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So great was her reign and Brilliant her Glory
So Great was her reign, but so long was the shadow
Princess Celestia, Princeps of the Scullion Sea, Regina of the EverFree Forest, Grand magister Solis, and all her many titles sighed as she dipped a quill in ink. Her hands ached with pain as she signed her name and stamped the imperii insigne onto the parchment. Her horn ignited into magical fire as an aura of golden aether engulfed the parchment and rolled into around a small wooden roll. The magic quickly intensified minutely as she levitated the scroll into an empty slot in the shelf next to her. Celestia groaned as she stretched her neck, the white fur shifted as muscle rippled and bulged as she moved. A small pop rang out as relief flooded her aching muscles.
"Princess." A guard called out as he knocked at the door, his voice deep and gravelly, the voice of a veteren, this was the voice of her domus Legios Legate Swift Throne.
"Yes Legate?"
"We've received more reports of Legionnaires going absent without leave while on deployment, this makes thirty percent of our legions, at this rate we may have to begin drafting just to keep up our numbers for the Maximum Peregrinus."
Celestia grunted as she began to think. 'This has been going on for years now, at first it was barely noticeable but it has been picking up speed...' her thoughts derailed as a shadow flew across her window.
"Legate, call some of the guards, I believe something might be happening." Celestia called out as her horn ignited.
A sword flew out of her cupboard, the gleaming gold plated Steel Zweihander normally gave even the strongest of earth ponies trouble to wield, but for a mare of Celestias strength the blade was hardly as heavy as a Bastard sword.
"Yes your highness."
Swift Throne could be heard running as his cloven hooves clacked on the marble tiles of the Everfree keep. Celestia began to don an armored Chest Plate. The armor was two large plates bolted onto a leather tabard, steel chainmail ran from the ending of the bottom plate down to her mid thigh. Large pauldrons adorned her shoulder, the left pauldron was engraved with various forms of old Equish texts and significant heraldry while her right pauldron was plated with with more gilded steel. Another flash of magic had her legs encased in armor as well, more engraved steel armor molded over her legs and connected to a knee plate on a hinge bolt. Her hands became encased in simple leather gloves studded with small cast iron metal balls.
"Your highness, I have brought 10 guards from various non essential locations, each one is a member I trust," Swift called through the door as clanking could heard as could the static sub-ethereal echoes of magic being charged.
"Enter," The door opened with barely a creak as 11 armored Equestrian legionnaires marched in.
Their bodies were completely encased in 7mm thick armor, not a single strand of fur showed through the enchanted gold metal. 2 of the ponies had massive Zweihanders, the blades glowed with magic as enchantments to lighten the blade slightly and to provide a permanent sharp edge flowed through them. Two others had large Hoplon shields of steel with a single handed pike, enchanted to project solar magic in a concentrated beam. The final four merely carried kite shields and long swords. Each pony was an Earth Pony, their massive strength making them the only ones who could handle Celestias elite armor and weapons while also retaining agility.
"Alright stallions, I've noticed several shadows flit past my window and I'm expecting an assassination attempt, if it happens then we shall fight, if it doesn't then I've grown paranoid."
Just as Celestia finished her sentance the window shattered and several Thestrals charged in. Their features may have been covered but a Thestrals eyes are unique in being slitted. All the Assassins wore a Black formfitting leather body suit with a shawl wrapped around their heads. Each thestral was using a small Buckler and a serrated shortsword, the swords lacked grips and had dire wolf heads carved into the pommel.
Metal clashing against metal began to echo through the room as the Guards engaged the Assassins. Gold fought against Black as blades were either deflected off shields or merely bounced off the Thick armor worn by the guards. The two Zweihander guards swung their swords in massive arcs. The blades keeping the Thestrals at a distance while the two spear wielding guards stood behind them, spears firing energy at the assassins. Long sweeping arcs of magic beamed out from the spearponies as they hunkered in a corner. The other four swordsponies were locked in combat against the bulk of the Assassins group.
