Today We Summon Unity!

Chapters

March
Meeting
Celebration
Breathe
Spearton
Proxie
Persuasion
Charge!
Diplomacy
Meeting
Conflict
Companions
Power
Perpetrator
Something Old
Robin Rarity
Sword’s Wrath
Revenge
Blueblood
Keeser
Unity
Legacy
Insubordination

March

I march in front of my Speartons, absorbing the atmosphere my troops make. The Swordwrath walks next to me, Joseph. The Archidon leads his own people, Robin. Holding the map to the enemy is the Magikill, Harry. I ask Harry, “Come on, it’s an army! How hard is it to find!?”

The mage simply looks at the map more, “Settle down, Atreyos. Maybe the Chaos deceived us. That’s what I’m looking for, so be patient.”

Joseph points out to the horizon, “Might that be the ‘army’ we’re looking for?”

I look forward to see a single figure walking towards us. Wearing green robes, and other details I can’t see. I laugh, “Ha, they send one against an army of a hundred! I could crush them alone with my ten Speartons!” I smile, “Come on Speartons, aren’t I right?”

They all make a noise of approval, the tiny noise still traveling across the battlefield.

I smile, and ready my spear, “Alright, so, let’s go!”

I’m about to move, before I’m blocked by Harry’s staff, “Stop, Atreyos you young fool! That person out there is a mage, a powerful one. Don’t just blindly charge to prove your glory, I’m sure Robin will take care of them.”

I sigh, the old man is right. Robin picks his way up to us, and readies an arrow into his bow, “Bet I could hit him from here, wanna bet? Ten coins on a hit.”

I smile, before the Magikill wack’s Robin on the head, “That could be a diplomat here to give unconditional surrender for all you know. Now, get your bow ready, but hold fire until you need to.”

Joseph looks at us bickering, “Look, we should have a compromise here. Remember, Unity? Now, if they are a diplomat, then we should show our confidence and slowly approach. Not charge, but just walk out to meet them, show we aren’t afraid of a single mage.”

I shrug, “Might as well. Speartons, march!”

“Hah!”

With a stamp of our spears on the ground, we move forward. The other warriors follow us.

The distance between us and the figure dwindles down as we both move towards each other. I make out more details, green robes, crown, snakes for hair. This is definitely Queen Medusa. Maybe she is here to offer unconditional surrender ‘oh, Speartons, I’m so sorry I ever made you mad, have all my land!’ Wouldn’t that be great, getting some actual respect without needed more than just our name.

We finally reach a point where we are at least 20 yards from her. I shout out to her, “Well, speak already!”

She looks up, “You rebels make my plans harder. Yes, Order may have to rally against you too, but I know you will enslave my Giants just like they did.”

I bang my spear on the ground, “You presume honorable Speartons would do the same as Order has done!? Your offense shall be paid for in your own-“

Harry smacks me with his staff, “Atreyos, be quiet. We all took offense to her statement, doesn’t mean we have to get violence yet. Now, let mage talk to mage.”

Medusa laughs, “Oh, as if I care about what that brute Spearton says! You complicate things for my plans too much, and I can’t have you here. See, I don’t want to kill you just yet, but I can’t have you faffing things up. So, say goodbye to Inamorata! And say hello to wherever you land!”

She starts to move her hands, and the ground below us starts to glow. I see Robin get a arrow off, hitting her in the shoulder, but not doing much. The ground turns into a portal, and I shout out at her as she makes it, “Why don’t you face me like a man, huh!? I will come back and kill you! My spear will go down your neck and come out at your feet! You hear me!? I will find you, and show you the power of the Speartons! You will die-“

I feel the ground collapse from beneath me, sending all of us into the void. I start to swing about, my body losing its center of gravity every few seconds. I can see my brothers fly around in much the same way. Only Harry manages to keep upright in the void. Maybe upright, maybe upside down, I can’t tell.

It felt like we were in there for a century, but it was just an hour. Eventually, we land. And we land hard.

The breath in my lungs is knocked out as I land belly flop style on the ground. Joseph lands on his head, Robin on his back, and Harry on his feet. I recover, and stand up.

I see Harry there, on his map once more, “Oh, wow, another map!? Oh boy, I can’t wait for the days you’ll spend this time!”

Without even looking, Harry hits me with his staff, knocking me back on the ground, “Atreyos. Shut up, please.”

I stand up, and approach the old man, “Why!? Why should I shut up!? Look around us, were in Order’s homeland! I don’t even need a map to tell that!”

The Magikill shakes his bearded head, “No we aren’t! Look at the map! We are nowhere! This land is not on Inamorta! Do you not get it, Atreyos!? We are on another world entirely!”

I look back at the mage in shock, “We aren’t in Inamorta?”

He nods, “Yes, that is correct. This land seems strong in magic, strange. Look, there is a castle on that mountain over there, they might help us. This is a gift, momentary peace.”

I walk right up into the face of Harry, “Peace? My people are living in chaos and disorder, and you say ‘peace’? There is no peace, Harry. There is no peace until my Speartons are freed from Order! There is no peace until the Swordwraths are freed, Archidons, Magikill! Until my people are freed, and the Empire Order lies dead, there is no peace within me. And there is no peace within the heart of any true Spearton!”

The old man flinches a bit from my shouting, “We use this time to prepare, that is what Chaos missed. That is my ‘peace’, Atreyos, the time to prepare. Maybe the inhabitants of this land will help us.”

I back off, “Sorry, Harry, I know what you mean. I just got angry.”

He smiles, “It’s within Spearton blood to get angry. I’d be worried if you didn’t do that.”

I look out at my army, “Alright, let’s get an idol and a camp going!”

The troops move to build as quick as they can.

———

Little did they know, a certain white member of royalty felt their presence. With a single spell, and some writing, contact is sure to be established.

Because a purple mare in his library has been given a mission. And she is off with her friends.

Meeting

I stand and watch the sun as it rises. Strange, I can actually see it rise. In fact, it seems to be going quite fast. I guess that is an interesting detail, but one I could care less about. The morning sun reflects off my polished armor, and the armor of my brothers.

The old man finally walks out of his tent, hobbling along with his cane, “Rise and shine, old man! Finally awake?”

He simply conjures a mug of coffee, and drinks it, “It’s morning Atreyos, and I’m old. Just because you as a young man can rise early does not mean I can.”

I scoff, about to shout back before I’m interrupted, “Six unknown creatures!”

I look at the Archidon that spotted them, and climb up there with him. Robin, Joseph, and Harry all join me up there as well. We look together at six colorful creatures that move through the forest we find ourselves in. Joseph looks at them, “I haven’t seen creatures like that before.”

I look at the things closer, “Horses!”

The Swordwrath and Archidon look over at me. Robin says, confused, “How do you know that?”

I glance at Harry out the corner of my eye, before returning my gaze to them, “Horses were actually used by a Empire of old. The Knightmares, rode on horses and used lances. That is until they fell apart against Chaos and became Westwind and Pertland. After their failure, they betrayed themselves to peace and allowed us to take over. They served as defenders in Westwind, not as attackers, fending off Chaos. At least, until Order invaded and forcefully took them over. It’s no wonder you haven’t seen horses, they went extinct in the First Battle of No Man’s Land. Slaughtered along with King Richard and his men who charged against the Giants.”

Joseph smirks, “I didn’t ever think there would be an intellectual Spearton, no offense intended.”

I sneak another glance at Harry, before sighing, “When I was a child- no. You know what? That’s none of your business over why I know so much. So, don’t mention it again, please.”

He just shrugs, “Alright.” He points forward, “So, why don’t we go meet them? They walk like they’re intelligent.”

I nod, before vaulting over the ramparts, and land with a roll. I rise from the roll to my full height, towering over the horses. Hearing two other impacts behind me, I know my fellow warriors have done the same. Harry would obviously take the slow route.

The ponies jump back in suprise from our sudden and intimidating enternce. Our idol stands behind us, the two stone swords buried into the stone base. They look at us in mild fear, until a purple horned one walks up to us, “Greetings. I am Twilight Sparkle, here on behalf of Princess Celestia.”

I glare into her eyes for a few more seconds, all for intimidation, before holding my hand out, “Atreyos, leader of the Speartons.”

She shakes my hand as the others introduce themselves, “Robin, leader of Archidons, and marksman unparalleled.”

“Joseph, leader of the Swordwrath. Pleasure to meet you.”

With the sound of a staff hitting the ground, the final member appears, “Harry. Leader of the Magikill. Old man who has lived longer than most.”

Twilight smiles, “These are my friends. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack.”

