Chapters Skelnir, the Northwind, Kell of House Tempest, watched from the Throne room of his Ketch. As Space flew by, he watched the Servitors handout the House's Ether rations to the hungry Eliksni. Skelnir looked to himself in the glass. A Kell looked back, A powerful Scorch Cannon strapped to his back. His plume fell down his back, and he sighed and sat back down.
"Ah, confound it all!" he said to himself. The Pilot Servitor had located a new world, past the reef, Past the Rings of Saturn, Past the Taken. He shuddered slightly at the beings who had once been Fallen but were now corrupted by the King's power. He shrugged the feeling off, and turned his eyes to the dispatch from what remained of House Wolves. Skolas had been captured and killed in the Prison of Elders, and their new Prime Servitor destroyed, leaving the Wolf pack with no Kell or god. Skelnir smiled to himself.
"Skolas thought he could be Kell of Kells. Now he is Kell of nothing!" he chuckled to himself.
"My Kell!"
Skelnir turned and looked at his Archon, Valrik, who saluted and bowed.
"The Pilot Servitor says that we should arrive momentarily. An ideal landing zone has already been marked. We do not know if this Planet is Inhabited."
"Good, Valrik. Prepare for our arrival..."
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion, and the whole ship rocked like a boat in a storm.
"What happened!?" Skelnir barked.
"The battle damage from the escape from Titan was too much! It detonated under pressure!" a Dreg said. "At this velocity, My Kell, we will have 400 seconds to impact!"
"Brace all decks. Get ready!" Skelnir cried. As he turned to the window, flames covered the Ketch as it entered the planet's atmosphere. Then, a large forest came closer and closer. Then, a sickening crash erupted as the Ketch smashed into the ground with tremendous force. As it skidded to a stop, throwing trees askew, Skelnir stood up and surveyed his throne room. He scowled with anger.
"Damage report, Skreviks." he ordered the Servitor.
"Heavy damage to all decks. Skiff bay half-destroyed. 50% of Skiffs inoperable. Engine 100% destroyed. Casualties reported at 67 and counting." The Servitor reported.
"Set up a base camp around the Ketch. Deploy the West Winds to secure the area and survey the surrounding terrain. Tend to the wounded." Skelnir ordered. As Captains dispersed to deliver the Kell's orders, Skelnir turned to the window.
"We shall rise again."
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Twilight and her friends watched in shock and horror as the thing crashed into the Everfree, throwing up a huge dust cloud. Twilight lowered her leg from her eyes and got a good look at it. It was shaped like an arrowhead, with a large tube on the left side pocked with flames. The strange thing was the insignia on the top, similar to a cyclone being cut by an invisible sword. She turned to her friends, who were talking all at once. She took a breath and yelled at the top of her voice.
"EVERYPONY CALM DOWN!"
And they did. She sighed in annoyance.
"Okay, here's what we're going to do. We'll send a letter to Celestia, and then we'll go to the crash site. Hopefully we'll find out what's going on." Twilight said, and Rainbow Dash began to sputter angrily.
"But...TWILIGHT! THEY'RE GONNA INVADE AND..."
"You've been reading Spike's comics, have you?" Twilight asked.
"So what if I have?" she replied.
"Just because they're aliens DOES NOT mean they're always hostile. I mean, Applebuck Rogers is NOT a guide to extraterrestrial diplomacy, you know." Twilight said.
"It's a good read, though." Pinkie interjected.
"Anyways, we'll send a letter, and then we'll head in." Twilight said, and Rainbow scowled and nodded. As they walked to town, through the screaming townsponies, they arrived at the castle. Twilight took out a pen and paper and began to write.
Dear Celestia,
A large object has crashed in the Everfree. We're going to investigate. Please come as soon as you can.
Twilight.
As she sent it via Spike, who was biting his claws like a maniac, Twilight grabbed her saddlebags and opened the door. As she and her friends walked out, Ponyville was deserted.