Celestia charged her opponent, a large bulky thestral carrying a sword almost as big as it's entire arm. The thestral swung his blade in arc at her, the large blade slow in the Thestrals single handed grip. Celestia merely dodged the blade, her blade sung as she slashed at him, his shield catching the blow and slightly staggering the pony. She pressed the attack, her massive Zweihander overwhelming the assassin who just stood there and blocked the hits. Still Celestia forced on, her blows beginning to break the small leather shield and hurt the ponies arm.
Celestia grinned slightly as she brought her sword up into in overhead swing, the momentum tore through the shield and arm of the pony and into the Assassins chest. Blood sprayed out as his lungs exposed to the air. Blood bubbled and frothed at the dying ponies mouth, white with oxygen.
"Die, traitor," Celestia muttered as she cleaved the Assassins head off, blood sprayed and stained her armor as the corpse slumped forward.
"Your highness, we've finished off the last of the Assassins and have patrols searching for more," Swift Throne announced as he marched to Princess Celestia, his armor once gold now stained crimson.
"Excellent, have guards check my sister to see if she is alright and send a detachment out into the city, double the patrols on the walls and begin scouring the slums for any possible hide outs." Celestia commanded with authority, her snow white fur matted with red.
Celestia looked out towards the moon, he mane waving in the Ethereal winds that flowed underneath existence. The light of the moon outlined celestia, making her look truely celestial. But the light that shone upon her cast a large shadow.
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So great was her reign and Brilliant her Glory
And grew only darker as Days and Nights passed.
Luna growled as she marched towards Celestias room. Her normally tame blue hair waved in the ethereal winds as her anger broke her limiters, bolts of energy struck the walls, like lightning striking the ground leaving deep gouges in the stone. Her hand held a thin silver rapier, the blade was engraved with past victories and glories that it fought in.
"Sister!" Luna shouted as she approached her sisters door, the large wooden doors emblazoned with a sun loomed ahead of her, "Sister, open this door now!"
The doors creaked as an aura of gold surrounded the wood, the handles twisted as the entrance to Celestias bed room opened. A golden light blinded her vision as she entered, eye eyes slowly adjusting from the dark corridor to the bright flames that crackled merrily away in Celestias fireplace. As her eyes adjusted she took notice of various things. Celestia was wearing her armor, the armor was splattered with blood, several corpses littered the ground, the window was shattered, and one of Celestias Guards was leaning against a wall, a small dagger lodged between the plates of his Chest and abdomen.
"Sister, we learned of what had happened from your Guard, is everything alright?"
"Yes Lulu, the Assassins have been dealt with, although I must inquire something," Celestia muttered as she cleaned the blood off her Zweihander, "These assassins were Thestrals, ponies under the nights blessing, I know you've been feeling resentful of me as of late but to attack me with assassins?"
Luna was shocked, her sister was accusing her of engineering a coup simply based on the ponies who had attempted the coup?
"Dearest sister, surely you aren't accusing me of attempting a coup, I know I may have been distant but to accuse me, your sister, of attempting to murder you is ludicrous!"
Celestia merely sighed as she stood up, her blade screeched as it dragged along the ground.
"Luna, I am not accusing you, I am merely asking, did you send those assassins after me?"
Luna growled as her anger sky rocketed.
"I did not order your murder!"
Celestia took a step back as waves of energy bombarded her. Lunas power far outstripped her own, it was always this way. Luna led the Crusades to reclaim Equestrian land from its neighbors, the little pocket empires and the necromantic territories that rose after Discords fall. Several waves managing to hit her, the energy scorching and freezing her armor and fur.
"Luna, calm down!" Celestia shouted as she readied her blade, prepared to defend herself in case Luna attacked her.
Luna took several breaths as her energy subsided. The anger gave way to fear as she took a step back, her rapiers handle groaned as Lunas grip tightened. A slight flicker in the corner of her eye was the only warning Luna had before she dodged, a large crossbow bolt embedded itself in the wall. Lunas heart skyrocketed, the bolt that was embedded in the wall had a bronze sigil imprinted into the shaft, the symbol of Celestias viri aliena.
