> Battle of Gods > by EmperorDalek > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Meanwhile, in another corner of space…* On a barren planet, a large battle raged. In the air above, large Starships flew in the air above, swopping down, and releasing forth concentrated energy blasts that shot down towards the ground, with violent force, the beams hit their target, causing the ground to explode, sending upwards former-mass of the ground. With heavy *thuds* their enemies fell down onto the ground, their mouths hanging open, as their bodies lay, dead, upon the ground, smoke rising up from them. Equestrians charged forward towards a heavily fortified bunker that lay at the end of the up-scale run towards the top of the bunker. Behind fortified walls, the Ponies’ enemies were gathering within a meeting chamber. Creatures with silver armor stood gathered around a large highly advanced table, which showed holographic map of the surrounding area. The form’s handlebars on the sides of their heads, indicating their higher ranking. ‘’Cyber Unit 5 reports that the Ponies are pushing their offensive on our location. It is evident that they seek to take Cyber Command. Starships have already attempted a bombing run of the bunker, but the Anti-aircraft Turrets have forced them to withdraw…Their ground forces are still making a final push to take the bunker.’’ One of the armored figures, indicating it’s hoof towards the mountain ridge on the map. ‘’The Brain Machine has estimated a 90% chance that should the Equestrians secure this region, our defenses shall suffer greatly. The technologies being developed here could potentially break the stalemate and end the war.’’ Another one of the silver beings spoke. ‘’That is a definite. We do not require a computer to tell us that!’’ A booming voice spoke, interrupting the debate between the Cyber Commanders. The other figures in the room turned, and looked behind them towards the other end of the room. A door swung open, entering into the wall, and a silver figure adorning a chest plate, entered into the chamber. ‘’Cyber Lord.’’ One of the Cyber Commanders spoke, as it like the rest, observed the newcomer’s arrival, silently, and with a deadpanned expression, observing as it approached the table and group of them. ‘’The Emotional Computer suggests that we should feel honored to be graced by your presence.’’ One of the Commanders spoke. ‘’Honor is irrelevant. Victory is no small price to pay for banishing emotional interaction from our minds.’’ Said the Cyber Lord, turning it’s head, and looking it’s blank, emotionless eyes towards the particular Commander. It turned away, looking it’s face towards another one of the Commanders. ‘’Report status of main defense!’’ It instructed. The Commander, merely bowed it’s head in response, and turned itself back towards the holographic map, craning it’s head slightly downwards. ‘’As observed today, the Ponies have been pushing their advances harder. Our defenses are halting their advance, but it will be only a matter of time before they penetrate it, and overtake this sector of Cyber Command. Even with our superior technology, our numbers have dwindled, greatly. Reinforcements are required if their assault is to be halted.’’ The Commander said, pointing it’s hoof towards specific points on the map. The Cyber Lord observed, not uttering a word, whilst the Commander was speaking. ‘’Identify how many Cyber Units are stationed here at this region!’’ Ordered the Cyber Lord. ‘’As of this very moment, our current strength is at two thousand Cyber Units…But most of them are spread out across the region, engaged with the enemy on multiple fronts. Reports confirm that they are withstanding the Ponies’ assaults better us.’’ A Commander from across the table spoke up – The Lord turned it’s head, looking up towards the Commander. ‘’And what of reinforcements from these other positions!? Can no forces be spared!?’’ It asked. ‘’Withdrawing the necessary requirements from those lines would demand them to be reinforced by one of the others.’’ The Commander answered. ‘’We could push them back with the necessary aid, but that would give the Ponies, currently engaged on those fronts, enough time to break through our weakened lines, and only hasten our loss of the region.’’ It followed up, very shortly after saying it. ‘’The new weapons that are being developed…Can they not be deployed against the Ponies!?’’ Asked the Cyber Lord, as it looked out, slowly turning it’s head, and looking at the Commanders. The Commanders remained silent for a little while. ‘’The Science Division reports that weapons have been constructed, and can be deployed, post-haste, against them…’’ A Commander with blue streaks running down the sides of it’s front hooves, signifying it’s position, spoke up, but paused mid-way through. ‘’But further tests are required before deployment is an option.’’ The Lord turned it’s head, looking towards the Commander. ‘’Identify the cause of delay!’’ It instructed. ‘’There is no silo that reaches all the way up to the surface, as we did not expect the Ponies to launch their assault at this moment. It had been quiet, as of late.’’ The blue-streaked Commander replied. ‘’Then we have a weapon, but no means to deploy it to the battle zone!?’’ The Lord asked the Commander. ‘’Affirmative.’’ *One hour into the battle* Outside the mountain, on the sides of the mountain, the ground exploded as Ponies continued to charge up the side of the mountain, their goal: the bunker, though, no one said that it would be easy. Heavy Turrets fired down towards the advancing enemy forces, most of the time it hit it’s mark, it’s most easiest targets being the grounded Earth Ponies, but the Pegasus Ponies proved to be quite a challenge, as they merely flew to the side, dodging it’s deadly energy blasts, Unicorns too, attempted to gallop up the mountainside, using their magic to create energy shields which managed to deflect a few of the energy blasts, but when they came in a heavily concentrated discharge, there was nothing they could do to ensure that the beams did not get through, making the ground underneath them to explode, killing them instantly. Cybermares, slowly, marched down the mountainside, their hooves held, as they fired fatal beams of energy down towards their Pony attackers. Alongside the Drone-version of the Cybermares, Spider-like tripod objects moved down alongside them, missile launchers standing on both sides of these ghastly machines, as they unleashed barrages of powerful missiles raining down towards the enemy force that was galloping up towards them. All around the two battling opponent factions, trees had been mutilated and destroyed, plains had been reduced to black surfaces, up from which, the black smoke seemed to be the only thing that came, forests were decimated, and left in a dead and burning state. The fire being the only thing that moved there now. What had once been a beautiful landscape, had been decimated by a time spent taking lives. Being by a beam from one of the Ponies’ weapons, sparks exploded outwards from the Cybermare’s chest, it screamed out, as electrical surges ravaged it’s body…Before it finally backwards/forwards, landing with a loud *thud* against the ground. From it’s hoof-mounted wrist laser, a Cybermare fired a beam of energy down towards one of the galloping Ponies. The beam hit the Ponies’ left hoof, making it fall forward, landing face-first down into the ground. The Pony lifted itself up, looking it’s eyes out in front of it…What it saw, and heard, were the loud *clanking* hoof steps of the Cybermare, the same one that had hit him, as it moved closer towards him. Turning his head to the side, he could merely watch, as the other members of this particular Cybermare’s squadron, continued down the mountainside towards his comrades. *Clanking stops* Suddenly, within his body, his heart sunk. His eyes widened, and he turned his head back, looking his eyes back, as he encountered a pair of silver hooves that greeted him. He raised his head, looking his eyes up towards the blank face of the awaiting Cybermare, as it stood over him. He tried to stand himself back up, only to fall back down. A cold wind brushed against his hoof, passing through the large hole in his hoof. As it stood towering over him, the Cybermare did not utter a single word. It, somehow, seemed to respect his final moments. There was no way any of his comrades could reach him in time to save him. *The Cybermare raised it’s right arm, aiming it’s wrist cannon towards him* This was the end of the line for him. There was no escaping this close encounter for him. ‘’Science Officer!’’ He heard one of his comrade’s shout from behind the advancing Cybermares. He closed his eyes, sighing, heavily. His eyes opened, and he lay his head down on the ground – The Cybermare’s wrist cannon, following his movements – He groaned, softly. ‘’Just make it quick, damn you.’’ He said under his breath. The Cybermare did not utter a word to his reluctant request – It merely raised it’s arm, pointing it towards his head. He drew breath once more, then closed his eyes, awaiting his death at the hooves of this silver creature. His ear perked itself upwards, as the sound of approaching ships arriving, received his attention. Above him, in the sky, he could hear the doors hissing open. Suddenly, the Cybermare’s chest was pierced by a long, sharp, blade. From the impact alone, the Cybermare was pushed back away from him. In sheer spur of the moment, he raised his head, looking up, the sparks to flew out from the front and back of it’s chest, as the sharp tip came out the back. He managed to stand himself up a little bit, but in his injured condition, he could not do much movement. Using all his strength and his energy, he managed to stand himself up, turning himself around, but not without much pain, and falling back – As gently, as he could – against a rock, and resting himself, right there. His eyes looked out in front of him, his ears heard the sound of a sword being pulled out, it’s blade scraping against the surface of something that sounded like steel, unleashing another heavy barrage of sparks out from the Cybermare’s chest, it fell down, it’s body crashing down onto the ground…Now lifeless and inert. While he was exhausted, and virtually, drained of any resistance, he could make out the form of the being that had saved him from the Cybermare. A Mare of tall stature, wielding golden armor, and a golden blade in her magical grasp, stood in front of him. He opened his mouth to try and speak, but he was too exhausted to do so. ‘’P-Princess…’’ Were the only the words he managed to say before losing consciousness. His hoof fell down, falling down upon the ground. ‘’Science Officer!’’ The Princess shouted, as she took notice of his unconscious form, resting behind her. Her mind was drawn, however, was attracted back towards the battle currently at hoof – Bringing her sword up, as an energy blast shot towards her, swinging her sword towards it, catching it, and deflecting it down into the ground, making the ground explode upwards, sending a large cloud of dust upwards, surrounding the Alicorn. The surrounding Cybermares looked forward, their electronic eyes looking towards the position where the Alicorn newcomer had been standing only a few moments ago. The army of Ponies had stopped, looking their eyes up towards the same place the Cybermares were looking. But they too, saw only the collection of rising dust and smoke that arose from her standing spot. A Cybermare raised it’s hoof, holding it up against it’s chest. ‘’Cyber Command, we report that one of the Princesses, Princess Celestia, has been eliminated.’’ The Cyber Unit spoke. Meanwhile, from above, the Transport Ship that had brought the Princess there, opened it’s doors, once again. Out from behind the space behind the doors, a darkly silhouetted figure jumped, soundlessly, outwards. It pointed itself downwards, adjusting it’s course. A hoof reached down inside the figure’s cloak, grasping hold of a hilt. The figure crossed it’s eyes, narrowing them, as it looked down towards one of the Cybermares. ‘’Once the remaining Pony opposition has been eliminated, w-‘’ A small, flat surface cut through it’s words, cutting it’s speech short. With a gentle touch, the figure touched down against the devastated ground, underneath. Both the Cybermares and the Ponies turned their attention towards the newcomer. But unlike the blank, expressionless faces of the Cybermares, the Ponies gained wide, confident smiles, as they beseeched the newcomer. With a quick motion, the newcomer’s eyes shot open, and looked out towards the Cybermares present at the site. *In that exact moment, in another part of the world, on a completely different continent* Far off, in a distant, almost desolate region, within a room inside the topmost tallest tower of a large structure at the center of a vast city, a pair of eyes shot open, as it’s head shot up. Sitting atop a throne, a tall creature sat p it’s appearance bearing close resemblances to that of an Alicorn. Suddenly, as if called for, it’s chair started to *bleep*. It continued *bleeping* until it’s horn started to glow, causing a button on it’s chair to be pressed. Out in front of it, a holographic image of an equine shape to appear before it. ‘’My Lord!’’ it said, bowing it’s head down in respect to the bipedal figure. ‘’The situation has developed in the Cardolan region. The Equestrians are pushing their advance in that sector. The Cybermares’s forces have been able to hold them at bay for the moment…But the situation has now grown dire, as two high powered energy signatures has entered onto the battlefield, and are now slaughtering the Cybermare defense forces. It is my belief that the Equestrians have unleashe new elite warriors onto the battlefield to contest our forces’s control of the Cardolan region.’’ The hologram said. The tall Alicorn’s face tightened, as an angry grimace settled on it. ‘’Has the Cyber Lord been captured or killed?’’ It asked the hologram. ‘’No, my Lord. The Cyber Commanders are still within Cyber Command, and are awaiting rienforcements from the Capital City of Cardolan.’’ Replied the hologram. ‘’But there are none who can come to it’s aid…Except one.’’ The Alicorn said. The Equine’s face turned pale, it’s pupils shrunk, and a fearful expression settled on it’s face. ‘’B-but, my Lord…You cannot possibly mean…’’ The Equine started to protest. ‘’It is time for the beast to join on the battlefields.’’ The Alicorn said. ‘’You would have not come seeking my council were there rienforcements that could be sent…’’ It closed it’s eyes shut, lowering it’s head. ‘’The offenses have demanded quite a lot from us…’’It’s eyes opened, and it raised it’s head, looking back towards the Pony. ‘’From what word we’ve received, that region is too valueable to be lost. We are without any other options left.’’ It’s crossed it’s eyes, angrily. ‘’Prepare a ship…’’ It paused. ‘’The Beast will be sent to contest with these…Ponies.’’ As it stood itself up from it’s throne. An evil smile settled on it’s face, spreading from ear to ear, as it narrowed it’s eyes. It’s eyes looked back down towards the Equine with a decreased smile. ‘’Also, have the Leash made ready, immediately. From what i’ve just been told, these…Elites will not go down without a fight.’’ It instructed. ‘’A-as you wish, my Lord. It shall done at once.’’ He said, nervously, bowing his head. Then, the hologram disappeared. The Alicorn stood up, and trotted down the steps towards the floor. It approached the door, raising it’s hoof, and pointed it towards the door, the horn atop it’s head, started to glow, and in response to that, the doors swung open, and the Alicorn headed out into the hallways that awaited it. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Back at the battlefield* Celestia shouted, loudly, as magic shot from her horn towards the nearest Cybermare. Making it explode, upon impact – A few of the nearby Cybermares were also affected by the blast, by having the shockwave of the explosion throw them away from it…Some landing on the ground, unscathed, while others crashed into rocks, causing fatal damage to its function, rendering them useless and lifeless. Luna, sword in hoof, galloped towards the Cybermare aggressors. Using her sword to deflect their laser bolts away from her, either by sending them shooting down into the ground, or by simply having them vanish once they touched against the blade. Down the mountainside, the Spider-like tripod missile platforms, continued on their way down towards the Equestrians, unleashing violently fast missiles hurtling down towards their positions, making devastating explosions erupt up from the ground, killing multiple Ponies, but leaving only one in a state of being injured. These robots alone killed hundreds of Ponies with their powerful missiles, now that the Poinies had become cocky, and overconfident with how close their victory was. Luna, upon hearing the screams and the sounds of the explosions from further down the mountainside, turned to look behind her, catching only the slightest glimpse of a lone Cybermare heading downwards, to join with the others in the battle. She moved her hoof up, and made a swift motion forward, and throwing her sword towards it. *Shhhhhnng!* The Cybermare stopped, frozen, as it’s Audio Receptors picked up the sound of someone tricksing with their sword. It turned itself around to face the wielder of the sword. But just when it’s eyes back, seeing Luna at the other end, it immediately raised it’s hoof, pointing it’s wrist cannon towards her… With a clean, and penetrating force, it was suddenly struck through it’s throat. It’s wrist cannon did not fire, and it became paralyzed, absolutely motionless where it stood. Before it fell backwards, though, a magical grasp enveloped the sword’s hilt, pulling it back out, as the figure leaped out over the edge, it’s wings moving out, catching the wind, as it, hastily, glid down through the air. But it did not continue downwards, it made a quick turn to the left, and reached it’s hooves out, holding them out in front of her. It’s speed building and building, as it went ever faster and faster, with another mighty bead of it’s wings. With it’s automated movements, the mobile launchers continued down the side of the mountain, blasting forth more and more, missilies to force their Pony enemies further back. They would not stop until every Equestrian on the slopes on this mountain, were either in full retreat, or dead. Their casualties now numbering in at 1957, the Equestrians were in full retreat, with the number of dead, rising as they were mercilessly cut down in their flight. Cybermares and mobile missile platforms, were the only living things that followed in the wake of the last shootdown. While missiles were not quite as fast as the Cybermare’s wrist cannons, there was no letdown in their results. ‘’Wait! Everypony halt!!’’ A lone Captain shouted. ‘’Look!!’’ He raised his hoof, pointing it up towards the mountain. Those Ponies that were at the far back of the army, who were in greater and more frantic retreat, stopped, turning themselves around, they directed their eyes up towards the mountainside where the Stallion was pointing. ‘’I-is that her?’’ A Soldier asked, confused. ‘’What is she doing!? They will spot her for sure!’’ Another exclaimed, staring her eyes towards the flying Alicorn with horrified eyes. Suddenly, though, she turned to the right side, narrowing herself down a little, holding her sword close up until her body, as with a mighty flap of her wings, she picked dup speed. She directed herself down, and flew down towards the lower regions of the mountain – While still keeping her speed up to max. With a steady march, the Cybermares and the mobile weapons platforms had the Ponies running for the hills, as the saying goes. A Cybermare with purple streaks running down the sides of it’s hooves, trotted alongside several of it’s Cyber ‘’Bretheren’’, discharging deadly blasts towards it’s enemies. It was then approached by a regular Cybermare. ‘’Cyber Leader.’’ The soldier spoke, upon getting close enough to it. ‘’Report.’’ The Cyber Leader spoke in a deeper, more gruff voice. ‘’Our Subwave Network is informing of a powerful being approaching our position.’’ The soldier replied. ‘’I am allready aware of that, soldier. I have been informed . Did the message contain anything else?’’ The Cyber Leader replied, asking the soldier back. ‘’Affirmative…It said that the entity has a power level consisting of 100 000, possibly even more.’’ The soldier replied. This ushered the Leader to back away, stunned into silence. ‘’That cannot be correct. Run it through again…’’ In that moment, though, a deep rumbling sounded in the distance. The soldier and the Leader turned their heads, and looked their heads up towards it’s point of origin. Before reaching the ground, she turned to the left, fixing herself up, quickly, and flew straight forward, speeding towards the hostile force. In bewildered anticipation, the Ponies watched her, as they observed the Princess doing something they had never imagined a Pony of her stature attempt to do. *Getting closer and closer* Her magic grabbed hold of the sword’s hilt, and held it out to the side. It’s blade gleaming in the sunlight, as she smiled, despite the intense speed she was going at. As she passed by the Cybermares and their tripods, dust was instantly blown up, off the ground, and both the Cybermares and their ‘’spiders’’, became frozen in place. She landed down in front of their paralyzed enemies, looking up towards them with a wide smile on her face. ‘’Too slow.’’ She said, chiperly, their blank, expressionless faces looked back at her, but neither one of them uttered a word, nor did they move an inch from where they stood. Luna’s Ponies, nervously, strode slightly forward towards her, but the Cybermare’s still standing conditions didn’t point out too many good things. Slowly, the wind started to blow, brushing gently through the Ponies’ manes. Being the only one of a thousands, a lone Pony strode forth, stepping out from behind the ranks. ‘’P-princess!? Back away from those Cybermares. They will-‘’ Before the Pony’s sentence was given the opportunity to complete it’s sentence, several Cybermares dropped to their knees, they fell forward, crashing down onto the ground with a loud *clunk*. ‘’Wha-‘’ The Pony said, confused, narrowing it’s eyes, as it looked towards the Cybermares. The spider-tripods’s legs were severed, causing it to emit sparks from it’s dis-connected body. Luna held out her wing, and with a swift shift, swipped it towards the Cybermares and spider-tripods, sending a breeze through them. Then, all on their own, the Cybermares and the spider-tripods fell down, collapsing onto the ground. Luna’s smile grew, as her magical telekinesis sheathed her sword back into the hilt. *The moment the sword touches against the hilt* Suddenly, from behind, a large uproar of voices shouted up towards her. Her eyes widened a little, as she did not expect such a loud, and sudden sound. She turned around, and looked back out towards the large devastated landscape, her eyes falling upon the thousands of Ponies that had were still alive from the relentless assault on this region of the Cyberiad’s Kingdom/Empire, as they still did now know how far these evil creations held a grasp over creation. Luna’s confusion formed itself into a smile, as she looked out across the devastated plains, seeing only the sight of a dead world, a world…murdered by the conflict that had overtaken it. It was not difficult to see that what was now a battlefield, had once been a beautiful world. Luna’s ears seemed to dis-connect from her other senses, as she no longer heard another sound. She closed her eyes, and slowly opened them again…But when she looked out, once more, she was no longer on the ravaged battlefield in a region of Cardolan, but instead, standing atop a mountainside, looking out across a beautiful pasture, with little hills, rivers that ran thrugh the countryside, houses that looked like they had been built out of something must have been clay, but had the texture of wood as it’s surface, with a sturdy metal roof, and glass windows, through which one could look in or out through. Unfolding her wings, and holding them out, she suddenly leaped out from the behind the cliff, letting the wind catch her, and permitting her to glide down through the air, as she ‘’flew’’ over the beautiful landscape below, looking down upon from a birds eye-perspective. Gently, her hooves touched down against the soft grass, which brushed against her hoof, it was a little cold at first, but with time it passed, and she could the warmth beginning to move through her, once more. She inhaled a gentle intake of fresh, nice air, before raising her hoof up, and beginning to trot forward, making her way through the large, open, and solitude forest. Each tree reached high up into the sky, they were utterly pale, but were surrounded in a sparkling glow, reminiscent of the stars high upon the night sky. They looked dead, but at the same time, alive, like diamonds. For miles upon miles without end the seemingly endless forest stretched, climbing up along the roots of the mountain, atop the little hills, and far across the far, wide, open plains. With slow, calm trots she stepped through the forest, looking her head up, taking in her surroundings. Watching strange, but cute creatures scurry through the trees, and on the ground. Occasionally, one would stop, and look at her, but would then continue to follow after the others like it. Luna smiled at this, and continued on her way, passing through the forest. *Sudden stop* Luna’s hooves, suddenly, stopped moving, they became frozen in place, as out in front of her, standing in an open spot of the forest, staring back at her with the same confused and amazed eyes, was the recognizeable form of a Pony. Neither spoke, but both knew that the other really wanted to. The Pony wore a set of blue robes that covered it’s entire body, giving off only small points where one could it’s hind legs, while it’s front hooves were much more visible. It wore something bore the texture and hue of an armored chestplate, but was still mere fabric. It wore a broach which she could not make out it’s image – It was like it was constantly shifting, changing between one image, and then going to another. It’s mane reached down to just above it’s shoulders, and just from looking at the Pony’s face, could she tell that it was a Mare. Slowly, the Mare started to back away, nervously, from her. It quickly ducked down behind a tree, but when Luna went to investigate, to make sure she was allright…the Mare was gone. She looked up, turning her around, as she looked in every possible direction for a clue as to where the Mare was, but there was no possible she could deny it – She had simply vanished away, even though she wasn’t a Unicorn. Luna continued on her way, trotting through the rest of the forest at a steady pace. As time went on, the forest started heading inwards, passing inbetween two giant mountains. Luna noticed this, but chose to ignore it, as she entered deeper and deeper into the forest. With a final step forward, she took her first step out of the forest, and her first out onto a long landscape that stretched for a little bit. But what really got her jaw to drop, was the sight of large, towering buildings that rose up high into the sky, their forms like spires, as they pointed up high. On the outskirts of the vastly populated metropolis, stood a solitary structure, It was raised higher than any other structure of the city, and in the center stood a vast tower-like structure, with multiple spiring structure-like buildings spread around it. It bore many close resemblances to her home, except for one particular, and very obvious thing...But before Luna was given time to think about it, the sound of hoofsteps approaching her, sounded – Her ear perked itself up, twitching a little in the direction of the sound. She turned her head, looking it to her left. Up, alongside the edge of the forest, a Unicorn Stallion trotted up towards her. It greatly resembled the Pony she had meet in the forest, that had just disappeared into thin air when it ducked behind that tree. Getting closer, her eyes noticed that it wore the same kind of robes that greatly bore some resemblance to that of the Pony in the forest, except it was a purple. As she looked her eyes towards the newcomer, she drew notice that it was…just a normal Earth Pony. She crossed her eyes a little, as she looked towards it, in confusion. The figure smiled, as it stepped forward, approaching her. ‘’Princess Luna…’’ It said. Her eyes narrowed a little, crossing her eyebrows, as she looked into the face of the Unicorn. She closed her eyes…And opened them up again, almost immediately, but no longer finding herself standing in the beautiful, and lively landscape, surrounded by the forests, the mountains, or the immense bustling city. Everything surrounding her, was once again back to the dead and desolate battlefield that she had borne witness to for these latest couple of months. ‘’L-na’’ Her ears picked up several faint, but growing voices. Her attention shifted down towards the Equestrian army that stood atop the darkened plateaus. Her suddenly-confused expression changed into a smile, as she looked out upon them. The wind started to blow rougher, the weather beginning to build, getting a little rougher. Suddenly, rough, red bursts of lightning shot down from the clouds, striking the ground in front of the Equestrian forces, not just in a single spot, but all around the mountain. Making the ground explode, upon impact, and create large craters in the ground. Luna turned herself around…Stopping herself half-way, as her eyes looked towards the top of the mountain, for a split second, but doing a double-take, and shifting her eyes back towards the mountain top, all that way up… She was not the only one to notice this strange occurrence, as many Ponies in the army, looked up towards the sky in shock, and surprise…At the top, atop the the mountain’s very tip, stood a bipedal figure. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The figure was holding its arms stretched out, using end-appendages that had only been seen once with Tirek, and Scorpan, Tirek’s brother. It moved its left arm up towards the clouds, the action of doing so, sent a rippling wave through the clouds. They started coming together, forming a solitary mass that stretched out wide across the skies. Forcing the light to retract back away from it, as, like an outstretched arm covering anything it could, the sunlight was all but blotted from sight, as a long reach of dark clouds all but dominated the skies. The figure raised its right arm up, pointing it’s hand down towards the plateau that was all covered by the army of Ponies, staring up in awe and shock at what was happening. The dark clouds started to move from their place. Positioning themselves directly over the Equestrian force. It clenched it’s left hand into a fist, making the dark clouds stop moving. Releasing the grip on two fingers, it held them out. With a quick, but still somewhat slowly, it slammed it’s gripped hand into the palm of it’s hand that was pointing towards the Ponies. At doing this, the clouds, instantly, released violent barrages of lightning strikes down into the ground, where the Ponies stood. Some were killed upon contact, but some fortunate ones, though, only a few, managed to survive their devastating nature, but just because they were able to dodge it just in time. After twenty strikes had shot down into the ground, both in the center, and the outer sections of the army, it all, then, suddenly just…stopped. The Ponies turned themselves back around, directing their eyes up towards the figure…Only to be greeted by the sight of it’s arms crossed, and a coyly evil expression on it’s face (though, it was only the Princesses that noticed it’s crossed arms and changed expression). ‘’Wh-what is it do-‘’ Before the Equestrian was permitted to continue her question, or even finish it, two energy beams shot from the figure’s eyes. The beams shot through the air, past Luna, and anyone who was even remotely close to the slopes of the mountain. ‘’Look out!’’ Several of the Equestrian soldiers shouted out. But once the beams actually all the way down to the ground, their eyes beheld, as the energy beams seemed to completely miss them. They instead moved to outskirts of the army, going in their separate ways, as they went to separate points…many of them, being where the light strikes had created several craters. Once the eye lasers had stopped projecting, there was nothing but a black outline where they had moved along the ground…But not a single Pony had been hit, at least, not purposefully. Luna crossed her eyes, a little, as she looked out upon the fields – Her mouth, open, and hanging down. Rotated her head, then arching it upwards, she, once again, laid eyes upon the newcomer. It’s arms was still crossed, but a smile now adorned it’s face. It raised one of it’s arms, and held it up, pointing one of it’s fingers up, at the tip of it’s finger, a small form red energy formed. It was tiny in comparison to some of the energy beams she and her sister had been able to unleash, no bigger than Luna or Celestia’s eyeball. The small sphere of energy, however, began building itself up, getting bigger and bigger with increasingly faster and faster speeds. Around the mountain top, the dark clouds began spewing forth electrical discharges, but unlike lightning from earlier, it was now bright red, and was being discharged faster and more frequently. It’s intensity building, as the ball of energy had now grown so big that it one could mistake it for a very big red balloon, except that the crackling of energy would be a bit of a giveaway that it wasn’t that. With a final evil expression on it’s face, the figure gave a gentle arch of it’s finger down…And then, just like that, the energy blast was sent flying. Forming a evil grin, the figure started chuckling to itself, it’s laugh getting louder and louder, like with the energy sphere, grew in intensity. Luna adorned a shocked expression, her jaw hanging open, as she was unable to take her eyes off of it. Watching in utter silence, as it shot past her, overhead. Her head turned, watching it, she found herself incapable of looking away from it. The intensified wind that brushed her against her face was not too big a problem…But the bright light, on the other hoof, was a mighty annoying problem, forcing her to close her left eye, and turn her her head a little away, facing it a little to the right, procuring a groaned grimace. *BOOM* Perking up her ear at the sound of the large explosion, Luna did not know how far it was, that this would be the only thing that she would be able to do. Up from the ground, a blast of violently red shot up, being too bright for those who looked upon it, forcing them to turn their heads away – As one figure, further atop the mountainside did. Averting it’s eyes from the powerful, bright, light. As the sound of erupting fire, and the crumbling of rocks invaded the ears of Luna, it was suddenly, interrupted by another, more horrifying sound: Screams of Ponies. Fighting against her instinct’s wishes, Luna pried her eyes open, fighting against the bright, searing light of the energy ball’s explosion. But as she attempted to pry it open further, she found the bright heat, too unbearable…And was forced to close them shut, once more. Hearing only the loud, and now growing pained, screams of her Ponies, as the energy ball did whatever terrible thing it was doing to them. When the bright intensity of the light died down, allowing her to open it again, without it burning, and hurting like mad. But once her eye’s pupils looked, laying upon the sight before her, she did not know what to make of it. She, like all of their soldiers, looked out in front of them, staring down/up towards the ball of energy…as it seemed to be frozen in the air. It wasn’t too easy for Luna to see due to the still, somewhat, blinding light generated from the sphere of energy, but the Ponies could make out everything, perfectly fine, but what they could see, they could not make snese out of. The sphere was justing in the air…With strange tendrils moving out from it’s form, and entering down into the ground, into the crevices around them. The tendrils started to move, following the path made way towards the next crevice. They started to move faster and faster, at one eventual point, it was going at such speeds that it resembled a giant, whirling, vortex of red crackling energy, or a wall of pure, red energy spun around in a large circle motion. The figure smiled, raising a hand and holding it out. It snapped it’s fingers, sending an echo sounding throughout the entire landscape. With that, the sphere surrounding the Ponies shot down into the ground. Disapearing underneath the surface. In awe, many Ponies began directing their eyes down towards the circle that surrounded them. A faint, but evident, glow could be seen from within the crevices. The figure narrowed it’s eyes, glaring down at them with a devious smile upon it’s face. It crossed it’s arms, watching in silent glee. All of a sudden, the ground started to shake, violently. Underneath them, the Ponies could hear the clear indications of explosions sounding underneath the thick surface of the ground floor. There was a brief silence that fell over them. But it was abruptly ended, when a deep rumbling followed. The ground began to crack, loudly, as massive tears forced themselves through the skin of the earth. The cracks split, separated, and went in every possible imaginable direction, as they seemed like a consciousness entity, heading straight for Ponies whever they went. Slicing up the earth, to reveal red, intensly hot bright bursts of lights, and soft fumes, that seeped out, up into the air. Suddenly sinking underneath the hooves, the Ponies were all but swallowed up, when the ground gave away, vanishing underneath them…and revealing a bubbling mass of pure, blood-red light liquid. The Ponies’ eyes widened, turning pale, and shrinking down, as their jaws dropped, and a blood-curtling scream sounded from them, as they fell down…There being no trace of them having been there. Luna’s jaw was dropped, and her eyes stared in awe at the sight before her, watching with shocked terror, as her forces had all fallen down into that giant, red, bubbling pit. The figure smiled, widely, from ear to ear. Keeping it’s arms crossed. Behind it, a small form touched down onto the side of the mountain, a long and slender tendril-like appendage hung down, touching against the ground. Looking it’s eyes down towards the lone survivor that it had taken notice of, at the beginning of all of a this, the figure grinned. This one would be easy. Slowly, the figure, gently, started to levitate itself up, off the mountain top, it’s legs hanging down, like with it’s tail, as it hovered down through the air….Drawing ever closer to the sole survivor of it’s devastating attack on their army. This was undoubtedly one of the elites, who had taken up arms against them. It cracked it’s hands, though, only to give the deceptive illusion that this creature would be any real challenge to it. It then crossed it’s arms. The ground cracked, breaking further up, as the crevices stretched out, grabbing and swallowing up any and all Ponies that were unable to run fast enough away from it, or failed to use their magic quickly enough to teleport themselves away, from out of it’s deadly reach. She dropped to her knees, her magic, being removed from her sword, letting it drop the ground, *clanging* loudly upon hitting it’s blade against it. The ground was still tearing apart, but the screams of her people being killed was – Thankfully – starting to slow itself more and more. Becoming less and less, but the pain of those that she had allready lost, and were still suffering, still echoed within her mind. Trotting out from her spot along the mountainside, Celestia trotted up, looking her eyes down towards the vast sight of death and destruction that was unfolding. Her eyes took notice of her sister, further down. But before leaping into action, and flying – Or teleporting – herself down towards her precious sibling, she took notice of a figure was approaching Luna. From her perspective, alone, she could almost swear that the figure had skin pure out of metal…Or at the very least, it did not look purely organic. ‘’Luna.’’ She whispered, softly, but with a sense of urgency in her tone. Luna’s eyes started to water. She lowered her head down, as she felt her cheeks starting to feel wet, as they were soaked by her sobbing tears. Her ear, suddenly, perked itself up. Her head shot up, eyes wide, and terrified. With slow movement, her head turned itself around, and looked back towards whatever stood behind her. Once one of laid eyes upon the other, the looker’s eyes widened in shock, and the looker, also backed away slightly from the other, while the other remained in place, staring back at the other. Regaining it’s composure, and crossing it’s arms, once more, the figure looked out, back towards Luna. Observing, as her own gaze looked back towards it. ‘’So…’’ It spoke, it’s voice raspy, and very high-pitched. It raised a sharp finger, holding it up, as it leaned itself forward, putting one hand in front of where it’s mouth would have been, but wasn’t, and started to cough. ‘’Ah…That’s better.’’ It said, standing itself back up, and lowering it’s arm down, letting it hang – It’s now sounded much clearer, and not nearly as…childlike, as the other. It was very formal, but with the slightest hint of a murderous beast, within. ‘’So it is you, the one that I have heard so much about-‘’ It crossed it’s arms, smiling evilly, towards the Mare. ‘’Hm hm hm hm hm hm.’’ It chuckled to itself, mid-way through. ‘’Princess Luna?’’ It asked her. She stood herself back up. Turning her body around, and facing her eyes, straight, towards the figure in front of her. She did not utter a word for a good, long, duration of the time she spent glaring, angrily, back towards it. But when she did, her voice was laced with a stern seriousness on her face. It was evident to it that she was not going to back down, and step aside for it. ‘’I am.’’ She said, calmly. Her eyes narrowed, as she glared back. ‘’And who, if I may inquire, are you?’’ Luna asked it. It gave another non-moving-mouth, soft chuckle, at her request to find out be told it’s identity. ‘’All you need to worry about, my dear…is your own life-’’ It said, smiling wickedly, back. Narrowing it’s eyes. ‘’Who I am, does not matter nearly as much as you, and your species’ interference in my master’s reign.’’ Said the form. It raised it’s arm, pointing out a metal finger towards her. ‘’Your tiresome attempts at securing victory for your sister is a dis-honorable attempt to impress me…If anything, you have just proven yourself a weakling in my eyes.’’ Said the form. Luna said nothing, but continued to glare, sternly towards it. ‘’Think whatever you want of me…beast of a thousand Alicorns. But I am not a slave to my sister’s will.’’ Luna replied back to it. ‘’Hm?’’ The figure replied to her answer, raising a non-existent brow. ‘’I only have one duty, and one duty alone…And that is to protect the Ponies of this world.’’ Luna continued onwards. She took a few trots forward, approaching the figure. ‘’But you seem to know my name…So why don’t you tell me yours, so we be better aquainted?’’ She asked it, forming a smile on her face, as her stern expression formed into a smile that she would have worn on any other day. This caught the creature off-guard. It had not expected such a reaction from her. ‘’Uh-?’’ It replied. It’s eyes widened, and it gained a confused expression. It’s confusion contorted itself back into a devious smile, once more. ‘’Oh-?’’ It spoke, smiling a creepy smile. ‘’That’s a funny thing to say…‘’ It raised a hand up to the underside of it’s chin, while it’s hands moved underneath it’s elbow, resting the other. ‘’For I would expect such a responsive oath to be uttered by a slave…Not by a being claiming to be a co-ruler, and trust me, even then, you’re not even that much in charge…Just a side-pupped to be called upon when your sister vanishes.’’ It said. ‘’Hm!’’ Luna grumbled. ‘’Hm mh mh mh mh mh.’’ It chuckled behind a closed mouth. They locked their eyes, staring back at eachother, as they exchanged stern glares with evil delight. ‘’Not that I’m not enjoying our little chit chat-…’’ The figure spoke up, lowering it’s arms back down. Letting them hang. ‘’But i’m beginning to get a little bored by just merely exchanging pleasantries with a mere terror leader…But I’m just going to end this right now.’’ The figure said. With a step forward, it started to move up towards Luna. From higher up, she had a clear and front-row seat to behold everything that was happening down there on the ground. Performing a single bodily movement, the creature finally managed to attract much worry from the Alicorn Mare. Luna continued to glare, angrily, back at the creature, as it approached her. It’s calm and collvective, evil smile being prominent on it’s face, growing ever stronger. Out from it’s side, the creature raised it’s right-side arm, holding it further out from it’s body than it’s left. It then stopped mere inches from her. She raised her head, looking her eyes up, and staring them back towards the figure’s face. From her spot, the observing Mare, watched in anticipation of what was next to come. Slowly, the creature raised it’s arm up into the air, forming a fist. The fist was then suspended in the air, and it was held there. Lowering it’s head, the creature looked down towards Princess Luna, meeting her gaze which looked back up towards it. It’s face contorted itself back in a malevolent smile, as it moved it’s arm back a little more, preparing to delivering a powerful punch to her face. ‘’Goodbye, Princess Luna…Deceased Princess of Equestria.’’ It spoke. ‘’You have been a worthy opponent, if only for your excellence with comebacks…’’ It said, giving a gentle bow of it’s head. ‘’And for that, I must commend you. May we never see eachother again, ever.’’ ‘’Indeed…’’ With a final adjust, the creature clenched it’s fist, tightly. It then swung it’s arm forward, picking up a lot of speed in just a matter of mere seconds. All of a sudden, before it’s swinging arm reached her, it suddenly, suffered a powerful blow to the side of it’s head. An action, which involved so much force and power that it sent it crashing to the ground with a devastating impact. Several of the rocks above it, crumbled apart, and fell down on top of it. Luna’s eyes widened, as she beheld the creature sent crashing into the stones, and the creature that had performed the deed landed in front of her, tapping it’s hooves, gently, against the surface of the stones. Turning her head, she looked down towards the blue Alicorn, meanwhile at the same time, she looked back up towards the white Alicorn, in front of her. ‘’Luna! Are you allright!?’’ Celestia asked, a deep hint of urgency in her voice. Luna did not respond to her sister’s question, and instead, merely looked back up towards her with a shocked and amazed look upon her face. ‘’Luna! Are you allright!? Speak to me!’’ She heard her sister asking, as she continued to inquire about her sister’s wellbeing. Closing her mouth up, Luna gently nodded her head. Giving back, an almost completely blank expression. The sound of a rock being moved out of the way, and *cracking* loudly, as it impacted the ground, warranted both sisters to turn their heads, looking to the left of them. Pushing several rocks away from it, an arm emerged from a large pile of rubble. It lifted it’s head up, looking it’s eyes up, and out in front of it. It’s eyes were wide, with blood-red lines inside it enraged pupils, and an infuriated expression on it’s face, as it groaned in frustration back towards them. Behind it, a dark-grey, long tail that ended in a point. ‘’Hmhf!’’ It sounded, as a grumbling thought. With a raised fist, it slammed it’s fist into a rock that was too close to it’s being, smashing it into a small collection of tiny pieces that scattered all over the ground. It closed it’s mouth, but continued to glare back at the two of them. ‘’I hate to admit it, but that was quite a powerful punch you delivered to my face, ‘’Princess’’.’’ It said with a mocking tone, as it stood itself back up, crossing it’s arms. Celestia scoffed, uttering a delighted smile back towards the creature, which only seemed to infuriate it, angering it more than she allready had. It’s eyes widened, and it’s angered expression tightened. ‘’I am delighted to know that my power is on the same level with a being such as yourself…Now I know how mch weaker you really are.’’ ‘’Indeed.’’ The creature replied. ‘’Hm mhm mhm mhm mhm.’’ It chuckled. It’s expression changing back into that wry, evil, smile that hit had adorned before. ‘’I’ll just have to power up now…Wouldn’t you think?’’ It said back, asking her. Her ear twitched a little from the bypassing breeze. Celestia’s recently-won victorious state changed into that of terror. ‘’What?’’ ‘’Oh yes. And trust me when I say this…It was nice knowing you, the few minutes that I did, my unfortunate friend.’’ The creature clenched it’s fists together, and leaned itself a little bit forward. Holding it’s arms out. Building up a loud growling groan, it’s body started to be surrounded by a faint fiery aura. The creature’s growls of strain, exploded out into a loud scream that echoed around the landscape, bouncing off of the hills and mountains, and returning to the mountain. The faint aura erupted into a powerful inferno of golden flames, enveloping the creature’s entire form until it was nothing but a dark silhouetted shape surrounded by flames. Soon, even the flames swallowed up the silhouette, obscuring it from view. The winds had started to get much more violent, blowing Celestia and Luna’s manes through the air, but they themselves stood firmly in place. The ground started to shake, getting rougher and rougher with every second. Strong bursts of electrical discharges shot down from the clouds, striking against the surface of the ground, below. But the violent craters that had been left earlier, did not emerge through the skin of the earth, instead the electricity merely moved down through the ground, before dissipating away, and leaving the ground untouched. ‘’AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…!’’ It continued to scream, loudly, as the two sisters stood there, watching in silence. The flames grew taller, gaining a couple of inches. As the flaming aura’s energy seemed to die down, the flames started to calm themselves, lessening more and more with every second. The flames died down until a figure could be seen through the flames, it was just a dark shape in the beginning, but shortly became much more apperant. The flames died down completely, leaving a lone figure standing where the mysterious creature had been standing not too long ago. In place of the creature, stood now a taller, more visually dominant figure, having much more evidently stronger muscles than the figure before it, it’s chest and shoulders, lower-arms, and lower-legs were covered by a armor-like carapace, with a separate head piece for it’s head – Covering everything except it’s face – With a purple crystal-like globular surface in the middle-front of it’s carapace layered head. It’s face had a single red line move down near the center of it’s eyes, within the line was a red streak that went down. The rest of it’s face was in the same color as it’s body. Like the other form this, it possessed a tail. It was the same as the other forms’, only much longer. With a much more revealed face, the creature raised it’s and up, holding it there. ‘’Watch yourself, little Equine, or things might-…’’ it then opened it’s fist, holding it’s fingers out, as a massive shockwave erupted from it. The powerful force of air, rippled across the surface with the intensity of a powerful windstorm. Dead trees were ripped from their place, and sent flying through the air, landing several away, or falling down into the large pit of bubbling magma. Rocks and stones were cracked wide open, while some of the mountain’s walls were torn to pieces, crumbling apart into large piles of torn stone and dust. Uttering a wry smile, the new creature stepped forward towards the pair of sisters. ‘’-get fatally worse.’’ It said. Celestia almost backed away from it, gently, raising her hind leg up to move it back, but then stopped herself before she could even get that far. Either out of sheer fear, or a burning desire to protect her sister from this…this thing. ‘’S-sister-…’’ Celestia, faintly, heard Luna’s voice speak up. She turned her head, looking her eyes to the side towards her sister. ‘’I-it’s power…I-I’ve never felt something of this level in my entire life before.’’ She stuttered. Her paranoia grew as these words reached her ears. Her eyes widened, but aside from that, her face did not show any further extent of her fear. She had to be strong, especially in such a dire moment such as this. ‘’Powerful, eh?’’ The creature replied, stopping in it’s place. An amused expression settled on it’s face at this. ‘’Well, being that I am weak to flattery, why don’t I cut you a break, and go easy on you?’’ It asked towards the two. Before Celestia, or Luna, was given a chance to reply to it’s question, it, suddenly, vanished from sight. Phazing out of existence. Celestia, instantly, backed up away from where she had stood. But before she got very far, her tail came into contact with something behind her. She, along with her body, immediately, tensed itself up. ‘’Hm mh mh mh mh’’ A laughter chuckled behind her. ‘’My, my, my. How you’ve-‘’ Immediately, with a sudden shift of her body, Celestia spun herself around, facing behind her. Her horn glowed a bright, powerful, aura, as she lowered her head down, pointing it in direction of the creature. ‘’HIIIIYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH…!’’ She screamed with a loud intensity. Out from the tip of her horn a beam of powerful, golden light, shot forward, piercing through the rocks behind her, cutting through them like they were nothing, and not even stopping there, as the beam continued out through the back. Proceeding further and further away. The beam’s discharged energy continued to increase, building stronger and more intense, cutting much more into the surrounding rocks and stone of the walls and ground. The bright golden light died down, and the energy beam dissipated away. Celestia panted, heavily, as she looked out in front of her, seeing only a large collection of smoke and dust being blown up off the ground in front of the two Alicorns. Twitching her ear, perking it up, Luna turned her head, and looked behind her at the source of her ear twitch. While her sister panted, Luna’s expression grew horrified. She tried to turn her head back, so she could alert her sister to what was happening… ‘’Sis-‘’ But before she could even finish calling out, she was interrupted by a shape beating her to the punch…Litterally. Celestia was in the process of turning her head. Her mouth was open, and in the process of uttering words. When all of a sudden, a fist delivered a powerful punch to Celestia’s face. She let out a pained groan, as she was sent flying. Disapearing and then re-appearing again, the creature, swiftly, delivered a powerful upper-cut punch to the underside of Celestia chin. Sending her now, shooting upwards. Once again, it disappeared and re-appeared, shoftly after. Celestia had still not recovered from it’s first two brutal assaults, and as a result, was thus unable to counter-act this next one. It re-emerged, and without a moment’s hesitation, swung it’s arm towards her. Once the fist impacted with Celestia’s body, a powerful shockwave shot out, rippling across the earth, below. Celestia was sent shooting down towards the ground at a much faster speed than previously. With a violent speed and force, Celestia crashed down into the rocky surface. Unleashing a violent explosion of destroyed debris of rock and stone. ‘’Too slow.’’ Floating back down, the tall, powerful, creature planet it’s feet at the top of a large boulder. Perching itself there, as it folded it’s arms, crossing them, shooting the large pile of rocks a nasty, evil glare of a smile. It shook it’s head in disappointment. ‘’Now that’s just sad, really.’’ It spoke in a sympathetic voice. ‘’I expected far more resistance from the so-called ‘’Great Ruler of Equestria’’. That kind of goes without saying.’’ He smirked. The pile of stones and rock started to move. Some, falling down onto the ground, as a white limb used all it’s strength to push them aside. With her wings, she managed to remove the rest of the rocks off of her. With her body now cleared of rocks, having blackened bruises on her body to indicate where the creature had struck her. There were less-pained bruises all over her body. She may have been standing up, but it was evident that she was struggling with keeping herself standing. Her legs quivered, unable to keep themselves straight, her jaw hung open, and her breathing was uneven. Close to raspy. Smiling, the creature observed, as she attempted to move forward towards him. But before she was able to even take the first step, she stumbled forward, landing onto the ground. Horrified, Luna’s eyes widened, as she looked down towards her fallen sister. But he merely chuckled to himself. He rose up from the rock, and floated down towards the ground. Luna turned, and looked towards him, as he did so. But from where she stood, she dared to not move a muscle. She hid herself behind the rock, crouching behind it, as much as she could. She did not know if there was much she could do against it, especially if it kicked her sister’s to the curb without much problem…Then what could she even do to it? Celestia, though, incredibly weakened, and in a very exposed position in terms of fighting this thing, was still alive. That was all that mattered right now, staying alive. In front of her, she heard something touch down against the ground in front of her. Weakily, she raised her head and looked up in front of her. What she saw beckoned her to utter an angry glare up towards it, but her energy depleted state rendered even performing such mere acts was now impossible. It took every ounce of her strength to just barely lift her head up. Her hardened defenses had saved her from being killed instantly by the creature, but even the rough injures that had been inflicted upon her would result in an eventual death. ‘’P-p-princess…C-c-…-Celestia…’’ He heard a weak and frail voice speak down towards them. Turning his head to the right, he looked in direction of the voice. Luna did the same. Her eyes looked up towards the speaker, casting him a blank glance. Weakened, the Stallion raised his right hoof, and held it out, pointing it in Celestia’s direction. His back was to a rock, which supported his back. Keeping him sitting up right. His hoof shook as he held it out towards the white Alicorn. ‘’P-P-rincesss….No!’’ The creature cast the Stallion a stern glare, before turning its head back down towards Celestia, and then back towards the Stallion. It folded its arms, crossing them again, as it glared back angrily at her. ‘’How disappointing…I seemed to have missed one of you.’’ He said, as he shot a death-glare towards the injured Pony. The Pony scoffed back, and used its left hoof to stand itself up a little. ‘’I guess disappointment is something you’re used to…’’ The Pony mocked, giving a pained cough. The creature narrowed its eyes, glaring malevolently towards the Stallion who was daring to speak this way to him. ‘’After all, why would your master send you here? I can give you the answer to that question; Because you were not send to engage in combat as an equal, but as a mere tool of war.’’ The Pony chuckled, mockingly, towards the tall, armored creature, down in front of it. It did not say a thing in response. But then, suddenly, it’s glare contorted itself into a delightfully evil, wry smile. When this happened, the Pony felt his newfound strength and desire to fight fading away. His smile ceased to exist on his face, and deflated into a frown, nervous sweat ran down the side of his head. But like any idiot who is not prepared for war, but still steps out onto the battlefield, he actually allowed his fear to become visible upon his face. The creature saw this as plainly as the sun, which was blotted out by the dark clouds. Lifting itself up off the ground, it started to float directly up into the air. It raised it’s arm up, pointing one of it’s fingers up into the sky, generating a sphere of crackling energy. Uttering the evil smile upon it’s face, it looked back down towards the Stallion. Celestia, Luna, and the Stallion, all looked up towards him with terrified eyes. Bearing only witness to the ball of energy gathering energy, faster and faster. The ball of energy grew to a size of four times it’s head’s size. The energy crackling louder and much roughly as it continued to increase it’s size. *Bzzzt!* In the distance, close to where the chain of mountains stood, a figure appeared, panting heavily, as it hovered in the air. Raising its head, the new arrival could sense a large build-up of energy not too far away from his position. Before arriving, he had made sure to lower his power, hiding it away, and making his entry onto the battlefield hidden from those present. If he had arrived onto the field of battle then the Equestrians would need all the help they could. In front of him the image of a giant ball of violently crackling energy rippled, being conjured, and gathering energy at a quick speed. However, when he laid eyes on the figure that was creating the powerful ball of energy, they widened, and his expression of exhaustion contorted into a pale look of pure horror. It was him! He was here! With a quick swing of it’s arm, the creature threw the ball of energy down towards the Stallion. Folding its arms, he looked down towards the Pony, as the powerful ball of energy shot down towards him. Celestia, Luna, and the newcomer, all watched as the sphere shot down towards the ground, speeding down at incredible speeds. His head looked down, spotting, and sensing, a soldier who was too injured to move, but was still alive enough that he could recover. Acting upon instinct, he raised a hand, holding it out towards where the sphere was speeding. With all his strength, he concentrated on doing the only thing he could think to do… But he may have acted too late. The ball of energy touched down against the ground it erupted into a huge explosion, sending rocks and debris flying everywhere, the ground shaking with violent force as the explosion started moving outwards from its impact point. When the smoke settled, fading away into nothing. What was left in its place was a blackened and smoking crater, with no hints that the injured soldier might still be alive from the explosion. He was gone. Their heads turned, the two Princesses stared in shock at the smoke that was drifting up from his former sitting position. The ground was smoldering, as he let his folded arms drop down, hanging beside his body, his head turning back to face the white Alicorn down on the ground underneath him. Her growing sorrows for the soldier he had just killed evident on her facial expressions. Craning her head, the Sun Princess looked back up towards him, meeting his evil smirk. Through gritted teeth, she started to growl in a building flow of anger. With pained movements, she slowly tried to stand herself up, standing her pained body up off the ground, now shown to be covered in bruises from the damage dealt out by its rough treatment of her, but also from the terrible landing, she had endured. ‘’Hm?’’ He reacted, turning his head towards her, staring down as she was attempting to stand against him. His eyes narrowed, and smirk contorted itself into a terrible frown. ‘’Hm.’’ He grumbled. Fighting through the pain of her body the elder Alicorn was trying to get back up to stand against him again, casting the truth of her already damaged and injured form aside to not bow down to this vile creature. The process was painful, and every movement she tried doing only made her groan in aching pain. His frown was blank as he continued to observe her struggles to get back up. Her rear legs, despite having some trouble to stop shaking slightly, were still able to stand, her front was still hanging down, doing its best to try to return to standing up. ‘’Stay down, Princess, if you know what’s best for you!’’ His voice called down to her, but she continued to groan, her back feeling like the very spine might shatter, and snap, pushing through it all. Luna’s ear perked itself up, and her head turned, looking towards her sister. Celestia’s head was held low, her gritted teeth, and the pain that ravaged her entire body. ‘’You killed him. He was no threat to you, he was injured and unable to even dodge a blast like that.’’ She whispered to herself. ‘’I will stop you, even if it takes my all!’’ His frown started to return to his overconfident smirk. He raised a hand, pointing his finger down towards her. ‘’Then, I’m afraid that I will have no choice but to finish you off this early…Though, I would have enjoyed it if we could have played for a little longer.’’ He raised his left arm, looking down at it, as if looking for something. ‘’But I am afraid the time is drawing closer to my mid-day relaxation…’’ His smirk dissipated, turning into an evil glare. ‘’Oh, and after that I am afraid to say that I will be wiping out the rest of your little pitiful band.’’ Her eyes widened, directing it away from him, back down towards Celestia, then back up to him again, dread filling her, as she thought that he was not kidding about dealing out a finishing blow to her. ‘I’ve got to do something, but what!? I cannot just let him kill her like that!’ Her eyes grew a little wider, as a thought entered her mind. ‘Maybe…’ Blood was drippling from her mouth, and many of the bruises that she had suffered. Above her, hovering in the air, he was smiling as his finger had already formed a small ball of energy. ‘’I will make sure to leave no trace of you, that way your subjects will not be forced to bear witness to the horrors I was originally intending to inflict upon you!’’ ‘’No!’’ A sudden voice interrupted him. Celestia’s ear raised, twitching a little as the voice reached her ears, as well as his. Hers, as well as his head turned, looking in direction of where the voice had come from. With a sudden explosion of pressure, a form leaped up from the ground towards him, the ground cracking underneath as she leaped up towards him. His head lowered, looking down in direction of the cracking ground, staring down in direction of a bright blue aura that speed towards him. His smirk grew slightly; his arm re-adjusted itself, pointing instead towards the blue figure speeding towards him. The energy blast he had been powering up released from his finger, shooting down through the sky towards her. Observing the approaching beam, she narrowed her eyes, adorning a stern expression. ‘’L-Luna…No!’’ Celestia groaned, holding back the pain, as her head was forced back down, and her gaze was reluctantly shifted away from her sister. Smiling in an evil manner, he raised his hands, holding them up, as if welcoming her to land a blow against him. While her expression became sterner, catching the sight of the approaching sphere of energy. Her horn beginning to gather energy, as an aura surrounded it. With a drop of her jaw, she let out a loud yell, before it hit her. *BOOM!* A massive explosion erupted, being sent out from the point of impact, as a wave of intense pressure was sent flying, the ground rippling, rocks being sent flying, and lose enough debris being caught in the wind, and sent flying along with everything else that was not strong enough to withstand it’s powerful force. A bright flurry of colors fell down upon the world below, blinding any and all who looked it, and forcing them to shield their eyes from it, or avert their gaze from it completely. The violent raging inferno of the explosion almost seemed to be overtaking the skies. However, with time it started to decrease, dissipating away. Despite the wind’s attempts to keep her head hanging down, she struggled against it, repelling it, and managing to lift it slightly, looking out in front of her, but not further up to where the explosion had come forth. When the smoke settled, and all of the fire dissipated away, his eyes watched, as there was no trace of the blue Alicorn who had been foolish enough to try to bum rush him. Raising his hand, he extended it out in front of him, and with the palm of his hand, cleared the sky of smoke and remaining fire, brushing them away. ‘’Did I use too much of my power?’’ He questioned seeing no trace of her, a blank expression taking the place of his smirk. *Pop* ‘’Miss me?’’ A voice behind him asked. His head shot up, wide eyes looking out in front of him as that voice returned to speaking to him. ‘’What?’’ He reacted verbally, but before he could respond physically, a tap was touched to the back of his neck, sending a surge of pain through his body, and interrupting his suspension in the air, causing him to fall down, out of his place in the air. Flying in the occupied of the attacker who had dealt the painful tap to his neck, was none other than that very same blue Alicorn. Regaining control, he caught himself in mid-air, the aura returning to surrounding him as he hovered there. He righted himself up, and directed his eyes up towards the sky, his eyes settling back on the Mare whom he had thought he had killed. Growling through gritted teeth at his failure of destroying her, his knuckles tightened, becoming infuriated fists. Above him, Luna was now wearing his smirk, giving him the same degrading smile he had been giving them. ‘’H-how!? How did you survive!?’’ Closing her eyes, and shaking her head at what she considered an idiotic question. ‘’You really don’t know, but your overconfidence in your superior power has lead you to believe your superior strength supersedes your opponent’s tactical abilities.’’ She adjusted herself, letting her legs hang down; as she folded her arms in the same manner, he had held them. ‘’But don’t worry, you’re not the first to make that mistake.’’ She smirked back. He growled infuriated through his teeth, keeping his gaze locked with hers. *Bzzzt!* He then vanished from her sight. Re-appearing seconds later underneath her. His tail shot towards her leg, wrapping itself around her left leg, her head looked down, seeing what he was attempting to do, but she was too slow to act quickly enough in time to stop him from carrying out what he was planning to do. With a mighty swing, he threw her downwards, speeding through the air in direction of the ground. ‘’Whoa!’’ She exclaimed in surprise as she was shooting downwards. While falling down, he once again re-appeared, seemingly teleporting over to her, still wearing that look of sheer rage upon his face. He raised his fist preparing to deliver a terrible uppercut punch directly to her face, anticipating what he was doing, she quickly brought her hooves up in front of her face, covering it, just as his fist was thrust up towards her chin, only to be caught by her hooves. Growling in enraged retort to her successful blocking of his attack he tried to anticipate her next move; the most logical would be that she would be trying to put as much distance between herself and himself... However, if anything the opposite was true, she instead went right onto the offensive and with a powerful from kick from her right leg, she thrust it against his chest stomach, the very impact of such a blow being enough to cause him to cough up blood. Luna smirking as she watched this. As blood dripped from his mouth, he was having trouble breathing due to the damage inflicted upon him from her counter-attack. *Bzzzt!* He disappeared, and then re-appeared small distance away from her. He brought a hand up to his mouth, wiping some of the blood from his mouth, and then looking his eyes down at it, surprised that it was actually there. ‘’H-how is this possible?’’ His voice quivered as he asked, while not taking his eyes off the blood. ‘’HOW CAN YOU BE THIS STRONG!?’’ He shouted out in blind rage, his energy aura being re-ignited, and surrounding him, as his rage echoed around the desolated valley, making the ground shake a little. On her face, she bore an extremely overconfident grin, holding her hooves folded across her chest. How badly he wanted to wipe that stupid smug expression of her face, no one humiliated him like this! NO ONE! ‘’Eh! Whatever, I will make short work of you, Horse!’’ *Bzzzt!* His sudden disappearance caught her off-guard, causing her grin to deflate into a surprised look. ‘’Huh?’’ She reacted to his disappearance, letting her hooves drop, but holding them up, ready to combat him if he tried anything on her. *Bzzzt!* Behind her, a shape suddenly appeared, but with enhanced speed, and quick reflexes, it was already to attack her. A powerful swing of his arm, and an intense impactful punch was all it took to land an intense punch to her cheek, in turn sending her flying through the air. A battered bruise on her cheek being left behind as an imprint on her cheek. Disappearing again, he quickly re-appeared down in front of her where the punch had sent her flying. A fist was pulled back, and when she got close enough, it was thrust forward, delivering an uppercut punch to her face, which again sent her flying, but this time she shot upwards. *Bzzzt!* Almost speeding pass him, he reached out, grabbing her hoof with his hand, and with a quick shift of his arm, swung her down, and with his other free punched her hard in the stomach. He spun her a little, and then let go, sending her once again flying. This time when he caught her, he took to heavily bombard her body with a wild array of painful, and intense, punches to her chest and stomach. One of the punches being enough to graze her skin, causing blood to begin running down her fur, staining it with the blood from her growing in intensity injuries. Back over by the mountains, the newcomer stood in his place, observing the tough beating that the blue Alicorn Mare was having afflicted upon her by him. Every other second another punch was dealt out, his speed was just so great that it was making her sister’s look like nothing. With the latest punch to her body she was sent flying once again, but unlike all these other times, he did not follow it up by supplying her with a powerful barrage of punches, she was instead just given a single, painful punch of his elbow against her back. A final punch to her stomach, made her cough up blood, as he had. He pulled away for a small moment, but eventually delivered one ultimate punch, sending her flying down towards the surface, crashing into the ground, and sending a wave of debris hurtling up from her impact crater, accompanied by a lot of dust that was blown up. Smirking, he smiled as the dust settled, and the motionless form of Luna became clearer to his eyes. ‘’HAH! Take that!’’ He screamed in a delighted demented tone towards the crater. Raising her head up, she looked out towards the crater, she did not need to physically see what had happened, or whom it was that had crashed down into the earth to understand what had happened. ‘’L-Luna!?’’ She wheezed, finding it hard to breathe, her body was still standing, but it’s current condition was nothing that would be strong enough to stand back up, or even fight back against him. Hiding down behind the mountain cliffs, the new arrival observed the sight before him. ‘No! I cannot just stay here, and do nothing, but what can I do? I’m not nearly strong to take him head on!’ His face tensed, gritting his teeth, as he hid himself behind the rocks. Looking down his eyes traversed the desolated surroundings around him until they settled on a differently colored shape. It was white, with gold intermixed into it. ‘Wait a minute, that’s her…The Princess Celestia...’ His expression changed into a small hopeful expression, as a slight smile grew. ‘Maybe…’ He paused, letting his thoughts think. His eyes looked up, returning to the bipedal figure, before returning towards the white figure. ‘Yes. It’s a longshot, and she should become strong enough, but I don’t exactly see myself being enough to deal with him…at least, for now.’ Raising his hand, he extended it out in front from behind the rocks, pointing the palm of his hand towards Celestia. ‘’Please work.’’ ‘’Huh!?’’ He reacted, his enhanced hearing picking up something faint close-by, his expression shifting into surprise, and alarmed confusion. ‘’What was that!?’’ He thought outload, as he turned his head, directing it down towards the surface, examining the barren wasteland underneath him. His face became stern, staring down towards the surface below with a newfound intrigue. ‘’It cannot be more Ponies, their stupidity would lead them to try to attack me by now…’’His eyes narrowed, staring with a growing frown. ‘’Unless…This is not their forces, but something else.’’ Back down on the ground, he poked his head out the side of the giant rock he was hiding himself behind. He exhaled softly in relief at the sight of his aggressor supervising the scene, scanning everything with his eyes. ‘I’ve got to be quick, if I take too long, he will grow tired of looking, and will just finish her off, and with her sister out of commission there will be no one to defend either of them from his wrath.’ He stepped out from behind the rocks he had been hiding behind, and raised a hand, holding it out in front of him towards the downed Alicorn. ‘I must be quick, REALLY quick!’ Lowering his defenses, his defenses being the barrier that was masking his power from detection. His body suddenly started to glow with a light-blue flaming aura around him. ‘’Huh!?’’ He reacted, now being able to sense a newfound energy level that he had not been able to sense earlier. His head turned, and now looked back in the direction of this new energy signature, his eyes falling upon its eventual end source. ‘There you are!’ *Bzzzt!* And he then disappeared from sight… Through gritted teeth, he groaned, veins becoming visible on his body, as his strength continued to build, growing stronger, his aura flaring wildly as it joined in on the growing strength his body was experiencing. Over by Celestia’s dying body, her shoulder for a split second seemed to move slightly, as a golden aura flashing across her body. *Bzzzt!* All of a sudden, he was about to turn his head to the right, when something beat him to it, and grabbed tightly around his throat, interrupting him out of his concentration, his aura vanished, and he was left defenseless, as he was held by his most vulnerable spot. Out in front of him, his eyes came to fall upon the stern face of the attacker that had dealt with both of the Equestrian sisters. ‘’Did you really think that I would not notice what you were doing, naïve fool?’’ He said angrily. Gently, though his expression seemed to change from stern and angry, back into the smirking overconfident attitude he had worn earlier during the battle with the two sisters. ‘’Still, I could use something to entertain me before these two’s pathetic forces will come back searching for them, at which I will then eliminate them too.’’ Back with Celestia’s motionless body, her hooves and her eyes were twitching. ‘’N-no!’’ She said with a strained voice, as she grunted with the terrible wounds in her body. Suddenly, deep within Celestia’s body a raging fire was unlocked, flicking to life at first. However, as her ears picked up the pained groans of the being that had tried to help her. Her eye were slowly opened, and looked out in front of her, seeing on the other end the monster that had hurt her sister, and was now choking a bystander that had merely been trying to help them in this battle against it. His words were being choked out by the tight grasp around his throat, while he just stood there staring back into his eyes with a stern frown upon his face. Turning his head, he looked back down towards the white Alicorn, smirking as he saw that she was still conscious. ‘’My, my, it seems there is still some resistance left in you.’’ His eyes narrowed, smirking in evil joy towards her. ‘’I wonder if there really is something that break even the Princess’ spirits...’’ His eyes turned to the side, returning to looking back upon the newcomer, his eyes widened as his smile became a delighted look. ‘’Oh wait…’’ Holding up his hand, a ball of energy formed in his palm, growing in intensity and size rather quick. ‘’Needless losses of war.’’ He grinned, pointing energy sphere up in front of his captive’s face; the captive face became a look of sheer fear, exposing gritted teeth to his captor. ‘’N’awww! Don’t be so glum, you should be honored to have been felled at my hands.’’ He chuckled. ‘’N-no!’’ She protested, wheezing as she attempted to stand back up, but ultimately being betrayed by her body. He scoffed, chuckling back at her, shaking his head. ‘’Equines.’’ He mocked. ‘’P-please don’t kill me! Please kill me!’’ The unknown new arrival pleaded. Leaning himself in, watching as his eyes clenched shut, whimpering to be let lose. ‘’Kill you…?’’ He asked softly, his pupil turned to the right, shortly looked at her. ‘’I won’t kill you-…’’ Then with a sudden and mighty swing of his arm, he threw the unarmed figure up into the air, letting go of his throat. Her fearful eyes following his sudden airborne situation. *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* Without warning several energy beams shot through his arms, legs, and chest, loud screams of agonizing pain emerged from him as he was almost suspended in the air as the pain ravaged him, his eyes clenching shut to fight off the pain… *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* *Zap!* But when he thought it was over another fives blasts were discharged, piercing his chest in several spots, his screams reaching the intensity that they now echoed around their surroundings, before finally passing into the distance. ‘’No!’’ She shouted as loud as she could, a fire inside of her exploding out into an intense flow. Lowering his hand down beside him, his eyes looking down towards the impact point where his body had crashed down against the ground, smirking as he saw the smoke rising up from his motionless form. Chucking gently. Suddenly his eyes widened, as he sensed a new growing energy source, nearby. His head turned, looking in direction of the source of this new source. When he traced it too it’s source, he could see that it belonged to someone who’s energy level he never imagined could ever become this strong. ‘’No…! It cannot be…!’’ He replied in protest against what his own eyes were seeing. Slowly standing back up onto her hooves, the once weak, and almost frail body of Celestia was rising itself back up onto her hooves, the pain that ravaged her body was now gone, and a golden aura seemed to be surrounding her. Her Mane flowed behind her, glowing in bright gold. In addition, as her expression directed itself back towards him, he saw that she was staring with a stern glare about her. His mouth dropped hanging open, as he stuttered to form words to reply to-…to-…this! Turning her entire body to face him, she just meet his eyes, as he meet hers. With a sudden hunching forward, her jaw dropped, hanging open as a loud scream erupted from her. A shockwave was sent rippling up dust and small rocks as it traversed the ground, being strong enough to resist it he was blown away when it fell over him. Her hooves sunk, breaking through the ground, and sinking slightly down into the ground. Her golden-flamed aura seemed to be growing stronger, as her voice screamed, it echoed all around them. Stones, dust were blown away by the wind, fragments of large solid rocks cracked, before finally being blown away, either being disintegrated or just landing far away from there. Dying down in intensity, her screams finally came to a halt, her destructive energy output calmed, returning to a normal stabile level. With her now closed jaw, she directed her eyes back up towards him, glaring at him with an anger she had never experienced before. From amongst the desolated landscape, Luna raised her hoof, reaching it up towards one of the rocks, and then proceeding to pull herself forward, lifting herself slightly more out of the crater she had crashed into. When the new, sudden burst of energy dawned on her, her eye widened. She had never sensed power this great before, with few exceptions. However, the question remained whom it belonged too. ‘’T-th-that cannot be Tia…Sh-s-she was defeated too quickly to get up like that.’’ She groaned, holding back a wheezing voice. With a weak hoof, she reached forth, grabbing onto something, and pulled herself further up. Reaching the top, her eyes were finally able to look out towards where this enormous output was coming from, and once she did she was shocked by what she was seeing. Celestia was not only standing back up, virtually unharmed with not a single scratch on her body, but her mane was flowing and sprouting a golden dye. She seemed to be engaged in some sort of exchange stares, which she seemed to be winning outright. ‘’S-sis-sister?’’ She asked weakly. Interrupting her stare, Celestia’s head turned, looking down towards where she saw her battered and bruised sister crawling out of the crater he had sent her crashing into. Her damage was not limited to just mere bruises, her left hoof had been snapped like a twig, and a bone jutted out, pouring blood across her fur, and all but covering it in blood. Many of the rocks had actually cut into her fur, digging into her flesh. One of her eyes was closed, and she was not willing to open it due to the pain it would bring. ‘’Luna...!’’ She spoke softly, her stern mannerism dissipating into sorrow as she saw the condition her sister was in. ‘’T-ti-Tia…! Ple-p-please don’t…!’’ Her hoof lifted into the air, reaching for her sister, but as she seemed to be losing consciousness, it fell, landing against the ground, and her head lowered as well, landing against the ground, and her body stopped moving. ‘’Luna…’’ She held out a hoof, extending it towards her. Lowering his arm, it fell down beside him, and his face took on a stern glare, as he looked back in her direction. A tear ran down her cheek, dripping down onto the ground underneath her. She dropped to her knees, her golden aura fainting slightly. He raised a finger, pointing it towards her. ‘’While this has been a rather…interesting turn of events I really must be leaving you-‘’ ‘’Y-you killed her-…!’’ ‘’No, you di-‘’ A beam shot from him finger towards her, but suddenly her hoof swung up, catching the beam, and with a powerful smack sent it flying harmlessly away from her. The Cliffside beside her exploded with violent force as the beam hit, sending rocks scattering in every random direction. Her glare was once again directed back towards him, but no longer was it just stern, now it wielded a look of overblown rage, her eyes burning wild, and her teeth were gritted. ‘’AND I WILL AVENGE HER!’’ Her fiery aura re-ignited, but this time its intensity had risen exponentially. Her body, physically, also seemed to be growing stronger, bulking up, and gaining stronger muscles. With a mighty thrust of her back hooves, she leaped forward towards him. *Bzzzt!* When she suddenly disappeared away from sight, his eyes widened, and he immediately turned his head, looking in every possible direction of where she might be. The ground underneath him all of a sudden exploded and a bright light up. He was caught by the beam, and blown up into the sky. His hands going down, while he attempted to control the beam unleashed against him. However, eventually it proved to be too much for him, and he was enveloped by the beam. *KKKKAAA-BBBOOOOOOOOMMMM!* As the explosion erupted, its shockwave rippled across the surface, creating a large crater underneath the explosion, which just missed where Luna’s body lay, the ground cracking up, as great crevices were opened up, and the flames that had been used to wipe out Celestia’s entire force started to spill out, pouring into the new spaces, flooding them, and rendering those passages deadly. Climbing out of the ground, Celestia directed her attention up towards the sky. Her eyes narrowing and her stern glare increasing. It was not yet over. Up in the sky she could make out a lone dark figure, its arms raised as a last minute resort, and some newfound bruises were now evident on its body. ‘’GgrrrRRRrrrrgg!’’ He growled, his knuckles tightening, and an outraged glare being returned to her. *Bzzzt!* Her eyes widened at his disappearance. *Bzzzt!* When he was once again detectable, she now knew exactly where he was. However, she was not quick enough to defend herself from his powerful punch, which made bone-crushing impact with her cheek, sending her flying upwards. The ground cracked, sending pieces of it flying off in a random dispersal. With a powerful thrust upwards, he leaped up after her. *Bzzzt!* He disappeared away once again. His leap making the ground underneath him crack, falling down into the cavern space underneath him. While she was sent speeding through the sky, she caught herself, suspending her body in the air, as her aura surrounded her once more. Looking down through the clouds she could no longer sense him down on the surface, which only meant one thing, he was going to come to her this time. ‘He must have learned not to give me an opportunity to strike at him. He won’t give me any free shots.’ *Bzzzt!* Her head shot up, and with wide eyes, she looked out in front of her. Growling as her speed towards her, a blue-colored flaming aura surged to life around him. His fist pulling back to deliver a punch to her shoulder. What use is one arm when dealing with an opponent who can use both? He growled through gritted teeth as he speed towards her. She just stood there motionless while he drew ever closer. Before reaching her, he swung his arm towards her, screaming out in blind rage as he directed his fist towards her shoulder joint. Right before his fist was able to make contact with the joint; she made a sudden shift of her body, and raised her arm up, catching his fist, and swatting it to the side, away from her shoulder. His eyes stared back into her face, a fearful look in them. With her left hoof, she swung it towards his stomach. However, mid-way there she was intercepted while on the way by his tail wrapping around her hoof. His other free hand thrust itself towards her face, attempting to catch her off-guard. However, Celestia is no fool, she knows that he will use any opportunity to finish her off now that she has been given another chance to stand against him, and this time he will not permit her to leave this place…Just like how he murdered her sister in a manner too graphic and unbearable for anyone to endure. Swinging her head down, her horn is thrust towards his head in an attempt to cut him with like it a sword, but once he caught wind of what she was trying, he did the only he could to counter it. His fist was redirected up towards her horn, trying to grab it so he could get a better chance at dealing out damage to her, but she moved her horn out of the way, and instead using her leg to deliver a powerful kick to his kneecap, which finally broke their little stalemate. With the sudden pain in his leg, he released his grip on her, and made no small attempt to get away from her as quickly as possible. Re-igniting his aura and suspending himself in mid-air away from her. His fists raised, holding them up beside him, glaring back with gritted teeth, and enraged eyes that wanted nothing more than to destroy her, and wipe her off the face of this world so it would no longer be bothered to deal with her. ‘’TAKE THIS!’’ He shouted, throwing a sudden ball of energy back towards her. She used her enhanced speed to move out of the way, as the ball shot past her, disappearing down into the clouds. Seeing his chance, he flew towards her, raising his fist to see what would happen. With a simple head turn, she saw that he was attempting to perform another charge. She pulled a fist back as she awaited him. Their mouths dropped, and the two aggressors both unleashed violent screams. Then their fists swung towards each other, and a shockwave first erupted from their point of impact, which penetrated the clouds and reached the surface, brushing across it, ripping up what little had not already been desolated by the constant battles that had taken place there. Penetrating through the clouds, the concentrated energy speed down towards one of the new crevices, but once landing into, and disappearing underneath the flows of magma, there was a momentary crackling of electricity on the surface of the boiling fluids. The magma started to bubble, fumes rising up atop the surface. Followed by a violent explosion. Everywhere the flow of magma poured it was now growing in intensity, the rivers started to become violent waves, pounding on the walls on their sides, breaking them up, and creating caves, which their rivers could reach new lengths. It had been faint at first, but as time passed, and more of the energy from the failed attack was still being absorbed by the rivers. It had reached a breaking point, but things would not better from here, it would only get worse. The surfaces erupted, as towers of exploding magma burst from the underground, raising fire down, and bringing further destruction to the landscape. The more the rives spread out, the further their destruction progressed, and more and more of the landscape was ravaged with more erupting towers of fire. The skies rippled with electrical discharges, either striking them down against the ground, or just randomly dispersing them across the sky. ‘’YA’AAAHHHHHHH!’’ He screamed as he started throwing punches against her in a ravaged fury, but every time she managed to elude him. In mid-air, they stopped, and for the briefest of moments looked at each other, before their vicious fight continued. This time Celestia moved first, disappearing, and then re-appearing in front of him where she started dealing out a vicious array of punches against him. With his arms he caught several of her heavy attacks, but some of them she did penetrate his defenses, and planted her hooves against his chest, some of those blows did manage to hit him hard enough in his chest that it knocked the breath out of him. However, this could also go both ways. When seeing a chink in her armor he would the opportunity, and actually manage to hit her in her shoulder, causing sufficient damage making her stumble back, and providing an opening for heavy bombardment of punches to her face and body, though the damage to her arm was not as great as he would have liked it to be. Moving too fast for her eye to see, he actually managed to get above, and deliver a punch so great it sent her hurtling down through the skies, penetrating them, and finally reaching the surface that awaited her. Acting quickly she caught herself just before hitting the ground, and using her hoof to stop herself. This prevented her from crashing painfully, but the ground underneath started to sink, forming a hole around her. Still not letting up in his quest to destroy her, he suddenly shot down atop her out of nowhere, grabbing her by the throat, and actually sending both of them down through the earth. Emerging from the hole before an explosion occurred, sending another towering form of flame and magma up into the sky. Suspended in midair he looked down at his handiwork, folding his arms across his chest as he smirked as the magma started to flow, spilling out of its new opening. While suspended in the air his head turned, and he looked around at the surroundings, noticing just now how much it had escalated to the level of a natural disaster. ‘’Oh my!’’ He exclaimed, holding up a hand in front of the mouth of his shocked expression. ‘’I guess I used a little too much energy in that energy ball.’’ He said, knowing that there was no other logical explanation for why everything was now looking so terrible. ‘’I think it is time to make a hasty retreat.’’ His head turned towards the mountain, tracing down to the crater where Luna’s body still lay. ‘’But first…’’ His hands fell down beside him as he drifted down towards her. Suddenly the ground started to shake. Thinking it to be nothing more but another eruption, he just carried on, descending past it. However, when the ground finally did erupt, it was not accompanied by a tower of fire and magma, but the golden aura, and enraged form of Princess Celestia, screaming as she charged directly him, dropkicking him right in the back, sending a plethora of pain climbing up his spine. His face tensed, and jaw dropped unleashing a loud chocked stutter of pain, as she twisted her hoof against his back, blood beginning to drip down from a terrible wound, as when she impaled him, she had several rocks magically connected to her hoof, and had used them as a weapon against him. His eyes looked to the side, his head turning, and looking behind him towards her. ‘’You have lost, surrender now or I will kill you for the murder of my sister, and countless others.’’ His fists tightened, wanting to strike at her, but the impaled shards was rendering even the slightest of his movements painful to perform. His clenched his eyes tight, grunting pained through gritted teeth. ‘’Nrgh-n-NEVER!’’ He screamed out, his raised voice echoing through the terrain, causing much of the weakened terrain to begin crumble. She glared back at him, crossing her eyes as a sickly smirk settled on her expression. ‘’Have it your way. Not caring whether you live or not, I have no problem with you throwing your life away.’’ ‘’Nrgh-ne-neither do I.’’ ‘’Huh?’’ Suddenly shooting up towards her throat, his tail wrapping itself around one of her more exposed vital points, and tightened its grasp, chocking the breath out of her. Her hoof quickly retracted from his back, removing the pointed shards, where blood dripped off the tips, plummeting down towards the surface underneath, reaching up to her throat to free herself from the fatal pressure on her breathing tube. However, her attempts at making him release her were ultimately futile. Growling, he snatched her arm, holding it in place. He then proceeded to begin pushing the shards that was held in place with magic deeper into her flesh, smirking as she screamed out in pain at what he was doing to her, her own blood seeping from the wounds in her right hoof. Taking one of the shards, he smiled a wicked smile as he was about to impale it into her heart, but instead she thrust her leg up hitting his incoming arm, and forced him to impale the shard into his own chest instead. Screaming out as it pierced him, his grasp on her with his tail lessoning, allowing to break free from him. However, she wasted no time paying him back for the pain in her hoof. Re-igniting her aura, she shot towards him, lowering her head, pointing her horn down, and with a strong blow, affected the shard with her horn, and sent it right through him, piercing his back, shooting out into the distance, leaving behind a hole in his chest, but she was not done yet. While he restrained chocked stuttering, she seized this opportunity to begin delivering intense punches to his chest, but primarily his stomach, each blow making him cough up blood, and only causing more blood to begin trailing down his shard wound, pouring down faster for much damage she was doing to him. ‘’Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!’’ She shouted as one another her punches found their mark, having the desired consequences she was looking for. ‘’RRrrrRRggghhh!’’ He growled behind gritted teeth. Just before his fist was made acquainted with her face, sending her a small distance away from him. For a split second there was a momentary break between the two fighters, and they were given time to breathe, collecting themselves for what followed. Then the two of them lunged themselves towards each other. Exchanging blows like mad, defending from the other’s vicious attacks. - Someplace else, on the bridge of an Equestrian battlecruiser, a group of Ponies stood gathered around a large circular table, there holographic displays, visuals from other contested warzones, some from individual soldiers, and some that had mounted cameras on their vehicles and ships. Reports were coming in like crazy, but yet all of the personnel’s attention was on the large circular table, and also on a separate screen that showed the same visuals; Princess Celestia’s ferocious battle with that strange two-legged creature, whom they were all shocked had actually managed to kill Princess Luna. But the battle was far from over, as neither of them seemed to be getting tired from their overwhelming battle with each other. ‘’Wow, this is incredible! I have never seen a battle on this scale before!’’ A random bystander said as she observed this outrageous spectacle. ‘’Yeah, it’s unlike any battle I’ve ever seen.’’ ‘’Go Princess!’’ ‘’Yeah, kick his flank!’’ Many others started joining in on the chanting, cheering the Princess on. ‘’Kill him, and then drink his blood, and consume his soul!’’ One Stallion shouted, raising his hoof towards the screen. The other onlookers turned, casting him pale, horrified looks. ‘’Jeez, man!’’ One Stallion exclaimed. ‘’Calm down, it is just a one-on-one, it is not as if the fate of Equestria is on the line.’’ An elevator door opened, and figure dressed in a white Admiral’s uniform, trailing a white cape behind him strode forth onto the bridge. ‘’What is this I’m hearing that you have all stopped working?’’ His stern voice drawing the group’s attention towards him. ‘’What is so important that you have ceased performing your duties?’’ One Mare stood at his attention. ‘’Sir-!’’ She greeted him. ‘’We have stopped because there is a battle between the Princess and this other unnamed entity.’’ ‘’Battle? There is no one stronger than the Princess…as we know of.’’ ‘’It would appear that is not the case here, Admiral.’’ Replied the Officer. ‘’See for yourself, sir…’’ She reached out her hoof, pointing it up towards the screen. His head raised, and his eyes looked towards the screen. On the screen, he saw the image of the Sun Princess, but her Mane was now flowing, and no longer sprouting a variety of colors, but instead a single gold hue. Her form was surrounded by a golden-flamed aura, and she was no longer as small as when she left the ship, but instead a little bulkier with muscles. However, his newfound impressive of her rapid increase in strength was lessened by the reveal of who she was fighting with. Her opponent was purple skinned, with white carapace armor on his chest, and arms and legs, with a carapace headpiece. He stumbled backwards, almost losing his balance. His eyes wide with fear. ‘’N-no!’’ He stuttered, drawing several soldier’s attention back towards him. ‘’Sir?’’ They asked concerned. ‘’Send a ship right now to retrieve her and her sister!’’ He ordered, but the manner in which he spoke when he said it was slow and fearful. ‘’B-but sir-‘’ ‘’Do it now!’’ He shouted towards them, making several of them flinch at his outburst. ‘’B-but, sir, that is what we’re trying to tell you…’’ She replied nervously, lowering her head. ‘’Princess Luna is dead.’’ His face became blank, paling. ‘’She barely stood a chance against him.’’ He turned away from them, his mind scrambling of how to handle the situation to prevent further loss of life. ‘I knew it! He’s already killed Princess Luna, and will soon be moving in for the kill against her elder sister!’ He growled through strained teeth, as he had no choice but to resort to the only thing he could do at this moment. ‘I cannot let that to happen!’ He then turned back around to face the group. ‘’And that, Officer, is precisely why I need you to stop wasting time, and arrange for a ship to depart, and go to retrieve the Princess!’’ His voice heavy with urgency. ‘’Y-yes, sir!’’ Several of the personnel replied, saluting him, before rushing back to their equipment, and beginning to carry out the orders they had just been given. Meanwhile he trotted up to continue observing the ongoing battle. The screen now depicted the two enemies standing on the ground, one holding its arms around the other attempting to squeeze the life out of them. However, the one being squeezed started punching its elbows into the other, causing tremendous pain, and forcing it’s attacker backwards, until finally finishing it all off with a final punch which sent the other flying back a rocky plain. ‘’We must reach the Princess before it is too late, if we fail…then the Equestrian Race dies with her.’’ Several of the surrounding Ponies turned their heads towards him, casting him terrified glances. ‘’This is the decisive battle in Equestrian History, and whether we like it or not, it is fact.’’ They turned back towards the screen, shooting hopeful glances up at the screen. In that moment, a ship departed from the hangar of the Equestrian battlecruiser, its course being the now Restricted Region of Cardolan, speeding towards it. - High above in the skies, the skies had darkened, gaining a dark-red hue to them, emitting random dispersals of electrical energy, striking them down against the ground, shattering rocks, and sending the fragments scattering in random directions, while others just struck the ground, cracking it. Several of the formerly inhabited homes exploded, sides being torn open, and center sections exploding open. All around, the skies, the ground, small explosions happened all around, the ground forming small circular craters, and shockwaves erupting out of thin air. With a mighty punch against the walls of one of the already destroyed houses, he left himself completely open to attack to Celestia. Taking advantage of the fact that his fury was now in control over his fighting. As he missed her, impacting the wall instead with his fist, she dodged it, and instead bum-rushed him. Dealing a powerful punch to his face chin, she sent him crashing through the wall of the house they were currently fighting inside of, he flew backwards, but caught himself, and bounced back, boosting his speed by leaping forward, and trying to deal out another punch. Entire hills, mountains, remaining fields of green grass, the ground they fought upon cracked and tore, ripping open into giant crevices through which either boiling magma emerged, or more towers of flame and magma. All of them succumb to the devastating power the two of them were unleashing upon each other, destroying more of their surroundings in the process with their unbelievable strength. Both had managed to deal a sufficient amount of damage to the other, evident by their bruised and bloodied bodies, due to his body being a lot tougher than the soft flesh of the Equestrians he had not suffered quite as many bloody bruises and injuries, though there were still a couple instances where the bleeding was evident. Despite her enhanced strength, durability and speed, she had not been able to get rid of her race’s lessoned durability compared to the one possessed by his race. Entering into a struggle both of them caught the other’s arms, and held on tightly, not about to let up giving the other a victory. Growling through gritted teeth, the two of them now wore the same expression as they fought for dominance over the other, their energy contesting to supersede the other. Around them, a field started to crackle, electrical discharges from the two clashing energy levels sending further discharges scattering about, hitting the ground and creating further cracks, ravaging the surrounding cliffs, and just shooting up into the air in random directions. What started as furious growls now became loud screams. Both of their auras procuring flashes of light as they entered into contact with the other. Reaching a breaking point, both jumped back away from each other as the building energy finally exploded, and they retreated away from the other, landing several meters away from the others’ opponent. Panting heavily, both he and Celestia exchanged looks as their breathing caught up with them. ‘’My, it seems you are a tough dog to kill…’’ He frown shifted into a smirk. ‘’If truth be told, you are not too bad yourself…I was expecting less from a bipedal grown lizard.’’ She smiled back. His smile contorted back into an infuriated frown, his eyes shooting daggers back towards her. He smirked, his arms dropped, hanging down beside his body. Standing back up on her hind legs, folding her arms as she stood. ‘’Though, I’m a Pony and if I already could then I could have squashed you by now.’’ His fists clenched, and his eyes narrowed, glaring back at her with the worst of frowns. Suddenly, he hunched, raising his hands in defense of his face. ‘’Please, don’t hurt me! I-I beg of you don’t do anything else to me.’’ This action surprised Celestia. Her eyes growing wide as surprise settled on her face. However, so that he didn’t see her surprise, she hid herself behind a mask of seriousness in returning to the heat of the moment. ‘’I won’t…As long as you surrender yourself to me, otherwise we’re going to have to get serious again and hurt you.’’ He gave a quick nod of his head, dropping to his knee, as he looked to finally feel the full extent of his body’s injuries of the battle between the two of them, blood beginning to pour more organic from his more graphic injuries, running down his arms, legs, and torso, and even some parts on his head. ‘’T-tell me…’’ Weakly he raised his head, grunting in pain as his eyes looked back to her. ‘’Is every Equestrian a-as powerful as you?’’ Smirking, she saw the perfect opportunity to not only humiliate him further, but also verbally inform about whom was the stronger of the two races. How could she pass up an opportunity like that? ‘’Yes and no.’’ She replied. ‘’Wh-what kind of a-…’’ Suddenly he coughed up some blood. The blood was instantly morphed into fumes as it touched down against the rocky surface, vanishing away. ‘’Answer is that?’’ He look of disgust was exchanged instead for a blank stern look. ‘’It means that they have the potential, of course while there are some who could potentially surpass me, the odds of such things happening are minimal…Though, judging from how well our war with your master has gone I’d be willing to say that these are without a doubt our most powerful warriors.’’ His eyes widened, and his look of annoyance was from that point on replaced by a horrified blank look upon it. Chocked growls behind gritted teeth on an outraged frown reached her ears. ‘Good! I’ve got him angry, now if I can hold off his attacks for just a little while longer I should be able to tire him out enough to deal a fatal blow.’ Her expression shifted in an angry frown as she thought to herself. ‘I will not allow the monster who murdered my sister to walk this or an earth. His story ends here…And if not, then I will make sure he suffers for all eternity in stone. He may be powerful, but nothing can overcome my resolve.’ She struck a stance ready to combat him. Her offer for surrender was a rouse to get him to lower his guard so she could get him into a vulnerable position. From his side his ears picked up the sound of her hooves on the stones, and he slightly raised his head, though not enough to have his eyes see her. The sound of growling through his teeth was still present, and did not seem to be letting up. Then there was a silence… Then there came a laughter… The laughter caught her attention in particular, and she raised a brow towards him. Raising his head, and she saw his face again it was clear that he was no longer angry, but just as surprisingly, he was happy. Raising himself up, her eyes widened as she saw that he now had no trouble standing back up…Whereas just moments ago he had been struggling to keep himself standing. He brought a hand up to his mouth and wiped the blood from him, smirking back at her with evil intent, seeing now that it was her turn to become afraid. ‘’B-but…how?’’ She stuttered. His eyes narrowed as her fear grew even more with her breath. ‘’Simple, I can manipulate my body in even the simplest of manners…I like to refer to it as my Rouse Technique where I fool my opponent into revealing all of their to me as they believe me defeated…Then I go in for the kill.’’ Having heard the last, she gave herself a little boost as she thrust her torso up, having some problem at first, but eventually getting back into the habit of standing in a bipedal stance, her hooves held out in front of her expecting an attack… But his arms hung down beside him, and his smirk was once against returning her glares. ‘’You fool! Do you really me to continue fighting you?’’ ‘’What options do you have? There is nothing else you can do to me…We’re evenly matched.’’ ‘’Not true, but whatever…’’ He raised a hand, holding up a finger. ‘’You are wrong about one more thing, and that is that I cannot do anything to you, that is false.’’ His eyes narrowed while hers looked back in suspicion. ‘’I may not be able to harm you now…But your world is a completely different story.’’ Her eyes almost exploded, a terrified frown settled itself on her face, as she knew exactly what his plan was. He had not just pretended to be surrendering to lure her into a false sense of security and superiority, but also to extract information, very precious information. ‘’Yes, you may be fast, but you will never be able to stop me from reaching the portal to your planet, where after you no longer have any reinforcements we will pick your then tiny force off back here.’’ He extended both arms out to the side. Celestia, growling through her teeth, leaped forward, boosting herself, as she charged towards him. However, he was much too quick for her, and with a single motion, swung his arms back, clapping them together, and generating a giant shockwave that caught her, sending her flying backwards until she crashed into a small stone formation, causing it to crumble behind her. As she climbed out of the rubble, she turned her head, being quick to try to spot him, but her attempts were in vain. He was gone! And what was worse that her hair was no longer golden, and her aura did not reignite itself as she tried to summon it. She was now completely drained of energy. From her injuries started to pour blood, bleeding out a storm. She tried to take a step forward, but her weakened body fell forward, collapsing down onto the ground, dropping to her knees. Reaching out with her hooves, she caught herself before she completely fell down on the ground. She could feel the strain on her body of using such an extreme use of energy. She could not move! There was now no way that she would be able to even reach anyone before he got to the portal, and reached Equestria. It was all over! Losing all feeling in her body, she fell forward, falling down flat onto the ground, her breathing getting heavier, wheezing. Back with her sister’s body, the surroundings had already darkened, the outrageous windstorms roaming wildly above in the skies, firing lethal discharges of lighting in every possible direction. Luna body was sitting up against a rock, her head hanging down, and her body sitting motionless. Surrounding her on almost side now was the desolate scenery of the once beautiful, green land of Cardolan, now instead with pools of boiling hot magma instead of cool blue water, and hot fuming plains as far as the eye can see, and the ruins of the structures that had been there long before this conflict had even taken place. Amongst it all, a light was seen moving across the wasteland. A search light scanning the devastated terrain for anything, any signs of life, what little there remained in this place. Aboard the vessel, bleeping sounded on the control consoles. A second light was activated at that moment. The searchlight traversed the ground, settling at last upon a lone blue figure, while the other had to increase its range before finally falling upon a form who had fallen face-first against the ground. ‘’Captain, I’ve found them!’’ ‘’Are they alive?’’ ‘’Both, but the other is dwindling fast.’’ ‘’Retrieve them both, and make all haste to return to the fleet.’’ ‘’Yes, sir.’’ ‘’Retrieve the weakest first, and leave the strongest for last.’’ ‘’Yes, sir.’’ Turning around, and altering its course, the ship headed through the air towards the being furthest away, leaving the other behind. It touched down on a spot suitable to land, where several armored troopers emerged from the craft, while a small number of five gathered around her, raising their weapons, and remaining on the alert. The others lifted up her incredibly damaged body, levitating it onboard the ship. They then departed to retrieve the other. While on their way back, both of them were put into a stasis pod to stabilize their conditions and to prevent any lack of air of blood to transpire before they returned. - Back at the fleet, still standing up on the bridge, the Admiral was staring out the view screen, surrounding him on all sides wherever he looked was the Equestrian Fleet. Two million ships in total, the rest being off engaging on other lines of conflict to further the campaign. A Mare stepped up towards him, standing at attention. ‘’Admiral?’’ ‘’Report?’’ He demanded sternly. ‘’Communications report that they have received word from the ship you sent to retrieve the Princesses.’’ She replied. His eyes widened, and his stern demeanor contorted into worry. With a quick turn of his body, he faced her. ‘’And…What of their situation? Are they alive?’’ ‘’For now, though they report…’’ She paused. ‘’That the Princess has suffered quite some excruciating pain in the process. It is said to be unbearable gruesome to behold.’’ ‘’Tell me the extent of which they have suffered.’’ Lowering her head, the Mare looked down towards the steel floor, wielding a hidden expression of fear and pure disgust. Raising her head, she finally looked back meeting his face. ‘’Princess Luna’s has been snapped, with the bone…The bone sticking out in gruesome display, and Princess Celestia have had several sharp objects penetrated her skin…Most notably in her hoof.’’ She lowered her head, bringing a hoof up to her mouth, covering a chocked cry. ‘’What kind of a beast would do something like that?’’ ‘’Soldier…? Soldier!?’’ He snapped, bringing her back to the situation at hoof. Her head turned, looking back up to meet his eyes. ‘’Does the Princess seem to be in pain much too terrible to bear?’’ ‘’Y-yes, Admiral. The Medics stated that as they merely touched the shards she screamed out in unbearable pain. They had to sedate her before she would finally calm down. They are treating her with uttermost care at this very moment.’’ ‘’And how is our section in the artificial limbs section coming along? Do you believe that they can manage to create something that will help her?’’ She and a couple other of the Ponies present on the Bridge turned, giving him a blank but terrified stare. ‘’S-sir, are you proposing that we-…’’ She turned her head, looking it to the left and then the right, before returning it to him. ‘’Give the Princess an artificial hoof?’’ His face shifted into an empathetic frown. ‘’I don’t like doing it as much as any of you do, but we do not possess the tools to remove such shards as painlessly as possible, and even after they have been removed the wounds they leave behind will still continue to torment her.’’ His head turned, moving from one side to the other as he continued. ‘’Every other day we lose more and more good Ponies, they do not need more grief, they need a strong leader to help guide them through this perilous moment in our history, and we need that leader now.’’ ‘’B-but, Admiral? A-aren’t’ you-‘’ ‘’I am only a temporary leader, one who serves the greater good. While I am experienced in war, I do not possess the skills to lead an entire race…’’ He turned himself around, looking out the view screen. ‘’But the ones being brought to us in this very moment are.’’ He closed his eyes, inhaling a soft breath, and then exhaling it. ‘’Now…Prepare a room for the surgery.’’ His head lowered down. ‘’If it is to be painful, have it be short for her when she returns.’’ ‘’S-sir?’’ ‘’Princess Luna’s snapped bone can be repaired if she is instantly brought to a healing pod…But I fear that with Celestia her situation is much worse.’’ She wanted to say something, but kept of in doing it, and just lowered her head. ‘’Y-yes, sir. It shall be done immediately.’’ She turned, and trotted away, ready to carry out her new orders. > Chapter 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suddenly, an alarm started bleeping; the crew all turned, looking towards the Officer in charge of that specific function, but the direction they were looking at was the radar Officer’s spot. A sweat ran down his face as he saw the information the screen was relaying to him. ‘’Uh, uhh…’’ He stuttered nervously. Turning his head, a little to the side, looking it in direction of the source of the sound. ‘’Yes? Is there something to report?’’ He asked with an interest that they not know to be feigned. The Pony turned his head, looking it back towards the Admiral, not in too big of a hurry to tell him what he was seeing. ‘’W-well, you see, Admiral…We are picking up an unidentified object speeding towards our position.’’ On a hidden face, he raised a confused brow, staring back out the glass in front of him with confusion. ‘’Is there any emblem to signify whose allegiance it is aligned with?’’ ‘’Negative, Sir.’’ He answered back. ‘’It seems to resemble our V-Wing Fighters, but it is uncertain to say.’’ Out the view screen, a shape was becoming much more visible as it flew speed up towards the fleet. It was small, a single pilotable ship. It was a circular pod, with a red view screen, which seemed to have light providing the red glow from inside the cockpit, and rectangular wings on its sides. It did not seem to possess any weapons, but it was certainly fast. Zooming through the air, it was but a few feet away from the Admiral’s Flagship. The ship’s scanners attempted to make a full search for any kind of weapons, but they either came up negative, or it was impossible to deduce that there was anything aboard it. From the sides, several Fighters started to move into defensive positions around the Flagship, surrounding it. Upon seeing this, the Admiral turned towards a nearby Communications Officer, extending his hoof, and holding it out towards the Mare. ‘’Order them to disengage, immediately.’’ The Mare, as well as several others of the crew turned towards the white dressed being, giving him confused looks. ‘’B-but, sir- ‘’ Outside, the Fighters were starting to fly out towards this new arrival to intercept it. Both they and the approaching new arrival stopped in mid-air, hovering in the place, as the small squadron of ships surrounded the unrecognizable one. Producing neither a sound nor movement. Then, over speakers, a voice spoke out towards the surrounded ship. ‘’New arrival, you will not be allowed permission to continue further on unless you provide us with the identity of who you are, and your intentions in coming here!’’ The ship was silent, only the hum of its engines being the thing to come from it. When the radio chatter of the squadron’s captain caught the attentions of the beings on the Bridge of the Flagship, the Admiral’s face shot up, his face becoming pale with fright. His head then turned, looking back out the view screen towards the scene unfolding before him. ‘’New arrival, you will have fifteen seconds to provide an identity, and the intentions for what your intentions on coming here were, if you fail to meet with this demands then you will-‘’ Suddenly, a mighty hiss sounded from the surrounded ship, it’s top hatch started to lift upwards, pulling back as something was opened, the light inside changed into a green. Illuminated by the green light, a figure was seen to be standing up. It clearly wore a robe, as when the pilot’s form was lifted up from its seat, hovering in the air, fabric, as well as something else was seen to fall down behind it. ‘’Wait, Command, something seems to be happening! I think the pilot will meet us face-to-face.’’ The Squad Captain spoke through its Communications Channel. The spectators on the Bridge observing with curious eyes. Out the hatch a figure emerged, its body obstructed behind the cloak it wore, a hood concealing its face. From behind the hood, breaths could be seen. ‘’That is good…! Now let us have an identity to go along with-‘’ All of a sudden, the figure raised its fists, clenching them tightly as it hunched forward, its tail tensing up a little from doing…something. ‘’Eh, sir? The newcomer seems to be doing…something, but I cannot make out what it is.’’ The Captain’s voice sounded in the Communications Officer’s headset. ‘’Wait, something seems to be happening…Though, I cannot explain in the world it is doing.’’ Out from behind the figure’s hood, several shapes resembling the bubble made when kids chewed bubblegum, but unlike those children’s bubblegum it disconnected from its mouth, moving through the air, and surrounding the figure. The formless shapes started to change, arms growing out, though at this point they resembled featureless hooves, and at the top heads started taking shape. The figure’s face morphed into something that could only be described as belonging to a female, with neck-length hair, and a single shape protrusion atop it’s head which hung down behind it, the lower half of it’s body (below the arms) thinned out becoming a long tail. ‘’What the-!?!?’’ The Captain screamed through the headset, making the Officer flinch, throwing the headset off its head. Before another second, the figure extended its arm out, holding out its fingers. ‘’Super Ghost Kamikaze, ATTACK!’’ A high-pitched voice shouted. The figures surrounding the cloaked individual suddenly sprang to life, hurrying towards each of the surrounding ships around it. ‘’Oh no! They are heading right for us! He-!’’ The channel went dead, providing nothing but the sound of static as the voice ceased to speak. ‘’Come in, Captain! Come in!’’ The Officer shouted into its headset (having put it back on) as it tried to restore contact with the Captain’s vessel, but nothing the static was present in his ears. (Seconds earlier) Speeding towards the nearest ship, the manically giggling creatures reached out with their arms, touching them to the hull of the ships, they then started to glow, before finally exploding into an intense eruption that was a second later followed by the ship itself exploding in an even more violent explosion. (Present) Remains and debris rained down from above, creating large splashes as they hit the water. When the smoke cleared, and everything became visible again, the only thing seen to be still intact was the new arrival’s ship, and the newcomer, whom now folded its arms as it glared back towards the Bridge, the crew onboard the Flagship looking back out with terrified stares…However, the Admiral was instead giving it a stern glare. Clearly not afraid of it. Extending its arm, it pointed its finger out towards the Bridge view screen. Within a moment’s notice, it fired off a beam from its tip, shooting through the air towards him, to which his eyes widened in shock. ‘’Admiral, get down!’’ The Mare shouted as she leaped towards him, grabbing his shoulder, and pulling him along with her as she fell to the side. The beam pierced the glass, spreading glass down onto the floor, and continuing forward. Those that could leaped out of the way, avoiding the fatal consequences of being hit by that kind of a beam. Especially when it took out several Fighters in a matter of seconds, and without even moving from its suspended spot in the air. The beam cut through the steel of the ship’s walls, penetrating one right after another, until it finally came out the back, speeding off into the distance until it finally did hit something hard enough to trigger its explosion. Coughing, he stood back up, allowing the Mare that helped save him from imminent death to return up onto his hooves. His head turned, and he looked out towards the space where the figure, and it’s should be. To his great astonishment, the figure was still there, and its arms were folded once again, and presumably glaring back at him from behind the hood. Suddenly, his ear twitched a little, and he acted surprised about something. His head turned, looking to the side, gazing up towards the darkened clouds above in the sky. Random strikes of lighting of ferocious lighting struck down from the sky, affecting the water and causing massive eruptions of water to shoot up. The Admiral’s crew, once they saw this, began backing away from the view screen, too terrified by what had, and was happening outside their ship. Suddenly, the figure allowed its hands to fall down, hanging beside it. This action surprised the Flagship’s crew, but the Admiral only raised a surprised brow, while wearing a confused expression on his face. ‘’Huh?’’ Many of the crew reacted in confusion at this action. Slowly, and gently the figure’s form descended downwards, disappearing down inside the hatch. It was obvious when it had returned to its cockpit. Its shadow could be seen silhouetted by the green light, even as it sat back down. It reached up, grabbing hold of something. The green light vanished shortly after, returning to its original blackness with slight hints of red throughout. Turning, it flew away, turning back the way it had come. Before long, it was nothing but a black splotch in the distance, and even then, it vanished completely. Standing back up onto his hooves, he turned, looking back out the destroyed view screen, catching a big glimpse of the world outside. As the others tried to regain themselves after the devastating attack, the Mare who had saved him from certain death brought a hoof up to the back of her head, rubbing it as it ached. Directing her eyes’ sight back towards the Admiral, she raised her head back up, directing her sight back towards him. ‘’A-Admiral?’’ She took several steps closer towards him, nervously, watching him, as he seemed to be looking out the destroyed view screen. ‘’Hm?’’ His head turned, and he looked back at her. ‘’T-the aggressor has retreated, sir.’’ He turned back, looking out the window. True enough the ship, and its occupant were both gone, leaving nothing but a mostly empty visual out in front of them. His blank look returned to settling on his face as he turned back towards her. ‘’It would seem so.’’ ‘’Y-yes, sir.’’ She bowed her head. Craning it back up into its proper place. ‘’D-do you it will return?’’ His eyes looked towards the Mare, scoffing, smiling as he meet her gaze with his own. ‘’We’re fighting a war…Give me your personal opinion to your own question, soldier.’’ She swallowed, sweating a little from being humiliated from what she is about to say. ‘’I-I think that it will come back, and when it does it will not be gentle in dealing out damage to us.’’ Turning himself around, he looked back out the giant crack in front of him. ‘’We could have all been destroyed in this very attack if it wanted to.’’ At hearing this, all the Ponies on the deck’s heads shot up, turning, and looking back towards the white caped figure. ‘’W-what do you mean, sir?’’ He smiled a wry smile, looking his pupils to the side. ‘’All in good time, soldier…I dare even to say that this war may soon be over.’’ He turned his head a little, looking it to the side. ‘’Now, send for a crew to come and clean up this mess. Having our Flagship’s Command Deck exposed is not something our enemies will hesitate to launch an assault upon.’’ Being snapped out of the next thing she was going to say, she acted as if coming out of a trance, then proceeded to bow her head. ‘’As you wish, Admiral.’’ Far away in the distance, a shape was moving towards them. A blue aura surrounded it, and it was moving at an intense speed towards them, the water underneath being blown up. > Chapter 5 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Penetrating the mist, a powerful burst of light erupted all around, shining down on the water. Finally dying down the quiet night silence was returned to how it had been just before it had happened... Then, nothing. Hovering through the air, a tiny figure with white purple skin, and a blue crystal in its chest, globes on its shoulders, and a strange globular streak that ran down the center of its head, ending at the back of its head. Stern, the figure’s expression was as it looked out towards the vast sight that lay before it, seeing land far away in the horizon, illuminated by light. Quietly the figure descended towards the water. Its body hovering above the water, with its arms folded. Extending out a hand, it pointed it towards the silent flat water. Slowly, the water to move, rising up into rough waves. The water became rougher, wilder, like the times when the world was wild, and order was all but yet to be created. Starting out as small, insignificant, powerless, the wave started to grow, the extent of how much raw power each wave was putting out growing in intensity. Raising its hand, the wave grew taller. Measuring the same height as the tallest skyscrapers. Extending the other free hand, and holding it out beside the other. Slowly both arms were separated from each other, the distance between one another becoming greater with every passing second. The tower of water grew bigger, extending into a giant wall. Consisting of perhaps a wall measuring in the thousands in terms of length. He groaned as the wall started becoming too much for him to handle. His aura igniting to increase his power output, and allow him to finish the wall. Far into the distance, beings from atop their towering structures observed something rising in the horizon. It could be made out clearly enough, but still none could identify what it was. However, they could tell that it was increasing in size, growing longer and longer. Groaning through gritted teeth he had difficulty keeping the wall together, his aura beginning to flicker, and have trouble to stay continuous. His groans transformed into loud yells, his aura growing stronger, more fierce as his rage seemed to be assisting him stay concentrated on what needed to be done. Around him lightning were surrounding him, discharging at random around his form. Because of his rage his power unleashing his might at full force, with almost no regard for his surroundings, the seas were raged, the underwater currents tore at the surfaces underneath the water, cracking them open as tremors shook the water-buried earth, and the skies above darkened, swirling as they darkened, rivaling the First Days in wild intensity. Lighting shoot down from the sky, striking the water, and causing the water to explode, erupting upwards into giant water towers that lasted barely longer than a minute. With a final loud yell from his mouth, he held out his hands, shooting them towards the wall of raging water, two shockwaves shot outwards from his palms, going for miles and miles until they reached the very end of the wall. Using all his strength, he pushed the wall forward… Slowly, it did start to move slowly at first, but its speed was building, increasing for every second, and soon it all was all sent hurdling forward towards the giant mass of land before it. Going on along with their daily activates many of the inhabitants started getting worried when the water in their glasses started to shake, the ground creaking. Even the mighty skyscrapers shook, their very foundations being shaken to their core. Many ventured outside their homes, curious to see just what in the world was happening. But once they stepped outsides their doors, they came face-to-face with what could only be labelled as true terror. Their hearts stopping and everything around them seemed to slow. While they were high above sea level, the docks were only a quarter of the wall of death and destruction that was headed straight towards them. Many panicked, trying to make a last desperate effort to run away. Those with flight and teleportation managed to elude it, as with devastating force the water finally came crashing down on them. The docks were shaken, their metal plating penetrated with minimal effort, the hulls being penetrated by wild streams of water that burst through the plating, flooding into the sections underneath the surface. Down through tunnels, corridors, and causeways the water flooded, taking anyone it could find. Few managed to run, but were corned, unable to escape. When turning around, their last sights were the water that hurtled towards them. Up above, the separating streams of water spilled into multiple of the streets. The skyscrapers that once stood as a stern defense against the first hammer strokes, were now trembling, shaking as their foundations became unmade. They cracked windows shattering. Some skyscrapers collapsed due to their lower sections being not strong to withstand having their foundations shook to such a degree, some split, their upper half losing all structural integrity, and collapsing down onto another building or skyscraper, destroying it. Shortly after, the few bits still standing eventually could not stand against the tide anymore, and collapsed. Being carried away by the water. As they ran for safety