This is a Power Lottery story about a guy who gets sent to the Crystal Empire before anyone from the show arrives not counting Sombra. How will the Equestrians react to the new King of the Crystal Empire who isn't even a pony.
Hi, my name is Jekyll and a few months ago my family sadly perished in an accident that left me without any limbs and a broken back. Luckily I had enough money for some replacements and enhancements which should be helpful with my current situation considering I am no longer on earth. Also, I got three superpowers from the internet Darkness Attacks, Crystal Manipulation, and Technomagic. This should be fun.
I looked down at my phone in sadness my life had gone to shit in less than a week. My family had died on our yearly trip to Florida when our plane crashed but luckily or unluckily I survived mostly intact if you didn’t count the fact that I now possessed custom slightly illegal robotic limbs I was able to purchase due to the fact that I had accumulated a lot of wealth after my family’s death. They were illegal only because they were military-grade limbs and not the civilian grade. Due to this, I had to have extra cybernetic parts put into my body in order to have full control over my new limbs. These cybernetic implants connected the mechanical limbs to my brain through a specialized low-grade AI. I also now possessed a bionic spine as mine had been damaged but not destroyed in the plane crash. I was actually considering replacing my eyes but had decided to wait.
I had found something rather interesting on the internet called the power lottery but it wasn’t the money kind of lottery but more for superpowers. I decided to give it a go and tapped the button thrice and waited for the powers to load all the while my brain began to feel an odd fuzzy sensation as if the world was fading out of reality. As this happened my cybernetics began sending my brain warnings which the dumb AI translated.
“So let’s see what I got,” I said to myself holding my head as I read out loud. “Darkness Attacks, Crystal Manipulation, and Technomagic,” I looked up as my vision started to fade and placed my phone back in my pocket. “What the fuck?” I said as everything went black and I felt as if I was pulled through the air at incredible speeds and then suddenly I felt cold snow against my face.
I quickly got up finding myself in a blizzard happy for the long sweatpants and hoodie I was wearing, not that they helped my arms or legs. Despite the fact that I was wearing warm clothing the cold still stabbed at my flesh on my face like needles that were so cold they burned like fire. I looked around the surrounding area only to see something tall in the distance, a blueish spire surrounded by a black haze. Despite the evil black haze I moved towards the tower as it was the only structure I could see and it could possibly have some form of shelter.
It had been a while since I started and I had finally reached the spire and what looked like a town made of crystal surrounding it. The town looked deserted and I would have thought so had I not seen the large eyes looking out of windows at me as I walked towards the spire which still had that black haze swirling around the tip of it. As I walked I had noticed several bipedal crystalline constructs following me. They were large ugly things without any care put into their construction; they looked like a child had super glued rocks together in the rough form of a person. Still, if they were to become hostile I’d want to keep out of their reach as one hit from the massive club arms they possessed would crush my chest. So I didn’t pay them much attention and finished my walk into the spire which for some reason felt amazingly warm despite the fact that there were multiple open windows. As I walked the constructs seemed to herd me down specific halls until I reached a large throne room Its only occupant a bipedal equine who seemed to be the same color as the haze that surrounded the tip of the spire.
“Bow before your king peasant,” it said.
“Um no,” I responded, causing it to whip its head up and look up at me with a growl.
“You will bow or I will kill you!”
“I highly doubt you can do that,” I said, noticing his lack of weaponry not to mention the fact that he lacked armor of any kind.
“Oh I won’t be doing anything,” he said with a smile showing off his sharp teeth which like his slitted eyes definitely weren't normal as they glowed with an odd off white shine.
“Thump thump thump...WHAM!” I stepped aside just in time to avoid one of the crystal constructs smashing me.
“Fuck!” I dodged backward as the thing followed swinging its unwieldy club arm around trying to hit me. I would have been fine until my back hit a wall and I looked up at the large club falling towards me. In a last-ditch attempt at survival, I brought my mechanical arms up to block only to hear a crunching sound but did not feel the mental warnings of my loss of arms. Instead, as I opened my eyes I saw a wall of black crystal blocking the attacking construct.
“You can control the crystal as well?” shouted the equine in a voice that was just as surprised as I was but then I thought back to before I had fallen into the snow and remembered my rolled powers. I thrust my right hand forward thinking of my darkness attacks and a blast of black energy exploded outwards destroying the crystal wall and the construct behind it. I stared at my hand and smiled, which was something I had not done since the crash, meaning that I probably looked insane as I had almost forgotten how to smile.
“I can do much more than that ponyboy,” I chuckled as the other three constructs began to close in. “Let me show you,” I said as I thrust my left hand into the air causing a black crystal spike to impale one of the crystal constructs. I then let out two beams of energy with my hands punching holes through the other constructs and slowly turned to the throne where the equine sat shocked until it’s shock turned to rage.
“Fine I’ll do it myself!” he stated loudly his body becoming shadowy as a large bipedal construct formed and mixed with the shadows. This construct was unlike the others and looked like a living statue of crystal with stylish war armor, massive black crystal wings, a large horn on its equine head, and at its sides two large swords.
“Well this oughta be fun,” I muttered at a whip of black smokey energy lashed from the horn cutting a jagged scar into the floor as the eight-foot monster stomped after me swinging its large blades uncoordinatedly like a child trying to imitate a knight in a storybook. This guy was definitely not a hands-on fighter but somehow either through my ego getting the better of me or through luck, he managed to clip my left arm getting his blade lodged in it and snapped in half leaving a large crystal in my arm. “Shit gotta take this seriously.”
“Ha bow and I shall make your death quick mortal!” it roared as I once again dodged after managing to dislodge the blade from my arm. As I dodged I saw multiple other equines staring through the large door and watching the battle yay I was their version of TV. Well best to give a good show I smiled and lit a ball of black energy in my right hand while my left dangled with minimum functionality at my side. I stood tall in front of the construct and stared it in its glowing white eyes which leaked energy that flickered like flames.
“May I have the honor of knowing my opponent before we end this?” I asked slowly, planning out my attack while simultaneously checking the damage to my cybernetics.
“I am King Sombra ruler of The Crystal Empire!” He announced loudly.
“Nice to meet you I’m Jekyll,” I said before attacking. I first shot spikes of crystal into the thighs of the construct pinning it in place so as to have an easier target. I then raised my hand up it was now coated in darkness and then I snapped my metal fingers. The darkness exploded into action surrounding Sombra in a vortex of darkness which slowly tore away at his crystalline body the sound of the swirling vortex mingling with his inhuman screams as what I guessed was his soul was destroyed. The vortex did not dissipate until Sombra was nothing but a single floating black crystal which was quickly encased in another of my crystals stopping Sombra from escaping. I smiled as I fell to my knees out of breath and tired with my left arm finally falling off at just above the elbow and hitting the ground just as I passed out from exerting myself by using my new abilities.
My eyes snapped open and I looked around at my surroundings. I found myself in an ornate bed with dark black sheets with gold trim. It looked like an edgy teen’s wet dream. Personally, I preferred gunmetal grey and red highlights for anything I wore but still possessing black clothes as apparently, I looked menacing in black, or at least that is what I was told. Tearing myself from my thoughts I removed my blanket, thankful that my pants were still there, and stood up. I looked for my missing arm, the remaining part attached to my arm sparking prompting me to deactivate and remove the remains which I left on the bed. I walked to the door of my room only for it to open and allow a blue pegasus girl to enter. I only knew she was a girl due to her massive chest which I tried my best to not stare at. I failed.
“Oh you're awake,” she said before bowing quickly and causing certain things to bounce. “My name is Dart and I am one of the few ponies who know that Sombra is dead and replaced by you.”
“What do you mean replaced by me?” I asked backing up into the room I woke up in.
“You killed the previous king and therefore you inherit all he owns by right of conquest,” she explained.
“So I’m the new King?” I asked.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“As my first act as king, I appoint you as my royal advisor because you're the only one of your kind who has yet to attempt to kill me although you are only the second of your kind I have met so that isn’t a very big list to choose from.”
“Wait you’ve never met any ponies other than myself and Sombra. How is that possible?” she asked in surprise while looking around my room which like the bed was coated in the colors red and black with a bit of gold for decoration.
“I’m not from around here,” I said with a small smile.
“Oh ok,” she seemed to accept my answer. “As your advisor, I recommend that you address your ponies.”
“My people you mean,” I said as she looked at me as if I had grown a second head. “There are more than one species here meaning that we wouldn’t be called ponies we would be people.”
“Well that is true you definitely aren’t a pony so I guess people will work. Does that mean it will be everypeople and anypeople?”
“No,” I chuckled. “It will be everyone or everybody and anyone or anybody,” I corrected.
“Oh ok,” she smiled. “Sombra had a large dire wolf hide coat that he wore when outside of the castle it would fit you and cover up your lack of limb,” Dart said as she rifled through the closet built into the wall. While she did that I looked over the remains of my arm.
“Um, Dart where is the rest of my arm?” I asked as she returned with a large coat made of what I guess was dire wolf hide. It was colored dark silver not quite my color but close enough.
“Oh almost forgot about that. I put it in the closet I’ll grab it,” she darted between the closet and her previous position causing me to realize why she was named Dart. “Here it is sir,” she handed me the metal appendage which I set on a table of crystal before placing the other part of the arm next to it.
“I’ll fix it later but for now go gather all those you can into the throne room and then return here and lead me to the throne room as I have absolutely no clue where I am,” I almost asked about food but then thought about the state this place was probably in with an evil tyrant formerly lording over them. He most likely used hunger as a means of control keeping his people weak so that they couldn’t challenge him.
“Yes sir,” she then darted from the room, the door slamming behind her leaving me alone to sit on my bed.
I lifted my remaining hand and pushed internally at the new power which resided within my body. Instantly a dark purple and black energy coated the metal hand flowing like a liquid. I pushed at the second power and floating crystals formed from what seemed to be nothing but I suspected it to be some kind of magic that had to exist in this new world. How else would I be able to do these things? I then thought back to the third power technomagic and wondered how the hell did it work. I released the shadowy liquid and reached into my pocket thankful for my phone’s case which had kept it safe during the battle. I flicked on the little device and read through my powers some more oddly when I reached technomagic everything but the basic level seemed to be glitched out and unable to load correctly. I flipped back to crystal manipulation and looked into constructs specifically the section on appendages. After reading up on my powers and attempting to look up other things which failed I turned off the device and slipped in my pocket.
“Sir I rounded up a lot of people and they’re in the throne room,” said the excited voice of Dart as she opened the door, walked in, and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw what I was doing. “Sir your arm,” she said pointing at the grey crystal construct that I had made to replace my arm. Each of the fingers including the thumb ended in a sharp point.
“As the new leader I can’t be perceived to have any weaknesses so I have fashioned myself a new arm that will work well enough until I fix my old one,” I explained and pulled up the hood of my new coat which cast a shadow over my face only allowing my eyes, which now emitted an unnatural black and dark purple glow, to be seen. “Let’s go Dart.”
“Y-yes sir,” she stuttered out before walking down the halls to the throne room. As we got closer I heard voices all of the scared and worried. I wanted to make a good impression on these people so I stopped power flowing to my eyes and dulled my crystal fingers as I stopped in front of the large clack crystal doors to the throne room. So much black in this place it needed to be replaced by something that would appeal to more people than just edgy teens. I willed the doors open with my powers and walked towards the crystal throne with my back straight head held high and the crowd parting in front of me. As I reached the throne I stopped and waved my metal arm which was easier to move than my crystal one which I had to actively mentally control whereas my metal arm could move as if it were my original flesh arm. As I waved the black crystal throne shattered and flew into the air in pieces I then stuck out my crystal arm and in the place of the black throne rose a grey throne with ornate carvings on it. On the top of the tall headboard which went far higher than my head was the Warhammer 40K Aquila made of red and black crystal with the eagle's body being made of red crystal and the head’s and wings being black.
