> The Grimdark 6 Vol One: Lost Loyalty
>  by SuperSaiyanDiclonius
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter one:Exile
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

His howls of rage drowned out the screams of the Daemons that came at him from every direction. He had long since lost track of time, he only focused on killing every enemy before him in the name of the Emperor of Mankind.

He had spent every round, broken his blade, and now crushed the enemies of man with his armored hands and stolen weapons ripped from the Daemons' claws or torn from his own open wounds.

He swung a Bloodletter's blade down on one of it's kinsmen, cutting it in half, before impaling another, the weapon getting stuck in it's chest.

He grabbed the dying Daemon by the throat and threw it into the masses charging towards him before charging himself, ripping another sword from his body as he ran. But as he closed the distance, the Daemons disappeared.

He looked all around, but the battlefield was plain, no enemies and no places for them to hide.

You have amused me these long years.

He turned upward to the voice, only to realize that the field that he had fought in for longer than he could remember was the open palm of the Beast atop the Skull Throne, and he now stared into that monster's eyes.

But I grow tired of your loyalty to the Anathema, so now you will kill for me alone.

Without a second of hesitation, he charged the incarnation of hate, swearing vengeance for his brothers. But with a mere wave of his hand, the Beast sent him to a realm with no threats to the Imperium, where he can only spill blood...for the Blood God.


Another Realm


He halted his charge as he realized that his enemy had disappeared, which was after he had effortlessly crashed through a tree, and surveyed his new surroundings.

He was in a forest, on the edge of it actually, as he could see light piercing through the foliage to his left.

Peering out through the trees, he could see a village not far away, but he kept his distance. The Great Enemy's words echoed through his mind, telling him that whatever lived here, the enemies of man wanted them dead, and he was expected to kill them.

He would never kill for Chaos, but that did not mean the inhabitants of this world were not a threat to Mankind, his hesitation could be what the Great Enemy was counting on for their victory. He would have to judge them, weigh their value alive and dead, but there was a problem.

As soon as he thought of them, pain pulsed through his skull. The Butcher's Nails, hammered into his brain to give him rage and killer instinct beyond the norm, demanded that he once more throw himself into the thick of slaughter, but he would wait, until he was sure that the Imperium needed him to destroy these villagers.

His objective clear in his mind, he pushed the bite of the Nails to the back of his mind and walked around the forest, keeping within view of the town, but out of sight of anyone looking too close, hoping to find a villager or two to judge without being seen.

Eventually, he found a small house on the outskirts of the forest, surrounded by small animals with nests and wooden houses built by sentient hands.

He squatted down and waited to see what would come out of the house. He was almost certain that it would be xenos, which would be incentive for him to destroy them. 

He expected Eldar, simply because of a time long ago when a skirmish with one of the tricksters' Farseers ended in the witch's escape, but not before she had promised him that he would stand alone, betrayed by the ones he trusted, his fury spiked as he remembered how right she had been, but he pushed the memories of that day to the back of his mind, the mission comes first.

His eyes darted from the house to the windows, looking for any sign of movement as a couple of small equine creatures walked up the path. He began to believe that no one was home...when the strangest thing happened.

"Thanks for helping me out with Gummy. Who knew too much sweets could be bad for alligators?" One of the equines asked the other...in flawless imperial gothic.

If he had been a normal human rather than an astartes, his jaw would've hit the ground, but he simply absorbed the information as it came. They are indeed xenos, sentient equines...who feed sweets to alligators, not exactly a threat to the Imperium.

"Oh, it's no problem Pinkie Pie, but you should consider cutting down the amount of cupcakes you feed to Gummy. Most ponies can't eat that much." The other equine said to her friend.

So they call themselves ponies. Again, nothing damning.

"Really? I eat, like, three times that much." The pony named Pinkie Pie stated...before pulling a cake half her size out of her mane and swallowing it whole with no effort at all.

That was a red flag, the only way that would be possible was some sort of Warp magic. Her friend didn't even bat an eye, meaning that it was likely a common practice, but she could be a sanctioned Psyker with special privileges, or they could have complete control over the Warp, that would explain why the Great Enemy wants them dead.

Pinkie Pie's friend giggled slightly. "I believe you. Well, I have to go tend to the animals, you know how Angel gets if I make him wait."

"Okey Dokey, see you tomorrow Fluttershy." Pinkie Pie said before trotting back the way she had come. Leaving Fluttershy, who evidently lived here, to go about feeding each animal outside before opening the door to her home to the happy calls of greeting from several other animals.

He looked at the sun and realized that it would soon be dark, he had learned little of these xenos. They were strange, but not dangerous. Had they been discovered by the Imperium, they would've been purged, but it is unlikely that astartes would be sent to eradicate them.

He slid back into the forest and began looking for a place to spend the night without killing indiscriminately.

The forest was thick, broken only by the paths of beasts, but eventually, he found a cave to stay in.

By the time he found this shelter, he was seething. The Nails demanded death and carnage, but he would not kill for Chaos, only in the Emperor's name.

He barely surveyed his surroundings, but luckily for whatever had lived here, the cave was now abandoned.

He didn't stop until he was in the deepest depths of the cave, he didn't want to chance anything hearing what would inevitably happen.

He reached the end and leaned against the wall, clenching his head as the pain continued to grow. He lost track of how long he endured, but the light of the sun had faded, and a bright ray of moonlight illuminated the mouth of the cave.

The pain grew, and grew, and grew. He paced the back of the cave, needing to kill, but refusing to serve the enemies of man.

It was the truest battle of wills. He would not allow his rage to benefit those foul beings, but as he refused to vent his rage in battle, the rage only burned stronger.

At his wit's end, he removed his helmet, allowing the cool night air to alleviate the faintest of his great discomfort.

His eyes drifted to the helmet in his hand, the helmet he wore...the helmet they wore.

He gripped it in both hands, staring into it's deactivated eyes. Remembering those he stood beside for years, those he protected when they were vulnerable, those he failed to protect, and finally...those who betrayed him.

He began to tighten his grip as the last thought took over his mind, he had always buried his pain in rage, but now that he could not kill, he only had one target for his anger.

With a vengeful shout, he threw the helmet into the cave wall. It bounced off and rolled on the floor, but then he stomped it.

The ceramite helm held strong, but he kept stomping, screaming in anger.

He persisted in the attack long after the helmet had been crushed flat, until he flung himself at the very cave, striking, kicking, clawing, and slamming his head into the rock forged walls, until he struck with such fury that he rendered himself unconscious.


.........


He awoke to the familiar sounds of battle, and beheld the sight that gave him his great rage.

His father, the primarch Angron, and several thousands of his own brothers, charging towards him and those of his brothers that they had betrayed.

With a vengeful shout, he and the last loyalists of the XIIth legion met the traitors in a violent clash that saw their white and blue power armor painted red.

He swung his weapon to and fro, not caring for what it was, only that it killed the traitors until there was none left.

He butchered every traitor that came within arm's length, it was all they deserved.

Eventually, as they did before, the remaining traitors were engulfed in fire and emerged as monsters that he would later know as Daemons, but it did not matter to him, Daemon or traitor, they would die for what they've done.

He swung and he killed and he swung and he killed and he- "ENOUGH!!"

He found himself immobilized and saw his numberless enemies disappear, leaving him in a blue void... and he was not alone.

"Do I have your attention now?" asked the dark blue xeno.
> Chapter Two: Restless Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been half a year since the Cozy Glow incident, and Equestria had put the unfortunate ordeal behind them. A fact that Princess Luna was grateful for.

The younger princess smiled at the sight of the dream realm as it was tonight. Not a single nightmare in sight. Everypony slept soundly.

Luna enjoyed nights like these, she could just relax and observe the interesting dreams of her subjects.

She watched Scootaloo follow in Rainbow Dash's flight path and become the greatest Wonderbolt of all time. Trixie perform for herself and Celestia. Pinkie Pie...well, Luna didn't know what the hay was going on there, but it was definitely fun to watch.

Luna was about to peer into Twilight's dreams...when someone else fell asleep.

The dream erupted like a volcano, violent and enraged, and abnormal energies erupted from the dream to invade the dreams of others, turning them into nightmares.

Reacting in an instant, Luna dived straight into the horrible nightmare, knowing that things would only get worse if she didn't stop the source of the corruption before tending to the affected dreams.

The stenches of blood and fire assaulted Luna as she entered the nightmare. The sight she beheld was far more violent than anything she had ever seen.

Upon a burning world fought thousands of armored creatures that could've been mistaken for minotaurs if they only had horns. Their armor resembled that of knights, colored white and an almost cobalt blue. Their eyes glowed a firey orange, and there was a blood red circle with inward pointing spikes marking their shoulders.

The knights fought each other with beastly ferocity, painting their white armor red with their blood.

Luna couldn't understand it. They wore the same armor and bore the same mark, so why were they killing each other?

Luna focused her magic, trying to locate the dreamer. She had no idea who this pony was, or what could possibly give them so horrible a nightmare, but she had to resolve this matter fast or they would surely go mad.

Her horn glowed and shot a beam, which illuminated one of the knights.

Now Luna was completely confused. What in Equestria was going on?

The knight in question was no different than any of the others. It swung a blunt, boxy sword that seemed to roar as loud as the knight wielding it, it seemed to lack a cutting edge, but left wounds far more brutal than those of a normal sword. Perhaps there was a blade on it, it was just swinging too fast for Luna to get a good look.

Luna flew towards the knight and tried to get his attention. "Sir knight, you are fighting phantoms, they're not- YIEE!!" Luna teleported just in time to avoid his strike, only to watch in horror as the knight was slashed and stabbed by no less than six of his like-colored enemies.

Fire engulfed the entire battlefield and disappated in an instant, leaving the now unharmed knight alone against an endless horde of horned, red-skinned monsters that wielded burning weapons.

Luna saw the knight overpowered in an instant only to fight his way out, his injuries disappearing as quickly as the knight was struck as if the very fact that the berserk knight didn't realize that he was struck nullified the damage.

Luna called out to him again, this time with the royal Canterlot voice. "Sir knight, this conflict is pointless, your enemies are not real."

It appeared that the knight heard her this time, but did not understand her words. The sound of her voice resulted in him disarming a monster and hurling it's weapon towards Luna, who dodged with a shocked expression.

Realizing that she couldn't resolve this issue in her usual way, Luna declared "ENOUGH!!" and dispelled the dream through force. She hated having to do so, as her duty was to help dreamers overcome their nightmares, not avoid them. But this was a special case.

She had immobilized the knight, in the hope of preventing him from attacking her again, and approached him. "Do I have your attention now?"

The knight stared at her, it's expression hidden behind it's helmet, and said nothing.

"I apologize for the impoliteness, but you're dreaming, the enemies you fought were not real." Luna explained.

The knight did not respond, so Luna gave further explanation. "I am Princess Luna, guardian of the Dream Realm. It is my duty to assist troubled ponies overcome their fears."

"I am no pony." The knight spoke in an echoing, metallic voice. "I have no need for your assistance alien."

That piqued Luna's interest, but she had greater concerns right now. "I would honor your wish sir knight. But something emerged from your nightmare and affected other dreams, and it will only get worse if I leave you to fight this battle alone."

That got a reaction from the knight, though it was only slight. "...So the Daemons are pouring into the minds of others through me..."

Demons!? Now Luna was genuinely worried, she had to wrap this up and tend to the affected dreams. "I am sorry to trouble you sir knight, but now that I've stopped the flow of hateful energy, I must aid my subjects. Especially if demons plague them."

Luna released the calmed knight and turned to disembark. "I will join you."

Luna turned to face him, running over the pros and cons in her mind. She knew nothing about him, and less about the nightmare that plagued him, but he knew more about their enemy, and he didn't seem to be a threat. "Very well, stand close to me."

The knight approached Luna and she transported his consciousness with her's back to the Dream Realm.

Three dreams were burning the same orange and red that the knight's had. Two were growing in size and ferocity, one faster than the other, but one seemed to be stabilizing.

In silent agreement, the two headed to the one most rapidly growing.

On account of the nightmare's rapid growth, Luna wasn't surprised to find herself in the dream of a young filly: Diamond Tiara.

The filly dreamt of being the ruler of Canterlot, in a far more flamboyant castle than that of Luna and her sister, with a great many servants.

Now, the castle was burning and the servants layed butchered but for a few guards who were putting up a hopeless fight. Valiantly defending Diamond Tiara to the last stallion.

"HAVE AT THEE!!" Luna shouted as she shot a magic blast at the demon closest to the filly, grabbing their attention.

Luna charged full-speed towards the enemy, and was surprised to find the knight beside her was outpacing her by no small margin.

His sword, which she now realized was lined with dozens of sharp metal teeth, began to howl once more. The teeth traveling in a circle at such speed that they became a blurred line.

He beheaded the first demon and grabbed a second with his free hand. Luna couldn't pay attention to what happened next as she had closed the gap and fired another beam at the closest demon, sending it flying and disarming it.

She used her telekinesis to claim the blade and transform it, the burning bronze becoming dark blue and bathed in moonlight, the strange triangle-like symbol becoming a cresent moon.

Three demons leapt at her, but wielding a blade with magic gave Luna speed and agility far beyond that of the demons and their ape-like arms. The three demons died in midair without blocking a single blow. The corpses exploding into pieces when they hit the ground just before they disappeared in flames.

Luna expected more to come at her, but was surprised to realize that the remainder of the enemy had already been dealt with by the knight save two. One of which he impaled with his sword before grabbing it with both hands, one on it's throat and the other on it's waist, and ripping it in half with brute strength alone. His sword landed on his foot before he kicked it up into the air, grabbed it, and bisected the last demon as it charged him.

"Area secure, let's move." The knight said.

"First things first." Luna said as her horn began to glow.

The knight watched as the fires were extinguished, the damage was repaired, and the dead ponies were resurrected. Leaving but one piece of evidence of the attack, the frightened filly.

Luna approached Diamond Tiara with a motherly smile, the guards bowing as she approached. "Are you all right little one?" she asked in a calming voice.

"I-I-I think so, what was that?" The young pony asked, shaking, but not as violently.

Luna's horn glowed again, as did the filly's eyes, when the glow faded, Luna's smile became snarky. "Didn't your mother warn you that sort of wheat causes nightmares?"

The filly's eyes grew wide. "Wuh, w-well yeah but, I never thought it'd be anything like THAT, ugh, I'll never eat that horrible stuff again!" Diamond Tiara shouted as she stopped shaking.

"Ah well, lesson learned. Enjoy the rest of your night little one." Luna as she turned and walked towards the waiting knight.

"Thank you Princess." the filly called out, bowing to the night-colored alicorn.

Luna joined the knight and transported them back to the Dream Realm, explaining herself telepathically as she did so.

While I will discuss this situation with my sister and our peers, a demon attack is hardly something a filly should worry about.

The knight gave no response.

They surveyed the affected dreams again. Diamond Tiara's was stable, the second was still growing, but the other had started to fade.

Luna would investigate this dream last, curious as to who was fending off the demons by themself, but more concerned with the one who wasn't.

Luna and the knight entered the second dream, and found themselves in a blood soaked ballroom.

Ponies fled for their lives with nowhere to go as they were cut down by the demons. The butchered bodies of those too slow becoming obstacles for the panicked survivors to navigate.

Luna and the knight took off in different directions, the former flying above the carnage so as not to be hindered, and the latter either throwing aside or simply trampling anything that stood between him and his hated enemy.

Luna focused her efforts on finding the dreamer, who was to be protected above the illusions of ponies.

She found that it was the Earth Pony Octavia, who was keeping a steady lead against her pursuers.

Luna dropped between them and blasted the demons with a large energy blast before turning to Octavia. "Are you all right?" she asked the cello player.

"Oh, thank you Princess. I have no idea why I'm having such an awful nightmare, but it feels so real." Octavia said, turning to show where one of the demons had cut her.

"Your dream has been invaded by foul creatures. My associate and I will drive them back, but I need you to stay close to me." Luna explained.

Octavia was about to say something, only for the words in her throat to come out as a scream as a demon came from behind Luna.

Luna teleported into the sky facing the demon, watching it's sword impact the floor that she had stood on, before blasting it backwards and taking it's sword. Transforming it as she had before.

Three other demons attacked Octavia from different directions, the Earth Pony falling into the fetal position as they did.

Luna landed with authority above the smaller Equestrian, looking like a mother protecting it's child. 

The force of the impact stunned the demons. The first to recover charged and brought it's sword down in an overhead slash.

Luna blocked his attack and, in a manner that only magic swordsmen can, spun the sword against the opposing blade, slashing the demon's throat, until Luna's weapon was all the way in her opponent's guard.

She then beheaded the demon and flung the sword into the chest of the second demon as it began it's charge.

The third demon, which was behind Luna, recovered and charged with a shoulder to waist slash.

Luna recalled her sword, but it wouldn't be fast enough. The demon swung, but Luna was faster on the draw, catching the demon's unarmored chest with a buck.

Luna flung her sword into it's head before it could recover again and surveyed the scene for more.

This time, she wasn't too surprised to see that the only demon left was falling dead in two halves at the knight's feet.

Luna stepped away from Octavia and allowed her to stand up before repairing her dream. "There, everything should be as it was before."

The ballroom was newly refurbished and the guests were enjoying themselves, the only thing out of place was the band's lack of a cello player. "Ah, thank you Princess." Octavia bowed to Luna, before turning to the knight. "And thank you as well good sir, I am forever in your dept."

The knight seemed uninterested with Octavia's gratitude. "One still remains, let us be done with this."

"Yes, of course." Luna acknowledged and trotted over to him. "Fairwell Octavia, pleasant dreams."

If Octavia replied, it went unheard as Luna and the knight returned to the Dream Realm, locking their gaze on the last corrupted dream, only to find that there was only the faintest sign of corruption left.

"Hmm, it seems that this one may not need our assistance, though I feel that we should still investigate." Luna stated.

"Agreed." The knight replied.

Luna and the knight entered the final corrupted dream, and beheld a very different sight.

The dream in question was a stadium, almost completely untouched, with only two or three dead ponies, and several demon shaped scorch marks.

In the middle of the arena the last twelve demons surrounded the dreamer, who Luna recognized immediately. "Ah, of course it'd be her dream ahhahahaha."

Rainbow Dash smirked as her eyes darted from demon to demon, waiting to see which one would strike first.

One of the demons roared and swung it's sword only for Rainbow Dash to dodge it without effort.

A second attacked, and Rainbow Dash tripped him, causing it to fall on it's own sword, before retreating to the sky to point and laugh, causing the demons to leap at her futilely, enraged by her amusement.

Luna observed the scene with humored smirk. "Should we help her?"

The knight turned to her. "These foul creatures see honor in killing indiscriminately and have no fear in death, I will not save them from this shameful defeat."

Luna could hear the delight in his voice as he watched the demons suffer, and agreed that they were getting what they deserved.

Rainbow Dash took notice of Luna's presence, and broke away from her opponents to greet her. "Hey Princess, what brings you here?"

Luna giggled at how lightly she was taking this. "You may not have noticed, but your dream has been corrupted by outside forces seeking to harm you." She explained while pointing a hoof at the charging demons, who were at least a minute away.

"Oh really, well I bet they won't try that again after the thrashing I've been giving them." Rainbow Dash smirked.

"You show great skill xeno, I had come to believe that your race relied on your rulers for protection." The knight said to Rainbow Dash who turned to him.

"Don't know what xeno means, but I'm gonna pretend it's something awesome. I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria, who're you?"

"I am Aries of the World Eaters legion of the Legiones Astartes: chosen champions of the Imperium of Man and the Emperor of Mankind." The knight stated proudly, giving Luna more questions than answers.

"Emperor huh, with a title like that, guy must be really proud of himself. Oh, one sec." Rainbow Dash said before darting off towards the closing demons.

She smashed though their lines like a cannonball, turning back to strike those that she missed within the same second.

Before the first demon could recover, Rainbow Dash began to circle them at 5 times the speed of sound, the weather controlling magic of the pegasai generating a tornado that lifted and captured the demons.

Rainbow Dash tightened her circle at the base of the tornado, causing it to grow taller and taller, when she was comfortable with it's height, she took to the sky.

The tornado disappated and the demons screeched as they fell, but Luna's eyes were on Rainbow Dash, who was diving straight for them at ever growing speeds, causing a sonic cone to appear at her out streched hooves that shrank and shrank.

As the demons came five feet from the ground, and Rainbow Dash caught up to them, the sonic cone exploded into the legendary Sonic Rainboom, forcing some demons into the pavement and killing them instantly, and sending others flying this way and that. Luna ducked under one while Aries punched another with enough force to crush it's skull.

The crowd of ponies went wild with cheers and chants as Rainbow Dash, who had gone skyward after the explosion, trailed a rainbow colored streak into the shape of a lightning bolt underneath a conveniently placed cloud.

RAIN-BOW DASH!

RAIN-BOW DASH!

RAIN-BOW DASH!

RAIN-BOW DASH!

Her ego satisfied for the moment, Rainbow Dash returned to Luna and Aries. "So, what were those losers up to?"

"I have yet to determine their motives, all I know is that they came from Aries' nightmare and invaded three other dreams through him." Luna explained.

Rainbow Dash's arrogance disappeared the instant she realized others had been put in danger. "WHAT!? ARE THEY OKAY!?"

"You needn't worry Rainbow Dash, Aries and I took care of it. I will look into the situation further and inform you and the others of any developments in the morning, until then, enjoy your...fan base." Luna snickered.

Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief. "All right, you let me know if any of those bozos come back. Later Princess." And with that, Rainbow Dash took to the sky and started performing aerial maneuvers for the entertainment of the masses.

"She's a capable fighter, although her personality reminds me of the White Scars." Aries stated as Luna returned them to the Dream Realm.

"Well, now that the threat has been dealt with, would you mind explaining...what exactly transpired?" Luna asked him.
> Chapter Three: Twilight Investigates
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, now that the threat has been dealt with, would you mind explaining...what exactly transpired?" Luna asked him.

Aries sighed internally. In spite of his greatest efforts, this xenos world had still been invaded through him. Now he had to make a choice, remain neutral, or assist the aliens in their fight against a common enemy.

He stared at the alien Psyker called Luna. He had been on guard from any sensation of the witch trying to probe his mind throughout the entirety of their alliance, and yet even now, she made no such attempt. If nothing else, she was more tolerable than the treacherous Eldar.

With a silent prayer for forgiveness, Aries decided that he would aid these xenos, until the forces of Chaos overwhelmed them. "I was sent to your world by the ruler of these Daemons in the belief that I would destroy it myself, but I refuse to be their pawn. However, it appears that my compliance may not be necessary."

Luna was skilled in the art of controlling her emotions, Aries doubted that a non-astartes would've picked up the subtle hints of worry and confusion that he had seen clear as day. "Well...as grateful as I am that you refused, can you expl-"

Luna's question was cut off as Aries began to fade.


Elsewhere


Aries gripped his head as he was engulfed in pain. He pulled himself from the cave floor, his surprise at Luna's disappearance immediately dismissed as he realized that he had simply awakened. He was grateful that it did not happen during the battle against the Bloodletters.

Aries surveyed the cave. He could tell by the position of the shadows within the cave that barely three hours had passed since he had rendered himself unconscious.

He doubted that Luna would seek him at this time, as she had duties to tend to. Thinking about it, Aries found that assigning trusted Psykers to oversee the minds of dreaming mortals, children especially, was actually a good idea.

Aries took a step towards the exit of the cave, only to step on something metal and flat.

Aries looked down and beheld the sight of his ruined helmet.

He grit his teeth and cursed internally. It was all he could do to refuse the need to destroy, but it had costed him a far too valuable, and now irreplaceable, piece of equipment.

Aries snarled audibly and kicked away the now useless helmet.

He barely heard the sound of the helmet crash into the cave wall and fall to the floor. He seethed in frustration at his situation...and all that had led to it.

His thoughts were interrupted by a lavender flash of light. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared with a popping noise, but then reappeared with a hum. "Hello, is anypony here, uh, Princess Luna sent me.."

Aries saw the xeno long before she saw him. It seemed to be of the same sub-species as Luna, possessing both feathered wings and a conical horn that glowed with lavender psychic light.

Aries entertained the idea of attempting to conceal himself. But he had already committed himself, and Luna had undoubtedly sent this alien to gather information on the new threat.

Repeating his prayer for forgiveness, Aries stepped into the alien's view.


Moments Prior, The Dreamrealm


Twilight was one half second away from adding the final ingredient to her experiment when Princess Luna teleported into her personal space, startling Twilight, who applied too much of the final ingredient, resulting in an explosion that left both princesses coughing and covered in ashes.

"Pr-Princess Luna? What brings you here?" Twilight asked as soon as she recovered.

"I'm here to enlist your aid Twilight Sparkle. I fear that Equestria is in grave danger." Luna explained.

Luna then retold the nights events to Twilight, who was as excited by the news as she was terrified.

"Unfortunately, he awoke from his slumber before he could explain anything more, and you above all ponies are skilled in taking notes, so I wish to give you the means of finding Aries and leave the situation in your capable hooves until my sister raises the sun and my duties end." Luna concluded.

"I won't let you down Princess." Twilight ensured her as she willed herself to awaken.

Twilight shot out of bed in a burst of adrenaline, trying to keep her mind focused on the task at hand in spite of her excitement of enacting first contact with a new race that was so unlike anything she had heard of: a minotaur sized bipedal knight that fought with the ferocity of a Dragon Lord.

Twilight had more questions than she could ask, but she would save that for when she had found him.

She focused her magic on the memory that Luna had given her on the feel of his aura, and found it within moments.

Luna's words hadn't done him justice. His presence was that of Wrath made manifest, as if he hated everything around him and sought it's destruction.

Twilight was determined to find out why he was so angry, and help him overcome it if possible. With this determination driving her, she teleported to within ten feet of his location.

Twilight found herself in almost complete darkness but for the moonlight behind her, the feeling of solid stone beneath her hooves telling her that she was in a cave.

Twilight channeled magic from her horn to serve as a torch and, not wanting to startle the angry 8 foot demon slayer, called out to him. "Hello, is anypony here, uh, Princess Luna sent me..."

Twilight walked forward, and then felt her hoof land on something made of metal, she looked down to find an odd disk with jagged edges, she couldn't figure out what it was.

She was torn from the sight of the disk by very loud footfalls.

When the owner of these footfalls came into view, Twilight was completely incapable of hiding her shock, gasping audibly and taking an instinctive step back and staring slack jawed.

He was everything Luna had described, a minotaur sized bipedal knight with white and blue armor, but there were two noteworthy differences.

He had no weapon, let alone the screaming sword with teeth that Luna had described, but the most astonishing difference was that he had no helmet, giving Twilight a clear view of his face.

It was a human, one of the creatures from Sunset Shimmer's dimension. He had skin that could have been a pale white before years under Celestia's sun (or at least, A sun) had tanned it, and wires sticking out of his head. He also seemed to have been hurt in his fight with the demons as he bled from a wound on his forehead, but what truly disturbed her was that something had long ago pierced his face, just behind his lips, leaving his face fixed in a permanent snarl anytime he opened his lips.

"You needn't fear me xeno. If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't have taken that step." The human, Aries if Twilight remembered correctly, stated as a fact, making Twilight gulp down the excess saliva that was building in her throat.

"G-greetings, Sir Aries..." Twilight began, bowing to the knight. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. Princess Luna sent me to you in the hopes that you could inform us of this new threat to Equestria."

"I have agreed to inform you, and I will honor that agreement, but I will have no more of this "sir" nonsense, refer to me as Aries alien." The knight said, baffling Twilight.

"O-oh, okay then, umm...alien?" Twilight gestured with her hoof as if she were holding the word in question.

"Aliens, or xenos as they are also called, are sentient races that are inhuman. The galaxy has punished any who would dare to trust the alien, so we have simply learned to expect every creature in the galaxy to be our enemy... I merely offer you the first strike." Aries explained.

"Wuh-WHAT!?" Twilight exclaimed, absolutely horrified by what she just heard. Every other race!? She thought to herself, struggling with the concept. How could there be so many villains in one world. 

"If you are quite finished, there is more to be said." Aries stated, causing the Alicorn to blush. "Well...uhh...you don't have to worry about that from us, Equestria is a peaceful place. My people value Harmony and Friendship above all else, but that doesn't make us strangers to violence. We've learned that some creatures cannot be reasoned with, and if what Princess Luna told me about these demons is true, we're not going to solve this with a rational conversation." Twilight explained.

"Certainly not. These foul abominations are the manifestation of war, rage and slaughter. Born from both the mad xenos races who fight to rule and oppress all life in the galaxy, and mankind's will to defy them. They only know how to spill blood in the name of their heinous master, the self proclaimed 'Blood God' Khorne." Aries confirmed her fears, causing another gulp.

"Oh...well, I think I can figure out why they're targeting us then." Twilight hypothesized.

"And what would that be?" Aries inquired.

"Well as I said earlier, we respect Harmony and Friendship above all else. I may have left out that we actually have a guardian diety called the Spirit of Harmony, who draws powers from six emotions that we call the Elements of Harmony. It sounds to me like they would be a perfect foil for this Blood God." Twilight explained.

Aries seemed to ponder this information. "...I doubt that this spirit poses a threat to the Great Enemy...but it could if given time to grow and adapt...a lot of time."

"Well, you haven't seen the Elements in action yet. You see, we have used the Elements of Harmony to drain the power of a magic devouring demon, a different demon, not these guys. We also turned another demon to stone, but our biggest accomplishment by far is using them on a ruler who had gone insane and changing them back to normal." Twilight explained.

Aries seemed to ponder this. "...If such is the case, then that would explain why they sent me here, instead of their more demented followers."

"Oh yeah, Luna told me that they expected you to destroy us. Is it because you haven't met a friendly race yet?" Twilight asked.

Aries' eyes seemed to drift towards the wires in his head."...Among other reasons, yes. But this has nothing to do with our current enemy." Aries stated.

"Oh, right, um, so other than hacking them apart with a screaming sword made of teeth, do you know any other ways to stop them." Twilight inquired.

"The Daemons come from a Realm called The Warp, within this Realm emotions become physical beings. these Daemons, as I said before, are embodiments of pure hatred. As such, they cannot exist in the material plane without a blood sacrifice, or possessing living beings. It isn't uncommon for one to do the latter in order to enact the former and bring forth an invasion. As long as Luna keeps an eye out for them invading the minds of your people, it is doubtful that they can launch an effective attack. But in preparation for such a thing, the best course of action would be for me to train your military on how to fight them in preparation for a full scale war." Aries explained.

Twilight shivered at the thought, Equestria had not known a true war for over a thousand years. On occasion, this has come back to bite them, such as the invasion of the Storm King. But now they face an enemy that won't put the ponies in chains until Twilight and her friends can rescue them, but a hateful force that was out to slaughter them out of spite.

"I see, I will inform Princess Luna and Celestia of these developments. Do you wish to accompany me, there's no reason for you to stay here." Twilight asked him.

"Yes, there is." Aries said, clutching his head as though it were in pain, and glancing at the metal disk that Twilight saw before.

Twilight looked again, and realized from the similar design and color that it was his missing helmet. "Did you do this?" Twilight asked as she picked up the helmet with her magic.

The human looked at her, pausing only to wipe at the blood from his wound that healed far faster than Twilight thought it should. "...yes, there is an explanation, but I am not ready to give it to you. I will only say that I stay in this cave for your safety."

Twilight saw only the truth in his eyes...as well as shame, and sadness. "Luna told me that you were fighting humans wearing the same armor as you in your dream. You don't have to answer if don't want to, but if you don't give somepony the whole story, they may imagine something worse than the truth." As Twilight said this, she repaired his helmet with a spell and gave it back to him.

Aries took it and looked at her with no expression. "Not if the truth is worse than anything you could hope to imagine." He said as he put on his helmet, the glass eyes lighting up orange.

Twilight bowed to him as a goodbye and teleported to Canterlot, the flash of lavender light failing to bring with it a single sympathetic tear.
> Chapter Four: Road to War (Meetings)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries looked over his helmet for the tenth time since Twilight had disappeared. He had long since confirmed that there were no impurities, despite having been repaired by an alien psyker, yet seeking taint on his equipment kept him occupied.

So long as his thoughts were away from...those events, he was able to ignore the bite of the Nails.

The sun had risen an hour ago, and so Aries waited for either Luna or Twilight or some other xeno to contact him.

He equipped the helmet and checked it's every function. The HUD was fully functional, the eyes lit up, it was perfect... the Machanicum would see this world burn if they knew how perfect a completely destroyed piece of Imperial technology was after being touched by alien sorcery.

A short time later, as Aries considered an eleventh scan of taint on his helmet, a lavender flash signaled Twilight's return.

"Good morning Aries. Did you sleep well?" The alien asked of him with a polite smile.

"I did not sleep at all alien. I require but three hours of sleep per week, and can stay awake up to two weeks if it is necessary." Aries replied.

"Oh... Well aside from more questions that I hope to ask you later. The Princesses are ready to meet you now." Twilight said.

"Very well, lead the way." Aries said.

"No problem, just stand next to me and we'll be there in no time." Twilight responded, gesturing to her side.

Aries got the hint immediately and drew the line. "I have sacrificed a great many of my beliefs in the past 24 hours for the sake of defeating the Great Enemy, but I will not use magic for ease when it is not necessary."

Twilight blinked in confusion. "H-huh, uh are you saying you wanna take the train instead?"

"Is this 'train' a means of transportation that does not involve magic?" Aries asked.

"Yes, it's a vehicle that's runned by a steam powered engine." Twilight said the last part questioningly, as though not sure if the ceramite clad super soldier who has spent most of his life in a city sized space ship knew what an engine was.

"Primitive, but effective. It will suffice." Aries said.

"Alright. I have to inform the Princesses that we'll run a little late. We're not the only ones expected, so we should have time. Uh, if you head east, you'll see a small town called Ponyville. I live in the castle at it's center, I've already told my apprentice about you so you just have to knock on the door and Starlight'll let you in. Oh! and if a pink Earth Pony points a cannon at you, it's not a weapon. Please don't kill my friend." With that, Twilight vanished in a lavender flash of light.

Aries took an extra nanosecond to ponder that last one, recalling the completely pink xeno that he had seen with the yellow one when he first arrived and her unusual personality, before exiting the cave and heading back to this 'Ponyville'...what were the founders thinking when they named it.


Moments Later


Aries' trek back had been nearly as uneventful as his first trip through the forest. He had encountered a large beast with bat wings and a scorpion's tail, but the creature had taken a single scent from the World Eater and fled for it's life.

The first beast's wisdom was not shared by the second, a pack of wolf shaped wooden automatons that were held together by magic. Aries found no challenge in them, but had been grateful for the exercise.

Now, Aries was back on the outskirts of the forest. He pulled back some branches to observe Ponyville, it was a good distance away, but he could make out the brightly colored pelts of the equine xenos.

Taking a breath, and giving another prayer for forgiveness, Aries cleared the forest and walked towards them.

It wasn't long before they saw him. Several stared at him, trying to figure out what he was or what his intentions were. Others fled the scene, some in braver fashion than others.

As Aries closed the distance and entered the town. None dared to approach him. He ignored the mumbles and whispers of the aliens comparing him to a minotaur or a knight, until one said something that he couldn't ignore.

"Do you think it speaks Ponish?" A sea-green alien asked a cream colored xeno.

Aries halted and faced the offending xeno. "It is called Imperial Gothic. If you will speak humanity's tongue, then you will call it by it's proper title."

The alien and it's friend both stared wide-eyed at the astartes, completely stunned.

Aries did not wait for their reply, and decided that since he had already addressed them, they might as well be useful to him. "I have business with the one called Twilight, she informed me that I am to await her at a castle in this settlement."

Aries took notice of the fact that mentioning Twilight snapped them out of it instantly and seemed to calm them. "Oh, Princess Twilight's castle is right in the center of Ponyville, we can show you the way."

The two aliens trotted in front of Aries and he followed them. He would've done so silently, but something they said grabbed his interest. "Twilight led me to believe that there were only two Princesses."

The two mares seemed to find this humorous. "Well, she's only been an alicorn for two, almost three years. And the royal sisters have ruled Equestria for over a thousand years." explained the green one.

"That, and Princess Celestia has been Twilight's mentor since she was a filly. So she tends to forget that she has the same rank and prestige that they do." added the cream colored one.

"Experience outranks everything." Aries said, remembering the time a green Imperial Officer had tried to pull rank on his squad's sergeant. The enraged astartes had shown the fool the error of his ways by ordering one of his own men to shoot him dead, an order obeyed without hesitation.

"Hmm, you have a point Mr..uhh.." The green xeno looked up to him in anticipation.

"...Aries." He answered.

"Lyra, my BFF here is BonBon." The alien gestured to herself and then to her cream colored friend.

"Nice to meet you." The latter added.

"It is...better... than my usual interactions with xenos." Aries replied, uncomfortable with the small talk that served no purpose as they had veered to a meaningless topic.

"You don't have any friends?" Lyra asked, confused by the statement.

"The only other races my people have encountered have either been bloodthirsty savages or deceptive manipulators who use us as pawns for their schemes." Aries explained, startling the aliens.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that...do you at least have any friends with own kind?" asked BonBon.

That innocent question stopped Aries in his tracks, his breathing elevated slightly and he closed his fists. "...they're gone."

The aliens looked confused, but then the recognition struck them like a bolt shell. "I-I-I am so sorry, I didn't mea-"

"Enough. I've wasted enough time with the two of you, where is the castle?" Aries demanded.

Lyra pointed beyond a roof of a building to his right. Beyond it was a large crystalline structure. Where the village itself looked almost man-made, this structure was completely alien.

"I will find my way from here." Aries stated and pressed on. Noticing the xenos' apologetic stares...sympathy from aliens, Emperor preserve him.

He navigated the maze of buildings and curious bystanders and found his destination. The castle was an impressive sight in it's own right, but Aries would prefer a Gothic design.

He approached the castle and knocked, a moment later, the door opened. "I'm sorry, but Twilight's not heeeeerrreee..."

Aries had to look down below his knees to see the eyes of the small reptilian alien, no doubt a servant. "I am aware, she told me to wait for her here."

The xeno craned his head to speak to someone inside while keeping his eyes on the astartes. "Uhh, Starlight...what does the demon slayer look like again?"

A female voice answered him as it's owner drew closer. "He's supposed to be an 8 foot bipedal knight, I think Twilight said he was-"

The mare came into view and stopped in her tracks, giving him the same look as the servant. "At...the...door." Starlight finished awkwardly. "H-he-hello.."

"Greetings." Answered Aries, not waiting for an invitation to step inside.

The aliens continued to stare at him, but he ignored them and simply waited. A few moments passed, and Starlight finally worked up the courage to speak up, only to be cut off when Twilight appeared between them.

