An Elite Guardian

It took us a day to march from Sweet Apple Acres to Canterlot. When we arrived, I was at the front of the army with Rainbow, Fleur, Twilight, and Archivist behind me. We stood in front of the main gate. "How do we know they won't just kill us?" Fleur asked.

"Because right now, to do so would be to risk the lives of non-combatants," I replied. "Blueblood is a ruthless leader, but he is not callous enough to throw away innocent lives."

"I was talking about the dragons."

"Because I had a small conversation with their leader at the farm. She knows we are not Ifrit by name."

"They why haven't the doors-" Twilight began before the doors opened, and a single pony walked out, though he glared at my Lieutenants.

"Prince Blueblood , Dragon Lord Ember, and Queen Chrysalis are waiting for you." If I physically had eyebrows, one would be raised.

"I thought only the pony and dragon rulers were here," I said.

"The changeling Queen arrived this morning," the guard informed.

"Noted," I said before shouting into the army behind me. "Mist! Get the ponies, and get your ass up here! There's been a new development!"

A minute later, Mist- in his Sangheili form- worked his way into my view, with Pinkamena, Maud, and the crystal generals with him. "What is it, Field Marshal?"

"Your old race is now a part of the talks, and I require your input on changeling culture."

He stood at attention and saluted. "Yes, Field Marshal."

"The rest of you: stay out here until you here from me or the others. Do not, under any circumstances, antagonize the city defenders. If you do, I will handle your punishment personally.

"Yes, Field Marshal!" the Sangheili in the mob behind me said.

"Now then," I said to my Lieutenants, Mist, and the ponies, "let this begin."

"What about the refugees?" Archivist said.

"The ponies will be allowed to enter, but not the crystal ponies," the guard said before my hand clasped his throat.

"You will let the civilians in," I told him. "They have lost their homes, loved ones, and, in the case of a few, limbs. They deserve something better than what they have now."

He looked back at his comrades at the gate, though they didn't move, rather having amused expressions, as Rainbow examined him. "He's a newbie," she said. "Wasn't here when we left."

"Noted," I said, releasing him. "Come." With that, I walked into the city, passing the guard a she caught his breath on the ground. When my Lieutenants, myself, and the pony generals passed the guards, they saluted. As we walked, I looked at the building we passed, and glanced a few ponies inside, even a foal pointing out the window at us before forelegs wrapped around them and removed them from sight, though a mare soon took their child's spot.

After a short walk, we arrived at the castle, and saw one of the castle guard- now wearing an earthen green armor against her brown coat- waiting for us. "They're waiting for you all in the throne room, sirs and ma'ams."

I simply nodded, and walked past her, my entourage behind me. Entering the castle, we saw it had guards posted every ten feet or so, each with a spear and each unicorn or pegasus having a sword in addition to it. Eventually, we reached the throne room, and, with the improvised cloak-which now had burn marks on it- behind me, I opened the door, and I walked in with the others. The Pie sisters walked over behind Blueblood, the Crystal generals to my left, and my Lieutenants behind me. Opposite me was Blueblood wearing the same armor as the castle guard minus the helmet. To the right was this world's version of Chrysalis, who wore black and green armor and had no holes in her legs. Interesting. Ember and Chrysalis had their own guards standing behind them as well.

"Hello, Ruso," Blueblood said. "It's been a while."

"And you're now the ruler of Equestria, anything else obvious anyone wants to point out?" I said in a joking tone.

"Jokes later, Ruso," the prince said. "Now that everyone is here, we can start this. I'm sure everyone here knows of Ruso and what he's done, both before and after Equestria was betrayed."

"I can't say for the dragons, but the changelings most definitely," Chrysalis said before she looked at me. "I am Queen Chrysalis of the changelings. It is a bit of a surprise to meet you, Ruso Tafam."

Behind me, Mist leaned in and whispered, "She almost never compliments. When she does, she's either genuine, or is kissing your ass to get something she wants."

I gave a small nod before replying to Chrysalis. "Can't say it is for me, seeing as how I've never heard of you before," I said before turning to Ember. "Hello again, Dragon Lord."

Ember nodded. "Ruso.