“Hello, my new subjects my name is Jekyll you can call me King Jekyll or My King or sir. You may be afraid that I will be like my predecessor Sombra who I killed but worry not I am here to rebuild this land into the Crystal Kingdom,” I finished and looked at the tall crystal pillar in the center of the room. Within it was what was left of Sombra. “Here I show you the soul of your tyrant king imprisoned for eternity in that which he thought he could control,” they all looked at the pillar in awe. “Now are there any questions?” I asked and immediately regretted as all of them raised their hands. I pointed to a deep green normal pony.
“What are you going to do about the food shortages we only have enough for close to another three months and that includes using the small magic gardens?” asked the pony.
“Why not build a bigger garden?” I asked.
“We’d need a large room with no broken windows and plenty of room to carve runes to simulate sunlight,” I turned to Dart and whispered.
“Do we have any big rooms?”
“We have the ballroom just one floor up,” I turned back to the question pony after talking to Dart.
“You can use the ballroom and turn it into a large garden,” the pony’s eyes bulged outwards.
“Really?”
“Yes really please gather those you need to help you and get to work immediately,” I said to him as he ran to multiple other ponies before a group of at least thirty ran into one of the halls. I then pointed to a pink unicorn.
“Are you going to kill any male unicorns?” I stared at her for a moment.
“No, I will not kill anyone who has not committed a high-level crime. Crime levels will be set at a later date after I look at the laws in case any need to be changed but just so you know murder and rape are up there,” I explained.
“Oh good because there are multiple young male unicorns hidden away.”
“Go bring them out, they have nothing to fear from me. None of you do. I am going to bring this empire into a golden age!” I said loudly and stood up spreading my hands' wide showing off my crystal and metal arms while my eyes flared with black and purple magic.
It was slow at first but eventually, they all either clapped or cheered while others hurried out of the room most likely to bring out those hidden away but among the ones who stayed was a white male pegasus who stepped forward.
“My King, do you wish to rebuild the crystal guard?” he asked before continuing. “Sombra dissolved it in favor of his creations.”
“Yes I would like to rebuild the guard but for now I will only take volunteers. We are not in danger from foreign attacks at the moment so we don’t have to worry about needing a large defense force.”
“I am one of the few remaining guards so I’ll get my brothers and sisters together and begin recruiting,” he said before saluting me and walking off leaving me in the throne room with only Dart and Sombra’s crystalized soul.
“I think that went rather well,” said Dart with a smile.
“I’m going to work on my arm. I need you to gather information on the kingdom. Things such as population, stored food, food production, housing, and other things of the sort also see if you can get me some food but no more than is eaten by the others I will ration food like my people. Do you understand?”
“Got it, boss,” said the bubbly pony before rushing down a hallway leaving me with the realization that I had no idea how to get to my room.
It had been three days since I arrived in this world and through most of that, I had been working on my arm. That isn’t to say that I did not talk to my people in some form but usually it was through Dart as most of the others feared I would turn out like their previous master. I of course knew I would never do such a thing but I decided to give them a few days in which I would work on my arm. Luckily my crystal manipulation allowed me to make my crystal arm which could turn into any type of screw or latch to pull apart the destroyed piece of machinery. So I sat at the crystal desk in my room looking over the deconstructed form of my left arm. I had taken a few classes on how to perform minor repairs after my arms were attached so I understood my mechanical appendages pretty well. From reading up on my technomagic ability I learned that it could also help with developing mental blueprints and so with a blueprint in my mind I got to work on the new arm as I knew it would be impossible to return it to its original form. I stripped it of all but the lightest armor leaving the arm as skin as a skeleton with the exception of the joints which were their original size. I then put several bands of metal on the arm and hand, one for each finger bone including the thumb, two on the forearm, and three on the upper arm ending at my shoulder which held the battery and connector to my body. It moved at the same speed as my other arm but lacked any mass which is where my crystal manipulation came in. I formed crystals around the skeleton-like arm and hand fitting within the bands of metal and tightly against the armored joints leaving only them and my palm and the back of my hand crystal free. I then deconstructed my crystal arm detaching it from my arm and setting it on a stand labeled “MK1” before slowly and carefully attaching my new arm which clicked into place with a mechanical whine.
I stood and moved my arm in all directions noticing that the crystal was thinner than the armor on my right arm but that could easily be fixed I thought and flexed my powers which I had found felt like flexing some sort of invisible muscle. The crystal grew thicker and denser overtaking the metal bands but allowing the joints to be free while the bands were seen through the clear areas on the crystal. I also grew an Aquila symbol like that on my throne on the upper arm. Finishing looking at my new arm I pulled on my direwolf fur coat and pulled up its hood along with a face mask I had made from some old cloth that looked like the sleeve of a shirt I found in my closet. I then left my room returning to the throne room my heavy metal feet thumped against the floor in the thick leather boots I had found in my closet. They had a visible metal toe that went perfectly with the dark black of the boots and the rest of my clothing which was from when I first got here. I eventually made my way to the throne room just in time to see Dart walk in.
“Boss thank the maker, you’re here the guard needs your help!” shouted Dart waving for me to follow which I did following her outside to see the guard with their spears pointed at bug pony creatures. As we slowed dark energy filled my right hand and the fingertips of my left lengthened an inch and tapered into claws. As I did these crystals floated from the groundbreaking into thin six two-inch in diameter, one foot-long spikes. Dart stopped at this as I walked forward to see my guards holding makeshift weapons while the captain held what looked like a crystal poleaxe.
“Identify yourselves immediately by order of the Crystal Guard!” he shouted at the multitude of creatures which had begun to hiss as their leader whose wings looked shredded began to speak.
“I am queen Chrysalis of the Changelings. I wish to speak to your leader,” she said just as I arrived and stood tall my entire right hand coated in black energy now.
“And what would you like to talk about?” I asked.
“You are the leader here?” she asked.
“I am King Jekyll of the Crystal Kingdom, identify your purpose for your presence in my land,” I said loudly but not quite as a yell, more of a forceful demand as I pulsed energy into my eyes.
“We come begging to be allowed safety from the other species who inhabit the world they wish to exterminate my kind out of fear although I did do something out of desperation that I probably shouldn’t have done,” she said as she fell to her knees and began begging.
“We do not have the food to spare. I am sorry.”
“We don’t need food. We feed off emotion, preferably love with happiness as second and lust as a third. We feed passively off of the aura that is produced magically by these emotions unless those producing it hate our species and would deny it to us.”
“Does this harm those you feed upon?” I asked.
“No, it doesn’t it is a common misconception about our species.”
“Your people would be required to assist in the recovery of this once great nation. You would not be allowed to sit around and do nothing,” I said to her.
“Yes yes, I understand completely.”
“I must go talk to my people you stay here while I do this,” I slowly backed up and turned around walking back to my guards. “Leave two of you to watch,” I said and formed crystal spikes into large spears. “The rest of you go and gather those you consider leaders to the people when I am not around,” I told them, sending them scattering in all directions.
It wasn’t long before they returned with a group of elderly ponies bundled up in heavy clothing. As I saw their state I built a large cube of crystal with a small crystal door and ushered them inside then followed along with the guards before closing the door to keep in the heat. Two of those with us pulled out torches which an elder unicorn mare lit causing heat and light. I quickly constructed chairs and a table from crystal for us to sit upon despite the fact they were probably uncomfortable. Sitting down were four elder ponies, Dart who had followed me and the guards, the guard captain, and myself.
“So the others look to you for guidance,” I said looking at the elders. “And to you for protection,” I said to the captain. “And to you for a way to get their voices heard,” I said to Dart. “Now I need all of your help deciding something that will influence our people forever.”
“What do you need?” asked an elder who was covered in too much clothing to be properly discernible.
“These creatures have been turned away by everyone who they asked for help because of a misunderstanding about their biology and I have no doubt that if we turn them away they will all die,” I said before continuing. “These beings feed on the emotions of Love, happiness, and lust but not to the extent of harming those they feed off of. Their leader told me they feed off ambient magic created by these emotions and as such do not feed on the being's emotions or ability to create emotions but rather those which their targets produce,” I explained slowly.
“And you want our help in deciding whether or not to allow them to stay,” stated another elder, the unicorn who had lit the torches.
“Yes I want your help in this decision as I am new and not trusted by those I rule over but if you make the decision then they will trust you.”
“Will they help us?” asked Dart.
“They have sworn to assist us in any way they can if they are given shelter and food,” I told them.
“I don’t like it,” said the guard captain.
“Good this is the reason why I included you because I knew you’d be skeptical and we always need someone who is skeptical,” I told him.
“How did they find us and what did they do to cause others to turn them away,” he said. “Also how many of them are there.”
“Good questions,” I said as the others nodded their heads. “Here is my proposition we let them stay for five days in a large crystal building I will construct and if they are helpful and don’t do anything we will vote again on what we have seen and whether they can stay or not.. Also I will be the first to give up some happy emotions to them. I need a show of hands who accepts this proposal,” I said, raising my own hand which was quickly followed by Dart’s hand. Next came three of the elders the fourth slowly raising his while the captain didn’t raise his.
“My reasoning for not agreeing with you is because after dealing with Sombra I am naturally untrustworthy,” he said and the last elder dropped his hand leaving it five to two.
“The vote to allow the Changelings to stay for five days before we vote again is a yes with five yesses and two nos,” I said before standing. “I shall go speak with our guests,” said before walking out the door quickly being followed by the captain.
“I don’t completely disagree with you on this but I distrust them more than I trust them,” explained the guard.
“Just don’t be xenophobic towards them ok,” I said as we stopped before Chrysalis.
“May we stay?” she asked.
“For the next five days you will be staying in a large building I will construct after the five days my council will vote on whether your kind can fully join the kingdom,” I explained only to be tackle hugged by the large bug queen.
“Thank you I promise you will not regret this,” she said before standing up as the captain snickered.
“Yes well I will be the first one of your kind feeds on as an example to my people,” I said before continuing. “So how do we do this?” I asked.
“Just think of your happiest memory or of ones you love or lust after and I shall do the rest.”
“Ok I’m trusting you not to stab me ok,” I said closing my eyes and thought of my happiest moments and suddenly I felt a tug and I was there in my memories with my family laughing and playing with them as if they were really there. It felt like I was there forever but soon I felt a tapping on my side that awoke me.
“Sir are you alright?” asked the form of Dart.
“Yes, just happy memories,” I said as I wiped away what was most definitely not a tear.
“By the maker that was a lot of emotion!” shouted Chrysalis whose wings now looked whole along with the holes in her legs being filled up. She also seemed to have more muscle and from her mouth dripped a blue liquid. “If that was happiness I wonder what love is like,” she said smiling at me.
“Glad you enjoyed it but I’m going to go build your new home now ok,” I said before quickly walking away from her hungry look only barely hearing her last comments along with Darts.
“So where’s the queen?”
“Oh there is no queen, it's just him ruling the kingdom.”
Making the Changeling’s a home had been harder than I had first thought it to be but I could feel my control getting better as I used my power so I powered through the exhausting use of the ability. I built a one hundred foot long, fifty-foot wide, and thirty-foot tall room with large crystal double doors. As soon as I had completed the construct ten of the larger Changelings who possessed green sacks of unknown fluid on their bodies entered. These Changelings began spitting a black and green goo on the floor and walls reminding me of a xenomorph hive. I decided to leave them to it and returned to the throne room where I sat my heavy weight upon my throne.
“Dart tell me how our crops are growing in the hydroponics room,” I said only to get an odd look. “The magical gardens.”
“Oh, they are doing quite well with the addition of time acceleration runic arrays and growth enhancement potions that were in storage. We should have a harvest close to a month before the stockpile runs out but unfortunately, after that we will have no more growth potions and the time acceleration runes will begin to degrade as we don’t have the needed materials to maintain them,” explained Dart.
“After they fully degrade the garden will work like any other garden correct?” I asked her.
“Yes, sir that is correct but by that time we will have a large stockpile and most likely have more gardens.”
“Dart do you know what ley lines are?” I asked her.
“Yes, sir magical lines that cross over the planet intersecting at different points like beneath the spire. I believe that I learned in history that a few hundred years before Sombra’s takeover the spire was connected and used the magic from the ley line intersection along with a crystal artifact to protect the kingdom,” she explained with a smile.