"Hiding." Rarity said. "Don't they remember Zecora?"
"She's a zebra. These COULD be aliens. There is a difference." Twilight said. As, ignoring Rainbow's protests. As they neared the path into the Everfree, Twiight stepped in boldly, followed by her friends. Walking down the path, they saw evidence of the crash all around them. Uprooted trees, torn branches, and even large boulders were strewed along the path. As the ship grew larger and larger, so did the sense of foreboding. Then, Twilight held up her hoof.
"I get the feeling we're being watched..." she said, and the group circled up. Then, Pinkie spoke up.
"What's with the crackling noises?"
True to Pinkie's word, faint crackling noises could be heard all around them. Then, there was a step. Then another, followed by many more. Then, Twilight saw a transparent being walk towards her, holding something in its hooves. Then, colors began to form into a strange biped, clad in blue and black. A medium-length cape hung from its shoulders. Its head was like a thick arrowhead, with two pairs of two sharp eyes. Then, more of them began to step out, holding their objects, which Twilight presumed were weapons. Then, a large black and purple orb floated out behind the one near Twilight, and it groaned and whirred like it had a sore throat. Twilight swiftly counted seven of the bipeds. Then, the one near Twilight spoke in fluent Equish, only with a raspy voice, and the words seemed to be forced.
"You...follow...us. We...not...harm...if you do." it said, motioning towards the ship.
"How can you speak out language?" Twilight asked, and the being let out what was obviously laughter, then it pointed to the orb.
"Servitor...speak all languages. Know every voice." it said. "No more questions. Take you to Kell. Follow close." the being said, and the beings began to shepherd the ponies towards the ship. After a 15 minute walk, they arrived at was obviously a base camp outside. Twilight saw more of the so-called "Servitors" sending out white, wispy rays towards a few smaller beings. She noticed the creatures escorting them had four arms, the ones near the Servitor had two. She realized that they were not two species, but one with amputees in their forces. She made a mental note to ask "Kell" about that. Pinkie drew the most attention. She was bouncing around, yammering about parties and cupcakes, much to the amusement and surprise to the beings, many of whom were laughing. As they entered the ship, the beings led them up a ramp and through several corridors. Then, they entered a giant room. Many more of the creatures were tapping strange screens or talking in a guttural language. Then, a massive chair in back near a smashed window turned, and the ponies gasped. A colossal creature, nearly three meters tall, stood up. It was clad in blue and black armor with a black shoulder cape. A small plume rested n his head. it walked over and cackled. Then it spoke in Equish again, this time it seemed more casual and more fluent.
"So, what are you, little ones?"
Rainbow Dash fainted.
The colossal being roared with laughter as Rainbow got up slowly. As the laughter died, he stood up to his full height of around 3.2 meters. Twilight gasped at the creature's stature. He was taller than Celestia. The creature sat back down in his throne and growled.
"You did not answer me, little one." it said.
"Sorry. Twilight Sparkle. Princess of Friendship. That's Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity."
"I am Skelnir the Northwind, Kell of Tempest." Skelnir said.
"The beings that captured us said they were taking us to you. Are you the leader here?" Rarity asked.
"Indeed. DId you not hear me? As I said, I am Kell of House Tempest, of the Fallen you see before you."
"Fallen?" Twilight asked,
"We were once Eliksni, but now we are Fallen, for that is what we are." Skelnir replied. "A once great race, now reduced to scavenging the ruins of worlds and battling among ourselves."
"Why?" Fluttershy asked.
"It is a tragic tale. But one that must be told. I have little memory of our homeworld. We were once visited by a Great Machine, that gave us power, Light, and life. We were prosperous and strong. Until the Great Machine departed. Then, a massive force of evil, the Whirlwind, swept over our world. Everything we had built was destroyed. We fled to the stars. During the escape, House Rain was destroyed. The Fallen now reside on other worlds, scattered to their houses, battling their enemies and the humans."
