The last rays of the setting sun were quick to disappear beneath the distant horizon. The first stars were only now breaking through the fading daylight and the moon was slowly growing in strength as the last vestiges of a long and tiresome day finally ended. Yet even as the daylight finally faded, the light of a hundred different fires continued to cast a warm haze across the desolate city of Canterlot. There was no silence this night. In fact, as the inky blackness of the sky came into its own, the crackling roar of burning timbers and smoldering ruins seemed to have grown in strength. The familiar routine of the past four nights once more manifested as haggard crews of men fought desperately to extinguish the flames.

None of this even entered into the mind of Twilight Sparkle as she dismally exited the hospital. She was possessed of an abysmal mood; she looked dreadful – her mane was a mess and her eyes were swollen and red with raw emotion. And for good reason – her father, whom she had just spent the last four hours with, had finally passed away. It had been as sudden and as silent as expected, but it had devastated her no less. With no family and only a handful of her friends left she was now, for all intents and purposes, alone in the world. And while she wanted nothing more than to continue weeping in her grief, she could not – she’d run out of tears hours ago.

Wandering aimlessly through ‘The Camp’, the downtrodden Alicorn could not even summon the will to care about the surrounding world. As she wandered past a row of tents, the subtle crunch of shifting gravel finally brought her back to reality as she registered the group of armed soldiers that now stood in front of her. From amongst their rank there stepped forward a rather slim and unassuming young Cat. Despite his slight build and youthful complexion, Twilight could scarcely miss the frigid, almost surgical coldness that lay behind his eyes; the gaze of one who held no qualms of killing another living being when told to. In a soft yet exceedingly firm voice he proclaimed, “Pferdlander Twilight Sparkle, your presence has been requested by the Oberst – you are to follow me.”

She’d known that the commander in charge of the Voroshian soldiers had truthfully ‘requested’ her presence hours ago, but she’d been more preoccupied with finding friends and family. Now, though, she hardly felt like talking to anyone – least of all some Cat with a chip on his shoulder. But as she began to formulate her response, the young Cat who’d given the message took a rather intimidating step forward before politely emphasizing, “We were told to take you to him; there were no specifications as to how – please consider that before you decide against it.” As she warily eyed the doubtlessly loaded rifles which the group of soldiers all carried, Twilight Sparkle sighed in defeat before tiredly responding, “I’d be delighted to speak with the Oberst.” No words were further exchanged as she fell into step behind them…

The hospital room was dimly lit and near silent, save for the whispering hum of machinery and the slow churning wake of a nearby portable fan. Towards the center of the small room lay the pensive form of Big Macintosh, who was finding it near impossible to relax enough to fall asleep. At his side sat the vigilant form of Rainbow Dash – she had taken to firmly holding his hoof in her own as she silently watched him. She’d taken notice of the distraught look that had very recently taken over his countenance, but had chosen not to comment on it. But as the minutes went on, and the farmer’s mood continued to deteriorate, she could no longer hold back asking, “Mac, what’s wrong?”

Seemingly shaken from his introspective thoughts, Macintosh adamantly tried to look anywhere but at the bandaged stump that was his leg. Needless to say, he failed miserably as the Pegasus beside him instantly caught on to what it was that was bothering him so. With a sad smile she tried to comfort him, saying, “Oh, Mac – don’t worry, we’ll get through this.” With a chuffing sigh which spoke of nothing but defeat, the crimson stallion weakly spoke, “What good is a workhorse what can’t work?” A look of worry crossed Rainbow Dash’s face as he continued, saying, “I can’t pull a plow, I can’t buck trees – hell, I probably won’t be able to walk no more without something to hold on to.”

As a choking miasma of despair and self-pity slowly began to smother him, the stallion absentmindedly remarked, “The way I am, I ain’t no good for you, Dash – you’d be better off without me.” His dark thoughts were violently dispersed with a solid slap across his face by the mare in question. Head slightly turned by the force of the blow, Macintosh managed to reign in his feelings as he slowly turned to meet the mare’s glaring face. He instantly regretted his words as he noticed the unshed tears which were slowly building up in her eyes. He felt even more loathsome as she shakily asked, “Is that really what you think?” Looking down in shame, the farmer didn’t dare speak for fear of what he might say.

His attention was brought back to her as she exclaimed, “Look at me Mac.” Turning to look her in the eye, he was surprised by the amount of defiance they held as she determinedly declared, “Now, you listen to me and you listen good.” Pointing to the very pronounced stubs upon her shoulders, the mare exclaimed, “Do you see this? I don’t have my wings anymore, Mac; I’m a Pegasus who can’t fly.” She leaned in to emphasize her point, “Flying is my passion, Mac; it was the single greatest part of who I am… but my wings are gone now and I’ll never get to fly again!” Macintosh didn’t know where the conversation was going, but her words did nothing if not make him feel even more despicable.

So it was a bit of a surprise when, of all things, a smile – a small and genuine look of happiness – grew upon her face as she went on, “But do you want to know something, Mac? I’ve accepted the fact that I can’t fly anymore.” With a whisper that spoke of forlorn hope, Macintosh asked, “How?” Her smile grew in brilliance as she exclaimed, “Because so long as it means that I can stay by your side, I will gladly give up flying.” With a wonderstruck look of absolute awe and adoration, Big Macintosh could do little else but smile back as he passionately exclaimed, “I love you, Dash.” The Pegasus all but glowed in joy at his words, and the two of them leaned in for a passionate embrace…

As Twilight entered the massive tent headquarters (flanked as she was by a quartet of the Oberst’s stern and imposing honor guard), she was nearly overwhelmed by the frantic atmosphere which permeated the busy room. Centered near the back of the room was a massive oaken table, upon which was sprawled an enormous map of the surrounding kingdom of Equestria. Surrounding this table were dozens of individuals, all of them dressed in military regalia and most of them covered in all manner of piping and medals. The avid conversations of which they partook of were all in the strange, foreign tongue of the Cats, and while she had no idea what it was they were saying, she did manage to reach a few conclusions.

For instance, she could tell by the way in which the discussion flowed that the well-built, white-furred feline who stood at the far left of the table was obviously this ‘Oberst Mittens’ she was meant to speak with; the commanding tone of his voice and the way in which many of the others seemed to turn to him upon speaking was proof enough. She could also see that they were discussing some sort of deployment, as a few of their number used wooden rods to push various geometrically shaped models across the map. Looking around the interior of the tent, she was shocked at just how much activity was taking place. Several soldiers carrying massive dockets of paper seemed to glide in and out of the background, depositing papers to various individuals and relaying messages in a soft and urgent voice.