“How would we go about reconnecting to the ley line?” I asked already mentally devising different methods of use for such a large amount of magic even if it had degraded over the past millennia.
“Well, first you’d need to dig to the caverns which the magical energy rests within and pulses through like blood through a vein. Then you’d have to find a way to absorb the energy most likely using gold-infused runes mithril would be better if you have it. The final thing would be to set up magical batteries and connect them to each different array that you wanted to power by using gold or silver wire,” she stopped. “You're not thinking of doing such a thing.”
“I most definitely am but we are missing the required metals.”
“The empire was known to have the highest deposit of gold, silver, and mithril in the mines not too far from the main city. They are most likely caved in and would need to be cleared of rubble but if you are certain then it would be very useful.”
“We will work on this project later once the first harvest is complete for now please write down a note for it.”
“Understand sir also what do you plan to do with that,” she pointed at Sombra’s soul.
“I’m going to do experiments on it. Do you mind leading me to some form of workshop so that I do not have to put it in my room?”
“Oh sure thing sir,” she said walking down a hallway while I floated the soul crystal into the air and walked behind her trying to keep my eyes forward and not letting them drift downward.
‘She's not human, she's not human, she's not human,’ I repeated in my mind.
The walls were covered in a black substance that held holes from which large blue eyes stared out. Pillars covered in sacks of green goo stood within the large room that was undoubtedly the new Changeling hive.
I had decided to meet my new neighbors who while not ponies and slightly frightening had still been quite friendly so far. I watched as one of the smaller of their kind spit a black goo on the wall which quickly hardened into part of the hive walls.
“Um hello I’m Glittering Jewel but you can call me Jewel,” I said to it only for it to stare at me emitting clicking sounds.
“Do not be offended if my children do not return your greetings they have been starved of emotional energy and it has caused them to go slightly feral. Only I and some of the stronger of my children have kept our minds,” said a voice from behind me.
“Eep,” I jumped and spun around to see the smiling face of the Changeling leader. “Oh really that's so sad,” I said.
“I believe that if we stay here they will eventually regain their higher mental functions but never to the extent that a normal Changeling has,” she explained while the smaller Changeling flew off.
“So there are others who possess the same amount of intelligence as you?” I asked.
“Yes, there are specifically the Warriors and Breeders who are responsible for the hive’s protection and expanding the number of Changelings that are present. I believe that should we be allowed to stay in the kingdom with your kind then our people would flourish here. The very air is full of emotion which your species of pony seem to give off in greater quantities than any other species I have met.”
“I think that is a compliment.”
“It was don’t worry,” said the queen. “Would you like to meet some of my Warriors they’re very friendly and would love to meet you,” she said as we moved deeper into the hive and through a tunnel just large enough for the Changeling queen to fit through.
As we entered a small room I saw three large Changelings each at least as tall as King Jekyll who towered over most ponies including the Changeling queen.
“Don’t worry they don’t bite...much,” said the queen.
I sat in the new workshop with Sombra’s soul and the unused parts of my broken arm that were leftover from the construction of my new one. My current project was to harness the power of Sombra’s soul and turn it into energy that would be used to power runic arrays. I had with me one of the only male unicorns who had lived through Sombra’s reign and that was only because he was very adept in the making of rune arrays and magical constructs. He was forced to help make Sombra’s crystal golems which he admitted to sabotaging. This meant that the golems I had fought were not his best work like he told his former master and were instead something that a ten-year-old training to be a runesmith could do. That admission made me laugh at the stupidity of Sombra so I asked the Unicorn who I had learned was oddly named Runestone. He was Runsestone the runesmith but he insisted on being called Stone as if he was called by his name in the workshop it would confuse anyone working and they might grab an actual runestone.
“Jekyll about the only thing this would be good for is a large golem because of the power uses that high-grade golems require,” he said.
“Really dammit I had hoped to fule the time acceleration runes in the gardens with it.”
“Definitely don’t do that the soul magic would corrupt the plants and change them into horrific monstrosities,” he said quickly with wide eyes.
“If I design a body for the golem can you help me size it and engrave the runes in it that will eventually give it life?” I asked him.
“Yes sir I can definitely do so is there anything you have in mind?” he asked.
“Clear the table and I will make a small model,” I said and reached out with my left hand to the now clear crystal table causing something to slowly form on it. The thing was black and bipedal with claws and a body that looked like a biomechanical skeleton. It had tubes sticking off its back and a mouth filled with teeth along with an inner jaw. Its head was a large curving dome-like shape lacking eyes or ears. Its hands possessed five long claws, two of which acted like thumbs but on either side of the hand instead of just one side. From its rear sprouted a long tail ending in a large spike. “I give you the Xenomorph,” I said to Stone.
“By the maker what is this horror,” he said.
“As I said this is a Xenomorph a beast with no equal in battle and this is one of the smaller versions of their species,” I said my hands spread wide as I looked at the large full-scale warrior model that measured eight feet in height and sixteen feet long towering over my height of six foot five inches and even taller compared to the ponies who the tallest excluding Chrysalis so far had been at most six feet. “So can we make it into a golem?”
“It will be an honor to make such a magnificent creation for you my king,” he said with a smile that looked like it belonged on a shark and not a pony.
It took a few days but eventually, we were able to move every one of my people to the inner ring of houses allowing me to begin the process of constructing the new walls. I walked down the halls of the spire to a balcony that gave a perfect view of the surrounding area. The interior ring that made up my city looked more like a star but I preferred it to be a circle so it would be easier to defend and have more room inside. I walked out into the wind which swirled around the tip of the spire and raised my left hand, the crystal on the arm glowing with power as every building outside of the chosen area shattered into pieces of crystal.
“By the makers,” I heard Dart say as hundreds of thousands of crystals twirled and danced in the light which filtered through the clouds above creating a rainbow of color.
I clenched my fist forcing the crystals to jam themselves in the ground in a rough circle. After the circle was complete other crystals began to fuse with those already in the ground until eventually there was a twenty-foot tall wall that surrounded the spire and my city with a radius of close to two and a half miles. I felt the magic muscles within my body straining as I carved out a doorway to the outside and formed a crystal door in it. As I finished the massive project I fell to my robotic knees, my body shutting down as I had drained myself of magical energy.
“Boss!” I heard Dart yell as I once again passed out like I had done when fighting Sombra.
Far from the Crystal Kingdom, two alicorn princesses felt a pulse of magic that had only been felt a millennia ago. They called upon the youngest princess, her bitc-husband, a small dragon, and the current Elements of Harmony. They directed the small group along with a squadron of guards to the area where the Crystal Kingdom now rested although they did not know this fact and only had a hunch that something was there. As the group left for their trip the two princesses merged their magical power in order to search the minds of those that could possess such an amount of power. They found one.
I slowly opened my eyes to the sight of Dart poking me.
“Oh good you’re not dead it’s been a few weeks luckily the elders, the guards, ang Chrysalis stepped up to take over after it was decided the Changelings would stay,” she said and walked out of the room. “I’ll let you get dressed. We took the liberty of measuring you in your sleep. The magic pulse you let off after making the wall torched your previous clothes but don’t worry we made something we think you’ll like,” she said before dropping some papers on a table and hurrying out of my room leaving me to catch up mentally.
“Wait they checked me out in my sleep...fuckin pervs,” I muttered as I stood luckily in underwear that unfortunately was different than the underwear i wore before I passed out. I decided to forget about it for now and began to get dressed in my new clothing that to a normal human would undoubtedly be extremely heavy but due to my enhancements I was able to easily support the armor which was layered atop the clothing. As I dressed I found runic inscriptions woven into the fabric which I believed would regulate my temperature among other unknown things. Oddly the armor also coated my robotic limbs but I didn’t complain as they had worked hard on the armor. They even managed to incorporate the remnants of the dire wolf fur on the shoulders along with a balaclava that was also covered by a hood that could be replaced by the helmet that sat next to the pile of papers on the table. I then turned to the pile of papers and began leafing through them quickly realizing I couldn’t read any of this shit.
“Well fuck,” I said to myself and pulled on my balaclava and pulled up my hood before picking up the helmet with my right hand and the papers in my left. I then left for the throne room my leather-clad feet no longer clanking on the crystal floor but instead thudding softly. I opened the doors to my throne room and saw in the center of the room a table which the council sat. “Hey, where the fuck’s Dart at?” I asked still in a slight daze.
“Jekyll you’re alive!” shouted the guard captain who immediately shrunk in his chair at the stares he received.
“Yes I survived my unfortunate magical accident,” I said as I walked towards my throne. “Also once again I ask where is Dart or someone who can read I can’t read your language. It is too different from my own.”
“You can’t read?” said an elder earth pony.
“No I can’t read your language but I can read my own there is a difference,” I said slowly as I sat upon my throne which detached itself from the ground and floated down to the council’s table.
“Show us your language, let's see if we recognize it,” said Chrysalis who was with the council or part of the council I didn’t quite know.
“Fine,” I said before writing down the words “How are the people” on the paper with the ink quill they had on the table.
“Jekyll I know the language of the great apes quite well,” she explained. “And they are doing well.”
“So there are other species that use this language as well?” I asked.
“Not the spoken language but written language and from what I can tell it is the same I will try translating later.”
“Thanks,” I said before turning to the rest of them. “Any new news?”
“The runesmiths in the workshop finished their project for you, they also made some weapons and armor, nothing too advanced but still tough, the first of the food has been harvested earlier than thought, and there is a magical anomaly slowly making its way towards the kingdom,” said a pegasus.
“Boost the defenses and tell the runesmiths to start making some long-range weaponry,” I told the unicorn before turning to Chrysalis. “Chrysalis I need your people to dig some new underground magic farms unless I have misunderstood your people’s capabilities and you don’t dig,” I said.
“Second only to diamond dogs,” she replied before leaving with the elder earth pony who had been in charge of the food.
“Captain boost the defenses and make sure any Changelings on our side are camouflaged so that we don’t give our guests a bad impression,” I told the captain who left quickly.
“You go to the current habitats and organize harvesting,” I pointed at the pegasus. “And you take me to Stone,” I told him as we left for the workshop.
She could finally see the crystal spire that peaked over the hills surrounded by walls of grey crystal...wait walls of grey crystal there was nothing in the history books about those thought Princess Cadence third Princess of Equestria.
“Come on I can see it!” I yelled to the group of guards, the Elements, and my wif-husband. “It’s beautiful.”
Prince(ss) Armor finally caught up with his wife who stood atop a large hill of snow looking out at the Crystal Empire. Prince(ss) Armor then wiped his brow before following his wife down the hill. Many would assume that he would be the most athletic of ponies due to being both Captain of the guard and a Prince(ss) of Equestria. He wasn’t known for his muscles or toughness but he was known for one part of his body which many stallions enjoyed before they saw his face and learned he was also a stallion.
“Wait up Cadence I gotta slow down,” he shouted after his wife before making a small sound that even the element of kindness would be ashamed of as he was magically lifted into the air. “Eep!”
“Honestly why is he the Captain again?” asked a guard.
“Because Stone Hoof got quite a lot of attention from Armor,” the other said before the left earshot of the third princess (not Armor).
“I give you the Crystal Empire!” shouted the element of magic also known as Twilight Sparkle or Armor’s sister. “What the buck happened here?” she asked nopony as she looked at the destroyed landscape that surrounded the large walls.
“I don’t know, maybe the inhabitants can tell us,” said the princess of love.
I looked upon the magnificent creation before me and patted Stone on the shoulder. The Xenomorph was larger than the specifications I had given, possessed an alligator-like head, a shield-like frill, and sported six tubes on its back instead of four but otherwise was the same as the descriptions I had given the design team.
“It is a magnificent Stone!” I shouted as they put the finishing touches on it and on me. “Are you sure this is the best way to do this?” I asked as the unicorns attached a mental connector system to my skull which would create a hivemind like link between me and any golem created.