"H-how could you?" Luna muttered before her horn erupted into light, her form quickly vanishing as she teleported to regions unknown.
"Swift Throne, dispatch messengers to all garrisons and cities, alert them that Princess Luna is now depositus est criminalibus, order them to hunt the local forests down," Celestia ordered, her voice filled with sadness as she looked out her window.
The moon had dimmed, the stars seemed to fade slightly and the night had grown colder.
Luna sniffled as she sat curled up in the corner of a cave. The fur under her eyes matted with tears as she rocked back and forth. Celestia had betrayed her, she didn't love her, not one bit. Lunas mind continued to create excuse after excuse as to why Celestia would have her attacked.
"Please be at peace princess," Luna looked up, her teary eyes locking onto the Thestral in front of her, "I am Silver Glade, one of the leaders of the Lunar Separatists."
Luna frowned as she tried to recall the name, she knew it was something she had a hand in making but she couldn't remember why, or what, it was.
"My Princess, you have many questions, and I have many answers, please ask your questions so I may put you at ease."
"Wh-what is t-he Lunar Separatists?"
Silver smiled as he looked at the alicorn.
"The Lunar Separatists are a faction created by You two centuries, you made us to be the mind of Luna Army, an army centuries in the making, and we've been fulfilling our orders," Glade smiled, "We have amassed an army of forty thousand, all of them loyal to the true queen of Equestria,"
Luna frowned as memories returned to her. She had indeed created the Separatists in response to Celestia creating the Solar Auxiliaries.
"As for the cities we have that are loyal to you are Stalliongrade, Mos-cow, Mareopolis, the great skycity of North Point, and the great fortress city of Mantreum."
"Whats happening at Everfree Castle?" Luna asked, her mind drifting to what had happened moments ago.
"Everfree castle is abuzz with activity, messengers have been dispatched to multiple locations, all of them bearing a message stating that you are declared depositus est criminalibus,"
Luna gasped as she heard the title. That title was reserved to criminal tyrants who had been considered traitors and were to be captured on sight for execution.
"glade, are the ponies at Stalliongrade loyal to me and me alone?"
"yes Princess, we have a spell rune ready for us to depart,"
"Then take me to the great Eastern City."
Luna glanced out at her moon as the sky was obscured by the light of magic rune activating.
"Be prepared sister, it not us who is the tyrant, but you." Luna growled as her vision vanished in a flash of light.
So great was her reign and Brilliant her Glory
Luna blinked the white spots away as the light from the Teleport Rune died down, she shivered as the cold air chilled her through her fur. She looked up at the sky, great billowing clouds of smoke wafted into the sky as snow and ash rained to the ground, her silver armor slowly turning grey from the ashen snow.
"Princess, please follow me," Glade said as he began to walk towards the largest building in the city, a large spire of red brick.
Luna shivered as she sheathed her rapier and began to follow the Thestral known as Silver Glade.
"I understand you have a liking for the Fortress city of Stalliongrad?" The Thestral asked as he continued to walk towards the brick citidel known as Dorath keep, "Do you remember the history of the city?"
"I remember pieces, the city was founded around and Ancient human tower 600 years after they abandoned this region to Discord, sadly that didn't save the humans and over 90 percent of the original human population was wiped out, including the citadels guards,"
"Your half right princess, The citadel is human, but the city wasn't founded by equestrians, it was founded by a human secessionist movement known as the Porish Confederation, they were wiped out by the Equestrian army 30 years before you and the solar tyrant emerged, " he sighed, "The Siege took 10 years to complete, and it cost Equestria 3 of it's grand armies to win, the local humans were ferocious fighters and seemed to love hit and run tactics,"
"I didn't know this, the council before us told us we settled the abandoned tower," Luna stated as she continued to follow her guide, her armor rattled with each step.
Giant factories eventually gave way to sprawling slums and that in turn gave way to gleaming and brightly lit housing, walls and guard checkpoints. Each guard wore a hulking set of Silverplate armor engraved with the Iconography of Stalliongrad, a large sickle crossed with a cog over a half moon.
