Prologue: Sergeant Kadol
The Fifth son
Hello, My name is Sergeant Zev Kadol. I am a Lycan and a proud Marine. I was fighting Ssolarns on Tryanus II... but now... I'm on a planet that doest not exist on any known star maps, and that has a multitude of sentient species on it... and the ones that look like earth ponies want me to win their war for them... maybe I should explain how this all started.
6:00 A.M. August 8th 3556 Galactic Calendar. Location Unknown, Great Eastern Ocean, Planet Equis, sector unknown.
perspective Dr. Dusty Scroll.
We are nearing what we originally thought was a island, but as we approached, we were astonished to discover that it was an entirely new continent! Oh, happy day! To think that I will be the one to chart it! My colleges will be positively green with envy! The princess may even allow me honor of naming it...
Suddenly his musings are roughly interrupted as he is bumped from the side. "hey landpony! Get the buck outa the way!!!'", a sailor roughly exclaims. Dusty Scroll huffily moved aside, wishing to himself he could have convinced Celestia to authorize a royal vessel for the voyage, instead of the free merchant vessel he had to employ with the bits that Celestia granted him.
Quickly forgetting the encounter, he heads back to his cabin to get his topography tools planning to start his surveys as soon as they reach shore. As they approach, golden eyes watch their progress for a few minuets before disappearing into the foliage. Half an hour later two long boats are beached on the shore by burly land ponies. Dusty is out in an instant and starts walking towards a hill he spied when getting into the long boat.
Seeing the Mapmaker going off on his own the captain start to shout after him,"Dr. Scroll! Dr. Scroll!!!" Seeing that his words where falling on deaf ears, he started muttering under his breath about the parentage of intellectuals before shouting orders to a couple of his sailors, "Salty Mane! East Wind! follow him!" they nod and rush after the naive Doctor. As they follow Dr. Scroll the woods became more and more gloomy, almost as if some type of spell was being cast upon them. Salty and East's nerves fail them as the trail disappears from in front of their eyes. "I can't see Shit!" said Salty, "Can you?" "No I can't either." replied East. They never knew what hit them, as a pale green light shined from the woods around them causing a sharp pain in their heads effectively knocking them out within a matter of seconds.
After a few hours had passed, the captain decided to send out search parties to search the woods for them. Leaving a skeleton crew on boat they split into small parties and struck out into the evil looking wood. The small groups of pony meet silent death as they fell to the silent arrows and blades of the elves. Suddenly the deathly silence is broken as a single pegasus bursts from the treetops, blood pouring from a deep gash across his flank, barely able to fly he only makes it a few feet, before an arrow zips into his eye killing him instantly...
When Dr. scroll comes to he realizes that he is now a prisoner, and in a fit of desperation lights up his horn broadcasting a magical cry for help. His message was cut short by sword that plunged into his side piercing his lung, and sending his blood to foam in his mouth. the sudden intense pain of death distorted and intensified the magical message...
7:30 A.M. 8th August, 3556 Galatic Calendar. Canterlot, Equestria, Planet Equis sector unknown.
Perspective Celestia.
Meanwhile in Canterlot,
Luna lies asleep with her dark chamber. Suddenly her eyes snap open, her back arching in pain as the pain filled cry stabs its way into her mind filling her with searing pain. "Oh my bucking sister!!!" cries luna. After she is able to subdue the pain she sits up and frantically looks around the room before yelling in her royal Canterlot voice, "... GUARDS!!!"
Luna quickly gets out of her bed and starts pacing restlessly back and forth on the balcony as she tries to reason out the message. pain... horrible pain... fear. strange thin dark skinned ape things. her eyes close in remembered pain as the feel of the blade piercing her side returns to her. After a few minutes Blue Moon,the captain of the night guard, rushes into the royal night chamber a sword firmly clutched in her hoof.
"Princess! whats wrong!?! who touched you?" Blue growls out as she secures the room, "... what happened princess?" Luna shakes her head with a a quick jerk before hesitantly speaking, "We... We are not sure... Oh, put away thou sword, Captain Moon. Nopony shalt harm us this night..." Luna looks sadly to the east before somberly saying, "at least not yet."
Completely unnerved by the experience, luna strides out of her chambers toward the throne room with Captain Moon and a small contingent of her night guard in tow. "We must have an audience with our royal sister!" luna worriedly says, "A great evil shalt come to our fair kingdom... We must prepare, WAR has come to fair Equestria at last."