“Perfectly safe...well 75% safe I’ve never worked on a being such as yourself but you resemble the great apes from the olden days and I encountered a few of them so eh,” he said dragging out the word eh with a shrug.
“What do you mean eh?” I asked.
“All done, try and connect to the Xeno,” he said abruptly, changing the conversation.
I began focusing on mental energy like had been explained to me for the past hour. I attempted to activate the runes which once active would quickly power up and be easier to control.
‘Awaken my Swarmlord and serve your king!’ I called out into my mind and felt a pull on my consciousness.
‘My King...I await your commands,’ said a hissing voice that sounded like a demonic snake mixed with a wood shredder. Outside of my mind in reality I heard a monstrous shriek and felt the ground rumble as my fifteen-foot monster jolted to life pulling on the nearly limitless power of a soul. I then opened my eyes to see the thirty-foot long monster five of those feet being its long mouth which was filled with serrated teeth. ‘I sense a new presence approaching it challenges you, my king. Shall we go approach it?’ asked the Xeno in my head.
‘Yes let us go,’ I mentally told it and hopped upon its back as the creature charged at the wall which split apart as m crystal manipulation shoved stone aside.
“Gather the troops enemies are coming!” I shouted behind me before shifting the wall back into place.
Twilight Sparkle had come with her sist-brother and his wife to free the Crystal Empire from Sombra’s control but unfortunately, it seemed sompony else had gotten here first.
“What do you mean we can’t come in till your king says so?”
“What do you think I mean?” the pegasus asked.
“And if we fly over?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“We’ll shoot ya out of the sky with magic and crossbows before guttin ya when ya hit the dirt!” yelled the guardspony.
“We’re all civil ponies there is no reason to get so unruly,” stated my friend the element of generosity Rarity.
“You mean people, not ponies. Ponies are xenophobic here cause there’s more than one race that lives in the Crystal Kingdom!” he shouted.
“You mean the Crystal Empire,” I argued before a new voice joined.
“No, it's called the Crystal Kingdom now. What do you want with my kingdom?”
I stood atop the crystal walls looking out at our visitors who had made camp a few hundred feet from the wall. Wished that I hadn’t reacted so quickly when the ponies tried to claim the kingdom but I had and so I would deal with the consequences. I turned behind me watching as Chrysalis shifted into the form of a white alicorn with a pale pink mane. She had said something about the ponies respecting alicorns more. When I had asked the name she planned to give she told me she would be Queen Molly which made me groan as Dart looked at the two of us oddly.
The plan was for her and two crystal guards to go meet with the Ponies while I would stay on the walls due to the fact that my presence seemed to bolster the morale of any crystal guards and shifted changeling guards. Chrysalis also knew as Chrys and now Molly wore heavy plate armor which immediately banished the image of a black leather armored Molly from my mind. I also remembered that powerful magic-users could read minds. The crystal guards wore the most intact armor that was left after the long time left to rust and fall apart. Eventually, we ended up with one crystal guard earth pony in heavy armor and a pegasus disguised changeling in light armor. Both guards also carried two large combat knives which I had quickly made for them from crystal and each had their own personal weapon with the crystal guard carrying a war hammer and the changeling carrying a crossbow.
“My king unfortunately we do not possess a weapon that fits a mare of my stature. Do you think you could make something large and hard for me to play with?” said the altered voice of Chrys which made me jump as I hadn't noticed her.
“Here!” I said as a large weapon which only I knew of formed a Terranic Greatsword. I then infused the weapon with a burst of dark energy.
“Thank you, my king I shall use the utmost care when playing with your sword now and later on today,” she said causing me to shiver again.
Chrys and her guards then left to go meet the visitors with Chrys’ sword resting on her shoulder.
I split my magic between two projects keeping the cold out and the warm in. Shining had been helping but he tired out in a few minutes. I had really been questioning why I married the idiot. Oh, right I liked watching how he handled other swords especially Zebra made swords while I played with a minotaur warhammer. Twilight had been with us but she had to go back in the snow to grab Barb who had gotten lost. I was still angry at that creature for claiming to be king of an empire that should be owned by ponies or some pony-like creature, not a mutated diamond dog. Suddenly the weight of the shielding magic was lifted and the magic fire flared, waking my guards and the being I hesitated to call my husband instead of wife.
“I hope you don’t mine but I used my magic to lessen the burden,” said a soft voice that was like Celestia’s but off somehow. The shield widened and blocked out the blizzard allowing three forms to enter one of which was an alicorn wielding a massive blade. “I am Queen Molly of the Crystal Kingdom.”
“You mean empire,” I insisted. Why couldn’t these ponies get the name right?
“I’d stop calling it that the crystal ponies associate that name with Sombra’s rule. We renamed it after Sombra was...removed.”
“So you are married to that diamond dog?”
“The King?” she laughed. “Oh, that’s a good one no he still hasn’t warmed up to the idea of interspecies relationships he told me his people don’t like that kind of thing or at least his dreams told me that when I made him have confusing dreams.”
“But Diamond Dogs don’t care who they have relations with, is he not a mutated dog?” I asked.
“No he has more in common with the great apes but unlike them he possesses magic and by the makers is it powerful,” she said looking back at the city. “Mind if I join you by the fire?” she asked.
“Go ahead and sit, the others should be back soon,” I said.
“Others?”
“They went back for their friend who got lost,” I explained only for my eyes to meet a concentrated face that turned to her crossbow toting guard. “Go inform the King of the other beings out in the blizzard and tell him I heavily recommend he send out search parties.”
“Yes my queen,” said the pegasus before he ran back towards the city.
“Assist the guards here with watching for her friends,” she told her remaining guard. “Awaken your wife we must move into the city so that you are not in the way of the search parties.”
“My wh-oh you mean shiny,” I levitated the sleeping unicorn.
“My queen I see a group of seven leaving the blizzard.”
“Do you also feel that?” asked one of my guards to another before the ground cracked and deep beneath it something massive moved.
“Tunnelers shit run!” yelled the crystal guard as The Elements and Barb joined us and a loud noise echoed across the winter wasteland.
“CRACKOOOM!” the icy earth shattered upward and a massive worm-like creature jumped from the ground causing me to suddenly gain a new boost in stamina.
“Why not teleport?” I asked the alicorn queen.
“Magic here is too raw and untamed, causing blizzards. When there isn’t a storm maybe we could do short jumps but nothing big.”
“The buck is that thing?” asked the blue pony.
“Ice worm!” shouted Molly. “Usually don’t come too close the ley lines play hell with their senses or at least that’s what the king said,” she explained before planting her left foot and using her momentum and both arms to hurl her massive blade at the worm.
“WHUM WHUM WHUM!” the blade made an odd sound as it spun through the air, black and purple energy flowing after it. “BOOM!” the blade impaled itself to the hilt in the side of the beasts head slowing it as the carapace and flesh around blackened as energy dispersed from the blade.
“Added a bit of magic to the blade both mine and the king’s,” she explained as the blade began to glow brightly. “Makes a great target!”
I looked to the walls and saw an almost wall of crossbow and spellfire hurtling at the beast which chased us but unfortunately it didn’t save two guards who were crushed by the worm’s body.
“Captain what chance of no more losses on their return do you suspect and who will die if more do?” I asked looking to the captain who was manning a large darkness enhanced ballista.
“Well, at least one of the seven grouped together will die. I reckon either the white and purple or yellow and pink ponies will die if the worm is not dealt with.”
I jumped from the walls and ran into the armory remembering a weapon I had seen inside it a few hours ago when Chrys first left. There it was a large magically hardened spear. I ran from the armory increasing power to my robotic legs in a way that I had learned to do with what I guessed was techno-magic. I used my now enhanced robotic legs to jump up onto the walls starling multiple people. By this time the worm had recovered and was charging after the group with the last of the pony guards having fallen creating a shield that barely fazed the worm. As I walked I flexed all three of the magical muscles in my body in a way I had never done mixing all three while before I had kept them as far apart as possible. My right arm began to glow with a light that hurt the eyes of others but not mine and forced the metal of the armor that covered my arm to melt off it as the heat given off by my arm turned the armor to magma. Crystals floated from the ground black energy coating them giving the appearance of shadowy crystal wings. The spear shifted in my hand which now also glowed black with crystal snaking up to the tip of the spear and sucking up massive amounts of dark energy until it looked like the spear was tipped with a miniature black hole. My eyes which glowed black in the reflection of a guard’s helmet locked onto the worm which seemed to sense the new challenge and roared its own challenge.
“RAAAAHHH!” it roared loudly as the shadow crystal wings broke apart and shot into its hide each hit cracking the thick armor. Once all of the crystal had been shot I reeled my arm back.
“Fwip,” I threw the spear at impossible speeds breaking my arm into multiple pieces all linked together with a magical glowing cable that quickly reconnected the arm using what I guessed was techno-magic after the spear left my hands. After a few seconds, a second sound followed the sound of me throwing the weapon. “BOOM!” the sound made by the spear which moved almost faster than sound punching through the head of the large worm and out the other side before flying off into the blizzard.
“THUD!” the worm fell on its face dislodging Molly’s blade which I pulled to my hand using crystal manipulation. I looked at the guards who seemed to be preparing for me to drop like before but I didn’t feel like I had used any energy at all instead I felt energized like something that had been chained down had been released. My best guess was that upon finally merging all three magics I had connected myself to this world's magic field and no longer drew upon my own energy but upon the world’s energy instead. It felt like I had just awoken from a mind-numbing haze. I could literally feel magic in crystals and I could feel it thrumming in my chest dark chaotic energy pulsing in time with my heartbeat. I felt the magic that I had unconsciously focused on my mechanical enhancements making them better in every way and continuously regenerating chipped metal or drained energy by converting magic but I would have to focus on my new sense of magic later.
“BAM!” the handle of the crystal blade slammed into my metal hand and I turned to see the group of out of breath ponies now inside the walls.
“Welcome to the Crystal Kingdom as you have already met Molly I am Jekyll king of this great land ruler of the icy wasteland,” Molly came and stood next to me allowing me to pass her the large blade.
“Oh, such a big sword for me to play with thank you, my king.”
“Take the ponies in the spire and find them somewhere to stay,” I said to Molly as her eye flickered. “Gotta keep them where we can watch them,” I told her and her eye returned to normal as she walked off to the group.
I stood in my room looking over the remains of my old left arm. Parts in the destroyed arm were still usable and it seemed with my techno-magic I had gained a bit of information. I knew how to design a basic computer. I just needed power and using the remains of my arm along with materials that Runestone had brought at my request I thought I could build a fairly simple power converter and computer. I just hoped that the power created didn’t explode in my face. To my right was a unicorn who specialized in metal manipulation. She had shifted the metal into the forms that I asked for and wired them through the makeshift computer which also possessed a few rune covered crystals made to certain specifications which had been designed by Runestone and myself and even more of the remaining few left arm parts. The screen was actually a glowing crystal with an attached keyboard that could change languages depending on which mode you set the keyboard.
“Sir are you sure this box of metal and crystal will do as it is designed?” she asked.
“No actually I’m pretty sure it will explode,” I replied forming a crystal shield and holding it in front of us. “Mind flicking the magic switch?”
“Fwik...vvvvvv rrrrrrrr,” the humming started after a minute and I could feel the crystal within activate pulling heat into one crystal and transforming it into cooling magic.
“Magic computer activation test number three is a success now just to do it without the need for arm parts of which we are in short supply,” I said before shattering my shield and typing on the computer some of the most basic things such like hello. “Test two working,” I checked off my mental list. “Now three,” I switched the typed language to that of the Kingdom’s books and began to type down the title of a book which was translated on screen. “Sex magics for virgins.”
“How do the tests go, my king,” asked a snickering Chrys who had been making continuous jokes from the corner. I understood most but some I didn’t and that worried me.
“I’m not a virgin!” I shouted as Dart walked in.
“Is this a bad time?” she started backing up.
“No!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!” she looked at Chrys.
“Yes or no sir I don’t understand?”
“No it isn’t a bad time and yes I am sure now what do you have to tell me?” I asked my face most likely red.