I look at the ponies as she mentions them. Applejack and Rainbow Dash seem to be more aggressive than passive, unlike the rest. I glare at them two in particular, creating an air of tension, “You sure don’t look like diplomats. Where are your weapons?”

She looks arpuns at her friends, “Weapons? Why should we bring weapons? That would go against our policies of first contact!”

I shake my head, “Diplomats that don’t carry weapons? What mad world have we entered. The weapon is a mark of respect. Diplomats bring weapons to show they respect the enemy enough to be prepared to defend themselves. By not bringing weapons, you insult the strength of the ones you go to meet. Foreign Relations 101, something about everyone knows.”

She loses her smile, “Oh, really? I’m going to have to ask more about your culture later if diplomats carry weapons.” Then she smiles again, “Within two days, Princess Celestia and Luna shall come down to meet you. Until then, we offer you Ponyville’s hospitality.”

Harry smiles from behind his beard, “We would’ve be glad to sample your hospitality.”

She smiles, “Great! In order to prepare, how many do you have?”

I take this question, “One hundred and four. Fifty Miners, Twenty Swordwrath, Fifteen Archidon, Ten Speartons, Five Magikill. And us four.”

Her face drops at the numbers, “One hundred and four. Dear Celestia.” She looks to her side, to see a pink blur race off, “Pinkie! No!”

Harry walks forward, “You need not worry about lodgeing. We make our own.”

The Miners start to shove the tents into their bag, and one shoves the statue inside. Soon, the entire encampment is gone, and we are ready to march.

The pony smiles, “Follow me.”

I shout back to my brothers, “Speartons! March!”

She looks back at us, “There is going to be a party for all of you when we arrive.”

Why does that statement fill me with fear?

Celebration

I move with the five ponies through the forest. Creatures of all types stare upon us, but dare not move to attack. Even if all the creatures of this place were to band together, our army of one hundred would crush them.

Eventually, the trees thin out and are replaced by more light growth. The trail turns into a path, and eventually a road. Ahead of us is a decent sized town, could fit a few hundred.

The entire town seems to be out, stamping their hooves as we approach. A banner is tied between two signs ‘welcome to Ponyville’ it says. The town is brightly colored, and the ponies no different. Much to colorful for my tastes, no practicality.

Our army marches into the town to the booming applause, and Pinkie Pie from earlier pops up in front of us, “Harry, Robin, Joseph, Atreyos, everypony else in the back, welcome to Ponyville!”

The crowd quiets to hear our reactions. After a pause to think, I remark, “You could be useful in war. If you could do this in an hour, I think you could build a castle on the go. Eh, maybe not, much to bright to wear our armor.”

She smiles, and reaches behind her, “Then let’s get this party started!”

She pulls out... oh shit, a cannon, “Duck and cover!”

I hold up my shield, ready to block the projectile that was sure to fly at me. I hear everyone else dive to the floor, and the flourish of a staff as the old man prepares to defend.

After a few seconds of no fire, I look over my shield to the cannon. It’s pointed away, and when it fires, it fires party supplies. Pinkie turns around and smiles at us, “What are you all so worried about? It’s just my party cannon!”

I lower my shield, and approach right up to her. I lean down to look her in the eye, her blue meeting my pure white, “Let me advise you something, girl. If you point a cannon at us again, you will die before you can fire it. So, don’t do that! Got it!?”

She actually starts to break down in tears, “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

I lean back up, “By the Spear, you are crying because of that!? I don’t think I’ve ever met a weaker person than you. Grow some skin.”

“That’s enough!” I hear a voice shout from behind me.

I hold up my shield against the coming attack. The pegasus that attacks me flies right into it, and gets sent flying back. I smile a tiny bit as Rainbow Dash recovers like a champion, “You dare attack a Spearton!? I knew you had it in you.”

She shouts back at me, “Stop bullying Pinkie! All you’ve done since we’ve met is shout and insult everything! That’s enough!”

I laugh a tiny bit, “Bullying?! My dear, what kind of world is this where mean words are bullying!? Back in Spearta, it would require death before it would be considered bullying! If you have a problem with how I respond to threats, then come on!”

She grimaces, “Well, you asked for it.”

She flies at me, to which I bash her out of the air with my shield. She lands and recovers again, and I twirl my spear, “You attacked a Spearton. Prepare to pay the price. Your sentence is my spear down your esophagus!”

She charges once again, and I thrust out my spear.

“Enough!”

The two mages shout simultaneously, and pull us apart. I was sent back by an explosion, and Rainbow by a purple aura. I look towards Harry, “You stoped me, old man!? It was just getting fun!”

Twilight glares at her friend, “Rainbow Dash! What did you think you were doing, attacking Atreyos?”

Rainbow looks around, confused, “He was shouting at Pinkie?”

She shakes her head, “That’s no reason to attack him! He is a diplomat, you just committed a crime! Now, what he did is bad. But you shouldn’t have just attacked him!”

I stand myself up, “As if you could call that an attack.”

She whirls around on me, “And you, Mister Atreyos! What were you thinking saying those things!?”

I shrug, “I was thinking ‘this bitch just threatened me, let’s respond in kind’. You know, the average response from someone who had a cannon pointed at them! For all I knew, she was going to shoot me!”

Twilight shakes her head, “She was simply prepareing a party! There was no need for harsh words.”

I laugh, “Harsh words!? Those are considered harsh words? By the Spear, I need to look up the history of this place.”

She sighs, “Can you at least apologize?”

I look over to the pink pony, “I misread your intentions. But, my point still stands. Don’t point a weapon at me unless you intend to use it.”

She immediately brightens up, “I forgive you, Atreyos!”

I shake my head, “Wasn’t asking for forgiveness. Whatever.”

Twilight sighs, “Alright! Now, party start!”

The army and town start to mingle, and I lean against a building. I feel a glare on me, and see Rainbow deadlocking me with her eyes. I turn mine to her’s with cool indifference, and a hint of anger. She gets the message, and looks away.

I slightly sigh as the army enjoys themselves. So, I did what I do during any free time in a city.

I set off to find the library.

Breathe

I take a deep breath, and absorb the smell of books surrounding me. I turn the page, and read on.

’The last huge battle seen in Equestrian history is the Battle of Hollow Shades. The Lunar Republic held a desperate last stand as Nightmare Moon confronted Princess Celestia. Over ten thousand ponies died, fifteen thousand captured, and thirteen thousand... never recovered. As the ten thousand of Solar Army Center marched into Hollow Shades, they were ambushed from all sides by Five thousand of Lunar Army Back. After ruthless fighting, Captain Sunshine pulled a brilliant move and forced the ambushing forces back with only two thousand dead on both sides.

Solar Army Center then marched into town proper, and met up with the force of one hundred thousand in Army South. Together, they faced the fifty thousand of Lunar Army Main. The battle raged for hours. Ponies dropped like flies on both sides. But the battle was cut short. Seen below is an interview from a Solar Lieutenant.

“That battle was Order in perfection. Me and my brothers moved as one, at the beginning. Then, it all broke down as we started striking down Lunar Soldiers at will. I rember, I killed fifty and captured ten. I was stabbing and slashing through the enemy, blocking all hits coming towards me. Then, it all stopped. From far away came a deafening boom, one that rattled us all to the core. When we recovered, we looked up, at the moon. And laying within it was a mare’s visage, looking down upon our battle in defeat. I remember watching an enemy combatant look up. When he saw that, he collapsed, lost all will. Then, he looked at the endless pit in the middle of the town. And... he flung himself off. Others followed him, all just jumping off into that hole, or they laid there doing nothing. They’d lost all will. And that... that was terrifying. I am a soldier, I have killed hundred and not batted a eye, it’s war. But this terrified me. All other times, it was war and I was a victor. This time, it wasn’t a war, it wasn’t a battle, it was a mass suicide. To know somepony would rather die than face the fact that their hope was gone. It’s a horror that should’ve never happend.”

It was this battle that our calendar is built off of. This battle ushered in year One, Solar Rule. And it is now rumored that Nightmare Moon shall return on the thousand year anniversary.

This is Filled Page— 43 SR.’

I close the book, and move onto the next one. ‘0-100 Discord’s Rule: a century’s guide’.

I open the book, and hear the door open. A young boy’s voice speaks, “Oh, hey, you’re one of the spear guys.”

I don’t even look up, “Spearton.”

The pitter patter of fest walks across the floor, “Why are you in here? The party is for you.”

I start my reading, “The people don’t seem to like me responding to threats. Either way, I enjoy reading more than pointless celebrations. I haven’t done enough to have a celebration in my name.”

I hear the slight scrape of metal, “What is your name anyway?”

I turn the page, “Atreyos.”

I hear some slashes through the air, “I’m Spike, the dragon.”

