After the completely random and stupid display they had watched, the trio had left quickly to proceed with their objective while running into limited resistance along the way which didn't really surprise Twilight who deducted that almost all the Lycanthropes had gone to the Central plaza to discover the source of the commotion, poor things.
Even dispute the lack of Lycanthropes on the streets the three kept to the alleyways so they had very little contact with any of the hairy monsters and even when they did, the unsuspecting Lycanthrope was quickly and quietly dispatched and its body hidden. Lucy had not really explored the fort when she had last been there since she stayed indoors mostly due to the stares and whispers of the locals about her Wolfish appearance and golden eyes, the entire fort consisting of rusted shacks and tents was built around an old military base and was protected by a large wall that surrounded the Fort which itself was surrounded by a magic sound bubble that kept the noise of the Fort from attracting any large hordes of infected.

Lacy had dismissed her Scythe back into the Rose and had her magnum out and set to incinerate, Twilight kept her shards out and attached to her horn so she wouldn't be affected by the Magic dampening traits of Earth, Solar Flare didn't seem bothered by the effects and had herself roasted one or more Lycanthropes that got too close, they were all painfully aware that they were killing completely innocent victims who would never have the chance to be cured but with stunning them was impossible and out of the question when left them with only one option.... Kill or be killed and Lucy had no intention on dying untill she had personally kicked every Vorsoth bastard out of her new home universe and locked the door behind them. "Well..." Lucy thought to herself "After maybe causing allot of bodily harm along the way"

Lucy was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she didn't notice the Lycanthrope untill it was upon her and had to be tackled to the ground by Flare before her head was knocked off by the thing's claws, Both of them rolled onto their backs with Lucy bringing up her Magnum and firing three shots to bring it down. Twilight was letting off blasts of magic down the alleyway as Lycanthropes filled the confined space.

Lucy began to back up to the other end of the ally while firing shot after shot aimed at each of the approaching thing's heads "Flare, Light em up!" the red and black unicorn nodded with a grin and cast a torrent of fire down the ally and setting alight anything caught before the radiating yellow flames, a wall of fire blocked the Lycanthropes from their prey but Lucy doubted that they would stay dissuaded for long "Come on. This way!" just as they were about yo exit the ally, all three were knocked to the ground by a very large Lycanthrope who blocked their way out.

Lucy tried to strike out with the shadows in the ally but she was still dazed by the hit that she wasn't able to hit the thing very hard, it didn't even flinch and raised it's claws up above it's hunched back and was about to bring it down on Lucy when something dropped down onto it's back.

"Oh no you don't!" it was another Centurion armour waring person who was wrestling the Lycanthrope to the floor and stabbing it repeatedly with a gleaming blade untill it stopped moving "She ain't dying while I'm still around" their armour clad saviour hopped off the body and stood before them "Bout bloody time you got here sis" the armour clad woman removed her helmet to reveal the smiling face of...
"Maria!" Lucy bounded into her sister and hugged her with the eldest sibling returning it in kind "Your Ok!"
"Of corse I'm ok" Maria said jokingly "It would take more then a fort full of werewolves and lunatics to kill me!" she Lucy with a grin, but frowning as she saw Twilight "Princess? What are you doing here?"

Twilight looked back at the wall of flames that were getting dimmer and dimmer "It's a long story and I think we should wait till we are somewhere safe before I tell it" Maria gave the young princess a curt nod "Your right, follow me!" she replaced her helmet "I'll lead the way"

The SG Major through the maze of side streets while having to dispatch a few Lycanthropes along the way, Along the way Maria explained what had transpired while they had been gone "Well everything seemed alright for a few days after you left, but then Celestia attacked a few people and imprisoned her sister" She told them just as a un-aware Lycanthrope came round the corner in front of them "One sec..." Maria sprinted into the monster and grabbed it's head and used it to swing herself onto its back and drive her knife into the base of it's skull and rolling off as it crumpled to the floor.

Maria dusted herself off and mentioned them to continue running "after that she started calling herself Nightmare Sun and whoever she attacked turned into one of those things, it was about that time that they found a few Centurion armour sets including this one" she thumped her breastplate "When the bitch went crazy I grabbed this and set up a little base in one of the armoury's, the Wolves tend to leave me alone, I've been waiting for help since then while getting what Intel I could and being a thorn in Nightmare's Flank when I could- Ah, here we are" Maria stopped in front of a small armoured hatch and after some effort and help from Lucy and Twilight opened it up and lead them inside.