"Is everything in order?" Aries asked, getting Twilight's attention.

"Oh, I see you made it, I you hope that you weren't waiting too long. And yes, everything is in order." Twilight said.

"Then where is this train?" Aries asked.

"We're taking the train?" The servant asked.

"It's a long story. But yes, we're taking the train, and I've already informed the others. They'll meet us at the train station."

"Then let us proceed." Aries said as he headed towards the door, Twilight leading the way flanked by her cohorts.

Aries took notice that the aliens were a lot less fearful of him now that he was in the company of one of their leaders. Some remained at a safe distance, and none dared to question them, but several have already resumed their daily routines.

The four of them made it to the train station without incident. Aries found that the vehicle in question ran on a fixed track and was chained to several carts made for carrying a large number of passengers from one destination to another. He doubted that it could move faster than the equines themselves, but as a machine, it wouldn't tire as they would. Even astartes had limits to how long they could run.

Twilight waved down a group of mares who Aries assumed were the others she had mentioned, though he had no idea how any of them qualified to assist in what was to come...with one exception.

"ARIES!" cried a familiar voice from behind them. The World Eater turned to the familiar sight of the xenos warrior that reminded him of the Vth legion. Rainbow Dash as he recalled.

The winged equine flew to meet them and hovered in front of the astartes with one of it's hooves outstretched. "How ya been?"

Aries regarded the gesture, assuming that it was some sort of greeting and that he was expected to respond to in some manner.

As the xeno had shown respectable skill in faceing a more than insignificant number of Bloodletters on her own, he decided to place an closed fist against it's hoof to show respect to the warrior. "I have been well, though I am not accustomed to spending so long away from combat."

Before any other questions could arise a voice rang out. "ALL ABOARD!!" while ringing a bell, signaling that it was time to board the train.

The group of eight aliens and one Space Marine entered the train, and though the transport's staff member looked at him the same way as the rest of their kind, this one actually dared to address him. "Uuuhhhh, S-sir, do you ha-have a...ticket?"

"No, I do not." Aries said, looking down at the golden horned alien with dark brown hair and green eyes.

"W-well, I'm sorry, but I cannot let you board without a ticket." The xeno said, nervous, but unfaltering.

"I have urgent business with your rulers, I do not have time for this." Aries said and turned to walk away...only for a golden flash to see the alien appear in his path, his gaze roaring defiance.

"I am sorry sir, but unless you have a ticket, I cannot let on this train." The alien said with conviction.

Aries was about to brush him aside when Twilight ran up to them with a gold colored piece of paper in her mouth.

The alien turned and looked to her confused. "That's funny. I could've sworn that I had already punched your ticket Princess."

"It's not mine. I just forgot to give Aries his before we boarded." Twilight explained, causing the xeno to look back at the astartes, and then back to Twilight.

"Very well, although you should have a talk with your friend. His manners are abhorrent." And with that, the xeno turned to leave.

"What is your name, alien?" Aries asked.

The xeno gave him a look and hesitated, but in time, an answer came. "One-way Express."

"I will remember that." Aries said, bowing his head to the creature that, in spite of it's head failing to reach Aries' knee, stood his ground against a World Eater.
> Chapter Five: War Meeting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries was reaching his limit. The foul xeno known as Pinkie Pie may not have aimed a cannon at him yet, but the endless barrage of pointless questions was bringing the bite of the Nails to dangerous heights.

"When'syourbirthday,what'syourfavoritecake,what'syourfavoritecolor,isitred,Ithinkitwouldbered,doyouthinkitwouldbered,causeIthinkitwouldbered,doyouhaveanyfriends,doyouwannamakenewfriends,doyouwannabemyfriend..." On and on and on and on until finally, Aries could see a large city roughly three kilometers away with a castle built into the side of a mountain.

Rainbow Dash turned her head away from her conversation with the others and finally saw her energetic friend harassing the now trembling World Eater, but as she inhaled to tell Pinkie to stop, Aries did something that even a daredevil like her considered a little bit drastic.

Pinkie Pie was flung from her perch on the Space Marine's shoulder as Aries smashed himself through the wall of the train, ripping through it like it was paper.

"ARIES!!!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she zipped over to the hole in the train to see if he was all right. Only to stare, mouth agape, as the demon slayer caught up to the hole and then passed it...on foot.

Aries ran as fast as his super human body and performance enhancing power armor would let him. The impact of his feet against the grassy plains giving but the faintest relief as he passed the locomotive and kept on going.

Aries heard a sound closing in on him, looking to the side brought him face to muzzle with Rainbow Dash. The arrogant alien warrior giving him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about my friend, I told her not to overwhelm you again and I'll keep a closer eye on her in the future."

Aries nodded his head enough that she could see the movement and kept on running.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Rainbow Dash prodded.

"I am familiar with conversing with others, but your 'friend' needs some practice." Aries responded.

Aries barely recognized Rainbow Dash's expression as one of surprised humor before she disappeared behind him, stunned into stopping until she let out a long, loud laugh.

In a few seconds, Rainbow Dash caught up with him again, still snickering and smiling. "Yeah, Pinkie tends to get overexcited when she meets new people. You see, she's made it her mission in life to make friends with everycreature she meets. And trust me, as soon as she figures out how, she will make friends with you."

Aries doubted that, but didn't comment, and instead pressed forward.

Seeing that the conversation was over, Rainbow Dash smiled mischievously, which did not go unnoticed by Aries.

The thought that the xeno plotted betrayal crossed his mind, but he couldn't see her being that open about it. However, the smirk's meaning became known as he noticed that the alien was gradually pulling ahead of him. "Hmph, challenge accepted."

Aries sprinted hard. They had a single kilometer to go, and though he knew this alien was capable of outrunning him, he was determined to represent humanity's finest warriors. If for no other reason than to bring faint relief to the Nails before a meeting with the planet's rulers.

Aries pulled a slight lead that he retained until they made it to the train station. Aries had to grind to a halt while the alien simply halted with practiced ease. "Man, you're not even winded, are ya?"

Aries turned to the xeno. "As if you had gotten here as fast as you could."

Rainbow Dash laughed at that. "Yeah, but I couldn't move half that fast on hoof, so I'll keep title of fastest pegasus and you can have the title of fastest, uh, you called yourself a 'World Eater', right?"

Aries nodded. "Yes, that is the name of my legion, the XIIth legion of legiones astartes or 'Space Marines' if you prefer."

From here Aries and Rainbow had a friendly chat until the train arrived. Rainbow veered away from the important matters, stating that she'll hear about them at the meeting.

Aries told her of the legiones astartes and their purpose to rule and serve the Imperium of Man.

Rainbow told him of the three pony tribes, the pegasai, the unicorns, and the earth ponies. And their allies, the dragons, the griffins, the yaks, the changelings, and the hyppogriffs.

Aries only got as far as space marines in general and what separated them from normal humans, which were unexplained.

Rainbow only got as far as each race's appearance and abilities, which Aries had asked for.

At last the train caught up to them. Pinkie Pie was the first one out, she apologized to Aries...a little too much. Rainbow Dash put a hoof in her mouth and swore her to silence, for now.

The others arrived soon after, and the group made their way to the court of the royal sisters. The journey wasn't too long, as Pinkie Pie had joined the rest of the group to hear Rainbow Dash's retelling of what Aries had told her, which she exaggerated as much as was possible. (not that much)

Aries trailed behind, observing the city. More particularly, how it's citizens made the residents of Ponyville seem courageous, fleeing and screaming as if he were attacking them.

On more than one occasion had a xeno dressed like a law enforcer or a guard attempted to confront him only for Twilight to appear in between them in a flash of witch-light and send them off.

Aries realized that the beasts he had encountered in the forest would pose a very significant threat to these four foot peace loving equines. Which in it's own way, made Ponyville akin to a Death World.

Eventually, they made their way to the castle. Aries would give credit where credit was due, the castle guards never even flinched, though he could hear their elevated heartbeats and assumed the fact that he accompanied Princess Twilight was the only reason they had kept their composure.

They made their way to the throne room. The door was before them on the other side of a long hallway, the large stain-glass windows portraying still images that Aries recognized as past exploits, as the XIIth legion had similar portraits on their ships' halls.

Twilight opened the door with her magic, and while Aries immediately recognized Princess Luna, and determined that the taller white alien was her sister Celestia, his attention immediately focused on one of the visiting rulers.

It was bipedal, possessing wings and horns and a scepter with a glowing crimson stone. Only it's sky-blue scales kept him from believing it to be a Bloodletter.

Aries recalled Rainbow Dash's description of dragons and put two and two together. He may have pondered it for awhile, but to an astartes, a while is less than a second, and so he was able to look away before his suspicion was noticed, however, he doubt anyone would judge him, as they were all doing the same with far less tact.

The dragon and young avian lion seemed impressed, the rest were having mixed reactions, with the only one that Aries couldn't read being the large bovine that had the fashion sense of a Space Wolf.

The green insectoid equine and the avian equine seemed to react in the same manner as the ponies, while the ancient avian lion and black insectoid equine stiffened as if preparing for a fight. Cute.

"You must be Aries. On behalf of Equestria, I thank you for aiding my sister in defending our people." Announced Celestia.

"This war is mine to fight. If my enemies wish to destroy you, then I will stop them." Aries replied.

"Then shall we discuss how to end this war as quickly as possible?" Celestia said, beckoning to a seat at the table in front of the two thrones that would put him across from the royal sisters with the black changeling on his left and the young griffin on his right.

He took his seat, the ponies and dragon that accompanied him taking seats reserved for them as well, and the council began. "While we awaited your arrival, my sister explained that the demons came from your nightmare. You were surrounded by them and they were numberless. She also told us that you described them as incarnations of War, Rage and Slaughter, is there anything else you can tell us about them?" Celestia asked, and every alien present looked to him...but he looked to Luna.

"Is that all you saw of my dreams?" Aries asked, her reaction answered for her.

"I felt as though that was too personal for me to speak of without your permission. Am I right in assuming that they were possessed by these demons?" Luna's answer confused all present.

"No...they were not. I thank for keeping it to yourself." Aries stated and immediately changed the topic.

"I dream of these creatures because I was captured by them and forced to fight for my life for countless years. I do not know how much time has passed, but in that time, the mad fools gloated to me with arrogance. They told me of their heinous orgins, their plans for the universe, and how they fight." Aries explained, earning a few gasps and looks of pity.

Twilight looked like she was about to voice to their sympathy, but Aries brought a hand up to silence her and continued. "They are Ethereal beings, and as such they cannot enter the physical plane outside of two methods, possession of mortals, or being summoned through blood sacrifices. It is not uncommon for a small group of Daemons to do the former and then perform the latter to bring the invasion. I have discussed this with Princess Twilight, but the best course of action is for Princess Luna to continue overseeing the dreams of her subjects and look out for possible possessions and perhaps acquire assistants to counter a greater work load. But in case of the worst-case scenario, I believe the best course of action would be allowing me to train your armies in fighting these enemies in all out war."

The air grew thick at those last three words, Aries expected as much. "They can't be that bad. I mean, I beat up a whole bunch of them all by myself."

Aries turned to Rainbow Dash, she was clearly bluffing, her worry was evident to the astartes, but she had succeeded in calming her fellows.

"Yaks can beat any demon that ponies can beat. Yaks best at fighting." said the yak prince in an accent that made Orks sound articulate.

"Gotta agree with Rutherford, Rainbow Dash may be an awesome pony, but she's still just a pony, no offense." said the Dragon Lord.

"...You are wrong." Aries said to Rainbow Dash, causing the others to look at him for an explanation.

"...You know this, don't you?" This he said to Luna, who had seen his mind.

"If you are referring to your dream, I cannot be sure how accurate it was. You didn't appear to be in the best state of mind." Luna explained, and Aries couldn't fault that, the Nails had him in their grasp at that time.

"Can you look again? See into my mind, and this time, show them my memories?" Aries asked.

Luna looked shocked, but she nodded. "If you wish to show them your memories, and they wish to see them, I can make it so."

"You do it Gilda. Tell me anything that's important and skip the sappy stuff. The only dreams that interest me are my own." said the elder griffin to the younger who groaned at the task.

"Uh, Thorax, I think you should sit this out. You're not built like I am." said the black changeling to the green one who nodded.

With this, the group left the table, and allowed it to be removed by servants before making a circle around Aries and Luna. The elder griffin and Thorax remaining behind, along with Fluttershy and Rarity.

Luna closed her eyes and channeled her magic. When she opened her eyes, they glowed like moonlight. This glow exploded from her eyes, first enveloping Aries, and then the circle of xenos.
> Chapter Six: Istvaan III
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A maelstrom of violence. That was the only way Twilight could describe what she was seeing.

The various creatures around her shared her shock. Even Prince Rutherford was clearly stunned by the sheer brutality of the battle.

Humans, a race that only Twilight recognized, screamed like mad beasts with glowing eyes and discolored skin as they charged into a vicious melee with the World Eaters who tore them into red mist with their screaming swords and axes of similar nature...all but a few.

Everycreature was surprised to find that Aries himself was not part of the melee. Instead, he and a few other World Eaters trailed behind at a steady pace, their swords and axes at their hips and their hands occupied with a large rectangular device with a smaller curved rectangle connected to it and a small tube or exit hole. Small compared to the device, but Twilight could've stuck her horn inside the hole if she wanted to for whatever reason.

Twilight was about to ask Aries about the nature of the device when suddenly, a mad human with magical abilities similar to that of a unicorn teleported behind the World Eaters who were too concerned with those in front of them to notice. But as the human prepared to hurl purple lightning at the unsuspecting World Eaters, there was a noise that Twilight could only describe as a thunderclap with the royal Canterlot voice, and the human's head exploded.

Twilight turned to the direction that the noise had come from to see the image of Aries lowering the device, smoke fading from the hole.

More thunderclaps drew Twilight's attention to the others. She couldn't see what they were shooting at, at least she suspected they were shooting projectiles of some sort, but she could hypothesize from where they were aiming that it was snipers and desserters that their berserk allies failed to realize were there.

"So you are not a front line fighter? Your skill with the screaming sword led me to believe otherwise." Princess Luna asked the real Aries who stood with the group. Twilight listened in, making mental notes of every word he used to describe this...this.

"The 12th legion of legiones astartes is primarily a melee oriented legion that is unsurpassed in sheer ferocity, but that does not blind us to the necessity of covering fire. As a tactical marine, I am tasked with keeping my rage in check and focusing on the battlefield. Protecting my brothers from those who would exploit the vulnerabilities of one who is blinded by rage. If one of my less restrained brothers were to take my place, I doubt that we would be speaking right now." Aries explained.

Twilight knew what he was implying. His 'brothers' were savages in every sense of the word. She actually felt a touch grateful that all of the humans were possessed, for she doubted that the World Eaters would notice any that weren't.

The battle, if one could call it that, was extremely one sided. Any heavy armaments were charged head on and barely left a dent in the mad marines' armor, and any flanking maneuver attempted by the madmen was swiftly thwarted by the tactical marines.

"W-was all that necessary? I mean, couldn't you've cured them somehow?" Applejack stuttered out, everyone else just stared at one part of the violent scene or another.

"We were not taught any such tactic. Wherever we deploy, none survive. It led to us being hated, secluded, the majority of our efforts directed to xenos threats. And thus the fact that we were called in to deal with this incursion speaks volumes of just how dangerous this threat can be. For whatever else the Imperium we serve may call us, above all else...we are necessary." Aries stated as a fact.

Applejack wanted to argue that point. But before they could, static bursts erupted from the resting World Eaters. Who started getting restless before they started moving away with haste.

"What's that all about?" asked Ember, voicing the group's confusion.

"Astartes communicate through a vox system, a radio, installed in our helmets. Without it, you wouldn't be able to hear me through the ceramite alloy that my armor is made of. And when in combat, rather than broadcasting our communication to the enemy, we use private vox channels, and these can be used to speak with other astartes on different parts of the planet, or with our orbiting fleet." Aries explained.

While everycreature else, including Twilight was exclaiming about the advanced technology and how they could benefit from it, Princess Luna had a very different concern. "So what did whom say to you to earn such a reaction?"

"...We are betrayed." Aries explained.

The scene changed, the World Eaters were packing themselves into a large reinforced shelter. Their words may have only been the static of their unheard communications, but the body language spoke volumes. "You're hiding? Ehat could make you hide? Why aren't you fighting them?" Rainbow asked.

"There is nothing to fight. The traitors are preparing an orbital bombardment, but in order to ensure that we believe the unbelievable, the loyalist who warned us said it was a bio weapon unleashed by the possessed." Aries explained as the image of Aries arrived at the shelter and started calling out for World Eaters behind him to move faster.

As three more made it in, the door began to close. Aries kicked the marine closing it. Allowing one final World Eater through before Aries was tackled and beaten while the door was closed. Other World Eaters pulled off Aries' attackers and started trying to open the door again, ensuing a brawl.

"ENOUGH! CONTROL YOURSELVES FOOLS!!" Demanded an unhelmeted astartes baring many scars and a cybernetic eye.

The World Eaters pulled away from each other and started trying to communicate with those outside, trying to figure out what was happening.

Aries started clutching his head as though in pain, but straightened himself as Rainbow Dash looked towards him. "Are you okay big guy?"

"I can hear them through the vox. The sounds of my brothers drowning, a horrid reminder that I failed in my oath to protect them." Aries explained.

"Hmm, Yak thinks yak misheard angry knight. How do creatures drown on dry land?" Prince Rutherford asked.

Princess Luna was about to protest his curiosity about the way Aries' brothers died, but Aries answered him first. "Because the entire planet has been covered in the Life Eater virus, a destructive mist that breaks down all it touches on a molecular level. My brothers are drowning because their lungs are being filled in by their own melted flesh. that's how you drown on dry land, alien."

Everycreature was completely taken aback to hear of such a horrible fate, worst of all was Pinkie Pie. She had been uncharacteristically silent throughout the entire thing, her mane and tail smooth and straight, but that last piece of information caused her coat to lose all color.

"Man, it's a good thing Fluttershy didn't come." Muttered Rainbow Dash.

Everyone was taken from their despair by a horrendous noise that persevered for a long time and drowned out any questions of it's cause, only Aries and the images of the outraged astartes weren't covering their ears.

The noise subsided, and Aries answered the inevitable question. "The Life Eater virus is also highly combustible. The application of a thermal charge saw the entire planet burned to glass and any who somehow survived the virus killed. Luckily, this bunker and others like it were built to withstand such things."

Everycreature again reeled in shock that such horror could even exist, but Luna had a different thought. "Why is this happening? Why are you being betrayed?"

Aries turned to her. "Our father and brothers have tired of their oaths to the Emperor and now seek the freedom to kill indiscriminately. So when our father was told that Warmaster Horus seeks to usurp the Golden Throne, he joined his heretical rebellion. We and those of the Sons of Horus, the Death Guard, and the Emperor's Children legions who are more loyal to the Emperor than we are to our treacherous fathers have been cut from our legions and condemned, named traitors by those who forsake their oaths because we would not join them in their heresy." Aries turned and spat through his helmet, disgusted by the sheer audacity of his former brothers and father.

"ANGRON!! YOU DARE TO STAB US IN THE BACK FROM THE SAFETY OF A COMMAND VESSEL!? I COULD SEE SUCH TACTICS FROM CURZE, BUT YOU!? YOU DARE!!? IF YOU SEEK OUR BLOOD, THAN SPILL IT WITH YOUR OWN HANDS YOU COWARD!!!" The World Eater in charge shouted with a finger in his ear, earning shouts of agreement and challenge and vows of vengeance from the others.

The scene changed again. The next thing everycreature knew, the World Eaters were outside, fortified in a ruined city, facing a plain upon which flying machines bearing the blood red jaws of the World Eaters unloaded 6 times their number. One of whom stood out from the rest as a colossus among giants, wearing crimson and bronze armor and wielding two screaming axes as if they were toys in his hands despite them each being larger than Big Mac.

The flying machines unloaded the last of the World Eaters and flew out towards the loyalists.

The sky erupted in endless thunder as the flying machines rained death upon the loyalist line. A few loyal World Eaters fired rockets at the enemy flyers, but damage was minimal.

The colossus roared and the traitors charged the loyalist line, firing randomly and without accuracy.

Aries and the other tactical marines returned fire at targets of opportunity. Eliminating enemy champions with special weapons as their melee oriented allies charged to their deaths.

"WHAT ARE THEY DOING!? Don't they know that's suicide?" Twilight exclaimed.

"It was always suicide. Our only choice was to beg for mercy we wouldn't receive, or drown them in our blood as they spilt it" Aries said.

The loyal World Eaters were cut down, butchered, even eaten in some cases by their mad brothers. The tactical marines began to run out of ammo, joining the melee as they did so.

Aries too ran dry, discarding his bolter in a fit of rage that embarrassed his present self as he watched, and at last drew his screaming sword and drowned out it's roar for blood with a howl of fury as he charged into battle, butchering his traitorous brothers before he too was cut down.

The scene changed again. Now Aries was alone, the only World Eater surrounded by the demons Luna had described, they assaulted Aries immediately, and he met them in kind.

"Wait...did you just..." Ember hesitated to say it, but everyone was thinking it.

"Yes, I died. My soul was cast into the immaterium along with those of all the other loyalists, a gift to the Dark Gods from the Archbetrayer." Aries all but snarled as he thought of the others who suffered his fate.

Before anycreature else could question him, they turned their attention to the snarls of the demons. Nearly discernable words could be heard from them.

"Pay no attention to their lies." Aries warned. "They speak in half truths. It takes years to piece together the facts that they fragment for their amusement."

This time, it was Celestia who questioned him. "And you did this...as you fought them?"

Aries actually chuckled at that. "hmm hmm hmm hmm, I understand your disbelief. It is true that I do not have the patience for such a thing, but I don't need it. An astartes has a photographic memory. So while I ignored them completely, I remember every word they said, and from my experiences fighting them, I can piece together what few truths they said...including how my father and brothers are now devoted servants of their master. The Blood God Khorne, incarnation of War, Rage, and Slaughter, which brings me to the purpose of showing this to you. If even one of your kin are possessed unknowingly, and is allowed to summon a gateway to the Warp. We will not only face Daemons, but my brothers as well, and the Istvaan III Atrocity shall repeat itself on your world."

The image of Aries fought on as the illusion was broken, returning everycreature to Canterlot.

"Oh, you're back already?" asked Rarity as she and the others who stayed behind trotted to meet them.

"What's wrong with you Gilda? Was it even sappier than I thought?" Asked Grandpa Gruff.

"It wasn't sappy at all actually. I'm pretty sure you would've finally had a heart attack if you had seen it." Gilda said without any humor or her usual sarcasm.

"Pharnyx, are you alright?" Thorax asked his brother as he approached.

"It is a really good thing you didn't see that. I almost wish I hadn't, but one of us needed to know what we were up against...it isn't pretty Thorax." answered the more aggressive changeling.

"No..it isn't. War never is, that's why we must stop it before it begins while preparing for it as though it were inevitable." Aries declared.

The leaders all nodded in agreement before Celestia spoke up. "We will need a week, a few days to get the word out, and a few more for volunteers to make arrangements to put their lives on hold until this matter is settled...however long it may take."

"In the meantime, I fear I will require assistance in managing the Dream Realm...it appears that I now have need for an apprentice of my own." Luna said, looking between her sister and Twilight.

"You can ask your subjects nicely if you want, I'm gonna pull Garble and the rest off their lazy tails and get them ready for a fight." Ember proclaimed.

"Yak doesn't need to ask or tell other yaks to get ready, yaks always ready to fight...and SMASH!!" Prince Rutherford reared up and brought his front hooves down with authority.

"Our people may have fled from the Storm King, but I will not lose the freedom that Princess Twilight and her friends have given us so easily." Declared Queen Novo.

The others nodded in approval, and everycreature departed to prepare their nations for the coming war.

Aries made to depart as well, but Celestia hailed him. "Aries, there is no reason for you to spend this week in a cave alone, you are more than welcome in Equestria."

Aries pondered it, the Nails reminding him of their presence as he did. Yet, the close proximity between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest would allow him to slaughter more beasts."...Very well, so where am I to retire?"

"You can stay in my castle if you want. It's just me, Spike, and Starlight, so there's plenty of room." Twilight offered.

"Very well, then we are taking the train?" Aries inquired.

"I...suppose so.." Twilight said, a few of her friends showing mild disappointment.

"Oh, and don't worry. I fixed the hole you made so the conductors aren't mad anymore." Twilight said.

"...Why would I be worried about that?" asked Aries.
> Chapter Seven: A Warrior Without War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Following day

Twilight was the first Equestrian out of bed. She had hardly slept on account of the new developments. And looking outside revealed that Celestia had yet to raise the sun.

Twilight made her way downstairs toward the library in order to grab a few books to read until the others awakened...only to find that she, in fact, wasn't the first one awake.

Aries paced around the library anxiously, his breathing elevated. Twilight could tell that something troubled him.

Aries stopped pacing when Twilight cleared her throat to get his attention. "Couldn't sleep either, I take it?" she asked him.

"I have already told you, I do not require more than 3 hours of sleep within a week. One of many enhancements that separate astartes from the humans they once were." Aries replied.

Twilight blinked away the shock and suppressed the urge to question him, for now, and skipped to the point. "Oh, well then, why did you seem stressed? Is it because of the possible invasion?"

Aries paused before answering. "In a manner of speaking...I am a warrior Twilight Sparkle. And unlike the common men and women of the Imperial Army, I cannot simply stop being a warrior. There are some astartes capable of such, the sons of Vulkan and Fulgrim, but not a World Eater. Not me...the waiting is hell. It's always been hell, but this is worse than anything I've endured...because it's 'possible' that I wait for nothing."

Twilight pieced it together, he had made the battlefield his home. It was something that anypony would call barbaric, or crazy, but she found herself recalling how Applejack got her cutie-mark.

After she moved to Manehattan to get away from the farm. She had spent the whole time pining for it, and returned early, because it was where she belonged. That was what war meant for Aries, it was home...and it was so far away.

Twilight racked her brain for ways to help the astartes feel better, confident in the belief that the usual tactics were out of the question. "Um, well...you couldn't have been fighting ALL the time, what did you do between fights?"

Aries actually made a sound that caused Twilight to believe that he was smirking beneath his helmet. "I sparred with my brothers and tended to my weapons and armor."

Twilight was stunned, not because of his dedication to his calling, but because he actually showed that he could experience humor. "Oh, well then...umm, I got nothing...but I may know some ponies who can help you."

Aries tilted his head. "Who would that be?"

Twilight answered by turning to show her flank to him. "You see this mark? We call them 'cutie-marks'. They magically appear on our flanks when we discover our destiny." Twilight explained, Aries listening in the belief that there is a point to this.

"A few years ago, a trio of fillies discovered that their destiny was helping others find their destiny, whether it's helping younger foals get their cutie-marks, helping older ponies understand their cutie-marks, or even helping other creatures without cutie-marks find their place in the world." Twilight concluded.

"And you believe these three children can help me?" Aries showed no confidence in that plan.

"Well I'd bet every book in my library that if you were a pony, your cutie-mark would be the insignia on your shoulder." Twilight said, pointing a hoof at the mark of the 12th legion.

"Being a World Eater is your destiny, and right now you don't know what to do with it because you're in a world of peace and changing that is what they want. And if there's anypony that can help you, it's the Cutie-mark Crusaders." Twilight concluded.

"I am all but certain that this will be a waste of my time...but I have a week to waste. Very well, where will I find them?" Aries asked.

"It's not a matter of where, they live here in Ponyville. We just have to wait until a decent hour." Twilight said, pointing to a window and the lack of sunlight.

Aries looked like he was about to protest, but then decided against it. "Very well, how long must we wait?"

Twilight smiled at the astartes allowing her to help him. "Just a few hours. In the meantime, would you mind telling me more about where you came from?  About your imperium and other aliens?"

Twilight summoned a blank scroll and a quill and ink. Aries shrugged in a 'why not' manner and sat in a chair, removing his helmet as he did. "What I know of xenos is what I learned from fighting them. So it's no surprise that I am most familiar with the Ork race, a species of barbaric savages that worship war as you worship friendship..."



Hours passed, yet Twilight never noticed the sun rise. She hung on Aries every word, writing an entire novel dedicated to the foul greenskins, even subtly complicating some of their beliefs to make them understandable for more complex creatures, such as referring to Gork as a cunning fighter and Mork as a brutal strategist.

"So...is it a decent hour yet?" Aries asked, pointing to the window.

Twilight turned to see the sunlight and actually leaped into the air with surprise. "WHOA!! Oh, um, sorry."

Twilight composed herself and cleared her throat. "Yes it's a decent hour, and it's not a school day, so let's go see if we can burrow them for the day."

With that, Twilight explained the situation to Spike, who would pass it on to Starlight, and the two set out.

The moment Aries stepped out of the castle. He was surprised to see that the locals have a done a complete 180 in regards to his presence, waving their hooves at him in pleasant greetings.

Aries ignored them and proceeded to follow Twilight towards a small shop of sorts labeled 'Rarity for you'.

Twilight entered the building easily enough, but Aries had to crouch and turn his shoulders in order to squeeze in. "Oh, sorry about that." Twilight apologized.

"You could not have foreseen that your buildings would have to fit an astartes, so there is nothing to apologize for." Aries affirmed.

"Oh, Twilight what can I do fo-...uh, how did he get in?" A unicorn that Aries recognized from the war meeting had come from a back room levitating a piece of fabric with her magic.

"He's surprisingly flexible." Twilight replied before getting down to business. "Um, is Sweetie Belle around?"

Rarity nodded. "Why, yes she is, but might I ask what you need her for?"

"Aries is having trouble adjusting to... not being at war with everything all the time, and I was hoping that the CMCs could help him find a place in Equestria when we're not preparing for a war that we might not even have to fight if we're lucky." Twilight explained.

"Ah, I see. OH SWEETIE BELLE, COULD YOU COME HERE DARLING?" Rarity called out towards the room she had come from.

"COMING!" Replied the voice of a young girl before the owner of said voice emerged.

The unicorn filly had white fur and a twin colored mane and tail of two different shades of purple and a 'cutie-mark' of a shield with a music note within a star upon it's center.

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to ask a question, but fell silent as she laid eyes upon the World Eater. "...Whoa, you must the Demon Slayer." The filly's eyes started to sparkle as though she were enchanted by the Space Marine.

"I have slain far more than Daemons child, but there are very few creatures on this planet that can satisfy my need for blood and honor. I was told you and two others could help with that." Aries explained.

The World Eater's blunt expectations seemed to dispell the enchantment. "Oh, uhh... Scootaloo and Apple Bloom might have some ideas, Scootaloo knows all about the need for heart stopping adrenaline, and Apple Bloom is pretty straight forward in her approach. I'll go find them."

Twilight gave a nervous laugh and chipped in. "We'll go find them, you go and look for Scootaloo while me and Aries find Apple Bloom. We can regroup at your tree house, okay?"

"Sounds good to me, I'll see you there Princess, nice meeting you Mr. Demon Slayer." Sweetie Belle said as she made her way outside.

Twilight was about to follow her when- "Um, Twilight, darling... you and your friend aren't going to do anything...dangerous, are you?"

Twilight turned to Rarity, but Aries answered first. "I will only endanger myself, the children will be kept at a safe distance."

"Oh, um...alright then..." Rarity was still nervous but said nothing else.

Aries started to crouch again to exit the store, only for a lavender aura to envelope the door, and cause it to stretch as if the solid doorframe was elastic and grow big enough to accommodate him.

Aries looked back to Twilight, who was straining to hold the spell, and then quickly went through the opening.

The doorframe returned to normal, and Twilight said a few final words to Rarity before exiting the boutique herself.

"You didn't have to do that." Aries said as he started walking.

"Maybe, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn't?" Twilight asked him, catching up to lead the way to their destination.

Aries looked at her. "We...are friends?" he said, unsure.

"Of course." Twilight answered with a smile.

Aries didn't know how to think about that. "Hmph, I guess this is how Jerrik felt when we first met." He said to himself, forgetting to switch his vox to a private line.

"Who's Jerrik?" Twilight said, alerting the World Eater to his blunder.

Aries' astartes mind allowed him to mentally berate himself, analyze the situation, and determine whether or not if it would be better to clarify or not in such speed that Twilight never even knew that his tongue slipped.

"Jerrik was a Librarian in my legion, a psyker like yourself." Aries began, earning the alicorn's undivided attention.

"Psykers have a difficult time mastering their abilities, and the destruction caused by untrained psykers discovering their abilities led to them being feared among the Imperium. It is not uncommon for human controlled worlds to hunt psykers as monsters and witches, and many astartes legions refuse the use of psykers, fewer still treat their psychic brothers as equals." He went on, horrifying the princess.

"I, however, do not share that fear, for the Emperor himself is a psyker, the most powerful of all. And He stands as an example of how these feared powers can be used for good, just like my legion and the VIIIth do for rage and fear respectively. So I saw no reason not to treat Jerrik as he was, a brother, not unlike any other World Eater." Aries concluded.

Twilight smiled at his answer. Aries saw her expression and said nothing more on the subject...he did not tell her of Jerrik's fate

They arrived at a farm called Sweet Apple Acres. Aries saw naught but a single breed of fruit bearing trees stretching out for a good length. As well as various breeds of livestock, though what purpose equines had for such creatures eluded him.

"HELLO!? IS ANYPONY HOME!?" Twilight called out, resulting in a larger, male equine with fur as red as the farm's namesake fruit emerging from the barn.

"Hiya Big Mac, is Apple Bloom home?" Twilight asked the stallion.

"Eeyup." Was his reply.

"Great, I was hoping the CMCs could help me with something, you don't mind if I pull her away from the farm today, do you?" Twilight asked.

Big Mac thought about it, Aries believing that he was weighing the loss in productivity over helping him and Twilight, before smiling at her. "Nnope."

"Great, can you tell me where she is? It's been awhile since I navigated the farm." Twilight asked him.

The crimson stallion silently pointed a hoof down one of the paths between the rows of apple trees. "Thanks." Twilight nodded her head towards him, a gesture he returned with a silent smile.

Big Mac went inside the barn while Twilight and Aries went off in the indicated direction...Aries couldn't tell if he respected the stallion for his straightforward approach, or if he was just grateful for the lack of pointless conversation.

As they walked down the path, Aries noticed that every tree they passed had been harvested recently. He also noticed a loud impact sound every 20 seconds.

Eventually, he spotted a tree that was so filled with fruit, the branches bent with the weight. That is, until another impact caused the tree to shake, dislodging every single fruit.

Aries and Twilight made their way to the harvesters, one Aries recognized as Applejack, and the other was a bright yellow furred filly with bright red hair that was a few shades darker than Big Mac's fur tied up with a pink bow and another shield shaped cutie-mark with a heart inside of an apple.

"Hey Applejack, Apple Bloom." Twilight greeted when they were ten feet away.

"Howdy Twi, what brings ya down here an- Oh, ya brought Aries along?" Applejack sounded a bit concerned and looked towards Apple Bloom, who had the same look as Sweetie Belle.

"Wow, so yer that Demon Slayer that mah sister told me about?" The filly asked the astartes.

"Yes, I am. I was told that you and your friends could help me find an occupation in a world with no Daemons to slay." Aries replied.

Unlike Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom actually got even brighter. "Sure...don' suppose ya wanna give apple buckin' a try?" The filly pointed a hoof at an apple tree with buckets beneath it.

"Bucking? You...kick the trees?" Aries inquired, to which the filly nodded and Applejack walked over to a tree on the other side of the path.

"It may be a little difficult at first, since ya gotta figure out how hard to buck it ta get all the apples to fall without damagin' the tree." After an explanation, Applejack brought up her back legs and kicked the tree, causing every apple to fall from it's perch and into the buckets below.

Aries pondered the option, it may not be as adrenalizing as front line combat, but may be the closest he can get until he can start training the Planetary Defense Force.

Aries walked up to the tree that Apple Bloom had marked for him. Putting his hand upon it as he contemplated how much to hold back lest he break it in half. It was strong, sturdy, he could increase the effect of a weaker kick by aiming higher than the base, increasing the shake effect.

With this in mind, he positioned himself with his right arm facing the tree, before leaning right, jumping left without his right foot touching the ground, and finally leaping right with a high kick-off on the tree, rolling as he landed.

He turned back to see the results. Less than half the tree's fruit had been harvested.

"Hey, not bad. I only got two of em on mah first try." Apple Bloom stated with a smile.

"Heh, well I'm sure that even his kind don't get that big by skippin' leg day." Applejack joked.

"If you are referring to training exercises, no, we do not skip." Aries said. "Apple bucking is a definitely a challenge, but I would prefer to combat something that can fight back if at all possible."

"Hmm, well I don't know about fighting somecreature, but I'm sure Scootaloo can find somethin' that'll get yer blood pumpin'." Apple Bloom said.

"Very well, shall we proceed to the rendezvous?" Aries asked Twilight.

"You don't mind, right Applejack?" Twilight asked her friend.

The farm pony waved her off. "Nah, I can finish up by myself. Have fun sugercube." With that, the three head out to the CMCs clubhouse.

The walk was relatively short, as the clubhouse was located just off the farm.

They came upon the tree house to find Sweetie Belle waiting for them, along with a pegasus filly with orange fur and a purple mane and tail and a third shield shaped cutie-mark with a lightning bolt inside a feathered wing.

"Heya Crusaders, I take it you both know what we're doin' today?" Apple Bloom asked her allies.

Sweetie Belle nodded, while Scootaloo got her turn with the enchanted eyes at her first time seeing the astartes up close. "Whoa, you're every bit as awesome as Rainbow Dash said you were."

"So, you are related to the warrior are you? Then perhaps you can tell me how I may occupy myself as I wait for the Defense Force to be drawn up." Aries said.

"Hmm, as a matter of fact, I do have something that might interest you, and it's starting later today." The filly pulled out a flyer and handed it to the World Eater.

The flyer announced that 2 hours from now, a gladiator like competition was to be held, a series of fights with a champion match for the main event.

Aries handed the flyer back to Scootaloo. "An interesting idea, though I have my doubts, particularly on how much your kind can challenge me."

"You do look pretty strong. Hmm, how about we watch the show so you can see if you like it. And if you do, then we talk about getting you in the ring. What do you say?" Scootaloo inquired.

Aries pondered it for a moment. If nothing else, he can get an idea on how the equines fight. "Very well, lead the way."
> Chapter Eight: Buck Wild
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS! MARES AND STALLIONS! WELCOME! TO THE GREATEST SHOW TO EVER GRACE EQUESTRIAN SOIL! WELCOME! TO THE PASTURE! OOOOFFFFFF! PPPAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIINNNNNN!!!!"