"Humans are a myth!" Twilight replied, and Skelnir laughed again.
"Humans are no myth. They now bear the responsibility of protecting the Great Machine themselves. Their "Guardians" are powerful, very powerful. But that is no matter. Their homeworld, Earth, was also visited by the Whirlwind. And we followed." Skelnir said.
"Why?"
"It is a difficult story. The Fallen once knew of a life free of scavenging, of hatred. Now? It is all we know." Skelnir said.
"How many Fallen are there?" Fluttershy asked.
"Many. There is no overarching "Fallen" term, more of the Houses that we keep." Skelnir said.
"Houses?"
"Yes. Think of them...as our last reminder of our home. Each House has one Kell, Archon, and Prime. I am Kell of Tempest. Valrik, my Archon, is leading the relief effort. And my Prime tends the wounded. But there is more than Tempest. House Devils has Earth, much to House King's chagrin. House Winter has Venus. Exiles control Earth's moon. And the Wolves...well, they claimed Mars, but we slain like the dogs they are." Skelnir said.
"Are the Wolves...important?" Applejack asked.
Skelnir bellowed in laughter.
"The Wolves are rabid dogs. They served Awoken for many years. Only recently did they rise in revolt. They were put down. Their banner torn, their Kell dead, they sought a cave to call home, on Mars. Cabal were not pleased. They, along with the Guardians, scattered them. Their Prime was slain. With no god, no Kell, house was broken once more."
"Their Kell was important, right?" Rarity asked.
Skelnir bellowed even louder in laughter.
"Skolas the Rabid, the Kell of Wolf pack, claimed to be the Kell of Kells. He was leader of Wolves during Reef Wars. He was defeated, and the late Awoken Queen declared Kell. He was given to the Nine, and...somehow, he escaped. He led a new uprising. He attempted to steal from the Vex, and attacked their Vault of Glass, where they harness their powers over time. When he attempted to pull his House through time, the Guardians defeated and captured him. He was sent to the Prison of Elders. He was later slain by the same Guardians who captured him." Skelnir said.
"Wait...these Vex? How can they just...manipulate time like that!?" Twilight said, shocked.
"To the Vex, time...is a plaything. A toy to them. The Vex have minds the size of planets. Their one mind controls millions of units. Guardians slew Atheon, Time's Conflux, at his Glass Throne in the Vault. An impressive feat, nonetheless. As for the Cabal? They are brute conquerors. But there is one race left that infests human system. I shall not deprive you of sleep by telling you of the Hive." Skelnir said. "They are demonic, evil, foul. They are spawn of the Dark, and of the Dark they rule."
The ponies flinched.
"But now? We must talk business." Skelnir said. "I give you an offering."
Skelnir drew a rod covered in the same wispy energy that Twilight noticed the Servitors were sending out earlier.
"Ether." Skelnir said. "Our life source. Take this to whomever leads your kind. Deliberate, then return to my Ketch with tidings of peace or war. You have three days and three nights to decide."
"Alright." Twilight said, taking the Ether rod.
"Kravsis!" Skelnir bellowed suddenly, and a large Fallen Captain stepped forward and bowed.
"Take them back to their village. Have the Kellsguard provide overwatch."
"By your will, my Kell." Kravsis replied, and he walked over to the Equestrians and escorted them out. As the door shut, Skelnir slumped back in his throne in exhaustion.
"My Kell..."
Skelnir turned to see Rarnsis, the Lorekeeper, his House of Judgement Scribe walk in. Leaning on a staff, his scribe's garb was ancient and old.
"Rarnsis...What brings you here?"
"I have news for you...O Kell." Rarnsis replied.
"Then speak."
"I have received word from House Devils. They have discovered a new technology, known to the humans as SIVA. Their Splicers have much to learn about it, but it is powerful, from what I hear. They have begun "perfecting" their forces with it, fusing it to their bodies in an attempt to become gods. But, I'll news as well. Their Archon has been killed at the foor of his throne."
