make a deal with him?” She asked Ahriman.              “Perhaps….” Ahriman replied, examining the Protodermis Pool. “I would love to study the metals of this universe.”         “I’m sure Teridax would love to tell you about his ‘miracle metal’,” She replied, the group now walking outside the volcano entrance and over a well constructed walkway down the rocky side of the lair.  “He’s crazy about the stuff since he found it.  He also tested some strange glowing swords on them and said that the metal was, ‘tougher than he thought’”         “Interesting….” The Warmaster’s gaze lingered on the pool for a moment, mumbling something about metals, before returning to what was happening now. “Anyway, let us continue the tour. I will be certain to ask Teridax about the metal later.”         “Sure,” Ember Root shrugged, continuing down the rocky path.  “We have a great place to eat, if you four are hungry that is?”               “Generous as the offer is, I must decline.”Ahriman answered, “Me and Khârn do not require food or water to survive, Rainborg is mostly machine, and Midnight is a living, breathing Warp Entity.”         “Eh, I guess that’s a good reason not to eat,” The dragoness replied, slightly looking over one of the railings to see what was going on in the town.  “Everyone’s been a bit jumpy lately anyway, with our latest problem causing some massive panic to the town…”              “From the latent Chaos Magic in the terrain, I can only assume that a Draconequus is the source of your problem?” Midnight guessed, examining the town below with her Tenseigan.         “The mother of all Draconequui to be precise,” The drake said bitterly, shaking somewhat as she remembered their last encounter with the queen.  “Eris is like Discord, Teridax said you would know him, but on steroids powered by the sun.  She recently stopped by and turned us all into gold statues...which is her humor in irony.”            “Our Discord is a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, known as a Lord of Change. If he wanted, he could probably wipe the floor with any of us.” Khârn muttered. “Not me though, because I'm immune to magic!”               “As our ally suggests, our Discord could easily destroy us. Lords of Change are the equivalent of a Minor God.” Ahriman added, eyes wandering across the sky.         “Eris basically created the Draconequui here,” Ember responded as she lead them over a less than safe looking bridge.  “She drags your kind--” she motioned a wing towards Ahriman and Khârn, “--from their world and reconstructs them into her own kind and wields magic said to be gifted by the creator herself...at least that’s what Teridax has gathered.”              “Still think one of the Dark Gods could mop the floor with her.” Khârn shrugged. “I mean, Tzeentch is a God of Sorcery, Schemes, etc, Khorne is immune to sorcery, Nurgle could probably make a disease to kill her, and Slaanesh… is Slaanesh.” He stated those last words with disgust.         “WHAT THE BLAZES DID I JUST SAY!” A clearly angry voice shouted as the group departed from the rickety bridge, finding themselves in a camp of some kind.         “Oh no…” The dragoness groaned as she heard the voice, knowing the source of the shouting.         “HOW COULD I HAVE NOT BEEN MORE CLEAR THAT NO ONE CROSSES THE BRIDGE WITHOUT BEING PROCESSED!” The same voice screamed as a white and grey Rahkshi leaped from one of the nearby boulders.  “WHO THE IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS DARK ARE YOU FOUR SUPPOSE TO BE, THE MARCHING BAND!?!”             “Oh?” Khârn turned to the Rahkshi. “Well, I'm a Khornate. Khârn The Betrayer, Herald of the Chaos God of War Khorne, at your service. And who are you, the gate guard?” He replied, examining the Rahkshi.         “CHAOS GOD!?!” The Rahkshi yelled, a couple of drakes that seemed to be training wandered over to the scene.  Turning to Ember Root, the red eyes of the creature blazed with fury.  “WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT RELIGIOUS MISSIONARIES AND PRIESTS!?!  YOU CAN’T JUST GIVE THEM A SKIP OVER ALL THE OTHERS, WE RUN A EQUAL SYSTEM OF ACCEPTANCE AND DON’T JUST LET ANYONE BYPASS THE REST!”         Turning back to the four visitors, the Rahkshi stamped his foot in unbridled rage and pointed his staff towards them.  “IF YOU WISH TO PASS THIS POINT, YOU WILL NEED THE PROPER PAPERS IN ORDER TO PROVE YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE AND THAT YOUR RELIGION IS NOT ONE OF THOSE MINDWASHING CULTS!?!             “Firstly, Rahkshi, I am neither a missionary or a priest. My title as ‘Herald’ means that I am the greatest Champion of one of the four Dark Gods. I am a warrior, and Khorne's ‘church’ is the battlefield. My main business is war, blood, fighting, killing, and destruction of my enemies. We don't use magic, relying only on our weapons. If anything, Khorne hates brainwashing. And as for proof of who I am, I will gladly show you my fighting ability.” Khârn explained, casually pulling out Gorechild, the massive axe burying its head in the ground.             