At the back of the room stood a row of telegraph benches upon which frantic radio operators hammered out a continuous staccato of incoming and outgoing signals. All of it exuded an air of organized chaos, and it somehow struck her as odd for reasons which escaped her. As she slowly approached the Oberst and his entourage, she caught a brief glimpse of the map; she clearly made out the familiar form of ‘Tranquility Bay’, a place her family had often gone on vacation to. Placed upon the center of the bay was a little figurine made of jade, vaguely shaped like a reptile of some sort. She had a feeling she knew what it represented.

Deciding to let her presence be known, the Alicorn Princess cleared her throat in an appropriately exaggerated manner. The Cat whom she had assumed to be the Oberst casually looked towards her before doing a double take. Quickly turning to the rest of the room, the Cat exclaimed in a loud voice, “Wir sind hier fertig denn jetzt – entlassen!” On cue, the surrounding group of men stood as one and silently made their way towards the exit of the room; the final group to leave was the group of guards who had escorted her. Twilight grew nervous; it was just her and the Oberst now. The Oberst himself had yet to move from where he stood at the head of the table - silently observing the map as if it had all the answers.

In a voice, deep and gruff, the Cat finally spoke to her (in an accent so thick that it lead her to believe that he had only recently learned how to speak her language), saying, “Please, have a seat.” Cautiously approaching the proffered chair, Twilight Sparkle could not fight the feelings of apprehensive unease which welled up from within her. As she took a seat, the Oberst finally turned away from the table and placed his full attention upon her. As he made his way towards his own chair, he began, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Princess Twilight Sparkle.” The way in which he said it was eerily calm, almost synthetic. Still she returned the gesture, responding, “Likewise, I’m sure.” Finally seating himself at the desk, the grizzled old Cat intently leaned forward – his piercing green eyes seemed to search for something in her very soul.

“It has recently come to my attention,” he began, “that you have just inherited the throne of your people; congratulations are in order.” The princess couldn’t tell where the conversation was going, but the growing sense of unease in her gut was adamantly telling her that things would not remain quite this cordial or pleasant for very much longer. Like a student trying to navigate a question they can’t quite understand, she replied, “Thank you, Oberst Von Flieschtauben, for your kind words.” Pulling out an intricate decanter and a pair of crystal clear glasses, the Oberst then shifted directions and asked, “Would you care for a drink?”

Physically fighting the urge to scrunch her face at the smell of alcohol, the purple princess diplomatically exclaimed, “No, thank you – I don’t particularly care for such things.” With an understanding nod, the Oberst returned one of the cups and instead poured out a generous portion for himself. As he filled the glass he offhandedly commented, “You know, your highness, I’ve been told that you are quite the scientist.” Folding her legs in quiet discomfort, Twilight modestly tried to deflect the praise, saying, “Well, I’ve always been motivated by the pursuit of knowledge in all its forms – it’s more of a passionate hobby than an actual profession.”

With an amicable smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, the Oberst nodded and remarked, “A noble pursuit, if ever there was one to be had.” Taking a sip of the translucent liquid, he then went on to ask, “I wonder, Princess, have you ever worked in the more physical aspects of science?” With a growing suspicion, Twilight responded, “I’ve dabbled in applicable science from time to time, though not in anything of importance.” Raising a careful eyebrow, the Oberst the casually inquired, “I wonder, your majesty, does your latest project fall into such a category of unimportance?”

Eyes widening in obvious shock, Twilight was quick to exclaim, “I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about, Oberst – it’s been quite some time since last I worked on anything.” As if a switch had been flipped, the previously calm and collected Cat’s demeanor changed to dangerous, almost predatory intensity as he slammed his fist upon the desk and agitatedly exclaimed, “I do not appreciate being lied to, Princess!” Jumping in her seat at the sudden intensity behind the Oberst’s words and the aggressive posture he’d suddenly taken, Twilight clamored to find a suitable response. But what escaped her lips was a single question, “How?”

Taking a calming breath through his nose, Mittens ran a paw across the hair of his head before responding, “A little friend of mine has only just recently told me about this ‘science project’ you’ve been working on for the past few weeks – a powerfully destructive weapon as it stands.” As the Alicorn feebly tried to deny the allegations, the Oberst cut her off and exclaimed, “You can come out now.” From a shadowed corner of the tent materialized the despondent from of Ghur’Tcha, a look of deep and absolute shame covered his face as he listlessly approached the two of them.

When Twilight finally caught sight of him, it didn’t take her long to put two and two together. The look of complete and utter betrayal that manifested upon her face was swiftly transformed into a look of deep, simmering anger. Wheeling back upon the Oberst, she passionately exclaimed, “Despite what you’ve been told, Oberst Mittens, the project I’ve been working on is not a weapon; I’m currently in the middle of configuring it towards civil applications.” With an incredulous scoff Mittens retorted, “Not a weapon? My dear, what you’ve made is quite possibly the most destructive and terrifying device the world has yet to see!” Leaning in to punctuate his point he added, “Powerful enough, perhaps, to destroy Gho’Zra.”

Rising from her seat in anger, Twilight Sparkle emphatically responded, “I’m sorry, Oberst, but I refuse to let my work be turned into a weapon for war.” Likewise rising from his own seat, Mittens temperamentally replied, “You must allow me to use it on Gho’Zra, this might be our only shot at killing the monster; are you willing to see more people die because of your selfish refusal to help?” With a flare of her horn and a snap of her wings, the Princess blurted out, “I will not be coerced into going against my very principles, sir, and you would be wise to accept that!”

With a look of icy finality, the Cat calmly proclaimed, “Then you don’t give me any other choice – if you aren’t willing to cooperate, then I’ll be forced to have your research confiscated; ultimately we do not need you in order to use the device -we’ll simply just build our own.” The silence was staggering as the very air seemed to chill. The expression upon Twilight’s face showed a very visible debate going on in her mind. Downing the rest of his glass in a single go, Mittens tiredly told her, “I’m giving you till morning to decide, Princess… I know that this is not a matter to be taken lightly, but my hands are tied; I will not – cannot – allow Gho’Zra to continue living.”

Not even bothering to dismiss her, the Oberst slowly turned away and walked back towards the map-strewn table. Bracing his arms against the tabletop, he silently stared at the jade figure at the heart of the map. From his spot in the dark, Ghur’Tcha tried to approach Twilight, calling out her name in a soft and heartfelt voice, but the Alicorn coldly turned away and hissed, “Don’t ever speak to me again.” In a flash of incandescent light she teleported herself away, leaving the smell of ionized air and the scent of tears in her wake. Lowering his head, Ghur’Tcha mourned for the loss of a friend.

From where he stood, Mittens tiredly spoke to the Chameleon, admitting, “I wish there were another way, but there isn’t.” Blinking a few times to clear his eyes, the young reptile asked, “Will you really do as you’ve threatened should she refuse?” The gentle scratch of claws upon wood was the only sound to be heard for a few seconds before the Cat replied, “I won’t lie to you – if it meant that no one would ever again have to experience what we have, I would personally put a bullet right between her eyes.” While Ghur’Tcha was truly horrified by the admission, he was quick to note the hollow look of misery behind the Oberst’s eyes; it was clear that it was no easy matter for him either.

