Let me tell you something you might not believe. When Equis was visited by the Traveler, we thought and believed that the races of Equis would become the inheritors of the universe. WIth the powers of the light and magic, we would be invincible.

We...were wrong. The Traveler saw our greed, our hunger for more power, and left us. Then, they came. First...were the Scavengers, or as you know them, the Fallen. They singlehandedly toppled the Griffon dynasty in a siege of forty days. They called themselves the House of Bane. We then realized we were not alone out there. We managed to fend off the Fallen, but we were not ready for what came next.

The Red Legion, under the Dominus Ghaul. Unlike the Fallen, which came to scavenge, he came to take what we had guarded for so long, the Traveler. When he learned that it had left, he decided to take what he could not understand as a prize of consolation. Our magic, which we had guarded for so long against the Fallen.

And he succeeded where no one else did. In a great struggle that destroyed Canterlot, Celestia and Luna were captured, and their alicorn magic taken from them. The Crystal Empire conquered, and its leaders disappeared with their child. Leaving the last ascended Alicorn, Twilight Sparkle, who fled and founded the Resistance, a force to take back their home. By this time...home was a very poor term to be used. The Everfree had long grown rampant, and it had consumed Ponyville. Canterlot and the other cities, broken and in a shambled form of destruction. The Tree of Harmony was dead, seized and destroyed by Ghaul. And the bearers of the Elements of Harmony?

Dead, captured, or long gone into legend and myth.

This happened three years ago. And now, Twilight Sparkle, leader of the Resistance, is now a battle-hardened leader, and custodian of the Crystal Heir, Flurry Heart. Cadance had been captured and her magic taken, and Shining Armor had given his life to protect Flurry and Cadance. Now, the ponies cry for help from the stars to come, in any way. And the Traveler hears their call…

===============
Equestria, Resistance Base Home One
Midnight

Twilight Sparkle looked over battle reports from her office, inside her Resistance's underground sanctuary beneath Canterlot Mountain, built and expanded by the Diamond Dogs before they were all killed or captured. Twilight was not the same. Her mane had been cut short in a sign of mourning for her brother, and she had several scars lining her body and wings. She had grown to Cadance's size, and with her new age and mind, she had learned the art of war.

"Damn." Twilight swore, looking at one report. Five soldiers had been captured by the Cabal during an ambush, and their bodies had been left headless and desecrated by the Legion, left as a taunting gesture. Furthermore, the news from the Dragon Lands was worse. The Dragons had been wiped out, Torch and Dragon Lord Ember had been killed, and their lands destroyed. The Changelings, Minotaurs, Yaks, Diamond Dogs, Deer and Griffons were all but extinct, but a few of each kind served in the resistance.Twilight sighed but did not cry, as she had no more tears to shed. She looked at a series of photographs on her desk. There were her friends, the Princesses, her love Flash Sentry, and many more. And nearly all of them were dead.

Fluttershy had disappeared with Discord into the unknown.

Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity had died defending Ponyville from Ghaul.

And Pinkie Pie still lived, but she was not the same. Her mane had long permanently deflated, and she still smiled, but it was a forced smile, always tinged with sadness and loss.

Flash Sentry was serving in the Resistance, but he and Twilight rarely saw each other. And he had escaped from the Cabal multiple times, but his wings had been carved away by the Cabal Psions, leaving scars that would never heal.

And Celestia, Luna, and Cadance…

Captured, and held aboard the Dominus's flagship by Ghaul himself. Shining Armor had given his life to deliver his daughter to Twilight, to ensure the Empire would survive. Not that it mattered. The Crystal Heart had shattered long ago with the collapse of the Empire, which was now in ruins.

"Aunt Twilight?"

Twilight looked up to see Flurry Heart walk in. Now Fourteen years old, she was still the young foal Twilight once knew in terms of physique, but her mind had accelerated rapidly with the times. She was now an effective tactician.

"Yes, Flurry?" Twilight replied, with the kindest smile she could muster.

"I...couldn't sleep." Flurry sighed. "I had a nightmare about...my parents."

"Come here." Twilight said, beckoning. Flurry walked forward and Twilight embraced her tightly, and Flurry started to cry. Twilight hugged back as best as she could, and she muttered soothing words to her niece.

"I miss them…" She sobbed. "Dad's dead, mom's gone...why?"

"I can't say." Twilight said. "I miss them too. I don't want you to think that I'm not taking this hard too, Flurry. I lost most of my friends, my teachers, and most of my family. Flurry, you're one of the very few loved ones I have left. And I don't want to see you cry."

Flurry nodded and eventually, she was silent.

"Let's go to bed, okay?" Twilight asked. Flurry nodded and as they walked into their private dorm, they fell asleep.