As the announcement ended, the lights came on, followed by intense music and a fireworks display. The crowd was going wild with anticipation...all but three.

One of a certain trio of fillies who was not as excited for the upcoming events as her Pegasus and Earth Pony friends, a World Eater who was unimpressed with the theatrics, and an alicorn who could've sworn she had heard that announcer's voice before.

"Welcome, one and all to the P.O.P., I am your host, Michael Colt, and joining me today is our local sponsor, the strong speaking motivater who made our appearance in Ponyville possible, Iron Will." The Pegasus with a pale coat, brown mane, and strange W for a Cutie-Mark, confirmed Twilight's suspicions as the minotaur made his way to the announcer's table and took his seat.

"THANKS MICHAEL! IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE! NOW! WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! LET'S SHOW THE CROWD SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE! THEM! PPOOOOOOPPP!" Iron Will flexed his obnoxiously large muscles as he spoke, making Twilight fearful that this was another sham...it was.

While the crowd and the fillies became immersed in the show, yes, even Sweetie Belle, Twilight and Aries could easily see that the 'fighters' were pulling punches and throwing themselves when touched.

Twilight explained her unfortunate history with Iron Will and getting pulled into his shenanigans, and apologized for wasting the warrior's time.

"It is alright Twilight. As I said, I expected this to be a waste of time. And while the fights may be fake, the strength and acrobatics are not, so I at least have a hint of how ponies fight." With that, Twilight and Aries stuck around to allow the fillies to enjoy the show, one enjoying the fact that they were having fun, the other making mental notes of different pony martial arts while discerning what was plausible in a real fight and what wasn't.

"And now, without ado..." Began Michael Colt. "THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!" Continued Iron Will. "The main event!" concluded Michael Colt as the lights dimmed and the speakers started playing music for the next fighter.

The crowd booed as a farmpony just smaller than Big Mac with a bit of blubber on him with a black coat, a white main, a scar over one of his brown eyes, and a Cutie-Mark of a watermelon slice, made his way to the ring.

Aries dismissed him almost immediately after he had entered the ring as he just flexed muscles hidden beneath his fat and foreshadowed that his fighting style was based on power without skill, a grenade rather than a bolter.

As soon as the overweight Earth Pony's music stopped, another song started...the champion...was a bolter.

All eyes fallowed the Earth Pony who gave no show of bravado or gimmick other than his body. Muscular yet flexible, with a nut-colored coat, a black mane and eyes with a thin mustache and goatee, and a Cutie-Mark of a pony silhouette kicking another pony silhouette the way a human would.

The crowd was impressed by his Cutie-Mark that even Aries knew meant that fighting was his destiny, but Aries was pleasantly surprised to recognize his sub-breed. As impossible as it (and everything else thus far) was, the champion fighter was a cross between an Equestrian Earth Pony...and the war horses of the Attilan Rough Riders.

Fillies and Gentlecolts, please give an appropriate applause to the reining, defending, P.O.P. champion." Michael Colt began. "BBBUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK!!!! WWWWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLDDDDD!!!!" Iron Will concluded as Buck Wild climbed into the ring, ignoring the cheering crowd as he stared down his opponent.

His opponent charged as soon as the bell rang, attempting to slam into his opponent with his massive weight, but Buck Wild flipped over him and landed on his powerful neck before spinning with his hind legs outstretched...or so it seemed.

Aries was disappointed to see the promising fighter pull back his leg just enough that a mortal would think his opponent had dodged it.

However, the other pony's counterattack was not fake. Buck Wild was dodging full strength attacks and only feigning counterattacks that his opponent reacted to as if they were bug bites, and the crowd was falling for it.

"HA! LOOKS LIKE THE CHAMP HAS BIT OFF MORE THAN HE CAN CHEW!" Announced Iron Will. "Unsurprising, Melon Slice is one of the most physically dominant competitors in the P.O.P. Talent can only carry you so far against an opponent of a much higher weight class" Agreed Michael Colt, making Aries want to rip the pony's limbs off, considering how many of his brothers have proven that wrong when facing Ork Nobs and Warbosses in 1 on 1 melees.

Fortunately for the ignorant Equestrian, Aries attention turned back to the fight as Melon Slice wrapped a foreleg underneath Buck Wild's own and threw him out of the ring. Only for the champion to grab the top rope with his teeth and rocket back into the ring in a front flip that ended in a double ax kick on Melon Slice's head.

The larger stallion fell like puppet whose strings had been cut, but Buck Wild took his time making the cover, and the referee made the count a lot slower than he had for past matches, but this went over the crowd's head.

The bell rang, and the crowd cheered the champion's victory, but the annoucers seemed to be late.

Aries turned to them and isolated their whispered conversation from the white noise around him. "I thought he was supposed to lose." Muttered Iron Will as quietly as possible.

"He was, I guess it's kinda hard for a natural fighter to throw a fight. Mr. McMane isn't going to be happy about this." Replied Michael Colt.

Suddenly, the Earth Pony put a hoof to the headset around his ears. Aries could a voice emitting from the device, but not what was being said.

"Uh, F-Fillies and Gentlecolts, I am delighted to tell you that our champion is not finished yet." Declared Michael Colt.

Buck Wild composed himself well, Aries was the only one who could read the telltale signs of surprise as he looked to the announcer and saw him mouthing words that Aries couldn't quite read on account of the difference in mouth and jaw structure.

"Th-THAT'S RIGHT! MELON SLICE WASN'T ENOUGH FOR SO! I-I AM OFFICIALLY DECLARING AN OPEN CHALLENGE!!" Buck Wild declared.

Aries knew what was happening, he was being stripped of his title for entertainment's sake, it wouldn't be long before his next opponent arrived.

"Get their attention."Aries said to Twilight.

"Huh? why?" She asked confused.

"Because I'm taking that challenge." Twilight got the message loud and clear.

Another entry began to play when Twilight took to the sky and shot a flare to get everypony's attention.

The music stopped and the newcomer stopped flexing for the crowd as he and the annoucers and the spectators all turned their attention to the princess.

"Uh, if I can have everpony's attention, um, I have a challenger for the champion." Twilight's awkward statement caused a wave murmurs among the crowd.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS! AN OPEN CHALLENGE!? THIS COMPETITION IF FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ONLY!!" Iron Will declared while Michael Colt ran the situation by his boss.

Twilight deadpanned at the minotaur. "As a matter of fact, he just said that it is an open challenge, and the fighter I have in mind is a professional athlete, a warrior to be precise."

"Uhh, Mr.McMane would like to see this fighter if you don't mind Princess." Michael Colt stated.

Twilight pointed to where the World Eater was seated, a spotlight trailing her hoof as Aries stood up.

Everypony that hadn't noticed the astartes from the more distant areas from him in the crowd let out gasps of amazement. Michael Colt went slack-jawed, and Iron Will looked from his muscles to the armored giant trying to determine which of them was bigger.

Aries ignored them all, and locked eyes with Buck Wild. The Earth Pony showed no fear, in fact, he looked excited.

"Mr.McMane doesn't usually allow this, but he isn't going to turn down a request from the Princess of Friendship herself. But he can't fight in a full suit of armor of course, and since I don't know anything about him, we need you to announce him when he comes down the ramp." Michael Colt stated.

"That is acceptable." The robotic voice made the Earth Pony jump out of his skin as he had not noticed the astartes descend from the crowd.

"Twilight, I will need your assistance in removing my armor. It was not meant to be equipped by hand." Aries said as he made his way to the back of the arena in search of a dressing room.

20 minutes passed from when Aries and Twilight left to get the World Eater ready to when Twilight returned to relieve Michael Colt of his headset.

"Ahem, Fillies and Gentlecolts, Mares and Stallions, stranded in our dimension, hailing from a world engulfed in war, a proud servant of the Imperium of Man, a Tactical Marine of the World Eaters legion of the legiones astartes: ARIES!As Twilight finished announcing the World Eater, an entrance song clicked on as the crowd questioned each other about the astartes.

The questions fell silent when the warrior god among mankind came down the ramp. Where everypony else was gaping at the scar that fixed his face into a permanent snarl, Twilight was analyzing his other scars, some of which appeared surgical in nature.

Aries ignored the crowd, his eyes locked on Buck Wild, as he climbed into the ring and stared him down, the Equestrian never flinched. "I will follow the rules of this tournament, but I expect a real fight. Do not restrain yourself against me."

Buck Wild smirked at his opponent. "I had a feeling that's what you wanted, you're on...Aries." The stallion even spoke with an Attilan accent, Aries wondered if one of their horses was somehow transported to this world and bred with a local mare. There were many ways that didn't make sense, and yet...

Aries put the thoughts from his mind as he and his opponent took to their conrners.

Ding Ding Ding

In true World Eater fashion, Aries went on the attack, charging the stallion.

Buck Wild waited in a stance, and then turned around for a simple buck.

Aries caught both hooves, but the kick was strong enough to force the back of his hands into his chest and make him release his hold. Had he not grabbed Buck's hooves, that attack would've been strong enough to knock him down.

Aries jumped back to close any openings for a follow-up. Buck Wild turned to face him. "You were testing me with that, weren't you?" The stallion asked.

Aries actually smiled. "Indeed, I was expecting you to dodge rather than challenge a stronger opponent with strength, but it appears that the arrogance was mine." With that, Aries entered a proper combat stance, his body turned to the side, his arms guarding his head.

Buck Wild smirked amusingly and walked towards the astartes. Aries recognized the tactic immediately, a slow, unthreatening advance into striking range to make your opponent lower their guard.

As soon as he was close enough, Buck Wild sprinted and jumped, coming down in a spinning double ax kick.

Aries ducked and threw his arms out, catching the kick without being struck then he slammed the stallion down, causing the crowed to pop.

Aries let the stallion rise to his feet, but kicked him in the head before he could get his bearings.

Buck Wild stumbled. Aries went to follow it up, but the stallion was faking, as he turned in his stumble and bucked at the astartes again.

Aries saw it coming and, in payback, flipped over the pony, landing in front of him and sweeping all four hooves out from underneath him.

Aries tried to stomp on the stallion's head, but Buck Wild rolled out of the way, flipping onto his neck and spinning with his legs outstretched.

Aries caught the first leg, but Buck locked the second leg into the arm that held the first and, with amazing leg and core strength, pulled his body up and reached with his front legs in an attempt to lock in a choke-hold on the astartes.

When Aries realized his opponents intent, he dropped, knocking the wind out of his opponent.

Aries rolled off the stunned Earth Pony, grabbed his back legs, and threw him into the air.

Aries prepared to kick his opponent as he fell, but Buck Wild righted himself in midair and bucked as he fell, both hooves connecting on the space marine's face.

The crowd went wild as Aries fell down and spat blood and shards of shattered teeth from his mouth. Aries himself felt delighted, as the collision to his skull gave relief to the Butcher's Nails.

The clopping of hooves told Aries that Buck Wild was pressing the attack. Aries rolled to his back and kipped up before turning with a spin kick.

Buck Wild was too shocked by seeing a creature that large move that guickly to see it coming, and the kick connected all of the World Eater's shin with all of the Earth Pony's head.

Buck Wild hit the ground like a puppet that had it's strings cut, but he immediately started trying to get up.

Aries backed off, wanting more of a fight, as the Earth Pony got on two hooves and two knees. The crowd started chanting and stomping their hooves.

Buck Wild was on his hooves proper, but he stumbled uneasily, his vision blurring.

Aries knew it was finished, but the fact that his clearly beaten opponent was trying to keep going brought a smile to his face. "You've fought well Buck Wild, if you wish to yield, no one would think less of you."

Buck Wild smiled at the World Eater. "Thanks but...I would...think less...of myself."

Aries nodded and prepared one final blow when- "OH GET OFF YOUR HIGH-HORSE! THAT ALIEN MUSCLE MONSTER BEAT YOU LIKE A GRAPE CRUSHER MAKES WINE!! JUST FALL DOWN AND GET OUT OF THE RING, WE'RE ALL TIRED OF WATCHING YOU ACT LIKE SOME FANCY CHAMP WHEN YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER SHOW PONY!!" Melon Slice shouted from ringside.

Twilight prepared to retort...Buck Wild prepared to retort...the crowd showered him with boos...but they all went silent when Aries leapt from the ring and attacked the loud mouthed pony.

A bell rang furiously, but Aries blanked it out as he viciously beat the disrespectful Equestrian.

The beating didn't stop until a lavender field of energy engulfed him. He could hear Twilight straining to hold his fury in check as Aries fought his restraints until- "STOP! He isn't worth it... I've dealt with his kind ever since I got this Cutie-Mark." Buck Wild confessed.

Aries ceased his efforts to turn Melon Slice into a red paste, but he stared into the beaten pony's eyes. "If you were in that ring with me, you wouldn't have lasted two seconds you worthless scum. Don't ever make light of someone who failed if you can't do better you filth." With that, he turned away from Melon Slice and back to Buck Wild. "Shall we continue?"

Buck Wild laughed at this. "Actually, your assault on Melon Slice caused you to be disqualified, I won."

Aries nodded in recognition. "Ah, so that's what the bell meant. Very well, you are the winner...the champion."

"You don't approve of my line of work?" Buck Wild could see it in his eyes.

"I fight for Blood and Honor, not amusement. I was seeking distraction while your rulers make the preparations for the coming war." Aries stated, confusing Buck.

"War, what war?" The fighter asked.

"Word has not reached you yet? Enemies from another dimension are attempting to invade Equestria. The Royal Sisters are gathering volunteers for me to personally train to fight them." Rather than terrify the fighter, the news made him excited.

"Really, heh, I left the Royal Guard because their wasn't enough action for me. I joined the P.O.P. because it was the best that I could get. Where do I sign up?" Buck Wild inquired.

"The word will reach you eventually, along with the information you seek. I was told to expect the first recruits within a week, I'll see you there." Aries smiled at the Earth Pony with whom he had bonded through blood and battle.

Aries parted ways and blocked out any protests of his actions from those that had not earned his respect. He learned from Twilight as she equipped his power armor to him that he was banned from the Pasture of Pain forever.

However, as he and the others left, something did bother him. The Cutie-Mark Crusaders all hung their heads in shame. They and the Princess were not punished for the World Eater's actions, so their shame confused him. "What guilts you young ones? You had no hand in my actions and were not scolded as such, is there some other reason for you to feel ashamed?"

The three fillies looked at him as though the answer should've been obvious. "Well..We failed, we came here to help you find a place in Equestria, but you just got kicked out, and none of us have any ideas about where to go next." Scootaloo explained, the others nodding in agreement.

"You may not have succeeded in the manner that you expected, but as I told Twilight, I was all but certain that this would be nothing more than a waste of time to begin with." Aries explained, the children not feeling much better. "However, you've proven me wrong in that belief."

This caused the three to look at him in utter disbelief. "Huh, but yah didn' like it, an got thrown out, how was it not a waste o time?" Asked Apple Bloom.

"Because I recruited Buck Wild to the Planetary Defense Force, and thus came to the conclusion that any other areas you previously thought could've worked for me may also hide potential recruits that I can scout myself, testing them before they even arrive for the first day of training. And even if I find no more than this one, it is one that I may not have found without the three of you. So congratulations Crusaders, you've allowed the warrior known as Buck Wild to find his place as your first line of defense."

The three fillies cheered and congratulated each other, thanking Aries and giving him locations where he may find other potential recruits as the sun set on the first day.
> Chapter Nine: False Glory, True Fire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight wasn't surprised to see Aries awake before her again, but she was surprised to see him reading one of her books.

Aries turned his head when he heard her exclaim in surprise...with an actual equine sound. "Am I not supposed to touch your books?" he asked.

"Uh N-no! yo-you can read as much as you like! I just...didn't picture you as a reader." Twilight replied, still staring at the book in his hands like it defied logic by existing.

"I do not read for recreational purposes, as you do, but I still know very little of this world and it's people. So I decided to research your race and your allies...I can't help but notice that you have personally written the more informative books about dragons and changelings." Aries explained, causing Twilight to blush.

"Yeah, I'm sure you've noticed from those books that our alliance with their races are fairly new, as well as why that is." Twilight replied.

"Indeed, though I am more interested in these." Aries said showing Twilight exactly which book he was reading: The History of the Wonderbolts. "I believe that I may find potential recruits within their ranks."

"That's a great idea." Twilight exclaimed. "The Wonderbolts are the most esteemed pegasai in Equestria. Rainbow Dash is a member, and you seemed pretty impressed with her."

"Indeed, Rainbow Dash has proven herself against the Daemons. If the rest are even half as capable as her, then my training should make them somewhat significant." Aries stated. "So when should I contact them?"

"Actually, this time it's not a when, but a where. You see, pegasai have the ability to walk on clouds, and so they live in the floating city of Cloudesdale. If you're going to visit them, then you'll need me to accompany you in order to cast a spell that will let you walk on clouds yourself." Twilight explained.

It was hard to tell on account of the emotionless helmet, but Twilight believed that the hesitation was from him considering whether or not to let her use magic on him again. She remembered the unhappy look on his face while she removed his armor yesterday, and what he had told her of the Imperium's general distrust of magic and the reasons behind it.

Although the hesitation was barely noticeable. "Very well, I accept your assistance in this matter."

"Excellent, I'll just ask Starlight to mind the school while I'm gone." Twilight stated.


A Few Hours Later


Aries moved a foot off the hot air balloon that he and Twilight had traveled in, and lowered it to the cloud...resistance, as though it were springy.

When Aries planted his entire foot, he stepped out of the balloon completely with full confidence, though he was still distasteful on having to rely so heavily on magic. He allowed it to happen yesterday because power armor was not made to be removed by hand and he felt that Buck Wild deserved a true fight, but just to get from place to place...he really wished Jerrik was here, that would be a little better.

Twilight was next to exit the balloon.After which, she stepped in front of the astartes and led him to where they would find these Wonderbolts, Equestria's elite warriors. Aries tuned out Twilight's tour routine about the base itself and observed the training.

Something was off. He could see several pegasai training their flight strength and performing aerial maneuvers, but no combat training. Odder still, a formation halted to stare at the World Eater. Their Sergeant corrected them at first, but when he saw what drew their attention away from training, he gawked as well.

Aries halted in his tracks "IF YOU HAVE TIME TO SIGHTSEE, THAN YOU HAVE TIME TO SWEAT AND BLEED!!GET BACK TO WORK!!!"

The Wonderbolts shot off like a bullet...and those that hadn't noticed him until he shouted promptly double timed their routines.

"Woah, were you a drill instructor back home?" Twilight asked, her wings unsettled as though she was fighting a primal instinct to take flight.

"No, but I find my expectations lowering by the second. This is pathetic." Aries grumbled as he stomped past Twilight.

Before he could get too far ahead, a familiar rainbow colored streak made it's way to them, halting before the astartes.

"I thought I recognized that voice, you got a set of pipes dude." Rainbow Dash smiled at the astartes.

Aries pondered Rainbow Dash's words, but not noticeably. "Yes, well, I'm afraid that these 'Wonderbolts' leave much to be desired." Aries said, pointing to the team of flyers that had irritated him.

The minute he pointed them out, another pegasus that had been chasing after Rainbow Dash diverted course and landed close enough to be heard by the team in question at a reasonable volume, which she proved to be unnecessary. "STORMY SKIES!! YOU AND THOSE NEWBIES GET DOWN HERE RIGHT! NOW!!"

Aries examined the apparent commander, she was along the same size as Rainbow Dash with a bright yellow coat and a mane that was two shades of orange that looked like flames. She also had ember colored eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. And unlike Rainbow Dash and the other Wonderbolts who wore flight suits, this pegasus wore a heavily decorated jacket.

The team in question landed in formation before the irate pegasus, Stormy Skies front and center.

The commander started pacing down the team's length, her anger clear. "Does anypony wanna tell me what our guest ment by 'sightseeing'?"

"W-we got distracted ma'am. We didn't know what that creature was, or what it was doing here." Answered Stormy Skies. Aries bit back a complaint of his own. It was one thing when no one else was disciplining them, but for now, he would let their C.O. take care of them.

"So, you all missed the memo about how there is a new threat to Equestria. The memo that a new ally is putting together a new military detachment to fight this threat. The memo that he would be coming here to scout potential recruits...the memo that I personally gave everypony on base so that they would know that he was coming...you missed THAT MEMO!?" The officer shouted.

Stormy Skies hung his head, but another pegasus wasn't done trying to justify their slip-up. "We're sorry Spitfire, we just didn't know he'd be so-" The commander, apparently named 'Spitfire', was nose to nose with the mare before she could say another word.

"Do you know happens when you get distracted in a flight formation newbie?" She had removed her glasses in order to stare the recruit in the eyes.

"U-uh um, W-we mess up?" The pegasus answered weakly.

"And do you know what happens when you miss up on a high-risk formation?" Spitfire continued.

"Uh, we..we could crash?" Was the reply.

"And what happens when you crash newbie?" Her eyes narrowed. The recruit gulped, her expression saying that she knew what was coming.

"We end up in a fu-" "YOU END UP IN A FULL BODY WING AND HOOF CAST, DRINKING THROUGH A STRAW!!" The recruit pressed her ears against her head as Spitfire let her have it.

"YES MA'AM! I'M SORRY MA'AM! IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN MA'AM!" The recruit couldn't get the words out fast enough.

"Good." Spitfire turned around and took three steps...before realizing that something was wrong with this picture. "WHAT ARE YOU NEWBIES STILL DOING HERE!! BACK TO WORK YOU LAZY LUMPS!! NOW!!!"

Spitfire watched them leave, with slightly less motivation than Aries had given them, before letting out a sigh and trotting to the group. To her credit, Aries is certain that he only noticed her shock and awe at his appearance because he's an astartes. "Sorry about that sir, it's their first week."

The pegasus then proceeded to clear her throat and put her forehoof against her head in a salute. "Captain Spitfire, Commanding Officer of the Wonderbolts, at your disposal sir."

"At ease Captain. I was never one for ceremony, a title doesn't make a warrior after all." Aries replied.

"Oh, I can assure you that Spitfire is as tough as they come. I may have been awesome before I joined the Wonderbolts, but Spitfire's training made me 20% cooler." Dash affirmed.

"20% won't be enough for the coming war, nor will a week of 'flight manuvers', I was under the impression that you were military." Aries inquired.

Spitfire gulped audibly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you sir, but since Equestria hasn't seen an actual war for centuries, we're mostly just...show-ponies." The word was bitter in her mouth, and her head hung in shame.

Rainbow Dash was about to say something, but Aries beat her to it. "I have already found one promising recruit among 'show-ponies', perhaps there is one among your number who isn't satisfied with his position."

Spitfire hid her relief well from her fellow ponies. "I was hoping you'd say that, I would've been a bit embarrassed if I had called up the rowdier recruits for nothing."

"Lead the way then." Aries said. Spitfire chose to trot rather than fly while Rainbow Dash zoomed off ahead and Twilight fell in step beside Aries.

"Okay, so one bad impression and one good impression?" She asked of the World Eater.

"Hmm, yes, I believe so. Although at present, I only consider one of them recruitable." Aries replied.

They arrived at their destination. The Wonderbolts present either looked confident...or like they couldn't be bothered.

"ATTENTION!!" Shouted Spitfire, the Wonderbolts obeying with varying degrees of haste.

Spitfire swallowed her anger for the moment. "Listen up maggots, you have been chosen because our new friend here..." She pointed at hoof at Aries, earning a few oohs and awes. "...needs some ponies to whip into shape for a big fight against a new threat to Equestria...AND YOUR IT!!" At the last word, she pointed her hoof at a random mare...who promptly fainted at the idea of fighting.

After Spitfire remembered how to close her mouth, she started scratching the back of her head with a forehoof while looking at Aries with a nervous smile.

However, before he could reply, someone else commented on the situation. "Hah, or not. I guess someponies just don't have what it takes to get their hooves dirty."

The speaker was a stallion who Aries had noted as having the least motivation, though now, he showed the least fear. That was promising.

"Alright newbie, YOUR IT!!" Spitfire said to the speaker, who stepped up confidently. "Alright, what's the routine?"

Aries stepped up to him. "Fight me."

The volunteer looked confused for a moment, but then, with a shrug, his confidence returned. He took to the sky and prepared to dive bomb the astartes.

Aries didn't take a combat stance, he merely took the time his opponent took to approach him to position himself. Then, when his opponent was close enough, Aries kicked him in the gut just hard enough to stop him, not hard enough to break anything.

The pegasus fluttered back down to the cloud, coughing and wheezing. "Wha-WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!?"

Aries looked down at him. "You've failed, you may return to your 'flight maneuvers'."

The pegasus straightened up immediately. "WHAT!? Your failing me because I complained when you kicked me in the stomach!?"

"Are you going to complain when a Daemon kicks you in the stomach...with a Hellblade?" Aries deadpanned.

The pegasus was shocked at first, but then he busted out laughing. "PWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT!? AAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

"THUNDERBOLT!!" Spitfire shouted, failing to stop the pegasus' laughter.

"I c-I can't help it Captain. D-did you hear that!? AHHAHAHAH-" Having grown fed up with the display, Aries put his foot down...on top of Thunderbolt, stomping him through the cloud they stood on.

Everypony gasped in shock at the display, except Rainbow Dash who had started laughing herself...Then Thunderbolt returned, he wasn't laughing anymore.

"Alright pal, you can drop the 'tough guy' act, your little sham isn't fooling anypony." Thunderbolt said, completely unaware of how close he was coming to death.

Any other World Eater would've butchered the fool by now, but even Aries' more contempt brothers who mocked him for 'belonging to the Salamanders legion' knew better than to question his honor. "Explain."

Thunderbolt rolled his eyes. "Oh please, it's obvious that you're just trying to score some brownie points with the princesses by putting on this big show of putting together a team to fight the next big bad to threaten Equestria, which will undoubtedly be defeated by Princess Twilight and her friends like all the others and you'll look good for being ready to do what the Wonderbolts and Royal Guard never do, even when they encounter the threat first."

Aries just looked at him for a few seconds before grabbing him the neck, slamming him through the cloud a few times before grabbing his tail and throwing him away.

"Uh, why are you doing that?" One of the recruits asked him.

"Because it keeps from killing him...barely." Aries replied.

When Thunderbolt came back, he looked like he was going to try to give Aries another mouthful, but Spitfire intercepted him. "THUNDERBOLT!! You've been dismissed."

Again, Thunderbolt rolled his eyes. "Oh please, like you're going to do anything, do you really want me to bring up the Wonderbolts 'heroic' track-record?"

"Stand. Down." Spitfire all but snarled.

"pfft, Whatever." And at last, the fool left.

Spitfire walked back over to the group grumbling about Thunderbolt.

"Man, what a weasel. Why is that guy even a Wonderbolt anyway?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

"Uuuuugggghhh, because Thunderstorm is his dad." Spitfire explained.

"Uuuhhhh, who?" Dash asked, causing Spitfire to face-hoof.

"Gah, you're killing me Dash. Thunderstorm is the Cloudesdale noble who funds us, and his ancestors funded the original Wonderbolts. They realized that with Equestria being so peaceful that we didn't need as much actual military training. And then, with our recent losing streak, Thunderstorm started talking about cutting us off completely and talking to Twilight about convincing the Elements of Harmony to show off for the people instead."

"WHAT!?" Shouted Rainbow Dash and Twilight, along with the less attentive Wonderbolts who shared Rainbow Dash's neglect of common knowledge.

"But why? And what do you mean by losing streak? I thought we were at the top of our game." Said Rainbow Dash.

"Since you came along, yes. Our shows have been packed more than ever. But you're one of the Elements, the real heroes. Look at our accomplishments since before you joined us Dash, that losing streak." Spitfire replied.

Twilight was about to interject, but then she made an expression that told Aries that she knew what Spitfire was talking about, though Rainbow Dash was still clueless. "What are you talking about? You're shows were on fire for years before I showed up, especially you Spitfire. I followed you from your rookie years, and how you always wowed the crowd with your signature stunt: The Hell Blazer."

Spitfire smirked a little for a second, as though grateful that Rainbow Dash thought so highly of her, though she shouldn't. "I'm not talking about the shows Dash. I'm talking about when we were utterly useless against Tirek. I'm talking about when Twilight's pet dragon grew the size of Canterlot and went on a primal rampage and our attempts to stop him ended with us trapped in a water tank like a bunch of moths. I'm talking about when we went to judge that little flight competition you were in when your pal Rarity lost the magic that let her fly and fell from Cloudesdale and we rushed in to save her only to get knocked out cold by her flailing hooves and need you to save us, while performing the legendary Sonic Rainboom that was only supposed to be a myth...FOR THE SECOND TIME!!"

Aries listened to the rant with varied emotions, mostly because he wanted to know more about that part with Spike.

"Combine that with the fact that we were actually losing our audience until you showed up and saved our flanks again, it's really hard not to see Thunderstorm's point." Spitfire concluded.

"Huh, when you put it like that..." Said one of the Wonderbolts, putting a hoove to the bottom of her muzzle in contemplation.

"WHEN YOU PUT IT LIKE THAT NOTHING!!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "The Wonderbolts are a symbol, a disarmed army that means we don't fight to survive anymore. You think I didn't know that when I signed up?"

Spitfire blinked a bit. "Well, I guess I should've known. You just talk about how great we are all the time, I kinda assumed you were in denial." The two stared at each other, and then they laughed.

"Hmph, a symbol that you needn't fight anymore. That the threats are so small, you need but a few champions to keep them at bay. I hoped to, one day, bring such a thing to the Imperium. To see the men and women of the Imperial Army return to their families. The Ist, IIIrd, VIIth, IXth and XIIIth legions reduced to ceremonial parades as the Xth and XVIIIth focus less on weapons and armor and more on progress as the IVth and XIVth protect our borders eventlessly whilst my brothers and I hunt down our routed foes beside the Vth, VIth, VIIIth, and XVIth legions...a fool's dream, but one I cannot fault you for indulging as I once did." Aries lamented.

"Thanks, nice speech. Too bad your only choice is our star player." Spitfire said, gesturing to Rainbow Dash.

"Why do you say that?" Asked Aries.

"Well, I heard you when you said that you only saw one of us as eligible, and I don't think I changed your mind." Spitfire lowered her head.

"I was not referring to Rainbow Dash, I was referring to you." Aries brought Spitfire's head right up. "WHAT!? M-ME!?"

"You acknowledge that your methods won't be enough when the Daemons come. Are you willing to be as useless against them as your other foes, or will you let me mold you into a capable warrior?" Aries shifted into a combat stance as he spoke.

The message was clear. Spitfire removed her jacket and signiture whistle, ordering Rainbow Dash to hold them.

"Fight until the pain is unbearable. Begin when you're ready." Aries stated.

Spitfire charged him head on, but pulled away at the last moment to fly around him. If he were mortal, he would not be able to track her. And even as an astartes, it was difficult.

Spitfire increased and decreased her altitude at random, keeping just out of reach of the World Eater, until she suddenly closed the gap and struck, flying over his head and kicking off of his helmet to knock him off balance and circling around to strike again.

Aries regained his balance just in the nick of time. Spitfire came about and feigned a charge again, but this time, Aries remembered the split-second her eyes started turning before she did, and waited. The minute her eyes turned, he kicked where she would be.

Aries struck home, kicking her in the chest and catching her wing down. She hit the cloud hard and skidded a good distance.

"SPITFIRE!!" Shouted Rainbow Dash as she rushed to help her friend to her hooves.

"Is that all you've got, because it's not enough to pass." Aries said walking over to the pegasai.

"WHOA! WHOA! TIME OUT ARIES! that kick of yours broke her wing dude, she can't fly anymore." Rainbow Dash interjected.

"The enemy won't care, so neither will I." Aries replied.

"Bu-" Rainbow was about to protest further when. "He's right Dash, I got careless...heh, story of my life."

Rainbow Dash turned to Spitfire, who held her broken wing close to her body. "I can keep going...no, I will keep going...I've HAD IT! with losing every fight and being called a hero. It was one thing when you and the Elements could do the heavy lifting for us while we get points for trying, but if this is even half as bad as Celestia made it sound in her letter, then that's not good enough anymore. So I'm doing more than just trying this time."

Spitfire screamed a battlecry as she charged on hoof, turned, and bucked.

Her hooves smashed into ceramite, pushed against it, but in the end, fell to the cloud without moving the astartes even a centimeter.

"...You pass." Aries said.

There was a silence, as if everypony was waiting for Aries to realize that he said the wrong word, and then Rainbow Dash started cheering along with the Wonderbolts who, until now, still stood at attention.

"See a doctor about your wing, practice ground combat, and keep in mind that if you find yourself spending more time healing than you do training...you never had a chance to begin with." Aries ordered his new recruit.

Spitfire said nothing, she was too exhausted, and fairly certain that she sprained her legs. She just smiled in silent victory.

However, her smile disappeared when she realized something. "Daaaash, when you rushed over to help me, did you drop my jacket and whistle...through the cloud?"
> Chapter Ten: Forbidden Information
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries still had half a day to look for recruits outside of Cloudesdale, and Rainbow Dash was still looking for Spitfire's belongings, so Twilight decided to head home and relax.

She teleported back to the castle, after confirming that Aries wouldn't need her for anything, and started looking for a nice book to read.

However, her attention was drawn to a book that she hadn't had in mind. It was the journal that she used to communicate with Sunset Shimmer.

She had sent a message regarding Aries and the Imperium as she knew it, wondering if there was any connection between Aries' world and Sunset's. It would appear that Sunset had written a reply.

Twilight opened the glowing book and read the latest entry. I need you to come through the portal...do not tell him what you're doing.

That was odd, did Sunset know something? Only one way to find out.


Elsewhere


Sunset paced back and forth in front of the statue that served as a portal between Equestria and Earth, uncaring of the rain pouring onto her or the fact that she was at Canterlot High during summer break.

Please be wrong, please be wrong, please be wrong, please be wrong...

A purple glow coming from the statue broke her from her thoughts as Twilight entered her world in her human form.

"Twilight!" Sunset called, rushing to her friend and giving her a hug in welcome.

"It's good to see you too Sunset, but what's this about?" Twilight asked when the embrace ended.

Sunset's smile disappeared when she remembered what was going on. "He doesn't know that you're here, right?"

"No he doesn't, but why do you seem afraid of him? He's not that scary." Twilight questioned.

Sunset looked back at the portal, and then looked around, as though afraid that the World Eater was eavesdropping on them from somewhere. "Not here, come with me."

With that, Sunset led Twilight to the street and hailed a taxi. Twilight's delight at the vehicle and it's functions amused Sunset, but it couldn't dispell her fear.

Sunset directed the driver to her apartment and led Twilight into the living room. There, she had several video games laid out to show off. "Okay Twilight, I need you to look at these, and tell me if you recognize the characters on the covers."

Twilight was a little confused. She knew what video games were of course, there was even a local colt who's cutie mark was based on his arcade skills.

Twilight picked up one of the games...and almost threw it when she found the Image of Tirek roaring at her. But it wasn't at her, it was at a group of humans fighting the giant centaur on the cover of the game: Tirek's Revenge.

She picked up another: Sombra's Shadow, and saw a humanoid King Sombra swinging a scythe at a human knight with a sword and shield.

She picked up another: Hive of Horrors, and saw a human with a weapon similar to Aries' lost bolter unaware that a humanoid Chrysalis was on the ceiling above him.

"I've beaten all of these villains back home...h-how does this world know about them?" Twilight asked.

"They don't. The people who made these games have no idea that these villains are real in another world...but that's not the point." Sunset said before getting up, signaling Twilight to wait where she was, and then returning with a box of...something.

Sunset opened the box and rummaged through it's contents. "...Okay Twilight, does Aries look like..." She pulled something out of the box and showed it to Twilight. "...This."

Twilight forgot how to close her mouth as she realized that the orange and red object in her hand was a tactical marine with Sunset's cutie-mark as it's insignia.

"...Okay, Aries is a game character in this world?" Twilight asked.

Sunset turned pale as she realized that she was right. "Twilight...this game...is not Ogres and Oobliettes...this is Warhammer 40k, the darkest fantasy world."

Twilight suddenly understood why Sunset was so afraid. "So, he's a villain?"

"Technically, no. 40k doesn't have a set villain, everyone is good and bad in their own ways. But the Emperor he's talking about is the kind of ruler that would make you wish to live under Sombra. And Aries is loyal to him above all else." Sunset explained.

"...okay...so, what you're saying is...the proud enforcer of a power-mad tyrant is protecting us from something even worse because...why?" Twilight voiced the million dollar question.

"Because the enemy of my enemy dies second. He figured out that there is a reason that this enemy wants you dead. Speaking of which, you just told me that 'his enemy' is coming for Equestria. Could you be more specific, there's a lot of them." Sunset inquired.

"Umm...Corn?" Twilight said...completely stunned to see Sunset faint as soon as she said it.


A few moments later.


Sunset groaned as she came back to her senses. Twilight had put her on her couch with all the armpillows beneath her, and was now reading the codexes that Sunset had in the same box that held her homemade warband of Thousand Sons that she made around the head canon of her fantasy self leading them to victory against the Emperor and Celestia. (she was still evil when she made them)

"...So, Khorne huh?" Sunset said as she came to terms with the severity of the situation.

"Yeah...Khorne...hopefully he's the only one after us, I already learned more about Slaanesh than I would ever want to...I promise not to tell Celestia that you sacrificed her to Tzeentch by the way." Twilight joked...but Sunset wasn't laughing.

"...Do you have any idea how many ponies are going to die?" Sunset said with almost no emotion.

"Hopefully none, it's still possible that Princess Luna could keep the Daemons from possessing anypony." Twilight said.

"So what? They can wait for centuries...Aries probably can't." Sunset said.

"Umm, you have plenty of books on Daemons and the Thousand Sons, and a few on the Eldar, but I'm still just as unaware of what you know about Aries as I was when I came here." Twilight pointed out.

"Right, sorry. World Eaters are berserk melee fighters. And if he's one of the younger ones who was recruited to the legion in the later years before the Horus Heresy, then he was probably given the Butcher's Nails: a neural implant that causes extreme pain, but also releases chemicals into his brain that cause pleasure whenever he's fighting. If he goes to long without that fix, the Nails'll drive him mad." Sunset explained.

"Well, Luna described his skill with a chainsword as pretty berserk, but he's a tactical marine, so he's pretty good at keeping his rage in check." Twilight argued.

"Maybe, bit there's a difference between keeping anger in check, and keeping it bottled up. And this isn't the kind of anger that goes away with therapy, telling you what the Nails are doing to him won't make them stop." Sunset counter argued.

"Can we remove them?" Twilight asked.

"Not without killing him." Sunset replied.