Straightening himself as best he could, the Chameleon asked, “Please, if there is anything – anything at all which I could do to help – please tell me.” Finally looking towards the young reptile, Mittens mumbled, “You’re a good man, Ghur’Tcha; despite everything you’ve done, you are still her friend… I know that you may not think it, but she will need a friend now more than ever.” Turning to once more stare at the map, he finally declares, “Go, find her – try and talk to her; help her to understand why you did what you did, and why we need her help.” As he finally digested the advice, Ghur’Tcha stoically accepted the task ahead of him as he quickly exited the tent…

The barren expanse of the Großewüste shined bright beneath the waxing moon so high above. The stars were out in full force and the very air glowed with an ethereal midnight blue which stretched from horizon to horizon. Cutting swiftly across the empty sand dunes was a single, jet-black locomotive which chugged and churned in a mighty cacophony of grinding wheels and steaming pistons. Towed in procession to the growling engine was a single car of silver opulence and splendid grandeur; its emerald green windows giving off a soft, calming glow which melded seamlessly into the night air.

Aboard this gilded goddess of the rails sat the brooding form of Reichskanzler Felis Von Sylvestris; with him, a handpicked platoon of tall, imposing men taken from the Kaiser’s very own Honor Guard and ordered to accompany the Chancellor at all times. With a calm, calculating gaze, Felis looked out across the dark and empty expanse that passed by. Things had changed; more so than even he had expected. The complete collapse of the Equestrian State had been an unexpected (though, for him, rather pleasing) surprise. While he’d thoroughly believed that the fall of the Pferdsreich was inevitable, he’d not expected it to happen anywhere close to his own lifetime.

Taking a sip of wine from a high-stemmed glass, he continued to reflect. The loss of over two whole divisions was a major blow to the Reich – one that would continue to impact the Empire for years to come. So many of the men who’d been sent to defend the Pferdsreich had been veterans of the Hügelland Campaign, and to lose so many of them meant losing a collective generation’s worth of experience – something that would be desperately needed in light of the radical shift in power dynamics that had formed in the wake of Equestria’s fall. It was of such a concern that the Kaiser had personally requested that Felis go and assess the damage in person.

This, of course, suited the Reichskanzler well enough; there were other matters that needed attending to in Kanterlotte, not least of which were the various KaN operations taking place under the auspices of ‘Operation: Weißturm’. Only hours before, he’d been notified of several key breakthroughs, the most interesting of which was the recovery of tissue samples and osseous fragments. He was excited to think of the possibilities that lie in the future with the knowledge that could be gleaned from them. There was still no word on whether the schematics for the nuclear device had been recovered, but he had little doubt that they were there, lying in wait for his agents to discover. Looking at his watch, the Chancellor smiled; he’d be in Kanterlotte by early morning…

The night was well in place as the tiny engine of the ‘Poniville Express’ made its final approach upon the desolate town that was her namesake. As it came to a complete stop, Ghur’Tcha took a careful step off her prow. Making his way silently through the empty dead streets, he could not suppress the chill of unease that ran up his spine; the desolate ruins of the town made him uncomfortable. Finally coming upon the ruins of the great tree library, he managed to approach the open front door before coming to a stop. This was it. Taking a deep breath he steadied his frayed nerves. He knew that Twilight would be furious with him, but he had to try nonetheless.

So, girding himself with courage, the Chameleon took a first bold step through the doorway. Turning to his left, he went straight through the basement door and towards the only place he knew Twilight would be. Silently descending the steps to the basement, Ghur’Tcha quickly noticed that much of the lab had been wrecked, with many of the twisted metal constructs lending credence to the notion that the Alicorn had gone headlong into a massive fit of magically infused rage. As his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness of the subterranean room, he caught sight of her quivering form as she leaned heavily against the far wall of the laboratory.

Taking the last few steps into the basement, Ghur’Tcha failed to see the glass beaker beneath his feet before he unintentionally kicked it across the floor. The grating noise of glass against cement was quick to draw the attention of Twilight, who slowly turned to try and discover who it was that had infiltrated her personal place of mourning. Upon catching sight of Ghur’Tcha, she gave an ugly scowl and demanded, “Get out.” When Ghur’Tcha failed make a move to leave, she quickly flew into a bout of hysterics as she openly screamed at him, telling him to leave and to never bother her again. Her words quickly became indecipherable as she began to bitterly weep.

Through it all, Ghur’Tcha simply waited for her to finally calm down before he attempted to explain himself. “Cherished Friend, Twilight,” he began, “I know why it is that you despise me – I gave an oath to retain your secret, and I openly and knowingly broke it.” Taking a step forward, he boldly proclaimed, “But I could not remain quiet, having seen what I saw in that hospital – the pain I saw on your face: I would rather… I would rather be reviled by you, my most cherished friend, than to let Gho’Zra go on to commit further atrocities.” A look of forlorn understanding shone through Twilights eyes as she listened to his confession, and in her heart she realized that what Ghur’Tcha had done had been the only thing he could do.

For some time there was silence. But then Twilight finally spoke again, declaring, “I wasn’t going to go through with it; I wasn’t going to let them use the Ælther Splitter.” Looking into his eyes, the Alicorn confessed, “But… I think…. I think I understand now.” Rising to her feet, she slowly began to wander around the room, gathering up dozens upon dozens of parchments and scrolls. With a look of confusion, Ghur’Tcha asked, “What are you going to do, Friend Twilight?” With a tired frown she explained, “You were right, Ghur’Tcha – Gho’Zra needs to be stopped, and the Æther Splitter is the best chance we have at destroying him.”

Placing the stack of papers in a pile, she instantly engulfed them in a veil of magical flame. With a start, Ghur’Tcha exclaimed, “What are you doing!?” With a sad smile Twilight answered, “I’m destroying it – every record pertaining to my work; I can never allow it to become weaponized any further than it already is… The world will never be ready for what I’ve created, and I can’t risk letting it fall into the hands of those who would use it irresponsibly.” Openly weeping at the destruction of all of her hard work, Ghur’Tcha nonetheless helped her gather up more files; together they threw one page after another into the ravenous flames until at last there were all destroyed.