The Main doors to the throne room burst open surprising Celestia and making her royal guard tense up. Seeing the almost frantic look on luna's face, Celestia rushes to her side. "Luna! whats wrong?" Celestia says. Wanting to be alone with her sister, Celestia orders all to leave the room. The night guard hesitate for a few seconds before leaving a slight frown on Celestia's face at their hesitancy to obey her order. Ignoring the slight, Celestia turns her full attention on luna and starts try and console her baby sister, "lulu whats wrong? It looks like you've seen a windago."
Luna takes a moment to collect herself before explaining, "Ney dear sister, twas no specter that haunts my slumber, but rather tall creatures of blood and bone... and steel" As Luna continues to speak her tone takes an almost hysterical edge, "Tia... Equestria is in grave danger. Thou must rouse the Royal Guard, for blood has been spilt this night. We must cry havoc, and let loose the diamonds dogs of war!!!"
Celestia's face softens as she listens to her younger sister, "Lulu, you know that the unicorns have that tendency to project their worst fears during the summer solstice... you merely interpreted those fears as this threat." Celestia smiles gently trying to comfort luna as she continues to speak, "Remember lulu nobody is foalish enough to attack those who control the moon and the sun."
Celestia's horn glows as she casts a spell that shields Luna from any fear transmissions, and speaks softly as she leads Luna back to her chambers, "Go back to sleep Lulu. Besides, there are no Creatures that can threaten us. Just consider our Might: we have our powers as Alicorns, the well trained legions of the Royal and Night Guards, and the elements of harmony! What force is strong enough to challenge all that?" finishes with a slight smirk. Satisfied that she had sufficiently settled Luna's fears, Celestia leaves Luna in her bed chambers, and returns to her duties at the day court.
Luna stands in her chamber slightly confused at Celestia's response to her warning. Luna scowls, pouting slightly as she realizes that Celestia views her as a small foal. "... well buck!..." luna softly curses.
We knowith what we felt... Danger IS coming to Equestria. We must find a way to protect our kingdom, but from whence shalt our salvation come? Tia doth believe me a scared foal, and Candice rules with her husband in far Crystal kingdom. More to the point, she is ill prepared to advise in matters of war. Twilight... Twilight, at the very least has the enough respect for us that she might yet listen to my council...
Perspective Twilight:
Setting down an old tome of elemental spells, twilight ponders what her next project will be. I know that I'm an alicorn and a princess, But Celetia hasn't given me any thing to do yet... All I do is research spells like I did when I was a student in ponyvile. It is interesting and all to decipher Star Swirl's spells... but.
All the sudden twilight's thoughts are broken by the sound of luna charging into the library followed by blue moon. A couple of night guard keep an sharp vigil at the door ensuring secrecy. The expression on Luna normally regal face, was clouded with worry.
"Princess Luna, whats wrong?" twilight asks. "Thou art a princess now Twilight, thou needest not be so formal any longer. Verily thou hath aided us in our time of need. We consider thou to be our sibling in all but blood. So be at ease." Luna warmly says.
Twilight was speechless. She could not believe that luna felt that way about her. Luna's remark was so unexpected and heartfelt, that Twilight was overwhelmed. A grateful smile shined from Twilight's face as she responds, "I'm so honored that you feel that way Luna. I always liked you too!... Its just that, I never found a way to tell you about how i felt and it never seemed like the right time... anyway thank you!" Twilight exclaims. In her excitement, twilight rushed up and hugged luna warmly. She felt like she had just found the big sister she always wanted. Realizing what she was doing, Twilight tensed up thinking that luna might be offended by her presumption, but relaxed when she felt luna's own hooves reciprocate the hug. After a few minuets Captain Moon coughed gently reminding the two princesses of the nature of their meeting. With her cheeks slightly red in embarrassment at her foalish display twilight brakes the hug and stand a little ways away from luna with a sheepish smile on her face. "hehe sorry... got a little carried away there..." she says with a slight grin.
Luna simply smiles and shakes her head before starting to speak, "Tis quite alright, thou may embrace us in sisterhood at any time you wish. However, I must ask that you hear my plight. I fear that a great danger will soon befall the gentle ponies of Equestria and I need thyn own help to save them." Luna then explained everything that she knew about the threat and the fact that their military would be most likely be unable to handle true war.
After pouring over various ancient tomes of forgotten magic they, happened upon a spell that was designed to bring a warrior of great skill and valor to aid the kingdom in times of need. It was called The Champion's Call. The spell required great power and would normally take the life energies of 10 unicorns to cast, but between the powers of the two Alicorn princesses they merely became tired after summoning the pulsing magical sphere that would carry their hero to Equis. Sending a final burst of magic into the sphere the magic was completed, sending the spell hurtling into the void.