"Okay, is there any good news?" Twilight asked, a bit worried.

"Well, from what you told me that he told you, there is a slight chance that might be slightly, or even completely wrong." Sunset replied.

"Uhh, care to explain?" Twilight asked.

"Well,  with the fact that Tirek is a demon king, Sombra draws power from a magic ring, and Chrysalis is just an alien bug with the sentience of a wasp, and they all fought against humans, there is the possibility that there are some similar differences here, but you should act as though there isn't, just to be safe." Sunset pointed out.

"Okay, anything else?" Twilight asked.

"Not that I know off the top of my head, Warhammer 40k is a big franchise, but I'll try to get some books about the 12th legion and the Ruinous Powers so that you know what you're dealing with, but do not, I repeat, NOT let him know about this. I don't want to walk by that statue and suddenly have an angry World Eater jump out screaming 'heresy' at me while he rips me to pieces." Sunset shuddered visibly at the thought.

"Heh heh, you're secret's safe with me, although he probably wouldn't have as big of an argument if you didn't play a traitor legion." Twilight joked.

All of the tension left Sunset as she and Twilight laughed at that. "Fair enough, maybe I should invest in the Blood Ravens."

After that, the two talked a little more before Sunset got another taxi to take Twilight back home.

Twilight arrived in Equestria two hours after she left. Satisfied with her new lead into the mystery of the new conflict brewing, she grabbed a book from a nearby shelf and turned the page...then Aries returned.

"OF ALL THE DISFUNCTIONAL! IRREDEEMABLE! WORTHLESS! PATHETIC EXCUSES FOR MILITARY I HAVE EVER SEEN! CANTERLOT'S ROYAL GUARD MAKES THEM ALL LOOK LIKE CUSTODES!!!"
> Chapter Eleven: A Good Night's Duel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries had managed to keep himself busy throughout the week by hunting for recruits to the Planetary Defense Force, though he had only managed to find two recruits. 

It was now the eve before he would officially meet with his forces. He anticipated turning away more than half of them, but hoped that he was wrong. 

For now however, he would sleep, and be at the peak of his performance tomorrow.

He stepped into the room that Twilight Sparkle had assigned to him for the first time since he had arrived in this castle. 

The bed had been magically enlarged to accommodate him. He had thanked the Equestrian for it's hospitality while privately despising their over-reliance on magic, believing this to be the sole reason that their technology was so primitive. 

Of his armor, he only removed his helmet and the battery pack. Then he committed himself to a few pre-sleep exercises while his armor was deactivated, allowing him to feel it's full weight. 

After the last pushup, he crawled onto the bed, which held his weight, power armor and all. He was asleep within moments. 


Aries opened his eyes to the sight of Bloodletters charging him, he had his helmet and battery pack, along with a chainsword. 

Aries thumbed the activation rune and relaxed slightly at the familiar vibration crawling up his arm. 

As the first Bloodletter charged into range, Aries swung...only for the Daemon and it's kin to disappear in a flash. 

Aries straightened himself and looked in the direction of the telltale wing flaps of Princess Luna. "We thought that we would prevent the peril of your last slumber before it began." 

"A good strategy, one that I had planned to employ myself." Aries said, attempting to mask his disappointment. 

"Meaning that you had wanted to face them yourself...this wouldn't have anything to do with nails in your head, would it?" Luna asked.

Aries hid his shock well and spoke in an unimpressed voice. "What do you know of the Butcher's Nails?" 

"Only what young Sparkle has told us. She wanted her means of investigating you to be kept secret for fear of...retribution." Luna answered. 

"I had expected her to probe my mind for fear that I was hiding something, I just want to know how she did it without me realizing it." Aries explained.

"Twilight is a magnificent sorcerer, as dedicated to magic as you are to war. Which brings us back to the Nails." Luna said, making the same assumption. 

"Yes, I am required to fight or I will go mad. I had planned on controlling myself this time now that I am aware of the enemy's plans, but now..." Aries was already planning to return to the Everfree Forest for a hunt, praying that he could find something capable of appeasing the Nails.

"Now you are in the Dream Realm, a realm that I govern. If you allow me into your mind, I can find memories of enemies unrelated to your anger and reconstruct them in the hundreds for you." Luna stated as a fact. 

Aries started at that, though only another astartes would have noticed. "That...could work, providing all that I've seen doesn't drive you mad." 

Luna smirked. "We have lived longer than 1,000 years, and Equestria earned it's peace. We fight not to prevent madness from seizing our world, but to prevent it from doing so again." 

"And as for what you've seen. When showed us the tragidy that was Istvaan III, I noticed another World Eater loyalist carrying a weapon that was superior to your screaming sword, a more practical blade that glowed with magic and cut through armor like a hot knife through butter." Luna added. 

"You speak of a power sword, it does not use magic, though I myself do not know how it works outside of what you have described." Aries clarified. 

"Ah, well, I hope you don't mind that yours does use magic." Before Aries could reply to that, a sword materialized before him with the Imperial Aguila as a crossguard and the crimson teeth of the World Eaters atop it in the center. The hilt was colored in the pattern of his armor, while the blade appeared to be polished steel.

"This is a replica of the weapon I had forged as your badge of office. Within the crossguard is the legendary Alicorn Amulet: a powerful artefact that, when worn by a unicorn, increases their magic to the levels of an alicorn. Special crystals forged into the blade allow the amulet to encase the weapon in field of magic theorized to mimic the 'power sword'...of course, the blade was only completed in the final hour of sunlight this day, so we have yet to test it." Luna explained. 

Aries stared at the blade, contemplating it. He knew that he would have to accept a new weapon eventually and had been ready for a simple sword or ax, but a magic sword is something that he did not expect. 

He was already allied with the xenos, accepting their help and returning it in kind, and yet every time he encountered something that opposed the Imperial Truth, his first instinct was to reject it. 

But his logic would then remind him of the situation at hand, and he couldn't deny that a power sword, even a fake one with magic, would be a magnificent boon against the Daemons. And then there was his suspicion that Equestrian magic was feared by the Great Enemy, if so then this sword could prove their bane.

Aries took the weapon in his hand and tested it's balance with a few practice swings. 

"A switch hides itself in the lower jaw of the teeth, that will activate the magical field." Luna stated. 

Aries felt around the World Eaters icon, and sure enough the center of the lower jaw could be pressed inward. Aries did so and the blade was enveloped in a bright crimson power field. "Give me an opponent so I may bloody this weapon." Aries 'requested' of Luna. 

Taking no evident offense, Luna's horn began to glow. She closed her eyes and stilled for a moment. "...Ah, perhaps this shall suffice." Aries watched as Luna's body began to glow and change along with her voice.

Aries recognized the harmonizing voice before the glow faded, revealing an Eldar Farseer with midnight blue armor, a moonlight colored Wraithbone sword and Luna's cuite-mark in place of any craft world insignia.

"I would prefer if I did not have to hold back, did you not say that you could create images in the hundreds?" Aries complained, wishing to kill his enemies. "We can. But we can't die in the Dream Realm, so there is no reason for you to hold back, and we wish to experience your skill first hand." Luna said, twirling her sword as she struck a fighting pose. "If you insist." Aries said as he charged the Eldar.

He swung the blade towards her, but she ducked under it and rolled behind him. He turned and parried Luna's counterattack with authority, stunning her long enough to kick her in the chest. 

Luna rolled with the momentum and landed on her feet with her free hand crackling with energy.
HUZZAH!! Luna called out as she threw the spell towards Aries, who dodged to the side and started to charge, only to realize that Luna was already on top of him...and above him.

Aries parried her downward strike and grabbed her by the throat with his free hand before tossing her like a rag doll, charging in her direction before she even landed.

Luna threw another psychic blast at him. This time Aries tested the power field of his weapon by batting away the magic like a softball. Luna, expecting him to dodge again, wasn't prepared to intercept him. 

The Farseer brought it's blade up, but Aries knocked it aside with the same blow that saw her head flying from her shoulders. 

The Eldar disappeared in dark blue smoke. Aries followed the sound of a rapid heartbeat to Luna, who was back to normal but shocked still. 

"I warned you." Aries said unapologetically. He expected her to show some anger at his harsh version of sparring, or regret to ignoring his warnings, either of which would've been followed with resignation as she realized that his aggressive approach would prove necessary, if not inadequate, against the Daemons...He did NOT expect her to smile and then start laughing.

"AH HAHAHAHAHA!! SO YOU DID! WELL FOUGHT WORLD EATER! WE HAVE NOT FELT A RUSH LIKE THAT IN CENTURIES!" Luna stated absolutely giddy in the afterglow of their duel. 

"Hm, I did not expect you to appreciate the thrill of combat." Aries stated.

Luna stopped smiling as her blue cheeks turned red. "Oh uh..w-well do not tell our sister of this but...these years of peace, they are a bit..." Luna paused, knowing the word for it, but thinking it too harsh and searching for a softer one. 

"Boring." Aries answered for her. Luna was shocked to hear it, not because she wasn't thinking it, but because realizing what it sounded like gave her a rather unappealing image of herself, causing her to hang her head in shame.

"Yes, boring...We fought hard for the life we enjoy, against Discord, against King Sombra, against the Changeling King Chitin who is only remembered through his daughter Chrysalis. But, as the war for harmony crawled to a halt. We, who saw to the defeat and disarmament of our foes while our sister saw to the reassurance and relief of our people, became less and less appreciated. More so when there was less nightmares throughout the land... On one of the few that I delt with, the nightmare was resolved prior to my intervention by a figment of the dreamer's imagination, my sister, keeping them safe." Luna lamented.

"You felt unnecessary. That you no longer had a purpose." Aries summarized.

Luna nodded. "In the end, this led to...a rather unfortunate chapter in my life." 

Aries had a thought. "Twilight Sparkle informed me that you possess known as the 'Elements of Harmony' and that among their feats is turning an alicorn from madness."

Luna's face said it all: shock and fear, followed by shame. "My sister and I had an argument about my standing...shortly after, I began to hear voices. Looking back on it now, it isn't unlike what you described, it is possible that I fell prey to Demons from that dimension." 

"And the Elements cleansed you, no wonder they want this world to burn." Aries stated. 

"Do you think such could be done for your brothers?" Luna asked.

Aries seized, Luna's words implanting the first thought that it was possible that their betrayal may not have been theirs at all. His astartes mind running over a hundred scenarios and weighing every pro and con, before coming to a solution. "If we did, they would demand their own deaths."

Luna didn't seem surprised. "I thought the same thing once. I created a personal nightmare for myself to punish me everytime I slept... I guess that they wouldn't forgive themselves overtime?" 

"I don't know what you did while under their thrall, but my brothers killed their own, violated their oaths, and I have no idea how many they've butchered across the stars since then. No, they won't forgive themselves, and even if they did, I couldn't, not after what they've done. I would only request of you to cleanse them so that they could die with honor." Aries concluded.

"I see." Luna lowered her head once more, grateful now more than ever of how short lived her reign of terror had been.

"I must go, there are other dreamers to watch over, enjoy yourself." Luna said, her horn glowing.

WAAAGH!

Aries turned to the ork horde with a concealed smile on his helmeted head, charging into battle as Luna left him to his dream.
> Bonus Chapter:Chaotic Whispers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Aries and Luna conversed in the World Eater's dream, the forces of Chaos struck.

Having successfully deceived the younger princess into believing that they could only enter through the mind of the astartes, they now had a golden opportunity to sink their claws into Equestrian souls. 

A small number of weaker Daemons who were subtle enough to not draw Luna's attention emerged from the Warp and made their way to the dreams of their respective victims.

Elsewhere 

DJPON3 was getting down as well in her sleep as she does awake. The music was booming, the ponies were dancing, everything was right. 

But then, a cacophonous noise thundered through the audience and several fell dead while others fell deafened.

DJ herself was struck by the blast directly hearing the noise through not only the music she played for the audience, but her headphones as well. 

She looked lowered her sunglasses to show her death glare to whoever disturbed her dream, she knew that the ponies killed weren't real, but it was still messed up. 

Her gaze brought her to a bizarre bipedal monkey-crab-thing that looked male and female at the same time with a guitar in it's arms, a clawed hand on the neck and a pincer ready to strum the strings. 

The instrument itself was a dark, almost black, purple with monstrous faces howling in agony and longing. 

The creature smiled at the Equestrian music maestro, the message was loud and clear. 

DJPON3 put her sunglasses back in place and returned the smile. Challenge accepted. 

Elsewhere 

Twilight Sparkle just couldn't get it out of her mind, she still knew so little about the situation at hand.

Sunset may have helped her out, and promised to send her books about the Imperium and the World Eaters, but for now she simply had more questions than answers. 

Even in her dreams, she frantically tore through book after book, searching for more information, more facts...more knowledge. 

A heavy thud spooked the youngest alicorn into the air. She turned to the sound and saw a large tome with the symbol of the World Eaters upon it. 

Twilight landed in front of the great tome, as large as she was, and turned the cover.

Dust flew from the book, causing a coughing fit. Twilight may enjoy the smell of a fresh library book, but ancient tome dust was a little strong for her. 

Get on my level scrub. 

Twilight shot up and turned this way and that, searching for the source of the voice but not finding it.

Elsewhere

These Daemons and more planted their horrible seeds of temptation, but they knew that their window would not allow them to truly corrupt Equestrians before Luna returned and learned of their attempts...attempts which were diversions, for one Daemon of each Power went beyond Luna's domain, into the dreams of those that she does not protect.
> Chapter Twelve:Planetary Defense Force
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries examined the blade carefully, seeking impurities in it's design...Truly the Mechanicum would glass this world out of jealousy if they knew it's populace was capable of producing such fine weapons with their magic. 

A touch to the activation rune bathed the weapon in a crimson glow. He had argued against testing the weapon against a suit of Royal Guard armor, since he could kill it's wearer with a blunt stick, and instead made ready to slice through a pony shaped mannequin made entirely out of steel. 

With deliberate gentleness, Aries moved the blade slowly towards the mannequin. The steel melted at the touch of the power field, allowing the sword to pass through without resistance.

"HUZZAH!" Luna shouted excitedly as she and the royal blacksmith observed the successful test. "A weapon worthy of a warrior of your caliber, is it not?" 

"...Yes, a fine weapon indeed." Aries said, still wishing for an imperial weapon, but grateful that he was armed.

"Any ideas for a name?" The smith asked.

Aries deactivated the weapon and examined it again. It was crafted as a World Eater's weapon, but he did not wish to name a xenos blade in honor of his battle brothers, and he wouldn't stain it with a name from his treacherous father's ideals...so he named it for it's intent. "Warp Eater." 

"Warp Eater it is, I hope she serves you well sir." The smith said, removing his hat and bowing to the astartes. "I'll fetch the sheath for you." 

"There is no need." Aries said. Before the smith could reply, the space marine mag-locked the sword to his thigh. 

"Huh, that's handy. Guess I'll keep the sheath for myself as a reminder, ain't everyday you make a magic sword after all." The smith stated to himself.

"Thank you for your part in the coming conflict Forge Fire. We pray these weapons never taste blood, but trust that they will save more lives than they end." Luna stated. 

"That's my hope princess. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta get started on the others." With that, Forge Fire took his leave. As did the princess and the World Eater, who at long last would meet the Planetary Defense Force. 

Elsewhere 

The training grounds where the Royal Guard do voluntary exercises with weapons and martial arts had never seen more activity in a thousand years than it did today. 

Along with Buck Wild and Spitfire, Aries counted three ponies that he hadn't met...and one that he had.

"So, do you have your ticket?" Aries jibed at One-Way Express. 

"As a matter of fact, I do...sir." The unicorn said, levitating a recruitment flyer for Aries to read. (Where did it come from?) 

"Hmph, so you do...we'll see if you have the requirements before the day is done." Aries promised. 

Aries turned away from the unicorn and headed to a pony he didn't recognize, but halted at the sound of buzzing. Turning to the sound revealed Pharynx. "I'm not late, am I?"

"No, we're still waiting for others to arrive, hopefully." Answered Luna while Aries made his way over to them. 

At this, Pharynx grimaced. "Well, you can stop waiting on more Changelings. I couldn't get a single other Changeling to volunteer."

"I can't say I'm surprised. From what I've learned of your kind, you are a wolf amongst sheep." Aries stated. 

Pharynx sighed. "I want to be mad at you disrespecting my people like that, but you're right." 

The conversation was interrupted by wing flaps, given off by a half dozen dragons and a trio of griffins. 

A griffin, who is recognized as Gilda, was the first to report. "Sorry, but these are the only griffins who care enough to try and enlist, there were a few others, but they're far too young."

"Fine then, it'll have to do." Aries said, disappointed, but again, unsurprised. 

Gilda returned home while Ember made her report. "I managed to convince these five knuckleheads to chip in for the privilege of keeping anything worth pillaging off the demons."

"With their addition, we have fourteen volunteers...a good start I suppose, but it won't be enough." Aries stated. 

"Oh, I wouldn't sell them short big guy." Before Aries could reply, Ember grabbed him by the hips and, to his surprise, lifted him off the ground, power armor and all. 

"...Put. Me. Down." Aries demanded. 

Ember did so. And just in time for the doors to open and accommodate the only strictly non-flying species of Equestria's allies. 

Prince Rutherford walked ahead of ten yaks, jumping their numbers up to 24. 

"Yaks come to fight demons until demons are gone. These elite yaks train under World Eater while rest of yaks train at Yakyakistan with each other." Prince Rutherford reported, his elite yaks giving an authoritative stomp in silent agreement. 

"Heh, excellent. You've done well Prince Rutherford." Aries stated while Luna spoke some last words with Ember who then headed home. 

"Of course yaks did best, yaks are best at war." Rutherford responded arrogantly. 

"I have to disagree with that, but your forces will have their chance to prove themselves in training." Aries replied. 

Prince Rutherford snorted, but said nothing more as he turned and left.

When the doors closed behind him, the yaks disbanded their formation and started mingling with the other aliens as more wingflaps brought forth seven hippogryphs.

"You must be Aries. Commander Sky Beak reporting." The lead hippogryph said with a salute, bringing his taloned forelimb to his forehead. 

Aries responded by slamming his fist to his chest. "Well met Commander, will you be joining us or are you just here to present the volunteers?"

"The latter I'm afraid. Queen Novo needs me whipping the rest of our military into fighting shape. These boys are just here to show Equestria that we stand with them, even if the fighting gets so bad that we cannot send further reinforcements." 

"Understood, inform your queen that her contribution makes 30...to the first response." Aries spoke loud and clear. It was a start, but it wasn't enough. And Sky Beak knew it too. 

"I...I see. She will be informed sir." And with that, Sky Beak departed. 

A few more charitable minutes later confirmed that there would be no further recruits today. And so it began.

Luna stood back to observe. "INTO FORMATION!!" Shouted Aries. 

World Eaters are not the most uniform legion of the astartes, but even Aries visibly cringed at the embarrassing display before him.

The yaks, the hippogryphs, Spitfire, and Pharynx did well. But the griffins, the dragons, Buck Wild, One-Way Express, and the yet unnamed ponies took a total of 30 seconds to fall into formation with the more uniformed recruits falling out to point them in the right direction...if not lead them there. 

Aries brushed it aside, he was neither of the Ultramarines, or The Emperor's Children. These xenos were here to kill Daemons, not look good doing it...but it was really bad. 
"You're purpose is to fight and kill an enemy that has no interest in mercy. Not in receiving it, certainly not in showing it." Aries began. To which the more militant volunteers responded with: "SIR YES SIR!" Some of the more civilian volunteers echoing it after. 

"To that end, there will no formation drills, no uniforms save the armor and weapons being built for you, and no necessity for proper procedure." Aries continued.

"SIR Yes si-" The reply died down when the more civilian volunteers realized that the militant ones just nodded in understanding. 

"You are here for one purpose...To learn how to fight." At this, several volunteers started getting confident. Others mentally prepared themselves...and one of the unnamed ponies raised a hoof. "May I be excused?"

This resulted in laughter from the dragons and the griffins...they didn't laugh for long.

A black glow enveloped everycreature laughing before they were lifted into the air, slammed together, and slammed onto the ground. "CAN IT YOU KNUCKLEHEADS!!" 

Aries observed the unicorn that launched the attack and saw that she looked almost exactly like the one who wished to leave. 

"Come here, both of you." Aries said to the aforementioned unicorns. They both cringed but came forward expecting to be in trouble.

Aries examined them. The timid one had a yellow coat, blue eyes and a black mane and tail that was long and smooth. 

The other had a black coat, red eyes, and a yellow mane and tail of the same length, but stood up in spots, giving it a 'spikey' look. 

And both ponies had a black and yellow insect as their cutie-mark, The former's being herbivorous and the latter's being carnivorous. 

The two unicorns came to stand before Aries and the more confident one bowed her head. "I'm sorry sir, I just couldn't stand to let those jerks laugh at my sister like that. It's not her fault." 

Aries tilted his head. "Isn't it? She signed up, she came to fight, and she lost her nerve. How is it not her fault?" 

"Because I begged her to come with me, and promised that it would be fun." The unicorn replied.

"Fun? you are going to be fighting for your very right to live, the enemy will stop at nothing to kill you...and you thought she would have fun?" Aries pointed at the more timid unicorn to emphasize his point. 

"Well...I thought that there would be other jobs. Ya know like, I'm a fighter and she's a healer, that kinda thing." The pony replied. 

"There will be, and the enemy will try to kill them so they can't heal you anymore, which is why you will all be fighters first and foremost." Aries replied. 

"...Ooohhh, sorry sis." The unicorn replied. "It's okay." The other replied. 

"HEY PONY!!" The group turned to see that the dragons and griffins had recovered and were looking for payback. 

"WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! CALM DOWN EVERYCREATURE! LET'S LET ARIES HANDLE IT!!" Shouted the last unnamed pony, trying to diffuse the situation.

The lead dragon was about to retort when- "No, let them fight." 

Everycreature, including Luna, turned to look at Aries. "What did you say?" Asked the younger princess. 

"This is the sort of training I had in mind. So yes, let them fight." Aries replied.

"Uh, isn't that a bit much for one pony." Pharynx chimed in. Not liking the odds of a single unicorn against seven creatures that were larger, more aggressive, and pissed off. 

"If everyone here attacked her at once, myself and the princess included, it still wouldn't convey how hopelessly outnumbered we'll be, you must all learn to be an army in your own right." Aries explained. 

The more militant creatures suddenly got nervous. The last pony, a pegasus, taking flight without even bothering to ask. But the dragons and griffins were either unfazed or just didn't pay attention as they started advancing. 

"...hmph. Fine, you idiots want a fight that bad, I'll give you one." The unicorn rolled her neck and trotted to meet them. 

"FIGHT!" Shouted Aries, compelling the more aggressive creatures to charge.

The unicorn teleported behind them as they leaped into a dog-pile. 
She gathered energy into her horn and blasted the whole group, causing to fly everywhere. 
A dragon recovered in midair and shot a fireball at her opponent.
The unicorn threw up a shield just in time to deflect it, but the blast concealed the dragon so the pony didn't realize that she was charging. 
The dragon smashed into the shield like a wrecking ball, shattering it like glass and knocking the pony to the ground. 
The unicorn tried to get up, but one of the griffins pinned her down with his talons. 
The dragon advanced, cracking her knuckles and laughing arrogantly.
She pulled her fist back. 
The unicorn gritted her teeth.
The blow came down. 

SMACK


The unicorn opened her eyes in shock and saw Spitfire hovering over her. The dragon out cold. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO FAIL ME, THEN FINE! BUT I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO WATCH A PONY GET MAULED!!" She shouted at Aries, who had done nothing to stop this. 

"You make it sound she has to fight alone...I was wondering when the rest of you would start training." Aries replied. 

Spitfire blinked in shock, completely caught off guard. 
She only came to her senses when the other dragons and griffin, who had finally recovered, ambushed her.
Their victory was short-lived, as everycreature watching decided to involve themselves in the melee, turning the tide. 

Aries watched on, unsurprised though still disappointed when two dragons and one griffin cried out about 'fairness'. He would see them gone when training was over for the day. 

"...Are you still here?" Aries asked to the timid unicorn who was watching the spectacle beside him. 
She jumped at his voice being directed at her and hesitantly answered. "S-sorry sir, I..I just..." 

"I have no interest in your excuses. Either leave or participate. I don't care which, but if you stay, you are committed. I won't let you back out again." Aries stated. 

The unicorn hesitated, turning from the battle to the exit and back again before finally screaming out. "I'M COMING JACK!!" And throwing herself into the melee in a berserker's frenzy. 

Luna walked up to stand next to Aries. "Who are those two?" Asked the World Eater. 

"A pair of twins who are attending my sister's school for gifted unicorns: Yellow Jacket and Honey Bee." The princess replied. 

Aries turned back to the brawl and saw the two sisters standing tall, each using an unconscious dragon as a club. "Hmph, well if nothing else, this will be amusing." 

And so the training began...
> Chapter Thirteen: Chaos Stirs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the newly formed Planetary Defense Force cut it's teeth under the World Eater's brutal training regimen. The fortunate few of the Daemons that slipped past Luna's watchful eyes the night before planted their seeds into four hearts already touched by madness. 


Khorne


It came to him again, the dreaded memory that haunted his every sleeping hour. That worthless puny pathetic excuse for a dragon holding the Bloodstone Scepter and claiming the title of Dragon Lord. Ordering him to humiliate himself as vengeance for putting the shrimp in his place. And then giving the Scepter to another dragon that was almost as puny and sappy as he was. 

He tried to ignore it. He tried to move on and forget about it. But he always found himself wondering what he could've done differently that would've let him win. 

This time however, the dream was different. He didn't see different ways he could've won. Instead, the dream was focused on those that defeated him. How they worked together, how one went for the scepter while the other distracted him. But most of all, how during the very first challenge, even though he forgot about it, he saw the so called Dragon Lord get knocked out of the sky and into the water below, only for that Pony Lover to save her life. She shouldn't be Dragon Lord, she should be dead. 

Indeed, the worthless failure should be. 

Garble's eyes snapped open. He wasn't in the dragon lands anymore, though the only difference was that his favorite lava pool was now a lake of blood... It was kinda cool. 

But that wasn't what held the juvenile dragon's attention, he instead was staring at the strange creature that sat atop a mountain of ape-like skulls. 

Garble hadn't seen anything like it. He almost mistook it for a dragon. But no, any dragon that big would already have it's wings, plus it's head was wrong, just barely. 

"W-who...no, WHAT are you?" Garble asked the creature. 

"I am...willing to help you." Claimed the creature. 

"Uh...okay, first off: dragons don't need help. And second: help with what exactly?" Garble inquired.

The creature smiled. "First off: you're right. Second off: Help you take what is rightfully yours from that fake dragon." 

Garble groaned. "As nice as that sounds, the fact is that Dragon Law clearly states that a Dragon Lord cannot be challenged until they've held the title for ten years. And even when that time runs out, I'm going to get the scepter on my own." 

The creature laughed at this. "And how do you plan to do that... when you're outnumbered." 

"What are talking about? There's only ever one Dragon Lord. All I have is get the scepter away from Ember, and that one is me." Garble claimed.

"And all she has to do to stop you is get her pony friends to interfere on her behalf. Even if other dragons wouldn't help her stop you from doing what you most certainly could, the ponies would never allow it, because they know what you'll do to them." The creature reasoned.

This gave Garble pause. Any other dragon would never ask for help defending what's theirs, but Ember wasn't any other dragon. She could ask for help, she's done it before. "Grrr, Well what am I supposed to do about it. Dragon Law doesn't say anything about asking for help."

"It shouldn't have to. It should go without saying that a Dragon Lord fights alone. Because real dragons don't have friends who fight for them and fake dragons shouldn't become Dragon Lords in the first place. That Scepter is yours by right, and the laws that you are raised to obey keep you from it, Dragon Law has failed the dragons, and now they listen to ponies." The creature explained.

Garble was taken aback. He was right, no Dragon Lord had asked for help before, nor had any dragon for that matter, that's why it wasn't written down. Not because it wasn't wrong, but because it was so wrong that no one had to say that it was wrong. 

"Well, what's in it for you. Or do you honestly think that I'm going to believe that you just wanna help me?" Garble challenged. 

The creature smirked. "I am no pony. In fact, I despise their kind more than you do. As for what I want, Equestria: destroyed. Do we have a deal?" 

Garble mirrored the creature's smirk "What's the plan?" 

"Plan? I don't deal in plans. I deal...in power." With this, the creature reached it's hand into the lake of blood and pulled out a double bladed ax forged from black steel and bearing demonic iconography. 

"Those killed with this weapon have their power added to the ax's wielder. If those weaklings in Equestria have proven anything, it's that there's strength in numbers, make that strength your own." The creature says as it hands Garble the ax. 

The minute he touches it, all of Garble's frustrations come to the forefront of his mind, amplified tenfold, and all he wants is to make those worthless pony loving weaklings pay for denying him his right...to kill the weak.


Tzeentch
 

Queen Chrysalis tossed and turned in her sleep, the mutiny of her hive replaying as she slept on the forest floor. Revenge. She must have revenge, but she needed a plan.

How fortunate, that's our specialty. 

Chrysalis awoke not in the Everfree forest, but in a realm that shifted and changed at a pace far greater than the changeling hive...she found it soothing to her eyes. 

The only reason she knew that she wasn't alone is because the creature that spoke to her shifted and changed in a different manner, as if on an opposite wavelength from the realm they both occupied. The only thing that didn't change about this creature was it's head, the head of a raven with ever changing feathers of different size and color. 

"You seek revenge on those who chose to give up the path of power for the sake of peace. My associates wish to see this world burn, would you care to deliver the final blow?" The creature inquired as if it even had to ask.

And so Chrysalis listened to this raven's omen of death, how four different attacks would be launched in conjunction. The attackers would only work together in terms of timing, and when the pieces fell into place, Chrysalis would know exactly how to personally thrust the knife into Equestria's warm caring heart. 


Slaanesh


Boredom, that's all he felt these days. His aunts always tried to teach him how they were making Equestria better with Friendship with barbarous dragons and uncultured yaks and those horrible changelings, but he just couldn't see it. 

The world would be so much better if those disturbing creatures would simply vanish, or at the very least, use what little they're good for to serve Equestria. Heh, maybe one of those changelings could be made into a proper mare. 

And why would you need an insect to do that? 

Prince Blueblood awoke not in his room but in a throne room that, unlike Celestia's, actually met his expectations. 

He made his way to the throne, the servants all stopping what they were doing to bow before him as he passed, all without faltering in their tasks. But he didn't notice this, it was expected of servants after all. No, he noticed her.

She was the most beautiful mare he had ever laid eyes on, even in spite of the goat-like horns flanking her normal horn, even in spite of one of her wings being bat-like, even in spite of one of her legs being covered in a dark purple exoskeleton, the rest of her...by Celestia, the rest of her, Blueblood had no words. 

"Oh, why hello my dear prince." The alicorn said with the most beautiful voice Blueblood had ever heard as she walked towards him. 

Blueblood extended a hoof, and the mare gladly kissed it with such passion that he could tell that she genuinely enjoyed it as much as he did.

"H-he-hi...wu-who are you?" The prince babbled, feeling very light headed. 

"I am Secret Keeper my lord, your servant...and your property." Secret Keeper all but whispered, making Blueblood's heart almost seize. 

"O-Oh...a-are you?" The prince said, delighted but fearful that his Aunt Luna could pop in at any time and speak of this to Celestia. 

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about her. She's too busy with that alien and the little army that they gave him." Secret Keeper reassured him. 

That managed to ruin Blueblood's good mood. His royal blood ensured a life of comfort, but he had little pull politically, and he didn't have any personal guards. 

But suddenly, this alien ape thing that proudly confessed to being a killing machine brings it's war to Equestria. And instead of throwing it in Tartarus where it belongs, they give it an army. And use an ancient Equestrian artifact to give him a nice sword.

"OH! Oh I am so sorry my lord, I didn't mean to remind you of the failings of your aunts." The alicorn said with a smile on it's face, a smile that went unnoticed as her words fed Blueblood's ego and self-importance to a level unheard of from the prince. 

"Oh, it's not your fault. It's theirs. But what can be done? They rule all of Equestria after all, and they refuse to listen to me." Blueblood ranted, his frustrations doubling with every word as he started to realize that their actions were even more absurd than he once thought.

"Oh, but they won't rule for long." The mare whispered into his ear as she started to stroke his chest with a hoof. 

"Wu...what do you mean?" Blueblood asked, excited by the thought of someone smarter being in charge, and also ecstatic for the mare's touch. "The being who gave me to you as a gift intends to dethrone your foolish aunts...and place you on Equestria's throne to rule as you wish." The alicorn said to the arrogant unicorn. 

"Oh really, well I can't wait for that. But how do you plan to pull that off?" Blueblood asked as he unconsciously pulled the mare closer to him so he could take in more of her alluring scent and the smoothness of her coat. 

"There are others seeking to conquer Equestria, but they will all be stopped by your aunts pupil and her friends...as will my master, if you let them." The thought of Twilight Sparkle's friends made Blueblood bitter, especially that worthless sow that humiliated him at the Grand Galloping Galla.

"How do I stop them?" Blueblood asked, too focused on his own arrogance to even hear his own words at this point.

"Easy my lord, the key to their power is their unity. Break them apart, isolate even one of them, and the rest are useless." The alicorn whispered into his ear as she stopped stroking his chest and wrapped her front legs around his neck.

"Oh, I know just the one." Blueblood chuckled to himself as he mirrored the mare's actions. The two of them standing on their hind legs and the mouths to each other ears.

"Yes, but that is for another time my lord. For now, enjoy your dreams." With these last words, the mare pulled her lips from Blueblood's ear and merged them with his own lips as they fell onto a bed that materialized out of nowhere. 


Nurgle


Of the four Daemons that escaped Luna's sight, the weakest was a lone Nurgling. The small beast-minded Daemon sought a sick despairing individual to give Nurgle's love, to make him forget fear and pain and accept his unchangeable fate. 

But there was no such creature among the ponies, nor among their allies, for all who were sick and ill were cared for kindly and those who couldn't be saved were made ascomfortable as possible until the end. 

The Nurgling thought it should return to the Grandfather, to tell him that this world was as kind as he and, dare he believe it, did not need his love. But that changed when he found them. 

Deep within the bowls of the Everfree Forest, forgotten and abandoned by their loved ones, were hundreds of ponies... infected with Swamp Fever. 

This dreaded disease was inflicted by a flower's pollen, and slowly turned the infected into the very trees that grew the flower, making them dangerous. But this did not register with the Nurgling, only the fact that the Equestrians left the infected all alone in these woods, left for dead when they were still very much alive...and oh so lonely.

The Nurgling could feel the despair of the infected, who live on as trees but cry out to be ponies once more, their cries unheard. 

This angered the small Daemon who immediately burrowed into the tree possessing the strongest soul that it could sense.

The Daemon merged with the soul, sacrificing it's will in order to give the pony it's animal like awarness. 

From the Nurgling's burrow in the tree emerged a unicorn. The Equestrian was in the final stage of Swamp Fever infection, with tree branches sprouting the deadly flower protruding from it's back, but it would never be a tree again, it was free. 

The unicorn leaped and whinnied with joy at it's new found freedom, and yearned to return to civilization, but not yet. It would never share the cruelty of those that abandoned him and do so to the others, and so he channeled magic from it's horn to the other trees. Broadcasting their unheard pleas to Grandfather Nurgle.
> Chapter Fourteen: Cutting Their Teeth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A week after it's founding saw the PDF standing 25 strong. New recruits came in daily and half their number were turned away just as quickly.

Among the chosen 25 Aries had singled out 6 individuals to begin squad training in order to motivate the others to do better. 

The team was lead by Pharynx, who quickly impressed the World Eater not only with his ability to shift into more dangerous forms that wielded greater strength and abilities than himself; (even an unarmored astartes) But also his strategic planning abilities. 

The team also consisted of Spitfire (assault unit), Buck Wild (melee specialist), Yellow Jacket and One-Way Express (heavy support), and Honey Bee. (apothecary, or medic as the ponies say) 

But even if they were progressing far better than Aries expected, (they were progressing at all) Aries felt that war would soon be upon them. For Luna has reported that Daemon attacks are growing more frequent, to the point that she now requires an apprentice to assist her, and requested for Aries to sleep daily so he can aid her as well. He had a better idea. 

To that end, Aries ordered the PDF to stay past their appointed hours and now prepared to brief them on their first mission. "I understand that I am only allowed to train over certain hours of the day, but this is not training. Tonight, we begin our first mission." 

Several creatures were confused by this, muttering to themselves about the implications, but only Honey Bee thought to raise her hoof and question Aries directly. "D-Does that mean that the Daemons have found a way into Equestria?" 

"No, not yet, but their assaults on the Dream Realm are growing too aggressive for Princess Luna to hold at bay. She has recruited an apprentice to assist her, but until that apprentice can stand on it's own she will only bring more work for the Princess. To that end, she requested my presence in the Dream Realm, and I am taking you with me." Aries stated. 

Some of the recruits got nervous at the thought, while others grew excited, but most stood ready for orders. "I have informed Princess Luna and her apprentice to meet us here after Luna 'raises the moon', we will await them. As you were." Aries concluded. 

The World Eater had been told about the Royal Sisters roles in Equestria, but he still refused to believe it even if he didn't care enough to disprove alien superstition. After all, the Imperial Truth made it clear that they were to be put to death for the crime of being 'born wrong' so who cares what they believe as long as they threaten Chaos. 

Such were the World Eater's thoughts as he looked at the setting sun... and saw it speed up. 

...what? 

Moments later saw the arrival of Luna and her new apprentice...who caused a few jaws to drop at just who it was. "Yes! Be amazed at my new, even greater and more powerful place in Equestria. For I, the Great and Powerful Trrrixie, shall be overseeing your dreams, and keeping the foul Daemons at bay." 

After getting over the shock, the ponies of the PDF groaned in annoyince. Aries concluded that he would not respect this xeno as much as he did Luna. 

Luna rolled her eyes at Trixie's antics as she stepped up to address the PDF. "Greetings brave volunteers. Equestria thanks for your service, as do my sister and I."

Luna paused to let her gratitude sink in before debriefing them. "As you all know, I have been keeping our newest enemies at bay as you sleep. Now, that task is too great for me to handle alone. And so, Aries decided to add to your training regimen."

A dragon raised it's hand. A nod from Luna gave him permission to speak. "This isn't going to keep us from sleeping, is it?" 

"No, While I am required to remain awake during my use of the spell that I use to appear in the Dream Realm, I can take you from your own dreams into the Dream Realm as you sleep. I only require that the Non Equestrians sleep here, as your countries are not within my effective range." The younger princess explained. 

