Outcasts: Tartarus Rising
If one were to watch from space, the sight of two worlds becoming one would be one of the new wonders of the universe. The beauty of what once was becoming reality again would be more stunning than that of a sun being born. However, for those within the event, things were not entirely stunning.
“Hammer! Get down!” Boulders and debris crashed around the twelve ponies, sounds echoing through what was fast becoming a collapsing cavern. Hammer turned around to see a large tower of stone falling towards Twilight. Without thinking, he charged forward, slamming her out of the way. The tower fell down upon his leg, pinning him.
“Twilight! Get the rest of them and get out of here!” Pumpjack was blasting boulders out of the way with her magic, Hermes zipping around and picking up those who were too shocked to move. Pumpjack turned, her face a mask of determination.
“Hammer! Let Twi take care of y'all! I'll get the rest of y'all!” She galloped around, barely dodging falling rocks as Twilight projected a shield around herself and Hammer.
“Twilight, just go! Leave me! I've done my duty to Piety!” Hammer kept tugging on his leg, biting his lip as the pain shot through his body. He knew it was broken.
“No! Hammer, I won't leave you!” She dropped the shield for a few seconds to blast the stone on his leg, projecting the shield almost immediately afterwards. Hammer began screaming, the pain far too intense for him to bear. He looked down at his leg, bone piercing the skin. Blood pooled around it.
“Twilight! My leg was crushed! I'm not getting out of here alive!” Twilight turned, tears flowing from her eyes.
“Hammer, you may love Rarity, I don't know! I don't know what I'm feeling, but I love you! I'm not leaving you here!” Hammer stopped. His brain churned, trying to understand what was going on. “Is it really that hard to believe? You operate on belief, don't you?” Hammer nodded. “Then believe me when I say I love you!” Hammer tried to move, but agony coursed through his leg, causing him to stop.
“Then get us out of here! I don't want to die here!” Twilight's eyes began to glow, tears flowing as her horn glowed. The shield dropped for barely a few seconds before a flash of light washed over Twilight and Hammer. Debris that had piled on top of the shield slammed into the ground hard, dust rising up from the steadily collapsing cavern.
The flash disappeared, Hammer and Twilight in the throne room of the sister princesses. Nurses and doctors rushed to Hammer while Twilight bowed in front of the older Celestia. Pumpjack, Hermes, Beanstalk, Deepwood, Scooter, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood with their heads bowed as the doctors worked furiously. A medical screen had been erected, Hammer laying on an operating table while they moved with a speed that the ponies witnessing had never seen before. Twilight lifted her head, watching her mentor's face. Celestia was weeping, tears flowing.
“Princess, what's wrong?” Celestia looked in the direction of Hammer.
“My dear Twilight, it has been a long time since I have seen injuries like that. I would assume the Shade was defeated?” Twilight nodded, her eyes just beginning to dry. “Twilight, why are you sad? You saved not just Equestria, but the alternate side. Every pony of both lands is in your debt.”
“I don't know, Princess. I'm feeling something I've never felt before, and I feel it towards Hammer.” She turned to her mentor with a slight smile on her face. “I think I love him.” Celestia smiled gently down at her student, her wing wrapping around her.
“Love is a beautiful thing, Twilight, but are you sure you are all right? It would be a wonderful wedding.” Twilight looked up at Celestia with a grand smile.
“I'd like that, Celestia. I really would.” The medical screen parted to allow Hammer out in a wheelchair, his leg wrapped up in a heavy cast.
“Well, I don't detest the idea. I'm not entirely sure about it, but, then again, I used to accidentally blow up my inventions and get launched into the air. I've had worse ideas.” A nurse wheeled him towards the former Airtseuqe princesses. Luna bowed her head to her subject, nodding.
“You served your land well, Hammer. For that, we thank you.” Twilight trotted over to him, planting a kiss on his cheek. He smiled, his face turning red.
“Twilight? Are you sure you want this?” Twilight's eyes were half-open as she replied.
“Yes. I do. And I think you do as well.”
TWO YEARS LATER
A parade moved slowly through the streets of the twin Canterlots, ponies cheering as the wedding carriage rumbled by. Hammer stared out the window at the crowds that had come to see himself and Twilight be wed.
“I'm impressed. You'd think that we were royals or something with this kind of attention.” Twilight merely smiled. Hammer watched a balcony nearby where Pinkie Pie was leaning on Scooter, while Hermes chatted Rainbow Dash up. He smiled.
“We are the most famous ponies of our two worlds, Hammer. It would be natural for this much attention.” Her dress seemed plain, but her veil and head covering were quite extravagant. He looked down at his own suit. Rarity had custom-made it for him, with gold inlay along the seams. Two golden braids hung from the shoulders at the front, making him seem more like an Airtseuqe officer than a stallion about to be married.
“I look more like a soldier than a hero.” He looked at a mirror that sat in the front of the carriage. He had a medal pinned on his suit. He remembered the ceremony that had given him the medal.
ONE YEAR BEFORE
Trumpets blared, cannons blazed. The military force of Airtseuqe stood at attention, their dress uniforms in stark contrast to the golden armour of Equestria's Royal Guards. The general of Airtseuqe's armed forces, a flat grey earth pony, stood beside the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armour.
“Well, Captain, it is an incredible day, isn't it?” Shining Armour turned to the general and nodded.
“General Ironclad, he is of your world, not mine. I am here at Celestia's request.” Ironclad nodded, saluting as Celestia of Equestria, golden armour shining, and Luna of Airtseuqe, in a deep blue military uniform with a matching cap, joined them at the front. “Princesses.” Luna nodded to Ironclad.