“Oh the Equestrians are requesting your presence. I told them you were probably getting ready so here I am asking you to get ready.”
“Chrys please leave while I change,” I said as the computer continued to whir. “And shut that damn thing off.”
We had been waiting for at least half an hour by now and I was beginning to wonder how long it took their king to dress when the pony named Dart rushed back in. She sat in her own chair within the meeting room that had been set up for us to meet the king in.
“Sorry he was making something he's just gotta clean up and get down here,” she explained while Cadance once again tried to awaken my brother who seemed to have finally awoken and was being reprimanded for his inaction the other day. I think myself and Dart were the only ones who saw the king enter and his quiet walk to the kingly chair which he sat in. I managed to stay quiet despite my thirst for answers as to who and what he was and instead waited as he looked around the room before forming a hammer of crystal and banging it on the table.
“Hello there, welcome to my home,” he said surprising all of them at what seemed to almost be teleportation.
“How the buck did you do that?” Rainbow said before she was hit lightly by Flutters who began whispering to her about language and what was not said to royalty.
“You were all too self absorbed to notice my entry so I decided to give you all a good scare,” he chuckled and even as the lower part of his face was revealed by his mask slipping I didn’t get a good view under his dark hood. “Calm yourselves there is no need to get so riled up about simple words,” he said to Flutters who stopped but told Rainbow they’d finish later. “I have yet to introduce myself to you personally so allow me to do so. I am King Jekyll ruler of the Crystal Kingdom and before you say empire let me tell you that the people of this kingdom associate the word empire with Sombra’s rule. He is gone now but fear remains long after those who brought it are gone.”
“But you can’t change it, it belongs to Equestria,” said Barb.
“Who came here and claimed it and the snowy wastes it resides in?” asked the king.
“Well after the war Celestia claimed it to keep it safe.”
“I do not recognise any claim over this land other than my own claim,” he said shocking Barb.
“But Celestia?”
“Does not rule here,” said the same alicorn we had met outside the city. “I and the king rule not Celestia.”
“Enough about this,” said Jekyll. “If you cannot claim this land then what will you do here?” he asked Cadence.
“I will attempt to form trade routes and alliances with the Kingdom and Equestria as well as tell you of the darker nations.”
“Darker nations?” asked the pony named Dart.
“Yes dark nations such as the Apes, Changelings, Dogs, and Caribou.”
“I plan to make the kingdom into a place where all species shall be welcome so I will wait to hear multiple accounts before I pass judgement on other nations I have yet to encounter,” said the king.
“You can’t you’ll only allow them a gateway into other nations but it matters not they have no way to get here. Their kind are banned from all the surrounding nations’ lands,” explained Cadence.
“There are always ways of getting around the rules. We could make compromises of some kind where I built railways to all nations that all are allowed to ride.”
“I cannot allow you to interact with such dark races you will corrupt the ponies here.”
“That is not your choice to make little alicorn,” said the king while the alicorn at his side seemed to tense her horn faintly glowing ready for anything.
“Then I unfortunately must challenge you to a battle in order to take control of these lands by right of conquest,” stated Cadence with a cold voice.
“And when I win what will I receive?” asked the king as his alicorn companion dispelled her magic and smiled a horrifying smile that belonged on a predator and gave me chills.
“Well what do you want?” asked Cadence rather foolishly in a way that even I could see.
“I will have free reign to build a railway system through Equestria and two of the current group will stay here and serve me and your husband will be one of the two.”
Cadence waited at least five minutes before speaking again and what she decided horrified me. She turned to each of us with a small frown and ended on Barb.
“Barb, I need you to send a letter for me to the princesses. I am going to consult them,” was what she said before turning back to the king with a frown. “Shall we speak again in a few days so that we can both finish off all we need to and prepare?”
“Yes that is a good idea and while you are here you are free to roam the city but should you attack one of my people you will be detained.”
“Why would we attack another pony?” asked Rarity.
“I have multiple species in my kingdom including Changelings and I will not tolerate any of my people being harmed by xenophobic ponies,” he said before leaving the room the alicorn now possible changeling following him.
I felt the heat wash over me as I worked within the workshop along with the others. I used my magic to pick up the newly forged helmet and begin carving runes into it along with installing crystals into key places as I had learned from reading ancient texts on the crystal golems that came before Sombra’s crude imitations.
“Stone, we have finished the designs for the special weapon that was designed before Sombra took control halting the project,” stated one of the pegasi as he handed me the fireproofed paper.
“Good job Bellows got to construct it while myself and the unicorns finish up our newest project,” the black furred and orange maned pegasus looked up at the project and saw a large suit of armor which could only fit one being. “Armor fit for a king,” I started finishing off the helmet before cooling it with a blast of magic and allowing the heavy helm to clank into the stone table where the new armor was laid out.
“But the king’s arms and legs?”
“We’ve had ample time to study the connection mechanisms using Chrysalis’ dreamwalking and observing his limbs and the connectors when he passed out from using too much magic. We have enough understanding to make a connection system and if we fail the king will fix it with his power.”
“The prototype will go perfect with this,” said bellows as I copied the blueprints onto a thin crystal plate and looked at the long metal tube with a crossbow trigger on its bottom. I’d leave this to those inept at runes and stay in my profession. “Ah buck it, get to work Bellows and find that damn sentient construct we made for the king, the one he named his Swarmlord, whatever that means.”
It had been a day since the Equestrians arrived and they had yet to cause any problems even after seeing plenty of Changelings. While the days passed I planned on testing out my new technomagic computer but Chrys was determined to drag me to the workshop. I eventually allowed myself to be taken to the workshop where I beheld the most glorious thing I had ever laid my eyes upon. I also learned that Chrys had been waltzing through my mind when I was asleep but upon seeing what she and the others had created from doing so I forgave them. It wasn’t perfect but I could fix that with my technomagic. The creators left the naming of the creation up to me and so the massive suit of armor was dubbed the Grey Knight.
It had taken three days for the pink alicorn to come to her decision but she requested that we wait for another alicorn one of the princesses of Equestria, to come watch the battle. I allowed it but made sure the guards and Chrys and her children knew to be on guard and ready for anything. The pink alicorn estimated that it would take the other alicorn close to a week to make it to the kingdom so I gave her permission to roam like the others of her group did but with Molly at her side. While they did that I worked in the workshop with Runestone and his fellow workers perfecting the connections that would insert into the slots where my arms and legs connected. Once Stone knew what to do I left him to the work and went to work with the pony named Bellows who was building what looked like a rifle mixed with a tank cannon.
I estimated that the weapon had a barrel made to fire 60mm shells but I was told it did not fire anything physical but instead fired condensed magic fueled by my own magic. I explained that I could only infuse weapons with dark energy and in return Bellows and his group explained the runes carved into the weapon which sucked in the infused energy and turned it into magic fuel for the weapon which would shoot blasts of condensed magic but they didn’t know what color the magic would be. I left them to their work but told them to design smaller weapons for people normal sized and not my mech armor size. They seemed to take to the project with vigour while bellows began to describe how the magic weapons my armor possessed worked. Apparently it used old runes that sucked in dark energy and dispersed it into raw magic but they had reconfigured it to flow into magic batteries so all I had to do was treat my suit like a weapon and infuse it with my dark energy to power the weapons. The batteries meanwhile would power the suit allowing it to be powered for up to a week while using all the functions at once. After the power explanation I was told of all the functions and weapons my new armor slash body possessed.
I had sent letters to Celestia asking about what I should do and she responded by saying she would send me some armor and a weapon as she had full confidence in my ability to defeat the enemy and that she was sending a camera pony along with the group bringing my armor to take pictures of the battle and of me kicking out the self-appointed ruler but neither she nor Luna could come to watch. Jekyll had disappeared but the alicorn Molly had stuck around and waited with me at the base of the crystal spire while the group of ponies that had been sighted by the wall guards made their way here. I had yet to ever see my own armor but I had known Celestia was making it much different than her or Luna’s armor. Their armor was made during the times before the civil war and followed the ways used back then. Heavy plate armor that was runicaly enhanced. Along with the large spears that absorbed light magic transforming it into blades of pure magic the color of which was determined by the amount of power put in with blue and red being the highest followed by yellow and then purple. If your weapon was the same color as your magic it meant you were perfectly in tune with your weapon and the amount of magic was unable to be measured past there as all magical scales so far had melted from the magical pressure. Celestia had allowed me to try her weapon which she could get to a light blue color mixing her own magic with the weapon’s color increasing its power. I could only get a yellowish color with a hint of blue giving it a green tint. The fact that I could activate a weapon not made for me was apparently quite a feat in itself.
“Your friends have arrived,” said the bored voice of Molly who was toying with a ball of magic she had formed in her hand. “I hope you're ready for a fight princess because the king sure is,” she stated before returning to her orb of raw magic.
“Princess I am the camera pony sent by Celestia to capture your magnificent battle on my new invention the video camera along with normal cameras. Behind me are those who bear your royal battle armor and your alicorn blade,” she said showing the large cases containing the luggage.
“Follow the guards, they will escort you to your rooms and your armor will be taken to your room with your weapon,” said Molly drawing everyone's attention to herself causing the ponies to stop at the sight of a new alicorn especially one possessing Molly’s beauty.
“Another alicorn sorry we didn’t bow and may I ask but what is your title, are you the leader here or no and what do you rule over?” asked the camera pony quickly.
“Hmm I like this one straight to the point,” she said, licking her lips. “I rule beside the king and as for what I rule over well the basics are that I am the Queen of Trickery,” Molly said for the first time stating what she ruled over.
“Oh,” said the camera pony.
“Shall we move deeper into the structure and talk more about when the battle shall take place and where?” she asked, walking into the spire as the guards took the bags and boxes.
I looked at the creation with the king, Bellows, and the workshop ponies beside me and stared in awe at the giant we had created. Bellows eyed the long metal tube on the table beside what I first assumed to be a staff weapon which the workshop ponies had spent several days on. Personally, I looked over the powerful runes carved into the armor and the massive magical battery held within the armor. On a whim, I had gotten the royal tailors to make a red cloak which hung over one arm and part of the king's back. The cloak bore the symbol which rested above the throne in high detail with a silver edge on the symbol. I looked to the king who was staring into the lifeless crystal eyes of the oversized helmet which would attach to the armor's body making him look larger.
“My king it is time it has been two days since the alicorn’s people arrived; we cannot stall any longer,” said a Changeling who began to assist in the readying of the armor.
“Rune if I somehow lose I am putting you in charge of the resistance of the tyranny the Equestrians will bring,” said the king causing me to stand straighter with pride that such a job would be given to me should m=the battle go poorly. I watched the king stand behind the now open back of the armor and allow technomagic arms within to detach and store his arms before more attached two arm control systems into his arms and removed his false legs also storing them and attaching the control systems to the metal where his flesh limbs would be. His body was held in place with a mix of magic and mechanical arms with cushioning runes on them. The back was then fused onto the armor and the environment control runes activated, keeping the king at a comfortable temperature despite the heat given off by the machines within the armor and the cold on the outside. His head looked too small for the armor he wore and as it activated and the helmet was attached I saw him smile and remembered his explanation to me of what the Grey Knights were. They were powerful beings who were well known for battling against chaotic demons. As the eyes lit red energy like that of fire with swirls of the king's own black energy filled them and caused the runes to fully activate as the armor now treated like a weapon was imbued with darkness which fueled the runes. I watched as he moved the massive armor and grasped his weapons which now seemed perfect for his size attaching the weapon he had named the Boomstick to his back and the as of yet unnamed staff to his hip like you would a sword or axe. I personally attached his royal cloak to his side and strapped a large blade to his left side opposite of the staff.
“Whump!” an audible sound was made in the room as the magic in the suit pulsed and all its functions activated including the voice modifier which altered the king's voice to a deeper more menacing tone that we all agreed caused fear and intimidation if used on your opponent.
“So shall we go speak to the princess,” said the king the deep voice ending with an echoing sound making it seem as if it did not leave the lips of a mortal but instead some god in disguise which many already believed the king to be including most of those of us in the workshop with me only half convinced.