The dragon sighed in relief that this wouldn't effect his beauty sleep while other creatures nodded at the logic for them needing to stay in Canterlot.

"Our mission will start as soon as Luna's spell renders us unconscious, so lay down and get ready for sleep." Aries concluded. 

The yaks hit the ground immediately along with Pharynx, the dragons and griffins did so lazily, and the hippogryphs and ponies hesitantly followed their example.

Aries was the last one down. As soon as he was in place, Luna emitted a midnight blue mist from her horn which effected the Equestrians and their allies immediately; as well as Aries after he removed his helmet which was filtering the mist. 

Luna smirked at the thump beside her that signaled that Trixie had been taken by effects of her magic as well. "Haa, you have much to learn young one." And with that, Luna's magic mist dissipated as she channeled her magic and projected herself into the Dream Realm. 

Elsewhere

Luna rounded up Aries and the recruits and began a second debriefing. "Alright everycreature, listen up. Aries has told us of the Daemons who serve Khorne, but it would appear that this is but one kind of enemy we face."

That got Aries' attention, as he hasn't yet heard of other Daemons. "There are three other types of Daemons, and where the servants of Khorne favor close quarters combat, these new ones prefer different methods. There are sickly ones who try to spread their plagues and diseases, vile temptresses who take the form we would find most appealing in an attempt to sway their victims into corruption, and ever changing mounds of flesh that breath magic fire that burns hotter than the flames of a dragon." Luna explained. 

The dragons took the claim about the latter Daemons as a challenge, while the griffins started pondering the forms of the temptresses. To which the yaks concluded that they would be the ones to deal with such Daemons. Other than that, everycreature just stood waiting for orders. 

"First Squad, you will lead the PDF in defensive maneuvers. I, Princess Luna and her apprentice will destroy the enemy and you will intercept any who get past us. They do NOT let them enter a dream." Aries ordered.

"Yes sir." Stated Pharynx. The changeling turned from the World Eater and started issuing his own orders while Aries turned to Luna.

"In your experience, what is the best way to combat these 'other Daemons'?" Aries asked the alicorn.

"Well, as dangerous as the Bloodletters are in close combat, these others are the ones you want to keep at a distance, so to that end." Luna used her magic to construct an item from memory, one that caused Aries to visably react.

Aries hesitantly grabbed the Crusade pattern bolter, nostalgia clawing at his mind...along with memories of his brothers. 

It faded in an instant as he heard the screech of reality tearing itself apart and turned to see a warp colored tear in the Dream Realm. 

Daemons poured in by the hundreds, the fastest of which were the temptresses Luna spoke of, appearing as human women with horns and crab claws, followed closely by the bloodletters, the mounds of flesh, and finally, the plaguebearers. 

Aries, with decades of familiarity, switched his bolter to automatic fire and sprayed at the hip. Contrary to the appearance, this was not an amateur's tatic, but one so masterful that only the transhuman astartes could pull it off, and even they had to practice. 

Daemon after Daemon fell to the barrage of automatic fire, each one having been shot once. For Aries was so familiar with his weapon that he could switch from target to target without releasing the trigger, the rate of fire allowing him to shoot each target once and waste not one shot. 

He only stumbled when a 31st round chambered in the weapon, discharging the 31st round revealed a 32nd, continuous fire showed no end to the ammunition in the 30 round magazine...Luna's witchcraft no doubt. 

Speaking of which, the younger princess had not been idle during the initial assault. Aries occasionally noticed night colored energy beams that were nearly as accurate as his bolts...along with lavender colored ones that made orks look like snipers. 

Increasing panting from his side revealed the reason for Luna's sparing attacks. Trixie had worn herself out through repeative use of her magic. The fool. 

Luna had to switch to shielding the trio now because the mounds of flesh had closed in enough to spit balls of warp colored Daemon fire. 

The remaining Bloodletters had closed the gap, Luna vaporized one with a stronger energy blast, catching it's sword and transforming it as she did before. 

Aries followed her lead, mag-locking his bolter and drawing Warp Eater. "There's few enough to let Pharnyx handle them. push through to their fire support." 

Luna nodded in acknowledgement...Trixie was confused because it sounded like they were going to fight face to face instead of shooting them. 

"PHARYNX!! KILL THEM ALL!!" Aries shouted as he engaged Warp Eater's power field and charged.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!!" Luna shouted as she followed the World Eater's lead...Trixie was just staring at them like they had been possessed by Bloodletters. 

Aries cut down any Bloodletter that dared stand in his way and dodged every fireball that the mounds of flesh threw at him... until they threw three of them at him at once, and Bloodletters charged from every possible escape route. 

The space marine's transhuman mind ran the numbers. Should he attempt to cut down a Bloodletter and dodge? Would he have enough time? Should he attempt to brave the warp fire? Would his armor endure it?

In a rare occurrence, the incoming attacks were too fast for Aries to think of a counter strategy. But tactical marine or not, Aries was still a World Eater, and the absence of logic is always filled with instinct. 

Aries swung Warp Eater in front of him to cut the fireballs in half. He wasn't sure what would happen, and was fairly sure that this was a bad idea. But Warp Eater was a magic sword, not a power sword, and the Alicorn Amulet reacted to the warp fire, absorbing their energy and further empowering it's crimson power field. 

Aries was surprised by this, but put it at the back of his mind for now. Slashing the charging Bloodletters and taking notice of the fact that the field now burned them. 

The mounds of flesh were getting less accurate as they grew more desperate to stop Aries' advance. Warp Eater absorbing the warp fire and turning it against the Bloodletters and the temptresses who tried to intercept him. 

The closest mound of flesh turned around and attempted to flee...only to find a crimson glowing blade shoved through it's body. Aries pulled his blade up, splitting the Daemon's head in half and enveloping it in it's own flames, and brought it down on the next. Slaughtering the mounds of flesh without mercy, or restraint.

With the last of them down, Aries turned to the final wave of attackers: the plaguebearers. 

They varied in size from waddling creatures the size of an astartes helmet to humanoid creatures in varying states of decay. 

Aries advanced, but stopped when he realized that he could taste their filth through his filter. 

Deactivating Warp Eater, Aries made an offensive withdrawal. Drawing his bolter and firing on the warpspawn from a safe distance.

They didn't fall. Perfect headshots meant nothing to them. They didn't even seem to feel it. 

Suddenly, night colored flames enveloped the undying Daemons. They continued to advance until their legs burned off.

"A troublesome bunch to be sure." Luna said as she trotted over to Aries, smoke coming from her horn.

"Indeed. Perhaps incendiary rounds will fare better next time." Aries commented. 

Luna was about to inquire about the topic...when the warp portal grew larger. 

Aries aimed his bolter into the portal as Luna channeled her magic. But an echoing roar chilled his blood. 

"Fall back. FALL BACK!" Luna was about to question Aries when he scooped the alicorn into his free arm and made a tactical withdrawal to the PDF at full speed. 

"PHARYNX!! DEFENSE PROCEDURE: DAVID!!" Aries shouted as he ran. Pharynx recognized the name as a legendary hero from an ancient myth from Aries' home. Defense Procedure: David was drilled into the PDF in the event of a giant enemy Aries called Bloodthirsters. And he described them as having beaten him without effort every time he encountered them. 

The PDF had fortunately finished off the last of the Daemons, and everycreature recognized the order. Pharynx didn't even need to tell them to take their positions. 

Aries caught up to them and dropped Luna with all the grace afforded to a sack of potatoes, turning swiftly to aim his bolter at the portal.

Luna shook herself off and was about to demand an explanation from the World Eater...and that's when she saw it.

The portal had to be fifty feet tall, and yet this Daemon had to lower it's horned head as it stepped through. This thing was MASSIVE, and wielded a sword the length of a train car and a mace that ended in a spiked ball the size of a roc egg. 

The Bloodthirster fully emerged from the portal and roared it's challenge. Luna knew the roar would be heard by dreamers and affect their dreams, but first she had to deal with this THING! 

"LUNA! CONSTRUCT A STORM CLOUD! ONE-WAY! JACKET! PREPARE TO FIRE!" Aries ordered as he aimed at the monster's head. Yellow Jacket, One-Way Express, and even Honey Bee channeled their magic, the latter looking ready to run at any moment. 

Luna followed Aries' instructions, though her reserves were running low...and Trixie had fainted as soon as she saw the Bloodthirster. 

The Bloodthirster roared once more and broke into a run. "FIRE!!" Aries shouted. Yellow and black colored energy beams smashed into the raging Daemon as bolts exploded on it's hide. 

The beast didn't slow down at all, but the fact that they were aiming at it's eyes effectively blinded it. 

Luna finished the storm cloud, and added as much extra voltage as she could. It effectively put her out of the fight, but she trusted the World Eater to know what he was doing. 

Her faith was reassured when Spitfire grabbed the cloud, giving Princess Luna a swift salute before flying towards the colossal Daemon with Pharynx at her side.

"CEASE FIRE ON MY MARK!! Aries called out as the flyers neared their prey. Pharynx transforming into a large insect  with half the height of the Bloodthirster and equal bulk. 

"MARK!" Aries shouted. 

The barrage blinding the Bloodthirster ceased, allowing the beast just enough time to realize something big was heading straight for him. 

Pharynx smashed into the Daemon with the force of a freight train, knocking it's sword from it's grip and pinning him to the ground, his extra limbs keeping it's arms and legs out of the fight.

Spitfire was right behind the changeling. She placed the super charged storm cloud upon the Bloodthirster's head, turned, and bucked.

The lightning stored within the cloud erupted violently again and again with every buck. Earth shattering roars of rage and pain came from the Bloodthirster as it tried to swat the former Wonderbolt with it's horns. 

Aries wasted no time. The moment he saw the monster go down, he ordered a charge. Now he had closed the gap and was cutting the fingers that still gripped the massive mace. 

The rest of the PDF did what they could. Any part of the Daemon that wasn't consequently protected by Pharynx was being assaulted by unicorn magic, yak horns, griffin/hippogryph talons, and dragon fire. 

Even Buck Wild contributed what he could, joining Aries in attacking the joints of the Daemon's armed hand. This only agitated the Bloodthirster, causing it to thrash around more violently. 

Pharynx could feel his grip weakening, and only grew more uncomfortable when the storm cloud turned white, it's lightning spent. 

Seeking to end this fight, Pharynx transformed into an equally large scorpion. He remained as rooted as he was, but now had pincers and a stinger to add his own contributions to the assault. 

Pharynx used his pincers and started strangling the Daemon, burning blood staining his chitin. 

Pharynx gritted his teeth through the pain and pulled back his stinger. Unfortunately, the Bloodthirster wasn't blind for this attack, and when the stinger came at it, it swiftly opened and closed it's jaws. 

Pharynx cried out in pain as bright green ichor flowed into the Bloodthirster's maw. The pain was so great that Pharynx's hold weakened, and the Daemon capitalized. 

The Bloodthirster heaved on one side and flipped itself and Pharynx over. It rose to it's hooves and roared it's declaration of vengeance as it brought it's mace up, the damage caused by Aries and Buck Wild proving insufficient. 

As the mace came down, Pharynx changed back to his true form and flew off, the Bloodthirster narrowly missing it's mark. 

As it turned to give chase, Spitfire zoomed in, turning in mid-flight, and kicked off it's eye, disappearing behind it's blind spot before it could retaliate.

On it's other side, three dragons came up and breathed fire in it's face...it was ineffective. 

The Bloodthirster turned and breathed it's own fire, the warp flames melting the dragons' normally fireproof scales and incinerating their very souls. 

The PDF on the ground seized up, shocked by what they just witnessed, having never seen such horror before. 

Their hesitation would cost them. The Bloodthirster turned to them with it's mace up and swung across their ranks, cutting a swath through them. 

The Bloodthirster prepared for a second blow. But was shot in the face by a burst of bolter fire. 

Tracing the bolter fire's point of orgin led the monster to Aries. Who held his bolter in one hand and Warp Eater in the other. 

...He had failed...Equestria would die...But he would die first, defying the Daemon with his last breath. 

He knew that there was a reason these monsters seeked Equestria's blood. And though he had some doubts, he chose to believe that it was because they could've been a threat to the Ruinous Powers. 

Powers. Hmph, it occurs to him now that Khorne was but one of these powers. He knew little about the Great Enemy, but for what was whispered to him by hateful Daemons.

But it didn't matter. It was over now, he would return to immaterium. Equestria would burn. And Khorne's followers would rub it in his face...Istvaan 3 all over again. 

And so it would continue, until the next time they gave him an opportunity to strike back. Until then, he would fight as he always had... 

"FOR THE EMPEROR!!!" Aries declared his allegiance as he faced his death yet again, charging the Bloodthirster as it's mace rose...and fell. 

Aries was taken completely by surprise when the Daemon's mace missed him by several feet, turning back to the beast revealed why. 

Pharynx, in the form of a black Bloodthirster, had rammed the beast's forgotten sword through it's back. 

The true Bloodthirster grabbed the blade piercing out of it's chest so it couldn't be pulled out. Pharynx didn't mind.

The changeling brought one of his hooves between the Bloodthirster's and kicked one out as he pushed on the sword. Forcing the beast to the ground. 

Pharynx drove the sword deeper into the ground until he was sure the Daemon wasn't getting up for a while. Then he stomped on it's arm carrying the mace before claiming the mace himself. 

Pharynx brought the Daemon's weapon over his head and slammed it down, crushing the Daemon's skull. 

Leaving the mace where it fell, Pharynx returned to his true form and flew over to Aries. "I guess the best way to beat those things...is another one." 

Aries was absolutely lost for words. He had no idea that Pharynx was that powerful. "...Normally, I would forbid you to take on their likeness...but after seeing that, you have my approval." 

The two warriors shared a smile, even if one of them hid it in a helmet, as they regrouped with the others. 

Luna met them with a mournful look. "Honey Bee and I saved what we could...but the PDF lost eleven members today." 

"Eleven?" Aries said in unconcealed shock.

"Yes, a grave cost indeed." Luna said sadly...to which Aries threw his head back and laughed. 

Luna couldn't keep her wings from straightening at the sudden outburst from possibly the most humorless creature she had ever met, and at something so morbid. 

"A-ARIES! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!" Luna shouted as a few offended PDF members moved closer to listen. 

Aries exhaled calmly and straightened himself. "I had every belief that we were going to die. Since I've arrived, I've only followed the most likely path to victory, knowing that it was the longest road to defeat. I trained the PDF to cause the most damage to the enemy and leave them scars to remember us by. I never thought we had a chance...until today." 

Aries turned to Pharynx. "I don't care if you to drag them to me in chains. Get. Me. More. Changelings. And the rest of you: learn from this. Tell your people what to expect. For there will be more of these bastards...there will always be more."

The thought was mortifying. The ponies and hippogryphs, along with a griffin and two yaks, visibly shuddered...But Pharynx stood ready, and so did most of the yaks and the last dragon. 

Aries grinned beneath his helmet. For the first time in ten millennia, he had a fighting chance. This was the thought on his mind...when he suddenly became light headed and collasped.
> Chapter Fifteen: Equestria Revealed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"ARIES! ARIES!" Luna called out to him again and again. After the World Eater collasped, she had returned herself and the PDF to the waking world. 

Nothing changed. Aries remained unconscious...and those few who believed their fallen comrades would be waiting for them when they woke up despaired anew. 

"TRIXIE! GET OVER HERE AND HELP ME!" Luna's new apprentice was still trying to wrap her head over what had happened, she only awoke seconds ago.

"AH! C-C-COMING!!" She shouted as she made all due haste to the younger princess' side. 

"I don't know what's wrong with him, and he's not waking up. Help me remove his helmet." Luna ordered. Trixie was about to ask questions, but a single glare from Luna got her working. 

Their magic enveloped the helmet. Feeling it out, learning how it functioned. Then, a hiss of depressurized air signaled it's removal. 

Trixie screamed in terror when she saw the marine's face, and Luna silently shared her expression. Aries was covered in swelling boils filled to busting with puss, his skin had paled to a sickly green, and his long healed scar was now open and infected. 

Luna channeled her magic in an attempt to heal him, but nothing happened. And as she tried in vain to help him, his condition grew worse. 

New boils appeared, and the largest ones busted open violently, sending Trixie running and Luna backpedaling.

With no time to lose, Luna lunged towards Aries and quickly teleported to the one thing that could save him. Praying that she would be allowed to use them one last time. 


Elsewhere 


A flash of midnight blue energy signaled their arrival.

Luna looked up from Aries, to the items that had saved her soul from damnation, that she had once wielded beside her sister when Equestria needed them as much as it now needs Aries: The Elements of Harmony. 

Looking upon the Tree of Harmony brought back old memories, but also a sense of dread. 

She hadn't seen the Elements since the day of her defeat as Nightmare Moon, and now that she stood before the Tree, she couldn't help but to feel as though she were a sinner upon holy ground. 

"...I'm sorry." Luna all but whispered as she walked to the Tree and bowed. "I know that I am no longer worthy...but Twilight and her friends won't make it in time. Please...I must save him." 

The Tree glowed, Luna heard a faint sound emanating from it, and the Elements removed themselves from their perches and floated towards Luna. 

"...Thank you." Luna said, a tear escaping her, as she took the Elements in her magic and turned back to Aries.

She started at the sight of the World Eater shaking in a seizure, blood and vomit leaking from his mouth. 

Gritting her teeth, Luna focused on the Elements. They did not work like her natural magic. She had to focus on how she personally embodied each Element: Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and Magic. 

Luna focused on her power over the moon and the Dream Realm, empowering Magic. 

She focused on the lessons she taught to the dreaming youth of Equestria, empowering Kindness. 

She focused on the times that she would play practical jokes on her sister, empowering Laughter.

She focused on the hasher lessons she had to teach to unruly foals, upsetting them in the process but helping them out in the long run, empowering Honesty. 

It is here that Luna faltered, for her thoughts of Loyalty and Generosity were now corrupt. 

Generosity is giving to others and expecting nothing in return, yet she had felt entitled to the same praise as Celestia, which led to her betraying her sister and becoming Nightmare Moon. It was a lack of Generosity that had led to a betrayal of Loyalty. 

As the previously activated Elements began to dim, Aries coughed out more of his own blood. Luna beheld the sight of this warrior from beyond the stars, this incarnation of death and destruction, laid so low in the defense of Equestria.

Luna had naught but fond memories of the World Eater, though she knew that his profession led to him calmly witnessing such death and carnage that she couldn't fathom it, she couldn't see him as anything more than a friend. 

Luna doubled, nay tripled her efforts. Focusing now on her determination not to let him die, empowering Loyalty. And her willingness to do whatever the Spirit of Harmony deems necessary to save him, empowering Generosity. 

The Elements were connected by a hexagon shaped beam of light, fully empowered and ready for use.

Luna focused on Aries as he is now and the mental image of Aries as he was and willed the Elements to make it so. 

A rainbow colored energy wave shot forth from the Elements and bathed the World Eater in their light. 


Elsewhere 


Aries pulled himself to his feet, swaying dizzily as the sickness that suddenly struck him just as suddenly vanished. 

He realized that when he tasted the filth of the rotting Daemons that he truly did contract their diseases as he feared. 

"The servants of Nurgle are quite dangerous if you're too close."

Aries turned, searching for the source of the psychic voice he heard within his head. It is only now that he realizes that he is within a white void, unarmed and without a helmet.

"Don't be alarmed Aries, I simply thought that it was time for you to understand what is truly happening."

The voice said as it appeared to Aries in the form of Luna surrounded by a white glow. 

"Identify yourself." Aries demanded. 

The aberration held his gaze without fear. "I do not have a single name, but the one most commonly used by the Equestrians is The Spirit of Harmony." 

"So, You're the Guardian Diety Twilight spoke of. What do you want from me?" Aries 'asked'.

"As I said, I wish to tell you what is truly happening. Why the Ruinous Powers seek my destruction." The spirit answered.

"...Nurgle, I am unfamiliar with that name. Is it the Dark God associated with the rotting Daemons?" Aries asked, wondering just how much information he could gather from this being. 

"Yes, Nurgle is the Dark God of Death, Decay, and Renewal. He is the most deranged of the Four, believing that he is helping the people he infects."  The spirit stated. 

This information only made Aries more untrusting of the spirit. "How do you know that...False God." 

The spirit smiled knowingly. "Because I am no more false than they are." 

Aries put the pieces together. The sun and moon. The surplus of psykers. "...This isn't a xenos world, is it."

The spirit's smile faded, replaced by a look of grief. "...It was, ten thousand years ago, but that was before the birth of Slaanesh, the youngest of the Four. Her birth was so violent that it tore a permanent hole between the Materium and the Immaterium, swallowing hundreds of worlds. I could only save one, and yet I still hear the cries of the others." 

Aries spared a nanosecond to shudder at the thought. Aliens may have no place in mankind's galaxy, but only traitors deserved the horrors of the Warp.

The next nanosecond was spent asking a more important question. "So what is your relation to the Four?"

 "The Four are born from mortal emotion. Nurgle is Fear. Khorne is Hatred. Tzeentch is Ambition. And Slaanesh is Desire. But these are only their core emotions, they experience more. I am the emotions that they reject." The spirit explained. 

"So you're to them what they are to us?" Aries asked.

 "Yes and no. The emotions that they reject came from mortals as well, so I am to you what they are. As well as being to them what they are to you." The spirit clarified. 

"So they want to destroy you for the same reasons that I wish to destroy them." Aries summarized.

"Yes." The spirit answered. 

"...Then the ponies...they are not xenos...they're Daemons." Aries said. 

"Do you even know what a Daemon is?" The spirit challenged. 

"...Only of Khorne's." Aries answered. 

"Daemons are manifestations of their Patron God's will, similar to mortal blood cells. You are correct to assume that they're Daemons, but they are my Daemons, which means they derive their personalities directly from me." The spirit explained. 

Aries pondered the thought, the Equestrians were peace praising people who literally worshipped friendship. But if they were Daemons, how could he trust them. 

Suddenly, realization struck him. He had been trusting them, xenos, far more readily than he ever should have. He started looking for reasons, he had assumed that it was confidence in his ability to destroy them if he needed to, but now he thought of a Bloodletter who happily descibed how he was able to turn a Salamander to Chaos because his very presence induced rage. In that same manner, the Equestrians induced trust, but did that make them more trustworthy, or less? 

"We are not trying to manipulate you Aries. You are free to make your own decisions." The spirit said. 

"...What are you? If the Dark Gods are fear, hate, ambition, and desire, then what are you?" Aries asked.

"You wish to know if I represent some form of heresy. Very well, discover my Elements for yourself." As the spirit spoke, it disappeared in a flash of light. In it's place was a tree made of crystal, with six colored jewels on the ground between them.

"Inspect them, if you find them wanting, then destroy them. If not, then return them to their rightful place." The spirt's voice came from the tree. 

Aries moved closer to the jewels, now realizing that they took the shape of Twilight Sparkle's group's Cutie-Marks, meaning that these must be the Elements that she spoke of. 

Aries lowered his hand and grabbed one, the one that looked like Twilight's Cutie-Mark. 

He felt a faint dizziness and saw a vision. It was Jerrik, the Librarian that he was proud to call friend, using his psychic powers to duel a Drukari witch. 

The Nikea incident may have forbade this, but considering that Angron was forbade from using the Butcher's Nails, which Aries himself possessed, it's not that big of a surprise that the Red Angel allows gifted warriors to use their gifts in battle. 

The vision faded. Aries looked at the Element in his hand. He always had mixed feelings about Angron ignoring the word of the Emperor, but Jerrik only ever used his abilities to counter those of alien witches. He was as loyal to the Emperor as Aries was...and he had paid for it.

Aries remembered the sight of berserk traitors charging through his warp-fire to cut him down, he himself cut down three of the five attackers before he fell to their axes, his power sword left imbedded in it's last victim. 

Jerrik was no heretic, even for his sorcery, if this Element represented Jerrik, than it wasn't heresy. 

Aries placed the Element in the slot shaped to fit it in the center of tree. 

"Magic." Said the spirit, causing to Aries to briefly rethink his decision, but no, Magic by itself was not a threat, only when used against mankind was it heresy. 

Aries turned back to the other Elements, and picked the one that looked like Applejack's Cutie-Mark. 

This time, the dizziness was intense, enough to floor a mortal man, but Aries stayed on his feet as the vision began. It wasn't images this time. It was like one of Luna's dreams. 

He was on his knees in his personal quarters, his armor removed, his combat knife in hand, and a small bag of dirt in front of him. 

He recognized the ritual immediately: Turning The Rope. When World Eaters fail to conquer a planet within 31 hours, they would take a handful of dirt from the defiant world, cut themselves, and pack the dirt into the cut, leaving a visible dark scar. 

Aries realized that he was in control of his movement. He was about to cast his knife aside in refusal of one of Angron's customs for punishing failure, but the truth of the memory stayed his hand. He had only been a part of one failed conquest: an Ork World. It was his 5th mission as a tactical marine, and he had been assigned to provide cover fire for neophytes on their first mission...none of them survived. 

He never knew the neophytes, and it was very possible that they would've turned traitor, but he would never know where their loyalties would've lied. Because he couldn't keep them alive. 

Aries pierced his flesh all the way to the Black Carapace and cut from below his left pectoral region down to his last rib and along that rib all the way to his spine. As the wound began to close, he packed the dirt into the injury. 

While most World Eaters just scoop the closest handful of dirt around them carelessly, Aries fought his way to the dead neophytes on the excuse of reinforcing the Apothecary just so he could scoop up a handful of dirt that had been stained with their blood. His failure wasn't the planet, it was his brothers...hmph, he seems to make a habit of that. 

Aries wondered if he would have the chance to take dirt from Istvaan III one day as the wound closed, and the vision ended. 

Aries had no doubt that honoring one's failures with just as much, if not more, ceremony as one's successes was far from heretical. 

Aries placed the apple shaped Element into it's slot on the tree with less doubt than the first. 

"Honesty." Came the spirit's voice. Aries nodded his head in agreement to the religious following of such a trait. 

Turning back to the remaining Elements, he picked up the one belonging to the infuriating pink menace.

The dizziness was tamer this time, and the vision was mere images of some of his battle brothers sharing jokes and jibes, competitions and what few forms of celebration astartes take part in.

Aries himself wasn't a practitioner of such things, but was grateful that others could enjoy them, and he did take part in light hearted ribbing every now and again. 

Aries placed the Element in it's socket. "Laughter."  Said the spirit. 

Turning back to the Elements, Aries grabbed the one that resembled Fluttershy's Cutie-Mark.

The dizziness was more intense than Laughter and Magic, but not as intense as Honesty had been. 

The vision was the memory of his first meeting with Jerrik. They were neophytes at the time. 

He was heading to a dining table with a plate of food, when Aries noticed the Librarian sitting alone. He went over and sat next to him. The boy was taken aback, and wondered why Aries wasn't scared of him. "Because you're my brother and a proud servant of the Emperor's will. You're no alien witch, or a power mad heretic." 

Jerrik was hesitant to accept Aries' friendship, and Aries later realized that this was because other neophytes were bullying him for being a psyker, telling him to go to Prospero with the rest of the witches. 

Aries was furious that World Eaters would treat a battle brother like that, and made it known in the dueling arenas, maiming and killing these false astartes in honor duels. 

Over time, as the fires of youth were cooled by age and maturity, some of the astartes from their group apologized to Jerrik for acting like common mortals. And when Aries would notice younger neophytes avoiding the Librarian, he would tell them of his duties performed for the Emperor and the XIIth legion rather than berate them or drag them to the arena as he would have in his youth. Looking back on it, he could've handled it better. 

Aries saw no heresy in his friendship with the Librarian, and honestly wished that more of the imperium shared his view on them. With this in mind, he put the Element in it's place. 

"Kindness."  said the spirit. Aries had to stifle a laugh at the irony of a World Eater being kind, this in turn caused Laughter to blink a glowing aura for a nanosecond, causing him to stifle another laugh. 

Aries turned to the two remaining Elements and grabbed the one that resembled Rarity's Cutie-Mark. 

The dizziness was on the same level as Honesty, and Aries wasn't surprised to find himself in control of the vision, but the vision itself did surprise him. 

Aries found himself behind of pair of charging neophytes. He was a neophyte himself, in fact, it was his very first mission. 

Aries resumed the charge, but held himself back deliberately. He did this the first time too, several of his brother neophytes and even veteran astartes thought it was caution, cowardice, but this mission proved to them all what it really was.

Even armed with a bolt pistol and a combat knife like other neophytes, Aries was looking out for his brothers, surveying the battlefield for possible threats while his brothers charged into battle, a trait that would destine him for the true bolter of a tactical marine.

This time, Aries knew where the attack would come from. The sergeant that had shouted at him to pick up the pace would remain silent this time as Aries took initiative and double timed it over to Eron Karr, a neophyte who would become the typical close combat expert that identified the XIIth legion, he would not have had that chance if it weren't for Aries.

Eron turned and saw his cautious brother coming from the direction of the sergeant and pieced together that he had been scolded again. He was about to joke about it, but didn't get the chance.

Aries hesitated only long enough to look and confirm that the Ork Kommandos were where he remembered seeing them as he turned to address Eron the first time, before tackling his brother to the ground as a barrage of bullets rained over them. 

The greenskins lowered their sights to bury the neophytes in gunfire. Aries was hit once, the bullet blowing a hole in his cheeks and destroying his molars, before the sergeant who watched over them mowed the Orks down with his heavy bolter. 

Aries picked himself up and offered a hand to Eron Karr, who hesitated as he saw Aries' face. "It's only a flesh wound, nothing to bring to an Apothecary." Aries said to him, smiling through the pain at the fact that his brother would live.

The vision ended. Aries put a finger to his scar...He didn't know Eron's fate. He was bloodthirsty enough to have been a traitor, he hated himself for thinking it, but he would never have thought it of any of his brothers...until it happened.

Aries shook his head to clear his mind, putting your life on the line for your battle brothers is what defines a legiones astartes, there was no heresy here. 

Aries put the Element in it's place. "Generosity." Said the spirit. 

Aries turned to the final Element, Rainbow Dash's. He expected Bravery or Courage, considering the Pegasus' personality. 

What he hadn't expected was for the dizziness to be so much more intense than any Element prior that it forced him to his knees as the vision enveloped him, revealing a single still image: The Emperor of Mankind.

It was no painting, no hallucination, it was as though Aries was standing before the Ruler of Humanity in the flesh. Tears flowed from the World Eater's face and he found himself lost for words. He wouldn't recover the ability to speak until the vision faded. 

Aries dragged himself from his knee, regarding the last Element as though it were an Imperial Aguila that had been handed to him by the Emperor himself, before placing it in the tree. "Loyalty" Said the spirit. 

The tree and the Elements were engulfed in a flash of light, when it faded, the spirit stood before him in Luna's once more. "I understand why mistrust us, but you should know that you are not the only one who has gone to such lengths." 

As she said this, a tear in reality formed beside Aries, revealing humans of the Imperium fighting beside Orks, Eldar, and xenos that he did not recognize against astartes wearing armor bearing the eight pointed star and human skulls hanging from chains. "...So I am not the only one." 

"They have only gone as far as temporary alliances to win the immediate skirmishes. This will not be enough to defeat them, but it is gradually building begrudging respect between the Imperium and their less evil rivals that may one day lead to a true alliance that can defeat the Ruinous Powers." The spirit clarified.

"Until then, at least I know that the rest of the Imperium is as desperate as I am...My loyalty to the Emperor is absolute. If the Imperial Truth remains by the end of our war with the Great Enemy, I will destroy Equestria with my own hands." Aries promised. 

The spirit wasn't shaken. "It will take a long time to win this war. And a lot can change in a long time." Aries said nothing as he faded from Harmony's realm. 


Elsewhere


The light of the Elements faded, revealing Aries as Luna hoped. The World Eater began to stir, prompting Luna to go to his side. "Take it easy Aries, even you should rest after a close encounter like that." 

Aries agreed with that statement and took a moment to rest. "...What happened?" 

"You collasped. When I removed your helmet, you were infected with numerous diseases. I can only suspect the rotting Daemons." Luna explained. 

"Yes, the followers of Nurgle, the Death God." Aries replied, confusing Luna.

"You know of them?" 

"No, but the Spirit of Harmony does, she spoke to me while I was unconscious." Aries elaborated, shocking the younger princess. 

"WHAT!? S-she spoke to you?...Huh, I don't recall her speaking with me when the Elements were used to cure me." Luna mumbled. 

"Hmph, so that's what happened...thank you." Aries said.

His breather finished, Aries pulled himself to his feet. His helmet and Warp Eater were beside him. He equipped them both and turned to Luna. "Enough rest, we have work to do."
> Bonus Chapter:Chaotic Plots
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A week has passed since the battle in the Dream Realm opened Equestria's eyes. The PDF now numbered 50, and was steadily growing. 

Aries was disappointed at the cowardice of the changelings, but made due with the 10 that he was given...though he still had mixed feelings about Pharynx training them to fight Bloodthirsters as Bloodthirsters. 

They had become so dedicated that unicorn magic was used to grow Equestrian swords, axes, and bows to giant sizes for the changelings to wield. 

Yet, he couldn't argue with the results. The assaults upon the Dream Realm were growing harder every night, and he couldn't turn away 10 Bloodthirsters considering that they were the only reason that they were holding strong. 

Yet, even with such strong warriors, casualties were inevitable. Luna had to leave the defense of the Dream Realm entirely to Aries, for she and Trixie were needed to comfort the grieving families of the deceased, and reassure an increasingly frightened Equestria that the Daemons weren't getting closer, and that the PDF was standing strong.

What none of Equestria's defenders knew was that four Daemons had slipped past their defenses, and that these assaults were simply distractions to ensure that Equestria never saw them coming. 


Elsewhere


The manticore roared in defiance of it's fate. Where it normally would've meant such bravado, it now was using it's roar as a call for help. 

Help would never arrive for him. Garble's ax came down on the beast's head, splitting it's skull. 

As the manticore died, Garble's ax absorbed it's strength. This added another inch to Garble's now 9 foot height, and a few more centimeters to his minotaur-like bulk. 

Garble roared as the power burned through him: He was ready.


Elsewhere


A Bugbear followed an alluring scent to a part of the Everfree Forest that he wasn't familiar with. 

He had been following the scent for almost an hour, but lowering a final branch revealed his prize. A female Bugbear had lured him to her nest. 

The nest itself would've sent him running, but he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, only the beautiful female before him. 

The female signaled for him to come closer, he happily did so...it was the last mistake he ever made.

Chrysalis revealed herself to her prey when he was close enough and drained him of his love before he had a chance to react. 

As she took the last drop of love from his soul, she pierced his stomach with her horn below the bellybutton and pulled up, spilling his innards over the sacrificial circle that she had prepared for him. 

The final point was drawn, now all that was left was to connect the dots with the blood spilled in the war to come. 


Elsewhere


The Swamp Ponies, as they called themselves, had amassed in their entirety. Of all the trees of the Everfree that bared the deadly disease, only two had not yearned for freedom: a pair of lovers whose names were lost to time. 

When one contracted the virus, the other did so willingly, and they transformed into the trees while embracing each other, the trees growing with their trunks twisted together. 

But of those who sought freedom, and were now Nurgle's willing pawns, they moved to the end of the Everfree. Awaiting a promised signal to spread Nurgle's love to Ponyville. 


Elsewhere


Rarity was absolutely miffed. For two weeks, she had been receiving letters from the absolute last pony she ever wanted to see again. (she would literally prefer Sombra) 

Prince Blueblood: The worthless, good for nothing, self entitled, arrogant Horse of a pony that ensured her first trip to the Grand Galloping Galla would scar her for life. 

She finally decided that ignoring him wasn't working, and if she continued to do so, he may very well come to visit her: inviting all manners of misfortune on her customers, her schedule, and if Sweetie Belle answered the door and was disillusioned at such a young age...NO! 

Rarity wouldn't allow it. She would answer the worthless prince's summons and tell him off without giving him a chance to speak, and be rid of him once and for all. 

With this in mind, she travelled to Canterlot, asked Princess Celestia where she may find him (she hopes she was polite enough, but can't quite remember as she was too focused on the task at hand.) and was now in front of his door. 

His house was practically a castle in it's own right, Rarity would've been impressed if she didn't know how cramped it would be on account of it housing Blueblood's ego. 

Rarity was about to knock on the door, but it opened from within. 

A maid revealed herself from the other side of the door. "Miss Rarity, I presume?" The maid asked with a bit of arrogance of her own. 

"Yes, are you expecting me?" Rarity asked. The maid nodded and moved aside for the fashionista, pointing with a hoof where Rarity presumed she would find her 'host'. 

Rarity nodded her head in thanks as she passed by the maid and then trotted towards Blueblood. 

She came before the door to the main living room, took a moment to mentally rehearse her verbal assault and manner of withdrawal, and opened the door. 

Rarity completely forgot everything that led her to this moment the second she smelled the air. There was a fragrance that nearly made her forget how to stand. She traced the scent, and there, waiting patiently in a lounge chair, was Blueblood.

Rarity briefly remembered despising the attractive unicorn. She tried to remember why, but couldn't think straight on account of the smell. By Celestia, what was that cologne, was it cologne? 

"Ah, Rarity. It is so lovely to see you again." Prince Blueblood said as he rose from the chair, the source of the scent revealed to be a lavender mist that Blueblood was spraying from his horn. 

"Oh, um, ah, Y-yes, yes...um, I.." Rarity tried to recall what she had come to say, but utterly failed before Blueblood took her hoof and kissed it. 

"I almost lost hope that you would allow me to apologize for my most barbaric behavior at the Galla, I merely assumed you were another gold digger after my wealth, rather than being interested in me." Blueblood said, allowing Rarity to remember how they first met.

It made sense now that he would act like such in those circumstances, right? She thought so.

"Oh..Th-think nothing of it, a-accidents happen...And I should've given you chance to explain yourself." Rarity stuttered, trying not to stare into his eyes.

"Why don't you let me make it up to you...with a date." Blueblood said with a smile. 

"Uh, Oh!...why, that sounds marvelous darling. I-I'm free on Saturday." Rarity said as fast as she could. 

Rarity's heart froze when Blueblood's smile disappeared. "B-But that's four days away! Why so long?" 

"Oh, I am so sorry to make you wait. But alas, I have far too much to do over the week with Twilight's school and dress orders. I just can't do it any sooner than Saturday." Rarity all but begged for forgiveness. 

Blueblood grew furious, and he was about to argue...when he let out a breath, and returned his smile...much to Rarity's relief. "Very well, if you can't, you can't. Saturday it is then. Until then." 

Blueblood leaned in and kissed Rarity's cheek. lowering his head afterward to ensure Rarity got the strongest possible exposure to the mist leaking from his horn. 