Skelnir put his hand to his mouth in thought.
"Aksis is dead?" he asked. "Truly?"
"Yes. Slain by the Guardians who led the raid against Skolas. Vosik, the Archpriest was killed as well. They are broken and angry. The Iron Lord Saladin has lead a new war in the Plaguelands. Their Archon's Challenge has become a toy of the Guardians. They steal SIVA offerings and desecrate their rittuals, provoking a trial by fire, that they often complete." Rarnsis said. "The Devils are in uproar over this. I have recieved word their Kell has not become Perfected yet, but he intends to punish the Splicers for their transgressions. Aksis had planned to usurp him using SIVA's power."
Skelnir nodded.
"Thank you for your message, Rarnsis."
"By your will. Also, Prysis the Dreg has applied to become my student." Rarnsis replied. "But he seeks your approval and a promotion of Ether before he starts. He wishes to be as able to work as quickly as possible."
"Then I consent. Send him to Skreviks Prime. Allow him to become a Vandal, but nothing more."
"I shall take my leave, then. Goodbye."
As Rarnsis walked back to the Lore Chamber, Skelnir looked out the shattered window of the Throne Room.
"Pray...Peace." he said, before turning around and walking out.
As Twilight and her friends walked down the path they had taken, they could not help but feel intimidated by the massive "Captain" leading the way. He made no attempts to converse with them, and Twilight thought it wise not to ask questions.
"Is this your settlement?" Kravsis asked, gesturing to Ponyville'
'Yes." Twilight replied.
Kravsis bowed to them, and started to depart.
"Where are you going?" Rainbow asked aggressively.
"Back to the Ketch." Kravsis siad. "And pleasantries will not earn you favors from me. I was asked to escort you to your settlement. Nothing more."
As Kravsis disappeared from view, Twilight looked down at the Ether sup she had been given. She sighed, and as they walked into Ponyville square, they all groaned at the sight of Mayor Mare speaking to a mob armed with torches and pitchforks.
"We must rescue the elements! NOW" they yelled, receiving uproarious cries in response.
"AHEM!" Twilight cleared her throat, using an amplification spell, causing her voice to be magically louder. As the ponies looked over at them in embarrassment, Twilight walked up and nearly slapped The three of them.
"Why exactly did you think I needed rescuing?" Twilight said.
"Uhm...because you took too long, Princess?" Mayor Mare admitted.
"I took as much time as we needed. Give me the mic." Twilight said, swiping it from the stand.
"Look here." she said. "I just met with their leader, Skelnir. He made it clear they want peace. AND BEFORE YOU GET ANY IDEAS…." she said, as a few ponies put away their pitchforks and torches, "They have no interest fighting a war. Why would they want to fight with us when they have many of their own hurt from the crash?"
"IT'S A FACADE TO GET OUR GUARD DOWN!" a pony cried.
"No, it's not." Twilight said, though many ponies were marching towards the door. Twilight groaned and used her magic to slam and lock all the doors, causing many ponies to look at her in shock.
"NOW WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?" Twilight roared. "PUT AWAY THE ANGRY MOB...THINGS. PITCHFORKS, TORCHES, EVERYTHING."
As the Ponies did so, placing Pitchforks, torches, and even a few lumber axes in a pile, Twilight sighed.
"Listen up. I don't want ANY INTERRUPTIONS FROM ANYPONY." Twilight said. "AND I MEAN IT."
This shut everypony up. Twilight cleared her throat and sighed.
"Their leader told us of the state they're in. And to be honest, it's abysmal. I saw their own kind lying in the halls of their ship because they didn't have enough space to keep them! They're running out of their life source, because many of the machines they rely on to make it were damaged in the crash! Two of their three leaders were helping the wounded, it was that bad! And look at us! We're sitting here making an angry mob, when they have hurt and dead, and pleading for help? That's not the ponies I know. The ponies I know are kind, caring, and loyal to anyone. Whether it's Griffon, Minotaur, Donkey, or anything else. What's keeping us from helping them? They're aliens? For Celestia's sake, we're aliens to them? When a pony clad in rags comes to your door, asking for help, do you give them a few bits or do you slam the door? You give them a few bits! What's keeping us from doing that to them? They need our help, and instead of giving them the aid they need, you get so scared that you form a mob armed with pitchforks and torches?"
