2102 hours
Ten (10) days after first contact
Baltimare

"Fire!"

A brief flash lit up the night, and another 5-inch shell launched from the autocannon on the deck of the Spruance, streaking across the kilometer of distance between the ship and the city, impacting on the docks. The shelling of the city of Baltimare had started fifteen minutes ago, concentrating on strategic and military targets. The docks were already ablaze, and fire didn't seem like it would go out any time soon.

Two more MQ-8C Fire Scouts zipped over the American ship, the unmanned helicopters having been launched from the Sevastopol as part of the next attack wave. They joined up with a twenty-strong formation of other Fire Scouts, flying over the docks and launching their four-rocket loads at designated targets, including warehouses and Guard units.

The next phase of the assault was already underway, with the launch of a total of fifteen Mi-24s and six Mi-28s. They flew low over the water, guided by their 'Net' units, which plotted a path through the shellfire and blazing buildings by the shore to an open area that had been 'softened up' only minutes prior. Without fanfare, they landed, disgorging nearly one hundred crack Russian soldiers.

In accordance with pre-approved plans, they immediately pushed outward, squad-sized formations swiftly putting out any resistance they encountered. Supported by direct fire from the ships in the harbor, the soldier kept on going, taking block after block and crushing the weak defense the minimal Guard forces could put up...

2300 hours

Olivia's eyes snapped open, the female soldier sitting up in the bed. All was quiet at this time of night in the castle, leaving her alone. That didn't concern her, in fact, 'Olivia' welcomed the darkness.

She grinned - A wide, predatory smile, filled with glee. She finally knew what needed to be done. The SPC didn't notice that she was taller, nor that she felt stronger than before. The unknown force controlled her, making her move like a puppet on string, all the while thinking that she was in control...

0615 hours
Eleven (11) days after first contact

Aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, all was quiet, as was to be expected from the night. With no crisis to solve, the bridge crew at this time simply sat around, doing nothing but coordinating troop movements in preparation for the upcoming assault on the capital.

As such, it came as a surprise when a frantic call came over the radio.

"Gerald R. Ford, this is the Castle Base!" The frightened voice said, immediately catching the attention of the crew. One of them opened the channel a few moments later.

"Castle Base, state your problem." The calm voice of radio technician Hanson responded.

"We're under heavy attack by a hostile, unidentified contact! We need support ASAP. Ground, air, anything!" The desperate person on the other end supplied, "The 'Net' traffic has been disrupted, and we can't contact you any other way."

"Rodger, stay calm. I'll dispatch some help as soon as I can. Gerald R. Ford out." The technitian replied, cutting the connection and turning to the others, "Alright, you know the drill. Wake the Captain and get some people moving ASAP."

The bridge exploded into action, various sections going about their tasks of waking the needed crew and coordinating a ground response. It was going to be a long night...

The woman formerly known as Olivia relished in the thrill of battle, cutting a swath across the current room. One of her former comrades fired nearly a full magazine into the dark figure in panic before the gun was jerked from his grasp, the soldier quickly dispatched from consciousness by a blow to the head.

The second was not nearly so 'lucky', black fire consuming him as the being before him glowed with power, the soldier perishing quickly from the unnatural flames. The third lasted mere moments before a nigh-superhuman punch crushed several ribs and sent him down.

The dark being smashed through the wall and back out into the hallway. Nearly fivescore had fallen before her, each one feeding her might, and she did not plan on stopping so- A bright midday sun shone down upon the training grounds. Olivia felt as though she was drenched in sweat from the run, but the thrill of accomplishment filled her with pride a-

She paused. The Nightmare didn't know how to react the memories. It was dull, boring, and unexpected. None of 'Her' previous hosts had shown such symptoms as random memory recall. Nevertheless, She thought, It shall not matter soon.

Soon, Equestria would be hers once more, as it was always meant to be.

0702 hours

Lieutenant Vasilyev awoke to the sound of the rest of the soldiers around him getting out of their bunks. He groaned, sliding out of the bunk and looking around.

His team had been put in a test with some of their fellow Russian soldiers. All of them were now quickly grabbing their gear, and from the muffled conversations, he soon surmised the reason as he grabbed his own gear.

Sergeant Petrov came up to him as Vasilyev grabbed his gun out of its' position in the locker. "Lieutenant, what the hell is going on?" He asked, taking his own out and quickly checking the safety.