"Well, now that we all know one another," Blueblood said, "let's get to the first matter of business: just what we're going to do with the traitors in Ruso's army."

"I can assure you that they follow me," I informed him. "They proved themselves in the Empire."

"Only one fight," Chrysalis said. "How do we know they won't betray us down the line like they already did to the Ifrit."

"Because both Ifrit and Sangheili respect strength," I said. "The fact I did what Luna- or Fernis, whatever you wish to call her- wouldn't and what Celestia couldn't should tell you something. And that is taking down a large portion of an army in a melee fight using just what I brought and my equipment."

"That reminds me," Onyx said. "How'd you vanish like that in the fight with Laval?"

"Active camouflage module and a hologram projector," I replied. "Basic parts of my armor systems."

"You think we could research and reverse engineer it?" Blueblood asked.

"Even if you could," I replied, "the moment Fernis catches wind of it, she will try to capture it, and it will make her forces even more lethal. They are as my old race's alliance was: copying, stealing, and such. No improvisation, no adaptation of battle plans, equipment, and protocols." That is one of the many reasons Thel 'Vadam was a lethal Sangheili- he was unorthodox while others followed to the letter Covenant battle doctrine. "But I thought this meeting was of making an alliance, not trying to dissect my equipment."

"Sorry for getting us off topic," Onyx said.

"Yes, well," Bueblood said, "to be honest, the fact one faction is the one Equestria was at war with less than a month ago and another is led by a rogue commander-even if he is a champion of Harmony- is an unprecedented affair."

"Then here's something I've been thinking on," I said. "The four of you remain separate for now in terms of politics, but in military terms, there is a shared military with it's own leader."

"And that leader is you?" Maud asked.

"Well, to be fair, there is not enough Sangheili to count as a nation," I replied. "Plus, all but me are former members of the various races of Equis, including changelings and ponies. Any who see strength as the sign of leadership, I can easily convince them. Plus every pony and most changelings, I'm certain, know of me."

"He's not wrong," Chrysalis said. "All of the changelings who aren't rogue know of him."

"And every dragon is aware of the fact he was able to defeat one of the highest ranked Ifrit alive," Ember said. "By which I mean kill him."

"Yes, his merits would be in his favor."

"Do I need to point out he was willing to fight an army by himself just so the refugees from the Empire could escape?" Onyx said.

"Not that you took the opportunity," I said.

"Which is unimportant right now," Blueblood said. "Does anyone else have a suggestion as to how the alliance should be organized?" No voices met the question. "I'll take that as a no, then. Any ideas on what we'll call our alliance?"

"I'm aware this may not work, but why not the Covenant?" I asked.

"You do realize that implies this is a religious alliance, right?" Onyx said.

"I don't hear you coming up with anything right now," I said. In response, Onyx grumbled.

"The civilians won't like it, most likely," Emerald said. "Changelings are seen as monsters in the eyes of basic ponies, Crystal ponies were the enemy not a month ago, and the Sangheili resemble the Ifrit and were at first traitors."

"Ruso-" Blueblood began.

"Get a broadcast spell, I work best with just a skeleton," I said.

"Or just improvising," Archivist said.

"And you are who?" Blueblood asked.

"An Ifrit traitor who follows me, and knows I can and will kill him if he betrays us," I replied. "He's kept an accurate record of their history. If you have to address him, he goes by Archivist. Now, I'll be in my room when you're ready for me to speak."

With that, I turned and left, though I did hear Blueblood say, "I'm not even surprised," before I left the room.

I made my way to the room in which I stayed before all this Ifrit bullshit started, and waited outside.

"Uh, why don't you go inside?" Twilight asked.

"Because for all I know, someone else has this room now," I said. "And my armor doesn't have an X-ray vision attachment." Give me access to Halo 4 armor mods, though, and that's a different story.

"You do realize they'd probably let you have the room," Rainbow said.

"Difference between can and will, Rainbow Dash," Archivist said.

"Yeah, yeah," she said. A few minutes later, a castle guard walked up.

"Sir? Prince Blueblood is waiting for you in the throne room, just off the balcony."

