The War of Crystals and Titansby Dragonman461ChaptersPrologue: Prayer to the StarsChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Prologue: Prayer to the StarsCelestia could only stare in sorrow as she watched a family of three, two parents consisting of a mare and stallion and a little filly, huddle together as they set what little they still owned underneath a tent. All around her, Guards of both types, Solar and Lunar, were busy setting up temporary housing and escorting refugees who sought the asylum of Canterlot. "Princess!" a Royal Guard snapped to salute beside her. "At ease, Milquetoast," the regal alicorn said as she approached the unicorn. "Report." The unicorn stallion let his foreleg down before speaking. "Your majesty, another wave of refugees are at the South gates, pleading for us to let them in. Seven thousand, approximately, a third of them foals. What do we do?" She could see it in the way he stood there, shifting from one hoof to another, his eyes shifting constantly as he licked his lips. He was just as terrified of this war as she was. "We let the foals in while I convince their elders to sign up," she said. "Princess, you intend to draft-" "What choice do we have, Specialist?" she asked grimly. It had only been a few months ago that she would have been appalled at the notion of drafting anypony for any reason. That, however, was before Sombra returned and seized the Crystal Heart, perverting its power to suit his needs before enslaving the Crystal Empire. He had even gone so far as to corrupt its magic to reanimate the dead to serve his needs. Since then, Equestria had been at a stalemate with the Empire's advance, balancing out in all categories. That was before Sombra unleashed the Golems. Magical beasts of crystal, powered by the Heart and piloted either unwillingly or enthusiastically by the ponies that were sealed within. The act of sealing a soul within them disgusted her to no end, but even now she couldn't deny their efficiency. Six of those things had managed to wipe out tens of thousands of her finest Guards, with the only reported way to destroy one was to kill the operator. Even then, the Golem was practically a solid mass of protective runes, and getting past one would take the magical strength of an entire battalion of unicorns. "I understand this situation is far more grim than it was months ago, but look around you, Specialist. Even now, these ponies have no guarantee of safety within our own walls. Sympathizers could very well be waiting in that crowd at the gate, ready to ensure that Sombra and his armies exploit even the smallest of fractures in our security. If a draft would end up keeping them out of our city, then it is a risk we must accept for the greater good of all Equestria." The Specialist stayed silent before nodding and wandering off to help somewhere. Celestia spread her wings and took off for the South gate. Turning her gaze up to the stars, she let a few tears slip through her facade as she uttered a prayer. "Please... if there is a higher power up there... please, don't let it end like this. Somepony... anything... please, help us." Chapter 1"Ugh, my head," Joshua said as he reached up to rub his forehead. "What hit me?" "[Want the full story or short version?]" a synthetic voice asked the Pilot. Joshua cracked an eye open to see a familiar plastic mask that resembled a kitten in shape, its only features being entirely smooth with one glowing blue eye on the left and a red tear mark trailing down the right side. Further inspection revealed that they were in the empty Medical Wing of the ship, bland white with red crosses scattered about. "Spare the details, Kat, just tell me how bad I fucked up." "[You tried to rodeo a Scorch Titan before you got clipped by a sniper,]" the synthetic Pilot answered. "[Thankfully KD was there to get you before you could bleed out.]" "Right, but what about the pain in my head?" "That's for leaving me with the rest of the job," another voice answered. Joshua sat up to see a bulky dark-skinned Pilot wearing a thick suit of leaves and a cloaking pack that held a Longbow over the shoulder. "Don't act like you don't enjoy taking it seven-to-one, Zeke," Joshua smirked. "Not when we've got to cover your ass to get out of there." "Then take half my paycheck as compensation, because you clearly don't have enough," Joshua remarked, gesturing to the sniper rifle. "[Regardless,]" Kat interrupted, "[the mission was successful, and the IMC facility is no longer operable. Our payment has been delivered and we will wait for further missions until we need to refuel.]" "Another victory for the 6-4!" Joshua and Zeke whooped. "Unfortunately," another Pilot added as she entered the Medical Wing, "it won't be too long before we need to refuel." "Don't ruin our moment of celebration, Jessie," Zeke sneered. "Alright morons, let's recap, shall we?" the Pilot said as she brushed a lock of red hair out of her face. "We nearly got shot out of orbit and Jumped out in the middle of a firefight, we tanked a few hits, and now we're en-route via Jump to a previously unknown area of the Frontier because the IMC may have had some interest in the system a few decades ago, and you're criticizing me for keeping you from celebrating early?" "[I believe the phrase goes, 'every little victory counts,']" Kat said. Jessie shook her head. "Should've stayed with the Marauders," she muttered before exiting the Wing. A moment passed before Joshua stretched, cracking his neck. "So, where exactly are we headed to?" "[Analysis lists the system as Epsilon-Equis XXIII, a phenomenon of a system due to its geocentric structure.]" "Geocentric? You mean the star revolves around the planet?" Zeke asked. "[According to recorded images, yes. It also appears to be capable of supporting life, with an atmospheric composition of 77% Nitrogen, 22% Oxygen and trace amounts of various other gases such as Argon and Carbon Dioxide.]" "Alright, I gotta see this," Joshua said as he got up. "Who's up for pissing off Colton?" \\\////// Captain Tiberius Colton watched in awe as the planet before him merely existed at all. The 70 year veteran was perplexed by the drastically different world that they had arrived at, both in shock and in fear. The bridge crew of the 6-4 Destroyer Charlatan were all captivated by the geocentric system that they were orbiting, more so due to the fact that its surface was a mixture of blue, green and black. "Scans inconclusive, sir," someone operating a station stated, "we've got no match on what that stuff is made of." "What about radiation levels?" Colton asked. "Scans aren't picking up anything harmful, but something down there resembles the phenomenon at Typhon." "IMC signatures?" "Negative on all channels, sir," another technician answered. "No stealth tech, no jammers, not even an echo transmission on any frequency." "What the Hell did we find?" he mumbled. The sound of doors opening signaled the arrival of three Pilots. "Captain Colton, sir," Joshua said before saluting. The Captain turned about and returned the gesture to the Pilots before they relaxed and approached. "Commander Joshua, Sergeant Zeke, Specialist Kat. What brings you to the bridge? I thought you'd be prepping for the next assignment." "We would be, but we heard about this planet, and oh boy," Joshua said as he approached the viewing port, "she does not disappoint." "What's going on down there?" Zeke asked. "We don't know. Planet didn't look like this in the files we appropriated, and there aren't any recordings of giant black crystals anywhere in any Frontier reports in this nebula." "Want a ground team to scope it out?" Joshua asked. "Absolutely not. We cannot risk any kind of disease or God knows what else down there making it to the ship." "[Perhaps if I were to go down there, it would minimize risk to the rest of the ship. I am incapable of contracting any physical virus or bacteria, and it would be far more plausible to sanitize myself and my Titan should we find anything,]" Kat suggested. Colton shook his head. "I'm not going to bet anyone on this. I say we just tell the Militia we didn't find shit and move on to the next job." Before anyone could argue any further, the ship suddenly lurched to the left with a loud groan as everyone was floored. \\\////// Celestia furrowed her brow in frustration as she tugged the Moon about its orbit. "No... I can't be losing this much of my power already, can I?" she said to herself. "I can't let this get to me. Just move the Moon, and get back to the War, Celestia." The alicorn tugged the celestial body harder, pulling the Moon down to the horizon, along with something else. \\\////// "What the