“Let's,” I replied simply as we all followed the king.
I could not wait for the opportunity to capture the coming battle between the princess and the king who reigned here. I sat at the side of the throne room near my friends next to a crystal pony who seemed to be vibrating with excitement.
“Are you alright?” I asked him.
“Yes sorry for vibrating like that I’ve just heard rumors from workshop ponies of the king’s new armor,” he said in reply. “Apparently it is really imposing and bears the mark of the kingdom.”
“The mark of the kingdom?” I asked only to have the pony point above the throne which had begun to shift in size and design becoming more elaborate in design. I pulled out my non-flash camera and prepared to take pictures of the being that the princess had written to Celestia about. I was not disappointed.
“Thump...thump...thump,” a loud thump sound was made with each step as the massive armored being walked into the room a large weapon resembling the experimental muskets the guards used in Equestria rested on his back but the king’s musket was much larger. He carried a staff and a large sword and stepped with the confidence only those with massive amounts of power could muster before sitting on the throne. I had heard from several ponies that the king had never said what he reigned over like the princesses of the day, night, and love who proclaimed their realms proudly but apparently the crystal ponies had pretty much guessed it and the advisor was going to announce him.
“Announcing King Jekyll the God of Battle and War,” the advisor got a look from her king as he sat down and his eyes flashed with a power which filled the room.
“And now announcing the Princess of Love also known as Princess Cadence,” the Princess walked in through a side door and stopped as she laid eyes on the king of the land, and even from here I could see her helmetless face mouth something. “By Celestia.”
“The battle shall take place outside of the walls so as to keep the city out of the fallout zone,” continued the advisor. “Any animals within the wastes that enter the battle will be considered battlefield hazards but should a friend of either side enter combat then that group automatically forfeits the battle. The battle shall not be to the death but instead till the opposing side yields but should the other side not yield any force is allowed including torture and the removal of limbs.”
“I jerked at that along with my group and those that had accompanied Cadence who had also paled at the words she heard.”
“Hmmm,” a deep rumble filled the room coming from the king. “Perhaps you wish to give up before we start alicorn?” he asked his voice causing fear to fill me.
“N-no I shall meet you on the battlefield.”
“All are invited to watch from the walls tell your neighbors, your family, even those you dislike that they may come to watch the battle between the king and a foreign invading force,” said the king who stood and spread his arms wide before the alicorn Molly and his royal guard who looked nothing like those in Equestria instead seeming like they were built for long term battle. The king then left the room his advisor also following his entourage along with a pony I had heard referred to as Runestone.
I stood on the hard ice devoid of Ice worms ever since I killed a large version of their kind. Seemed the creatures had a small amount of intellect after all. Far from me close to a hundred yards was the Princess of Love who was putting on her helmet and held a poleaxe in her left hand but on her hip, I saw what looked like the hilt of a greatsword. I watched her strap her helmet into place while the runes inside mine fed the view straight to my eyes using a mix of runestones and my techno-magic. I watched as the Princess grabbed her poleaxe and I retrieved my Boomstick from my back a crystal bayonet now mounted on the front and as I held the weapon I filled it with my dark energies powering the weapon to its maximum power level. I then heard Dart’s voice still frustrated at the name she had given me. I'd have to make sure they knew I wasn’t a god but after this, but I’m not sure if I could dissuade them no matter how hard I tried.
“The battle starts when Molly shoots off a firework spell so that I have time to return to the walls,” she said to each of us before running off. Time ticked by until I saw a streak of green energy explode in the air and I brought my weapon up aiming down the barrel and hastily made sights. I then squeezed the trigger and there was a pulse of magic with the weapon bucking back into my robotic body’s shoulder and releasing enough heat to turn the nearby snow to steam while making a loud “BOOM!”
I watched the King raise his odd weapon but charged forward till I felt the magic pulse and heard the loud explosion prompting me to dodge what I guessed to be an oncoming spellfire. Instead, I dodged a red and black bolt of hardened magical energy that flew well past me and further than any spell I knew of could before hitting the ground and doing nothing for a moment as my mind processed what was happening. The released raw magic altered the nearby reality creating an explosion of chaos magic which would have most likely stripped my magic powers from me along with turning most of my bones to powder had it hit me. I looked up thinking I’d see another bolt headed my way but instead saw the king staring at the wall and then pointing at the weapon with a gesture that asked. “Why?” No matter with this distraction I would attack.
“HA!” I cut down at him with my weapon and he dodged easily hitting me hard with the rear of the weapon which he then pointed at me causing a burst of fear in my mind as I began to dodge multiple much smaller shots from the weapon. The smaller blast caused much less but still powerful damage. I decided to get in close, making it hard for him to use his large weapon. I quickly charged him once more, uttering my battle cry causing him to use his weapon to block allowing me to coat my blade in a small amount of energy cutting through the weapon. He threw the long part to the side and pointed the other side between us and pulled the trigger causing a large explosion which launched us both back into the air. I watched him tumble in the snow as I steadied myself with my wings slowly floating downwards. The snow had turned to steam which cleared just in time to allow the armored king to jump through his large sword held one-handed in a reverse grip. He hacked and slashed at me keeping me off balance with the seemingly random attacks. Eventually, I blasted the blade from his hand only to be showered with a rain of needle-sized crystals half of them embedding themselves in my skin shifting my focus and allowing a large shadow encased fist to hit my side launching me across the snow covered the battlefield. I stood and watched from far away as a large square crystal shield formed on his arm and he charged me with it blocking the multiple blasts I shot at him as I tried to slow him with concussive blasts that chipped away at the shield only for the broken parts to launch themselves at me forcing me to split my concentration. Eventually, I sent a powerful explosive blast at his shield destroying it completely but still the spikes of crystal charged forward but were destroyed by me as I was done with playing nice and so I drew and activated my blade specifically forged to be used by alicorns. It’s soft glow comforted me as there were no such blades here.
“Hmm beautiful aren’t they,” said the deep voice of Jekyll as he walked through the whirlwind of snow his staff now in his hand.
“And what would you know about alicorn blades?” I spat at him and removed my damaged helmet which obscured my view.
“Quite a bit actually,” he stated as a large dark red double-headed axe activated the blades formed of pure magic.
“But you're not an alicorn.”
“Yet I still possess the ability to use one of these,” he said before punching me in the stomach launching me back towards the walls which he slowly began to stalk towards.
I followed the alicorn who still thought she had a chance to win and as I walked I admired the cuts and impact marks that covered my new armor showing that it had been used before and wasn’t just for the ceremony. I quickly entered the view of the wall and saw the camera pony taking pictures of his princess who stood proudly with her weapon drawn seeming to look like she was facing a demon. With my axe in my right hand, I reforged my storm shield this time coating it in spikes and imbuing it with darkness and as the shield formed the double Aquila also formed on the front of the shield.
“Come now alicorn do not think I am defeated just yet!” I yelled at her drawing the attention of all including the camera pony who began taking pictures of me as well.
“I will defeat and banish you god of war,” she said, not helping the image that I was going for and only fueling the flames of the crystal ponies who treated me like a god. At her words, she got a cheer from her group but my people seemed not to take this well and instead began cheering for their war god. If they wanted a war god so be it I’d be the God-King of War ruler of the Crystal Kingdom. “Now perish!” she shouted, shooting a large blast of energy at me.
“No,” I said magically holding my shield in front of me while readying a large amount of dark magic in my palm and as the shield broke I blasted out with a large beam of shadow energy canceling hers out allowing me to charge her as the watching crowd grew quiet as they watched us battle. Two giants compared to them in all terms of power be it physical or magical. I swung my axe as I had when practicing with the guards secretly. I, unfortunately, had skipped on swordplay though and it showed in my earlier battle using the normal blade. I attacked relentlessly, keeping her on the defensive shooting in bolts of dark energy as I attacked using my techno-magic to overcharge my suit quickening my speed and strength. Eventually, I got her back to the crystal wall and forced a large blade to extend from it cutting halfway through her sword arm forcing her forward straight into my grasp my axe now back at my hip. Holding her main body in my right hand as she screamed in pain I ripped her sword arm from her body causing the blade to deactivate as it was grasped by a crystal hand that floated in the air. Her blood sprayed across my armored hand and chest as I threw the arm to the side hearing more than a few gags from the audience.
I removed her blade from the crystal hand holding it in my left as I forced my dark magic into the weapon, igniting it red and forcing it against her bleeding stump cauterizing the wound. I then dropped her where she fell to her knees as I drew and reactivated my own blade.
“Hmm looks like you know your place well. I now understand why you're the princess of love. Give up before I remove those pretty wings of yours or your horn,” I said to her but she looked at me with anger charging her horn which I quickly removed from her head with my axe due to her blade being hard to wield in my massive hand. I then leaned down to her ear and spoke quietly “I’m going to enjoy breaking your husband once Chrysalis changes his gender or maybe I’ll let her children play with her or is it still going to be him?” I deactivated both my blade and her's clasping mine to my hip and using a crystal to latch hers to my chest.’
“Thunk,” the nearly dead alicorn punched my armored back.
“Just give up,” I said with a sigh as I backhanded her with my massive hand coated in dark energy. “I will give you this alicorn. Your kind is quite persistent.”
“You’ll never win,” she spat. “The elements will stop your evil even if our armies fall and the world burns.”
“Why would I want to go to war or burn this beautiful world? It has so much more beautiful than my own world,” I said, her eyes widening. “You really didn’t think I was from here did you?”
“What are you some kind of demon in disguise?” she asked from her place in the snow once again far from the walls where we could not be overheard.
“No nothing like that. I'm only human, maybe a little more powerful than others of my kind but still only human,” I slowly walked towards her injured form. “My world is dying destroyed by an industry which poisons the air my people breathe. It is covered in wounds caused by wars that used weapons this world could never understand and far surpass anything you could think of. My people made a weapon which sticks to people and burns better than anything natural we called it napalm and we shot it at civilians,” I clamped my crystals around her body and lifted her up to my level. “We made weapons which level cities in seconds and burn so bright the turn peoples shadows into marks on the wall.”
“What kind of people could yours be?” she asked with fear.
“We are human and if you think I’m evil you should know I’m nowhere near the worst,” I said levitating her behind me back towards the city. “So before you go report me as a great uncontrollable evil let me tell you that I do not wish for a fight but I know a great deal when it comes to battle now please give up before I have to start hurting you.”
“I will yield if you tell me who you wish to take?”
“Your husband and the young dragoness do not worry she will not be harmed. She is still young. I merely wish to learn about your people from two perspectives and once the railway to Equestria is set up or I have some other form of travel then she can return. Maybe once all this unpleasantness has passed we can be friends.”
“I yield but I don’t think Celestia is going to take this well,” she said as we reached the walls and I walked back through the doors to the city hearing the cheers of my people while the Equestrians rushed to their princess who I had dropped to the ground.
"On this day a foreign power has been repelled from our city my people and now once they have recovered most of them will leave!" I yelled before turning to Chrysalis who was coated in green fire scaring the ponies. "Chrys I'll let you deal with Armor."
"Yes my king," she said before two guards grasped the unicorn and dragged him away as the few medical ponies I had begun to help the princess despite her affiliation with a foreign power which seemed to surprise the Equestrians.
"Excuse me but my name is Stop Motion may I take your picture?" asked a small pony.
"Just don't make me out to be some king of blood loving demon," I said as a flash filled my eyes.
The beasts that dwell below and the monster who dwells above
I had decided to keep the large armor on I like the massive size I had because of it but I had given all my weapons except for my axe to the workshop ponies who almost fainted at the sight of the alicorn blade which they had immediately taken down further into their cave or as they called it the workshop. Currently, I was talking with Dart about why calling me a war god was a bad idea and also about the fact that they found the crystal construct we had created. I had given up on arguing on not being a god several hours ago and so now I listened to how the creature's rune structure had been altered when it cut the runes on some magic crystals altering them irreparably and shifting what they did. Now the runes sucked in heat from a thermal vent the creature had found and used it to grow more living crystals that took a lesser version of its own form but continued to become stronger as they aged and this had only taken a few days to happen maybe two weeks at most which were when we had lost track of it. Luckily the creatures still obeyed us more specifically me and the creators of the first of their kind this had allowed the work ponies to put a guard over the other runes and enhance the ability of the altered rune because if it can’t be fixed why not experiment with it. The idiots had made it so that the things reproduced faster and dug a hive-like structure like the Lings which the Changelings liked to be called.