Turning away from the cindered remains of her work, Twilight quickly gathered together what remained of her supply of Æther splitter pellets before taking hold of Ghur’Tcha’s hand. Closing her eyes in deepest concentration, the Alicorn focused all of her might upon the magic that lived within her. In a flash the two of them vanished form the confines of the lab as she teleported them across the immaterial plane. When they finally reappeared, they were just outside the perimeter of ‘The Camp’. Stealthily making their way into the tent city, Twilight softly spoke to her friend, saying, “Go and rest, Ghur’Tcha – I have a few more things I need to do before morning.”…

It was three in the morning; deepest night. In a distant wing of the hospital there lied a solitary figure, his large from barely contained upon the bed he’d been placed upon. Moonlight poured in through a solitary window, revealing the bedridden form of Hauptmann Spitzer beneath it gentle radiance. Covered in bandages and breathing through a set of tubes, the Destrier was, shockingly, still among the living. His tail and mane had been completely shaved, and all manner of intravenous lines had been inserted into his body, providing various drugs and liquids with which he could recover. The steady beep of a heart monitor was the only sound to be heard in the empty room, proof to all that he was, indeed, alive.

Despite everything, the battered pony was still awake – his eyes stared unwaveringly into the darkness as he contemplated his life. His thoughts were momentarily interrupted by the sound of the door to his private room being opened. With a slight shift, Spitzer turned his head to see who it was that disturbed him. He wasn’t at all surprised to see the towering form of Oberstabsfeldwebel Hermann Kuhn. Kuhn’s torso was wrapped in a cast, as was his right leg. His head was swathed in linen bandages and in his arms were a pair of crutches which he now used to walk.

As the moonlight reflected off the Cat’s shimmering eyes, he instantly noticed that the Pony was awake. With a smile, Hermann softly whispered, “Still awake – I figured as much.” Spitzer didn’t speak, though he was indeed happy to see his friend alive and well. Slowly but surely, Hermann hobbled over to his friend’s bedside before finally taking a seat. A long moment of easy silence soon passed between them. It would be minutes before Hermann finally spoke, saying, “You look like shit, but I’m glad you survived.” With a weak smile Spitzer slowly nodded in emphatic agreement. Silence once more descended upon the two of them. Outside, the sound of buffeting wind added a calming ambience to which they peacefully listened.

Neither of them knew how long they remained like that. Nor did they care. As Spitzer was just beginning to close his eyes in rest, he was brought back to reality as Hermann asked, “Do you remember Boar Tooth Ridge?” Opening his mouth for the first time in days, Spitzer hoarsely replied, “Ja, I remember it – I still have nightmare about it.” Closing his eyes in concentration, Hermann recounted, “You saved my life that day – I’ll never forget that.” Spitzer merely grunted in acknowledgement of the fact. Opening his eyes, Hermann earnestly remarked, “That was the day that marked our friendship, and it ultimately changed the way I viewed Pferdlanders.” Spitzer simply observed his friend in silence – he fully remembered it just as well.

Finally leaning over to rest a paw upon the horse’s shoulder, the Maine Coon softly confessed, “When they brought you into that tent, I was so sure you were dead… It made me realize just how much you really mean to me – how much I love you.” Momentarily clenching his jaw, the Cat blinked his eyes a few times before continuing, “When this is finally over – when we finally get home, I want you to come live with me and the family; Matilda constantly worries about you, and the children love you.” Fighting to control his features, the Oberstabsfeldwebel had to take a steadying breath before continuing, “Seeing how so many of us died that night; it clenched it for me –I’m done with the military.”

This came as a slight surprise to the Hauptmann – Hermann was a veteran of three conflicts, and he’d never once even spoken of retirement. These recent events had obviously stricken him deeply. The Destrier’s introspection was shattered as his friend exclaimed, “I’ve been talking it over with a few of the other guys, and I’ve decided to open up a gunnery school; I want you onboard with me when I do.” The moment instantly became deeply emotional as the two men (men who’d been hardened by the horrors of war and were not prone to expressing themselves so deeply) finally began to weep.

Taking hold of his friend’s arm, Spitzer tearfully conceded, “Alright, you’ve gone and twisted my arm; I’ll help you start your company – hell, I’ll come live with you and your family… It’d be the first real family I’ve ever truly had.” With a look of absolute joy upon his grizzled face, Hermann Kuhn felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. The remainder of the night would find them talking and laughing; discussing the past and envisioning the future. By the break of morning, the nurses assigned to look after the Hauptmann would be more than a little surprised to find the snoring figure of Hermann resting in a chair beside an equally passed out Destrier Pony…

The warm, bright rays of the early morning sun slowly rose above the still waters of the eastern sea. The very air was electric as across the entirety of ‘The Camp’ there was a flurry of activity as every able-bodied soldier scrambled to ensure that they were properly dressed and fully organized. From his command tent burst the half-dressed form of Oberst Mittens, hopping on one foot as he struggled to pull on a polished black boot. The entire camp was alive as word had spread faster than any fire – the Reichskanzler was on his way; he’d be there any moment! Mittens was in a panic - the message had been abrupt and there had been absolutely no time to prepare. Even Claws had been taken by surprise – he’d openly exclaimed how the Chancellor hadn’t taken to inspecting the field in over five decades!

From where he stood, the Oberst could see the single light cruiser which had dropped anchor at the nearby shore outside Canterlot. Already, men and supplies were being loaded aboard, and the First Company Honor Guard had been hastily assembled upon its deck in a splendid parade formation; this could only mean that the Chancellor was already onboard and waiting! As the Oberst and his retinue made their way towards the Canterlot Depot, he momentarily stopped to observe that the Princess, Twilight Sparkle, and the Chameleon, Ghur’Tcha, were already there waiting for him. At the Alicorn’s side there hovered a strange, dodecahedral contraption which Mittens concluded to be the Æther Splitter.

Silently approaching the pair, Mittens asked, “Have you finally come to a decision?” Taking a calm, collected breath, Twilight nodded as she answered, “Yes – I’ve decided to allow the device to be used against Gho’Zra, but only under the condition that I be the one to activate it.” Imperceptibly narrowing his eyes in suspicion, the Oberst finally agreed, saying, “Very well – but we’ll need to discuss the method by which you’ll be implementing it on the way.” Ushering the both of them aboard the passenger car, the Oberst had just enough time to cast one last look across the decimated ruins of Canterlot before he, too, climbed aboard. With a shrill whistle, the Ponyville Express began its familiar trek down the mountainside.

Inside the cramped passenger car, Ghur’Tcha mustered the courage to ask his friend, “Have you ever dived before?” With a sheepish look, Twilight admitted, “No – never.” With a sudden bout of determination, the Chameleon boldly exclaimed, “If that is the case, then I am diving with you; one of my tasks aboard the Happy Dragon No.7 was diving for salvage.” Twilight protested, saying, “You don’t have to go with me – Ghur’Tcha, you--” The young reptile quickly interrupted her, exclaiming, “Friend Twilight, I’m not about to let you dive alone with no prior experience – I am going with you.” Eventually, Twilight was reluctantly forced to agree. The rest of the trip was spent listening to Oberst Mittens explain where they were going and what they’d do when they got there…

As the train arrived at the Ponyville station, the group of passengers quickly disembarked. After a few confusing minutes, the voice of a small Ferret broke above the noise of the crowd and ordered them to make their way towards the beach and, ultimately, the ship. Upon reaching the moist sand of the beach, Oberst mittens was heartened by the sight of over a thousand soldiers (many of whom he’d seen on the night of the attack) standing at attention, rifles shouldered and dressed in their best – they all stood in a practiced parade formation and every one of them looked every bit the consummate professional. As he proceeded towards the gangplank, the Oberst only momentarily halted as he finally caught sight of the Reichskanzler upon the boat.