Rarity lost control of her back legs and fell into a sitting position, enjoying the intoxication of the mist for a moment before departing to prepare for her date...while Blueblood prepared for her 'accident'.
> Chapter Sixteen: Merciless Mutiny
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you serious? It killed dragons with FIREBREATH!?" 

"I heard 3 more were killed yesterday." 

"I can't believe the Dragon Lord is going this far for those puny ponies." 

Ember tried to ignore it all, but man was it annoying. Not because they were saying it, but because they were right. 

20 dragons have already lost their lives fighting these Daemons, and they needed more to join the PDF to make sure that their enemies didn't make it into the real world. 

The number of dragons asking her to abandon the ponies grew as the nonchalance of those ordered to fight shrank. 

But what the dragons fail to realize was that she wasn't doing this for the ponies. Yes she would grieve if her friends died, but she had no illusion of the fact that if the Daemons overran Equestria, they wouldn't stop. 

If the dragons just waited for them in the Dragon Lands, they would be vastly outnumbered. They would all die. Nightmares of shattered eggs and butchered hatchlings plagued Ember's dreams far more than those of dying ponies calling for help. 

"I'm starting to think that the Dragon Lord cares more about her pony friends than she does about us." 

That was it, Ember had had enough. "OH, REALLY!?" The Dragon Lord shouted as she lept from her obsidian throne and landed right in the offending dragon's face. 

The dragon in question yelped and fell on his back, backpedaling away from the Dragon Lord who advanced on him. "You honestly think that I'm doing this just for the ponies? do you have any idea how many more dragons would die if they weren't helping us?" 

The offending dragon had backed himself into a rock, and Ember had put her snout to his, waiting for an answer. " Uh, um...10?" 

"ALL OF US!!!" Ember shouted in his face with a tone of voice that would've made her father proud. 

Ember rose from the now cowering dragon and addressed the onlookers. "Those ponies are helping us as much as we're helping them, and they're taking casualties too, and so are the other races. If we leave this problem to them, and they can't do it without us, then the Daemons are going to cut them down, regather their forces, and march on the Dragon Lands. Maybe we can take them, maybe they'll kill us all, down to the last egg in our nests. But even if we can beat them by ourselves, letting the other races help us saves more lives than it costs." 

Ember finished her speech, satisfied with the looks of understanding among her underlings...until another voice spoke. 

"And what if we joined them?" Ember whirled around to face the speaker, but her retort died in her throat the minute she saw who had spoke. 

"G-Garble?!" She asked. She truly wasn't sure. The formally 6 foot teenage dragon was now an even bigger bruiser than Aries, but that wasn't what worried her. 

The 'dragon' had glowing red eyes, his foot-claws had merged into pointed hooves, his yellow scales turned the same shade of red as his primary scales: which had darkened to the color of thick blood, he now had two black goat-like horns. But most disturbing of all: Garble wielded a black twin bladed battle ax bearing Daemonic iconography.

"Garble...where did you get that?" Ember asked, pointing at the ax. 

Garble smirked. "Well, since you forced my sister to go make pony friends, I decided to make some friends of my own. Friends who know what being a real dragon is all about." 

Most of the dragons shared Ember's concern, but some of them were awestruck by the new power that radiated from Garble. 

Ember shook off her unease. She knew what Garble did, and she knows what happened to Aries' friends when they did it, but as long as Garble kept to Dragon Law, he wasn't an immediate threat. And if he attempted to break the law, he would lose the support this show of strength just gathered. She just needed to shut him down long enough to get a message to Equestria that Garble had fallen to Chaos. 

"Garble, I don't know what the Daemons told you, but they are not our friends, they're just using you to get past the ponies. And then they are going to turn against you." Ember stated, hoping to reason with the undeniably dumber dragon.

"Yeah, I know." Garble replied with a roll of his eyes, to the shock of all. "But, we get to keep the power they give us in the meantime, and that evens the odds. Plus, we get Equestria, and the other races' nations, all to ourselves."

This got more than a few murmurs of agreement, along with vows of what to steal, what to burn, and a heated conversation of how much time it would take to melt all the snow in Yakyakistan with firebreath...there were times when Ember just plain hated other dragons. 

Well, reason went out the window, time for power. "Alright, let me rephrase this: We are not allying with the Daemons. We are not letting them invade Equestria. And that. Is. FINAL!" Ember drew the line at telling Garble to surrender the ax, she didn't know if that was a good idea.

"Oh, is it." Garble narrowed, widened his stance, and brandished his ax. 

Just as Ember expected, a large number of Garble's new fans lost their growing admiration of him the minute he suggested going against Dragon Law. "Don't even think about it Garble, it's barely been three years since I became Dragon Lord. You need to wait another 97 before you can challenge me for the title." 

Garble's smirk disappeared, replaced by a look of outrage. "Don't you DARE talk to me about Dragon Law. CHEATER!"

Several dragons stared at Ember questioningly, and Ember shared their expression. "Uh, what are talking about?" 

Garble laughed at her response. "Oh please, did you think that I would just forget? How you and that worthless pony with scales:Spike teamed up to win the Gauntlet of Fire? How Spike was the one who grabbed the Bloodstone Scepter and then handed it to you? Or how about the part where Spike saved you after you fell into the ocean unconscious? Forget about claiming the Scepter, you should've died without even seeing it. Cheater." 

Now the dragons looked questionably at Ember, who attempted to dismiss the accusations. "There is nothing in Dragon Law that says you can't ask for help when you need it."

"BECAUSE A REAL DRAGON NEVER NEEDS HELP!!" Garble shouted to Ember before turning to address the gathered dragons. 

"There has never been a single Dragon Lord that didn't rise to power on his own. And since this pony petter stole the title, all we've done is help the ponies. And where has that gotten us? How many more of us have to die because Ember says so?" Garble's was starting to regain his following and then some, and he wasn't done yet.

"Look at me. Look at what helping the Daemons of Khorne has gotten me. They didn't give me this power, they gave me a magic ax that makes me stronger when I kill something with it. And by the time we're through with Equestria, we'll be bigger than any Daemon!" This got cheers from several dragons, though Ember was happy to see that just as many realized that Garble was completely going against the Dragon Lord's authority.

"...So, it's treason is it?" Ember asked as she steeled herself for a fight.

"I didn't betray the dragons, you did." Garble retorted as he started to advance on Ember.

Several dragons stood between Garble and Ember, but to Ember's horror, just as many got ready to throw them aside and let Garble attack Ember unchallenged. 

Ember's heart raced, there hasn't been a civil war amongst the dragons since the Desolation of Smaug 10,000 years ago, and that had nearly destroyed them. 

"...STOP!" Ember called to the gathering dragons. Garble raised an eyebrow, would she be so cowardly as to surrender without a fight? 

"If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right. You and me Garble, nodragon else, 20 minutes prep time." Ember announced as confidently as she could. 

Garble's smile returned. "You're on." And with that, the two dragons stalked off, flanked by their respective followers. "As soon as there's an opportunity, I want someone to fly to Equestria and tell Aries what's happening." Ember whispered to the closest dragons. "Post lookouts at the borders of the Dragon Lands. I don't want someone getting word out to Ember's pony friends until I tell them myself." Garble hissed to the closest dragons. 


5 minutes later


Garble didn't don any armor, all he needed was his ax, so he just paced in seething rage as the minutes counted down.

"...Garble?" The Daemonic dragon turned the voice. It was his sister, Smolder. "What do you want sis?" 

Smolder let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding when Garble addressed her in a manner she recognized, it was still him. "I want to know why you're doing this. You said you were done with the whole Dragon Lord nonsense."

"...It was done with me, for a century at least, or so I thought." Garble grinned. 

"Okay, but you that I made friends in Equestria right? Are you going to hurt them too?" Smolder asked. 

Garble's smile disappeared. "You know that you don't have to keep up that stupid charade with me, I know you only pretend to like them because Ember forces you to, and I'll make her pay for it." 

"WHAT!? That isn't true. I told you all about them every day. Hiding out at the Castle of the Two Sisters, meeting the Spirit of Harmony, taking down Cozy Glow, I told all about this." Smolder said. 

"You were just making it up. Ember made you." Garble repeated. 

"No, she didn't. I'm telling you that they are really my frie-" Smolder never finished.

Garble grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into a rocky wall. His eyes glowing brighter, so bright that Smolder couldn't make the emotions behind them. 

"You were just making it up. Ember made you." Garble repeated in a voice that wasn't his own. Sounding far away and within Smolder's own head at the same time. 

Smolder could only stare in horrified shock. This wasn't Garble, Garble would never threaten her. And that voice, Smolder had heard it described by students in Twilight's school who had their dreams invaded by Daemons before Aries, Luna, and the PDF drove them out. 

Garble's hand shook as it slowly released Smolder, as if contemplating whether or not if it wanted to. Smolder didn't say a word. She just took flight and headed straight for Ember. 

Garble continued his pacing without a second thought, but as he turned around, he saw something that disgusted him. Something that Ember forced him to use to bond with Smolder on a level that real dragons didn't bond: another crime she would pay for. 

These were his thoughts as he picked up his beat poetry drums and clothes and tossed them into a river of lava.


5 minutes later
 

Ember wore the armor she used during the Gauntlet of Fire, and her side was a golden sword and shield. All that was left was to hope a message got through. 

She would never admit it, but she was scared. She could take Garble down any day, but that was before that insane power boost, and something about the look in his eyes told her that this wasn't going to be a brawl or a duel, but a deathmatch.

"...Ember...D-do you have a minute?" Ember turned to the sound of Smolder's voice, and almost froze. Smolder had been crying, not some light sniffles but genuine sorrow-born crying.

"What happened to you Smolder?" Ember asked, concerned for the younger dragon.

"It's...it's Garble, I..I went to see him, T-to try and talk some sense into him." Smolder paused to wipe another tear. 

"That's not my brother...I don't know who or...or what he is...And I can't stop him, he-he almost killed me...I could see it in his eyes." Smolder's emotional state cracked more and more as she spoke, and on the last sentence, she seized. A dragon's instinct: she was trying to bury her emotions so she couldn't be seen as weak.

Ember didn't know what else to do, except to awkwardly hug the younger dragon. "...I...I'm sorry Smolder, I don't know what else to do except...I'm sorry." 

That did it, sign of weakness or not, Smolder let the dam break. Another 5 minutes passed before she recovered from the emotional trauma enough to stand on her own. When she did, Ember put her hands on her shoulders. 

"I'm going to do my best to stop him, but if I can't, I need you and the others who remain loyal to me to fly to Equestria and make sure that Aries knows what happened." Smolder nodded, all but dead inside.

"...But what about you?" She asked after a moment.

"Don't worry about me. Just make sure Equestria is ready." Ember said as she removed her hands from Smolder and made her way to Garble.


The Duel


Garble chose the starting area for the Gauntlet of Fire as their dueling arena, one side held the crowd of dragons, the other, a cliff and an ocean.

"After I'm done with you, you'll stay down there." He promised her, brandishing his ax. 

Ember drew her sword and shield. "You have to beat me first." 

That was the last word spoken. The two circled each other at a five foot distance, staring each other down. After a half circle, Garble roared and charged, swinging his ax in a wide arc. 

Ember ducked under the blow and stabbed Garble beneath his arm. 

Garble roared in pain and attempted to swat the Dragon Lord, only for her to dodge backwards. 

Garble charged again, this time going for an overhead strike. 

Ember ducked under him and rolled between his legs, landing in a crouch beneath his tail with her own tail wrapped around his leg, before taking flight. 

Ember released Garble's leg just as she robbed him of his balance, slingshoting her to the sky as Garble turned and fell on his back. 

Ember turned and dived towards her opponent before he could recover, landing with her knees pressed into his armpits and her sword to his throat.

"It's over Garble, I won fair and square, now surrender or-GAAHH!" Ember dodged a blood red hand reaching for her horns.

Garble used the momentum of her dodge to turn the tables, and their positions, around.

As soon as Ember's back hit the ground, she grit her teeth and plunged her sword into Garble's neck. 

Garble reared back with the sword in his throat, but to Ember's horror, he was doing so to bring his ax down. It was as though he didn't even realize the sword was there. 

As the ax came down to behead her, Ember used her wings to push herself off the ground and grab hold of the ax. 

Garble had put too much power behind the attack for his own good, as Ember rode the ax until Garble arm was completely outstretched, and then jumped onto his back and grabbed the hilt of her sword.

Ember pushed the blade further into his neck and then pulled to the side, trying to spill as much blood as possible, but his scales made cutting him a challenge, even with a magically sharpened blade. All the while, Garble thrashed and flapped his wings in an attempt to dislodge her, to no avail. 

When Ember saw him reaching with his free hand to grab her, she pulled her sword free and kicked off his back.

Garble turned to charge again, and what Ember saw froze her blood. Not because the wound she had caused him was healing before her eyes, but because he was breathing fire. Not dragon fire, Warp-Fire.

Ember knew from the dragons of the PDF what these would do and she had no interest in feeling it for herself.

Ember took flight to escape the flames, but Garble gave chase, continuing to breathe the Daemonic fire, and even fly through it unharmed. 

Ember found herself on the back foot, she wanted to run, but she made this a challenge for her title, and Garble's supporters were just as admiring as ever. Even though the loyalists tried to reason with them, it would seem that they were now being swayed by whatever force had brainwashed Garble. 

Ember knew that if she didn't stop this, the dragons would go to war with Equestria, and even if Equestria won, she doubted that Aries would be merciful to her people, considering his history.

Ember kept trying to think of a way to this around while dodging Garble's attacks, but it was useless.

Garble maneuvered Ember back to the ground and dived with his ax raised and ready. There was no time to dodge this time.

Ember lifted her shield and prepared to absorb the force of the attack and retreat again...but she wasn't prepared for what happened next. 

The Bloodforged Khornate ax cut through the shield like it was paper, half of it falling to the ground...with Ember's arm. 

The Dragon Lord screamed in shock and pain. Falling to her knees, dropping her sword, and gripping the bloody stump. 

The other half of the shield fell from Ember's shortened arm as she finally contained her scream, the shock receding just enough for her to realize that Garble hadn't attacked her, the dragons were trying to stop the fight only for the corrupt to hold them back...and Garble was eating her arm. 

He had already eaten her hand, and was presently swallowing her wrist, then he threw the final piece, half of her forearm, into his blood-drenched maw. 

As he chewed, he turned to Ember and smiled. His eyes were completely red now. Ember couldn't move, she was frozen in fear, until Garble reached for her. 

Ember screamed in fear and turned to take flight, but Garble snatched her by the tail and dragged her towards him before planting his foot between her wings. 

Ember cried out and clawed at the ground beneath her, desperate to escape her fate. Her logical mind and bull-headed personality having been replaced by a deep primal fear. 

Garble snorted in disgust at her cowardice, she wasn't even worthy of his ax...he had something else in mind. 

"Stop!!" Ember snapped out of it when she recognized Smolder's voice and turned to see the orange dragon had broke through the fighting crowd of dragons and was flying towards them. 

Garble turned to her and roared. It was not the roar of a dragon, it was darker, more cruel and bloodthirsting. And it made Smolder freeze. 

She looked into the eyes of the thing that used to be her brother, and saw only a promise: interfere...and die. She then looked to Ember not wanting to give up and leave her, until she saw Ember mouthing a single word to her. Run!

Smolder closed her eyes to resist the tears and flew back into the crowd of dragons. Ember's loyalists had seen her message and backed away from the Corrupted, they knew that Smolder flew straight through them so that Garble wouldn't know that she was going to Equestria, and they would try to join as soon as the traitors were too enveloped in what was to come to notice their retreat. 

Ember knew this as well, in spite of the tears, she grit her teeth and put on her most defiant face. She wouldn't die a coward. 

But her defiance gave way to confusion when Garble dropped his ax beside her...confusion that gave way to horror when Garble grabbed the base of her wings, and horror then gave way to despair as she realized what Garble going to do...and understood that there was nothing she could do stop him. 

The sound of tearing flesh and the cheers of the traitors was drowned out by Ember's scream of agony as her wings were torn from her back. 

The loyalists hesitated, strickened by the horror of what they saw, before resteeling themselves and taking flight unnoticed. 

Garble tossed Ember's wings aside and removed his foot from her back. He paused to take in her expression: a lifeless one that showed him that Ember had accepted her fate. As much he eenjoyed seeing it, it also infuriated him that someone so weak could've ever become a Dragon Lord. 

Garble spat in Ember's emotionless eye, he was going to put where she truly belonged. This was his thought as he grabbed Ember's tail, dragged her to the cliff, and threw her into the ocean that Spike had saved her from before.

Ember disappeared beneath the water with a splash, when the waves subsided, her grave was marked only by a crimson stain upon the water's surface. 

And so ended the reign of Dragon Lord Ember...
> Chapter Seventeen: The End of Harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries was overseeing the PDF's training. He had promoted First Squad to leadership positions to educate the newer recruits, and made Pharnyx his second in command. 

After his third trip around the training grounds, he confirmed that everything was well in hand. He was about to start practicing himself, when he received some visitors. 

Aries turned to the orgin of the shade cast upon him and was greeted by not only Luna, but Twilight and Celestia as well. "What brings the three of you to our training grounds?" 

"My sister and I wanted to ensure that everycreature knew of our gratitude for what they're doing. Especially me, I do not doubt that I would've perished if they hadn't taken up my duties of keeping the Daemons at bay in the Dream Realm." Luna explained.

"And I wanted to make sure that everycreature was getting along well. Every book I've read about large scale war says that healthy camaraderie between soldiers strengthens their teamwork, and is especially essential when multiple nations have to fight as one." Twilight added.

"I can attest to that, my battle brothers and I worked well together, but our rivalries with others caused us to act as a smaller strike force than a unified company..." Aries drifted off. Twilight's ears drooped as she realized that he was thinking about his friends. 

"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean-" Aries cut her off. "What's done is done. Eron would never stop mocking me if I couldn't move on from his death. I already know he's planning to give me an earful when I join him at the Emperor's side."

Twilight considered asking about his friend, but decided against it. He may have warmed up to the Equestrians over time, but he wasn't the sentimental type. 

"Pardon the interruption, but you seem to have a new recruit." Celestia said, pointing her hoof at a distant dragon flying just high enough to be seen over the walls surrounding the training grounds.

"No, that dragon is far too young an-" Aries stopped when he realized that something was wrong. The dragon was exhausted, as though it had flown to Canterlot from the Dragon Lands without rest, and there was a look of panic and desperation upon it's face.

"Aries, is something wrong?" Luna asked when he stopped talking.

"Wait a minute. That's Smolder. What's she doing here?" Twilight asked no one in particular. The growing unease turned to worry when the gathered four saw the young dragon start to plummet from the sky, too weak to keep flying.

"PHARYNX! YOU'RE IN CHARGE!!" Aries yelled to the changeling as he took off after the dragon. 

The princesses flew after him, his transhuman speed made keeping up on hoof impossible. 

They tore out of the gate of the training area and circled around the wall to where they saw Smolder fall. As soon as she was in sight, they saw the exhausted dragon struggling to reach the training grounds. "HHEEEEEEELLLLPP!!!" 

Now fully confident that something was wrong, the princesses overtook Aries to reach Smolder. By the time he joined them, Smolder was crying onto Twilight who had wrapped a wing around the child. 

"What happened?" Asked the World Eater, fearing that he knew the answer. 

"We don't know, she hasn't told us yet." Twilight said, continuing her efforts to calm the distraught dragon. 

Before another word could be said, frantic wing beats drew the four's attention to more dragons, some landing, others falling. 

"What happened?" Aries repeated, addressing the nearest dragon. "...It's-it's Garble...he...he ki..." The dragon fell to the ground, too weak to move. 

"I don't understand what's happening, but it must be serious if they flew all this way without rest." Luna said.

"I'm afraid I have an assumption." Said Aries. Luna growing visably more nervous as she came to the same hypothesis. "Daemons?" She asked. Aries nodded. 

Luna turned back to Twilight, who was still seeing to Smolder. "Has she spoken yet?" 

Twilight shook her head. "She's trying, but she can't catch breath long enough to say a coherent sentence." 

"Then we'll let her rest." Luna said. Aries was about to protest, but he remained silent when saw Luna's horn glowing. 

The midnight blue energy enveloped Smolder and she fell asleep. Luna closed her eyes in concentration. Beneath her eyelids, Aries and the other princesses could see Luna's eyes shifting as she observed her surroundings. 

The shifting grew more erratic, Luna began to grit her teeth and raise her lips in a snarl. 

Luna's eyes snapped open with a gasp like a silent scream, and she began to sweat profusely. "Sm-Smolder's brother, a dragon named Garble, has turned to Chaos...and slain Dragon Lord Ember." 

"WHAT!!?" Twilight shouted in absolute shock, Celestia's face mirroring her pupil's. 

"If he were alone, the other dragons would've killed him. How many traitors will we face?" Aries asked, unshaken by the development.

"A lot, it looks like more than half the dragons in the Dragon Lands have been corrupted." Luna clarified. 

"...And how many is that?" Aries asked. Scanning the dragons here and counting 80. 

"A hundred at least." Luna said. That didn't bode well. Aries remembered how Ember demonstrated dragonic strength by picking him up as though he were a child, and she ruled through wisdom rather than power. 

"Give the dragons 30 minutes to catch their breath, then they march with me and the PDF." Aries said. 

Luna nodded in grim understanding, but Twilight and Celestia were taken aback. "You're going to challenge him?" 

"No, I'm going to kill him." Aries corrected.

"NO! YOU CAN'T!!" Shouted Smolder, who had awoken with Luna, unable to rest. She broke from her despair and ran up to the World Eater.

"IT'S NOT HIS FAULT!! HE WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE BY HIMSELF!! WE SHOULD BE SAVING HIM!!" The younger dragon continued pleading with the astartes, the tears that slowed to a stop now returning with a vengeance.

There are few astartes, and no known World Eaters, that wouldn't simply ignore the child's pleas. But there are reasons Eron kept calling Aries a Salamander. 

"We can't save your brother...no more than we can save mine." Aries began, placing a hand upon the crimson teeth of the 12th legion. 

"This insignia was once a symbol of righteous fury reserved for only the worst of mankind's enemies. Now it is the banner of murderers and traitors. If I don't stop this usurper before he attacks Equestria, then the dragons will be remembered as monsters and killers. If I stop him now then his reign of terror will die unheard, it is better this way." Aries concluded. 

"But..BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY? THEY WORKED ON LUNA WHEN SHE WAS EVIL!!" Smolder persisted, causing the younger princess to blush in shame at the mention of Nightmare Moon.

"THAT'S PERFECT!" Twilight cut in. "We can test the Elements effectiveness against Chaos and save Garble." 

Aries could tell from the expression she held during Smolder's despair that Twilight was more concerned with the heretic than testing the Elements, but Aries accepted the compromise. 

"I will not wait any longer than I have to. We leave in half an hour, with or without you." Aries said to Twilight specifically. 

The Princess of Friendship put her hoof to her forehead in an attempt at a salute and teleported.

"Should we prepare for war as well?" Luna asked. Celestia asked the question in her heart, but was hesitant to voice it. 

"Yes, but not with me. I have reason to believe that the attacks from the Dream Realm were simply distractions to ensure that the Daemons that evidently got through could work without suspicion, and there may be more than what's in the Dragon Lands, and they may be ready to strike as well. If so, we face multiple assaults at once. We must be ready to mobilize defensive forces to any province at a moments notice, and if possible, we must find the other Daemons and their cultists before it's too late." Aries explained. 

The princesses nodded and teleported away, leaving Aries alone with the dragons.

"Come inside and recuperate. The young will stay here. The rest will help me retake your homeland." There were no cheers of agreement, no arrogant remarks, only a disheartened people who have realized that they are not mean and aggressive by a long shot. 


The Dragon Lands

The corrupted dragons cheered as Garble raised the Bloodstone scepter into the air.

"The pony lover's reign has ended, no longer will we be forced to suffer the weak." With that, he smashed the Bloodstone scepter onto the ground, shattering the scepter and freeing the stone within. 

Garble took the stone in his free hand and held it over his ax. The spike at the top of the ax transformed into a Daemonic mouth and bit into the Bloodstone, cracking it. "Now, we take what we want. And burn the rest."


Ponyville


Rarity had just finished putting the finishing touches on her makeup and made ready to head out for her date with Blueblood. 

All that was left was to write a note in case something important required an interruption...something very important.

After the note was written, Rarity closed up her boutique and taped the note to the door. 

Nodding in satisfaction, Rarity turned to head out...and bumped straight into Rainbow Dash. "Oh! I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, my mind is somewhere else at the moment."

Rarity was disheartened to see that Rainbow Dash's face expressed pure fury, but it seem to melt in an instant...was she forcing a smile? "Oh uh, no worries, just uh, did you have any plans?" 

Rarity was once again disheartened, it sounded like Rainbow Dash wanted to go somewhere with her, but she had a prior engagement. "Oh, I am terribly sorry Rainbow Dash, but I have something planned." 

"Really? That's great!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, clearly happy to hear that. 

"Really? you.. didn't have anything planned?" Rarity asked, confused by the pegasus' reaction. 

Rainbow Dash seemed to realize what she sounded like and caught herself. "Oh! uh nope. Just wondering if you were...doing anything today, just didn't want you to be board. heh heh." 

Rainbow Dash was definitely acting odd, is it possible that Pinkie Pie was planning a surprise party for her and asked Rainbow Dash to distract her? That was probably it. Well whatever party it was would have to wait until her date was over. 

"Well thank you for the thought darling, but I have business in Canterlot and I'm not expecting to be back until the sun is setting...at the earliest." Rarity added a mischievous giggle to the last part as her mind began to play through scenarios that kept her with Blueblood longer than anticipated. 

"Okay, well you have fun doing...whatever..it is...that you're doing." Rainbow Dash added and gave Rarity her escape from the conversation that was keeping her from her prince. 

With a friendly nod, Rarity trotted off to the train station. Rainbow Dash watched her leave, waving goodbye, until a familiar sound caused her to think fast. 

Rainbow Dash landed in front of Rarity's boutique, grateful to see the fashionista right in front of her. "Rarity! There you are! Twilight needs us! she didn't tell me how bad it is, but it sounds like those Chaos jerks have taken over the Dragon Lands." 

Rarity's eyes bulged in surprise. "Oh! That's awful! You go on ahead darling, I'll catch up." 

Rainbow Dash nodded and took off at mach 5. Rarity galloped in the same direction...until Rainbow Dash turned inward to Twilight's castle.

Rarity didn't stop running until she reached the end of town, facing the Everfree Forest.

After looking around to see that no one was watching, a bright green flame enveloped Rarity's body. When it faded, Chrysalis stood triumphant.

With an evil laugh, Chrysalis shot a ball of trailing green magic into the sky that formed a circle, before turning off to a second, conjoined, circle, and the same again. 

The three circles turned from changeling green to the color of mucus or rotting flesh. Chrysalis shot a cruel smile back to Ponyville and teleported away as the horde of Swamp Ponies came forth to spread Nurgle's love.


Between Chaos and Harmony


Between Equestria and the Warp, there lies a small realm in which all Daemonic beings are born. For every one that goes to Equestria, a billion join the Primordial Annihilator. 

Within this realm, two reality warping entities were playing the Warhammer 40k tabletop game. One of them was a chaotic trickster that used harsh and dangerous tactics to teach lessons to those he cared for...the other was Discord.

"Hmm, Khornate dragons AND Nurglite zombies without the Elements of Harmony. Sheesh, no way Twilight's ready to handle that on her own." Discord said as he rolled to move his homebrew Chaos Space Marines that were painted in his colors. 

"Yeah, good thing I stole that World Eater for you while I was wearing my Khorne costume. heeheeheeheehehehehehahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!" Cegorach: The Eldar Laughing God giggled to himself while firing on Discord's forces with Harlequin Death Jesters.

"Oh poo, you slaughtered my Chaos Lord. Just like Aries is going to slaughter these Chaos forces next chapter." Discord says while looking at you, causing Cegorach to throw himself into another fit of laughter.
> Chapter Eighteen: Chaos Strikes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...N-no...no..." Spike couldn't comprehend what Twilight just told him. Ember, the first of his own kind that he ever called a friend, had been murdered by a Daemonicly possessed Garble. And Aries was preparing for war against the Dragon Lands.

"...It can't be...IT CAN'T!! EMBER ISN'T!!...no...NOOOO!!" As reality crashed onto him with the mercy of Exterminatus, Spike fell to his knees and wailed in despair...he wasn't the only one. 

Twilight had gathered the Elements and her friends and explained the situation. Twilight knew that they still had twenty minutes before Aries left Canterlot, so she gave them five to grieve...and to wait for Rarity. 

"I'm sorry everypony, but it's true... she's dead." Twilight said, just as grief-stricken as the rest.

"GGRRRRAAAAGH!! THAT LOUSY GECKO'S GOING TO GET IT!! WHY ARE WE EVEN WASTING THE ELEMENTS ON HIM!? WE SHOULD JUST LET ARIES TURN HIM INTO PASTE AFTER WHAT HE'S DONE!!!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She wasn't too familiar with Ember, but she had experience with Garble, and knew him to be a bully even without a Daemon inside of him, but this was too far for the pegasus to forgive. 

"He may be a jerk Rainbow Dash but...he's not a monster, not on his own. And honestly, if we change him back, and he has to live with this, it may be even crueler than killing him. You remember how bad Princess Luna felt, and she was stopped before she had a chance to do anything like this." Twilight tried to reason with the vengeful pegasus. 

"sniff..I...I don't know how to plan a funeral party...I don't know how to make them fun..." Pinkie Pie confessed to no one in particular, her mane as straight as an arrow fired by Robin Hoof and her coat as dull as a butter knife. Beside her, Applejack was trying to comfort Fluttershy. 

The gates to the castle flung open. Twilight and her friends turned, expecting Rarity, but were greeted by a very panicked Starlight Glimmer. "TWILIGHT!! PONYVILLE'S UNDER ATTACK!!!" 

Twilight's blood froze in her veins. Could Garble already be on the move? No, it was too soon. Was it Chaos, or was it one of the Everfree's monsters? These thoughts and more ran through her head as she galloped outside to survey the scene. 


Moments Earlier 


Starlight had been told to inform Mayor Mare that Equestria was going to war. The close proximity between Ponyville and the Dragon Lands made the small town a target for Garble's madness, and so it must be evacuated as a precautionary measure until Aries could...deal with him. 

Starlight was en route to the Mayor's office...when she saw them. 

Everypony that had seen the crowd moving towards them had gathered to examine them. They were walking at a steady pace without hurry, and seemed to be as joyful as Pinkie Pie...but they all had Swamp Fever. 

The ponies of Ponyville were notably concerned...with one exception. "Step aside people, I've been through this before and I know what to do." 

The speaker was Dr. Horse, the physician who helped Fluttershy during the last outbreak of the deadly disease. Dr. Horse trotted to meet the infected with a jar of Flash Bee honey, the cure to Swamp Fever, in tow. 

"Good to see nopony's panicking, just sit tight and this'll be over before you know it." The good doctor said as he came to a halt at the closest infected pony. 

The mare smiled warmly at him...and then bit into his throat.

The jar of honey fell to the ground and shattered as the doctor screamed and began to sprout orange spots and tree limbs that started growing the diseased plant. As this occurred, the Swamp Ponies charged the shocked crowd.

As the ponies turned to run, the infected started sneezing lightning bolts at them. Not killing them, but keeping them from escaping until they closed the gap. 

As the Swamp Ponies moved in for the kill, Starlight Glimmer put herself between the two groups and threw up her strongest shield. "RUN!!" 

The crowds of ponies ran for their lives as the infected peppered Starlight's shield with lightning. Starlight could feel the strain piling up. After the citizens got a good headstart, she dropped the shield and quickly teleported to Twilight's castle. 


Present Moment


Twilight looked on in horror as the Nurglite ponies ran amok in Ponyville. The citizens that were too slow to escape were now running in circles trying to avoid the infected.

Twilight recovered from the shock and blasted an infected pony that was about to spread it's plague to another. "GET INSIDE EVERYPONY!!" Twilight shouted, gesturing to her castle. 

Twilight blasted another infected before turning to her friends and apprentice. "Rainbow Dash! Rarity must've been delayed by the attack, but she can't be far. Find her and bring her here so we can use the Elements to stop this. Starlight! I want you and the others to gather as many citizens and get them inside my castle." 

"What about you?" Starlight asked her mentor. "I'm going to get Aries." And with that, Twilight teleported away. 


PDF Training Grounds


Aries was waiting patiently for the half hour to run out. He watched as the dragons of the PDF helped to rally their disheartened kinsmen. There were some that couldn't be made to fight, but not many, they were a strong people. 

A lavender flash signaled Twilight's arrival, Aries expected her friends and the Elements, but instead met the eyes of a very frightened mare. "ARIES!! PONYVILLE IS UNDER ATTACK!!" 

That was all the explanation the World Eater needed. He was at Twilight's side in an instant. "Take me there now!" And in a flash they were gone. 

"HONEY BEE! YELLOW JACKET! WE'RE RIGHT BEHIND HIM!!" Shouted Pharynx as the PDF scrambled to join their leader. 


Ponyville 


Starlight blasted another infected pony. She and a group of brave unicorns were trying to maintain a perimeter around the gates of Twilight's castle, but it was no use. The Swamp Ponies had overrun Ponyville and assembled at the gates, ready to charge. 

Starlight charged up her magic, she had been stunning them before, but the reality of the situation had finally sunk in. If she was going to live, then they were going to die. 

Her magic was charged to the same potentcy she used to vaporize Discord with full confidence that he would survive, but she hesitated, allowing them to charge, to take the choice from her, and alleviate the guilt. 

The leader of the horde reared up on it's hind legs. Starlight prepared to end their lives...A lavender flash...an audible pop...and Ponyville was formally introduced...to the Emperor's Angel of Death. 

Aries needed milliseconds to survey the scene, allowing his reaction to appear instantaneous. He met the infected's charge with his own, drawing Warp Eater and activating it's power field. 

As the gap between them closed, Aries turned and swung, decapitating five grown ponies at once. An infected foal aligned with the recently deceased was unharmed and ready to attack, but Aries brought his boot down on the colt, crushing it's skull while grabbing the nearest infected with his off hand and breaking it's neck...all of this before he finished the first swing. 

Aries followed up his attack with another, and another, advancing into the horde as he painted his white and blue power armor with their blood. 

The Equestrians were shocked, even horrified, at the ease with which the World Eater butchered his enemies. 

Twilight and Starlight had seen it before when they saw the memory of Istvaan 3, and Starlight was certainly grateful that she didn't have to do it, but to see so many ponies cut down like a field of wheat made them feel nauseous to say the least. 

The familiar sound of teleportation marked the arrival of the PDF. Honey Bee and Yellow Jacket weren't as accomplished as Twilight or Starlight, but they were able to bring groups of five with them, one of each race. 

Pharynx took longer than Aries to assess the situation, but it did not go unnoticed that he wasn't shocked by the World Eater's actions...just how bad were the Dream Realm invasions?

"It looks like Nurgle's responsible for this. Honey Bee, Yellow Jacket, when you recover enough strength to go back, bring as many dragons as you can, every dragon in the PDF and any volunteers from the Dragon Lands. Blaze, Inferno, we're helping Aries. The rest of you can't afford to get too close, the only reason Aries isn't in danger from those flowers is because he's too high off the ground, so just help keep the ponies safe and be ready to stand between them. We signed up for this, they didn't." 

Nods of agreement were followed by Pharynx transforming into a black dragon and taking to the skies flanked by the young couple of Blaze: a white male dragon with crimson eyes and goat horns, and Inferno: a jade colored female with sea colored eyes and a frill like a dilophosaurus. 

Having learned that Aries' power armor is impervious to all but laugh fire, the dragons didn't hesitate to envelope the World Eater in their blaze, seeing as the cloud of Swamp Fever pollen was rising ever higher. 

Aries didn't react. While his tactical mind was aware of the thwarted threat that he would thank Pharynx for later, he was as enthralled by the Butcher's Nails as he ever allowed himself to be. And as the fires spread, and he cut down those that weren't dying fast enough, he called out the one XIIth legion battle cry that wasn't tainted by their treachery. "maim, kill, burn. MAIM! KILL! BURN! DEATH TO THE ENEMY!!" 


Elsewhere


Rainbow Dash searched high and low, but there was just no sign of her. "RARITY!! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

Her search had led her all the way back to the boutique, only to be put on hold. "AAAAH!! STAY BACK!! GO AWAY!!" 

The filly in distress was none other than Sweetie Belle. She was using what little magic she knew to throw objects less than her weight at an infected stallion that was just as imposing as Big Mac. 

Rainbow Dash leapt into action. "PICK ON SOMEPONY YOUR OWN SIZE BRANCH-BRAIN!!" She shouted as she dive bombed the stallion, who incidentally did have a branch sticking out of his head...a branch bearing the Swamp Fever flower. 

With a jerk of his head, the stallion sent the deadly plant flying at Rainbow Dash who narrowly dodged it. "WOAH!!" 

Rainbow Dash slowed just slightly to recollect her bearings, but it was enough for the infected to sneeze an accurate lightning bolt in her direction, catching one of her wings and sending her plummeting not ten feet from the Nurglite stallion. 

Rainbow Dash hit the ground hard, but seeing the stallion walking towards her was all the incentive she needed to start struggling to her hooves. 

The electric shock continued to burn her muscles on the side that had been struck, and though she refused to look at her damaged wing, the smell of burning feathers and cooked meat was not putting optimistic images in her mind. 

The headstrong mare made it to her hooves at the same time the stallion closed in and loomed over her by a solid foot and a half. Rainbow Dash stared into his eyes defiantly. Alright Dash, you're on your hooves and ready to fight...what now? 

The stallion lunged to bite her, Rainbow Dash screamed in terror and shielded her eyes with her good wing. 


CRASH!


Rainbow peeked between her primaries to see the stallion rubbing a lump on his head before another vase from the nearby pottery stand flew at him and broke against his snout. 

"LEAVE RAINBOW DASH ALONE YOU BIG BULLY!!" Shouted Sweetie Belle as she encased a third vase in her magic. 

As the vase flew, the infected stallion sneezed lightning at it, shattering it, and charged the young filly. 

"NOOO!!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she galloped after him, fighting the pain of her injury to get there in time, but it was hopeless, she just couldn't run fast enough.


ZZAP!


The stallion was frozen in place, incased in a lavender crystal. "Are you two okay?" Asked Starlight Glimmer, who went out to find more survivors, as she trotted up to meet them. 

"...Yeah, thanks to you." Rainbow Dash said as the adrenaline started to fade. 