As an after thought they looked at the small print of the spell's warnings and found that the spell would indeed bring a warrior to the country, but would not bind the will of the warrior to the caster... It was possible that they might have just invited another threat into their lands and with that thought in their minds they stared into the sky with worry.
9:30 a.m. Tryanus II, Sigma system, F.O.P Charlie.
Perspective Zev.
It was a day like any other for a marine... Fighting, killing, trying not to die. I think it was august 10, 3556 galactic calendar. The damn scalies had set their sights on an important industrial colony. Since the landings the entire colony became a battle ground. Constant engagements weighed heavily on the Marines, but despite the losses and lack of sleep we held fast. Not giving an inch. Frustrated by our resolve to hold the colony, they stepped up the scale of the their invasion Dropping 400,000 more troops on the planet, making the ratio of Republican Marines to Ssolarns warriors 1 to 5... Not good odds.
Why? Why did the republic need to keep this rock so badly? Checkoff is dead... Chen is dead... Lt died during the drop... Ortiz had his head blown off in that last trench... Why did we need to protect this slagging rock so much?... Father always said I ask too many questions...
I check my metal reserves in my Manupack, barely enough for another 100 rounds. Now, i know what your thinking, 100 flechettes is nothing to sneeze at. But, what if you have 60 bloodthirsty Ssolarn warriors after your head and you just ordered your last 3 men to retreat, with you being the end cap. Now, imagine that when you were maybe 30 yards away from the extraction point, a Ssolarn rocket slams into the side of the Condor reducing it to so much scrap metal. The nearest base is at least half a click away. Mitchell was cut in half by the shrapnel from the explosion... Least he died quickly. Two men left. An anti-grav bike survived the explosion. They can make it. An explosion rocks us to our knees as another RPG slams into the hill we are using for cover. warriors are getting ready for a charge. Not good.
"Vickers! You and Mendoza are going to take that bike and ride back to camp Centurion!" I shout as I send a three round burst into the chest of a Ssolarn who had been taking pot shots at us. "Report F.O.P. charlie as a total loss." BOOM "And keep your heads the slag down!!!"
"Sarge! you cant be serious!?! No, no way we are leaving you here with these scalie bastards!", Vickers shouts incredulously.
With a slight growl I haul him up by his chest plate up to my eye level "... we have to report back. all our comms are shot" I narrow my eyes "we have to get word back to the major, and you know those bikes cant handle my weight," as I set him down my eyes soften at the unshed tears that I can see in his eyes. I smile gently at him "Go... Get going! Remember marines don't die! they reorg in hell! HOOHAA!!!"
I turn and pop up drilling a few more Ssolarns who were slowly trying to advance. Without looking back I shout, "GO NOW ITS CLEAR!!!" I shoot two more Ssolarns as I hear the the bike power up. Got to keep 'em from getting too bold. I pop a plasma grenade and toss it in the middle of the lizard's line. The grenade detonates at contact killing a half dozen of the slaggers. I turn back and see Vickers on the bike with Mendoza sitting backward with his rifle checking for targets as they speed away.
With a grim smile I sling my rifle on my back and start out a lope towards an outcropping of rocks. I take a quick glance Behind me... SLAGG!!! HOW THE HELL DID SO MANY OF THE SCALIES SNEAK UP ON ME!?!? there has at least 90 of bastards charging up the hill behind me firing their rifles as they move. bullets zipping past me and ricocheting wildly around me just barely missing... this isn't going to be pleasant...
I leap the last few feet into cover and whip out my rifle switching it to semi-auto. I can hear the lizard officers trying to whip their soldiers into a charge. They know what I am, and they're scared. they should be. I snap my rifle to my shoulder and draw a beed on the first scalie face I see, but hesitate when I see him looking up with a dumbfounded look on his face. I duck back behind cover and look up... what the hell? some type of pulsing purple ball is dropping toward the area... Wait... It's not... Oh slag. It's headed for my position. I jump out of the depression and try to lope away. after a few seconds I take a glance behind me. MOTHER SLAGGER! ITS HOMING IN ON ME!!! I jump with a slight spin, landing on my back firing my rifle at full auto sending the remainder of my ammo at it hoping to detonate it. As I watch my flechettes pass straight though it, I just have enough time to say good bye to my parents, before it explodes in a flash of white. My vision fills with a kaleidoscope of colors and then fades to black as I fall unconscious.