I look up to see if I was in fact conversing with a dragon. What I see is a hatchling holding up my sword. I’m about to shout at him, but I wait a second. I watch how the dragon handles the blade, and find myself impressed, “You handle my weapon quite well.”

He looks over at me, “This is yours?” He then slowly places it on the table, “I thought it was just some weird decoration.”

I stand up, “No, no, pick it back up.”

He slowly picks it up, “Okay then.”

I nod, “Hmm, you hold it well. Go ahead and swing it.”

He takes the blade, and starts to dice up the air.

I nod again, “I must admit, you’re quite good with it. You ever hold a blade before?”

He looks up, “A real one? That would be a no.”

I pick up my spear from where it rested beside me, “Here, use this instead.”

He takes my spear, and I take my sword. With a flourish, I put it back onto my waist, and I hold up my shield, “Okay, now, attack me.”

He looks between me and the spear, “Uhh, you sure about that?”

I nod, “Go ahead, attack me. Pretend I’ve done something bad, and attack me.”

He stabs the spear forward, and I easily sidestep it. But, he does something interesting. He swings it at me still, not allowing my sidestep to matter. I bash it out of the way, and block it when he goes for another one.

He never loses his hold on it, and is swift with his attacks. Now, he never hits, he’s not a trained warrior like I. But still, he has potential, “Okay, stop.”

He holds the spear back, “Okay, what was that all about?”

I look him dead in the eye, “Listen close, and listen good, for this might be the most important question of your life. You wield that spear and sword good, you’re a natural. So, I’m willing to grant you the highest honor in the world, even if you are another race. Do you want to become a Spearton?”

The dragon looks at his spear, than back to me. He shrugs, “Sure.”

I smile, “Then we start now, student. Grab my spear, grab my shield, I’m going to teach you basic maneuvers.”

He follows after me as I walk outside the library, “You’re going to teach me to fight?”

I nod, “The Speartons are the greatest warriors in Inamorta. You will learn to become one of us.”

He smiles, “Sweet! Alright what first?”

I remember my own training, “You learn the basic form. Stabbing with the shield up. Begin.”

Spearton

I hold up my shield for the dragon to strike, "Shield bash!"

Spike listens, and lashes outwards with his shield, knocking mine out of the way and sticking his spear near my neck, "Got ya!"

I smile, "Good, very good." I hold up my spear, charge a bit, and grant him some more strength, "You are advancing quickly, that's excellent. You are strong, quick, and clever. Exactly what a Spearton is. So, you know what?"

He leans forward, "What?"

I hit him in the kneecap, enough to make him kneel, and place my spear on his shouter, "You have proven yourself worthy, young dragon. So, I hereby declare you a Spearton! Take your title in pride, and wait for me to get you your own helmet and spear."

He looks up in surprise, "Already!? But we just started today! Surely there is more for me to learn?"

I shake my head, "From me? No. What you have yet to learn does not come from me. You shall learn all that is left not by training or listening, but by fighting. Just as i graduated to a warrior in one day, so do you. Don't doubt yourself, you are a natural at the spear, and all your foes shall fall before you."

He stands up, and smile, "As you say, Atreyos. Don't allow me to question your decisions."

I stamp down, "No! You are a Spearton, you are to question every decision! If your mother tells you to get the milk, you ask why! If your friend asks for you to help them, you ask why! If you are not satisfied by my explanation, you ask why!"

He puts on a shit eating grin, "Why ask questions?"

I nod, "Exactly." Then I point to the tree house, “Now, rest for an hour or so before we move on to more intense moves and actual fighting. You may be a Spearton, but that doesn’t mean you are a true warrior.”

He nods, and rushes off, “Sure!”

And as I watch him jog indoors, I hear the flapping of wings. I turn to where I hear it, and find my favorite pony yet. Rainbow Dash, putting on a face of sorrow, “Look, Atreyos, I’m sorry for what happend earlier. There was no need for me to attack you, and for that I am sorry.”

I get down on one knee, and look her in the eye, “Rainbow Dash, are you being honest? Tell me exactly how you feel.”

She shakes her head, “No, not really. What you did to Pinkie was uncalled for. And I just don’t feel right apologizing until you do. I’ve already seen what happens when I turn a blind eye to stuff like that, and I’m not allowing another Gilda situation.”

I nod, “I can respect that.” I stand up, “I respect you, Rainbow Dash, you are the only pony with the balls to actually do something. I can read your moves, you are a warrior of some type, and one who is brave. You protect others, and that is good.”

“Thanks?”

I nod, “Now, I as a Spearton, cannot exactly apologize. But, one warrior to another, I was wrong. I did not know your world hasn’t seen conflict in a thousand or more years, and I didn’t know harsh words would affect one so as it did. Tell your friend that I was in the wrong in that situation.”

She tilts her head, “So, you’re apologizing?”

I shake my head, “No, apologizing would imply I feel bad about what I did. I feel good, I was in the right. She pointed a weapon of war at warriors, and I defended myself without violence. I will say I was in the wrong, but I do not feel bad. I do not apologize for all I’ve killed in war. I was in the wrong in that situation, everyone is, it’s war, but I do not apologize for fighting. There’s a difference, remember that.”

She nods, “Okay, I guess I can forgive you now. We cool?”

I nod, “We’re cool.” I hold up a hand to stop her departure, “Oh, and relay this message to your friend. If she has something to say to me, come meet me face to face rather than sending a proxie agent. If Twilight wants me to be sorry, let her come and confront me herself. Tell her that, and make sure she knows I don’t respect people useing proxies.”

She stops, “How’d you know it was Twilight?”

I shrug, “She sounded smart, and your first line was to smart to come from you. No insult, in face it’s a compliment. You get the point acrosss as she spends her time wasting away on useless jargon that does nothing but sound good. Tell her that as well, if she wants a intellectual discussion she should talk to Harry. He’s the one who- no, never mind that. Now, fly off back to her and Pinkie, and relay my messages.”

She’s about to take off again, before turning back, “Uh, what was I supposed to say the first time?”

I shake my head, “Come and face me without useing body shields!”

She nods, “Alright, now that I can understand!”

She flies off, and I enter into the library. I have yet to finish that book on the Discord Era.

Proxie

I take a swig of water, enjoying it's cool taste. Then, I hear the sound of a door opening, and a voice saying, "All right, Atreyos, here I am."

I look over to see Twilight, glaring right at me, "Oh, how good of you to pop in as yourself. So, you are angry at me, why?"

She shakes her head, "I'm not angry at you, exactly. I'm angry at your uprising. I had a conversation with Harry, and learned of your race's headstrong and aggressive attitude. So, I am going to try my best to show you the magic of friendship!"

I shake my head, "Yeah, no. You say Harry told you this?" I walk to the door, "I'm going to remind him to stay his mouth when it comes to me."

She says one last thing before I walk out, "Why are you always mad at Harry? Why do you two always but heads?"

I look back at her, "None of your business. If you want to learn, then stop trying to force your peace down my throat. Have a good night."

I walk out into the new night sky, the moon shining bright upon me. I jog down the streets towards our new encampment. I quickly reach it, and seek out the light filled tent of Harry. I open the flap, letting some cold air in that shakes the candle's flame, "Let me advise you something. If people want to find out more about me, they should ask me. So, please don't tell any others that."

Harry looks up from his book, "If that's what you wish. Goodnight, Atreyos."

I nod, "Goodnight, Harry."

I walk through the encampment to my tent, and quickly fall asleep within.

I look around myself. I'm back in training. My practice spear and shield in hand, as I hear another approach me, "Oh, lookie here! Atreyos thinks he can become a real Spearton like the rest of us!"

I turn to face the taunter, another recruit, "Shut up, Brutus. As if I care about your pathetic little taunts."

Brutus laughs more, "Oh no! You gonna use fancy language at me! Oh Spear slay me now, I'm quivering in my boots! Why don't you go rushing back to your father, you dirty hybrid!"

I point my wooden spear at him, "Why don't you back up your threats? Or maybe you're to scared?"

Oh shit, I remember this fight. I got my ass kicked ten ways to sunday. This is not gonna be fun.

Then, a blue light cuts across my vision, and through Brutus. He dissipates into mist, and that mist reforms in the form of a tall pony. I wait until they have properly phased into being to speak to them, "Who are you?"

The blue alicorn, Luna, speaks back, "I am Luna, Atreyos. I have heard about you already, Twilight's letters are quite entertaining to read. It is a pleasure to meet you."

I nod back, "And a pleasure to meet you too. Even if I don't like the atrocities you committed."

She looks down, “Are you talking about our time as the Nightmare?”

I nod, “It was sad for such a great warrior to fall so terribly. I sympathize with you through most of history, even in your fall. But I can not sympathize for the things you did.”