fuck is going on!?" Colton shouted as alarms blared across the deck. "Massive Fold phenomenon! It's coming from a mountain range south of the black crystal formations!" a technician answered. "No IMC signatures or spikes in power from the planet! Whatever it is, it's natural!" "Like Hell this is natural!" Zeke said as he grabbed a nearby support. Captain Colton reached for his wrist-mounted communicator and pressed a key before screaming into it. "Attention all hands," his voice echoed throughout the ship, "this is Captain Colton issuing emergency scenario FOLD-31! This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill! All hands to emergency stations! We are being pulled towards the planet! All hands, brace, I repeat, all hands brace!" \\\////// Applejack huffed as she slammed the sliding door on the train car's side closed. She turned to wave the conductor onward before the train whistled, chugging off down the tracks. She turned and began her trek back to her family's farm. A glance towards Ponyville showed what Equestria was like now at sunset, with many homes barring their windows and thoroughly locking their doors at night to prevent anypony unsavory from getting in. It used to be a nice little town with its fair share of disaster every now and again, but now it just cowered in fear of the horrible tyrant that threatened to take over the world. "Hey, Applejack!" The earth pony turned to see a familiar Griffon approaching. "Howdy Gilda. Need somethin'?" The white-feathered and brown-furred Griffon landed by Applejack with a hard impact, accented by the plated armor rattling about and musket tapping against her side. "Just wanted to see if you needed help with that shipment of apple rations, but I guess you didn't." "Nope, just sent 'em off ta Canterlot fer shipment. Princess Celestia's finest need those apples ASAP. Can't stop Sombra on an empty stomach." "If those apples gave the Guard half of your optimism we'd probably be winning right now," Gilda remarked as she tightened the strap of her musket. "Optimism don't make a lick of difference. Celestia and the Guard got us through Nightmare Moon and Discord. They'll pull through." The two started walking down a well worn path through Ponyville, watching their step as ponies rushed home for the night, mares and foals tired and scared while the few stallions that remained closed up their shops and stands. They passed a newspaper vendor and grimaced as they saw the headlines. Sombra's Armies Take Manehatten, Thousands Dead! Changeling Army Stomped by Sombra and Golems! Vanhoover Falls to the Crystal Tyrant! Refugee Surge in South Equestria Leaves Hundreds Homeless! Griffon Air Force Swatted by Crystal Airships! "It's gettin' hard on ya'll out there, ain't it?" Applejack asked solemnly. "Yeah... Gretta and her squad barely made it out from that last battle at Galloping Gorge, and now the Ecclesiarchy is calling out to the Colonies to pull back to fortify their own borders." "Load a' dung, Ah'll say," Applejack said. "Sombra takes over here, ain't nothin' that'll stop him down the line." "Well we're not about to sell out Equestria, I can promise you that. Backlash was severe enough to get one of the High Priests thrown out on his wings for saying Equestria's better suited to be a meat shield than an ally. Bastard clearly never left his mom's nest if he didn't notice that Sombra's aiming for everyone, not just Equestrians." They would have continued to talk about the political storm that boiled across the world were it not for a faint boom echoing across the land. \\\////// King Sombra grinned and chuckled darkly as he watched a stallion beat against the inner walls of the Crystal Golem, flailing in vain to try and break free. The crystal encased him entirely before a wave of magic washed over the stallion and dissolved him into a bright spot in the Golem. The mass of crystal groaned and glowed for a moment before it stood up only to bow before its rightful king. "Excellent," Sombra said. "Soon, Equestria will crumble before my hooves, and I shall convert the corpses of the insolent to further my domain. I can't wait to see the look on that alicorn's face when I-" A burst of sound interrupted his rant, drawing the crystal tyrant's attention to the skies. For the first time in over a millennium, Sombra wore a face of pure shock as a flaming structure fell from the heavens. Chapter 2"What?" Celestia gasped. "Yes, your majesty," the Guard said, "it was as though the star was knocked down from the heavens before that... thing, came screeching through the skies. It looked like some kind of airship, but it was massive, at least five kilometers long." "And the scouts are absolutely certain that it isn't one of Sombra's tricks?" the Princess asked. "There's no way to tell for sure, your majesty. We'd need to send somepony to scout it in the morning." "Where did it land?" "About 23 kilometers West of Neighagra Falls." "Very well then. Gather up 5,000 Guards and 2,000 Special Forces. We can only pray that Sombra doesn't reach it first." \\\////// Sombra glared at the smoking behemoth that had landed between his territory and Canterlot. Whatever was in there would soon feel his wrath, and those within would bow to his will. "But," he said to himself, "knowing Celestia, she'd probably wait until morning to send her forces to take it. We can't have that now, can we?" Sombra summoned a crystal before him that changed opacity before an image of a dark grey pony with a black and red striped mane was before him. "Bloodlust, I'm sending you and your section West of Neighagra Falls. Something came from the sky and I want whatever's inside of it under my hoof." "Of course, King Sombra," the pony said before the crystal faded. "You never learn, do you Celestia?" Sombra said as he chuckled. "Everything that touches this world is mine." \\\////// Joshua sighed as he dusted off his light blue mesh and adjusted his helmet. "So," he said, trying to break the awkward silence between him and his Titan. "You were incapacitated by sniper fire and had ruptured-" "I know, K-D, thank you," Joshua interrupted. "I read the report and I'm sorry I got cocky." "This is the eleventh time that you have ascribed yourself to poultry, and I find it highly inaccurate," K-D said. "Right, it's just... I'm sorry for getting over confident and nearly dying because I was being stupid." K-D kept three cameras trained on her Pilot as she processed his words. "Your intelligence level has not decreased as of yet, and our link has not shown any degree of loss in efficiency. However, I acknowledge that you mean that you are feeling unwell about your actions in the field. I have documented this apology and will log it in when we return to a proper station for repairs." "Right. Good talk, K-D." "You done sorting your shit?" Zeke asked as he donned his green helmet. "Captain Colton wants us on guard yesterday so we can keep an eye out for local wildlife." "Right, I'm on it," Joshua said as he turned back to K-D. "We'll call you if we need backup." "Affirmative," K-D said as she gave him a thumbs-up. \\\////// Kat and Jessie watched the planet's sun rise at with wide eyes. "[That is not possible,]" Kat said. "It just... accelerated," Jessie said. "That just... what's even going on anymore?" "[Records indicate that the IMC had flagged this system for study into gravitational manipulation before the Milita became a substantial threat to them. This is likely the reason.]" "Right... where are Joshua and Zeke?" "We're here!" Joshua called out as they approached. Joshua and Zeke stopped as they came up to the shard of metal they used for cover. Joshua blew a whistle as he examined the wreckage. "Wow. Guess the damage was worse than we thought." "[Negative, the damage is largely superficial. Only the outermost impact plating was sheared off during reentry,]" Kat said. The Pilots stayed quiet as they watched some Grunts file out from a nearby airlock and start setting up turrets as technicians began to work on the exposed sections of the ship. "How long will this take?" Zeke asked. "[Damage reports indicate that it will take anywhere between two to six hours, factoring in any attacks by local wildlife,]" Kat said. "What if the local wildlife is intelligent?" Joshua asked. "Why would you ask that?" Jessie said. Joshua pointed to the distant line of trees. The other Pilots focused their gear to zoom in and froze. Closing in, not even a full click away, was an army of four-legged animals wearing dark grey, spiked armor with green slits for eyes. Behind them were giant figures made of some kind of crystals, standing on two short legs with large arms that had spiked fists and