“I’ll go see the creature,” I said and stood from my seat walking down to the room that had been turned into an entrance into the Crystalmorph hive. I had named them this after they deviated from the original plan for their look and became more jagged and crystalline. I thumped down to what was once the dungeon and found one of the creatures in a cage pacing in agitation. As I arrived it looked at my powerful form and hissed until I removed my helmet and it seemed to almost bow especially after the crystals that I had summoned began to glow with my black magic.
“Careful sir the creature is dangerous,” said a guard.
“You will take me to the one that made you,” I said to the creature and opened the door putting the helmet back on as the creature slithered from the cage hissing at the guards, and moved down into the hot tunnel. “Do not follow me and do not allow others to follow,” I told the guards and created a wall of crystal before turning back to the beast and following it with heavy thumps. We passed other Crystalmorphs that seemed to communicate with the one that led me and followed us deeper into the hive-like structure until we reached a hole that was ten feet wide and went straight down. The creatures grabbed me and pulled me down the hole for over thirty minutes before we exited into a large room coated in black crystal with bubbling pools of water the largest of which was underneath the mutated body of the swarm lord which was now more of a swarm queen as it gave birth to untold numbers of the creatures. I was dropped to the ground and I walked to the large creature standing in front of it as the other creatures hissed. I removed my helmet for a moment and the heat of the room made me sweat instantly but the creatures seemed calm as they looked at me, their master. I then quickly returned my helmet to my head and reactivated the environment control runes.
“HISSSSSS!” they all hissed at once and swarmed across the floors, the walls, the ceiling, and even the pillars which supported the rooms. I looked into holes in the walls seeing the glint of the heads of the creatures as others hidden in the depths of the hive listened to others of their kind relay what was happening.
“I love what you’ve done with the place my friend,” I said, placing my hand on the head of the large beast that seemed to be attached to the walls and ceiling. “But I must tell you and your children that those above us in the city are under my protection and so they are also to be protected by you and those coated in metal are the guards who are to be assisted if the need arises.”
“Hisssss?”
“I believe there is a darkness coming that we are not yet ready for and only with your help will we survive.”
“SSSSS!” There was a loud hiss around the room as the message spread from beast to beast.
“Send with me the strongest of your children so that my people may learn of your kind and their place in our kingdom.”
“Thump!” a large beast at least 14 feet tall fell from the ceiling, its long tail making it at least twenty five feet long from head to tail. “Shhhhh,” it hissed lightly.
“Perfect and please put your eldest near the entrance so that it can relay messages to you,” I told the large beast.
“SSSSS!”
“Good now I must leave. I will return but I ask that you expand outwards as fast as possible and increase your number,” I said as multiple tails pulled me into the ceiling hole and I was led from the tunnel to the entrance with my new creature beside me.
“Shhhhh,” it hissed as it followed and we stopped at the wall which I removed.
“You will be known as Juggernaut for now or Jug for short,” I told it as its tail waved like a dog would if a dog had a long bladed crystal tail. I then walked through the opening past the two guards who fell to the ground at the beast that followed me. “This is Juggernaut, he will be staying up here for a while and the eldest of his brothers will be near the entrance so tell it if something is happening like we are under attack or someone has broken into the castle,” I told him before walking back to the throne room once more happy the Equestrians were gone with the exception of the Dragon named Barb and the newly named Gleaming Shield who was once Shining Armor. Last I heard Gleaming was apologizing to the Changeling swarm and she was doing quite well but that she might need to give out more than a few apologies to ponies around the kingdom for trying to take over here.
“SSSSS?”
“You may sit among the darkness of the rafters if you wish,” I told the creature still not quite sure how I understood the hissing but just decided that it was a mix of them being crystal constructs and the fact that they were bound to me magically like the first of their kind. “Guard go get the dragon,” I told the terrified pony. “And send in someone to take your place unless you can get a hold of yourself,” I turned and watched the dark creature climb up the crystal walls and into the darkness above where I had altered the ceiling to where others were capable of hiding up there so if I was to have foreign dignitaries I could hide assassins.
“I can walk myself!” yelled the dragon who walked into the throne room the still terrified guard behind her. I stared at him and he closed the door leaving himself outside and me and the dragon within. “What finally going to use me?” she asked.
“Not in the way you think,” I said calmly as a chair rose from the crystal ground along with a table. “Would you like something to eat? I have meat here as well as gems that I know your kind eats.”
“No thanks I’m fine just tell me what you want.”
“At first I wanted your view of the world but after seeing your devotion to those you accompanied on your journey here I can tell I will only get propaganda and the bias of those who you live with,” I stated calmly.
“It's not biased, it's the truth,” she spat angrily. “The Apes wield dark artifacts that spew deathly smoke into the skies, the Diamond Dogs kidnap ponies to use as slaves in their mines, the Changelings drain emotions from those around them eventually turning them to an emotionless husk, and worst of all the Cariou who use their massive control over magic to enslave half of their species and use them as sex slaves and breeding tools.
I thought over her words and while they were most likely influenced there was at least a small amount of truth in each of her statements no matter how twisted that truth may have become. The creatures mentioned could be useful to the Kingdom if I could get them here. The railroad would take over a year to complete even with the ideas that Rune and I had been working on so while the railroad was being built we needed another method of long-range travel. My current Idea was for some airships that would be shielded against the unnatural weather in the frozen wastes.
“Girl-”
“My name is Barb not girl,” she growled.
“Barb I would like to learn more about Equestria.”
“What so it’s easier to conquer. Honestly, even if you tried, Equestria has hundreds of royal guards and with the new cannons and battlewagons you can’t do anything to them!” she spat.
“I do not intend to invade Equestria unless I am first attacked by your military.”
“Good!”
“You may go and speak with your friends and family now but please try not to attempt escape. I'd hate to be forced to send my soldiers, who are better at navigating the frozen wastes, after you."
She got up and rushed to the exit happy to get away from me and get to her friends.
“I can already tell they're going to give us a headache my friend,” I said as Juggernaut fell from the ceiling with a crash. “Go bring some of your brothers and sisters up into the castle and have them patrol the halls in the shadows then after that is done return to me,” I told the beast which rushed off in the darkness running across the ceiling its black crystal body blending into the shadows that formed at the roof of the halls.
I later found myself walking down to the forges where Rune and Bellows along with many others worked on making weapons and armor for the guard. I walked along looking at the racks of magical muskets, blades, and armor until eventually, I reached Rune and Bellows who were arguing over a blueprint.
“We should use balloons not propellers you old fool!” shouted Bellows.
“Bah! Propellers are the way to go. We've used them for years with no-fail,” Rune replied as they continued to fight.
“Seems you can’t come to an agreement?”
“Oh my king good to see you,” said Bellows. “Just trying to convince this old fool to try something new that I asked one of the second group of Equestrians about.”
“I did some research of my own,” I started cutting off Rune. “Why not use overcharged lightening arrays to lift the airships?”
“Yes that would work but we don’t have enough space to make the needed magical power.”
“Then enlarge the ship and devote a single magical generator to each array,” I said as I molded a large chunk of crystal into a shape resembling a construct only I would know of. The construct was that of a Stellaris Molluscoid Corvette. “How does this shape for the vessel look?”
“Interesting there is no open platform for the crew to stand on how they will see the enemy?” asked Rune.
“And how will they navigate without sight?” added Bellows.
“Use a magically enhanced crystal to make it so that we can see out but others cannot see in. Also if you see fit please make changes I am leaving this in both of your hands but if possible I would like a design done by the end of the month.”
“What should we make it out of sir?”
“You decide but if you choose crystal you must find a way other than utilizing my abilities.”
“Understood sir,” said Bellows as they both went back to work after Rune gave a nod.
I continued my walk through the workshop and watched as those working tested out new armor and weapons. Most of the new armor was apparently made by the changelings in their own workshop and then moved here for magical enhancement. I took a list given to me by a very busy pony who apologized that he couldn’t go into depth at the moment and would be able to speak later. I honestly don’t think he realized who I was but he was busy and so I left him to his work and read over the papers which listed everything about the weapons and armors. The changeling made armor was apparently a form of organic construct that when worn would shift to the wearer’s size, it had limited camouflage abilities, and could regenerate itself by absorbing raw magic. It was made in the hive workshops by melding goo made by drones with changeling magic which was continuously pumped into the mixture by a group of five Changelings. Eventually, the mix would turn into a black goo which would then be placed either up the body of a warrior or on a large statue resembling a changeling’s body. Once fully hardened it could be stored with other suits of armor.
The weapons however were most definitely made by the crystal ponies who were adept at forging both close and long-range weapons. They now forged mini versions of my destroyed boomstick instead of bows and arrows and they had begun sending out expeditions to the corpse of the dead ice worm to collect its teeth which when fashioned into weapons were the sharpest and strongest known to the world. At least they were before the Kingdom was stolen by Sombra. During its absence, there is no telling what has been created.
I managed to grab a pony who was walking about causing him to look up at me.
“I would like for those working here to build for me another boomstick if you are capable of that.”
“Of course we can my king. In fact, we’d be delighted to do so.”
“Good,” I said and quickly left the room. “And please while you're at it make a version to be mounted on the walls,” I say, closing the thick iron entry door behind me and walking off into my castle.
"Quiet now little unicorn, let the magic wash over your mind and change you into your new form. No longer a butcher of my children but instead now their servant," I said slowly to the white unicorn beneath me who resided in a slime-filled cocoon undergoing his metamorphosis. "The king will be quite happy with your new form Shining Armor but wait that's not your name. Personally, I'd stick with slut but I think the king has a name chosen. We'll just have to see."
Within the translucent green cocoon, the white body of the unicorn known as Shining Armor thrashed trying to fight off the changes to his mind and body while outside hundreds of Changelings watched from their spots on the ceiling, walls, and floor with grins that showed off their sharp teeth.
I looked at the girls especially Barb as we waited for the princess to reply to our latest letter. We had told them of Cadence's injuries and loss in combat as well as the outcome which they already knew due to Cadence contacting them before the battle. We also requested she sends us the elements.
"Twi are you sure this is a good idea?" asked AJ.
"We have to at least try and I won't leave without Shining and even if he can't be saved do you really want to leave all these ponies to become food for the changelings or mind-controlled tools of the self-appointed king?" I asked AJ along with the others who sat in a semicircle in front of me.
"Well you can count on me," said Rainbow followed by affirmatives from all but Fluttershy who squeaked."
"Fine if everypony else is agreed I'll help," AJ replied with a sigh just as Barb spat out a purple chest and a letter that had four words on it. "Aim for the chest."
I rotated a crystal model of the kingdom but expanded with extra above-ground additions and with multiple tentacles of crystal below it mapping out the ever-growing cave network. Alongside the model formed a grouping of four airships of the new design which I had copied from a game. I planned to do the same with more games, movies, TV, books, and comics because I was the only one who knew what they were and their weaknesses and strengths.
"Sir there is a problem at the gates," said a guard who had entered the throne room.
"What kind of problem?"
"Well, it seems that one of the so-called "Dark Empires" has come to see what the magical pulse that occurred when the previous ruler woke up meant."
"Pulse?"
"When Sombra first awoke to bring back the kingdom he released a massive magical pulse that shook the lay lines due to the overlap beneath the kingdom," he explained. "Or at least that's what Rune said but the point is creatures who have a strong grasp on magic like the Equestrian Princesses and our visitors felt the pulse through the lay lines."