"From what I have heard, an American camp is under attack, and we need to immediately shore it up." Vasilyev replied, grabbing the ammunition for his gun. "Unknown if pony or something else, but we're supposed to assume the worst."

"Shit, that's not too good. I don't suppose we have a plan?" Petrov asked as the two of them, followed swiftly by the other two soldiers in their squad, ran out of the tent and into the nigh-chaos outside.

"Negative. Sokolov's getting our Mi-24 warmed up now, but we'll be packed inside with a bunch of others and then sent out." Vasilyev said as he headed for Helipad 05, where nearly two dozen Russian craft were neatly spread, most of them with their engines running as ground crew, soldiers, and pilots hurried about.

"Do we at least have an approximate location?" The sergeant asks, desperate for information.

"'Net' gear on. Now." Vasilyev ordered, quickly turning his on to see the familiar HUD pop up. The lights indicating his squad members slowly came on as theirs came up as well. "Alright, listen up. From what I can see, our target is a castle around a hundred and thirty kilometers away, near the town we came down next to." He said, quickly pulling up a recently-made, three-dimensional map of the area in question. "The Americans set up a base to help relay 'Net' transmissions, but it's gone dark, and recent radio reports state that it is under attack."

"And we know nothing about the attackers?" Petrov asks again.

"Correct." Vasilyev replies as he runs towards Sokolov's helicopter, the blades already spinning up. "From what I can tell, we have no idea what we are facing. Second and Third companies of the Russian Contingent are coming along with us to help."

"Any air support?"

"Only the helicopters we have. Most planes are down for maintenance at the moment, especially after the attack yesterday."

Petrov cursed vividly as all four soldiers clambered into the cargo section of the Mi-24VM. "What the fuck did we do to deserve this?"

"You signed up." Vasilyev dryly replied as several more soldiers entered. The siding door was quickly shut, a breif jolt of vertigo going through Vasilyev as the helicopter started to lift off. From the display on his 'Net' unit, it appeared that they were the second to do so, as several others also rose.

"Arrival in half an hour. Hold on tight." Sokolov said over the local radio.

"Copy." Vasilyev replied, glancing out of the window at the landscape rushing by. It was going to be a long morning...

0720 hours

Equestria had been, until recent days, a land of peace, unprepared for the kind of war that was now confronting it. Not since the Griffon Invasion of 255 ANM had it encountered an enemy as tenacious and frightening as the one it now faced.

This was most especially visible to one of its' rulers, Princess Celestia. Arguably the public face of the suddenly besieged nation, she had done her best to keep the public calm while attempting to confront a mysterious and powerful force unknown since the time of Discord.

As the nigh-immortal alicorn looked over yet another casualty report, she fought to keep herself calm. Her sister assaulted, her cities under siege, and her own castle damaged heavily - the throne room itself would take almost two months to rebuild, if it ever was at all. The reports were indeed grim, and from all signs, the enemy was closing in.

The Elements of Harmony, the greatest weapons that her nation had, were useless in the fact of this threat. The Royal Guard had lost nearly one-fifth of its' strength. Even the great city of Manehatten had fallen, despite all attempts to save it.

Even with the upcoming arrival of the guard from the Crystal Empire, it was going to be hard to hold onto Canterlot. The griffons seemed to be uninterested in helping her, especially with their ambassador likely under the influence of the strange bipeds. The only good news was that a depleted company of Night Guards had returned with scraps of their technology and weapons.

As she mused upon these things, however, a guard burst into the room, "Princess Celestia! Urgent news!"

She quickly sat up, "Yes, Guard?"

"Our Scholars have detected the presence of Nightmare Moon!" He says.

Celestia's blood ran cold for a mere moment. "Summon the Royal Guard, get a detachment down to where that thing is at to delay it!"

The guard nodded and sprinted out of the room as Celestia levitated a piece of parchment, "Dear Twilight Sparkle..."

The armada of helicopters slowly approached the old castle, preparing to launch an assault on whatever was inside.

Deep in the bowels of the crumbling masonry, Lieutenant Erickson cradled the radio he had, hearing the footsteps of whatever unholy being had annihilated his men draw closer and closer.

Eventually, it came around the corner and saw him. He looked back at it, raising his sidearm and unloading into what he now recognized as a female soldier. The rounds seemed to vanish as they drew closer, and a thin hand knocked his gun away as another one flashed towards his face, his vision and thoughts going dark for an eternity...

Author's Note

Fixed errors in previous chapters where I put the time wrong.

Sorry for the third of a year of delay.