"We're not scared!" A mare cried.
"Then what are you? Frightened? Worried?" Twilight said. "Answer me!"
The mare realized her mistake, and shrugged.
"Okay, we're scared."
"Exactly my point." Twilight said. "You're so scared of something you've never seen before that you immediately decide it's bad and must be destroyed? You assemble a violent mob to annihilate them? I, for one, don't think you'd even make it to their entrance hall before you'd get captured, as their military prowess, while weakened from the crash, still far outpaces anything you could come up with. And look. We pride ourselves on being hospitable and caring, and when someone unfamiliar comes our way, we turn our backs and shut our doors? What kind of ponies are we being when that happens?"
Many ponies grimaced and looked at the floor.
"Exactly." Twilight said. "And that brigns me to my next point. They speak our language, through machines that know EVERY language!"
"That's impossible!" A stallion cried.
"Not for them. Did you ever think that our there in the stars there are beings that are more advanced than us?" Twilight said, and the stallion got an embarrassed look on his face and merged back into the crowd.
"They have things we could learn and benefit from! Things that would work miracles for our kind as well as them from us! Why would we shun all that only for the reason that they're different! Riddle me that!" Twilight said.
"But...why should we trust them?" Filthy Rich called.
"Trust?" Twilight laughed. "I trusted them when they took me to their Kell. I trusted that what they told me of their kind was true. I trusted them when tehy said they came in peace. Now, do YOU?"
Filthy Rich grimaced and facehoofed.
"I will not hesitate to enforce royal authority over them and their plight." Twilight said. "I can declare them citizens of Equestria with a few simple words to Celestia if I wanted to, and that seems rather appealing with all of this going on. I can make sure that anypony who harms them is sent to the Canterlot Dungeons for A VERY LONG TIME. And If I want to talk to Celestia about this, I will. If I need to declare Royal Martial status over this town in order to protect them, I will. If I need to declare them a protected group in need of sanctuary, I will. I believe them when they said they came in peace. It's now your turn to make that decision yourself."
Twilight stepped back from the mic, and growled.
"I will be posting a guard detachment to monitor the path to the site. Anypony who attempts to harm them will be answering TO ME." Twilight said. "Anypony who tries to subvert or go against this in anyway is answering TO CELESTIA." Twilight said. "I've never felt any reason to have to exercise my royal status over this town before, but now, maybe I need to. I'm retiring for now, and I want EVERY CITIZEN OF PONYVILLE in their homes in thirty minutes. I will be placing a shield around the crash site to protect the Fallen from any harm. And If ANYPONY tries to get past that shield, they're going straight to Celestia. AM I UNDERSTOOD?"
There were nods and voices of "yes."
"Good. I'm opening the doors. Go home." Twilight said, as as she did so, the ponies filed out. To Twilight's relief, they all went back to their residences. Twilight motioned to her friends, and as they set out towards Twilight's Castle, Rainbow smiled.
"Twilight?"
"What?"
"Remind me never to piss you off. EVER." Rainbow said.
"Well, situation demanded it." Twilight said. "Let's get a letter to Celestia about this whole mess. Hopefully, she can restore order and give us some advice about what to do."
As the ponies entered the castle, a lone Stealth Vandal watched from a rooftop.
"My Archon, the ponies have returned to their homes. The one known as Twilight Sparkle calmed them. They are contacting additional leadership for advice."
"Good work. Return to the ketch, Morik. I shall relay your message to the Kell."
"As your will commands."
As the Vandal was teleported back to the Ketc by the Prime Servitor, a gust of wind blew through the town square.