Dressed in a regal blue military great coat, under which could clearly be seen the trappings and vestures of a smartly pressed uniform, and wrapped in a mink-lined, red velvet cloak, Reichskanzler Felis Von Sylvestris looked every bit the regal figure that he truly was. In his right hand he held an ornate silver cane, intricately engraved with the finest craftwork money could afford, upon which he leaned heavily. Standing next to so majestic a figure was the smartly-dressed form of Rear Admiral Vance Hollens (easily distinguished by the fact that he was an Ocecat), who, despite being a full head taller than the venerable Chancellor, seemed almost insignificant when viewed in contrast.

The two where currently deep in conversation; made evident by the fact that the Chancellor had not even spared a glance towards the group who made their way aboard the ship. Deciding to get on with it, the Oberst pressed onwards and likewise boarded the boat. Finally noticing his approach, both the Chancellor and the Rear Admiral ended their discussion. As the Oberst came to stop in front of them, Rear Admiral Hollens snapped a crisp salute to which Mittens returned in kind. Standing back at attention, Rear Admiral Vance remarked, “Well, if you would excuse me, gentlemen, I need to begin inspections before we set sail; Heer Reichskanzler, it was a pleasure speaking to you again.” With a precise heel-turn the Rear Admiral swiftly departed for deeper parts of the ship unknown.

With a thin (though surprisingly genuine) smile, Chancellor Felis turned and pleasantly greeted Mittens, saying, “Heer Oberst, I am glad to see that you are well – though I wish that it were under better circumstances.” While he personally disliked the way in which the Reichskanzler went about doing things, Oberst Mittens still held a deep respect for the man, a respect that bled into his words as he replied, “I’m actually quite surprised to find you here, Heer Kanzler – had I been warned beforehand I might have had time to prepare a proper greeting.” The gentle smile never left the older Cat’s lips as he turned to survey the rows upon rows of attending soldiers upon the beach. With a sigh, he silently asked, “How many did we lose, Mittens?” With a hitch of hesitation in his voice, the Oberst replied, “The last headcount brought the total number up to well over twenty-two hundred.”

Swiftly shutting his eyes and tightly gripping his cane, the Chancellor could not suppress the frown which formed upon his face. But to the Oberst’s surprise, the old Cat simply lamented, “So many good men lost in a single night – how tragic.” Mittens was speechless. He’d been fully prepared to be dressed down in front of his own men, to be made an example of by the Chancellor for his failures. Instead, the Chancellor showed that he genuinely cared for the wellbeing of the soldiers who fought in the name of the Kaiser. His racing thoughts were stilled as the Chancellor spoke, “I’m interested in writing a recommendation to bestow the ‘Ordnung des Adlers[1]’ to the entire expedition, and I’d like your signature on it; these men have proven their worth to the Reich, and while it won’t fix what has happened, it will be a step towards letting them know that they are honored.

His mood greatly lifted by such a superb idea, the Oberst emphatically nodded his head as he exclaimed, “I wholeheartedly agree, Heer Kanzler, and if you would allow it, I’d like to offer up a list of individuals who stood out in the conflict for a review in receiving the ‘Ordnung des Löwe’.” With a slight smile of his own, the Chancellor replied, “I’ll have one of my secretaries sent your way to take up the roster when you have it finished.” Just as he had finished speaking, however, Chancellor Felis took notice of the approaching figure of Twilight Sparkle. The immediate shift in his mood, though subtle, was clearly visible to the Oberst’s trained eyes.

With a pleasant (and altogether disingenuous) tint to his weathered voice, the venerable Cat politely remarked, “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you, miss?” His eyes were clearly drawn to the prominent horn upon her forehead and the elegant wings upon her back; he began to feel a sense of unease at the implications of her form. Attempting to introduce them to each other, Oberst Mittens began saying, “Ah, yes, um - this is--” However, the Princess never gave him the chance as she boldly introduced herself, “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, barer of Magic, princess of Friendship, and Queen Regent to my people.”

Acting mildly surprised at the Princess’ declaration, Chancellor Felis remarked, “Oh? How fascinating – I had thought that all legitimate claimants to the throne had perished.” Lifting her head in a regal, if exceedingly haughty, fashion, Twilight countered, “I’m afraid that you were misinformed.” While she was not prone to acting so standoffish, something about this Cat rubbed her the wrong way; she couldn’t prove it, but could not help but feel that he was somehow upset over the fact that she was alive, even as he extended his hand to her and exclaimed, “Well, it’s an honor to make your acquaintance, your majesty – I am Felis Von Sylvestris - Chancellor of Vorosh, and as chief representative of the Reich, I would like to personally extend a hand of friendship to both you and your people.”

Wishing to save face in front of so many people, Twilight extended her hoof and shook the Chancellor’s hand. She didn’t trust him. She had the feeling that he didn’t trust her either. With that out of the way, the Reichskanzler exclaimed, “Well, now that we all know each other, I’d like to get down to business.” Turning to Oberst Mittens, the green eyed Chancellor remarked, “I understand that you’ve devised a way to neutralize the anomaly – I’m actually quite interested to know how you intend to go about doing this, considering that conventional weaponry has proven ineffective thus far.” The sudden appearance of Oberleutnant Ghresht by the Oberst’s side went completely unremarked upon as the small group turned to walk further along the deck.

Oberst Mittens went on to spend the next five minutes reciting what they planned to do, and while the Chancellor listened very intently, it was not until the device was mentioned that his interest was truly piqued. Finally interjecting, the elder statesman asked, “This ‘Æther Splitter’, you say that it can kill the anomaly?” With an erstwhile expression, Mittens passionately declared, “From the way it was described to me, I have no doubts in my mind that it can kill the beast!” With guarded interest in his voice, the Chancellor simply asked, “How?” Turning to the Princess, Oberst Von Fleischtauben earnestly admitted, “I’m not entirely sure how it works, but if her majesty were willing, I’m sure that she would be better able to answer your question.”

Catching the hidden message, Twilight nodded her head before explaining, “When I first designed the Æther Splitter, it had been an attempt to counteract the sickness which affects those who had come into contact with the monster… however, it soon became apparent that I had stumbled upon a formula which, when brought to contact with water, would actually break down the primary components of the very air we breathe.” Turning to look at the esoteric capsule that floated beside her, she ruefully continued, “Once these primary components are destroyed, a chain reaction quickly occurs in which the cellular makeup of organic bodies begins to weaken before quickly breaking down into an oily residue which soon dissipates as it, too, is destroyed; ultimately, the victim disintegrates whist they are still alive.”