"My thanks for letting me know," I said. "You four, stay near."

"Why wouldn't we?" Fleur asked.

"Just a feeling that shit could hit the fan soon," I replied, and made my way back to the throne room. Upon reaching it, I walked in, and saw the three rulers and the three crystal generals waiting for me.

Blueblood heard me arrive, and turned to face me. "All of Canterlot's out there, Ruso, and a broadcast spell is being used for every major city and town."

"In other words, don't mess it up," Chrysalis said.

"I won't," I said as I stepped out onto the balcony, and saw all of Canterlot before me, my eyes picking up unicorns with lit horns at the edges of the crowds and levitating themselves in the air. I scanned the crowd, and saw mainly confusion and fear.

"I'm sure you all know of me, or at least rumors," I began. "For the unlikely few who haven't, I am Ruso 'Tafam, formerly one of Celestia's generals. I am sure you all have heard rumors of what happened in the north. That creatures of flame attacked and captured your rulers, and only a few survived the attack.

"These rumors are false," I stated. "Your leader was in fact one of those who forced the Crystal army and Equestrian army to work together, as is King Sombra, Princess Cadence, and Queen Luna. They thought that a surprise attack would decimate the armies they had led so they could have a quick and easy take over. They were correct." A dramatic pause. "The only reason any survived is because the two armies looked past their history, and held out long enough for help to arrive. That help was-is- the forces under my command. But still, they think they can slaughter us like pigs because we are weaker than them! Even though we have allied ourselves with the dragons and changelings, they think they will win!

"If this were a contest of strength only, then they are correct," I said. "But war is not just a contest of strength! It is a contest of wits and strategy, and that is why we will win! We have already five different armies-the Dragons, Changelings, ponies, crystal ponies, and Sangheili- and with it, five different doctrines, numerous strategies! If we are to win the coming war, then we must unite in more than just military.

"We must show the Ifrit, those who invaded, that they have picked a fight they can not win, no matter how hard they try. We will prevail, and send them back to the hell they come from; that we will not give in; that this is our planet, and they can not-will not- have it without a fight! If they want a war, then we will give them one!" As I finished the speech, I unleashed a roar to punctuate it, one heartily returned, surprisingly, by the dragons and the Sangheili that made up my forces. I then grabbed one of my sword hilts, lit the blade, and raised it into the sky. "For Equis!"

"For Equis!" the crowd shouted back.

Here, Blueblood walked up beside me. "Anypony who wishes to contribute, see the guards outside the castle for training gear. We will need as many ponies as we can if we are to have a chance."

"And any who wishes to join my forces, meet me tonight," I said before turning back. I went to go back inside, but stopped before leaving, remembering something. I reached to one of my utility compartments, and brought out an egg shaped device, and placed it on the balcony, then brought up the music playlist stored on my armor, and had one song play as I left.

Youtube Video

"And so thus doth hell begin," I said as I left the throne room.

Southern desert

Fernis smiled as she saw her forces burn a small Equestrian settlement down. It had been out of the way, but her scouts discovered it was one of the southern staging grounds for Equestria. So, she decided to attack it personally to ensure it was destroyed. As the town-Appleoosa, she thought it was called- was burnt to a crisp, the townsponies cooked alive if not eaten alive, she saw the speech that Ruso-Ashen, whatever he called himself now- made.

"As good a speaker as ever Ashen," she said with a smile. "I will enjoy ripping your tongue out, and feeding it to you in front of those ponies before feeding you to my Inquisitors," she commented just before he began a song. After a while, she said, "Definitely an improvement over what ponies play. I hate classical."

Here, Solaria-who used to be known as Celestia walked up to her. "My queen, no additional survivors found, and those that have been are awaiting conversion."

"No," Fernis said. "Kill them once we are sure the ponies are on their way here. Their corpses will be a message that none will be able to stop us."

"But- my queen, there are foals!"

"The better the message will be, then," the Ifrit queen said before turning to look at the former pony ruler, who wore yellow and orange armor with a halberd in her hands. "Do you question your queen?"

"N-no, my queen."

"Good. See you do not, or your end will make the one I am planning for Ashen look like a massage."