Rainborg chuckled, before whispering “Ooh, this is gonna be good.”         “Okay, let’s calm down here!” Ember Root said nervously, stepping in the way of the two aggressive warriors.  “Kurahk...you’re yelling again, so please stop.  And our visitors are not priests--”         “THAT IS NOW CLEAR!” The now named Kurahk interrupted, giving off a small hiss when one of the other dragons gave a worried pat on the Rahkshi’s shoulder.  “THEY’RE CLEARLY WAR CRIMINALS, HERE TO OPPRESS US WITH THEIR IDEALS AND PROMISES OF GLORY ON THE BATTLEFIELD!”         Jumping back on the boulder, the creature stabbed his staff into the rock and growled at the warrior.  “YOU YELLOWBELLIED COWARDS PROBABLY ARM WRESTLE INFANT DRAKES TO PROVE YOUR WORTH!  I’VE SEEN FLYSWATTERS THAT COULD DOWN LEGIONS OF YOU MOUSEHEARTED FELINES!  I BET YOUR AXE IS THAT SIZE TO SIMPLY COMPENSATE FOR THE SMALL SIZE OF YOUR ****!”                   An extremely loud noise erupted from the group as Khârn's chainaxe swung up faster than the blink of an eye, and a second later one of Kurahk’s arms fell to the ground. “You were right about the War Criminal thing, and wrong on all other accounts.” Khârn growled, a dark and dangerous voice erupting from his vox grill, amplified by the one on his chest. “I have laid waste to countless armies for over ten thousand years, and have seen horrors such that a worm like you couldn't dream up in your worst nightmare.” His weapon came down again, removing the other arm. “My legion, the World Eaters, refused to fight our enemies due to a deadly Warpstorm. And you know what I did? I killed them. I slaughtered every soldier who didn't fight, and then went to fight our enemy. I am Khârn The Betrayer, and you would live longer to respect me.”         The Rahkshi remained silent, looking down at his severed arms and back up at the terrifying warrior repeatedly before halting.  “TIS A SCRATCH YOU HEARTLESS DOG!  YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT WASTING ONE’S ENEMIES!?!  MY DOG HAS A HIGHER KILL COUNT THAN YOU!  YOUR HORRORS ARE ABOUT AS TERRIFYING AS CARL’S COOKING!”  A faint groan of anger came from one of the drakes, who happened to be named Carl, “YOUR WARPSTORM SOUNDS LIKE A CHEAP ICE CREAM FLAVOR THAT YOU CAN FIND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD!  I FEAR YOU NOT, WARRIOR OF CHAINSAWS! KURAHK OF ANGER IS INVINCIBLE TO YOUR THREATS!  I also want to point out that I’m single and have great communication skills--” he nodded towards Rainborg, “--SO HAVE AT THEE!”   The Rahkshi then proceeded to headbutt the chest of Khârn and kick his shins. A few slices from Gorechild and Kurahk was suddenly missing his legs and spikes, with the massive axe looming inches from his head, the whirling blades nicking his armored head. “You are a pitiful soldier, though I do give you credit for your tenacity. I'll allow you to live, for now.” Khârn growled, returning Gorechild to his back before continuing forward.         Kurahk turned his body from side to side as he attempted to turn around and face the departing Khârn.  Unfortunately for the Rahkshi, it was difficult to do much of anything when your limbs were hacked off.  Ember Root watched the scene with an unimpressed expression as she watched the Rahkshi of anger once again manage to piss off the dangerous ones.         “For the love of...you know what, I don’t care!” She mumbled, continuing on while the other dragons parted from the path of Khârn.         “YOU SEE YOU COWARDLY WHELPS!” The Rahkshi shouted towards the terrified group of drakes.  “THAT IS HOW ONE ANGERS THEIR ENEMY!  I NOW HAVE HIM ON THE ROPES....actually, we’ll call it a tie.  One of you put me back together please.  And also get me the number of that pegasus!”             “You know, I have never seen Khârn like that. Think it could be a problem?” Midnight asked Ahriman, using magic to quickly rebuilt Kurahk, with a small note  with some numbers on it tucked on its hand.             “Possibly. Then again, having Khârn The Betrayer, the original one, even  if just his memories affecting him, would be a great boon.” Ahriman replied.         “That guy needs fifty chill pills and twenty buckets of ice,” The now reassembled Rahkshi said, wobbling as he got back on his feet.  “I mean, I’ve never gotten someone that mad...but being the Rahkshi that practically emanates anger can do that to a guy.  Can I suggest some breathing exercises?”             “Khornate Berserkers are easy to anger, and if that Khârn was the full on Khârn, him being mad would end up being the death of a planet’s population.” Ahriman replied, forcing Khârn to calm down via the Warp.         “Sounds like a tough guy to deal with...but I guess I should let you guys pass,” The Rahkshi said, giving a small chuckle as he lead the three off the bridge.  “Drowsy was not joking when he said not to mess with you guys, but I had some fun...dismemberment aside!  We’ll have to do this again sometime, but I think you should head to the Temple south of here, that’s where Teridax is chilling.”             “I can teleport us there. Better than letting Khârn walk through the town.” Midnight stated, preparing her staff. “As a side note, Ahriman can create a meteor big enough to crush the area for a thousand meters, I can cut the moon in half, and Rainborg is a walking weapon. Just in case you thought to challenge any of us. And that's barely scratching our powers.” She added, glancing at Kurahk, before teleporting away, along with the others. Why are the Rahkshi so hard to describe!?! I'm shrugging my shoulders XD She's the Rahkshi that can control plant life btw http://bionicle.wikia.com/wiki/Plant_Life I guessed that. Also, after this test, I'm gonna have to go. Stuff will be happening brb, need to set the dinner table! I don't know why, but I was expecting a Killing Joke from Fo:e > Chapter 30.8: Another Astartes > --------------------------------------------------------------------------          “Ahriman, we have found a new token. We have had yet to summon the Displaced, as per orders. What do you want done with it?” A Griffon asked, presenting the item. It was an Eldar Scorpion Chainsword, but modified. Ahriman sighed, before sending a call through the Warp to his brother Khârn, as well as Rainborg and Midnight. Midnight appeared instantly, the Daemon Princess stepping through a Warp tear. Rainborg and Khârn walked in a little later, followed by Zhufor.             “Brothers and Sisters, we have in our possession a new Token.” The Warmaster pulled the Token out to show it to the others. “My father Magnus has warned me that these Displaced will most likely be our enemies, and has asked Discord to temporarily remove the Blood Alicorns from this universe until we have dealt with these Displaced. I do wish to test them to see why Magnus sees them as a problem, and have come up with a plan.”            “Well, out with it!” Khârn grunted, tired of Ahriman's waiting antics.            “....... In case they are hostile, we will summon them in the desert. That is all. Gather Khadeth and a few soldiers before moving out. Dismissed.” As he finished, Ahriman teleported away, leaving the rest with their orders. ×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××      “Are we all here? Good.” Ahriman asked the assembled warriors. Thirteen Terminators,  one from each species in the Council, stood a good ten feet away, and The Displaced and the two mares turned to the token.        “Fellow Displaced, I ask of your presence.” Ahriman told the token, before activating his Mangekyo Sharingan and prepared for when they arrive. ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷ *1st person POV - Sebaste* Things were going okay at the moment, The Alliance guys had some interesting stories to tell! As Sasha and I were heading to where Sylar was being held under guard, we heard a voice saying  “Fellow Displaced, I ask of your presence.” The next thing we know, a portal opens up underneath us. “Oh shi-” I manage to say before both of us fell in. When we were spat out, we were in for a big surprise…      We appeared in a metal room, with a door to the left and a single flickering light above us.       “Greetings, Displaced. May I ask for your names?” An unfamiliar voice asked, seeming to come from everywhere. “Why don’t you tell us yours?” I asked sarcastically. I then took a look at our surroundings and noticed an armored form nearby.         “Because, I was warned that you may or may not attempt to mess with my plans.” The figure shifted, before disappearing entirely. “I see one of you are of the Astartes….interesting.” “If you think that is supposed to impress me, you’re gonna have to do better than that!” Sasha snarled. “Dude, we’re in a room, in an unknown world, and you’re already trying to annoy whoever we’re talking to?” I asked in annoyance, “I don’t want to risk another fight after we rushed into that last one when both the Empire of Nightmares and the Alliance showed up in our world!”           “So, I take it you are both participants in the War of Shadows? That's some news…..hmm, so your names are Sasha and Sebastian….” The voice muttered in curiosity. “The Terminator is Sebastian, he usually prefers being called Sasha, my name is Sebaste.” I replied, a bit put off by the name mix up, “ May we have the pleasure of knowing who exactly we’re dealing with?”        “Well, since you did give me the information I required, I suppose it would not hurt.” The Voice said, before crows began flying from multiple areas, meshing into each other in front of us. “I am the leader of the New Black Legion, a warlord who destroyed Equestria for the sake of the other nations. I am he who thirsts for knowledge, and power.” Massive shoulder plates formed, turning black and silver. A figure formed out of the mesh, a massive claw for one hand, and a massive mace in the other. A red eye formed on the chest, and a wolf pelt sat on top. Two glowing red eyes adorned the face within the massive armor. After the warrior in front of them finished forming, the eyes focused on the Terminator, gauging his reaction.         “I am Ahriman The Exiled, Herald of Tzeentch,The God of Change, and Warmaster of the New Black Legion. I served in the New Lunar Republic one thousand years ago to defeat Celestia, was banished to the Warp by the Elements of Harmony, and have now conquered Equestria.” I smirked under my helmet. “Craig mentioned you the last time we saw him. He said he’s fought you a few times…”          “In truth, he fought one of my brothers, Khârn The Betrayer. He has never fought me.” Ahriman replied, not moving an inch. “ Ahriman, so you’re the guy that summoned us? How in the name of the Emperor did you even get one of our tokens?”        “A few of my scouts brought it to me, Dark Angel. I'm certain you would have eventually found my token.” His image shifted, and instead of the massive armor, he now wore a suit of power armor more like a normal Space Marine, with a massive staff. “Of course, after seeing what it was, I suspected another from the Warhammer universe would be its originator.” “ Unfortunately, we don’t work with traitor forces. So if you’re trying to recruit us to your side, you’ve got another thing coming!”  Sasha said. “Out of curiosity, which side are you on in this war?” I asked, hoping to buy time before Sasha went overboard.        “I have given my support to the one known as Folteren, along with a few others.” Ahriman answered, before turning back to Sasha. “But I find it funny how you call me a traitor, when you have yet to carry out one of the main initiatives of the Astartes. Suffer not the Xeno to live, if I remember correctly.” I snorted, “He may be an Astartes, but both he and I have pledged our services to Celestia and Luna. And we will defend our world, whether from Covenant, Orks, Tyranids or Traitor forces!” I glared at the Thousand Sons Sorcerer, “ And another thing, we’ve pledged ourselves to the Alliance, so if you're with the Empire, you’ve picked the wrong guys to mess with!”           He chuckled. “Please. I have met with another Spartan like you, except he is one of my allies and supports me with equipment. And as for your friend, it would seem that not only is he a traitor to the Imperium, he is a heretic, just like me. But in all honesty, you can't win against me, especially if you can't even sense when you are under a Genjutsu.” The room collapsed, breaking into pieces before we were suddenly in a desert, along with two more Marines, a Dreadnought, a strange female, and a cybernetic pegasus with familiar prismatic hair. Behind them stood thirteen pony shaped terminators, as well as a few bipedal ones. “Welcome to the real world.” Ahriman chuckled again, pulling out his bolt pistol. It was my turn to chuckle, “You may have more men, but can they do THIS?!” With that, I summoned a fuel rod gun, while Sasha went into Contemptor Dreadnought mode, Kheres Assault cannon at the ready.         “We have dealt with worse.” Ahriman stated, and the Cyberpegasus jumped into the air, pulling out a Necron Energy Cannon and aiming it at us. I noticed that the weapon was actually part of her arm. The red Space Marine casually pulled out a massive chainaxe, as tall as a normal human. The female sprouted wings, a glowing purple horn on her head as she created a staff from nothing. The Terminators readied their Assault Cannons while the Dreadnought simply observed. “Hmph, like that’ll scare me, I’ve faced a Tyranid prime and survived! Sasha here took out a Deff Dread and a Warboss! And by the way, is that a Blood Angel force behind you?” I asked, pointing   to a spot behind them.       A snake like creature appeared in the air. His body was a mix of creatures, and was a bit of an eyesore. “And here I thought I had caught all of those Blood Alicorn buggers!” It growled, examining the area I had pointed at. The rest of Ahriman's group didn't move, though the terminators turned their heads.       “There is nothing there, Ahriman.” The female said, eyes suddenly glassy. “Fooled ya!” I yelled, firing my Fuel rod at the cybernetic Rainbow Dash, Sasha letting rip with his Kheres Assault Cannon at the Terminators.       Two force fields sprung up, blocking both attacks. Ahriman raised an eyebrow. “Rainborg, retaliate.” The Cyberpegasus fired, the Necron weapon launching a green energy ball at my Fuel Rod. The Terminators also fired, filling the air with bolts. I smirked and activated the bubble shield armor ability. The shield sprung up around us and just in time. The enemy shots struck the shield full force, blooms of fire sprouting all around it. When the shots died down, we were unharmed. “Nice try, but we’ve got shields of our own! Let’s try… Oh SHIT!” I yelped. Sasha changed into his Power armored form and both of us jumped out of the way as the shot from ‘Rainborg’ zipped by. “That was too close! Gah, I hate necron weapons!” I snarled as I summoned a Plasma Launcher. Sasha had summoned his Jump pack and lightning claws with built in Storm Bolters, and was charging forward, guns blazing.         “Oh please, like that's enough to beat me!” Rainborg snorted, before her body expanded, flipping plates here and there, before she was suddenly encased in Power Armor. A Power Axe had replaced the Necron Weapon, while a bolter occupied her other hoof. Firing, she flew towards Sasha, preparing her axe.        “Focus more on the rest of us, Spartan.” A deep voice growled from behind me. The massive axe from before came down towards my head, teeth whirling hungrily. I dodged the attack, using my thrusters built into my armor. I quickly fired off three plasma grenades from the launcher, all three locking onto the target. “Eat plasma grenade, ya wanker!” I yelled in my best Aussie accent.      A plasma bolt slammed into my arm, damaging the armor. The red Chaos Marine snorted as the Grenades hit his axe, doing little damage after the explosion. “Adamantium arm, plus mostly adamantium chainaxe with indestructible teeth beats plasma, little Spartan.” He growled, a Plasma Pistol in his other hand. “Khârn The Betrayer is your opponent.” I summoned two energy swords, and prepared to fight as he put away the pistol and pulled out another massive chainaxe. *1st person Pov - Sebastian* While Sebaste was fighting Khârn, I was engaging Rainborg, and so far, things were looking well for me. I knew that using a Power Axe made fighting with it extremely awkward, while I was equipped with a pair of Lightning claws that I could use to parry and slash.       “Firefly, swap out Power Axe for Sound Barrier.” She said to no one in particular. In a disturbing fashion, her foreleg transformed from a Power Axe into a long barreled gun, and she quickly aimed it before firing, releasing multiple shots that dug into my armor, some piercing the skin underneath. “Argh! You’re gonna pay for that!” I snarled, before firing my Storm Bolters and landing a few lucky shots on her wings, damaging a few vital parts in the process.      “Fucking hell!” She cursed, dropping to the ground. “Firefly, initiate repairs, and swap out Sound Barrier for U-Blaster.” Her hoof transformed again, this time turning into some odd weapon.  Aiming it up at me, she fired, a deadly looking U-shaped projectile flying towards my head in seconds. I dodged to the side and slammed into her, shearing off her wings with my lightning claws and crushing her hoof with the force of my impact. I then grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up with no trouble. As I looked her in the eye, I then said, “You have made an enemy of the Dark Angels, for our motto is ‘Never Forgive, Never Forget’ and you, my cybernetic friend, just made the worst mistake of your LIFE!”        She chuckled weakly. “Then I guess I'm about to make an even bigger mistake. Firefly, activate Weapon 13.” Her other hoof transformed into a simple cannon. Pointing it at my arm, she fired. Then a ear shattering roar flowed out as my arm disintegrated, and a projectile flew past my head. She fell, before getting swallowed up in a portal and vanishing along with the portal. “Gaaaaaahhhh!” I yelled in pain and anger. I looked over to see how Sebaste was doing, and he had somehow managed to get the Berserker pinned down with an Energy Sword at his throat. I glared at Ahriman before saying, “ This isn’t the end of it….you will regret messing with us…. that I promise, we will meet again…. on the battlefield…. and you will fall….” I grated out in pain.      “I'm not sure you will survive that long.” A feminine voice stated darkly behind me. Turning, I saw the weird anthro female from before. A six pointed star dotted her shoulder pads, and Daemonic letters floated around her. “I was once known as Twilight Sparkle, now Midnight, Daemon Princess of Tzeentch. And you have just made me mad.” I was lifted up in the air by her magic, before being thrown into a rock jutting out of the sand, breaking it in two upon landing. “Doof!” I grunted, before summoning a Psyk out grenade. “Here’s a little present for you!” I said before tossing it. The grenade exploded and both Ahriman and Midnight reeled in pain as their minds were assaulted by psychic white noise, giving me enough time to run and slam Midnight into the ground, I then sunk my remaining claw into her chest and lifted her up into the air.        