Starlight looked at her and gasped in horror. "Rainbow Dash...your wing.." 

"It's fine." Rainbow Dash said sternly, still refusing to look at it. 

"Never mind that, if we're going to stop this, then we need to use the Elements. We need to find Rarity NOW!" 

Sweetie Belle had just joined the group in time to hear the last sentence...and be confused by it. "Rarity? She left Ponyville earlier today." 

"WHAT!?" Rainbow Dash shouted. 


Canterlot


Rarity couldn't step off the train fast enough. If she were away from her precious prince any longer, she feared that she would go mad. 

She searched the train station frantically, but just when she was beginning to believe that she would have to go back to his mansion, a familiar fragrance caught her nose. 

She followed the scent like a bloodhound, leaving the train station, until she found it...she found him.

"Ah, there you are dearest Rarity. I was beginning to believe that you found someone better to grace with your presence." Prince Blueblood said as he leaned in to kiss Rarity's cheek. 

"Oh! never darling, I gave you my word and I meant it." Rarity replied as she leaned against him and allowed him to lead her...to her grave.


Ponyville
 

mazdhat, kleerthu, zxxracht, orucht. The chant continued as the circles Chrysalis drew around Ponyville began to soak up the blood spilled in the battle, but it wasn't enough. 
Chrysalis was forced to keep the circles at a distance in order to ensure that they weren't discovered, but this meant that more blood was needed for the summoning to work.

But Chrysalis wasn't worried. She knew that Garble was on his way, and the followers of Nurgle had yet to play their full hand...the war had only just begun.
> Chapter Nineteen: The Tide Turns
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"OUCH!! Easy Twi, that hurt." Rainbow Dash whined as Twilight bandaged her injured wing. 

"I'm sorry but I need to hurry. There are other ponies who need medical attention, and nopony has heard from the hospital staff." Twilight tried to keep to her voice calm, but the sounds of the battle outside made that difficult.

"Well then stop fussing over me and go fetch Rarity. And make sure that she knows she's going to get it when I get my hooves on her." Rainbow Dash snarled in anger.

"I can't, not until a doctor, or at least a nurse turns up. I've sent Starlight to look for them, but she needs time." Twilight responded.

"THEN HOW THE HAY ARE WE GOING TO STOP THIS!!" Rainbow Dash screamed in fury. 

Twilight's ears dropped as she took a minute to prepare her answer. "We can't."


Elsewhere

Aries bisected another infected pegasus that attempted to dive bomb him. His armor was now covered in black marks where infected ponies have sneezed lightning at him with no damaging effect. 

Pharynx landed at his side, changing from his dragon form to his true form as he did so. "Looks like their only advantage is numbers, this is a chore more than anything else." 

"This was merely a distraction, now the rogue dragons have more time to prepare their own attack. We must finish this quickly." Aries instructed.

However, any hope of defeating their enemies with haste swiftly vanished beneath a thunderous roar. 

From the sky descended a beast of the same race as the one that had wisely fled from Aries so long ago, but this one bore the same infection as the hostile ponies, and it wasn't alone.

"MANTICORES!!!" Pharynx called out for the rest of the PDF and dragon volunteers to hear as over a dozen of the winged beasts descended into their ranks. 

Aries beheaded one that tried to pounce on him, Pharynx turned into a black Bloodthirster and swatted away another., and all throughout Ponyville their attack was met with varying results.

Aries watched as a manticore plowed through a dragon's fire, uncaring of any pain that it may have felt, and bit him, spreading it's infection. 

Knowing that the xenos races of Equestria (or Daemons rather) were still learning the ways of war, Aries knew that he alone would have to shoulder the burden of bearing the Headsman's ax for their infected allies, and so he made all haste to the undead dragon, cutting him down before he could turn on his own. 

The manticore that infected him took offense to that and pounced at the World Eater. 

Aries managed to get Warp Eater raised in time, but the beast landed on the blade with enough force to bring Aries down, and it continued to fight on. Biting and clawing and stinging the white and cobalt ceramite that denied it it's prey. 

Aries allowed himself a half-second to be impressed by the damage being dealt to his armor by a mere beast. Then he braced his head against the creature's ribs, forced his feet to plant themselves, thus leaving shallow trenches between where they landed on the ground and where he placed them, and then he stood, heaving the manticore onto his shoulders.

Aries removed Warp Eater from the beast and stabbed it again, then he dropped the beast which landed on it's feet in an attempt to counterattack only for Aries to cut one of it's legs out from under it before cutting it's head off. 

Aries left the dead where they fell, and made all haste to reinforce his allies. 


Elsewhere


Rarity didn't have a care in the world right now. She was leaning against Prince Blueblood as he led her to a 'surprise'. 

She didn't really care where they were going, she just wanted to take in as much of his smell as she could. 

"Are you excited?" Her prince asked her. "Yes darling, I can't wait." Rarity said halfheartedly.

"Well wait no longer. We're here." Prince Blueblood said, gesturing with his head. 

Rarity followed his gesture. He had led her to an overwatch that allowed her to see all of Canterlot and Equestria beyond, she could even see Ponyville as a dot on the horizon. 

"That's nice darling." Rarity said as she remained intoxicated by Blueblood's scent.

Blueblood's smile dropped for a minute, and Rarity thought she may have offended him. "OH! I'm sorry, you...wanted me to look." 

Rarity pulled herself away from Blueblood and moved towards the edge staring into the distance. It was a beautiful sight, in spite of it taking her away from her prince. But then she saw something troubling.

"Is...is that smoke rising from Ponyville!?" Rarity asked, suddenly deeply concerned for her friends and sister. 

"You don't need to worry about that." Blueblood replied. 

Rarity turned to explain why she was worried, but her worry turned to shock and horror when she saw Blueblood turned away from her with his back legs raised. 

Rarity tried to move but it was too late. Blueblood bucked her in the center of her body, smashing her through the safety rail, and sending her plummeting to her death, screaming the whole way down. 


Elsewhere


Starlight dodged a magic blast and fired one of her own at the infected unicorn nurse that she had been fighting for the past few minutes. 

The unicorn brought up a shield to protect her from Starlight's attack and teleported immediately afterwards. 

Starlight didn't know where the mare was going but suspected that the fight wasn't over yet, so she put up a shield just in case. 

Her instincts proved to be correct. A magic blast smashed into the back of her shield.

Starlight turned to face the infected mare, but was met with the sight of a charging manticore. 

The beast smashed into her shield with the force of a freight train, almost shattering it. Starlight cried out under the strain of holding her shield in place, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. 

When Starlight opened her eyes, she saw the manticore clawing at her shield...and above him was the nurse, channeling her magic into a large ball. 

Starlight had assumed that her strength as a unicorn would protect her, but whatever mutation of Swamp Fever caused this had also amplified the combative abilities of the infected. A lesson learned too late. 

The ball of magic crashed into Starlight's shield, shattering it. The manticore lunged.

Starlight screamed and shielded her eyes, only for something to grab her by the mane and toss her out of harm's way. 

Starlight landed ungracefully but unharmed. She looked to her savior and saw Aries removing his sword from the manticore's skull. 

The World Eater charged the infected mare, but the unicorn caught him in her telekinesis. 

Starlight pulled herself off the ground and blasted the nurse, stunning her and freeing Aries. 

Recovering from Starlight's attack, the unicorn fired a blast at Aries who countered with his sword: the Alicorn Amulet dispersing the magic. The mare put a shield up, but it fared as well as her blast...and her head.

Starlight stared in disturbed shock for a moment, and then walked over to the dead unicorn, enveloping her corpse and head in her magic. 

"We don't have time to bury the dead. Every second wasted is another life lost." Aries urged Starlight.

"Which is why I'm moving her body out of the way. I'm trying to find the rest of the hospital staff, and if they see one of their friends like this and stop running to safety, it'll waste even more time." Starlight said with a trembling voice, nonetheless impressing the World Eater with her insight. 

Starlight hid the body behind the dead manticore, one would have to be going the other way to see it. "Okay, that's done." Starlight breathed a sigh of relief to longer be handling a pony's corpse. 

"Well done." Aries said, the closest thing that he would give her to an apology for misjudging her... and as thanks for dispelling the magic that had immobilized him.

"Thanks. Uh, if it's not too much trouble...Whatever did this to these ponies amplified the infected unicorn's magic. I'm one of the more powerful magic users in Equestria, but that nurse was my equal, and combined with the manticore...I won't be able to escort survivors on my own." Starlight lamented. The message was clear.

"Very well, I'll support you. But we must hurry, I will be needed elsewhere." Aries replied, welcoming the chance to repay his new life debt to the alien (Daemon) witch.

"Great. The hospital is this way." Starlight galloping forward. Aries right on her heels.

Fortunately, the trip to the hospital only included a single unicorn and a half dozen other ponies, all in one group. 

"I'll hold off the unicorn, you take care of the rest." Starlight said as she teleported skyward for an ambush. Aries would have a word with her about orders, but he allowed her the chance to reclaim her honor in battle, no one understood that more than the 12th. 

"FOR THE EMPEROR!!" Aries shouted as he charged. The unicorn sensed the magic of Starlight's teleportation and knew she was above them, but the rest had no idea and simply focused on the World Eater.

The infected ponies charged Aries impulsively, with the all the wisdom of animals, and Aries slaughtered them like animals. 

Starlight's duel went better than the last. Now that she knew her strength was matched, she relied on skill. Expecting the more aggressive form of fighting from the nurse to be used by this unicorn. She used the duplication spell she invented with Twilight to bait the unicorn into firing at her after image and then incased her in crystal while she was vulnerable. 

Aries walked up and prepared to finish her off. "WAIT!" cried Starlight. "There's still a chance that we can save them, at least the ones that aren't a threat." 

Any other World Eater would've scoffed at the idea of prisoners, but Aries lowered his sword...until the crystal shattered. 

The magical explosion sent shrapnel flying everywhere, forcing Starlight to put up a shield. She expected a fight when she dropped it, but the unicorn was already dead.

"Next time, I'll handle the psyker. You will immobilize the others." Aries said to Starlight as he marched past her. 

The two heroes made their way to the hospital and found it boarded up, the only sign of life being the accelerated heartbeats and panicked breathing that Aries heard with his transhuman ears. 

"Equestrians, the infected have been dispatched. We are here to escort you to safety." Aries called out.

There was a ruckus as debris was removed from the door and then 7 ponies of varying races with white or pink coats emerged from the building. 

Starlight began to speak with them, no doubt explaining what has transpired and where they are going, but Aries had other concerns. 

"Starlight, get them moving now." Aries said as he drew his sword.

"Huh, of course but... you're coming with us right?"

"...I'll try to catch up." Aries replied. Starlight was about to question him...when she felt it...footfalls, and crashing trees. 

The hospital ponies all screamed as it emerged. Starlight shouted at them to follow her and took off, lest they scatter. 

It's hide was brown and it had more heads, but Aries still recognized the green and three headed silhouette upon the shoulders of the Alpha Legion, just as he recognized the signs of this hydra being infected by whatever plague Nurgle has brought into being. 

As Aries prepared to fight the hydra, he was unaware that to his left at 600 meters, just above Sweet Apple Acres...Garble had arrived.


Elsewhere


Prince Blueblood chuckled to himself as Rarity stopped screaming. Oh, what a lovely sound it was. "Hmm hmm hmm, Well that's her out of the way. Now, I wonder how Slaanesh will reward me for taking the Elements of Harmony out of the picture...perhaps with a way to take over rulership of Equestria?"

"I would never have believed it if I didn't just hear it with my own ears." Blueblood's smile disappeared as he recognized the voice of his private tutor from foalhood.

Turning to the voice revealed not only a much living Rarity staring at him in shock, but the cold unforgiving eyes of the unicorn who once praised him as everything Equestria should aspire to be: Chancellor Neighsay.
> Bonus Chapter:A Father's Fury
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the fires died and the screams faded, the surviving feral orks on an island 500 miles from the main continent looked up at the battles victor, hoping for his mercy but not daring to beg. 

"Well, if you idiots have had enough, then go back to your jungles where you belong and stay there...AGREE WITH ME!" Ex Dragon Lord Torch shouted at the few dozen 'shroom apes' as his ancestors called them. 

"GAH! UH RIGHT BOSS! OKAY BOSS!" 
"LET'S LEG IT!!" 
"WE'LL FOIGHT AGAIN ANUVAH DAY!!" This and more echoed from the broken warband as they retreated. 

In an age that nopony remembers, these creatures fell from the sky seeking war and destruction, and would've brought it to Equestria...if the dragons didn't dominate the world at this time.

The war between the dragons and the shroom apes decimated the great Dragon Empire of Blaze the Battling King and allowed weaker races to prosper.

The surviving Dragon Lords relocated their Kingdoms to encircle the surviving invaders and cage them in dragon fire, with retired Dragon Lords acting as first responders...it was good honest work. 

Torch smirked at the last shroom ape disappearing into the foliage, how these pathetic creatures managed to decimate a world ruled by dragons he would never know. His father told him that they had advanced technology that Blaze destroyed, but Torch didn't believe it, these things were too stupid to make such things...eh, whatever. 

With the latest assault taken care of, Torch flew back to the edge of the island. It was huge, so large that it had been nearly three centuries since the last time a Dragon Lord of one territory encountered another. But that was mainly because they didn't wander too far from their designated areas. They had to keep watch after all.

But that didn't stop Torch from turning his back for 5 minutes every other day, thinking about his daughter. 

And that is what brought him to a cliff overlooking the ocean with the highest peak in the Equestrian Dragon Lands appearing as a faint sliver on the horizon. 

Torch had gotten himself comfortable, and was content to lay there for awhile...but something reflected sunlight into his eye. 

Torch blinked in annoyance and tried tilting his head, but the light seemed to chase him. Finally turning to look at the annoyance, Torch found the light was reflecting from something that had washed up on the beach a few meters away from his cliff. 

Torch grumbled to himself as he flew down to pick up the reflect object and throw it back in the water...or so he thought.

Landing on the beach revealed to the retired Dragon Lord...his daughter with a brass helmet.

Torch's heart froze in his chest. For a moment, he didn't react, as if he couldn't process what he was seeing. In the next moment, he picked up the dead dragon that he couldn't believe was his own child, seeking to remove the helmet and see another dragon's face...he did not. 

For a another moment he did nothing, in the next he roared. 

The orks that had slowed their retreat found themselves running faster than ever as they heard Torch's roar of anguish. 

They didn't know why and they question it, but the reason was because the orks who spawned their spores remembered hearing similar cries from the dragons...and they remembered what happened next. 


Discord's Dimension 


"WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! HOLD UP!! What happened to Ember's armor, isn't that why she sank in the first place?" Cegorach asked no one in particular. 

"It looks better on my Bloodthirster." Discord replied, holding up a model Bloodthirster that was wearing Ember's brass armor bar the helmet...Cegorach fell out of his seat laughing.
> Chapter Twenty: The Darkest Hour
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mane 6 were doing their best to keep order. Twilight continued to tend to the wounded with Applejack acting as her nurse. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were trying to lighten the mood to no avail. And Rainbow Dash kept testing her injured wing, dying to get back out there. 

"Applejack, I need another splint." Twilight called out, tending to an earth pony that had sprained their hoof. 

"Huh? Oh! right." Applejack said, scrambling to find the splint and hand it to the Princess of Friendship. 

"I know you're worried Applejack, but we have to focus." Twilight said as she put the splint in place. 

"I know Twi it's just... I told my family that I was going to help you and Aries deal with Garble and then... all Tartarus broke loose and I have no idea if they're all right." Applejack said. 

"I understand, but Sweet Apple Acres is a good distance away, and the attack is centered on the town. For now, we have to worry about the ponies in hoof's reach." No sooner than Twilight had finished that sentence did a pair of unicorns from the PDF come galloping towards them.

"PRINCESS! WE GOT A PROBLEM!!" One of them shouted. "It's the dragons Princess, Garble is attacking Sweet Apple Acres!!" The other said, sounding less panicked but just as worried. 

"WHAT!!?" Applejack shouted.

"We need anycreature you can spare to cover us while we go in and evacuate whoever's still hiding there." The more composed unicorn said.

Twilight shook off the shock. "Right, Applejack, you go and help your family."

"COUNT ME IN!!" Shouted Pinkie. She and Fluttershy were close enough to hear what was happening, the latter of them seemed terrified at the thought of going out into a war zone, but also determined to help her friends. 

"Fluttershy, you can take over for Applejack until she gets back." Twilight said, earning a sigh of relief and gratitude. 

"Don't tell Rainbow what's happening or she'll go out and get herself killed trying to help." Applejack said as she and Pinkie stood next to unicorns.

Twilight nodded in agreement "Be safe." She says as they teleport to the farm. 


Elsewhere


Applebloom clung to Granny Smith with a hoof over her muzzle. After the dragons started burning down the apple orchard, they, Winona, and Big Mac hid in the basement.

Now Applebloom could see the glow of flames through the door and hear the voices and snarls of the dragons tearing her home apart in the search for valuables. 

Big Mac and Winona stood between Applebloom and Granny Smith, ready to charge the door if it opened. 

Five minutes passed, the fire was starting to eat away at the door, steps of stone preventing it from being a threat, but the smoke and depleting air was starting to make itself known to Applebloom's throat. 

...cough cough. Big Mac, Winona and Granny Smith jolted at the sudden sound and Applebloom put both hooves to her muzzle as she realized that the dragons may have heard her...and the return of their silence revealed that the dragons weren't speaking amongst themselves anymore.

There was one voice, it's words were brief, and then there were footsteps...and then the door started rattling. 

Big Mac braced himself to charge and Winona raised her hackles in a snarl as Applebloom started whimpering out an apology and Granny Smith held her closer.

There was a ruckus, as if the dragons were fighting each other over who got to go in first, and then the door broke down.

Big Mac charged in with a yell, only to put himself in the flight path of the dragon that broke through the door who smashed into the red stallion before lying still on top of him. 

Winona perked up and raced to the destroyed door yipping excitedly as Applejack came down the stairs. "Sorry Big Mac, I didn't see you there." 

"APPLEJACK!!" Applebloom shouted as she broke away from Granny Smith and galloped full speed towards her sister's embrace. 

"I'm glad to see you're alright sugercube, you have no idea how worried I was when them dragons attacked." Applejack said. 

"Well you have no idea how worried I was when they attacked us." Applebloom countered. 

"ahem" The Apple sisters retracted their embrace and turned to see Pinkie Pie helping Big Mac out from under the unconscious dragon and two unicorns that Applebloom didn't recognize standing between them.

"As much as Bee and I understand sister time, this isn't it. We need to get out of here now." One of the unicorns said. 

"Oh, right. Everypony stand next to-uh what're yall's names?" Applejack asked drawing a giggle from the unicorns while the rest of the Apple family gathered around them. 

One of them inhaled to answer, but the sound of more dragons approaching put the introductions on hold.

Three dragons came down to investigate. They saw the ponies, the ponies saw them, but before anycreature could react, the dragons were sent flying, smashing through the basement ceiling and the house wall covered in cake batter and confetti.

All eyes turned to Pinkie Pie, who was hugging her party cannon and giggling to herself. "They said it couldn't be done. They said that I couldn't shoot 100 parties at once. They called me a madmare...WHO'S MAD NOW!?!?" 


Elsewhere


Garble had blasted fire onto the apple orchard as he flew over it, but he and some of the stronger Khornate dragons had otherwise ignored the farm for the sake of greater slaughter.

His minions were already descending upon Ponyville, attacking infected Nurglite ponies and beasts, fleeing citizens that hadn't made it to Twilight's castle, and Ember's loyalists alike. Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows, only that it flows freely. 

Garble had no interest in the weak...with the exception of Spike and his pony friends.

Garble looked for any sign of them, assuming success when he caught sight of a purple mare escorting some doctor ponies to a crystal-like castle where several unicorns and pony-loving dragons were trying to keep the Nurglites out. 

With a Daemonic roar, Garble descended onto the castle's defenders. They fought back, but that only made it fun.


Elsewhere


Rarity's eyes went from Blueblood to Neighsay and back again. She didn't understand what was happening, Blueblood had almost killed her, why? "M-My Prince...wh-why did you-"

"Oh be quiet you cheap hussy, can't you see that the stallions are busy?" Blueblood snapped at her, his words wounding her heart. 

"You haven't changed at all Blueblood. Hmph, I remember encouraging you to treat commoners that way...if only I could do it all again with what I know now." Neighsay lamented.

"Well, there's no changing the past, but for old times' sake, I'll give you a chance to join me, assuming you'll stop this nonsense of course." Blueblood said.

"The only nonsense I've heard today has been your intentions of dethroning your aunts, traitor." With that, Neighsay cast an aura of dispelling, it's flash blinding Rarity. When her vision returned, so did her sanity. 

Rarity could no longer fathom why she would ever let Blueblood take her on a date, but one look at the unicorn revealed the truth of the situation. 

His sky blue eyes now glowed violet. Small goat-like horns grew from cracks in his natural horn, and his cutie-mark had been replaced with a symbol Rarity had never seen before.

"Blueblood, you...you SERPENT!!!" Rarity shouted in outrage as she realized that the prince had joined the Daemons.

"I thought I told you to bite your tongue sow." Blueblood shouted back.

With an ear-piercing screech, Rarity blasted the prince with her magic, but Blueblood easily deflected it with a purple shield. "Hmm hmm hmm, as if someone of your caliber could hope to harm me." 

"Hmm, I'm afraid I have to agree with my former student miss Rarity, please stay back." Neighsay asked as he stepped between them. 

Rarity was furious but understood the severity of the situation. She did, however, keep her horn glowing with arcane power as Neighsay advanced. 

With a sadistic grin, Blueblood fired a blast of Slaaneshi Warp Energy from his horn. Neighsay brought up a shield and empowered it with his aura of dispelling, negating the seductive effects of the Warp Energy. 

Blueblood cut off the magic wave, his grin becoming a smirk... He was playing around. "I trust that you know this isn't going to end well for you." 

Neighsay narrowed his gaze, he had to get Blueblood to aim away from Rarity. "You seem to have forgotten who's the teacher here." 

Neighsay teleported. Blueblood whirled around to intercept the obvious flanking maneuver, but instead of a blast, found himself surrounded by arcane chains. 

Blueblood teleported before the chains could ensnare him. Neighsay teleported as well.

Blueblood reappeared behind where Neighsay had been only to find he wasn't there. The sound of magic chains told Blueblood to dodge. He did so by teleporting once more.

When Blueblood reappeared, Neighsay landed from where he had been falling from the sky in his ambush, coming muzzle to muzzle with the traitor. 

Blueblood fired an arcane blast, only for Neighsay to throw up a shield and block it. 

This time, Blueblood did not release the attack, he only empowered it further. "Congratulations, you finally got me to take this seriously, any final lessons before I expell you?"

Neighsay grit his teeth...but then he smiled. "Do you recall the difficulty found in casting an offensive spell and a shield at the same time?"

Blueblood was confused...until a purple/blue arcane blast struck him in the barrel, knocking his breath out.

A similarly colored aura of levitation held him in place while Neighsay's chains bound him. 

Struggling against the chains proved fruitless, but as Blueblood did so, his eyes drifted towards Rarity, who was levitating a mirror with her purple/blue magic to fix her mane.

"YOU 3 BIT STREETWH-MMF!!" Blueblood found his mouth bound in chains before he could finish. 

"That's no way to treat a lady of higher standing." Neighsay stated.

Rarity trotted up to them. "Ah, thank you ever so much for the timely rescue Neighsay. It's wonderful to see how far you've come since the Cozy Glow incident." 

"Indeed, but I'm afraid pleasantries will have to wait. A dragon by the name of Garble has also fallen to corruption. I was tasked with hunting for any others who may have been corrupted, but you and the rest of Princess Twilight's group were supposed to reduce the damage that Aries will undoubtedly inflict." Neighsay explained, much to Rarity's horror. 

"AAAHH!! I HAVE ALMOST FORGOTTEN!! JUST BEFORE BLUEBLOOD TRIED TO MURDER ME, THERE WAS SMOKE RISING FROM PONYVILLE!!!" Rarity shouted, suddenly deeply worried for her friends and family. 

Neighsay shared her worry. He hadn't heard anything about an attack, but who knows how much has changed since the princesses dispatched him. 

"I'll use my amulet to send you to Twilight. I must relay this information to the princesses and find a place to put this." Neighsay indicated Blueblood before summoning a portal which Rarity jumped through. 


Elsewhere


"Quarect Nihcthu Larkreet..." Chrysalis' dark chant continued as more and more blood empowered the spell. 
"Arant Oruckt Chizeen-AAH!" Chrysalis was pulled from her concentration as a Khornate dragon jumped onto her and began clawing at her exoskeleton. 

As the spell was interrupted, it's magic began to fade. In order to prevent this, Chrysalis quickly fired a blast of her magic into the circle, activating it early. 

The changeling screamed in agony as the Dark Gods informed her of their disappointment.

The dragon backed off as tentacles started to sprout and Chrysalis grew extra eyes and mouths. 

The dragon was about to enflame the changeling...when it was beheaded by a chain ax, the ax's owner running to the sounds of slaughter in a blur of red and brass.

Upon the circle remained two less than amused chaos astartes, Perseus could've reversed this alien fool's summoning spell and returned them, but only if all three of had remained... god dammit Karl.

With his frustration building, the Khornate Night Lord of the Horde resigned himself to this campaign, he would slay the enemies of the Blood God, and then find a way back to the Horde, preferably before it tore itself apart. 

Lord Caedus gave a single hateful glance to the deforming and reforming horror that had failed to bring his horde with him. 

He contemplated killing the thing, but decided that was too merciful and left it to it's fate. "

Perceus, let Karl have his fun. He'll occupy the largest and strongest enemies. I'm expecting you to deal with the psychically skilled while I cut the head from the snake." Caedus said to his lieutenant, the Fallen Angel nodding in agreement. 

Caedus knew he wouldn't take long to start plotting something, but the longer they delayed, the more likely the xenos would manage to outsmart Karl...it wouldn't be that difficult.

And with that, the lords of the Horde descended upon Equestria. 


Elsewhere


"TWILIGHT!" The mare in question turned to the voice and was surprised to see Rarity galloping towards her. "WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME HAPPENED!?" 

"We've been attacked by the forces of Chaos. Aries is out there fighting, and a pair of unicorns from the Planetary Defense Force is bringing in as many reinforcements as they can. I've already sent word to the princesses, but what we really need are the Elements of Harmony." Twilight quickly explained. 

"GAAAH! I AM DREADFULLY SORRY TWILIGHT!! I SWEAR I'LL MAKE THIS UP TO EVERYPONY AS SOON AS IT'S OVER!! NOW WHERE ARE THE ELEMENTS!?" Rarity shouted, too panicked to control her voice. 

Twilight was about to answer...when the gates to her castle were blown off their hinges.

Everypony scattered as something came through the gate. The smoke cleared, revealing an almost unrecognizable Garble. "OH SPIIIIKE, COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!"
> Chapter Twenty One: The Horde Strikes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aries punched the Hydra in the eye in an attempt to find release. He had pierced the brains of two heads, for caution against the Hydra's myth, but had been taken in a third head's maw with such force that he lost his grip on Warp Eater which now lays on the ground. 

Fortunately, the Hydra's bite force isn't strong enough to crush or break through astartes power armor. But with one of the three remaining heads clamped down on his torso, another trying to rip off his legs, and the third doing the same to one arm, the World Eater is falling into desperation. 

The Hydra heads started to pull, threatening to tear him apart, but Aries uses his free hand to grab a tooth of the head holding his body and rips it clean from it's mouth. 

As the first lets go to howl in pain, Aries throws the tooth like a knife into the eye of the Hydra holding his legs. Aries then uses his free hand to grab the final Hydra's jaw and pull himself up enough to put a foot down on the jaw and pry it open, falling to the ground as the heads finally recover. 

Aries rolls on the ground to avoid vengeful teeth and sprints for his sword. Claiming and activating it as he turns to strike at the Hydra nipping at his heels. 

The Hydra heads pull back, weary of the blade, yet Aries holds his ground, knowing that getting reckless again would see history repeat itself.

However, the Hydra is still infected with whatever plague Nurgle has brought to bear against Equestria. A fact that he reminds Aries of by sneezing lightning. 

This lightning bolt is larger than those produced by ponies and Aries decides to dodge lest it cause more damage.

Unfortunately, a second head is waiting with it's own sneeze, which strikes home. 

Aries is thrown off his feet and lands on his battery pack with a large smoking scorch mark on his chest. 

As Aries regathers himself, the Hydra rips away the deceased heads and, as Aries suspected, four grew back. 

"OH HELL YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!" Aries turned to the voice...and what he saw froze his blood. 

Their armor had changed, white and cobalt blue giving way to brass and blood red, but the jaws remained the same. 

There was no mistaking the parent legion of the astartes before him...his own legion. 

The other World Eater revved his chain ax and started twirling his whip as he stared at the Hydra. "I'm gonna tame you and come up with a separate name for each your heads, the center one will be Steve." 

"Who are you, what is your allegiance?" The other World Eater turned to Aries, seeming to have only just noticed him. 

"Holy shit, that armor is ancient, were you around during the Heresy or something?" The heretic asked, his allegiance marked by a brass khornate symbol, but Aries demanded a confession. 

"I fought in the first battle of the Heresy as a proud servant of the Emperor, and I remain his Angel of Death. I won't ask again, are you a traitor or not?" Aries advanced and readied his weapon.

"Um, heretic yes, traitor no. I was abducted by World Eaters after the Heresy ended, was forced to pass their tests or die, ditched them and made friends with a rogue Night Lord and have been fighting for the Blood God ever since. I don't have an opinion on the civil war one way or the other, but if you're challenging me to a Duel, challenge accepted...name's Karl by the way." The crimson clad astartes explained.

Aries changed his stance, gripping Warp Eater in two hands. "In the Emperor's name, I will destroy you." 

The two World Eaters charged, power sword and chain ax prepared to collide, and the Hydra, forgotten until this point, lunged to strike both astartes. 

The World Eaters leapt to the side and swung their weapons to deter pursuit. Skidding to a halt, the distant brothers stared up at the Hydra. "Ok, forget taming. NO ONE INTERRUPTS AN HONOR DUEL!! LET'S KILL THIS THING!!!"

Aries looked at Karl as if he spontaneously transformed into an Eldar, he just proposed an alliance...just like that...and yet, it made sense, Karl wasn't a traitor, even if he was a heretic and would die as such, but attempting to fight him and the Hydra, which he had already had trouble with, wasn't wise. 

"Very well, the enemy of my enemy dies second." Aries said to the Khornate World Eater. 

"It's been awhile since I fought with a true brother at my side, this'll be fun." Karl responded.

"You are no brother of mine heretic, my brothers died on Istvaan 3." Aries scolded. "Eh, Caedus is a better brother than you anyway." Karl replied. 

"Enough talk, time for action. FOR THE EMPEROR!!" Aries called out, charging the beast with Karl right behind him. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!" 


Elsewhere 


"Well well well, if it isn't Spike's puny pony friend." Garble smiled as he locked his deep glowing eyes on Twilight. 

"This isn't you Garble, that Daemon possessed you. Even at your worst, you were never cruel enough to do what you did to Ember. " Twilight tried to reason with Garble as the Daemonicly possessed dragon drew closer, bloodlust clear in his eyes. 

Garble's smile disappeared. "Ha! you mean you never thought I'd be good enough. I'm happy to disappoint you. NOW DIE!!" Garble lunged with a powerful flap of his wings, his ax ready to strike...he fell right into the trap. 

The carpet between him and Twilight glowed a bluish purple as Rarity, who had snuck around to the side while Twilight confronted him, enveloped Garble in the carpet.

Before the dragon could recover and cut his way out, Twilight blasted the carpet with a transfiguration spell, turning it's cloth into steel. 

Rarity galloped up to Twilight. "I doubt that'll hold him for very long darling, we need to get the Elements an-" Rarity was cut off by the ear piercing shriek of metal being cut with the ease of paper. 

The two ponies turned back to see Garble pushing out the sides of the gash he cut through the steel, giving him enough room to lunge for them again. Twilight threw up a shield, ready to take the blow while Rarity prepared a blast for a counterattack.

"SURPRISE!!" The shout was coupled with the sight of Garble being sent flying in an explosion of cake batter and confetti. 

Garble started to pull himself up when a black and yellow magic blast, two blasts combined, sent him into a wall.

"Nice work Girls." Applejack's voice called Twilight's attention to her, Pinkie Pie, and the two PDF unicorns. 

"Applejack, you have no idea how good it is to see you darling." Rarity called out while the unicorns trotted up to Twilight and saluted her.

"Bee and I are ready and willing to help, where do you need us Princess?" The black coated mare asked. 

"Garble isn't going to be out much longer. I need one of you to find Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, and the other to help the others keep him occupied while I get the Elements of Harmony so we can end this." Twilight explained.

"My, what a clever plan." The Equestrians turned to the voice...and paled with fear. 

Standing in the ruined gates that Garble destroyed was not one, but two astartes. 

The one in front had armor the color of Luna's coat with a silver trim and silver ornaments while his helmet was a crimson eyed skull. He had a large knife strapped to him and he wielded a power sword just like Aries, but it glowed orange like fire and felt...wrong. 

The one behind him wore pitch black armor mostly covered with a dark grey hooded cloak, the hood covering his helmet but for his eyes which glowed the color of lightning, much like his staff which sparked and bursted with psychic energy in the same manner as Tempest Shadow's broken horn when she channeled magic. He also wielded a gladius short sword. 

"You handle yourselves better than I expected of your kind, that fool is fortunate that we have come to reinforce him." The skull faced one said to the ponies. 

"I'm guessing that makes you two servants of Chaos doesn't it." Twilight said as she started channeling her magic. 

"You're well informed xeno. Yes, I am Lord Caedus of the Horde, servant of the Blood God Khorne, and I have come for you." The astartes said, pointing his power sword towards Twilight. 

Twilight answered with a blast, a blast that was flanked by blasts from the unicorns of the PDF.

The sorcerer intercepted with blueish purple lightning countering the triple blast perfectly, much to Twilight's shock. 

She considered pouring more energy into the attack when noticed a shadow passing over her. Looking up revealed that Caedus had leapt into the air and descending upon Twilight with his sword set to skewer her.

Pinkie Pie appeared behind Twilight and blasted the Chaos Marine with her Party-ShotX100 but the much heavier astartes powered through, the attack only wavering his strike enough that Twilight could move out of the way as he came down. 

As Twilight broke away from the magic struggle, the sorcerer easily overpowered Honey Bee and Yellow Jacket, who broke away and leapt to either side. 

Honey Bee landed on her hooves and tried to put eyes on her sister when an armored gauntlet grabbed her by the neck and pulled her off the ground.

"If this hurts, just scream." The magical astartes said as he prepared another attack at point blank, only to be interrupted when a magic blast struck him in the back...with little effect.

The sorcerer turned to Yellow Jacket, her horn glowing with magic, and said. "I'm sorry, did you want to go first?" 

"Put. My sister. Down." Yellow Jacket said as she glared at the sorcerer. 

The sorcerer tilted his head. "Sister? My, you are selfish, aren't you? You would rather die in front of her and let the memory haunt her, than watch her die?" 

The sorcerer laughed at this. "Very well, I am pretty selfish myself after all. So from one selfish man to a selfish alien, I will kill you first, slowly, painfully, and allow your sister to live on as my slave, keeping her alive for centuries until, at last, I grow bored of her torment and reunite her with you in death." 

The sorcerer leveled his staff at Yellow Jacket, who fired another blast at him, and answered the unicorn in kind. 

The warp lightning overpowered the magic blast with contemptuous ease, the lightning striking the unicorns horn with explosive effect as Honey Bee shouted in horror. "JACK!!!" 

As the sisters were being overpowered, Twilight and her friends were having their own uphill battle against Caedus. 

The Chaos Marine moved with such speed that Twilight couldn't focus on him long enough to trap him in levitation, and the one time she managed it, his very shadow struck at her, throwing off her concentration as she avoided a death blow at the price of a few locks of her mane. 

The others weren't much better, Rarity's crystal shields were like glass against Caedus' sword, Applejack couldn't get close enough to buck him without being cut in half, and for whatever Celestia-forsaken reason, Pinkie Pie was just messing around.

"PINKIE!! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO PRANK HIM!?" Twilight shouted as she continued teleporting for her life. 

"BECAUSE MY POWERS ONLY WORK WHEN IT'S FUNNY TWILIGHT!!!" Ponyville's residential party pony shouted back as she squirted silly string in the astartes' face. She had slammed a bucket onto his head last time, but alas, her humorous antics had only served to blind him for a half second at a time. 

Yet it was a different prank every time, telling Twilight that her playful friend was indeed trying to humorously stop something as serious as a Chaos Space Marine out for blood.

Just as Twilight began to wonder how the situation could get worse...Garble awoke.


Elsewhere


"TAKE THIS YOU OVERGROWN LIZARD!!" Karl shouted as plunged a krak grenade into a gash he had cut into the Hydra's back-right leg before leaping backwards and away from the blast zone. 

The grenade exploded, removing the Hydra's leg and crippling it's front-right leg as a bonus, along with breaking several ribs.

Aries seized the opportunity, cutting through two heads to get on the wounded beast's back and finally stab it through the heart. 

The now twenty headed Hydra gave out a death shriek from it's every living head before finally falling limp, lifeless. 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAA!! THAT WAS AWESOME!! LET'S DO IT AGAIN!!" Karl shouted enthusiastically, as though Aries had been his brother since they were Aspirants.

"No, our alliance has ended heretic, now you will die." Aries said, leveling Warp Eater upon the Khorne Berserker.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that, sorry." Karl said as he put his ax forward and his whip back...the more he spoke, the more Aries drew parallels with Pinkie Pie.

The World Eaters stared each other down, Aries reliving all the pain and hatred he felt for his traitorous brothers as he prepared to send one several centuries younger than him back into the Warp... and Karl wondering what that Hydra would taste like. As the berserker lost focus, Aries charged. 


Elsewhere


One-Way Express had tired himself out, he wasn't as skilled in magic as Honey Bee and Yellow Jacket, but he had managed bring in the rest of the PDF to do what they can. 

Buck Wild and Spitfire were taking the fight to the infected ponies. Vengeful dragons challenged their treacherous kin. Yaks, griffins, hyppogriffs, and the other ponies took a secondary defensive line while changelings in the form of Greater Daemons and Ursa Minors formed the first.

One-Way was joined in rest by two dragons, Blaze and Inferno of the first response, who had exhausted their fire-breath and were reduced to coughing clouds of smoke. 

However, they immediately perked up when a thunderous roar tore through the sky, frightening all but the most steel willed. 