glowing red areas near the center of their torsos. A few of the crystal things had an unarmored version of the strange beings inside of them. "That's not good." "Attention, all hands to battle stations!" Colton announced. "We've got unknowns coming in from the North and South! Defend the ship at all costs!" "And now they're flanking us," Jessie said as she pulled out her EPG. "Wait, hold fire!" another voice spoke over the comms. "They're diverting paths!" The Pilots of the 6-4 looked up to see a large swarm of blue armored creatures similar to the ones in the North fly overhead, wings spread out as they charged at the line of black and grey armored aliens. Flashes and shouting accompanied their overhead charge as more of the alien creatures ran past the ship's crew to meet the opposing force a few hundred meters away from the ship. The crystal beings charged forth and began swatting at the gold and blue clad beings while the infantry and flying ones began to strike at one another. "Did we just land in the middle of a war?" Joshua asked. "Lookout!" a nearby Grunt called. One of the Crystal things charged through the line of gold and blue aliens before slamming into the hull of the Charlatan, crushing a Grunt and technician before it began to beat against the defensive plating. "Open fire!" Joshua commanded as he pulled out his C.A.R. Sentries targeted the Crystal thing and began pelting it with ionized plasma and a barrage of high caliber automatic fire. The Crystals began to crack and smoke before the red center burst apart, the entire being exploding in a shower of crystals. Several shards impaled a few unlucky Grunts while two pieces cut into Kat's left leg. "[Chassis damaged,]" she said as she limped towards the ship. "[Retreating to minimal safe distance.]" "Shit! Zeke, get Kat back to the ship. Jessie, you and I are going out there!" "Are you actually fucking crazy!?" Jessie shouted as the Militia began to fire at the charging grey and black figures. "Should have read the job requisites, that's practically the whole list," Joshua said before launching a grappling hook to the high point of their cover. "Let's show these bitches how the 6-4 roll!" Chapter 3Sledgehammer gasped as he struggled to back away from the horde of Sombra's Undead. No matter how many would stand against them, no matter how many would choose to fight for the flame of Equestria, they just kept coming. It didn't matter how many had lain down their lives to stop their march, they just tore them apart and put them back together in a suit of armor to march onward. He looked out across the battlefield and stared in horror as he watched his friends were eviscerated at the ends of crystal spears. One poor bastard managed to survive having his foreleg chopped off and was carrying it in his mouth as he hobbled towards the back of the battle before three Undead tackled into him. Sledgehammer was convinced now, seeing the carnage unfold for himself, that this war was already lost. He felt the ground reverberate as a Crystal Golem approached. \\\////// Soarin' grunted as he body-checked another Undead pegasus into the side of the strange thing that had crashed. He made sure to position himself in such a way that the Undead's head would take the brunt of the impact, and grimaced when he heard the sickening snap of its neck. He couldn't stand the thought of killing before, but now he had no choice in the matter. It was kill or die. As the Wonderbolt banked away from the strange metal thing, he had to wonder what exactly it was. Princess Celestia herself had said that it was imperative that Sombra and his army be kept from retrieving it. A glance down told Soarin' that the owners held a similar sentiment. The thundering echoes from their strange rifles was a constant theme to this battle, firing faster than any weapon that he had seen deployed by either side thus far. The creatures below made short work of the Undead that tried to charge them head-on, and now the Wonderbolts had received orders to clear the skies. A tackle from below sent Soarin' into the side of the metal structure, colliding on top of his left wing. As bones snapped, he tried to scream before a hoof met his face. He saw a dark grey mask peer into his soul through its green slits, a hoof pressing against his throat as the Undead denied him precious Oxygen. Before Soarin' could formulate a retaliation, however, a gunshot went off and part of the Undead's head burst apart, splattering blood and grey matter onto Soarin's uniform. Just as Soarin' began to process what had happened, he felt the sensation of free falling. "I gotcha!" An arm wrapped around Soarin' before he felt his momentum shift into a swing. Whoever was holding onto him was slowly lowering them down before he faded into unconsciousness. \\\////// Joshua grunted as he let the blue-clad creature onto the ground near other ones wearing gold. "He's all yours," he said before grappling away from them. "Pilot, we're going to get overwhelmed out here!" Lieutenant Smith called over the comms. "We need heavier firepower before these damn crystal Titans get through our lines!" "Copy that, Lieutenant. KD, I need you outside now." "Affirmative, Pilot," the Titan responded. "EO, gonna need your help out here too," Jessie said. The Pilot switched out of the comms before he gripped the side of the Charlatan and reloaded his sidearm before kicking off. \\\////// "Get out of the way!" Limestone Pie shouted as she pushed a few Guards back. Where they had been standing, a Crystal Golem slammed its morphed arms into the ground. As it pulled back its spiked appendages, blood and the body of another Solar Guard came off of it, the unicorn gasping before the Golem flung him off of its fist. Limestone grit her teeth before she charged at its stubby legs. The Golem swung a clubbed arm in her direction before the earth pony rolled to the side before reaching its knees. Limestone beat her hooves against its leg with every bit of strength she could muster, yet it only sported a few cracks by her tenth punch. The leg she wailed on was lifted before the Golem slammed its underside by Limestone, the force throwing her back before she tumbled into a jagged rock. The earth pony cringed as she felt something in her barrel snap, but pushed it aside as she gripped the boulder with all of her might. Dirt and insects fell off of the massive stone as she unearthed it. "Eat this!" she shouted as she let the stone fly. It connected with the center of the Golem's body, shattering apart as the crystal menace stumbled back, a few cracks spreading over its surface. A few seconds passed, however, and the fissures were sealed once again. It turned its bright spot to Limestone before she turned around and galloped. 'Celestia buck me to the moon!' Just as Limestone had cursed to her Princess, she heard a blaring horn fire off in the direction of the strange metal thing. \\\////// Sledgehammer looked up to see that a Golem was descending upon him. It slowly trudged forth on its stubby legs, slowing down as it morphed its left arm into a morning star. He prayed that Celestia would look after his family, that they would be able to move on after his death, and that Equestria would survive this terror. Before the bludgeon could come down, however, the ground shook intensely behind him before something massive blocked his vision. "Engaging hostile," a loud monotone voice said. A giant Golem bounded over Sledgehammer's still form, turning about to slam an elbow into the midsection of the Crystal Golem. He heard the sound of metal impacting and gaped in shock as he watched a metallic Golem attack Sombra's creation. It spun about after it landed its blow, the impact knocking away half a meter of enchanted crystals over its core, before leveling a giant rifle into the wound. Thunder echoed from the weapon as energy burst forth from the weapon, incinerating the Golem's core before the metal one kicked it away. Seconds later the Golem's magic core detonated before the remnants of its body fell apart. Sledgehammer looked up to the metal Golem in awe, breath held as its midsection seemed to open. Suddenly, one of the strange creatures soared into the opening. The Golem closed around it as it shouldered the massive rifle as its voice rang. "Pilot mode engaged." Chapter 4"Everypony get back!" Limestone shouted as she ducked behind a cracked section of rocks. A flurry of crystals shot out from the nearby Golems, the area filling with a maelstrom of crystals. Nearby Guards and soldiers were impaled and skewered by the hail of projectiles. Blood and gore coated the area with a crimson sheen as the earth pony grit her teeth. A few more seconds passed as the ground shook from the impacts of the crystals before stopping. Limestone poked her head out of her cover and saw that everypony around her was torn and ripped apart by the attack, shredded into pony confetti as a group of Undead stormed forth. Behind Sombra's Undead were three Golems, charging at her position as they trampled over the corpses of her fellow soldiers. 