She looks up, “You sympathize with me? As if you have any idea.”

I nod, “I know what you went through better than most. To be hated by so many, and loved by so few. Just as with you, the only person who loves me, I hate. The worst part is that I don’t even hate him as a person, but for what he is.”

She looks me right in the eye, “You think you know what we went through?! To look upon our people and see nothing but hate!? To look at yourself and think you a monster!? To treat your family like hostile invaders!? What would you do!? What would you do, Atreyos, if you had to see the dreams of those who don’t believe in you!? You don’t!”

I look her right back, “I do. Every time I look upon my Speartons, I see hate! I see their dreams in their eyes, crushed as they gaze upon me in despair! But I still push forward, hoping they will accept me one day! To see them change would be my only hope. To know they look at me as a man, not as a hybrid. I am hated for no good reason other than who my father just so happened to be. You had some control, you had a life after your birth. But I have none, and I am just trapped between two extremes. Angry, or calm, headstrong, or smart. I don’t deserve to be his son, he’s too good a man. But he had me, and somehow he finds pride in me. So, I sit and hope my people will learn to accept him.”

She absorbs my rant, “And your father, where is he?”

I slightly smile, “He’s with me every step I take. Ever since my mother’s death, he was there to teach me and lead me. My first steps, first words, first kill. Always there, even if the people he’s surrounded by hate him for having me. Even when one of those people is me. He is a beautiful person, could be my best friend. But because of what he is, I pretend to hate him.”

She’s about to speak again, but the realm we’re in melts away, “Oh, you’re waking up.”

I faintly hear something, crying out from all around us, yet faint, “Harry’s gone!”

———

I wake up immediately, and rush out of my tent to Harry’s. A Swordwrath stand outside, with the tent flap open. I push past him, and look in. The Swordwrath speaks, “He’s gone, and signs of a struggle are evident. Look in the middle of the tent.”

I look, and find a black, insect like pony. A scorched part of the tent and it’s knocked out state speaks of Harry useing his stun spell. My ears start ringing as I turn to the Swordwrath, “Get me my tools, and get everyone to gear up.”

I hear something that sounds like yes, but I can’t hear it over the ringing. I move to the black pony as it wakes up.

I pick it up, choaking it, and look it in it’s blue eyes, “You have made a terrible mistake. Better prepare to start talking. I will find Harry, one way or another, and you are going to have a bad time.”

Persuasion

I walk into the enclosed room, and see the black insect pony there. Some rush in, bringing my tools, and strapping the thing to it's chair. I smile as they bring in the supplies. Water, rags, spears, and much more. I nod towards the men, "Leave the room now, leave me with this thing. We'll march by the time night falls once more, if all goes well."

The soldiers salute, and walk out of the room. They are replaced by a group of six familiar ponies. Twilight looks at the creature that's tied up, "You found a Changeling?"

I nod, "Harry has gone missing, and this thing was where he was. I'm going to find out where Harry is."

She nods back, "Well, we're going to help you. We need to make this room brighter, having it this dark will make us seem unequine. We also have to untie it."

I shake my head, and hold up my hand, "No, no, no. You are not going to interfere. This is my job."

She looks around, "But the setup is wrong! Much too dark, and damp. How is he supposed to have a comfortable conversation if the room is like this?"

I move closer to the Changeling, "We aren't planning to have a conversation. I suggest you all leave. This work is not for the light hearted."

Three of them leave the room, leaving just Rainbow, Applejack, and Twilight, "Well, I have to study this new method of information extraction. Is it some type of magic?"

I darkly smile, "I do love to work my magic. Now, it's not the type of magic you might know. And I really say you should leave. But, lets get started."

The Changeling looks at me as I approach, "You'll never get anything from me."

I laugh, "You'd be surprised. Now, where is Harry?"

They shake their head, "I will never tell you."

I nod, "Then let's do this the fun way. Would you rather have your teeth pulled out, or drown?"

They consider the question, "Have my teeth pulled out."

I kick the chair down, so the thing is gazing at the roof, "Drowning it is then!"

They slightly laugh as I grab a rag, "You won't do anything."

I wet the rag, and put it over the creatures mouth. I grab my jug of water, and turn to Twilight, “If you’re writing this down, make sure you get the name right. This is called Waterboarding. Quite the effective strategy, leaving very little physical injury.”

“Physical injury?”

I take the water jug, and pour some right onto the rag. Immediately, the creature starts to gag and choke. I take the thing off as soon as the oxygen runs out, “Where is Harry?”

It takes gasping breaths, “I will never say!”

I shrug, “If you really want to continue. I know that what I’m doing is unknown in your world. You have no idea the pain I can bring.”

I put the rag back on, and pour the rest of the jug on it. I repeat the cycle, taking the rag off. The creature gasps again, “This is monstrous!”

Twilight steps up, “He’s right, Atreyos. This is wrong.”

I ignore their words, “Hoof or hide?”

The creature catches onto my game, “Hide.”

I grab the spear that’s been waiting in the coals and embers. I smile, “Hide it is then.”

I take the red hot spear, and shove it against it’s hide. A permanent brand is burned in as the creature screams.

I pull the creatures head forward, to look me in the eye, “Wing or horn?”

The creature cries out, “Please, don’t!”

Twilight shouts out as well, “Atreyos, you can’t!”

I look it right back, “Then both.”

I grab it’s horn, and pull with all my might. It breaks off at the base, looking more like a jagged knife in my hands than a horn. I take it, and saw it against the wing. With a single slash, the wing is chopped off. The creatures screams fill the air.

I shout at the creature, “Where is he!?”

It starts to break down, “Why!?”

I punch it’s face, sending it off to the side, “Where is Harry?! Where did you take my father!?”

I take out my sword, and aim for the other wing, “No wait! Please!”

I look it back in the eye, still threatening the wing, “You have a change of heart?”

It lowers it’s head as it cries, “He’s in the crystal caverns in Canterlot! Our Queen kidnapped him to use as leverage against you! Please, just stop the pain.”

I nod, “Your wish is my command.” I flip the sword around, and cut it’s head off with a single slash. I wipe the green blood on the body before two soldiers come and take it away.

The silence from the spectators is deafening. Until one of them speaks, “What the hell did you do?”

I look to see Applejack speaking her first words to me, “I granted him mercy. Generously granted him what he wanted.”

Rainbow stares at the horn still in my hand, “Dude, that’s fucked up in so many ways.”

Twilight is frozen, “You killed him. You gave him excruciating pain before killing him. Are there not laws against that where you are?”

I nod, “There was. They called it the Geneva Convention, an ancient treaty made by our ancient ancestors. They tried to create rules, and they ended up killing each other. Centuries pass and we reclaim the old land, with new rules. Anything goes. There is only one thing we don’t use, and that is the old artifacts. Old books tell of the destruction that destroyed Earth before it became Inamorta, and we vow not to ever use that power. We use what would be archaic weapons to them, to maintain prosperity. That Convention made rules, they broke them, and we discard them. If I need to get info from that fucker, I will.”

She is still shocked, “But, why so brutal?”

I start to walk out of the room, “They kidnapped one of us, they declared war. And they chose the wrong person. They kidnapped my father, and they will pay.”

I walk out into camp, and shout orders, “Everyone, gear up! We march against the Changeling scourge!”

Charge!

We Spearton’s enter first, rushing into the cavern and surprising the bugs within. We kneel, allowing the Swordwrath to flip over us, and into the enemy. We all simultaneously lift our shields, and hold them up into the air. Archidon jump onto our shield, and jump again as we throw them into the air. They all fly a good ten feet high, almost hitting their heads on the roof of the cavern. They all draw their arrows and rain hell upon the Changelings. Each one fires off three arrows with prefect accuracy as they come back down to the ground. We let them land back on our shields, and throw them in an arc forward. They fly right over the heads of fighting Swordwrath, and let loose a blanket of arrows behind them as they pass over the Changelings. They land on their feet at the other edge of the cavern, all standing up and letting loose arrows into any Changeling they see.

We all lift our shields up as one, and charge forward. The Swordwrath hear us coming, and back flip over us as we run through the Changelings with our spears. We slam our shields outward to knock the bodies off of our spears, allowing us to stab once more.

Within a minute more of stabbing and shooting, the final Changeling falls. The near three hundred Changelings taken out like the bugs they are. I flick the green blood off of my spear, and start to move towards a second cavern, “Come on now, we’re not done until every Changeling lays dead!”

I move into the second cavern, only to hear the sound of an explosion. When my eyes clear the bring light, I can see a fight happening. Changeling bodies are scarred all over the ground in varying states of wholeness. In the middle of the cavern is a huge Changeling, presumably the Queen, who is fighting against Harry.