In front of me stood a large creature wearing armor that looked almost like my lesser armor but looked more used like the armor had seen many battles. The creature had large antlers and while it was tall I still towered over it in my armor which I saw no reason to remove for the foreseeable future. The creature also was accompanied by over fifty soldiers all armed to the teeth and possessing what looked like a cross between a revolver and a rifle. They also had with them what looked like a tank powered by magic. The tank had no guns but had crates stacked on it and pulled a large box with a sliding door. Earlier my guards had told me the name of these creatures Caribou.
"Welcome to the Crystal Kingdom and not to be rude but what do you want?"
"Such hostility can we not speak like sentient and intelligent beings?" asked the Caribou in return.
"I apologize but my last visitors tried to claim my kingdom as theirs. Of course, the interlopers were dealt with but I am now very cautious with visitors."
"Allow me to guess Equestrians?"
"Hmm, you have problems with them as well?"
"They do not approve of our laws such as females being made to serve males."
"I have no problem with your ways so long as none of the females in my Kingdom are used or taken."
"This is a diplomatic mission I would not think of it no matter how delectable some of them are," he eyed a female guard who turned out to be a Changeling as she shifted into a he and spoke.
"Want a taste sweet cheeks?" he said before walking off.
"You have Changelings here? Are you not worried they might harm your people?"
"No Chrys and her children are just misunderstood, creatures only hated because of the things others have said about them.
"Chrys?"
"Queen Chrysalis."
"Ah well allow me to introduce myself I am Ambassador Longsword."
"King Jekyll of the Crystal Kingdom," I said introducing myself. "The barracks has extra room your soldiers may reside there and you may rest your tank near the barracks."
"Tank?" it took him a second and me pointing. "Oh yes, the supplies wagon."
"Oh and if one of your soldiers harms my people I will personally feed him to my pets and make the rest watch."
"I would push him in myself if he caused such a disgrace to our nation."
"Good now, shall we return to the spire for a long chat?"
As I walked down the hall I felt as if something was watching me and the girls but when I looked I saw nothing. We had the elements around our neck and knew that Jekyll was on in the throne room as we had watched him leave before returning with a creature that Twi had only heard of from Celestia. He was leading a Caribou through the Crystal Empire's castle as if he was showing an old friend his new home.
"Ok girls are you ready?" I got nods from all but AJ.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you at first Twi now I can see how evil this new king is."
"It's ok AJ but we gotta hurry the guards are changing shifts," I said and we all rushed into the throne room where Jekyll sat with a Caribou.
"Jekyll we have come to defeat you!" I yelled at him. "For we possess the Elements of Harmony and the power of friendship which can beat anything!"
".....BAHAHAHAHA oh by the makers you really think friendship will kill me?"
"Who said anything about killing?" I asked disgusted at the idea.
"Well come on then hit me with your best shot," I watched as shadows writhed across his armor in a way that resembled fire, I watched as wings of black crystal spikes floated behind him, and I watched as he pulled out his unholy weapon which glowed red as it activated two red blades springing from what looked like a staff. Even the Caribou seemed scared at his host's new look. "COME ON SHOOT ME!"
"With the powers of honesty, loyalty, kindness, laughter, generosity, and finally friendship we shall defeat you," I said each of the elements activating as I spoke their name, and then seconds later we fired and a wave of rainbow energy blasted into the chest of the dark being
I felt the energy hit me and pass through my armor and body licking at my mind. If they had hit a little higher I was certain the power that I felt within me would have shattered my mind. Tendrils of magic poked at my mind ripping through my mind and then I felt it erasing memories of anything important to me. Their goal was most likely to pacify and strip me of my more violent thoughts and memories but instead, I felt as the faces of my loved ones were torn from my mind slowly but surely leaving me only a building rage.
I opened my eyes a blackness clouding my view as my magic lashed outwards uncontrolled. The faces of the ponies were surprised as they probably thought I should have been pacified by now the magic rainbow dissipated and I staggered to my feet my head swimming with memories that were not complete but I remembered one. It was a line from a movie and it was perfect. So I looked up at them raising my left armored hand which swirled with black energy, shards of crystal, and an odd whisp of white energy that appeared when my technomagic was used.
"You should have aimed for the head," and with a snap, a blast wave of energy knocked all but me to the ground and shook the spire. I then walked down the steps leading to my throne and with every step I took the ground cracked as my power lashed out.
"BAM!" the throne room doors slammed open and guards poured in but stopped upon seeing me and for the first time, I got a look at myself in the reflection of a shield.
My body had changed the armor's torso was scorched and from the armor grew a thin layer of black crystal with three points of crystal sprouting from my helmet like some form kind of unholy crown, my left hand's armor had been covered in an odd goldish crystal up to my elbow, and from my back grew bone-like wings made of crystal with a membrane of black energy. Even my battleaxe which I now held in my right hand had changed with the blade being a dark black. As I walked the sea of guards both mine and those of the Caribou parted fear clearly evident on all their faces except for Chrysalis who joined me as I walked down to the fallen ponies. Another who joined me was Runestone who wore a pair of rune-coated gauntlets and crystal armor coated in the same runes and he was followed by the massive form of Juggernaut falling from the ceiling and looming over us as I stared down at the ponies.
"Jekyll are you alright?" asked Chrysalis.
"They took what was important to me my memories and so now we will take what they find important...Remove the horns of the unicorns and wings of the pegasi but leave the Earth ponies be they are the only two who seemed to not wish to do this but there is one thing I will take from them that will also be taken from the others," I lifted my left gauntlet and twisted it till the back of my hand faced them while slots opened on the golden crystal gauntlet and pulsed my crystal magic pulling the crystals they wore from their jewelry. As the crystal artifacts drew closer they began to shrink becoming denser but smaller as to fit in the slots I had created for them. As each crystal locked into place I felt a pulse of magic as a tether to each girl snapped and wrapped around my arm and to my soul or that was my best guess.
"I claim these powerful artifacts by right of conquest."
"NOO!" shouted twilight shooting a bolt of energy at me which I easily dodged and lashed out with my new gauntlet which shot out a bolt of rainbow energy tainted with a dark black fire.
"Give unto me your memories of magic," I stated and drew back a strand of purple energy from her into me. "Good."
"Jekyll?" said Chrysalis hesitantly.
"Lock them up in separate rooms and post guards on them with a Morph in the room we shall retrieve my trophies later and then send them home their little assassination attempt will also not be forgoton."
"Yes my king," said a crystal guard.
"Longsword we will have to talk later my guards will find you a room for the moment while I deal with this."
"S-sure," he said rushing from the room with his guards and a few of mine who calmly left.
"Are you alright Jekyll?" asked Chrysalis.
"You have been in my mind before correct?
"Yes, I have why?"
"I need your help in organizing it I don't know what happened but they seemed to have torn it to shreds leaving me with fragmented memories and dulled emotions."
"Of course my king."
"Chrys I do remember a few things and one is that we are friends please refer to me by my name," I told her. "I will be within my room please once this is cleaned up join me," I told her before walking out of the room. Not hearing a few guards passing money to each other and one muttering something about betting on Dart.
“Easy...Control,” voices swirled around me with the last broken sentence jolting me awake.
“Mind...Shredded.:
“We are one...We are he.”
“Hush he wakes.”
I looked for the voices only to see a world of sand and inch deep red water. Both the sun and moon floated above in a blinding eclipse. Structures rose from the water far in the distance but before I could walk the earth shuddered under a tremendous weight. I turned around coming face to face or helmet to helmet with a massive metal creature inscribed with trillions of runes. The odd four-armed golem carried with it a glowing crystal plate with shifting images and a multi-tool that shifted forms seemingly at random as it worked on its side which had a large gash in it. Each of its unoccupied arms held four human-like fingers and a thumb.
“Welcome newcomer I am artificial entity #420 specialty made for cataloging new entries into the current prison.”
“But I’m not a prisoner.”
“You are either a prisoner, a warden, or the wielder of the prison’s external form.”
“I am the wielder,” I said hesitantly.
“Oh what a joyous day it has been millennia since you have visited!” the creature shouted.
“I however am not your original wielder,” the golem stopped. “It is my understanding that a millennia ago a pair of alicorns known as Luna and Celestia stole the physical form of this tool and perverted its meaning,” I said, pulling out some bullshit story.
“I remember the wielder telling us to hide until one of sufficient power discovered us. You are the one,” Oh no I’m part of a prophecy.
“420 I have an important question.”
“What is it?”
“Is it possible to regain lost memories within this realm?” I asked.
“Not exactly due to the fact that time runs faster here and so while you sleep seconds outside we work years within here. Your memories have most likely coalesced into a being all their own much like the shattered nightmare and splintered mind of the chaos spirit have merged into one being. It would be a better idea for you to work with the new form your memories have taken after all two heads are better than one.
Metal hissed in the forge as rune-covered cylinders were cooled with magical water, loud clanking and shrieking sounds echoed around the spacious room as bolts of metal tightened the clamps on the metal cylinders, and magic rippled through the air as crystal magic batteries were charged via the use of thermal magical energy conduits.
“Keep the batteries moving we’ve only got a hundred of the things we’ll need ten times that if we want to stand a chance while the king is out of commission!” yelled Runestone.
“TWANG!” a massive metal bolt embedded itself into the hardened wall before being pulled back by the winch the bolt was attached to. A massive ballista sat atop a sled with specialty spikes on the sides which when reeling in an airship would deploy and anchor the sled to the ground.
“Watch where you're firing that thing you dumbfucks!” yelled Runestone as I watched from the side once more looking over the flammable changeling jelly made from the underground pockets of black liquid. It would be launched by the few trebuchets that were left after being replaced by the new cannons and would coat the ground in the black jelly. After this was completed flaming bolts of magic and flaming arrows would ignite the jelly burning the enemy who would be trapped in the tar-like substance.
“Sir while we have the ideas for the flaming jelly out perhaps we should speak about the Terror Project.”
“Yes, that...tell me about those...things.”
“They are an altered form of the Crystalmorphs recently dubbed Combatmorphs due to their sole purpose being for combat. They while still being loyal to the king possess a higher intelligence or at the very least as much as the king allows them to have. They can also adapt to their current surroundings so should their enemy be in the air they would develop wing-like structures with flight magic or should they need armor then their armor would build upon it using excess magic. Of course, this project is in its infant stages and not even close to completion.”
“Good make sure to speak to me before doing anything no matter what anyone says,” I said as I left to go assist on the Gatling gun project. Unknown to me however the Unicorn behind me smiled maliciously and looked into a magical mirror displaying dozens of stasis-locked Combatmorphs. ========================================================================
“So your me,” I said to the multicolored version of myself.
“Most of your memories pertaining to high-level technological constructs and all emotions not related to our sister are stored within me or is it us. You or we still possess some useful knowledge and emotions pertaining to our sister. As long as we work as one we should stay mentally intact much like Amalgam stays intact,” My other half stated gesturing towards the multi soul/memory creature to the left of 420.
“If we can connect is there any way for the rest of those here to come out?” I asked 420 who I now knew to be a artificial magical intelligence (AMI).
“If you were able to create a sufficiently stable body for us then yes. I would recommend attempting to allow a lesser AMI before attempting to bring me into reality.”
“PlEaSe Do ThEsAmE fOr Us!” loudly stated Amalgam who had yet to speak in its ear destroying eldritch voice. “We apologize even one such as you must feel the force of the splinter of the elder god’s shattered soul residing in our core.”
“Thank you Amalgam.”
“So you are my real form so you shall be known as Jekyll and I as Hyde. Is this acceptable?” Said the now named Hyde.
“Yes, 420 assist Hyde in keeping track of my memories and the mental development of new ideas for mechanical constructs. Amalgam would you mind gathering those who wish to leave this place and serve me?”
“As long as I may leave this eternal prison then I shall serve you Jekyll.”
“Well, then how do I get out of here.”
“Bind the elements mentally as you have done in the physical world.”
Mentally I felt for the whispering voices and latched on to them forcing them to submit and serve me until in an instant my eyes snapped open and above me loomed a red Crystal morph that emitted a sense of malevolence. Immediately I grasped its skull and squeezed till it turned to dust and filtered through the cracks in my fingers like sand.