'Not like this,' she thought to herself. 'Dear Celestia, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to my sisters.' "Limey!" a familiar voice shouted. Limestone looked to the source of the outcry to see a pink blur slam into the side of a Golem. "Pinkie!" Limestone called out. Her sister pounded her hooves into the Golem, crushing and breaking the magical substance underneath her until it began to shatter and fall apart. The pink pony punched her way through the thick armor of the Golem and managed to find the glowing core of its being. She raised both of her forehooves and slammed them down as hard as she could. The Golem buckled underneath its own weight as its source of power and thought was busted open, much like how one would stumble when their skull folds inward. Pinkie leaped off of the Golem and tumbled next to her sister, panting harshly. Limestone took a close look and saw that her sister's flat, long pink mane was singed and cut here and there, her face sporting fresh wounds. "Pinkie, are you-" "No time! We've gotta run!" she insisted. Pinkie took two steps before crying in pain. Limestone caught her older sister and gasped when she saw that there was a massive gash underneath her barrel. "Shit! You're bleeding out!" "G-g-g... j-just, g-get out of here, Limey... I-I can-" "Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Limestone grunted as she hefted Pinkie over her shoulder. Limestone took a look behind her to see the Undead storming up to her across the terrain, more Golems converging on the two. Limestone hobbled forward, trying to gain distance on them, but the Undead were fast. She watched in horror as they prepared to pounce on her and her sister. 'Celestia, bring us an angel,' she prayed. "Hostiles identified, engaging," a loud, deep monotone echoed. Suddenly, as if Celestia herself were intervening, a wall of fire erupted between the Undead and Limestone. She could feel Pinkie shift on her back as the supposedly divine intervention set the Undead aflame, reducing them to ash in a near instant. What came next shocked them beyond belief. It stood taller than any of the Golems they had yet faced, and was far, far wider and bulkier than them. Its entire body was made out of metal, with a few small circular devices dotting its upper half. Its arms were covered in small circles that were glowing and smoking, and it hefted out what looked like a massive cannon. It was coated in red paint in a pattern similar to that of a tiger, and its upper section was painted with what looked to be a hateful demon. That section then opened up with a hiss, revealing one of the strange creatures from the metal structure. "Oi, get your asses out of here! I'll cover you!" she shouted. "Hey!" another voice reverberated. The metal behemoth and the smaller creature turned to face one of the Crystal Golems as its midsection opened up. Limestone and Pinkie looked to see where the other voice had come from and blanched when they saw who it was. "Oh stars, no, not him," Limestone pleaded. Approaching in a bloodied Golem, was a grey pony with a red and black striped mane, sitting in the midsection of the crystal monster. He wore a cocky grin and a lust for murder in his eyes. "It would appear that we have somepony to fight on an interesting level!" he said, the Golem raising its arms up as he did. "I'll admit, I've grown bored of squashing Celestia's foals like insects. Let's see what that hunk of junk can do compared to our Lord's magic?" he said as the Golem closed around him. "Pffft, please. You wanna go toe-to-toe with the 6-4 in a rock?" the alien mocked. She craned her neck to the side as the metallic beast pointed a finger at the Golem. "Compared to what I've gone through in the last week, you're practically a day off," she said as the metal behemoth thrust a thumb down. She fell into the metallic beast before it sealed her inside, Limestone turning to gallop before she could be caught in the crossfire. 'I really, REALLY hope these guys are on our side!' \\\////// Jessie was not having that good of a day so far. She was almost nicked by one of the flying ones when they were fighting over the Charlatan, nearly trampled by the grey-armored ones when she went out into the field, and had to toss away her EPG when she ran out of ammo, resorting to a measly pistol. Then, this rock-fucking quadruped thought it could shit-talk a Pilot of the 6-4, while she was in her Titan. To say that she was a little ticked was like saying that her Titan was a little bit heavy. "Alright, EO, let's show these bastards how we do," she said, cracking her knuckles as she linked to her Titan. "Affirmative. Transferring controls to Pilot." Jessie felt the familiar tingle of a link being established, and grinned as she flexed EO's arms instead of her own. \\\////// Bloodlust grinned to himself as the other Golems near him charged towards the alien Golem, readying their hammer-like arms as they prepared to tackle into the metallic thing. The metal Golem brought up its left hand as the nearest Golem brought its arm down in a swing, and what happened caused Bloodlust to gape. A fiery aura manifested before the metal thing's hand, and vaporized the Golem's arm as it came down. The Golem stumbled forward as its weight was suddenly horribly off balance, the crystals on the end melting into plasma from the sudden shield. Next, the metallic Golem shot a knee forward to knock the Golem onto its back before pressing the shield into its midsection, melting the crystal away before its core was exposed to the super-heated shield, igniting the magical substance in an explosion that broke the magical Golem into shards. The second Golem tried to duck down as it charged towards the alien Golem, intending to impale it on the massive spike on its back. Before it could take another step towards the alien, however, it leveled the cannon in its right hand at the Golem's legs and fired. A single object ejected from it and exploded underneath the charging Golem. The blast of flame eroded and melted the Golem's legs, leading to its tumble and crash into the dirt. The explosion lingered underneath it, melting through until its core was ignited as well, bursting underneath it. Bloodlust looked to see the titanic metal beast turn its attention to him as it loaded in another shot into its cannon. "You think you can dare to stand against Sombra!?" Bloodlust screamed, his voice echoing through the crystals into the world. "He is our one true overlord! And you will learn to respect him in all worlds!" With that, he willed the crystals remaining from each Golem to go to him, shards of the untouched crystals floating over to his own before merging partially with its arms. He aimed them down at the alien before mentally commanding them to fly forward. The alien Golem crouched as it raised its fiery shield once more, hunkering down as it tanked the hail of crystals that should have left it completely shredded. What was more, was that Bloodlust could see a series of minuscule hexagons fade in and out of reality around its chassis, protecting it further from harm. When the barrage ended, the alien Golem stood up and threw its cannon onto the ground before jets of flame erupted from behind it, propelling the metal beast forward. Acting purely on fear, Bloodlust willed the Golem to throw a punch, only for the metal one to turn its arm towards him. The underside, covered in small circles, began to glow with power, before breaking off his Golem's arm in one swing. Bloodlust cried out in agony as he felt the magic feed directly into his nervous system burn away at his senses, before another swing burned his other arm off. Sombra's loyal Golem Commander screamed in pain and fear as the metallic monster delivered two more punches to the crystal mass, burning away all of Bloodlust's protection. The moment he was exposed to air, he could feel every hair on his body light aflame from the sheer heat of the metal beast's attacks. Wailing in pain, he looked up to see both of its arms come down on him. \\\////// Limestone and Pinkie watched, with mixed emotions, as the metallic Golem slammed its arms down onto Bloodlust, burning the pony alive and melting the Golem with a final smash. "Holy shit," Limestone muttered as she watched one of Equestria's