many cried out in fear, terror, pleading for help before the water took them, carrying them off. Their dead forms drifting through the water. From afar, the figure looked out towards the death and destruction that had been unleashed upon that world. Flame and smoke could be seen, though faint. The smoke disappeared into the night, becoming one with it. While in the process of swinging his arm, a shadow appeared. The shadow was then turned into fabric, hanging down on both sides of his arm. With a motion of his arm, he put on the cloak, covering his head with the hood. Far away, the raging waters were not merely content with the consumption of the Northern City. Bursting through the walls, the waters continued to traverse all that it came across. Large plains were consumed by water, and where small settlements and houses lay there was nothing left but faint markings in the skin of the earth of where the homes had previously stood. In the span of five hours, the seemingly rebelling oceans had consumed a quarter of the landmass, claiming tens of thousands of victims in this terrible natural disaster… And still, it continued onwards, claiming more. After ten, it had taken half of Equestria’s landmass, subduing it in water. From high up in the skies, in the non-modernized Sky City of Cloudsdale, from the nobles to the common Pegasus, they all bore witness to the terrible event happening down underneath them. Though faint, the cries for help were continuous, echoing for many hours. However, over time the cries, pleas, and calls for help died down until there was nothing left but the wild splashing of water. With dreadful force, the water hit the mountain that housed Canterlot. The ancient Capital of the Equestrian Empire shook, cracks coursed through the skin of the stout city. Miraculously, it managed to survive the onslaught. However, half of it collapsed, splitting apart, and fell down into the water. Most of Canterlot population and many of its precious historical artifacts was lost with the half of the city that fell down into the water, carrying them off to other parts of the world, never to be seen again. Many of the mountain ridges that had been around since this world was created long ago, now saw their demise, as when the waves came upon them, the impact was so powerful that it caused the mountains to crack, splitting open, and forming new mountain ridges. The old mountains had finally been lost. When the raging oceans finally reached the Southern City, its intensity had been lost due to its speed having been compromised. Despite this, it still packed quite a powerful as it came upon the walls of the city. Pulling back, and returning with terrible pounding. The citizens of the Southern City had received warnings, and thus were prepared to the natural assault towards them, due to the Pegasus having observed the everything that had happened when it reached them… And while being sturdy enough to withstand for a small while, they were ultimately unable to stand against what they believed to be an act of nature. The water brought down the walls, tearing large gaping holes in them, and allowing the water the entry into that defenseless city. Once again, citizens flew in panic, fleeing from the sight of the overwhelming water coming towards them. Those with magic or wings managed to get themselves up to higher reaches, but those without were reluctantly left to drown as they were taken by the raging waters of their own world. Once more, a once great city was claimed by the oceans. Its skyscrapers torn down by the sheer force of nature, itself. Crawling up through those destroyed buildings that still stood flames roared, burning their way through walls, floors and ceilings… Now, none other than the Pegasus, and those few who could master self-levitation would escape the deadly flames that consumed what had once been their homes. In the aftermath, Cloudsdale sent out aircraft to begin scouring the far reaches of their kin’s destroyed cities. What they saw none dared to believe true. Skyscrapers were collapsed on top of others, some managing to hold the collapsed ones up, while others saw evidence of being just weak enough to not manage that task. Flames littered the top of many of them, some seeing the beginning of large fires. They excavated those buildings first. Many wounded, and injured Equines were retrieved from the ruined buildings. Many suffering unimaginable injuries, and some with physical damages so gruesome that it would go on to haunt many of the rescue crews even to this day. Children, adults, male and female, old and young, it was all too terrible to bear. The rescued were brought back to Cloudsdale where they were given rest and medical care from the staff and the local inhabitants there. One Colt that they brought back was especially interesting. He was very young, and he had been out with his parents when the wave struck the city. His parents told him to run, and to get to high ground as fast as possible. He tried to get higher up, as instructed, but without magic or wings, he was not seeing much success in doing any of this. Everywhere he turned waves were coming in, some taking other fleeing Equines, or just flooding the street he was trying to escape. Backing away, he began running in the opposite direction, but at this point, he believed his situation to be useless. He ran and ran for as long as his body could manage, eventually reaching the Southern Wall. There was a flight of stairs that went up which he used to scale higher and higher up… But the water had caught up with him. It rounded a corner, and came hurtling down the narrow point towards him Shocked, and petrified by the approaching water, he could do nothing but just and watch as it got closer to him. Right before hitting him, he closed his eye, clinging to whatever he could find for dear life, but there was nothing there for him to grab onto. With tremendous force the wave came crashing down, colliding with him. He still he has no idea how he survived the onslaught of his home… But when he awoke, he was drifting on a large piece of drifting metal. His left hoof and both of his hind legs were bleeding. A large piece of shrapnel having pierced his left leg. The pain was unbearable, but as he reached for the shrapnel, adjusting his leg in the process, he felt an unbearable surge of pain course through his leg. He groaned in pain, tensing up, crying, as he had no idea why all of this had happened. His head turned, looking around him, but all he could see was towering ruins and water. Bodies floated in the water, and none of them was moving. ‘’MOM! DAD!’’ He cried out, but all that responded was his own echo. The other sound to enter his ears were that of the howling wind, and the moving water. While lying on his small float, a shadow suddenly fell upon him. He thought it odd, and opened his eye. However, his other eye shot open when he saw what awaited him, his blank expression changing into a look of terror. Up in the air, a figure hovered silently. It was bipedal, and had a reptilian tail emerging underneath a dark cloak. Its face was hidden, but that hardly mattered at this point, there was nothing he could do to it anyway. Up above, the figure suddenly lowered its head. In response, he froze, his eyes closing shut, dropping his head, making his entire body still. Opening his eye, a little, he noticed that it was no longer there. The black figure was no longer suspended in the air above him. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief. However, just before doing that, his eyes spotted something amongst the ruins. His eyes widened, and his face was blank, his body fell down on the plate, hitting the shrapnel, and while painful, he knew that he would be dead if he was not quiet. Floating in the air, as it hovered above the water, the figure’s tail hung down dangling above the water, its torn cloak almost grazing the surface of the now calm waters. With its arms folded, tapping its finger against its shoulder, he looked out around him. His eyes were primarily drawing back towards the destroyed piece of shrapnel, which his eyes noticed carried something. Raising a brow, he started to move forward, approaching the motionless form in front of him. While laying still on the floating shrapnel, he cannot note but feel uneasy. It is too quiet, and while there are slight sounds of movement, he cannot brush off the thought that this is not from the wind around him. Suddenly, his ears twitches as he hears movement nearby, and some water brush unevenly against the shrapnel, causing his body to shake a little. All of a sudden, from the side of the floating shrapnel is shaken when a beam is fired, hitting the water, and causing it to erupt. Some of the water spilling onto him as he lays there. However, despite it all, he does not move from his spot. He dares not to raise his head for fear of getting spotted, but that does that not stop him from opening his eye and looking right out. ‘’Hm.’’ He heard a voice grumble to itself. Due to how high-pitched it was not; it was not very difficult to deduce that it belonged to a male of some kind. He did not know what it was, but it was obvious it was not from this world. With time, the sound of the growing fires started to sound in the distance, loud screams of panic, voices crying out for help. The sound of sudden movement sounded, and then there was nothing but silence. The water rippled, making the shrapnel move a little in place. He waits a little before finally opening his eye again. His eyes are immediately snapped shut, as he notices the figure standing right in front of him. Its back is turned to him and at the bottom of its cloak; he can see a tail emerge. It clearly belongs to a reptilian creature. What he assumes to be shoulder pads, he sees two long elongated shoulder pieces. They resemble a standard shoulder piece of one’s armor, but more stretched and curving. As he observes this remarkable being, he cannot help but feel…cold, as the creature is this close to him. Like hair under water, the creature cloak seems to float in the same manner. Eventually, it seems to disappear away, floating away. Turning South, it begins to fly float away. Going off on its own journey, wherever that may eventually lead. This young, injured, unable to defend for itself lad, even he knows that every being, even those of darkness, have a journey. Where that journey leads are up to the individual, not its superiors, not Kings and Queens. He does not know who or what, this thing is, but he cannot help being intrigued by it. Its mystery is its greatest weapon; it petrifies one in place by one’s own curiosity for answers. He is infatuated by it because he does not know it. ‘’I’m sorry.’’ The Colt says. Suddenly, the figure stops in the air. His eyes widen as this happens. There is nothing but a silence between them. The figure’s cloak continuing to float through the air in its still ‘’floaty’’ manner. Finally, its head turns around, and from behind the hood, it looks back towards the creatures’ real face. Seeing not but an annoyed frown. ‘’Damn! I missed one of you.’’ His body turned around all the way, staring down at him in hateful rage. Extending an arm, the figure reaches out towards him. His body begins to drift towards the small, injured child… ‘’Worthless, you are all useless.’’ It hisses as it approaches him. Its arm extends out reveal five small nubs on the end. ‘’But I believe that the time has come for us to end this little game of ours…And what better to go out than a deadly haze of glory?’’ In the palm of his hand, a ball of energy forms, it’s red energy growing larger, and progressively rougher by the second. ‘’This energy ball is certainly strong enough to kill you, Equestrian, but it will also give you a small moment to endure the pain of the universe.’’ His frown shifted into a devious grin. ‘’Prepare to suffer as I have, Equine!’’ His sick pleasure rises to an incredible level, as he thrusts his hand forward, sending the ball of energy forward, shooting it towards the injured child… - Returning to the present, the Colt is carried away by several paramedics and doctors into a medical room. Three giant bloody injuries have cut across his face, though the blood seems to have been incarcerated. Shaken from his ordeal, he cannot sit down on the bed. Even as the doctors try to secure him so they can attend his injured leg, he cannot help moving as if he is possessed by the very nature of fear itself. The doctors, and everyone else trying to save his life, finally manage to restrain him long enough to remove the shrapnel from his leg and at the very least apply something to the wound to incarcerate it from becoming infected, and bleeding out before the surgery. Giving the Colt something to help him make sleep while they prepared for the surgery he easily feels asleep… However, to the doctors and nurses greatest surprise, while performing their surgery on his leg’s injury, he suddenly woke up. Acting frantic, and panicking as if the demon Tirek, himself, was in the room with them. - A good distance away, hovering silently through the air, a figure wearing red robes, was approaching a large chain of mountains in the Southern Region. Atop a large plain, there stood a large collection of skyscrapers, and highly advanced technological buildings and structures. Silent, the cloaked individual just stared back. The water had not managed to get high enough to reach up pass the mountain tops… Which meant that whoever resided there had been able to escape his wrath. No one, not even a child, was going to escape from this! Extending a hand out from behind his cloak, he pointed it towards the city. A devilish smirk on his face, as his eyes narrowed. In the palm of his head, a ball of black, crackling energy formed. ‘’Well, as much as I enjoy punishing you cretins for your pathetic insolence I think it is about time that we concluded our business together.’’ The energy ball by this point had become as large as three Equestrian heads. ‘’Hi-YAAAAHHHHHHH!’’ With a thrust forward, the ball of energy shot forward. Down through the air, it speeds towards the city. The ground shook, the towering skyscrapers shook, some cracked as tremors appeared through their surfaces, others collapsed, some of the remaining stone formations that the builders of the city had preserved crumbled, being reduced down to giant piles of rubble. The energy ball emitting so much energy that anything it came into contact crumbled and at the worst of cases, were torn to shreds and dissolved into nothing. As they came into contact with it, several of the skyscrapers, as they were swallowed up by the ball of energy left nothing but burnt, singeing scorch marks. Finally coming into contact with the ground in the city’s center, it exploded, detonating it, and sending off a giant explosion of fire, pressured air. As it expanded outwards, forming a horizontal half-circle, it encompassed the entire city, bright light being generated from the half-sphere. The half-sphere erupted, unleashing a bright white light that surrounded everything, and blinded any onlookers that looked towards it. Raising an arm, he shielded his eyes from the light, preventing being blinded by it. Seeing the white through his cloak beginning to die down, he lowered his arm back down. The sight that greeted him was that of a large, desolated crater with no signs of life present. He smiled at this, and began descending down towards the surface. With a gentle *Tap* his feet were firmly planted on the burning ground. Looking down with a frown, he could feel the heat as he came into contact with it. However, with a serious expression he ignored it. Just standing there silently. Holding his head low, he looked down towards the ground, grinning at the sight of it. - Far in the distance, a shape penetrated through the thicket of clouds. The hum of its engines entering into the airspace. Through the glass of the ship’s cockpit, the pilot’s eyes narrowed as it caught sight of the burning ruins in the distance. Pulling the control closer, the small ship speed forward. Heading towards its destination. Before long, through the ship’s viewport glass, its pilot could see Cloudsdale. A couple of buttons were pressed, and it started to slow down, decreasing in speed as it reached a much more calming approaching speed. From Cloudsdale, onlookers could spot the incoming ship from afar. Civilians and guards, alike, reported the sighting of the ship to the authorities/higher ranked. Circling the city, a couple times, the ship finally seemed to be coming in for a landing. It’s course seemingly being the Northern City Sector closest to where the Pegasus Military was located. A small crowd had gathered on the small platform where it was landing, watching in awe as it touched down. Hatches opening up on the bottom, as the ship touched down against the soft cloud-cushioned surface. Much too many astonishments A hatch atop the ships cockpit opened. Followed by a figure shortly emerging from it. The figure jumped down, landing on the clouds… Without falling through them. Taking a step forward, it approached a Pegasus in a grey uniform. With its head hung low, it looked down at the Mare, who greeted the eyes. A stern look upon its face… With a loud roar of the ship’s engines, it sped away from the North, hurrying with all haste towards the Southern Region. ‘’Not today you are not.’’ Then with tremendous speed, the ship shot forward, emitting a shockwave as it thrust forward, increasing its speed more. > Chapter 6 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smirking, he went down. Taking a knee. He lowered his head, bowing it in respect. Moving a hand up, he touched it against the top of his knee. He lifted his head, staring it out in front of him. ‘’This is the end-...’’ His head turned, looking around. From the distance, dark clouds started moving in over the mountain peaks. ‘’My old friend.’’ Lightning started to be discharged, it shooting down from the sky. Impacting the ground with tremendous force. Standing himself back up, he held his hands down beside his body in tightened fists. His fingers touched against each other so badly that they made his palm bleed. The blood dripping down until it landed on the ground, dissolving away into nothing. The screams, cries for help, and the burning buildings could be heard for miles. Smirking, he looked up into the sky. With a gentle push of his leg, he lifted up off the ground, ascending up into the air. Lowering his head, he looked back down towards the desolated ground underneath him. Raising an arm, he pointed a finger up. Above his finger, a sizzling ball of energy formed. With each passing moment, the ball grew in size, growing fiercer and more intense. Soon he was nothing but a darkened silhouette amongst a form of intense energy, half the size of the sun, itself. Chuckling to himself, his eyes stared down towards the ground below him with a madness in them. ‘’Stop it!’’ A voice suddenly shouted in his direction. ‘’Huh?’’ He reacted at hearing it. Turning his head, he looked down towards the mountains, seeing a figure standing at the uttermost top of one of the surrounding peaks. He raised his brow at seeing the beat-up figure, examining it, as he did seem very recognizable; The spiky black hair, the destroyed armor, and leggings, and the scar across the left cheek. His left arm was wounded, and out of commission, and just judging from the injuries inflicted upon him, he would probably be too weak to challenge him anyway. Rolling his eyes, he looked away from the challenger, focusing his energy into his planet-destroying ball of energy. ‘’Hey! Don’t. Ig-nore! ME!’’ He shouted, and with a mighty swing of his arm, threw a concentrated ball of energy up towards him. ‘’Hm-? ‘’ *Ka-Boom!* An explosion erupted upon having the energy hit against him, consuming in fire and smoke. ‘’Hm.’’ He grumbled, lowering his hand down, letting it hang down beside him. With a leap, his boots touched against the rocky surface, and started to slide down. Upon reaching the bottom, he jumped up, landing back down on the ground. He raised his head, looking back up into the sky. After the smoke cleared, and the fire settled, it peeled away to reveal the slightly bruised form of the cloaked individual, though his cloak had been torn from the attack. Still with his finger raised, he now glared back down at his attacker with an angry glare in his eyes. ‘’As much as it pains me to say it, that actually did hurt.’’ His attacker smirked happy at hearing this, which only made him frown even more. Slowly, he started to descend down towards him. However, before descending, he did a motion with his finger, which made the energy ball stay in place. His attacker’s eyes widened in shock as he noticed that, being a little amazed that he could do something like that. Seeing that being so close to something that intense, he phased out and then back in again, appearing a small distance back away from him. Seeing that he did this, only made him smirk in retaliation. ‘Idiot!’ Touching down against the surface, his feet were planted firmly on the ground. His head raised, he glared back at the one who boldly dared to attack him. His head was raised, looking back up towards the still ball of crackling intensity. ‘’H-how did you-‘’ ‘’How did I make I remain in place?’’ He interrupted. Lowering his head, he looked back down, meeting his gaze. ‘’Yes.’’ He nodded back. Crossing his arms over his chest, he shook his head. ‘’I am no fool. I would not reveal the ‘’how’’, only the ‘’why’’ to a simpleton such as yourself.’’ ‘’Okay then, why are you doing th-‘’ ‘’Hah! Got ya!’’ He suddenly shouted, swinging his arms out. ‘’I am not going to say that either! Ha ha ha ha ha!’’ Leaning forward, he slapped his knee as he continued to laugh it out towards his attacker. ‘’Huh?’’ He reacted. Crossing his eyes, he cast a frowning glare back towards him. He growled through gritted teeth back at him. Frowning, he crossed his own arms across his chest. ‘’Yeah, whatever-…’’ He said interrupting the wild laughter, drawing his attention back towards him. ‘’Who are you, and what are you doing here?’’ He raised a suspicious brow while looking at him. ‘’Really? You are going to ask me that? How many times do you ask that on a regular basis.’’ Raising a brow, he shot him a dumbfounded look. ‘’Uh…Once, now.’’ He raised a brow, letting his arm drop down beside him. This time it was his turn to shift to a dumbfounded facial expression. Both males looked back at each other, meeting the others’ silent gaze. This uneasy silence between both of them lasted. Around his torso, a tail unwrapped itself, suspending itself freely in the air. He pulled his hand back. A faint form of energy seemingly appearing in it, and beginning to gather strength. With a gentle stumble forward, he gained a victorious smirk on his face. ‘Perfect! He is already quite weak, barely a worthwhile challenge…But still, why not give this rude simpleton the feeling of ultimate terror one final time, and use just enough energy it takes to destroy an Udun?’ Holding out both arms to his sides, he started to dig deep for the necessary power needed dispose of this filth. His mouth dropped, and a loud strained scream sounded. The loud volume voice echoed all around him. Close by, near one of the desolated mountains, several stones fell. The rocks hit the ground-… From behind a rocky surface, a head emerged from behind the side. A pair of eyes looked out, gazing down towards the desolated fields below. Ducking back down, it disappeared behind the rocks. (The moments after the rocks hit the ground) Suddenly, from the other side of the edge two loud voices screamed out towards each other, as a giant explosion of light erupted, followed by an intense shockwave that was blown across the surface of the mountainside where the figure had peeked. ‘’Stay here.’’ A male voice spoke, as it leaned down, its hands grabbing both sides of another, gravely injured figure whom held its head low. Groaning, as it strained to raise its head back up to look back into his face. However, before it could get far enough to complete that simple task, it heard his voice speak to her. ‘’Calm down, you are still too weak to move much. You have to relax…Calm down.’’ He said, trying his best to prevent her from moving too much. ‘’N-gh-no! G-got to-‘’ her head fell down, hanging down, as she finally lost consciousness. Standing back up, he gave her a final look- Before it moved away from the female form before him, and instead directed it back towards the scene that was taking place on the fields below. All around him, terrible windstorms raged with all wild intensity, random dispersals of lightning, and the wild intensity of the seas that now covered all of the former landmass that used to be Equestria. Remnants of the old skyscrapers continued to wash down along the oceans, dragging them to different parts of the world. Taking several steps, he rose up above the edge of the rocks, and looked down towards the plains. Greeting him was a violent flurry of light and colors, red and blue. Up in the sky, a powerful beam of intense red energy shot down from the sky. Shooting upwards, from down on the ground, a bright cyan beam was being fired towards it, equaling in the power amount that was being retaliated with. Both opponents groaned, though the one who was firing his beam while in-flight was much louder than the one who was grounded. Underneath them, in the skin of the earth, a giant circular crater was ripped wide open, it’s size being increased every second as the intense struggle between the two beams unleashed all of their full power against the other. The air pressure underneath the struggling beams grew alongside the crater. The unnoticed observes having to raise a hand up and hold it in front of his face as things continued to spiral out of control. Pouring sweat, he pointed his hand even harder downwards, increasing the power usage he was already pouring into this one attack. Groaning through gritted teeth, he now realized that this was turning out to not be as easy as he had originally expected it to be. The ground cracked, splitting right open, forming deep crevices, which swallowed up some of the debris of the ruined city. With his only un-injured arm, he could feel his energy reaching its end. With a now reduced resistance, the air-borne attacker’s beam started pushing the grounded ones’ beam back. Gradually forcing it further and further back. His skin was beginning to crack, out through his wounds green bursts of light started emerging. He could feel his boots sinking down into the ground. He would not last for much longer. The lightning strikes around them struck all around at their surroundings, hitting mountains, causing their points of impact to explode, and scatter the rocks in many various directions. Hitting the ground, it erupted, scattering rocks and other remnants of the once flat ground. ‘Oh no, this is not good! I-I’ve got to do something!’ He began to panic, watching as the beam was a quarter of the way to reaching the attacker on the ground. ‘I-I-I’ve got to do something! I have to-…’ Raising his head, he lowered it, looking down towards the one only using one arm. He closed his mouth, looking towards him. ‘’I must do this. It is the only way to prevent everything being taken away.’’ Smirking, as he could no longer see his crippled opponent, he knew that he had already won. ‘Time to die, worm!’ He shouted in his mind. Raising his hand, he pointed it down. ‘’SEE YOU IN HELL!!!!!’’ He screamed as he boosted the intensity of the energy being outputted into his beam. The beam exploded with energy, thickening it’s girth, shooting downwards, forcing the other, now weaker beam further back by every second. ‘’Kaio Ken x20!’’ His hand started to glow. Down on the plains, the one-armed attacker was surrounded by the same aura, but without him being aware of it at all, he was still just so focused on pouring every last ounce of energy into this beam. Suddenly, and rather unexpectedly, his cocky smirk contorted into a confused frown. ‘Hang on now, what is happening? Why isn’t my beam hitting him? He should have been gone by now!’ His eyes widened, growing rounder in astonishment, and even in fear. ‘’WHAT!?’’ He screamed out loudly. ‘’Huh!?’’ He reacted, equally just as confused at the sight of what was taking place right in front of his very own eyes. To both of their great astonishment, the one-armed one’s beam was actually getting thicker than the others’ were, and was pushing back towards his opponent. The one in the air, had been caught too much off-guard by this sudden turn of events that his attention and focus was being too much spent on his confusion that he was not able to instead be focusing on spending his energy to defend against this new onslaught of energy coming towards him. ‘’WHAT? NOOOOOOO!!!!’’ With a loud scream as his own beam and the one-armed one’s beam enveloped him, he was forced back, forcing him up into the air. The sheer intensity of the amount of power being unleashed against him, was causing so much havoc on him at this point that he failed to notice he original ball of concentrated energy that had been left behind. Feeling unbearable pain in his back, as his own energy sphere came into contact with him, the last of his energy was drained, merely ensuring his own survival at this point was requiring so much of his energy, which would have been reserved for fighting against this little…this little…weakling! Both the energy sphere, and the combined beam from the one-armed attacker, shot the air-borne attacker up into space… However, for a single second, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the energy sphere. Extending both of his hands, he held them in front of him. With a massive shockwave shooting outwards from the impact, he caught the energy ball with his hands. ‘’There…J-just one-…M-more s-stop!’’ He groaned as he struggled with the ball of energy at this point if he did not hurry and do what he was intending. In a single second, he, the energy ball, and the attacker phased away. When they phased back into existence, he looked out in front of him, seeing the place he teleported off to, a giant red planet with a large series of explosions erupting all over it, and a giant stretch of ocean, there being a massive black streak that was moving in towards the desolated landscape. With a powerful buildup of energy in his hand, he released it all, sending the giant sphere flying forward, heading down towards the surface. His body started to relax, seeing that he had come to realize his fate was sealed. He had spent all of his energy in that one teleport that brought both of them there. He would die here, with no chance of escaping it. Back at the front of the speeding ball of energy, the airborne attacker could no longer feeling the scorching touch of the one-armed attacker’s energy blast, but the pain his own energy sphere was bringing upon his back was unbearable. He had to use so much of his own reserve energy keeping himself alive at this point. Through gritted teeth, he groaned in pain. His front bloodied and bruised from the frontal assault that had been unleashed against him. Weakly opening his eyes, he looked out in front of him. However, the sight that greeted him was the rapidly-approaching surface of the large oceans. His eyes widened in horror as he saw this. ‘’N-gh-NOOOOOOOo!!!!’’ He screamed out, experiencing for the first time the terrible sensation of fear. Down on the surface of the planet, it was absolute chaos, large Cruisers, fleets of Starfighters, Heavy Artillery, and other Heavy Weapon Vehicles. Legions of armored figures stormed around on the battlefield, firing blaster bolts towards the other, explosions erupted from both sides, both on the ground and when the vehicles were hit by enemy fire. ‘’Everyone, CHARGE!’’ A Captain shouted, pointing his hoof towards the opposing legions that charged towards them. With a swing of his arm, he pointed a flaming sword back towards the opposing enemy forces before them, as both he and his forces screamed out loud war cries as they charged down along the fields. Flying down from the skies above, Transport ship’s engines hummed as they headed down towards the rear of their already advancing forces, providing a constant push for their forces. Down on the ground, anti-aircraft cannons were firing up towards the Transports. However, unlike Heavy Transports that brought with them large amounts of troops, these ships were much smaller, and a lot more maneuverable, thus making it almost impossible for their guns to hit them. All around the Transports, explosions raged, inside these smaller ships, the troops experienced rough shaking of the ship as a barrage of explosions were unleashed into the air. ‘’We will never have any better chance than now! Either we destroy them this day, or everything that we know and love will be gone. Either we kill them on this day, or they destroy us, our families, and everything else in the universe will experience their true cruelty!’’ Not uttering a word, the combat-ready troops looked silently towards their Captain. ‘’We are entering the combat zone! Stand at the ready!’’ Feeling a rather rough touchdown, the troops had to wait a whole five seconds before the light changed from red to green, and the ramp in front of them lowered, moving down, giving them the all-clear to begin joining in the battle. Charging down the ramp, they hurried towards the location where their advancing army to join in the fight. At the front lines, six-legged, four-legged, and two-legged war machines were already making their advance forward, every gun, turret, and means of firing back against their aggressors were unleased in full force against the opposing army… However, for the moment, both seemed to be almost evenly matched, but the constant reinforcements being provided was happening at such a rate that there was nothing that could be done fast enough to counter it, and with the gradual progression, they were being forced further and further back. Up in the skies above, giant triangular shaped ships were in a straight line, while there were raging Dogfights all around them. Heavy Bombers were targeting the Heavy Capital Ships, while the standard Starfighters protected them, or were engaged in combat with other opposing pilots. On the Bridge of one of the Destroyers, an Officer approached the Admiral. The Admiral was looking out the view screen, bearing witness to the aerial battle, but turned his back on that when he heard the Officer approach him. ‘’Report.’’ He ordered in a stern tone of voice. ‘’Admiral, the Scanners are reporting an object of unbelievable power is approaching from space.’’ The Admiral’s eyes widened in surprise, and he lost his calm demeanor. ‘’What is its estimated landing site?’’ ‘’It has not a landing site, but an impact point.’’ ‘’Well…What is the impact site?’’ Her mouth hung open, about to speak, when something from behind him, seemed to draw her attention instead. Noticing her attention having been diverted away from him, he performed a quick turn of his body, and looked back out the view screen again, but this time, his eyes had a bright light fall upon them, almost blinding him for a second, forcing him to raise his hoof up to cover his eyes. ‘’What the-‘’ On the Bridge of a Heavy Bomber Transport Cruiser, the Captain’s attention was no longer held on his primary target, and was instead looking back up at the sky, noticing a giant blue light emerging from the sky. It was getting closer and closer by the second. Down on the ground, one of the soldiers who was part of the constant-reinforcements, as well as several others, all noticed the approaching sphere of energy. Being mesmerized by it, they all stopped fighting, just looking up at it. On the Bridge of one of the enemy cruisers, an Officer came running up towards the Cruisers Captain. All around them, the Bridge shook, having sparks flying out of the walls, and the floors had been torn up. ‘’Captain!’’ She screamed as she rounded the corner, hurrying the last distance towards him. He turned to face her, seeing only the fear in her eyes as she came to a stop in front of him. ‘’Report!’’ He said with an urgent tone. ‘’A large object has-‘’ an explosion occurred, shaking the Bridge. ‘’A large object has been spotted coming down from the skies. We estimate that it will hit us in fifty seconds.’’ The Captain’s face contorted from an already frustrated look into a terrified one. ‘’Well, what are you waiting for!? Fire everything we have got towards this energy sphere!’’ ‘’I regret to have to inform you, sir, that we cannot. All our primary Heavy-Class Weaponry is being focused on repelling the Counter-Assault against us.’’ ‘’So…There is nothing we can do to defend against either?’’ ‘’Regrettably, it would seem so, sir.’’ Turning her head, she noticed that a brightness was beginning to shine into the Bridge through the view screen glass. It continued to get brighter and brighter, the Bridge shook, having wild streams of sparks shoot out of the exposed walls, the glass shattered, and scattering to the wind. On the battlefield, several of the troops, having finally noticed the giant ball of concentrated energy, watched as it finally came into view that everyone could see it. Some stopped fighting, and were instead mesmerized by it, even some of the enemy soldiers stopped fighting to turn around to see it. With powerful speed, the sphere shot down into the middle of the Equestrian fleet, piercing the Command Ship’s hull, disintegrating it in a matter of seconds, and still proceeding down deeper into its deeper inner workings. Loud explosions sounded as it carved itself down further into the massive Cruiser. With a turn, the Equestrians looked back, staring back towards their off-shore fleet, but what those that dared to look saw was the discouraging sight of the heart of their fleet being destroyed by an unseen ball of energy. Cutting through steel, Starfighters, Mobile Artillery vehicles, and the onboard crew, the sphere left nothing but a scorched and burnt hole in the middle of the immense Command ship. Underneath, the sphere penetrates through the bottom surface, continuing further down. Explosions begin erupting from the scorched circle, spreading further to other vital parts of the ship, taking it even more down than it already had. Unbeknownst to anyone, the energy sphere had shot down into the water, disappearing beneath the waves. The only signs of its continuing existence being the light emanating from it, but even that subsided as it pierced the earth, creating a violent earthquake, as it dug deep into the ground. A bright explosion of light and fire suddenly erupted from the water. While many now had their attention drawn towards the bright light, they were unable to do anything about it. A shockwave erupted from the impact point where the ball entered into the water, a large trail of smoke following behind it. The ground shook more and more violently, creating tears and rips in the fabric of the earth. Through the cracks, flames started to emerge, growing fiercer and more intense with each passing moment. All across the planet, still-contested battlefields, liberated and enslaved cities, and cities that had yet to be conquered, all experienced equally just as bad tremors. Many cities, as a result of the violent shaking, started to collapse, many of the skyscrapers and structures collapsing from their foundations being shook much too violently, or from the ground cracking, opening up to reveal deep flaming chasms. Mountains crumbled, forests were reduced to nothing but scorched plains, and the oceans dissolved into nothing. The flaming and separating earth swallowed up the Central Citadel, itself. Back at the point where ball of energy had penetrated the earth to reach the core, another explosion erupted, even more violent than the first. The ground erupted, towers of fire penetrating the ground, then expanding, transforming into massive forms of flams. High in orbit, from space, his motionless relaxed body, watched as the planet continued to be destroyed. Any minute now, it would explode. Giving a soft chuckle, as he watched the planet continue to crumble in a raging inferno on the planet’s surface. ‘’Well…At least I gave it my all.’’ He said uttering a slight smile. *Bzzzt!* Suddenly, he felt something grab hold of him. With a frantic motion, he turned his head, trying to see who or what it was that had touched him. *Bzzzt!* However, before he could, they disappeared away. *KAAA-BOOOMM!* With a tremendous explosion of violent light, the planet disappeared in a frenzy of fiery eruptions that left every single spot on the surface uninhabitable to anyone. With a single explosion, everything once firm and consistent was now left reduced to a large collection of lifeless rocks and debris in the middle of space. *Bzzzt!* When they re-appeared again, he instantly fell forward, but before hitting the ground, he was suddenly caught by someone, who helped him support himself, standing him up. Raising his head, he looked up at the figure, seeing the figure’s face, which bore a smile upon his face that greeted him. ‘’Easy, easy. You’re still quite weak from all that energy you gave me.’’ The one who saved him said. His eyes widened in surprise at hearing this. ‘’Y-you knew I was there?’’ He nodded back. ‘’B-but I thought I…disguised my energy.’’ ‘’Well, not quite. I could tell you were close-by, but if I had shown it, he would have destroyed us both. It was my rouse that lead to his eventual destruction.’’ Giving a faint chuckle, he smiled. Putting his arm around his shoulder, they both started to levitate up into the air, floating through it. ‘’Come on now, I’ve got to find you someplace where you can rest.’’ After flying around for a little while, but not finding any suitable caves, they just landed on a mountainside. With several energy blasts, he created a safe enough cave for him to rest in. Helping him inside, he lay him down against a rock to rest. Stroking his head across his forehead. He turned, and was about to leave, but stopped in his tracks when he heard his voice speaking to him. ‘’P-promise me you a-…are going to be back.’’ His head turned slightly, looking his eye back at him, but when he saw him, he had fallen asleep right there and then, his chest raising and heaving indicating he was still alive, just resting. The battle having taken a lot out of him. Smiling, he turned, looking out the cave entrance. ‘’I promise, brother.’’ With a leap, he jumped up into the air and started to hover. He turned, and flew back towards the battlefield where they had fought. ‘’But I have one last thing I need to do first before anything else takes priority.’’ On the other side of the mountains, nothing but wild wind, terrible waves, and relentlessly striking discharges of lightning flew across the sky. ‘’This world is far too badly damaged to recover on its own…But no one says that I cannot lend a helping hand.’’ He smiled raising two fingers to his forehead. *Bzzzt!* He then vanished away, disappearing from sight. - Back at the battlefield, a lone individual raised her head, looking first in front of her, then to the sides/s, before letting it drop hang down. A searchlight, scanning along the surface of the rock surroundings seemed to be searching for someone, or something. While passing over an empty mountainside, it passed over her, and was about to continue onwards, if not for it doing a double take, and moving back, settling on her. With a gentle landing, the object whom the beam of light belonged to landed on the ground. Several doors opened, and multiple armored figures emerged from the craft. Four of them carried Electro staffs, while the others were armed with Blaster Riffles. Approaching the motionless Mare, they first looked, staring for several seconds, before eventually surrounding her. A floating stretcher was brought out, and her injured body was lifted up into it, and brought onboard the ship. Its doors closed, and with a hum of its engines, took off and started to fly away from this terrible place. As the ship flew over the oceans, the waters had calmed, the dark clouds were parting away, and beams of sunlight was making its way down, shining its warm rays down upon the world below the clouds. Before long, the ship arrived at Cloudsdale, and the ship touched down on a nearby landing platform. A group of several Elite Royal Guards were, there ready to greet them. They were silent as they escorted the injured Princess inside the medical building for treatment. After an extensive surgical operation, she was left by herself to sleep in a bed, the only Ponies in her proximity being the Royal Guards outside her room, and on multiple occasions, her older sister, the Sun Princess, herself. By now, news of their great defeat and victory had reached the ears of the two Princesses, and while they mourned the deaths of so many of their own, she saw it as a worthwhile sacrifice in defeating such a terrible threat, while her sister did not approve. For the next weeks, Celestia saw little to nothing of her sister. Having isolated herself in her room for the remainder of this year. She spent most of her days sitting on the balcony, staring out in horizon, lost in her thoughts. When the time came to begin the restoration of their world, she forgot her thoughts, and instead turned her attention towards assisting in the rebuilding of their ravaged home. In the following years after everything had been restored, the weather returning too normal, and the Pegasus Ponies controlling it as they did before, the water withdrew, being brought back down to the height it had possessed before this catastrophic almost-apocalyptic event occurred. Under the watchful eyes of Princess Celestia and Luna, the world was tamed once more. One of an endless buffet of wars was over, and now…there was peace, at last.