"The cities coat of arms has changed?" Luna muttered as she marched past another pair of guards, the hulking behemoths of ponies towering above the standard pony. behind each of the towering behemoths was a smaller pony in a bright red trench coat with a large tower hat, almost like a fuzzy chimney.
The smaller ponies each carried a prototype Halberd-Musket hybrid from the Human kingdoms, some of the smaller guards also carried a thinner, longer musket, another human weapon called a Rifled Musket. Luna continued to eye the guards and their weapons as they marched down the final stretch towards the tower.
"Please wait here princess, I have to go and announce your presence,"
Luna nodded as Glade began to jog up the stairs, his hooves clacking against the ground, his figure dissapearing abruptly as he entered the tower. Lunas thoughts began to wander as she stood in the ashen snow, her thoughts wandered to the fun times she had with her sister, the bad times also entered her thoughts.
"Princess," Glades voice broke through her thoughts, "The Governor has agreed to provide us an escort of 40 guards to take us through the mountains towards the meeting place of our army."
Luna looked behind Glade as she saw a large contingent of Red coated guards marching towards her alongisde a smaller contingent of the hulking behemoths.
"Shall we depart then?" she asked as she looked towards the massive city walls.
"Yes your highness," glade stated as he motioned for the small mass of Guards to fall in behind the princess.
'I will get you for what you did, Celestia, just you watch'.
So great was her reign and Brilliant her Glory
A journey through the hills
Luna shivered through her fur, the armor she was given by the Stalliongrad Guards did almost nothing to warm her despite the layers of fur underneath the Blue platemail she was wearing.
"Glade, how far until we reach the camp?" She called out to her guide, the Thestral wearing a modified Guardspony uniform.
"three days travel, princess, we still have to pass through the mountains and the abandoned mines."
Luna grumbled under her breath, the cold was getting to her and she doubted she could last 3 minutes in this cold if not 3 days. Her rapier had been packed away onto the groups pack deer, the weapon replaced with one of the Rifleponies Halberd-Musket hybrid. Another shiver racked the Alicorns body as she walked, while the nights were usually cold, the freezing temperatures of the Great East were magical in nature and thus bypassed her natural affinities.
"I don't understand how you guards are capable of standing this cold, the blasted snow is freezing me right through my fur and clothes," She said to one of the Rifleponies next to her.
"It's the lack of magic we have up here, the Great Tundra saps all magic to fuel the frost which leaves us adapting, you could say we're a new breed of pony," The Guard said with a chuckle.
"blasted Easterners," Luna muttered under he breath before casting a low powered flame spell an inch off her armor.
She sighed in pleasure as the low powered flames heated her body, the fire not burning her thanks the magic fueling the flames.
"Careful Princess, that magic might attract Deomir constructs, they like to roam around the Tyraith Valley and are attracted to Aetherical Disturbances," her Guard cautioned, his hand shifting to grip his weapon in a more readied stance.
She nodded as she lowered the output of magic to the fire, the cold crept back in as the warmth she felt from the flame ruined her bodies adjustment to the cold. Several hours passed uneventfully as the Princess and her escort marched onwards without interruption, that uneventful march was changed when several loud mechanical roars filled the Valley, shocking Luna and making her lose control of her output, the loss of control caused magic to flow into the fire in large quantities, flooding the local Aether with disturbances.
"By faust, that sounded like a Deomir war band," the Guard muttered under his breath as he, and all the other guards, drew or readied their weapons.
Luna grimaced as she reigned in her magic, the Aether slowly quieting down from the massive removal of magic from a localised area. More roars filled the frozen air as other constructs answered the call.
"Princess, I recommend drawing your weapon!"
Princess Luna frowned as she grabbed the Halsket from her back before cocking it, the Halsket was a Multichamber Musket capable of shooting four shots before neeing to be reloaded from a removable revolving barrel, the barrel would rotate and chamber a new charge after each shot. After each shot you had to rotate the chamber and then cock the weapon manually. Rifling was included in most patterns of Halsket but some patterns lacked it, instead having a slightly bigger projectile for an increased lethality.