greatest threats be pummeled to death. Chapter 5Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Prologue: Prayer to the StarsCelestia could only stare in sorrow as she watched a family of three, two parents consisting of a mare and stallion and a little filly, huddle together as they set what little they still owned underneath a tent. All around her, Guards of both types, Solar and Lunar, were busy setting up temporary housing and escorting refugees who sought the asylum of Canterlot. "Princess!" a Royal Guard snapped to salute beside her. "At ease, Milquetoast," the regal alicorn said as she approached the unicorn. "Report." The unicorn stallion let his foreleg down before speaking. "Your majesty, another wave of refugees are at the South gates, pleading for us to let them in. Seven thousand, approximately, a third of them foals. What do we do?" She could see it in the way he stood there, shifting from one hoof to another, his eyes shifting constantly as he licked his lips. He was just as terrified of this war as she was. "We let the foals in while I convince their elders to sign up," she said. "Princess, you intend to draft-" "What choice do we have, Specialist?" she asked grimly. It had only been a few months ago that she would have been appalled at the notion of drafting anypony for any reason. That, however, was before Sombra returned and seized the Crystal Heart, perverting its power to suit his needs before enslaving the Crystal Empire. He had even gone so far as to corrupt its magic to reanimate the dead to serve his needs. Since then, Equestria had been at a stalemate with the Empire's advance, balancing out in all categories. That was before Sombra unleashed the Golems. Magical beasts of crystal, powered by the Heart and piloted either unwillingly or enthusiastically by the ponies that were sealed within. The act of sealing a soul within them disgusted her to no end, but even now she couldn't deny their efficiency. Six of those things had managed to wipe out tens of thousands of her finest Guards, with the only reported way to destroy one was to kill the operator. Even then, the Golem was practically a solid mass of protective runes, and getting past one would take the magical strength of an entire battalion of unicorns. "I understand this situation is far more grim than it was months ago, but look around you, Specialist. Even now, these ponies have no guarantee of safety within our own walls. Sympathizers could very well be waiting in that crowd at the gate, ready to ensure that Sombra and his armies exploit even the smallest of fractures in our security. If a draft would end up keeping them out of our city, then it is a risk we must accept for the greater good of all Equestria." The Specialist stayed silent before nodding and wandering off to help somewhere. Celestia spread her wings and took off for the South gate. Turning her gaze up to the stars, she let a few tears slip through her facade as she uttered a prayer. "Please... if there is a higher power up there... please, don't let it end like this. Somepony... anything... please, help us."
Chapter 1"Ugh, my head," Joshua said as he reached up to rub his forehead. "What hit me?" "[Want the full story or short version?]" a synthetic voice asked the Pilot. Joshua cracked an eye open to see a familiar plastic mask that resembled a kitten in shape, its only features being entirely smooth with one glowing blue eye on the left and a red tear mark trailing down the right side. Further inspection revealed that they were in the empty Medical Wing of the ship, bland white with red crosses scattered about. "Spare the details, Kat, just tell me how bad I fucked up." "[You tried to rodeo a Scorch Titan before you got clipped by a sniper,]" the synthetic Pilot answered. "[Thankfully KD was there to get you before you could bleed out.]" "Right, but what about the pain in my head?" "That's for leaving me with the rest of the job," another voice answered. Joshua sat up to see a bulky dark-skinned Pilot wearing a thick suit of leaves and a cloaking pack that held a Longbow over the shoulder. "Don't act like you don't enjoy taking it seven-to-one, Zeke," Joshua smirked. "Not when we've got to cover your ass to get out of there." "Then take half my paycheck as compensation, because you clearly don't have enough," Joshua remarked, gesturing to the sniper rifle. "[Regardless,]" Kat interrupted, "[the mission was successful, and the IMC facility is no longer operable. Our payment has been delivered and we will wait for further missions until we need to refuel.]" "Another victory for the 6-4!" Joshua and Zeke whooped. "Unfortunately," another Pilot added as she entered the Medical Wing, "it won't be too long before we need to refuel." "Don't ruin our moment of celebration, Jessie," Zeke sneered. "Alright morons, let's recap, shall we?" the Pilot said as she brushed a lock of red hair out of her face. "We nearly got shot out of orbit and Jumped out in the middle of a firefight, we tanked a few hits, and now we're en-route via Jump to a previously unknown area of the Frontier because the IMC may have had some interest in the system a few decades ago, and you're criticizing me for keeping you from celebrating early?" "[I believe the phrase goes, 'every little victory counts,']" Kat said. Jessie shook her head. "Should've stayed with the Marauders," she muttered before exiting the Wing. A moment passed before Joshua stretched, cracking his neck. "So, where exactly are we headed to?" "[Analysis lists the system as Epsilon-Equis XXIII, a phenomenon of a system due to its geocentric structure.]" "Geocentric? You mean the star revolves around the planet?" Zeke asked. "[According to recorded images, yes. It also appears to be capable of supporting life, with an atmospheric composition of 77% Nitrogen, 22% Oxygen and trace amounts of various other gases such as Argon and Carbon Dioxide.]" "Alright, I gotta see this," Joshua said as he got up. "Who's up for pissing off Colton?" \\\////// Captain Tiberius Colton watched in awe as the planet before him merely existed at all. The 70 year veteran was perplexed by the drastically different world that they had arrived at, both in shock and in fear. The bridge crew of the 6-4 Destroyer Charlatan were all captivated by the geocentric system that they were orbiting, more so due to the fact that its surface was a mixture of blue, green and black. "Scans inconclusive, sir," someone operating a station stated, "we've got no match on what that stuff is made of." "What about radiation levels?" Colton asked. "Scans aren't picking up anything harmful, but something down there resembles the phenomenon at Typhon." "IMC signatures?" "Negative on all channels, sir," another technician answered. "No stealth tech, no jammers, not even an echo transmission on any frequency." "What the Hell did we find?" he mumbled. The sound of doors opening signaled the arrival of three Pilots. "Captain Colton, sir," Joshua said before saluting. The Captain turned about and returned the gesture to the Pilots before they relaxed and approached. "Commander Joshua, Sergeant Zeke, Specialist Kat. What brings you to the bridge? I thought you'd be prepping for the next assignment." "We would be, but we heard about this planet, and oh boy," Joshua said as he approached the viewing port, "she does not disappoint." "What's going on down there?" Zeke asked. "We don't know. Planet didn't look like this in the files we appropriated, and there aren't any recordings of giant black crystals anywhere in any Frontier reports in this nebula." "Want a ground team to scope it out?" Joshua asked. "Absolutely not. We cannot risk any kind of disease or God knows what else down there making it to the ship." "[Perhaps if I were to go down there, it would minimize risk to the rest of the ship. I am incapable of contracting any physical virus or bacteria, and it would be far more plausible to sanitize myself and my Titan should we find anything,]" Kat suggested. Colton shook his head. "I'm not going to bet anyone on this. I say we just tell the Militia we didn't find shit and move on to the next job." Before anyone could argue any further, the ship suddenly lurched to the left with a loud groan as everyone was floored. \\\////// Celestia furrowed her brow in frustration as she tugged the Moon about its orbit. "No... I can't be losing this much of my power already, can I?" she said to herself. "I can't let this get to me. Just move the Moon, and get back to the War, Celestia." The alicorn tugged the celestial body harder, pulling the Moon down to the horizon, along with something else. \\\////// "What the fuck is going on!?" Colton shouted as