Something seemed to flash behind the Chancellor’s cunning eyes as she explained the effects of her device, and it sent all manner of alarms and warnings into her thoughts. It was clear that the Cat held an interest in the Æther Splitter that went beyond simple inquiry. As they came to a halt at the front of the boat, the small group was quickly met by a party of other officials and officers – including, amongst their ranks, the distinguished figures of Admiral Hans Drücker (who gave a subtle nod to the Chancellor), Minister of the Interior Claws Von Schlauhirn (who nervously fiddled with his tie as he actively avoided making eye contact with his superior), and a hand full of unteroffizieren[2] who stood at attention.

Casting his scrutiny across the assembled group, the venerable Reichskanzler softly wondered, “Is there anything else that we might be waiting on?” From the crowd stepped forth a young naval officer who dutifully announced, “Nein, Heer Reichskanzler – the engines have been stoked, the anchors weighed and the gangplank retracted – Rear Admiral Hollens simply awaits your word.” Quickly remembering that he was technically the highest ranking officer aboard the cruiser, Chancellor Felis bemusedly said, “Well, if that’s the case, then please inform Rear Admiral Hollens that he is free to proceed to the destination.” With a smart nod, the young officer raced across the deck and quickly made his way towards the bridge. Turning back to the remaining members of the group, he then announced, “You are all free to do as you like.” Most of the assembled officers quickly headed off to various parts of the ship.

With a deep reverberating groan the light cruiser ‘Perlen Läufer’ slowly began to push forward, her mighty smokestacks spewing bilious clouds of coal-laced smoke as her engines began to thrum with power. Standing at the prow of the proud vessel, Reichskanzler Felis Von Sylvestris proudly observed the assembled soldiers who sent them off. From the shore, thousands of boots pressed together in salute as the men who wore them shouldered their rifles and aimed to the sky. As of one accord the assembled troops fired off a salvo in salute. As the vessel made its way further and further out to sea, the soldiers at the shore broke into a traditional marching song[3] until at last the steaming cruiser disappeared over the horizon…

It was high noon by the time the ‘Perlen Läufer’ made her final approach into the mouth of ‘Tranquility Bay’. As she passed the blockade of Imperial war ships, many of the crewmen on board erupted into bouts of cheering; this was the largest concentration of Voroshian naval might to have ever been seen, and many of them felt a sense of pride well up within them as they beheld the glimmering profiles of such celebrated ships as the destroyer ‘Lothar’, the cruiser ‘Standhaft’, and the venerated dreadnaught ‘Eisenteiler’- pride of the navy and the flagship of Grand Admiral Leonard Von Katzenspeigel!

‘Tranquility Bay’ was massive – sixteen kilometers across, and nearly just as long! It would take a full thirty minutes before the ‘Perlen Läufer’ reached her destination, coming to a stop at the center of the bay. Looking above them, many onboard could make out the oblong form of the airship ‘Der Möwe’ as it circuitously flew overhead. On the deck of the cruiser, dozens of sailors and marines scurried to and fro as they dropped various anchors and brought up a large diving bellows from below deck. At the prow of the ship, Twilight Sparkle and Ghur’Tcha were in the middle of gearing up in a pair of bulky diving suits.

Checking to see if his suit was compromised in any way, Ghur’Tcha continued to run Twilight through the basics of diving; “-And if your helmet begins to flood, don’t panic – there should be a small brass valve situated at the neck joist that, when pressed, will siphon air through your tube and expel the water.” As the Princess struggled to fasten a ballast belt across her waist, she exclaimed, “Got it – anything else?” Making sure that the radio headset built into his helmet was actually functional, the Chameleon paused before advising, “Honestly, Friend Twilight, the best advice I could give you would be to stick close to me at all times.”

Observing them from a short distance away was Oberst Mittens. Standing with him were Oberleutnant Ghresht, Admiral Drücker, Rear Admiral Hollens, Minister Von Schlauhirn and the unreadable figure of Reichskanzler Von Sylvestris. As they whispered silently to one another, Twilight couldn’t help but feel as if they were placing bets on the outcome of the mission. She was particularly unnerved by the way in which the Chancellor stared at her – like a predator observing its next meal. Finally, a pair of sailors helped to fasten on their bulky brass helmets before a communications check was carried out. The voice of an unknown yeoman crackled forth into their ears, asking, “Testing, testing – are you receiving?”

While Ghur’Tcha gave a thumbs-up, Twilight more prudently answered, “I can hear you.” Turning to one of the sailors next to her, she pointed to the Æther Splitter and ordered, “Hand me the device.” As the sailor carefully handed it off to the Alicorn, the unnamed yeoman finished securely tying off a nylon tether around their waists as he exclaimed, “Remember, if you need us to reel you in, tug three times on the line!” Nodding their heads in understanding, the pair made their way towards the edge of the deck. However, before they took the plunge, a firm paw took hold of Twilight’s shoulder. Turning to try and see who it was, she was met with the serious face of Oberst Mittens.

Before she could ask what the Cat needed, he softly spoke up, saying, “Good luck, Princess – the eyes of the world are upon you.” With a sad, knowing smile, Twilight cryptically responded, “Please, take care of them.” Before the Oberst could even ask what she meant, the Princess turned away and, holding hands with Ghur’Tcha, quickly jumped into the deep. Staring at the rapidly calming surface of the waters, Mittens contemplated the Pferdlander’s words. ‘Take care of them.’ What had she meant by that, and why had she looked so forlorn as she’d said it?...

It was slow going as the two of them sank towards the bottom of the bay. Vision obscured by a slew of bubbles, they were all but blind as they plumbed the depths. Finally, after three whole minutes their vision had cleared, and it was just in time for they were fast approaching the sea floor. As their feet finally made contact with the sandy bottom, both Twilight and Ghur’Tcha peered through the constrictive viewports of their helmets, quickly becoming beholden to the magnificently verdant coral reefs which surrounded them on every side! As they slowly strode forwards, the porcelain white sand which they kicked up left a thick, white, nebulous cloud in their wake.

Enormous schools of brilliantly technicolor fish swam around them, scattering in every direction as the pair of interlopers drew near. Everywhere they looked, they beheld such natural wonder and beauty, and it captivated them. Coming to a stop, Twilight checked to make sure that the Æther Splitter was still secured to her suit. Seeing that it still held fast, she and Ghur’Thca proceeded to head deeper into the reefs. Untold minutes passed on in silence as they slowly walked deeper and deeper into the heart of the reefs, only to be interrupted by the crackling hiss of a radio. The voice of the yeoman broke through as he asked, “You’ve both been down there for twenty minutes, what’s your status report?”