"Contact!" A Guard shouted from the left side of the escort, several loud cracks filled the air as muskets discharged at what appeared to be a massive mechanical walker.
The construct was massive, standing three ponies tall and armed with 4 steam driven automatic crossbows the machine was capable of laying down a barrage of crossbow bolts that could topple even a heavily armored knight column. Several of the Behemoth Guards charged into the fray, their massive Zweihanders rending large gashes in the machines armour, their enchanted blades cutting the metal like a hot knife through warm butter. Musket fire tore gouts of metal from the construct, holes tore into the mechanical golem.
"Keep the fire up, ponies, the Construct is nearly finished," A guard near the back shouted as more Halskets fired, the cracks of the weapons firing tore through the monsters roars.
A cry rang out as the golems crossbow wounded a pony, the bolt penetrating through the thin plate armor of the Rifle equipped guard. Luna rushed over, her horn erupting into ethereal energy as she began casting a healing and numbing spell simultaneously on the wounded Guard.
"Be still, I can't numb the pain easily if you squirm and writhe around," Luna commanded as her magic began to disintegrate the bolt while closing the wound and numbing the pain.
While Luna healed the Guard, the fight raged on as more constructs slowly appeared, these ones much smaller and weaker than the larger machine. The smaller ones were armed with Longswords and Claymores, the heavy blades easily breaching the armor of Lunas Behemoth Guards, blood stained the ground as guards were over-run under the swarm of faster constructs. Luna flinched as a large crossbow bolt impacted the ground next to her, the projectile imbedding itself into the snow.
"Now you've done it!" Luna shouted as she dropped her Halsket.
Her horn erupted into purple energy as Ethereal energy began to concentrate at the base of her horn, the energy pooling and condensing into a small bubble. The air shimmered and gravity intensified as the condensed magic gained mass, chucks of earth began to tear out of the ground and orbit her, the magics mass giving it it's own gravity. Sweat began to bead down Lunas head as she focused, the spell almost finished gathering energy. A large pulse rippled out through the air as light began to shine blindingly bright.
"Face Oblivion!" Luna screamed as she released her built up magic, the energy taking the form of a massive gout of purple fire.
The fire washed over the battlefield leaving Lunas escorts alone but Incinerating the Deom'ir Constructs. Metal boiled and melted into slag under the onslaught of Ethereal energy, the ground turned black as the heat charred the very stone of the land while the trees near the constructs turned to ash in seconds. Cheers rang out from the remaining Guards who survived the ambush, a total of 54 from the original 80 remained, rifleponies being the majority.
"Your majesty, should we turn back and gather reinforcements?" A guard asked as he approached, a rifle slung over his shoulder and a small dirk at his waist.
"Nay, we will press on, who knows when Celestias guards will track us down."
No conversation occured after the battle, many of the guards had lost friends and in some cases family, one had even lost a son. Luna glared at the direction of Canterlot, if Celestia hadn't tried to assassinate Luna then this wouldn't have happened. Sighing, she pressed on towards her Armies Camp.
So great was her reign and Brilliant her Glory
The battle of Brunberg - the Hanschell War
Banners flew in the wind as the two armies marched, Equestrias mighty legions marched towards the Reichs mighty Army. The Reichs flag, a a stag covered in armor with a wreath surrounding it with a red background. And Equestria's, two alicorns in an eternal circle with a gold and silver background. Both flags waved above their respective armies, the rumble of marching armies filling the air as drums rattled off beats to march to.
When the two opposing armies were barely out of range of the others archers,s cavalrymen from both sides rode at each other, both bearing a white flag, the international symbol of Surrendering of Parley.
"Hail Lady Celestia, Diarch of the Sun, hail Lady Luna, Mistress of the Night, as per the honourbound oath every leader swears, I will give you this one chance to surrender or meet death at my blade." The Human king said the riders approached each other at a steady trot.