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Flagship of Dominus Ghaul, Prison bay
Equis's orbit

Dominus Ghaul walked slowly through the halls of his flagship in silent thought. He would never say it, but he was troubled. The three alicorns in his care were keeping up their mental and physical resistance to the Psions, and he decided to take it upon himself to find out why. He had long claimed their magic, destroyed their world, killed countless numbers of the world's inhabitants, but still they resisted. Two Centurions stood to the side as he entered the bay where the alicorns were kept. They were strapped down in a triangle, and implants put in their bodies by the Psions kept them from regaining their magic, and constantly sapped their strength, keeping them weak and unable to escape. Ghaul watched as the ones called Luna and Cadance slept as best they could, as they knew that their implants monitored their brain activity. Any plans to escape would be noticed and quickly stopped.

"What do you want now, you monster?" Celestia snapped angrily, her voice filled with venom and harted.

Ghaul laughed, a deep, beastly laugh.

"I have been known and called far worse than a monster, pony." He rumbled. "I must commend you. Few of your kind have resisted the Psions as long as you."

"If that is what you call those torturing brutes, than I am flattered." Celestia replied.

"Save it for another time." Ghaul replied. "I have taken your magic, your world is desolated, your kind driven into hiding. What is there to fight for?"

"Hope." Celestia said. "Hope that we will destroy you all."

Ghaul laughed again.

"Hope...such a spineless, naive thought. When I came to this world, I had hoped to only claim the Traveler's light as my own. But your magic...piqued my interest. You did not rely on the Light, but your magic. It kept your society alive. And now...it is dead. Every mountain can be brought low by even the weakest of warriors. And you...are no warrior. You are a fool to resist when all else bowed before me."

"And you are a tyrant." Celestia retorted. "You came to our world and destroyed everything we held dear!"

"I have conquered countless worlds and brought them all asunder." Ghaul chuckled. "Your groans mean nothing. I have heard screams with more power than you ever shall voice in your life. And once I have all under me, my worth shall be proven to all."

"Twilight and Flurry will stop you." Celestia spat.

"Those two are weak, cowardly, insignificant." Ghaul growled. "They hide in the dark, with no power to challenge me. I will have them all broken and destroyed, sooner or later. And when I do...I will kill every...last...one of your kind to prove my will. I will take your magic and crush all who would stand against me. I shall walk over the cold corpses of the thousands of worlds I have conquered to claim the light. And nothing...will stop me then. I would enjoy seeing you then, Celestia. And when all's said and done, it will be glorious."

Ghaul laughed, and departed. Celestia leaned back into her bindings, and she started to sob in the dark, but no one aboard the ship could hear her. But thousands of light years away, something did hear her cries.

Sol System, Earth, Last City.
The Tower, Vanguard Room

Commander Zavala stood steadfast at the window, as a massive storm lashed and throttled the Last City with wind and rain. The sky was black and peals of thunder roared, lightning crashed, and the wind howled.

"Still storm-chasing, Zavala?"

Zavala turned to see Cayde-6 walk up, wearing a poncho soaked with rain. Zavala gave a brief nod, and turned back to the window.

"Well, all things aside…" Cayde said, walking up to the window. "It's real nasty out there."

"Where's Ikora?" Zavala asked.

"Right here."

Both Vanguards turned to see Ikora Rey walk up and stand on Zavala's right side.

"The Speaker has told me the Traveler is sorrowful, almost crying out in anger." Ikora said. "It has heard a cry from the great beyond, one of repentance and distress."

"Is that why it's really hammering outside?" Cayde asked.

"Yes and no." Ikora replied. "The Traveler is not angry at us. It is merely expressing itself, in a sense."

"And the Speaker said this?" Cayde said.

"In a way." Ikora replied. "The Speaker told me the Traveler is in need of three Guardians to answer its call."

"We're not sending Guardians out in jumpships in this storm." Zavala said immediately. "The Hawks couldn't handle the winds, neither can jumpships."

"That's not what I mean." Ikora replied. "When the storm breaks, the path will be made clear."

"So, where exactly are they going?" Cayde asked the Warlock.

"Beyond the Reef, to another system the Traveler had visited." Ikora said. "Frankly, I was just as surprised as you."

"We'll send Fireteam Herald." Zavala said. "When the storm breaks, I'll speak to Amanda Holliday and Dead Orbit."

"I'll round up the supplies they need." Cayde said.

"I shall alert the Guardians." Ikora finished. As they turned back to watch the storm, the rain lashed ever more.

Author's Note

Guardian Fireteam Herald details
Titan-Rook-3-Exo-Sunbreaker (Will become Sentinel), Ghost-Fen
Hunter-Leo Davenwood-Human-Nightstalker (Will become Arcstrider), Ghost-Ness
Warlock-Casiana Rulis-Awoken-Stormcaller (Will become Dawnblade)-Ghost-Spyre
Armor
Rook-3-The Shelter in Place Set, Noble Constant Mark
Leo-The Took Offense Set, Frumious Cloak
Casiana-Xenos Vale Set-Ego Talon Bond
Weapons
Rook-3-Auto Rifle, Pulse rifle, Shotgun, Grenade Launcher
Leo-Scout Rifle, Double SMGs, Sniper Rifle, Machine Gun
Casiana-Pulse Rifle, Hand Cannon, Fusion Rifle, Rocket Launcher