I can see the Queen swing her sword at him, which he blocks with his staff. He looks over my way, “You took your time! Mind helping?”

The Queen backs away, only to be hit on the head by Harry’s staff. I rush in, stabbing my spear forward as I rush her. She flies into the air with no problems, deftly avoiding my attack. She spots my spear being overextended, and drops down on it as she transforms into a weight. She lands on my spear, forcing me to let go of it, and pull out my sword from my side.

I rush forward as she transforms back, nicking her in the cheek with my sword. With my other arm, I bash her to the side with my shield. She goes spinning away, but she uses this to her advantage. She continues to spin as to face me, swatting my sword out of the way as it goes towards her. Her horn lights up, and I can feel my sword be wrenched from my grasp. Then an explosion rings out under her, sending both us and my sword flying across the cavern.

I flip in the middle of the air, and get out my final weapon. My dagger, a Changeling horn sharpened and put at the end of a grip. I drag it out and rush at the Queen as she gets back up. She looks at me, ready to react, until she sees what I carry as a weapon. Upon sight of the horn, despair fills her eyes. I use this to my advantage, cutting off her horn with one blow.

She takes it like a champ, barely even flinching. Then, I stab her right in the stomach with the knife.

With that stab, she finally screams. However, this isn’t a scream of pain, but a scream of misery and despair. She collapses onto her side, tears flowing freely from her eyes, “What have you done? What have you done?!”

It takes me a second to realize what she’s talking about, then I look at where I stabbed. Right into the stomach of a Queen of a race of bugs. I take an involuntary step back as I realize what I’ve done, “Oh... oh fuck...”

She coughs roughly as she bleeds out, “My entire race, wiped out in a single day. All I wanted was for them to be happy...”

I hear tiny little scampering on the ground, as a mini-Changeling rushes up to the Queen. It prods at her, trying to flip her over with her muzzle.

The Queen leans over and nuzzles the child, “Shh... don’t worry. You’ll probably be with mommy again in a minute.” She coughs once more, and face towards me, “Please... I know I did wrong, but please... take mercy upon her. Don’t allow the Changeling’s to die out... all because of me.”

I observe the Queen with indifference, “Yes, you did do wrong. You fucked with the wrong Inamoratans.”

Another Spearton walks up to the pair, and holds his spear above the child, “Let me take care of the pest.”

He is about to plunge it down, until I stop him by putting my knife against his neck, “Stay your spear or this will slit you open.”

I look to the Queen who smiles, “Thank you... protect... Asta...” She fades away as she loses the last of her blood.

I look at the Changeling child, and reach down to pick it up. It doesn’t struggle as I lift itself up to my face. It’s pure green eyes meet my pure white ones. I look into it’s eyes, sympathy rushing through me for one so similar. I don’t smile as I look at the child, only meet it’s eyes, “Welcome to the Speartons, Asta.”

Diplomacy

I watch our soldiers care for the wounded, even if every injury is minor. The changeling, Asta, rests comfortably in the bag I carry upon my back. It’s as we are waiting that we hear tons of hooves marching in our direction. We all hop into position, Speartons rushing to form a shield wall, Archidons hastily jumping behind us, Swordwraths mingling with the Archidon just as quickly, and Magikill walk at a slower than average pace into their place.

Ponies in golden armor rush into the cavern, spears at the ready. However, all of them stop as they see the carnage still spread all around the cavern. I can see a few of them even turn their heads to vomit on the green blood coated floors. Then, someone different comes in. A tall winged unicorn, pure white with a flowing mane of color. Her eyes don’t betray her disgust, but instead carry a very clear message, despair, “By Faust, it’s worse than I thought.” Her eyes then travel over to us, and all her emotions evaporate, “My name is Princess Celestia. Who is your leader?”

I very slowly rise from the middle of our spear wall, “My name is Atreyos, leader of the Speartons.”

Robin steps over the shield wall to join me, “I am Robin, leader of the Archidons, and best marksman in the world.”

Joseph then flips over the wall, landing on his feet right next to us, “Joseph, leader of the Swordwrath.”

Harry slowly moves up with us, his staff hitting the floor as he stands next to us, “And I am Harry, Head Mage of the Magikill.”

Celestia looks at the four of us with inexpressive eyes, “What say all of you to meeting in the castle for a chat?”

I slightly growl, “And what gives you the confidence to demand we chat with you?”

Robin smirks, and slightly draws an arrow, “All it would take is one arrow.”

Joseph doesn’t change his face of blankness, “Or one slash.”

Harry then decides to hit all of us on the head with his staff, clanking off my helmet and slamming against Joseph’s and Robin’s skulls. He shakes his head, “Must I be the only one around here who doesn’t want to kill everyone?” He sighs, and looks out towards Celestia, “Yes, we would be happy to talk to you.”

She smiles, “Wonderful. Guards, dismissed.”

I compemplate her show of good will by sending her guards away, before looking at our army, “Go on back to camp.”

They all nod, and start to leave the cavern next to the pony guards. Celestia nods, “Alright, well, to the castle we go.”

With a popping sound, we end up in a fancy room. It’s very golden, and a lot of stuff is made from marble. In the center of the room is a table with five cups on it. Celestia walks over, and takes a seat. We all follow her example. Harry nods as he takes a sip of his tea, “So, Celestia, what is it that we are here to talk about?”

She sighs, and puts down her glass, “I’m afraid that is where we drift into darker territory. What we need to talk about, is your genocide of the Changeling race.”

Meeting

“You know, when Twilight told me there was a band warriors led by a violent leader, I didn’t believe her.”

Harry smiles, “Is that what she truly thinks?”

Celestia nods, “Oh yes, although she would never say it to your face. Twilight is shy like that. She is, after all, a citizen who has never seen anything other than peace and happiness.”

Atreyos nods, “Yes. Your people are weak without warfare to harden them. You are different, I take?”

Celestia nods once more, “Oh yes, my father raised me in a way that taught me how rough the world would be. Dumped me out in the wild with Luna and said he would only ever intervene if we were about to die. He had to intervene a few times.”

Atreyos smiles, “Sounds very Spearton.”

Celestia looks over at him, “And I partake that you are proud of that?”

Joseph nods, “We are all proud of our culture. Children never grow weak, and men never grow lazy.”

Robin smiles, “Yes, and our culture would allow us to crush your people. Warrior culture is a very powerful idea.”

Celestia smiles, “I understand. Peace is a foreign concept, isn’t it? You come from a place where you are born to die, and raised to protect your culture with a burning passion. So a changeling stealing one of your own would cause you to take the most logical step. War.”

Harry nods, “Yes, Celestia, war. Realize that all we ever wanted to do was reclaim myself, and we never meant to kill their entire race.”

Celestia nods, “I understand that, but I’m afraid the Changlings won’t.”

Atreyos leans forward, “You said we killed all of them!”

Celestia shakes her head, “Oh, no, I would never think that. You committed genocide against the Changeling race, yes. But that was only because you completely wiped out the Green Hive, who had less than a thousand strong anyway. The Red, Blue, and Brown Hives shall seek revenge for the wiping out of their fellows, and I will not offer your asylum within my nation.”

Robin leans back, “You won’t?! You said you understood!”

Celestia nods, “I understand, but I cannot agree. For the extinction of the Green Hive, I banish you on penalty of death!”

Atreyos shouts back, “Wait!” He takes off his bag, “We didn’t kill all of them.”

Celestia looks at him, “What?”

He takes the changeling foal from his bag, and puts it on the table, “Asta. The Queen asked us to take care of her, and we agreed.”

Celestia looks at the foal as it scrambles to stand on the table, “A Green Queen? So the Hive can come back after all.”

Atreyos smiles, “So, I take it we aren’t banished anymore?”

Celestia looks at him, “I cannot simply allow you to stay.”

Atreyos loses his smile, “Is there anything we can do?”

Celestia sighs, “Well, there is one thing. Ponies in towns on Equestria’s southern border have been disappearing without a trace. If you can find out what is doing it, and stop them, then you shall be allowed to stay.”

Harry nods, “Then we shall hunt the one responsible.”

———

Hooves clack against the chitin floor, walking to a central room.

Queen Messorem of the Red Hive sits there, a blade laying at her hooves, “These warriors killed Chrysalis! We must extract our revenge!”

King Nullam of the Blue Hive snaps back, “She was planning to attack Canterlot, her demise was expected. Do not say you can truly support her plan to steal love from the ponies?”

King Laevus of the Brown Hive nods, “Nullam is right! Chrysalis was a warmonger who risked her Hive in a dumb maneuver! Her loss is a great one, yes, but we must see this from their perspective. I will no longer stay in a Moot that demands me to support her rash actions. Good day, Messorem.”