alarms blared across the deck. "Massive Fold phenomenon! It's coming from a mountain range south of the black crystal formations!" a technician answered. "No IMC signatures or spikes in power from the planet! Whatever it is, it's natural!" "Like Hell this is natural!" Zeke said as he grabbed a nearby support. Captain Colton reached for his wrist-mounted communicator and pressed a key before screaming into it. "Attention all hands," his voice echoed throughout the ship, "this is Captain Colton issuing emergency scenario FOLD-31! This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill! All hands to emergency stations! We are being pulled towards the planet! All hands, brace, I repeat, all hands brace!" \\\////// Applejack huffed as she slammed the sliding door on the train car's side closed. She turned to wave the conductor onward before the train whistled, chugging off down the tracks. She turned and began her trek back to her family's farm. A glance towards Ponyville showed what Equestria was like now at sunset, with many homes barring their windows and thoroughly locking their doors at night to prevent anypony unsavory from getting in. It used to be a nice little town with its fair share of disaster every now and again, but now it just cowered in fear of the horrible tyrant that threatened to take over the world. "Hey, Applejack!" The earth pony turned to see a familiar Griffon approaching. "Howdy Gilda. Need somethin'?" The white-feathered and brown-furred Griffon landed by Applejack with a hard impact, accented by the plated armor rattling about and musket tapping against her side. "Just wanted to see if you needed help with that shipment of apple rations, but I guess you didn't." "Nope, just sent 'em off ta Canterlot fer shipment. Princess Celestia's finest need those apples ASAP. Can't stop Sombra on an empty stomach." "If those apples gave the Guard half of your optimism we'd probably be winning right now," Gilda remarked as she tightened the strap of her musket. "Optimism don't make a lick of difference. Celestia and the Guard got us through Nightmare Moon and Discord. They'll pull through." The two started walking down a well worn path through Ponyville, watching their step as ponies rushed home for the night, mares and foals tired and scared while the few stallions that remained closed up their shops and stands. They passed a newspaper vendor and grimaced as they saw the headlines. Sombra's Armies Take Manehatten, Thousands Dead! Changeling Army Stomped by Sombra and Golems! Vanhoover Falls to the Crystal Tyrant! Refugee Surge in South Equestria Leaves Hundreds Homeless! Griffon Air Force Swatted by Crystal Airships! "It's gettin' hard on ya'll out there, ain't it?" Applejack asked solemnly. "Yeah... Gretta and her squad barely made it out from that last battle at Galloping Gorge, and now the Ecclesiarchy is calling out to the Colonies to pull back to fortify their own borders." "Load a' dung, Ah'll say," Applejack said. "Sombra takes over here, ain't nothin' that'll stop him down the line." "Well we're not about to sell out Equestria, I can promise you that. Backlash was severe enough to get one of the High Priests thrown out on his wings for saying Equestria's better suited to be a meat shield than an ally. Bastard clearly never left his mom's nest if he didn't notice that Sombra's aiming for everyone, not just Equestrians." They would have continued to talk about the political storm that boiled across the world were it not for a faint boom echoing across the land. \\\////// King Sombra grinned and chuckled darkly as he watched a stallion beat against the inner walls of the Crystal Golem, flailing in vain to try and break free. The crystal encased him entirely before a wave of magic washed over the stallion and dissolved him into a bright spot in the Golem. The mass of crystal groaned and glowed for a moment before it stood up only to bow before its rightful king. "Excellent," Sombra said. "Soon, Equestria will crumble before my hooves, and I shall convert the corpses of the insolent to further my domain. I can't wait to see the look on that alicorn's face when I-" A burst of sound interrupted his rant, drawing the crystal tyrant's attention to the skies. For the first time in over a millennium, Sombra wore a face of pure shock as a flaming structure fell from the heavens.
Chapter 2"What?" Celestia gasped. "Yes, your majesty," the Guard said, "it was as though the star was knocked down from the heavens before that... thing, came screeching through the skies. It looked like some kind of airship, but it was massive, at least five kilometers long." "And the scouts are absolutely certain that it isn't one of Sombra's tricks?" the Princess asked. "There's no way to tell for sure, your majesty. We'd need to send somepony to scout it in the morning." "Where did it land?" "About 23 kilometers West of Neighagra Falls." "Very well then. Gather up 5,000 Guards and 2,000 Special Forces. We can only pray that Sombra doesn't reach it first." \\\////// Sombra glared at the smoking behemoth that had landed between his territory and Canterlot. Whatever was in there would soon feel his wrath, and those within would bow to his will. "But," he said to himself, "knowing Celestia, she'd probably wait until morning to send her forces to take it. We can't have that now, can we?" Sombra summoned a crystal before him that changed opacity before an image of a dark grey pony with a black and red striped mane was before him. "Bloodlust, I'm sending you and your section West of Neighagra Falls. Something came from the sky and I want whatever's inside of it under my hoof." "Of course, King Sombra," the pony said before the crystal faded. "You never learn, do you Celestia?" Sombra said as he chuckled. "Everything that touches this world is mine." \\\////// Joshua sighed as he dusted off his light blue mesh and adjusted his helmet. "So," he said, trying to break the awkward silence between him and his Titan. "You were incapacitated by sniper fire and had ruptured-" "I know, K-D, thank you," Joshua interrupted. "I read the report and I'm sorry I got cocky." "This is the eleventh time that you have ascribed yourself to poultry, and I find it highly inaccurate," K-D said. "Right, it's just... I'm sorry for getting over confident and nearly dying because I was being stupid." K-D kept three cameras trained on her Pilot as she processed his words. "Your intelligence level has not decreased as of yet, and our link has not shown any degree of loss in efficiency. However, I acknowledge that you mean that you are feeling unwell about your actions in the field. I have documented this apology and will log it in when we return to a proper station for repairs." "Right. Good talk, K-D." "You done sorting your shit?" Zeke asked as he donned his green helmet. "Captain Colton wants us on guard yesterday so we can keep an eye out for local wildlife." "Right, I'm on it," Joshua said as he turned back to K-D. "We'll call you if we need backup." "Affirmative," K-D said as she gave him a thumbs-up. \\\////// Kat and Jessie watched the planet's sun rise at with wide eyes. "[That is not possible,]" Kat said. "It just... accelerated," Jessie said. "That just... what's even going on anymore?" "[Records indicate that the IMC had flagged this system for study into gravitational manipulation before the Milita became a substantial threat to them. This is likely the reason.]" "Right... where are Joshua and Zeke?" "We're here!" Joshua called out as they approached. Joshua and Zeke stopped as they came up to the shard of metal they used for cover. Joshua blew a whistle as he examined the wreckage. "Wow. Guess the damage was worse than we thought." "[Negative, the damage is largely superficial. Only the outermost impact plating was sheared off during reentry,]" Kat said. The Pilots stayed quiet as they watched some Grunts file out from a nearby airlock and start setting up turrets as technicians began to work on the exposed sections of the ship. "How long will this take?" Zeke asked. "[Damage reports indicate that it will take anywhere between two to six hours, factoring in any attacks by local wildlife,]" Kat said. "What if the local wildlife is intelligent?" Joshua asked. "Why would you ask that?" Jessie said. Joshua pointed to the distant line of trees. The other Pilots focused their gear to zoom in and froze. Closing in, not even a full click away, was an army of four-legged animals wearing dark grey, spiked armor with green slits for eyes. Behind them were giant figures made of some kind of crystals, standing on two short legs with large arms that had spiked fists and glowing red areas near the center of