The room was surprisingly big, half the Size of the White Star's bridge with a small bunk, a few tables and a table with maps and notes strewn across it and wall racks brimming with arms of different size and calibre, Maria closed the door behind them and turned on some very dim lights "Sorry about the lights" she apologized "Since everything went to shit it's been hard to get any power down here" she pulled a chair over and sat down "So... What did I miss?"

The next hour was spent taking turns at bringing the woman up to speed with the events after leaving on the Excalibur and the return on the Foxfire and what they had learned on the Deadalus as well as Applejack's condition. By the end of this Maria's face a mask of Shock, disbelief and concern.

"So I send you away to be safe, only for you to find out you and Twilight are part important parts in saving the universe AND the very artifact that could cure the entire planet is the very same one that turned Celestia into Nightmare Sun and the only way to save her, Applejack and everyone on Earth and the Deadalus is to fight a crazed Goddess so we can use the artifact and hope that it don't turn us crazy too.... Alright am I missing anything?"

Twilight, Lucy and Flare shared a look before nodding together "Ennope" "Sounds about right" "Well that and I can turn into a dragon" Twilight and Lucy gave Flare a dead look "What? I'm just making sure that she's fully informed" Solar Flare defended herself.

Maria nodded with an arched eyebrow "Ok.... Girls I have a plan!" Maria announced while getting up and picking up a folded up map from the table. "You came up with a plan in the space of an hour?" Twilight asked "No, I came up with a plan two days ago and you three just helped me modify it into something better" Maria said as a matter of factly "Look, Right now Twilight and Lucy are the only two who might have a chance of keeping Celestia busy while someone sneaks by her and grabs the artifact meets with the rest to use it to fix this mess" she unfolded the map and spread it across the table while knocking off a few notes and asking them to gather around her "Now this is where Nightmare is keeping the Artifact and using as a throne room-" Maria picked up a red marker and circled a large warehouse in red "It's empty except for the artifact and Nightmare Sun's small throne so it gives you lots of room to manoeuvre, but that won't matter if the wolves are still guarding the building so we need a diversion" she circled another building the other side of the fort "Princess Luna is being kept here, this is where you come in Flare" she pointed at the the mare "Since you can turn into a dragon you would be perfect to free Luna and then with her help keep the Wolves distracted long enough for us to get the job done"

"And where do we meet after getting the Artifact?" Twilight asked Seeing merit in the plan. "Here, we all known where it is and Nightmare Sun doesn't, Your teleportation spell only works when you've seen where your going before right?" "Yes" "Well while you and my sis distract Nightmare I'll sneak by and grab the thing and them meet you outside and you can teleport us here and you guys can do whatever it is that you need to do it get it to work"

Twilight thought the plan over to see of there were any flaws "How are you going to get by the Nightmare?" she asked "Even with me and your sister distracting her she will be able to sense her surroundings, she'd get you before you could reach the artifact" Twilight told Maria who just smiled.

"That's why when I make my move I need you two to use these" Maria reached behind her and picked up two canister like objects "These'll keep her disorientated long enough to get the job done" Maria explained and handed her sister and the Princess the Flashbangs "I've already tested them on Nightmare already, just make sure you cover your eyes when you throw them so you don't get blinded, I wish I could give you some ear plugs for the sound but they don't make em for pony or wolf ears so there's nothing I can do about that" Maria apologised.

Twilight thought this over and then nodded "I guess it will work, but I know a sound dampening spell that I can cast on the three of us" Twilight told them "But without Solar Flare our chances won't be good" Twilight pointed out.

"I know this isn't a very good plan and if we had time to think of a better one then I would gladly go with that one" Maria admitted "But, It's the only one we have and we are short on time. Nightmare is getting ready for something big.... Something to do with the Vorsoth" Lucy's ears stood on end at the mention of the monsters that had destroyed one of her lives and were trying to do so again "What gives you that idea sis?"
"Nightmare Sun had been rambling on about then since she turned, Hell she's even set up a shrine to them!"