Dark Energy began leaking from the wounds, slowly enveloping the claw, before Midnight flew off the claws, hands flashing as she made a few strange hand gestures. “You're the first to wound me, Dark Angel, so allow me to return the favor. Tenseigan Chakra Mode!” Light blue energy surrounded her body, swirling like flames, before solidifying into a mass much like Midnight. Nine black orbs surrounded her. One went in front of her, and, raising her hand, a beam of golden energy swirled from the ball, destroying what was left of my missing arm, as well as part of my shoulder. I then smiled, in a flash of light, I was instantly healed. “ You think I’ll fall like all your other foes? I am a Son of the Lion, the great Lion El’ Johnson, AND I WILL NOT SURRENDER!” My body began to glow, and I began to rise into the air. A massive sword appeared in my right hand while my left hand began to glow with psychic power. When the glow faded and I was back on the ground, I had become the Primarch himself. “Now then, let’s see what I can do with this form…” I said, before launching a blast of lightning at Midnight.     A black orb hovered in front of her hand again, and this time, as she grabbed it, a whirling typhoon flew towards the lightning, distorting it as it passed, and slammed right into me, throwing me back a bit.      Before I could strike back, Midnight's head jerked, before returning back. “I have temporarily taken control of Midnight. I am Magnus, Primarch of the Thousand Sons, and I will order you to leave only once.” A male voice stated from Midnight. “ Very well, but tell your disciple that the next time we meet, all the powers of the Warp won’t save her.” With that, I summoned a portal to return us to our world.     “Hah!” Magnus chuckled. “The funny thing is, that blast that nicked what was left of your arm? That in itself could easily cut the moon in half. She was going to let you live, so she decided to leave you off with a warning. Also, this whole time, she hasn't been using The Warp’s energy. She was using Chakra. And trust me when I say that she could easily destroy you if she used both.” I nodded in response to that, then entered the portal with Sebaste, but before I closed it, I turned to Ahriman, “You may have gotten one of our tokens, but what you didn’t know is that if any evil forces get a hold of it, it explodes with the force of an orbital bombardment. So I hope you survive that.”      “Tokens are quite easy to handle. I already bypassed that little trap as soon as I touched it. You would be wiser to not underestimate One of the Greatest Sorcerers from Warhammer 40k. Shinra Tensei.” With the last bit, a force shoved me fully through the portal, and a few more feet. “That was hardly 1% of my power, little Astartes. I look forward to when I actually fight you.” Ahriman stated, before the portal closed by itself. “We will see…” I muttered, “ We will see…” ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷  Ahriman turned from where the portal had closed, heading over to Midnight.     “Midnight, see to Rainborg and assist her. Khârn, get up off your ass and call in a Thunderhawk. Applejack, get your forces back to base. I need to meditate.” The Warmaster ordered, and everyone nodded, before heading off to their separate tasks. Discord floated down.     “So, you want to put the Blood Alicorns back where they were now?” The Lord of Change asked.     “Not until everyone is back in position. Also, is it possible to track their universe? Because it undoubtedly has it's own Warp, and I am certain Lord Tzeentch would love having another of himself to talk to.” Ahriman asked, and Discord scratched his goatee with his claw.      “Possibly. I'll ask Tzeentch about it later. Anyways, I can assist with getting everyone back to their places!” With a snap of his paw, Ahriman found himself and the rest where they were before, with Midnight and Rainborg in the infirmary.      “We have a new enemy, brothers.” Ahriman stated, sitting down in his chair. “An Astartes and a Spartan….Khârn, warn our allies via our tokens. Dismissed.” The Khornate Berserker nodded, before turning away and heading out.     > Chapter One: Khârn (Reboot preview) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Alright, Ahriman is going to cast ‘Doombolt’ onto your Khorne Berzerker Squad . On a nine normally, but because Ahriman is Ahriman, he adds one to his psychic tests. So on a eight.” Two dice fell from Vaughn’s hand and clattered to the table, one dice landing on a four while the other landed on a five. “Alright, it goes off with a nine!” He looked up at his opponent, smirking. “This’ll cause D3 Mortal Wounds to them, and their movement range will be cut in half, and they can’t advance. If only your army could deny psychic powers…” he readjusted his glasses, blue eyes glimmering with confidence. “Oh, but we can!” Gordon declared proudly. “I use the ‘Scorn of Sorcery’ strategem for one command point, letting me negate your psychic bullcrap on a roll of four or higher!” Another dice roll. “And that’s a four! Denied!” The two were stood across from each other, on opposite sides of the large table, which was covered by small buildings, and dozens of red and blue models. Gordon was the taller of the two, his blonde hair falling slightly past his ears and just barely touched his eyebrows, leaving his blue eyes with clear sight.  