Ghur’Tcha was quick to answer, declaring, “Everything is fine for us down here – we should be coming up on the radio signal in a few minutes time.” And, indeed, within only a few minutes they had arrived at the very heart of the signal. But strangely enough, there was no sign of the monster. Instead, there was but a jagged reef of coral and anemones, amidst which swam various clouds of brightly colored fish. Taking a few steps ahead, the Chameleon turned to Twilight and asked, “Are we sure the signal is correct?” Twilight never got the chance to answer, as the ground beneath their feet began to tremble.

The reef upon which they stood began to shift and move beneath them. The clouds of fish swiftly scattered, fleeing in all directions. A school of sharks darted away as they too sensed the threat of a predator that stood even above them. As the detritus and coral life began to fall away, it became immediately apparent to the two divers that what they thought had been a reef was in fact the hideous spines that so characterized Gho’Zra; they were standing on his back! Awkwardly running backwards, towards the relative safety of the true reefs, Twilight and Ghur’Tcha watched in awe as the monster gracefully came to stand upon the ocean floor.

Gho’Zra lazily cast his glowing red gaze around him as he wondered what it was that had awoken him from his sleep. In an instant his predatory gaze caught sight of a trailing cloud of unsettled sand heading into the reefs. His lethargic motions were soon abandoned as his senses were brought upon high alert; something or someone was here, and his instincts told him to investigate. Noiselessly, the lumbering titan walked forward – the poised motions of his graceful form were as eerie as they were breathtaking. With a gentle flex the behemoth kicked off of the seafloor before giving a mighty push of his colossal, serpentine tail – launching him effortlessly through the water as his undulating form glided over the reefs below.

Ghur’Tcha, who had taken a risk in order to look back at the beast overhead, accidentally stumbled over a rocky outcrop. Hearing him silently curse over the radio, Twilight came to a slow stop before turning around with the intent to assist her friend. But as the Princess struggled to help her reptilian friend to his feet, the clouds in the sky above parted, and the brilliant rays of the afternoon sun penetrated deep into the murky depths where upon it brightly reflected off of the polished brass of their diving helmets. As his eyes were drawn to the glow of refracted light, Gho’Zra at last came to notice the two of them.

Letting loose a deep, guttural growl which magnified a hundred-fold as it passed through the open waters, the leviathan lazily flicked his tail as he propelled himself towards the miniscule intruders. Slowly descending upon the rocking bottom, he lifted his lips up in a primordial snarl as he slowly lumbered towards them – the muffled thump of his mighty footsteps traveling deeply through the very earth. As he came ever closer, he finally identified the familiar four legged form of a parasite, and immediately his blood came to a boil. So, even here, in this place of refuge his enemies pursued him. He’d thought that perhaps they’d finally learned from their mistakes, but it seemed that they instead only grew bolder. No matter, he would simply have to finish what he’d started, beginning with these two.

Realizing that their time was now short – that it was now or never - Twilight Sparkle magically unhooked the Æther Splitter from her harness. Frantically tugging at her arm, Ghur’Tcha screamed, “Twilight, drop the device and come on – we need to go, now!” Closing her eyes in a serene display, the Alicorn slowly turned to look into the frantic eyes of her friend. With a soft, sorrowful smile, she slowly wrapped her arms around him in a deep and heartfelt embrace. In a throaty voice filled with so much regret and tinged with a steadfast determination, she said, “Ghur’Tcha, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me; please, live your life, and be happy." With a slightly apprehensive look of confusion, the Chameleon softly asked, “Twilight what are you--”

He never got to finish his question as he felt her grab hold of the tether around his waist before giving three, swift tugs. Immediately he felt himself being pulled towards the surface, but more importantly, away from her. As he was pulled ever further from his dearest friend, the Chameleon could not contain the screams of absolute horror and misery as he shouted, “Twilight! Twilight, no! Please Twilight, don’t do this! No! No! Twilight! Don’t do it, please, Twilight!” With a catch in her breath, and with tears in her eyes, the Princess impassionedly delivered her final words to him, begging him, “Ghur’Tcha, please, tell them all to live; to be happy." He could only continue to cry out to her.

As his flailing form finally broke through surface of the water, and after a group of sailors finally managed to drag him aboard, Ghur’Tcha desperately threw off his helmet before wildly turning upon them and demanding, “Bring her up! Bring her up before it’s too late!” But instead of doing as he said, they asked if he was hurt. With a fervent ferocity he screamed, “I’m not hurt, bring her up!” Striding through the crowd of sailors then came the imposing form of Oberst Mittens, who firmly took grasp of the Chameleon as he shouted, “Calm down, son – we cannot understand what you are saying!” With a shock, he finally realized that he’d been screaming at them all in his native tongue. With a sob, he finally exclaimed, “Pull her up quickly!”

Down below, amidst the corals and crystal blue sea, Twilight focused her magic and quickly severed the cable which was even now being towed in. Turning back to confront Gho’Zra, she remarked, “It’s just you and me, now.” Slowly the beast took a step towards her. “You’ve done a lot of horrible things – things that can never be forgiven.” Still another step was taken. “But now… now you’ll finally pay for what you’ve done – because I swear to you, Gho’zra, on the blood of my family, that neither of us will live to see this day through.” As the monster bared its fangs at her, the Alicorn gave a silent prayer as she magically activated the Æther Splitter, dropping it listlessly upon the sandy floor of the bay.

Slowly a veil of quicksilver bubbles began to coalesce around the arcane device; their size and volume ever increasing as each passing second ticked by. Soon the sea was alive with shimmering effervescence and the growl of boiling water! Back aboard the ‘Perlen Läufer’, the crew frantically hoisted the last of the tether on board. As they finally recognized that it had been severed, a deathly hush overcame the crowd. From where he knelt, Ghur’Tcha cried in earnest even as he understood that his friend had chosen to sacrifice herself to insure the future, rather than to live in a world where she was alone.

As Gho’Zra loomed ever closer towards his prey, the turbulent, frothing effects of the Æther Splitter finally encompassed him. The effects were as immediate as they were horrendous! Twitching and writhing in paroxysms of unparalleled pain, he unconsciously opened his mouth in a muffled scream as his flesh began to quickly fall away into nothing. As she witnessed the success of her work, Twilight Sparkle smiled as she softly whispered, “I’m coming home.” With a mere thought she severed the hose to her air supply, letting the virulent waters enter into her suit. In seconds the diving suit collapsed, as if it were empty; she’d been completely broken down into nothingness.

For Gho’Zra, the experience was unlike anything before. The pain was both excruciating and numbing at the same time, and in his heart he understood that he was dying. He was dying, and for some reason this fact alone brought a peace to his soul which he’d only ever dreamed of. Were he capable of such a thing, he may very well have smiled. But as the last of his consciousness slowly faded into oblivion, the primordial beast -the animalistic instincts that dwelled so deeply inside of him – pushed past the last vestiges of his soul, compelling his body to make a break for the surface in the vain hope of escaping the inevitable. With a mighty swish of his tail, the dying beast rocketed towards the surface as a pyre of silver laced foam followed in his wake.