their torsos. A few of the crystal things had an unarmored version of the strange beings inside of them. "That's not good." "Attention, all hands to battle stations!" Colton announced. "We've got unknowns coming in from the North and South! Defend the ship at all costs!" "And now they're flanking us," Jessie said as she pulled out her EPG. "Wait, hold fire!" another voice spoke over the comms. "They're diverting paths!" The Pilots of the 6-4 looked up to see a large swarm of blue armored creatures similar to the ones in the North fly overhead, wings spread out as they charged at the line of black and grey armored aliens. Flashes and shouting accompanied their overhead charge as more of the alien creatures ran past the ship's crew to meet the opposing force a few hundred meters away from the ship. The crystal beings charged forth and began swatting at the gold and blue clad beings while the infantry and flying ones began to strike at one another. "Did we just land in the middle of a war?" Joshua asked. "Lookout!" a nearby Grunt called. One of the Crystal things charged through the line of gold and blue aliens before slamming into the hull of the Charlatan, crushing a Grunt and technician before it began to beat against the defensive plating. "Open fire!" Joshua commanded as he pulled out his C.A.R. Sentries targeted the Crystal thing and began pelting it with ionized plasma and a barrage of high caliber automatic fire. The Crystals began to crack and smoke before the red center burst apart, the entire being exploding in a shower of crystals. Several shards impaled a few unlucky Grunts while two pieces cut into Kat's left leg. "[Chassis damaged,]" she said as she limped towards the ship. "[Retreating to minimal safe distance.]" "Shit! Zeke, get Kat back to the ship. Jessie, you and I are going out there!" "Are you actually fucking crazy!?" Jessie shouted as the Militia began to fire at the charging grey and black figures. "Should have read the job requisites, that's practically the whole list," Joshua said before launching a grappling hook to the high point of their cover. "Let's show these bitches how the 6-4 roll!"
Chapter 3Sledgehammer gasped as he struggled to back away from the horde of Sombra's Undead. No matter how many would stand against them, no matter how many would choose to fight for the flame of Equestria, they just kept coming. It didn't matter how many had lain down their lives to stop their march, they just tore them apart and put them back together in a suit of armor to march onward. He looked out across the battlefield and stared in horror as he watched his friends were eviscerated at the ends of crystal spears. One poor bastard managed to survive having his foreleg chopped off and was carrying it in his mouth as he hobbled towards the back of the battle before three Undead tackled into him. Sledgehammer was convinced now, seeing the carnage unfold for himself, that this war was already lost. He felt the ground reverberate as a Crystal Golem approached. \\\////// Soarin' grunted as he body-checked another Undead pegasus into the side of the strange thing that had crashed. He made sure to position himself in such a way that the Undead's head would take the brunt of the impact, and grimaced when he heard the sickening snap of its neck. He couldn't stand the thought of killing before, but now he had no choice in the matter. It was kill or die. As the Wonderbolt banked away from the strange metal thing, he had to wonder what exactly it was. Princess Celestia herself had said that it was imperative that Sombra and his army be kept from retrieving it. A glance down told Soarin' that the owners held a similar sentiment. The thundering echoes from their strange rifles was a constant theme to this battle, firing faster than any weapon that he had seen deployed by either side thus far. The creatures below made short work of the Undead that tried to charge them head-on, and now the Wonderbolts had received orders to clear the skies. A tackle from below sent Soarin' into the side of the metal structure, colliding on top of his left wing. As bones snapped, he tried to scream before a hoof met his face. He saw a dark grey mask peer into his soul through its green slits, a hoof pressing against his throat as the Undead denied him precious Oxygen. Before Soarin' could formulate a retaliation, however, a gunshot went off and part of the Undead's head burst apart, splattering blood and grey matter onto Soarin's uniform. Just as Soarin' began to process what had happened, he felt the sensation of free falling. "I gotcha!" An arm wrapped around Soarin' before he felt his momentum shift into a swing. Whoever was holding onto him was slowly lowering them down before he faded into unconsciousness. \\\////// Joshua grunted as he let the blue-clad creature onto the ground near other ones wearing gold. "He's all yours," he said before grappling away from them. "Pilot, we're going to get overwhelmed out here!" Lieutenant Smith called over the comms. "We need heavier firepower before these damn crystal Titans get through our lines!" "Copy that, Lieutenant. KD, I need you outside now." "Affirmative, Pilot," the Titan responded. "EO, gonna need your help out here too," Jessie said. The Pilot switched out of the comms before he gripped the side of the Charlatan and reloaded his sidearm before kicking off. \\\////// "Get out of the way!" Limestone Pie shouted as she pushed a few Guards back. Where they had been standing, a Crystal Golem slammed its morphed arms into the ground. As it pulled back its spiked appendages, blood and the body of another Solar Guard came off of it, the unicorn gasping before the Golem flung him off of its fist. Limestone grit her teeth before she charged at its stubby legs. The Golem swung a clubbed arm in her direction before the earth pony rolled to the side before reaching its knees. Limestone beat her hooves against its leg with every bit of strength she could muster, yet it only sported a few cracks by her tenth punch. The leg she wailed on was lifted before the Golem slammed its underside by Limestone, the force throwing her back before she tumbled into a jagged rock. The earth pony cringed as she felt something in her barrel snap, but pushed it aside as she gripped the boulder with all of her might. Dirt and insects fell off of the massive stone as she unearthed it. "Eat this!" she shouted as she let the stone fly. It connected with the center of the Golem's body, shattering apart as the crystal menace stumbled back, a few cracks spreading over its surface. A few seconds passed, however, and the fissures were sealed once again. It turned its bright spot to Limestone before she turned around and galloped. 'Celestia buck me to the moon!' Just as Limestone had cursed to her Princess, she heard a blaring horn fire off in the direction of the strange metal thing. \\\////// Sledgehammer looked up to see that a Golem was descending upon him. It slowly trudged forth on its stubby legs, slowing down as it morphed its left arm into a morning star. He prayed that Celestia would look after his family, that they would be able to move on after his death, and that Equestria would survive this terror. Before the bludgeon could come down, however, the ground shook intensely behind him before something massive blocked his vision. "Engaging hostile," a loud monotone voice said. A giant Golem bounded over Sledgehammer's still form, turning about to slam an elbow into the midsection of the Crystal Golem. He heard the sound of metal impacting and gaped in shock as he watched a metallic Golem attack Sombra's creation. It spun about after it landed its blow, the impact knocking away half a meter of enchanted crystals over its core, before leveling a giant rifle into the wound. Thunder echoed from the weapon as energy burst forth from the weapon, incinerating the Golem's core before the metal one kicked it away. Seconds later the Golem's magic core detonated before the remnants of its body fell apart. Sledgehammer looked up to the metal Golem in awe, breath held as its midsection seemed to open. Suddenly, one of the strange creatures soared into the opening. The Golem closed around it as it shouldered the massive rifle as its voice rang. "Pilot mode engaged."