He wore a dark grey shirt that had the words ‘I get enough exercise pushing my luck’ on it, and black khakis. “Very well. Then I’m gonna use smite, and then I’ll Warptime away from you. On a four.” Vaughn rolled his dice again, rolling a six and a five. “Alright, D6 mortal wounds.” Another dice roll. “Aaaand it’s a one… so only one dies. For his final psychic test, Ahriman will cast warp time on himself. On a five.” Vaughn rolled his dice, and began to move one of his models away from a group of ten red and gold models. Unlike Gordon, who had some meat on his bones, Vaughn was slim, with arms like toothpicks and a blue vest shirt that hung loosely on his body. He readjusted his glasses as his green eyes scanned the table. The brown-haired man turned as he heard the sound of a door opening. “Ah, Kendall! Glad you could make it! Unfortunately, we started without you.” “That’s what happens when you’re an hour late!” Gordon grinned as the newcomer removed his hat, revealing his black hair, cut short along with his beard. His hazel eyes went straight to the table, and he raised an eyebrow, putting a large case next to a nearby table.  “How did you lot manage to get this all set up, and get started, in an hour?” He asked, removing his coat and placing it over a chair. Underneath, he wore a plain grey shirt and blue jeans. “Ah, the Shopkeeper had a few tables ready for Warhammer today. And as for our setup… I guess we were just quick.” Vaughn shrugged, rolling two more dice. “Alright, that should be my last smite. We’ll be moving to the shooting phase.” “Well Kendall, you’ll have to sit this one out until I finish Vaughn off!” Gordon grinned, motioning towards a nearby table, which had a few empty cases, several books, and some food from a nearby fast food joint. “Or if someone else actually shows up. I’m kinda surprised we’re the only ones here…” “Maybe we’re just early. Or this place isn’t as popular as we expected.” Kendall replied as he walked over to the table, carefully placing his carry case down. “How much research did you put into this place again, Vaughn?” “Not much, to be honest.” He replied, pointing towards some of Gordon’s models, then to a small group of his own. “These Rubrics are gonna open fire on those berzerkers.” “Ah, yes. Unfortunately, word about my shop has not reached very far. In time, I’m sure, there will be plenty of new people to play against.” A smooth and quiet voice reached the trio’s ears, and they turned  to see a short man in black cargo pants, and a black T-shirt with the word ‘DOOM’ stretching across the front in dark red. His face was clean-shaved, with dark brown hair cut short and tidy. “I am pleased that you three found this place, however! Perhaps you would like to peruse my wares later?” “Um… yeah, we’ll take a look one I finish up my turn, man.” Vaughn nodded, giving Gordon a glance. The shopkeeper smiled, and then went through the exit that lead into the main shop part of the store. Once he was gone, Vaughn turned to his friend. “Who talks like that? He sounds like he’s trying to make himself sound all… I dunno, was he going for suave?” He whispered, just in case the shopkeeper was eavesdropping or anything. “Well, he failed pretty badly… what a nerd. Anyway, you were attacking something of mine?” Gordon shrugged, gesturing back towards the table. “I noticed that your models were, for the most part, unpainted.” The shopkeeper spoke up from his counter while the trio looked through his rather small selection of Warhammer products. It was mostly space marine models, with very little of the other factions. “I have a… friend, who lives near here, who takes commissions for models. If you’d like, I can have him paint some of your models… if you’d like.”  Gordon felt a bit dizzy all of a sudden, but it quickly passed. “You know, maybe having the main man of my army all super painted wouldn’t be that bad… what do you guys think?” He looked back to his friends, noticing that both of them were frowning. “Yeah… that sounds kinda good… I’ll go grab my model. It’ll be a good test for this guy.” Vaughn said somewhat slowly, before heading back into the game room.  “I’ll grab yours for you, Gordon.” Kendall nodded, rushing after Vaughn. After a moment, the two returned, Vaughn carrying a robed model with a horned staff, while Kendall carried two red models, one with an axe and the other in bulky armor, with spikes adorning it. “Ah, I see… these will look nicely once they’re painted…” the Shopkeeper took the models from them, examining them carefully. “Excellent priming as well. Luckily for you three, I just happen to have my own painted models of these three… and I’d even be willing to lend them to you.” Gordon paused. Something didn’t feel right here… why would he lend a bunch of strangers his models? ‘But he’s been nice to use so far, so maybe he’s trustworthy enough.’ His worries seemed to all just slip away, and he nodded. “Sure! Let’s see how they look!” The shopkeeper grinned, before ducking down under the counter. He reappeared soon after, holding three identical models as the ones he had given them, only they were all beautifully painted. Gordon grabbed the Khârn model and began to examine it, a smile spreading across his face as the others took theirs.  “Daaang, these really are well done!” Gordon said, giving an appreciative nod. The gold lining was expertly done, and the exposed arm of the model was perfectly done. “I’m glad you like them… and good luck, on your journey…” the Shopkeeper grinned. Gordon paused, but that dizziness came back, much stronger than before. He staggered backwards, almost dropping the model as he noticed his friends were in similar states.  “What… what’s happ...en...eughh…” Gordon collapsed, and darkness swallowed his vision. Gordon jolted awake as his body slammed into the ground, and he could hear water rushing into… wherever he was. As he looked around, all he could see was sand, the light from the night sky dulled somehow by the water. In a fraction of a second, he realized he was at the bottom of a body of water. He went into full panic, realizing that whatever was still giving him air was quickly filling with water, and within five minutes, it would completely flood. Gordon went into motion almost immediately as adrenaline flooded his system, fingers curling around the weapons in his hands as he began to run forwards, his powerful legs throwing him forward towards a sudden slope going upwards towards the surface about thirty meters away.  Despite being underwater, Gordon found himself rushing up the incline barely a minute later. In the back of his mind, he briefly wondered why he didn’t just swim up to the surface, but a sudden throbbing pain in his head banished that thought. Within another minute, Gordon breached the surface of the water, legs stomping forward as water poured out around his left arm, and he finally came to a stop. Oddly enough, he noticed as he calmed down, he found he wasn’t breathing very hard, despite running faster and harder than he had ever really done in his life… oh, and all the red lights dancing in his vision. “Glurg… gggthe hell is this…?” Gordon gurgled, and stopped as he realized just how strange his voice sounded. In fact, it didn’t sound like his voice at all. Red text scrolled across his vision in a language he shouldn’t have been able to understand, yet he was able to read it as easily as if it were the English language. Still couldn’t understand it, though. It looked kinda like Latin. “Why do I… feel so different?”  He raised his left arm, and noticed several things. The most notable being that he was holding a massive axe, the whole thing being longer than he was tall. The axe head was an almost bloody red, with what looked like small decorative red skulls inlaid into the thing, surrounded by a bronze trim. Dozens of jagged and likely razor sharp teeth jutted from where the blade should have been, and it looked almost as if there was some kind of engine on the other end. The second thing he noticed was the mass of silver chains wrapped around his unusually muscly arm, which clinked and clanked together as he moved his arm. Speaking of his arm, he noticed that it had way more muscles than it usually did. In fact, he was pretty sure no one  naturally was this buff, and… was that a pipe sticking out of his arm?! He dropped his arm only a second after he had lifted it, stumbling backwards in surprise. He glanced at his right arm, noticing immediately the dark red and bronze armor surrounding it, as well as the large gun in his grip. It reminded him immediately of a plasma pistol from Warhammer, although there was the skull of some four eyed creature built into the back and stretched over the plasma coils, which were glowing a pale blue.  As he took in this information, something in the back of his mind clicked, and he realized where he had seen these exact weapons before. He turned back towards the water, and looked down at his reflection. Staring back at him was a red and bronze behemoth. The green lens of his helmet stared coldly at him from his reflection as two massive horn-like protrusions jutted up from the sides of his head. Like his chainaxe, they looked like they had small red skulls lodged into them, surrounded by a bronze prison. On both sides of his head they bore the image of a pair of jaws clamping down on a chaos star. Most of his armor was red with bronze, with the only notable parts being the crotch guard, which displayed a screaming Daemon skull, his knee guards, which also bore skulls of unknown origin, and the vents of his armor’s backpack, which, again bore skulls, though these were clearly human.  Staring back at Gordon was, very clearly, Khârn the Betrayer, greatest mortal champion of Khorne. And the greatest mortal champion of Khorne promptly began to scream.