He teleports out of there, and Nullam nods, “I’m sorry, sister, but he is right.”

The approaching hooves push open the door to the meeting room right as Nullam leaves. A handsome, yet scratchy voice laughs, “Hello there, Messorem.”

She looks at the door and sees a squad of ponies with glowing blue eyes. In front of them stands a true monstrosity.

His once white fur is now gone, leaving rotting skin on the outside. His wings and horn are white, but have strands of black running through them. His bright blue eyes shine with the confidence of the past, with a black pupil showing the dark power that now fills him. Golden hair is combed over his head, and the same gold sprouts in a short tail. His compass rose mark now has a pure black outline against his skin. His teeth shine in comparison to the rest of him. Most of his body is covered in a gold coated cloak, and a crown sits on his head.

What stands out the most is the glowing blue necklace that he wears upon his neck.

Messorem backs up, “What the hell are you!?”

The rotting alicorn smiles, “I, my dear, am King Blueblood. King of the Enclave, Rightful King of Equestria, Leader of the Revolution, Destroyer of Equis, Servent to Zalgo, and Element of Greed.” His necklace’s glow starts to get brighter, “You are my servant, and your Hive is my army.”

Messorem’s eyes are overcome with a bright blue glow, and she starts to claw at her face. She eventually falls before Blueblood, and bows, “I serve you.”

He smiles, “Perfect.” He looks to the side, “Brutus!”

The Spearton walks up, his eyes glaring at him, “What?”

Blueblood nods, “Be a dear-“

He punches Blueblood, “Do not call me a ‘dear’, Blueblood!”

Blueblood stands back up, “Fine then, no need to be so sensitive! Take your new army and go raid a few towns, please. I’m sure that will get the attention of your rival, Atreyos, was it?”

Brutus nods, “Very well then.”

Conflict

The ponies of Dodge Junction run and hide in fear from the encroaching Red Hive. They cower in their homes, only to have loud bangs sound and rip them to shreds.

The changeling commander looks over the battlefield, “Unit three and four, equip tranquilizers, we want these ponies alive. Unit one, pick up the ponies for transport. Unit two, make sure none escape. Five and six, you have overwatch duty, have the Ver ready.”

The changeling soldiers immediately follow commands, all making sure that their guns will not kill any ponies.

The thestral crossbreed nods, “Remember, these are gifts from King Blueblood, we are not to lose any of them. Losing you gun is a death warrant, so don’t.”

The changelings continue rounding up the ponies within the town, executing any other race.

The thestral crossbreed’s eyes start to glow, and she nods, “Units five and six are to hold fire. Every other unit, abandon your duties and prepare for a counterattack. I want three lasers in every window, and a plasma in every door. Everyling else, get your guns set back to lethal.”

Atreyos, Harry, Joseph, and Robin all rush towards the burning town from the rail station. The fire can be seen from far off, meaning trouble.

Or fun, if you are from Inamorata.

But when they arrive, they do not see any raving mad bandits, nor do they see any sign of life. All that is there are the burning ruins of Dodge Junction.

Robin draws an arrow, “Keep your eyes peeled, everyone, I have a feeling that something off is about to happen.”

They begin to slowly march forward, their simultaneous steps causing a firm march in the ground.

But then the ground starts shaking, right behind the Speartons, in the middle of the Swordwrath warriors.

They all stop, and the shaking stops as well.

One Swordwrath looks around, and shakes his head, “It’s nothing.”

He takes a step outside of the group, and the shaking starts once more.

A giant sand worm pierces the ground, swallowing the Swordwrath in a single bite.

Robin fires off an arrow, hitting it in the eye, “Archidon, fire!”

The worm is filled with arrows, causing it to fall down, dead.

But then a different series of sounds ring. A loud bang, a zap, and the sound of someone melting.

Atreyos barely blocks a green glob of plasma, and he shouts, “Spearton, shield wall, protect the Archidon!”

Robin fires an arrow into a building, “Changelings, in the windows!”

Magikill minions rise from the ground as Harry also shouts, “In the doors, overwhelm them!”

The other Magikill all summon their own minions as the Archidon start to fire off arrows.

The Swordwrath look to their leader as he raises his blade, “Swordwrath, charge!”

They all charge towards a group of changelings in the street, carrying weapons that release a projectile with a loud bang.

Joseph swings his blade, cutting the projectiles before they can reach him. His Swordwrath all do the same, although not to the same effectiveness.

The Spearton form a square around the Archidon, raising shields to block the lasers being shot at the Archidon, and making it so only their bow can be seen.

The Magikill minions die quickly, but they are created even quicker. Even one changeling who carries a rotating plasma caster that fires very fast struggles.

The thestral crossbreed looks down upon them from her vantage point. She shakes her head, “We’ll lose changelings at this point. This a pointless battle.” Her eyes glow red, and she speaks, “Unit five and six, retreat immediately, they cannot get their hands on plasma or laser!”

The Archidon arrows and Magikill minions lose their mission as the changelings start to flee from the buildings.

The Swordwrath meet the mass of changelings firing at them, and start to slash away at them.

The crossbreed shakes her head, “Every unit, retreat. Ver located at Alpha, Echo, and Golf.”

The changeling’s spread their wings and fly away from the warriors, still getting cut down by the Archidon.

They fly towards the different meeting points, and fly into the mouth of the Ver.

The Ver burrow back underground, and escape back to their home base.

The Inamorataians look around at the burned city. Atreyos shakes his head, “If there is anyone there, don’t worry, you are safe!”

A filly slowly comes out of one of the remaining houses, “Are the bad ponies gone?”

Atreyos walks over to the foal, putting his spear over his shoulder, “Don’t worry, they won’t be back.”

She looks up at the armored man, “Where’s my mommy?”

Atreyos looks around, not seeing any more ponies come out of their house, “What is your name?”

She looks around, “Dark Dawn, but I go by Dawny.”

Atreyos smiles, “Well, Dawny, we are going to try and find your parents. Until then, how would you like the be able to talk to the Princess?”

She looks up at him, “Really?!”

Atreyos nods, “Yep. We were sent by the Princess herself, and I’m sure she would be happy to keep your company until we can find your parents.” He looks to the army, “Joseph, Robin! Take care of her and prepare to go back to the city, please.”

Robin nods, and smiles at the filly, “Hey, you wanna see me shoot an apple off of Joseph’s head?”

She nods and smiles, “Sure!”

Atreyos watches them walk away, until someone calls his name, “Atreyos!”

He turns around to see Harry motioning for him to come closer. He jogs over, “What is it?”

Harry picks something up from the ground, right next to the body of a changeling. He shows it to Atreyos, it’s grey exterior still shining in the light, “This.”

Atreyos takes the object, and examines it, “No... there’s no way.” He points it in the distance, and pulls the lever. The thing fires off a burst of projectiles with a loud bang. He throws the machine gun to the ground, and backs away from it, “How?!”

Harry shakes his head, “It is obvious that we are dealing with more than simple changelings.”

Atreyos kicks the object away, “How is an Old World gun here?! Ever since the Destruction, we destroyed all of them! Hell, the Destruction destroyed most of them! What of those plasma guns as well?! They definitely aren’t from the Geneva Era! These artifacts are impossible! What tricks are you playing, Harry?!”

Harry looks down, “It isn’t a trick, Atreyos. The enemy are equipped with arifacts we thought long destroyed.”

Atreyos looks up at him, “What if they get the Bombs? We cannot let Equestria become the next Inamorata!”

Harry steps up, “Why not? You can never answer that, Atreyos. Why not make them the next Inamorata!?”

Atreyos looks in his eye, “Because they are weak, Harry. They are not warriors, they are civilians clinging to a Magic within Friendship. They are pure, and we never were. They do not have Bombs or artifacts like we did in the Geneva Era. So we must make sure they will not ever have them.”

Harry speaks as Atreyos turns around, “We are going to need someone to track down the changelings. Someone smart, someone fast, someone strong.”

Atreyos stops, and thinks for a second. He then continues on, “Set for Ponyville, we make to retrieve Spike and Rainbow Dash!”

———

King Blueblood growls, and punches the crossbreed to the floor, “Worthless!”

The crossbreed looks up, “I only want to serve you, King Blueblood!”

He glares at her, “Well, you failed, Friten! You retreated when you could’ve easily killed more of their army!”

Friten stands in defiance, “I saved changeling lives!”

Blueblood spits in her face, “As if I care. Changeling lives are worthless, all that matters is victory and gaining a loyal army of ponies!”

Brutus walks into the chamber, and glares at Blueblood, “What the hell do you think you are doing to my soldier!?”