"Hail lord Wieland, Lord of the Human Reich, we decline your offer and will deign to offer you the same offer you have given us," Celestia replied, her armor glinting in the suns light, if you decline then prepare to meet defeat at Equestrias Legion!"
"Nein, Lady Celestia, I will meet you on the field of battle."
Both parties retreated back to their respective armies, the Red and Blue plated army of the Reich, and the Silver and gold plated armies of the Legion. Shouts began to erupt from both armies as the Captains and Generals began calling out orders and prayers.
(Lord Wielands POV)
I rode back to my position at the middle of my army, the royal guard composed of the Eldest son of the various royal houses surrounding me as we trotted back over. Captains cried out orders as I passed, the Captain of my Guard glaring at men who looked like they would flee when battle began. I nodded to a soldier holding a horn, he nodded back to me before raising the horn and playing 3 rapid notes and then a single blaring note. Cries rang out as both armies charged at each other, clashing filled my ears as both forces crashed into each other like a tidal wave. Screams began to rise as men lost limbs or received wounds. I grabbed my lance off my servant after I strapped my helmet to my head, my vision being restricted by the closed helmet. Digging my heels into my mount I began to charge into battle, slowly picking up speed as I charged into the side of an Equestrian regiment of Shortbows. My lance impaled an Archer right through his Leather Hauberk, the armor providing little defence against my sharpened Lance.
I pulled on the reign quickly, steering my horse back behind my army ready to make another pass at exposed Equestrians. A large roar filled the air as more Equestrians poured into the battle, my men barely holding them off.
"Captain, signal the rest of the cavalry, we're going to hit their flanks, and tie them down," I ordered my captain who raised his horn to his mouth before blaring two slow notes and 3 quick notes.
It was barely a minute before the rest of cavalry formed up into a wedge behind me.
"Charge!" I bellowed as I began to charged forward, the thunder of hoovesteps behind me signalling that the rest of the cavalry were charging as well.
Seconds ticked by as the enemies exposed side slowly drew closer before I slammed into it, trampling foes and lancing anyone who even tried to fight back. The enemy army erupted into panic as the cavalry roared through it, ponies shouted and screamed as my loyal soldiers cut them down.
My mount suddenly reared back, throwing me off before it collapsed, the shaft of an arrow sticking out of it's chest. I scrambled to my feet and drew my sword. A long-sword of Steel, longer than my arm when outstretched and engraved with an eagle at the base of the blade. A cry drew my attention to an Equestrian pikepony charging at me, his pike gleaming as I snapped my shield up, the shields metal easily deflecting the front heavy weapon to the side as my blade snapped forward, breaking through the Chain-mail my opponent wore. I quickly tore my blade free of the corpse and slashed another foe in the back, the blade easily cut through the inferior quality chain link and tore a gash into his back. A loud horn blared into the air as the Equestrians retreated, cries of defeat echoing from the cowards as they ran. We had won this battle, a crushing blow to the Equestrians.
(Celestias POV)
I sighed as I watched my army march back to the nearest castle, their heads held low as they marched. The Reichs Army had barely defeated us, that cavalry charge was a tactically unwise movement, especially since they charged right into the main mass of my army, but somehow they did it, they caused enough disorder and bloodshed that we had no choice to retreat or lose a majority of our forces to the Humans.
"It is saddening what our Nobility has dragged us into, isn't it Luna," I muttered to my sister as she marched by my side.
"Indeed it is dear Sister, to march against a foe who out numbers us in size and population, it doesn't matter if they are wracked with war from the Gryphons or if they are recovering from a crisis, they still outnumber us, if barely." She stated.
"I wonder how they will take it, that their mighty general Ironhammer was defeated by a 'lowly ape'," I asked her, fingers raised and made into quotation marks just to emphasize the sarcasm.
"probably with another order to raise more Levies of troops and Arms."
"Most likely." Celestia ended the conversation.
'Why can't the nobility understand that our goals to dissolve the Reich are stupid and unbelievable,' Celestia thought to herself before shaking her head and continuing to march.
So great was her reign and Brilliant her Glory
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