There was a crash as Torch, the former Dragon Lord, landed to the side of the Equestrian defensive line. 

The infected charged towards him, but with all the effort of a yawn, the Elder Dragon incinerated them, ponies and manticores alike. 

Torch turned his attention to Blaze and Inferno, the only dragons present at the moment, and turned a closed claw up towards them.

"If you value your lives, you will answer me honestly." The Dragon Lord said with a low, frightening voice as he opened his claw and revealed the corpse of Dragon Lord Ember...strangely lacking her armor bar the helmet. "Explain this."

The two dragons bowed respectfully to the Elder. "A traitor named Garble has allied himself with Daemons from another realm to take the title of Dragon Lord for himself. He and those who follow him are assulting this town alongside a virus that turns creatures into mad beasts."

"...I see." Torch said as he laid Ember's lifeless body down and turned to survey Ponyville and the madness that has consumed it. 

In particular, he focused on dragons fighting dragons, some of which appeared...wrong. 

Their scales changing from their natural shades to red and their eyes glowed a bright crimson and they all bore black horns and breathed an odd colored fire. 

Torch saw as one breathed this fire onto a normal dragon, the flames consuming him as if his fireproof scales were paper. 

Torch answered the murderer with his own fire breath, the sheer force breaking his bones and melting his eyes. 

With that, Torch took flight...and vengeance.
> Chapter Twenty Two: Coup De Grace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karl snapped his whip at Aries and wrapped it around his neck, but the loyalist pressed the attack before Karl could pull him off balance.

A strike from Warp Eater was countered by the heretic's chain ax, costing it two teeth, but allowing Karl to sidestep Aries and kick him in the back.

Now that the distance was appropriate. Karl pulled his whip, snatching Aries backwards in an attempt to topple him.

Aries rolled with the attack, literally, kicking his feet up and over as he fell, and pushing off the ground when he was completely upside down.

The whip was completely wrapped around his body, but Karl lost his grip. Aries removed it from the fight completely by cutting himself free with his power sword.

"HEY! NOT COOL BRO! THAT WAS MY FAVORITE WHIP!!" Karl whined as Aries dislodged the pieces stil clinging to him.

"Then come and avenge it scum." Aries said pointing the tip of his blade at his opponent.

"Oh, that is IT!!!" Shouted the berserker as he charged the loyalist.

Aries swung at Karl, but Karl deflected the strike with his ax before, to the absolute surprise of Aries, dropping the chain ax and grabbing Aries' sword arm before headbutting him and sweeping the loyalist's legs out from under him.

Aries lost his grip on Warp Eater as he fell, but Karl didn't grab it. Instead, he went for an elbow drop, resulting in a dust cloud as the two World Eaters fought on the ground. Karl trying to beat Aries to death with his fists, and Aries trying to fend him off and reclaim his weapon.

As the dust cloud resounded with ceramite crashing against ceramite and Karl cursing the destruction of his whip, Neither World Eater noticed Torch flying overhead.

The vengeful Ex-Dragon Lord held some knowledge of what his daughter had been up to since her ascension, so he didn't simply incinerate the village, and instead attempted to goad the traitors out.

"HEAR ME FOLLOWERS OF GARBLE!! YOU HAVE SLAIN MY DAUGHTER AND ENSURED THAT SHE DIED IN PAIN!! AND FOR THAT! YOU! WILL! SUFFER!!" The Khornate dragons answered his challenge, taking to the sky to attack him.

He used fire on the larger groups, the smaller ones he simply batted away with his claws and tail.

One dragon who charged at his face was crushed in his jaws, the blood tasted horrible for the taint, and Torch made sure to spit out every single drop and use fire to cleanse what residue remained.

As Torch rained fire and fury upon the followers of Garble, and the PDF fought against the followers of Nurgle, no one noticed the sounds of battle echoing from Twilight's castle.

Caedus was too fast for Applejack to get close to, but the minute Garble rushed Twilight, Applejack found her duty in this fight...she owed Garble for attacking Sweet Apple Acres anyway.

As Twilight dodged Garble's first attack, and Caedus was prevented from taking advantage by Pinkie's pie-to-the-face prank, Applejack turned as she skidded to a halt on two hooves, her back ones primed and ready for Garble who hadn't noticed her yet.

Applejack's Buck connected, sending the mutineer flying right into Caedus, who backhanded him out of the way.

Garble rose and scowled at the Chaos Lord. "HEY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOUR STRIKING!?"

Caedus ignored him and charged the Princess of Friendship again, his boots crushing a banana peel that Pinkie hoped he would slip on.


Moments Earlier


"JACK!!!" Honey Bee screamed as the smoke cleared, her sister laying still on the floor. She could focus on nothing, not even the Princess' fight with the other astartes, but Yellow Jacket's body, searching desperately for any sign that she was still alive.

"Hmm hmm hmm, yes I am sorry you had to see that. Such a selfish thing, your sister. But don't worry, I don't need a new slave, so you can die with her." The astartes sorcerer said to his captive.

"RRREEEEEEEYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" Honey Bee had never felt more rage than she did at that moment, and she channeled it all into an energy wave at point blank range.

The astartes brought his staff between their faces to shield himself from the blast, the majority of the energy being sent towards the ceiling.

The staff was touching the Space Marine's helmet when Honey Bee finally ran out of steam, his hood was thrown off and an imprint of his staff-head was melted into his faceplate. "That, was adorable."

The unicorn was too exhausted to strike back, now she could only weep...which is why the sorcerer was taken completely by surprise when he found himself being electrocuted.

Honey Bee cried out with him, caught in the same attack, until the electrocution ceased and Honey Bee dropped to the ground, free from the Space Marine's grip as he staggered.

The sorcerer turned his head to the attack's origin and found Yellow Jacket, alive and well but for her shattered horn that sparked with the energies of the Warp.

"That actually hurt...YOU ACTUALLY HURT ME!!" The sorcerer bellowed in rage.

"And I'm going to do it again." Yellow Jacket hissed, the words dripping from her mouth like venom, as she channeled the unfiltered power of the Warp.

"HAAHAHAHAHA!! YOU FOOL!! YOU THINK LOSING THAT POINTLESS LIMITER MAKES YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO CHALLENGE ME!? I AM LORD CAEDUS' TRUSTED ADVISOR! I AM A FAVORED SON OF TZEENTCH! I! AM! PERSEUS!!!" The sorcerer shouted as he fired Warp Lightning from his staff.

"I! DON'T! CARE!!!" Yellow Jacket replied as she met him in kind.

The crystalline floor exploded at the point where the Warp Lightning met, stray bolts striking out to scar the castle further.

The two combatants gave everything they had, and unfortunately, Yellow Jacket didn't have enough.

Her hooves fought for purchase, she grit her teeth so hard that her gums bled, yet Perseus was gaining ground inch by inch.

"So that's it then? That's the limit of your power, and yet you dare to stand against me worm?" The cruel sorcerer shouted in anger for having to fight so hard against a stubborn foe.

Honey Bee shot a blast at him, but the power he was bearing against her sister was so great, that the energy repelled by the beam struggle was enough to shield the combatants from weaker attacks.

"Wait your turn weakling, you're next." Perseus said as he poured more energy into his attack, driving closer to Yellow Jacket.

Less than a foot separated the hornless unicorn from the storm of Warp Lightning, she struggled against it as much as she could but she just wasn't strong enough.

The stray bolts were close enough to sting her nose, and all she could do...was scream.

Garble, Caedus, and the other ponies were barely aware of the magical duel going on beside them, just aware enough to get out of the way when it was suddenly in their midst and just as suddenly beyond them, exploding on a wall.

All eyes followed the trench dug into the castle floor, leading beyond the crater between Perseus and Yellow Jacket, to just outside the ruined gate...and the smoking horn of Starlight Glimmer.


Elsewhere


Aries had fought long and hard to escape the fistfight with Karl so he could reclaim Warp Eater and end the fight once and for all. His armor had various new dents in it, his helmet had been torn from his head to reveal his eternally snarling face...and he had landed on the wrong side of the battlefield.

It was Karl that had claimed the Equestrian power sword, while Aries now wielded the heretic's chainax.

"Nice sword, not as good as my whip, but it'll do for a replacement until I get a new whip. Ya got a name for this thing?" Karl asked.

Aries replied with a charge, his chainax screaming with bloodlust while Karl gave a shrug and met his charge.

The two combatants swung, the clash of Equestrian steel and astartes adamantium was as brutal as it was brief, and costed the chainax more teeth.

As the dance of death continued, Aries' weapon became less and less deadly, and cuts into the weapon's guard became deeper and more numerous.

Aries was forced even further on the back foot when a kick to his side gave Karl an opening to slash across his battery pack.

Aries staggered as his power armor's weight bared down upon him, but still turned to face his opponent.

Karl went in for a thrust, there was no time to dodge, or block. Thinking fast, Aries struck the sword with the all but toothless chainax, turning a chest wound into a gut wound.

As the sword plunged into him, Aries grabbed it at the guard and deactivated the power field, trapping Warp Eater in the melted slag of his armor and black carapace.

Before Karl could react, Aries head-butted the astartes' helmet with his unarmored skull, sending Karl back just enough to strike him in the neck with the chainax.

What little was left of the weapon's shattered and blunted teeth was incapable of beheading the berserker, but it was able to open his throat and stun him so Aries could kick him to the ground.

Aries smashed the ax against his gut wound, breaking enough of the slag to pull out Warp Eater at the price of cutting open the cauterized wound.

Aries activated his sword's power field and threw the chainax at Karl's face as he recovered, and charged, adrenaline and the Nails overpowering his injury.

Karl caught the chainax and blocked an overhead strike...only for the chainax to finally give out.

Warp Eater cut clean through the chainax, Karl's chest piece, and one of his lungs. Sending the World Eater to the ground as though a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Aries put a foot on the heretic as he raised Warp Eater. "SubscribetoLORDCAEDUSLIV-" Karl fell silent as Aries plunged his blade into both of the berserker's hearts.


Elsewhere


Caedus was the first to recover and, having had enough of Pinkie Pie's interference, attacked her first...only to cut down a very realistic cardboard cut out.

"SURPRISE!!" The party pony shouted as she slammed a bucket full of pink glitter onto his head.

Caedus tore it off a nanosecond before Applejack seized the opening and bucked him full force, denting his armor and sending him flying...five feet away.

Applejack cried out as her back legs gave out, not broken, but sprained. Caedus however, simply shook it off.

As the fight between the Hordemaster and the Element Bearers resumed in earnest, Perseus stared curiously at Starlight as Honey Bee made her way to her unconscious sister. "You have no small amount of power xeno, but do you really think you can rival a champion of Tzeentch?"

"You tell me tough guy." Starlight replied as she fired a blast at him.

Perseus deflected the blast with a swat and returned the attack in earnest.

Starlight encased herself in a giant crystal. The Warp Lightning tore gashes out of it, but couldn't shatter it.

Starlight dispelled her shield and teleported behind and above her opponent.

Perseus sensed the tremors in the Warp and turned to intercept the attack, but was unprepared for the sheer force of the blast.

The amount of Warp Energy Starlight put behind her spell was greater than Yellow Jacket's Warp Lightning after her horn broke, and Perseus had assumed that he would be countering a far weaker attack, and was unable to adjust the amount of his own magic before the spell struck him, encasing him in crystal.

It only took a second for Perseus to shatter the crystal, but Starlight used that second to charge up an even stronger spell.

Enraged at this turn of events, Perseus decided that turnabout was fair play and teleported to Starlight's side as she launched her next attack.

Before the unicorn could react, Perseus drew his mag locked gladius and swung to behead her, only for something to crash into him.


A Moment Earlier


As Caedus recovered from Applejack's buck, and the farm pony continued to nurse her throbbing legs, Garble saw an opportunity to strike.

Wasting no time, Garble launched himself at Applejack, his Khornate ax ready to claim her skull for the skull throne.

Twilight attempted to stop him, but Caedus had fully recovered and, seeing the dragon's intent, chose to cover him by attacking Twilight.

While Twilight became locked in another duel with Caedus. Rarity's shields, useless against the Horde Lord, protected Applejack from Garble's ax...the first time.

Garble didn't even pause to see that the first attack didn't connect before he slammed his ax into the shield again and again, a new crack forming with each strike.

However, just before the final blow could shatter the shield, something flew into Garble like a cannonball...something with a rainbow colored comet-trail.

Caedus turned to the sound of Rainbow Dash and Garble smashing into Perseus only to find his vision blackened.

Pinkie Pie slammed another bucket onto the Horde Lord's head, but this time, it was filled with Super-Sticky-Super-Glue, and stayed on no matter how hard he pulled.

Pinkie Pie had thought of this one awhile ago, but wanted to save it for when they could truly capitalize.

Rainbow Dash hadn't come alone, Fluttershy had come with her, and brought the Elements of Harmony as well.

Rainbow Dash was already wearing Loyalty, Fluttershy wore Kindness and had handed out Magic, Honesty and Generosity, and Pinkie Pie zipped over to claim Laughter.

The only problem with their comeback strategy: Rainbow Dash was on the other side of the room entangled with a Chaos Sorcerer and a Khornate Dragon Lord. And while she was able to save Applejack, Rainbow Dash was still hurt, and a kamikaze body-slam doesn't really help with recovery.

"I've...had...ENOUGH!!!" Caedus shouted as he became engulfed in shadow. Twilight and the others started as Caedus radiated pure malice, and they recognized it as something similar, and yet far stronger, than Nightmare Moon.

The shadows dissipated, where an astartes once stood, large bat wings unfolded to reveal a monster beyond anything Twilight and her friends had faced before.

The midnight blue ceramite power armor was now a carapace, Caedus' hands were now monstrous claws, and his helmet painted in the likeness of a jawless skull was now a real skull with jaws full of bone crushing teeth.

"You have infuriated me for the last time xenos. Your blood belongs to Khorne, your souls belong to ME!!" With a flap of his wings, Caedus surged towards the ponies.

Twilight considered blasting the Daemonic Chaos Lord, but she would have to hit him with enough force to stun him plus equal or greater energy than was now emanating from him and she didn't have enough time for that. That only left one option: scatter.

Twilight teleported, Pinkie threw a pie at the Daemon's face that evaporated on contact with his aura, Rarity threw up a shield right in his face to conceal their escape, and Fluttershy helped Applejack to her hooves and ran with her in case the pain returned.

Caedus smashed through Rarity's shield already expecting them to be gone, only to see that Pinkie Pie was still there.

Determined to end her antics once and for all, the Horde Lord swooped down with his sword extended to strike down the cherry colored party pon- wait what?

Caedus' sword swung down and cut through the castle floor, Pinkie Pie having dodged at the last second.

Caedus took a nanosecond to process that she was indeed covered in red paint as he thought before pressing the attack.

The others were retreating towards the newcomer that slammed into the reptilian xeno, but Caedus would slaughter them at his leisure, he would've done so a few times were it not for his current target, and he would ensure that she didn't interfere again.

Or so he thought. Caedus launched attack after attack, but the equine alien evaded them all with no effort. He had only taken swipes at her before while trying to kill those he considered more important than this fool, and his speed had increased dramatically with his transformation, but now it was as if he were attacking in slow motion.

There were no childish taunts, no pastries or buckets slammed into his face, and she wasn't disappearing when he blinked and reappearing behind him, she was just- it hit him.

He remembered her shouting that her 'powers' only worked when it was humorous, and now she was faster...and covered in red paint.

"DA RED ONEZ ALWAYZ GO FASTA!!" The alien shouted as though reading the Horde Lord's mind, speaking with an Orkish accent and wearing a pink Gob over her lower jaw.

With a howl of fury and frustration, Caedus threw himself at the Earth Pony while the others dealt with their own problems.

Rainbow Dash had tried to get to her friends the minute she saw the other Space Marine transform. But her attempt to get to them was thwarted by the necessity of dodging a lightning stike.

Garble was waiting to pounce on her when she dodged the sorcerer's attack, and Rainbow wasn't at top performance with her injured wing, making it a pretty even chase.

Every flap of her injured wing was agony but Rainbow Dash blanked it from her mind as she took in her surroundings.

Pinkie Pie was distracting the Daemonic astartes, Twilight and the others were coming her way, Starlight was keeping with the magical Space Marine from helping Garble, and-THERE!

A pair of unicorns that Rainbow didn't recognize were already trying to get a shot at Garble, so Rainbow Dash decided to give them a hand.

Rainbow slowed down enough to coax Garble into another attack and then dodged low and to the side.

Garble put so much power behind his swing that it took him a minute to catch back up, and he was so concerned with taking out Rainbow Dash that he didn't notice that they were flying lower to the ground.

Garble's body surged with pain and he slowed to a stop as Yellow Jacket electrocuted him and Honey Bee held him in place with telekinesis.

Rainbow Dash gave them a quick salute and flew off to join the others just in time for Pinkie Pie to lure her 'playmate' to the furthest point of the castle's main room and then zip over to the main group in a single second.

Caedus briefly stared at the latest gash he cut into the castle before turning to search for his prey.

He found that the pink menace had reunited with the other equines and that they were preparing some sort of spell.

With Perseus in battle and the Khornate xeno captured by lesser equines, Caedus realized that it fell to him to disrupt their ritual, and so he flew with all haste towards them.

He used his shadow manipulation to strike before he reached them, however, his shadows were repulsed by a forcefield of Warp Energy.

Fortunately, the forcefield wasn't strong enough to protect the casters from him directly. He shoulder-charged the group, shattering their incantation, but before he could strike one down, their leader blasted him full force with her magic.

It wasn't powerful enough to kill, or even injure him, but it worked like a riot hose, keeping him at bay.

The other xenos joined their leader, continuing their spell, but Caedus wasn't giving up. The Daemonic Chaos Lord fought for every step forward, but he was so close that he only needed one more step to reach them and-

Caedus staggered as a power sword impaled him in the back. Wasting no time in questioning it, he turned and struck at the astartes that attacked him, sending him flying.

Caedus put the fact that a pre-heresy World Eater just attacked him at the back of his mind and raised his sword to strike down the the xenos.

Twilight opened her eyes to reveal them as pure white...Caedus' sword came down on her...and everything went white.

As soon as Perseus sensed what was coming, he put all of his energy into teleporting as far away as possible.

He wound up on a hill overlooking the village, giving him the perfect view to see what few corrupted xenos fought on become enveloped in the rainbow colored energy wave.

He knew Caedus was gone, and he didn't have hope for Karl either, but he would survive...or so he thought.

An audible pop was heard behind him, he turned and saw the alien witch, her horn glowing with power. "You're not going anywhere."

Perseus screamed and launched what power he had left as a last defiant attack. Starlight's energy wave engulfed him...and all was dust.
> Final Chapter: Scars of War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What is this? Where am I?" Caedus felt more pain than he ever had in his life. Not physical pain, or even spiritual pain, but emotional pain. He remembered parts of his life that he thought were lost to him forever, he saw the suffering he inflicted in a new light, and he didn't know why.

Because you're human.

Caedus turned to the voice. It appeared to him as the alicorn mare that he had fought, but he could tell that this was something new. "Who are you?"

I am the Spirit of Harmony, embodiment of all that the Dark Gods fear.

Now Caedus understood why Khorne wanted the Horde in it's entirety to burn this world, so this was the enemy that they were meant to fight.

"What have you done to me?" Caedus asked, still slightly shaken by the surge of emotion that he endured.

When you were made an astartes, your emotions were torn from you, along with some of your memories. And when you became enslaved to Khorne, you were given rage that was not your own. I have restored your humanity.

It took more will than Caedus would admit not to step back. He was human, his biology remained astartes but his soul was mortal!

You have spent your life and beyond as a weapon for others, but I offer you true freedom. You may rest Caedus, I will not ask you to fight in my name, or to serve my ideals, I ask only that you cease to threaten those that I protect.

Caedus pondered it, as he did, he thought on the memories that were returned to him.

He had never known his mother's face before today. He had never thought of her either... She had loved him, though he had been born from violation, she had loved him.

She was taken from him by a thief with a knife. A son of Kurze was ready to visit justice upon the murderer, but Caedus struck first, killing him with his own knife and earning his place in the 8th legion...such was life on Nostromo.

From then till the heresy, he had fought for Kurze's justice, forgetting his mother, but he hadn't killed for justice, only vengeance.

He remembered more of his past before his mother's death. She had tried to teach him well, but he wouldn't listen, only the threat of the Night Lords kept him out of trouble back then, and they weren't a threat anymore.

He had never cared for the Night Haunter's ideals, and celebrated freedom when his legion fell apart. He had given himself to Khorne willingly. It wasn't the only path he could take, it was the one he chose.

"No, I have no interest in peace, only in power. Release me and I will slaughter your servants. Imprison me and I will break free. Kill me and I will rise again. Make your choice." Caedus said to the Spirit.

The Spirit nodded in sad understanding. This is who you are, I will not change you as those you served had done. But you required a summoning from within Equestria to come here.

The alicorn's horn glows with the power of the Warp before a similar glow envelopes Caedus. With this spell, you will never be brought to Equestria again. I will return you to your Horde...I would return your friends as well, but they have died in battle, and their patron Gods have claimed their souls. Even I cannot return them without paying a steep price.[/]

Caedus was taken aback, it was apologetic. Even though he had vowed to destroy everything it cherished, it regretted that it couldn't save Karl and Perseus from the Warp. "If I have a dire enough need for them, I will sacrifice the needed souls. If not, maybe they'll learn something. Now send me back while there's still a Horde to send me back to."

The Spirit nodded, and in a flash of light, Lord Caedus lived again...far away from Equestria.


Elsewhere


Aries couldn't believe it. While the Equestrians were shocked and horrified by the recent events, he was shocked and impressed. Not only had Twilight and her entourage defeated a Daemon Prince and a Chaos Sorcerer, but the death toll was barely over a hundred.

What's more, Twilight's theory about the Elements of Harmony had proven true, all those that had been corrupted by Chaos had been Purified. The surviving Nurglite ponies now helping to rebuild.

This wasn't much help for the dragons however, Ember's father only spared Garble and his ilk for the sake of a proper trial. Even affording the excessive compassion of this realm's inhabitants, an execution was expected by all.

Of the Planetary Defense Force, 20 volunteers died in the Battle of Ponyville, quickly being named 'The Awakening' as Equestria's dream of peace and understanding with all they encountered died in fire.

Only one had been scarred in the battle, Yellow Jacket showed no small amount of concern for her new power and it's lack of control, but Aries had assured her that weaponized lightning was more useful than levitation.

The storm had passed, rebuilding had begun. The Nurglite ponies were given the homes of the dead so they wouldn't need to be torn down. And all homes that had been lit aflame by Garble's dragons were being reconstructed, starting with Sweet Apple Acres.

Aries assited in the rebuilding, many believed that some part of him felt guilty for the carnage, but in truth where Equestria found despair, Aries had found hope.


3 Hours Later


Aries joined Twilight and her friends on a trip to Canterlot to answer a summon from the Royal Sisters. They entered the Throne Room and were met with a most peculiar sight.

"YOU!!" Rarity screeched as she saw the unicorn in chains with a steel muzzle and magic dampener on his horn. Aries had heard of her encounter with a servant of Slaanesh and their prior history, but this was his first time seeing Blueblood face to face... At least now he knew why the sisters requested the Elements to be brought with them.

"I presume you wish to see this traitorous filth free from the taint he allowed upon himself?" Aries asked of the sisters.

"As arrogant as my nephew is, I cannot believe that he would be so cruel as to end another's life on his own. However, I actually hoped to test something else." Celestia replied, earning the World Eater's curiosity.

"My sister has told me of your encounter with the Spirit of Harmony, and how you resonated with the Elements, Loyalty in particular." Celestia continued. Twilight and her friends growing shocked expressions at the news that Aries had done so, while Aries nodded visibly to confirm what was said.

"So your test is: Can I use your Elements myself, is that correct?" Aries asked, and Celestia nodded.

"I do not expect you to wield all of them. But for the purpose of this test, I would like for you to take up the Element of Loyalty." Celestia concluded.

Aries pondered this for a moment. Attempting to use a Daemonic artefact simply had to be heresy, but if he could only wield it for his loyalty to the Emperor and the Imperium... "I will...indulge you." He finally said.

He turned to Twilight's entourage to see Rainbow Dash holding out the Element. "I don't know much about this 'Emperor' guy, but he's lucky to have you."

Aries clenched his fist at Rainbow Dash's complementary heresy that the Emperor should be grateful for him, but refrained from striking her. "For the sake of our continued cooperation, you are to never again assume that the being who brought humanity from the brink of a thousand extinctions should be grateful that I fight in his name."

Rainbow Dash stared at the World Eater for a minute before speaking. "Yeesh, sorry Aries...heh, I guess you are loyal."

Aries said nothing. He simply took Rainbow Dash's place among the others as they stood before Blueblood.

Twilight and her friends closed their eyes, and energy started to pour into their Elements.

Aries watched them for a second before turning his attention to the necklace bearing a crimson colored lightning bolt in his hand.

With no other ideas on how to use it, Aries bent his knee and thought of reciting a vow or litany, but found that he knew none that did not tie to the Emperor and Angron. He considered making one up...when a speech he had never heard before came into his mind.

Dorn made builders, and Magnus thinkers. Guilliman raised bureaucrats, while Lorgar made priests and the Khan vagrants. Of all the Legions, we are the only ones who are exactly what the Emperor wanted, all that the Legiones Astartes were ever meant to be. Conquerors. We aren't meant for the world that is coming, the new world that will rise from the ashes. We are only meant to burn this one down.

As he recited the words with his eyes closed as though in prayer, Aries did not realize the Element had begun to glow...until it enveloped him in a flash of light.

The light faded, revealing Blueblood free of taint...and Aries.

Aries was puzzled at the looks the ponies were giving him, until he looked at himself. At first, he thought the only change to his armor was that it was purged of battle damage, but then he realized that it's colors were swapped, the primary was cobalt blue and the secondary was bone white.

The marks on his pauldrons had changed as well. His left, which had bore his company number, now bore a black Imperial Aguila, and his right, which had bore the crimson jaws of the World Eaters, now bore a crimson canine on it's hind legs, snarling and clawing at some unseen enemy.

It is now that Aries notices another change, one that the ponies wouldn't, the constant pulsing pain was gone...the Butcher's Nails were gone.

Aries turned to the Element of Loyalty, and saw that it too had changed, for the crimson lightning bolt was longer the centerpiece of a plain gold necklace, it was held in the talons of an Imperial Aguila.

"Well, I suppose the test was...successful?" Celestia asked, unsure of what has transpired.

"Yes, the Emperor has relieved me of the burden of being Angron's son, and named me a follower of Gheer." Aries said as he continued to stare the Element in his hand. The name, and the history behind it, having only just entered his mind, and yet he felt as though he knew it forever.

"Gear? Who's that?" Rainbow Dash asked him as Twilight summoned a pen and parchment, expecting more history from Aries' world.

"Angron was destined from birth to lead the 12th legion, but he was stolen from Terra by the Dark Gods when he was but an infant. In his absence, the 12th legion, known then as the War Hounds, was led by Legion Master Gheer, who was killed by Angron after he was... 'rescued'." Aries explained.

"Ya know, the more I hear about your dad, the more I wanna clobber him. What a jerk." Rainbow Dash said. Only Pinkie Pie knew how hard Aries tried to contain a laugh at the simplistic description of Angron's treachery and the mental image of Rainbow Dash charging into battle against The Lord of The Red Sands.

Their attention then turned to Blueblood. Luna descended from her throne and placed her horn upon the now fearful unicorn. Her face sealed in concentration...and then disapproval.

"Well sister, you appear to be correct. The Daemon did corrupt him, and he never would've done what he did otherwise...for fear of the repercussions." Luna deadpanned.

"Shall I kill him?" Aries asked, drawing Warp Eater...which also had it's crimson jaws replaced by a snarling hound.

"No, I will handle this. Thank you for your time, now please return to Ponyville. There is still much to rebuild." Celestia said, sounding unsurprised by Blueblood's motivations for loyalty.


2 Hours Later


The group returned to Ponyville to continue helping with the repairs, only to find Spike glowing with the call of the Dragon Lord.

Weary of the yet uncertain situation in the Dragon Lands, Aries accompanied the dragon along with the Element Bearers. When they arrived, Torch was looming over the assembled dragons, Garble in particular.

The dragon looked upon the newcomers with shame. Unlike Blueblood, it would appear that Garble truly did regret his actions. Though Aries also noted a hint of anger when he looked at Spike, causing the War Hound to believe that the Daemon that corrupted him amplified existing rage.

Twilight casted a sympathetic look to Smolder, who stood amongst the crowd of dragons, but other than that, the ponies and the astartes allowed Spike to advance alone and address the summons.

"You...wished to see me sir?" Spike asked Torch, still nervous around the much larger and aggressive dragon.

"Yes I did. It has come to my attention that you and my daughter worked together to win the Gauntlet of Fire, and that it was you, and not her, who claimed the Bloodstone Scepter and earned the title of Dragon Lord. Is this true?" Torch asked of the younger dragon.

"Ye-yes sir, it is." Spike answered. Aries took note of the murmurings of the crowd, and he understood them, such a trial should've been accomplished alone, if an aspirant had done such a thing, they would be executed.

"And is it also true that you saved my daughter from drowning before she reached the island that the Gauntlet was held on?" Torch interrogated.

"Yes sir." Spike answered, less afraid and a little proud. More murmurs, and Aries now came to see the deceased Dragon Lord as a fool.

"What's the big deal?" All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash. "So they helped each other win, isn't that friends do?"

A metallic clang rose through the air. Aries, in an attempt to save Rainbow Dash's life, had facepalmed as a means of drawing attention. "If this Gauntlet of Fire was a trial to determine the Dragon Lord, then the winner should've accomplished it alone. But Spike had to carry Ember through the challenge and keep her alive, proving that she was unworthy of her status."

"WHAT!? That's ridiculous, Ember was a great Dragon Lord...until Garble MURDERED HER!" The pegasus shouted, pointing an accusing hoof at the ashamed dragon who lowered his head.

"And that is the point you fool, if she had won the challenge on her own, then that scum couldn't have vanquished her." Aries retorted.

Rainbow Dash stumbled for a second, but then found a counter-arguement. "He was possessed by a Daemon! She would've totally decked him on her own, she's done it before during the Gauntlet."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!!" The focus of the crowd turned to Garble, who hesitated after he realized his outburst.

"Is it not?" Aries said to encourage him. He had no sympathy for the corrupt, but if this dragon had been denied his right on account of dishonor, then Aries would allow him to prove it.

"..No." Garble began after a brief hesitation. "Ember held me off while Spike went after the Scepter, but I did get past her. I was too late to stop Spike from reaching the Scepter first, but if they hadn't been working together I would've won."

Aries looked to Torch to confirm that he was content to listen for now before addressing Garble again. "And that justifies turning to Daemons?"

Garble opened his mouth, closed it, and then he spoke. "Torch left the Dragon Lands after Ember became Dragon Lord, if I had said anything to other dragons then they would've said I was just complaining, and if Ember could have help then why couldn't I? And the Daemon even told me that it was coming after all of us, but I figured that I could use the power that I got from it to beat him too."

Aries turned his attention to Torch. "And what is your opinion on this matter?"

Torch closed his eyes and sighed in contemplation. "If I had known about any of this, I would've disciplined Ember severely and placed Garble as Dragon Lord. But there is a war between dragons and a race known as Shroom Apes that has endured since before the first pony was ever seen in this, or any other land, and that was my new charge after choosing a new Dragon Lord." Aries saw Twilight preparing to interrupt and motioned for her to keep quiet.

"But now my daughter is dead, buried at my post where I watch for the next wave of enemies, and I must swiftly resolve this matter and return to the Howling Jungles to keep watch." Torch concluded.

"If you wish to resolve the matter swiftly, then I recommend an Honor Duel between Spike and Garble to determine which of them will be Dragon Lord." Aries advised, much to the shock of all.

"HEY! Who's side are you on!?" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"The Emperor's side." Aries said as a matter of fact.

"Uh, I think she meant: Why are you giving me a chance?" Garble clarified.

"The Imperium is no stranger to using underhanded tactics for the greater good. The 8th Legion, the 19th Legion, and especially the 20th Legion would've approved of what Spike did to keep a warmonger from power. But the 12th Legion are warriors first and foremost, and if you wish to visit war upon Equestria while I protect it, then I will meet you in battle and show no mercy." Aries explained

"But you are entitled to make that decision. If astartes in training had acted as Spike and Ember had, they would've been killed as cowards, and you would've been given your due. But, you have lost the right to an unchallenged claim when you sold your soul for power, so you will fight for it, against the original winner of this Gauntlet of Fire." Aries concluded.

Garble looked at Spike, who gulped down the saliva building in his throat, but stood his ground, then he looked at Torch, who seemed to be in agreement with the decision, if only for lack of time.

"Alright, let's do it." Garble said.

"Aries! I can't fight Garble." Spike protested.

"Then forfeit and let him become the Dragon Lord." Aries said indifferently.

"But if he's Dragon Lord, then he might attack Equestria again." Spike argued.

"Then I'll kill him in honorable combat, something that you appear to know nothing about." Aries stated with a less than subtle hint of annoyance.

Spike got the message and fearfully got into position while the onlooking dragons formed an impromptu dueling circle.

Aries stood between the duel and the ponies. "We may be allies, but I will not tolerate dishonor. If I see a glowing horn, I'm cutting it off." He equipped Warp Eater as he said this.

He got some nervous nods from some and angry glares from others, Rainbow Dash in particular was livid about Aries siding with Garble over Spike. Aries understood that, as he understood Spike's intentions. He understood, but he could not condone them.

"BEGIN!" Shouted Torch.

Garble roared and leapt at Spike who yelped and dove under him. What should've been a fight quickly devolved into a chase.

"OH SPIKEY WIKEY!!" Rarity shouted in distress causing a few dragons to snort and snicker.

"GOTCHA!!" Garble shouted as he grabbed Spike's tail and pulled him up.

"Now, unless you want me to clobber ya, say uncle." Garble glared at Spike.

"No!" Spike said defiantly.

"I mean it pony lover." Garble warned as he pulled back a fist.

"I don't care what you do to me, I'm not going to let you hurt my friends." Spike said.

"I'm not interested in that anymore, I don't even-" Garble stopped, something clicking with him.

"...I...I don't even..." Garble let go of Spike, looking around with a confused expression. "Why...why did I..."

"Gar gar?" All eyes turned to Smolder, who had stepped into the dueling circle. Aside from a few snickers at the nickname, the dragons remained silent.

"...I...I.." Garble still appeared confused. Aries realized what was happening, and decided to help.

"You had put it behind you, haven't you? You had moved on, before the Daemon came?" Garble turned to Aries, recognition dawning on him.

"This... this is his fault, isn't it? He-he didn't just make me bloodthirsty or angrier, he made me care that I wasn't Dragon Lord." Recognition turned to horror as he turned back to his sister, and then to the dragons around him. He wanted to run, but he didn't know where, and he didn't know why.

"Alright, somedragon needs to explain what in Blaze's name is going on here." Torch demanded.

"Daemons project an aura that causes emotional outbursts. In the case of a Khornate Bloodletter, outbursts of anger. Garble didn't know why he was angry when the Daemon came to him in his dreams, so when it made him dream of his defeat, he started to believe that is what had angered him. From there, the Daemon used half truths filled in with lies to convince Garble that he wanted something he had lost interest in more than anything, and made him willing to kill for it." Aries explained.

"...I...I stopped caring, I even looked at what Ember had to do all the time and decided that being the Dragon Lord would've been boring, I...I DIDN'T CARE!!" Garble shouted.

"But the damage is done, Ember is dead, and the dragons need a new Dragon Lord." Aries reminded him.

Garble looked at the War Hound with fear in his eyes. "B-but I can't do it, I-" "Stop." Aries told him.

"You do not have the right to refuse. You did this, and unless there is some sorcery upon this world that can bring Ember back to life, either you or Spike must take her place." Aries stated.


Discord's Realm


"Nope. There will be no Discord Ex Machinas. There has to be some form of mortality in this story... other than my slowly depleting army." Discord groans as Cegoragh's Solitaire carves through his Obliterator squad.


Dragon Lands


"But..but all I ever wanted was war. To take what I wanted and burn the rest." Garble said.

"Then lead them to war...against the Daemons." Aries told him.

Garble thought about it, took a breath, and nodded.

Aries turned to Spike. "Do you still wish to oppose him?" The dragon shook his head vigorously and Aries turned to Torch. "Is this acceptable?"

"As acceptable as can be, all things considered. I don't know who, or what you are, but you have my respect. I have to go. There's no telling when the next attack will come." Torch stated.

Aries brought his fist to his chest in an astartes salute as the large dragon took flight and departed. The matter resolved.


Unknown Location


Chrysalis had wondered too far from Ponyville for the Elements to cure her. As what little remnants of her mind strived to hold on to who she was, her body continuously shifted and transformed.

Flashes of green indicated that Chrysalis was trying to change back, but every time she did, her flesh warped again.

She thought it would go on forever, until suddenly, she stopped.

Chrysalis stood on her hooves and observed her new surroundings. She was in an underground cave, and she wasn't alone.

The centaur known as Lord Tirek stood to her left with a pegasus filly hovering beside him, King Sombra stood to her right, and overlooking all of them was a large blue goat with glowing red eyes, horns that had Daemonic horn growing out of cracks, and a collar full of bells with a large Chaos Star as the centerpiece.

"Ah, I see you're back to normal. I must say, it took a bit more magic than I thought to bring you back. But make no mistake Changeling, if you do not make the effort worthwhile, I am more than capable of returning you to that state." Said the goat.

"Wh-who are you?" Chrysalis asked, still shaken by the ordeal.

"You may call me...Grogar."


Discord's Realm


"And that's game." Cegoragh sang out as he killed the last of Discord's cultists.

"Ah well, better luck next time." Discord said as he snapped his fingers and caused the gaming table to disappear.

"I find it interesting that Harmony let the World Ea- I mean War Hound have the Element of Loyalty, do you think she's planning to trade out other Element Bearers?" Cegoragh asked.

"Hmm, could be. But she would have to find 5 other candidates." Discord pointed out...before something caught his eye.

"OOH! Looks like I found one for her." Discord said as he grabbed something that Cegoragh couldn't see.

"Hmm? A lost soul? Here? But your realm lies between Equestria and the Warp, how could a soul get in here without being devoured by Name-A-Daemon?" The Laughing God inquired.

"Because this soul is so broken that no one would bother trying to break it even further. You'd have to fix it first. And I know just the pony to do that." Discord explained as he sent the soul to Equestria, recreating it's flesh as he did so, and landing him in Fluttershy's animal sanctuary to be discovered in: Broken Beast.