King Blueblood turns to him, “Punishing her.”

Brutus walks right into his face, “First you build weapons just like the artifacts, then you punish my soldier yourself! I am coming closer to quitting on your everyday, Blueblood!”

Blueblood smiles, “And I could kill you before you take a single step out of the door, Brutus. But Friten here is your soldier no longer. No, I have a fitting punishment.” He looks at her, “You are to watch the workers in the factory. You shall be forced to watch as all these changelings you ‘saved’ are killed to make our weapon.”

Brutus steps forward, “Excuse me!?”

Blueblood turns to him, “You are excused.”

Brutus growls at him, “You are going to kill soldiers all for this one weapon? Why?!”

Blueblood turns away from him, slapping him away with his rotting wing. Brutus goes flying as Blueblood turns to face him once more, “You do not know the power of the Nuke, Brutus! With a single one of these, we can wipe Canterhorn Mountain off the map, and kill the royalty of Equestria in a single blow! Then all shall bow to me!” He laughs, “I was forged in Balefire, shaped by Zalgo, and now I carry more power than any on this world! I am made of revenge, I am born of vengeance, I am created just to spite Raven, and I shall reclaim my throne from him! He may be powerful, but he shall before the might of a combined pony race led by me!”

Brutus spits out a tooth, only to have it grow back instantly. He looks at Blueblood as he laughs maniacally, and starts to rub his cheek.

Yet as he sees his black armor, he remembers why he is here. Yet his resolve starts to fade as he looks back at Blueblood.

He continues his laughter, with the blue glow from his necklace casting a pitch black shadow against the far wall. It is almost like two red, bleeding eyes can be seen from within the walls.

Companions

The army marches into their Ponyville camp, taking shelter for the approaching night. Atreyos, Harry, Joseph and Robin all set off for the town. They all head for different targets within.

Atreyos walks into the town square, and he looks up into the sky, “Rainbow Dash!”

His shout can be heard by her, and she comes flying down into the square, “Atreyos? Weren't you guys just in Canterlot yesterday?”

Atreyos nods, “Yes, we were. But circumstances have changed. I... I need a warrior, and a scout.”

Rainbow looks down at him from her cloud, “Really? You are asking me to help you? Why the heck do you think I would help you after what you did to that changeling!?”

Atreyos looks down, “Because... because the lives of everyone may very well depend on it. The changeling allowed me to find a plan, and a very old weapon.”

Rainbow scoffs, “Oh boy, what? The changeling’s gonna come at us with clubs?”

Atreyos shakes his head, “Something far worse. The weapon that destroyed my world.”

Rainbow locks on to him, “Dude, you’re serious?”

Atreyos nods, “I do not make a habit of lying, Rainbow Dash.”

She shakes her head, “And why get me? I’m sure that contacting the Princess is probably a better option.”

Atreyos looks up at her, “I meant what I said to you before. I respect you, you protect others. You have the balls to actually do something.”

Rainbow flies down to his level, “What I saw... you can’t expect me to forget it.”

Atreyos shakes his head, “No, I do not. You are a peace loving civilian who has never seen any actual violence. I’m sure that torture will probably be stuck in your head for the rest of your life. But it needed to be done.” He puts a hand on her shoulder, “I expect you to move on anyway, one warrior to another.”

She looks at his hand, now having left it’s grasp on his sword. She smiles, “Sure, I can help you. So, what kinda threat we talking here?”

Atreyos smiles, “I have no idea.”

———

Robin knocks on the door to Rarity’s house, three times for politeness. She opens the door, and smiles, “Oh, Robin, I wasn’t expecting you!” She motions in, “Come on in, I assume you are here for an important business?”

Robin follows after her, and nods, “I would not have arrived to your elegant estate if I did not have important business. I did enjoy our chats before, but I fear this one will have more impact behind it, my lady.”

Rairty puts out a cup, and pours some tea into it, “Well, go ahead and say it. Perhaps you could sway me over with your gentlemanly charm.”

He nods, and gratefully takes the cup, “Thank you, Lady Rarity. It is just that the last time I saw you, I couldn’t help but notice your elegance and grace. In fact, I would say your own is nearly equal to mine, and that is quite a feat.”

Rarity takes a sip, “Oh, you are such a charmer. I saw you do those arrow tricks for the foals, and that definitely took a lot of grace. I could see it in your form, every muscle used optimally, yet not losing their grace.”

Robin smiles, “An eye for detail, such could describe your own, Lady Rarity. But, beyond that, I would think that if anyone could launch a projectile like me, it would be you.”

Rairty smiles, “Oh, I’m hardly some sort of archer.”

Robin nods, “That may have a lick of truth in it, but I wasn’t talking about just archery. Your diamonds, and gems that you control so perfectly is what I’m talking about.”

Rairty takes another sip, “Well, as much as I enjoy this chat, might I ask what this has to do with your important matter?”

Robin smiles, taking his own sip, “Well, Lady Rarity, I need an archer. One I could add to the ranks of the Archidon with confidence. And, my Lady, I could think of none more deserving than you.”

Rairty sets her cup down, “So, that’s what this is about? You want me to join your band of archers?”

He nods, “Yes. We are going up against an enemy that is very powerful, and we need someone that can match me. The other three Kings are all fine, but even Joseph couldn’t beat me. But you? My Lady Rarity, I think we might just stand a chance with you beside us.”

Rairty smiles, “Well, you are such a gentleman, and it is such a good offer. Well, I suppose I could join you, especially if you are going against one so powerful. But how about we drink the rest of our tea first?”

Robin smiles, and takes a sip, “How about I show Sweetie Belle some more tricks as well?”

———

Applejack kicks one of her trees, trying to get what she saw the day before off her mind. She starts to kick harder and harder, until she accidentally kicks down an entire tree.

She is stopped when she hears a voice, “You are very strong, Miss Applejack.”

She looks over to see Joseph leaning against a tree, “Yeah, I know, I just kicked down an entire tree!”

Joseph smiles, “Well, physically as well, I suppose. I was talking about your mental strength. I imagine most ponies would be a lot worse off if they saw what Atreyos did. But you seem to be taking it surprisingly well. Strength is good.”

Applejack stops, and walks over to him, “Why are you here, Joseph?”

He nods, “Because the world is at threat and I need someone strong by my side.”

Applejack sighs, “Don’t ya’ll already have enough strength?”

He shakes his head, “Not for this enemy. I ask that you join us so that we can save the world.”

Applejack looks at him, “Is this threat also one to my family?”

He nods, “It is.”

She sighs once more, “Count me in, then.”

———

Harry enters into the library, seeing Spike and Twilight. He smiles, “Hello there, Twilight.”

She looks over at him, and smiles, “So they rescued you? Good, I was afraid Atreyos wouldn’t have anyone to stop him. Why are you here?”

He nods, “Well, to be honest, I need someone to track down some magic.”

He places an item on the table, which Twilight instantly scans. Her eyes widen, “Dark magic. Very dark magic. Give me an hour, please.”

Power

Twilight pours her magic into the gun on the table, panting from exertion. She looks over at Harry, “Harry, could you help me?”

Harry nods, and steps next to Twilight. He slams his staff down, “Te matakite!”

His magic instantly joins next to Twilight’s, attacking the object’s magical protection from two sides. It takes a few seconds, but the defense of the spell placed on the gun falls.

Both mages take a step back, and breathe a little harder. Harry looks at the gun again, “Whoever made this was very powerful in magic. But, we should hopefully be done with the hard part now.”

Twilight nods, “I should be able to trace where it is from. Why is this object so interesting, anyway?”

Harry looks over at her, “This resembles a weapon from the past of Inamorta. This is from the period that destroyed it, and rendered the world useless for three hundred years. If this weapon is here, there is a chance that bigger ones also are. That means that your entire world has a chance to be destroyed it we do not move quick enough.”

Twilight nods, “So, something actually serious. I’ll scan it right away.” Her horn lights up, and she instantly takes a step back, “That’s impossible!”

Harry moves closer, “What is it?”

Twilight shakes her head, “Many things are off here. The timeline of this weapon makes no sense! It says it was made in 3081, which is twenty years in the future. It also says the weapon is well over two hundred years old, meaning it was still operational in 3281, which is two hundred and twenty years in the future. This weapon was made in a time frame that is literally impossible, the planet itself hasn’t been around for more than 3061 years! This location doesn’t make sense either. It says it was made down the street!”

Harry looks at the weapon again, “I may have a spell to help this. A scrying spell.” He stamps his staff down once more, “Roto!”

A portal for viewing appears above the gun, making both mages lean in to see.

Perpetrator

The portal opens, and begins to play the life of the gun on the table. Instantly, one can tell this gun was not, in fact, produced down the street.