Twilight looked at the map with a distant look which Lucy guessed ment she was thinking over their opinions, finaly she sighed unhappily and nodded "Looks like we've got no choice.... We commence Operation Fallen Goddess at Twilight!"

_______________________________________________________________

Luna sat in her cell silently as streams of moonlight flowed through her cell's bared window, she had screamed and lashed out against the cell door and walls with her bare hooves as her magic had been suppressed by a anti-magic ring clasped on her horn, she had done so for a full three days, then she had sobbed and wailed for a further a week untill her voice had becomes horse and her eyes had turned red and puffy, then she had just sat or laid there silently, only moving to eat the food Nightmare Sun's Wolfen had brought her to eat.

When she heard the sounds of struggling from outside her window Luna put it down the Wolfen brawling again, but then she heard the distinctive Whoosh of a jet of fire followed by wines of pain.

Luna's instincts warned her to take cover and she promptly obeyed as she flipped the bunk on it's side and ducked behind it just as the windowed wall blew in words showering the inside of the cell in debris.
"Princess Luna? You alright?" Luna recognised that voice and started to sweep away the dust cloud "*Chough! Chough!* Yes, Solar Flare is that you?!"

When the dust settled Luna had expected to see a black and red cloaked unicorn mare but instead was greeted by the sight of a large red and black furry dragon with a gleaming sliver horn.

Luna backpedalled at the sight at the creature before her "It's ok Princess its really me!" the dagon said in Solar Flare's voice "I'm not under Nightmare Sun's control, look I'll explain everything later but right now I need you to listen"
The lunar sovereign nodded shakily "O-Ok" "Good, now I'm going to remove your ring and give you back your magic, I need your help to keep the Wolves distracted while Twilight, Lucy and her sister deal with Nightmare Sun" the dragon claiming to be Solar Flare lowered her horn and with a quick upwards motion broke the ring in half, Luna felt her magic rush back into her after weeks of imprisonment and suddenly felt fully revitalised and well rested.

"What do you need me to do?" Luna asked as her voice regained it's regel tone.
Solar Flare shot her Princess a toothy grin "Simple, keep hitting untill they do" Both Solar Flare and Luna's ears stood up straight as they heard padded footsteps on stone "Here they come, Remember Luna these guys were humans and ponies so if you can don't kill them, just knock then out" "You know, Its funny- Luna started with a grin "I'm the Princess and yet you are the one telling me what to do" "Don't worry Princess its just a one off thing" Flare assured her "Now lets grill some hounds"

As the first of the Lycanthropes rushed around the corners they were met by a maelstrom of fire and magic.

_______________________________________________________________

Lucy with Twilight sat on a roof overlooking the warehouse that Nightmare Sun was using as a throne room, Maria had taken residents on the far left roof to wait for their signal.

"Hey... Lucy..." Lucy looked at the purple alicorn "Yes Princess?"
"Do you think we can stop them? The Vorsoth, I mean they seem so powerful... Enough so to wipe out entire universes... Do you really think we have a chance against them?"
Lucy thought this over, She was probably the only one in this universe who had experienced what the Voraoth did to their conquered Universes, but Lucy felt hope "You already know my story Princess so I guess I'm the best one to say this..." Lucy stared the pony in her eyes "But I believe we will throw those assholes out of this universe and fix everything they've wrought on us all... I believe this because I still have something that the Vorsoth tried so hard to take away from me"
"And what was that?"
"Hope"

There was a distant explosion from behind them followed by roars and other explosions, looking behind them they saw great plume of smoke and fire rising from the other side of the fort, the diversion had begun.

Standing up Lucy summoned her scythe and drew her magnum, Besides her Twilight summoned her shards which circled around her neck like a living necklace.
"Come on them two legs" Twilight taunted nervously"We've got a world to save" Lucy nodded in agreement and they both jumped down towards the battle that lay ahead of them.

Completely unaware that by the end of the night, someone was not walking out again....

Author's Note

I apologies for how the quality of this story has degraded, sadly this is due to many losing interest with it including myself, so the next chapter or two will be the last.

but if you still enjoy this then you will be happy to know that I am making a sequel! It is going to be called 'Among the Stars Like Giants', I won't spoil the plot due to how it is still under development, but I can tell you that it will have one of the characters from one of my other fics among the main cast.

if you have stayed with this Story then thankyou and I hope I do better with the Sequel.