On the deck of the ‘Perlen Läufer’, the crew and officials watched in awe as the surface of the waters began to broil and churn in a most unnatural and disgusting manner. The sound of it could scarcely be described beyond the notion of bubbling iron and searing rain all wrapped in a shroud of turgid, arcane agony! The boat soon began to rock in earnest s the resultant waves turned exceedingly violent. As the phenomenon reached its climax, every single soul board the vessel cried out in horror as the grotesque form of Gho’Zra broke the surface and lashed about in desperate fury. Its body was half deteriorated, and was quickly fading fast – it was already more bone than flesh as it struggled to escape the clutches of its own demise.

With the last of its fading strength, Gho’Zra fiercely cast its empty, skeletal eye sockets towards the sky as it opened its maw and let loose one final defiant roar. It was long – stretching on for a full minute as all of its collective rage, pain, doubts and fears - the hatred, pride, joys and sorrows; everything it had ever experienced in its tortured life, were released in one final scream. In a way, it was almost tragic – a byproduct of powers beyond its control, the beast had never truly had a chance to begin with... As the roar faded away, Gho’Zra finally passed on. The remains of his body slowly sank once more beneath the churning waves…

As the minutes passed by, even before the waters had finally settled, every radio and telegram was being utilized to spread the word – Gho’Zra was dead! But even as this momentous news was sent across the world, there was no celebration to be had onboard the ‘Perlen Läufer’. The noble sacrifice of the Princess Twilight Sparkle had been a grim testament to the lengths that were taken to bring the beast low. Standing next to the weeping form of Ghur’Tcha, Oberst Mitten Von Fleischtauben gently laid a hand upon the boy’s shoulder as he intoned, “It will not fix your aching heart, Ghur’Tcha, but understand that the name of Twilight Sparkle will be remembered for as long as the story of Gho’Zra will be told – down through the generations and into time immemorial.”

From where he’d stood at the prow of the ship, Reichskanzler Felis Von Sylvestris continued to stare at the slowly calming waters. In his mind he could still see the nightmarish figure of the monster as it struggled to live even as it was nothing but ligaments and bone. He’d known that the beast was an abomination, but having witness firsthand the lengths at which it fought to exist had triggered a deep and terrible fear within his old heart. His mind switched to the tragic loss of the last Princess of the Pferdsreich. He silently admitted that he, too, would mourn her passing, but only in so much that she had no doubt insured that the secrets of her marvelous invention had gone with her to the grave.

Regardless, he would still send agents to her former home – perhaps there were other such wonders to be had? Of a more important note, if what Mittens had told him earlier were true, then the Princess had intentionally bequeathed her kingdom and its people to the Reich in the hopes that they might remain safe from the vagaries of the world. Word would doubtlessly reach the Kaiser soon enough, and the old Chancellor had no doubts that Patzschwelt would genuinely strive to integrate the Pferdlanders into the fold… This would require careful maneuvering and planning if he were to salvage something out of this debacle. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the voice of Claws remark, “It’s finally over – the world will never again have to fear the terror of Gho’Zra!”

Still looking out across the bay, the Chancellor loudly spoke up, “So certain of that are you?” All noise seemed to cease as every man aboard the ship turned to listen as he continued, “With so many mysteries still rife throughout our world, I cannot bring myself to believe that that thing was the last of its kind… No, I do not fear the terror of Gho’Zra… I fear that this was only the first few rays of a new dawn fast approaching.” Slowly walking to stand beside the older Cat, Oberst Mittens gravely replied, “I hope to God above that you are wrong, Herr Kanzler - for all of our sake.” In the distance, the sun began to set; to the east, darkness was fast approaching…

Nature has a way, sometimes, of reminding us all of just how small we really are. She occasionally throws up terrible offspring's of our pride and carelessness to remind us how puny we really are in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, a hurricane or a Gho’Zra. Our reckless ambitions are often dwarfed by their consequences, and in the end we come to realize it far too late. For now, Gho’Zra - that terrifying yet tragic monster - has gone to earth. Whether he, or others like him, might one day return or is never to be seen again remains to be answered. But the things he has taught us will remain...

The End

-. . .--|--- .-. -.. . .-.|.-. . -.-. --- ...- . .-.|- .... .|.-. . -- .- .. -. ...|.. -. ... ..- .-. .|... . -.-. .-. . -.-. -.--

[1] Roughly translating to ‘Order of the Eagle’, the ‘Ordnung des Adlers’ is a personal citation given by the Kaiser to those military divisions who have “Done honorably in the eyes of the Empire”
[2] That is, an under-officer. Unteroffizieren are the non-commissioned officers of the military.
[3] Preußens Gloria

Born of Fire,
Bathed in Blood,
From the Sea
a Rising Flood.
Darkness Spreads
Across the Lands,
All Brought Low
by Vengeful Hands.
Righteous Fury,
Burning Hate,
None can Stay
The Hand of Fate.
Rolling Storm Clouds,
Blackest Day,
Death Shall Have
The Final Say.

Author's Note

Thus ends the saga known as 'Born of Rage'

If you have been following my story for the near two years it's taken me to finish it, then I admire your dedication. I would also like to personally thank all of you who have taken the time to actually read this story; you had no obligation, and I cannot help but admit that many of you helped encourage me to actually finish the story.

Even if you gave up reading the story half way through, I still must thank you for even bothering to begin with.
Finally, I must thank a few people by name. They include my wife, Rebbecca, who had the decency to not laugh at the fact that I was making a story that involved Godzilla and My Little Pony, my Nieces, Mary, Greta, Ingrid and Katrina - if not for them, I probably wouldn't have known nearly as much about My Little Pony as I do now. I'd also like to thank Lexi, Emily, Ryan and Sam for their feedback over the many Skype chats we've had.

As for some of the viewers, my deepest thanks go out to Brad W, who had consistently posted a comment on every chapter thus far, and to Major-Alucard-Wesker for the deep and meaningful reviews he has blessed me with - it is so very refreshing to have a serious critique from someone who is knowledgeable of the Godzilla Mythos. Finally, I would like to thank The One and Only One for his encouragements these last few chapters, and for the support he's given me in the forums.
To all of you, if not for your kind words and deep critiques, I would only now be half-way done with this story.

This story is now, officially, done. However, I have decided to post an addendum-esque Epilogue as a show of appreciation, and to tie up a few loose ends and add a little something more to the story as a whole. Be sure to stay tuned for it, as it should be up within this week alone.

Once more, Danke, and until next time, Auf Weidersehn!
P.S. ~ There is a special message in this chapter, see if you can find it.