Chapter 4"Everypony get back!" Limestone shouted as she ducked behind a cracked section of rocks. A flurry of crystals shot out from the nearby Golems, the area filling with a maelstrom of crystals. Nearby Guards and soldiers were impaled and skewered by the hail of projectiles. Blood and gore coated the area with a crimson sheen as the earth pony grit her teeth. A few more seconds passed as the ground shook from the impacts of the crystals before stopping. Limestone poked her head out of her cover and saw that everypony around her was torn and ripped apart by the attack, shredded into pony confetti as a group of Undead stormed forth. Behind Sombra's Undead were three Golems, charging at her position as they trampled over the corpses of her fellow soldiers. 'Not like this,' she thought to herself. 'Dear Celestia, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to my sisters.' "Limey!" a familiar voice shouted. Limestone looked to the source of the outcry to see a pink blur slam into the side of a Golem. "Pinkie!" Limestone called out. Her sister pounded her hooves into the Golem, crushing and breaking the magical substance underneath her until it began to shatter and fall apart. The pink pony punched her way through the thick armor of the Golem and managed to find the glowing core of its being. She raised both of her forehooves and slammed them down as hard as she could. The Golem buckled underneath its own weight as its source of power and thought was busted open, much like how one would stumble when their skull folds inward. Pinkie leaped off of the Golem and tumbled next to her sister, panting harshly. Limestone took a close look and saw that her sister's flat, long pink mane was singed and cut here and there, her face sporting fresh wounds. "Pinkie, are you-" "No time! We've gotta run!" she insisted. Pinkie took two steps before crying in pain. Limestone caught her older sister and gasped when she saw that there was a massive gash underneath her barrel. "Shit! You're bleeding out!" "G-g-g... j-just, g-get out of here, Limey... I-I can-" "Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Limestone grunted as she hefted Pinkie over her shoulder. Limestone took a look behind her to see the Undead storming up to her across the terrain, more Golems converging on the two. Limestone hobbled forward, trying to gain distance on them, but the Undead were fast. She watched in horror as they prepared to pounce on her and her sister. 'Celestia, bring us an angel,' she prayed. "Hostiles identified, engaging," a loud, deep monotone echoed. Suddenly, as if Celestia herself were intervening, a wall of fire erupted between the Undead and Limestone. She could feel Pinkie shift on her back as the supposedly divine intervention set the Undead aflame, reducing them to ash in a near instant. What came next shocked them beyond belief. It stood taller than any of the Golems they had yet faced, and was far, far wider and bulkier than them. Its entire body was made out of metal, with a few small circular devices dotting its upper half. Its arms were covered in small circles that were glowing and smoking, and it hefted out what looked like a massive cannon. It was coated in red paint in a pattern similar to that of a tiger, and its upper section was painted with what looked to be a hateful demon. That section then opened up with a hiss, revealing one of the strange creatures from the metal structure. "Oi, get your asses out of here! I'll cover you!" she shouted. "Hey!" another voice reverberated. The metal behemoth and the smaller creature turned to face one of the Crystal Golems as its midsection opened up. Limestone and Pinkie looked to see where the other voice had come from and blanched when they saw who it was. "Oh stars, no, not him," Limestone pleaded. Approaching in a bloodied Golem, was a grey pony with a red and black striped mane, sitting in the midsection of the crystal monster. He wore a cocky grin and a lust for murder in his eyes. "It would appear that we have somepony to fight on an interesting level!" he said, the Golem raising its arms up as he did. "I'll admit, I've grown bored of squashing Celestia's foals like insects. Let's see what that hunk of junk can do compared to our Lord's magic?" he said as the Golem closed around him. "Pffft, please. You wanna go toe-to-toe with the 6-4 in a rock?" the alien mocked. She craned her neck to the side as the metallic beast pointed a finger at the Golem. "Compared to what I've gone through in the last week, you're practically a day off," she said as the metal behemoth thrust a thumb down. She fell into the metallic beast before it sealed her inside, Limestone turning to gallop before she could be caught in the crossfire. 'I really, REALLY hope these guys are on our side!' \\\////// Jessie was not having that good of a day so far. She was almost nicked by one of the flying ones when they were fighting over the Charlatan, nearly trampled by the grey-armored ones when she went out into the field, and had to toss away her EPG when she ran out of ammo, resorting to a measly pistol. Then, this rock-fucking quadruped thought it could shit-talk a Pilot of the 6-4, while she was in her Titan. To say that she was a little ticked was like saying that her Titan was a little bit heavy. "Alright, EO, let's show these bastards how we do," she said, cracking her knuckles as she linked to her Titan. "Affirmative. Transferring controls to Pilot." Jessie felt the familiar tingle of a link being established, and grinned as she flexed EO's arms instead of her own. \\\////// Bloodlust grinned to himself as the other Golems near him charged towards the alien Golem, readying their hammer-like arms as they prepared to tackle into the metallic thing. The metal Golem brought up its left hand as the nearest Golem brought its arm down in a swing, and what happened caused Bloodlust to gape. A fiery aura manifested before the metal thing's hand, and vaporized the Golem's arm as it came down. The Golem stumbled forward as its weight was suddenly horribly off balance, the crystals on the end melting into plasma from the sudden shield. Next, the metallic Golem shot a knee forward to knock the Golem onto its back before pressing the shield into its midsection, melting the crystal away before its core was exposed to the super-heated shield, igniting the magical substance in an explosion that broke the magical Golem into shards. The second Golem tried to duck down as it charged towards the alien Golem, intending to impale it on the massive spike on its back. Before it could take another step towards the alien, however, it leveled the cannon in its right hand at the Golem's legs and fired. A single object ejected from it and exploded underneath the charging Golem. The blast of flame eroded and melted the Golem's legs, leading to its tumble and crash into the dirt. The explosion lingered underneath it, melting through until its core was ignited as well, bursting underneath it. Bloodlust looked to see the titanic metal beast turn its attention to him as it loaded in another shot into its cannon. "You think you can dare to stand against Sombra!?" Bloodlust screamed, his voice echoing through the crystals into the world. "He is our one true overlord! And you will learn to respect him in all worlds!" With that, he willed the crystals remaining from each Golem to go to him, shards of the untouched crystals floating over to his own before merging partially with its arms. He aimed them down at the alien before mentally commanding them to fly forward. The alien Golem crouched as it raised its fiery shield once more, hunkering down as it tanked the hail of crystals that should have left it completely shredded. What was more, was that Bloodlust could see a series of minuscule hexagons fade in and out of reality around its chassis, protecting it further from harm. When the barrage ended, the alien Golem stood up and threw its cannon onto the ground before jets of flame erupted from behind it, propelling the metal beast forward. Acting purely on fear, Bloodlust willed the Golem to throw a punch, only for the metal one to turn its arm towards him. The underside, covered in small circles, began to glow with power, before breaking off his Golem's arm in one swing. Bloodlust cried out in agony as he felt the magic feed directly into his nervous system burn away at his senses, before another swing burned his other arm off. Sombra's loyal Golem Commander screamed in pain and fear as the metallic monster delivered two more punches to the crystal mass, burning away all of Bloodlust's protection. The moment he was exposed to air, he could feel every hair on his body light aflame from the sheer heat of the metal beast's attacks. Wailing in pain, he looked up to see both of its arms come down on him. \\\////// Limestone and Pinkie watched, with mixed emotions, as the metallic Golem slammed its arms down onto Bloodlust, burning the pony alive and melting the Golem with a final smash. "Holy shit," Limestone muttered as she watched one of Equestria's greatest threats be pummeled to death.