“General. Is he ready to come out?” Ironclad nodded, pointing to the officer at the door. Luna stepped forward to a microphone stand in front of a podium. Tapping it lightly with her hoof, she spoke clearly and calmly.
“You've seen her give a speech to your armed forces before?” Ironclad merely shrugged.
“All of you are soldiers, warriors, protectors of freedom and peace. Today, we honour a regular citizen, a regular pony who saved not one, but two worlds. Although he was not alone in this task, he was the one who showed the most bravery, the ability to protect others in the most dire of circumstances.” A soldier approached her, handing her a box. The door at the front of the room opened, revealing Hammer in a military dress uniform. The stark black cloth was accentuated with gold trim, two gold braids attached to the shoulders. Silver buttons lined the front. Across his back was attached a ceremonial blade, a thin sword made of folded steel. Hammer drew the blade to examine it. The blade did not have an actual center. One could put a colt's hoof through the sword's core without it getting caught. Sliding it back into the scabbard, he walked slowly forward. Approaching the first line of soldiers and guards, he stopped as they saluted. Moving through, each line saluted in turn, returning to attention as he passed. At the stage, Hammer bowed down low in front of his Princess. “Hammer, inventor, warrior, hero. You are here today for Airtseuqe's greatest honour, the Adamantium Cross. Do you accept this honour, Hammer?”
“I do, my princess.” Luna opened the box, levitating out a dark green metal cross. Pinning it on Hammer, she levitated a sword, lifting it above his head. Tapping both his shoulders, she slid the sword away.
“Rise, Sir Hammer. As is part of the honour of becoming a knighted officer, you are now a part of the Airtseuqe Military Honour Guard. If a crisis arises in this world of Piety, you will be called upon to protect the ponies of the new Confederated Nation of Equestria.” Hammer rose, nodding to his new commanding officer, General Ironclad.
PRESENT DAY
Hammer lifted his Honour Guard cap, sliding it carefully onto his head.
“Twilight, you weren't at the ceremony two years ago, but I became a member of Airtseuqe's Honour Guard, an elite branch of the armed forces. If something happens during the wedding-” Twilight held up her hoof to Hammer's mouth, quieting him.
“It's our wedding, Hammer. Don't ruin it with negativity.” The carriage stopped in front of the Royal Palace, the largest structure in Piety that sat between the twin Canterlots. A long walkway went to the front of the Palace, Airtseuqe officers on one side, Equestrian Guards on the other. They raised their swords to the sky as Twilight and Hammer trotted between them. The front doors opened to a small group in front of the second set of inner doors. Twilight nodded, leaving with them. Hammer straightened his hat as he entered the throne room. An enormous crowd lay inside, a small pathway between the two halves of the group. Celestia of Equestria and Luna of Airtseuqe stood at the front, General Ironclad standing at attention. Hammer looked around. Somehow, he expected his father. A single tear escaped his eye.
“Dad, if you were here right now, I know you'd be proud of me.” He regained his composure, trotting forwards and standing on the stage. As he stood there, the doors opened, revealing Twilight in a flowing wedding dress, being preceded by three little fillies tossing rose petals on the pathway. Hammer smiled. She was beautiful.
“Announcing the occasion of the wedding of Sir Hammer of Airtseuqe, and Twilight Sparkle of Equestria!” The crowd cheered, stomping their hooves in revelry. Shining Armour, Twilight Sparkle's brother, trotted beside her, a large grin across his face. He was wearing a dress uniform that even Hammer was unfamiliar with. Shining stood beside Hammer, nodding.
“Colonel.”
“Captain.” Hammer turned to his bride, smiling. Twilight smiled back. As the ceremony was about to begin, an Airtseuqe soldier stumbled through the doors, a spear through his back. Ironclad stood in front of the princesses, while Hammer was tossed a crossbow harness. “All right! No pony panic. Armed forces are on duty.” Galloping out the door, Hammer looked up to see a griffon clinging tightly to a tapestry. He aimed at the supporting rope, knocking it loose with a quick-placed bolt. The griffon scrabbled for a hand hold, but slid all the way down onto its rump. Foam frothed out of its mouth along with gibberish and curses. It stood up, pointing at Hammer.
“A shade of red can make one dead, a final deceit will bring it to a head. Be warned, oh celebrated one, for at one point, your life is done! Ha ha ha ha!” The griffon spat out foam, convulsed and fell over onto the ground, dead. Two soldiers dragged the body away as Hammer removed his harness. Returning to the stage, he straightened his uniform and his cap.
“All right. Let's proceed.” The rest of the wedding happened without anything disastrous occurring. Twilight and Hammer danced together in the traditional after-party, while Pinkie Pie and a mysterious DJ played some very fast-paced music. The couple were given a carriage to go anywhere in the world they wished. The night they were about to leave, Hammer stood out on the balcony of the Palace, staring at the land stretching out in front of them. A voice beside him startled him.
“Well, it is quite beautiful, isn't it?” Hammer turned to face a pony in black and dark red robes. “I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself. I am Brother Herald of what has become known as the Order of Flames. You are an officer, no? Of Airtseuqe? We believe that the Shades-” Hammer slammed his hoof into Herald's mouth.
“Shut up. I will have none of this. No one who deals with Shades will ever be spared by them.” He lifted Herald's robe, dragging him to the edge of the balcony.
“If you kill me, more will come, and you will die!” Hammer held him at the edge.
“I'm just hoping that your leg breaks or something. Just so you feel what I went through.” He pitched Herald over the edge, waiting for him to hit the lower balcony. At a cracking sound, and a loud scream, he leaned over the edge, spitting down on the cursing Order acolyte. “Hope the trip was nice. Don't forget to write!” Returning to the room, he nodded to Twilight. “Let's get going.