The gun seems to be in a factory, with glowing machinery and weary ponies working on similar looking weapons. Only, this weapon seems to be very slightly different. The pony working on it picks it up, and puts it into a box all alone.

The memory skips forward by a few days, stopping as a new voice speaks, “This prototype is more powerful than any before it, almost able to melt steel in a single shot. It can fire two percent faster, hit ten percent harder, and runs out of ammo after twenty percent more shooting. It is, however, ten bits more expensive than the regular CLR, as it uses a rarer, more magical, focuser.”

A young voice responds, yet one obviously changed from time passed, “Begin production in two months, we’ll see if we even need this by then. Would you mind if I give this prototype to a soldier?”

The older voice responds, happiness evident in his tone, “Of course, Lord Raven. We made the rifle best for a pegasus, just as a heads up.”

The younger voice speaks back, “I’m sure on of the Wonderbolts would love to carry it. How much should I pay you?”

The voice responds a final time, “Oh, nothing at all, Lord Raven. It’s only a prototype, we can deal with the little financial loss it would cause.”

Then, the spell skips forward once again. This time, it skips two weeks ahead, where it is finally being taken out of it’s box.

A heavily armored pegasus takes out the weapon, and smiles, “Oh, what’s this? Somepony is feeling generous today.”

Another pony walks over, earth, wearing similar armor. On his back is another gun, one very much bigger than the laser rifle. The pony nods, “They sure are. This is the final battle, Captain Sparrow, we need your equipment to be the best it can. Be sure to use it, you won’t have another chance.”

Captain Sparrow nods, “Of course, Head Paladin Offense. I’m surprised they didn’t give this to Captain Dash, especially considering how much Lady Scootaloo adores her.”

Offense speaks, a smile present in his tone, “She isn’t on the front lines, you are. Now come on, the assault is to begin in an hour. Make sure your team are ready to go.”

The memory once again fades, skipping forward by two hours. When the memory fades back in, the entire scene is chaos.

Ponies rush between buildings, explosions throw up concrete and asphalt, the bodies of ponies lay everywhere, and there are loud noises everywhere.

Harry instantly draws back, “Such savagery... truly like the Geneva Era.”

The weapon’s carrier flies through the air, firing down lasers like a turret. It’s barely even a second after he fired that he aims at his next target, and fires again.

Pegasi fly alongside him, wearing much lighter armor. They weave through the buildings more, throwing grenades, firing off missiles, and generally harassing the enemy.

Captain Sparrow is interrupted from his slaughter by a radio message. The voice of Offense flows through it, “Captain Sparrow, you need to get your ass over here, now!”

Sparrow presses down the radio, “Currently busy, what’s the situation?”

Offense yells over the sounds of battle, “They are about to launch! Stop them!”

Sparrow instantly stops, and turns to the east. He begins to fly as fast as he can with his heavy armor. As he flies, the sound of an alarm fills the city.

A siren picks up, slowly increasing in volume before fading back and beginning again. The battle below stops, as both sides look at the lights shining their red light all over, and every creature drops their weapons.

The sounds of battle are almost instantly replaced with screams of terror. The type of terror that one can only feel when they know they are dead, and there’s nothing they can do about it.

Captain Sparrow flies even harder, and raises his laser rifle. Large missiles start to fire, and rise from the ground. Sparrow fires his rifle at one of them, but it’s to no avail.

The hundred missiles rise even further, and begin to fly into every direction. To their south, they can see even more missiles rising. Then to their north, then to the west.

Loudspeakers instantly begin to transmit an automated message, “All ponies are to report immediately to their nearest Stable, this is not a drill. All ponies are to report immediately to their nearest Stable, this is not a drill.”

One of the missiles starts to arc downwards, heading straight for the city. Captain Sparrow throws the gun into a holster, and growls.

One of the other Wonderbolts look over, “Sir, what are you doing?!”

Sparrow yells back, “I’m not going to let us die without doing anything! I’m going to punch the nuke!”

Sparrow takes off once again, setting off straight for the nuke. He nears closer, and punches fourth with all his might. The nuke explodes on impact, and the weapon’s memory goes black.

Twilight leans back, “Number one, this doesn’t make any sense. Lady Scootaloo? All this violence, war, giant explosions? This isn’t Equestria, it can’t be.”

Harry holds up a hand, “Wait, the memory isn’t done. It’s skipping over two hundred years, perhaps that might answer our questions.”

The memory comes back after two hundred years have passed, in the possession of somepony dressed in a very similar armor. However, this pony is noticeably thinner, and smaller. The pony points the rifle at somepony else.

Somepony who is an alicorn, with rotting skin.

King Blueblood shakes his head, “Captain Sparrow, your family has served me loyally for two centuries. This is how you repay me for all the kindness I’ve shown to you? Your death shall be the price for such an insult.”

Within an instant, King Blueblood blasts the pony with a beam of magic, shooting right through the armor, and pony inside.

Blueblood than gets up, and picks up the rifle, “One for my personal collection.”

The memory once again skips forward, yet seems to go back in time at the same time.

It fades back in, where a changeling soldier picks it up. Then, the memory pauses, showing nothing but an image of the hive.

Twilight leans back, “That’s the Red Hive of Changelings. Were they behind this?”

Someone new speaks up. Atreyos, having walked in during the first memory, nods, “Those bugs ambushed us and destroyed the town. They somehow got their hands on this weaponry.”

Harry looks back at him, “We are trying to figure out that somehow, Atreyos.”

Atreyos shakes his head, “For right now, I don’t give a shit about the how. What I know is that we have an enemy. Spike, I imagine you could track that place down, correct?”

Spike glances over at Twilight, “Uh, Twilight, you know how to find this place?”

Atreyos jumps in, “Woah, woah, no! She is not going to come along or help us! This is a matter of war and death, Spike, not something an idiot like her could stomach. If she was sick over my interrogation, she would not be able to stand war.”

Twilight looks over at him, “What’s your problem, Atreyos? I have tried to be understanding, I have tried to approach you in every different way! I tried everything in the book, and you still hate me! What gives?!”

Atreyos raises an eyebrow, “Hate you? I don’t hate you, Sparkle. I barely even know you. You haven’t done anything to earn my respect, and you sure as shit haven’t tried to understand anything. You got a warrior to come up and apologize for rightfully fighting me. You heard of how Spearta raised me, and you instantly decided I had to be fixed somehow. You have shown the Spear, nor me, any respect, but you aren’t strong enough to outright say you don’t respect us.”

Twilight snaps back, “You have done nothing but kill or harm, Atreyos! You almost killed Rainbow Dash, you tortured an innocent changeling, you killed almost the entirety of the Green Hive! I have only just stopped myself from calling down the Princesses to arrest you because I am trying to understand your culture! Joseph seems fine, Robin is fine, Harry is great, so why are you so messed up?!”

Atreyos glares at her, “You know nothing, Sparkle. I have had to work hard and fight every day of my life! The Swordwrath have fertile land, the Archidon have fish, the Magikill could conjure up magic! Spearta is a barren, mountainous, hell-hole! It requires everything to grow the barest amount of food! You either farm, or you fight, and I chose to fight. You have never struggled, Sparkle, your entire race of equines have not struggled in a thousand years. You had the time to be nice, you had the resources to make friends, you had the magic to never fear war. Spearta never had that! All we had was our shield, our spear, and the man next to us! Have you even talked to the other Speartons? They are much, much worse than I am, and would surely be pillaging this village if I was not here to lead them. They are all idiotic fools, too busy fighting to think. Think on that, Sparkle, because you actually have the time to.”

Twilight looks at him, her gaze softening, “I am so sorry. Yes, your past was not the best, but that’s no excuse for what you did. It makes sense, yes, but not excused. You want me to respect you as a warrior? I’ll cut you a deal. I can help you track down that Hive, but you must at least try to listen to me. I might sound a but callous and uncaring at times, about your culture or your methods, but know that I have the absolute best intentions.”

Atreyos looks at her, slowly losing his glare. He sighs, “Lead the way, Sparkle.”

Something Old

Twilight suddenly stops, bringing the army behind her to a halt. She looks up, only to see a cave entrance. She shakes her head, “This isn’t the Hive... but the magic leads back to here. Something important must be here.”

Atreyos moves up, “An ancient cave? A bit cliche. You sure your magic is working right?”

Harry moves up, “There is a strong magic coming from inside here. Perhaps a portal to the Hive? We had better investigate.”

Joseph draws his sword, “Our armies can’t fit inside, we had better go alone with our helpers.”

Atreyos nods, “Spike, you’re in charge until we come back. Set up a camp, make sure no one does anything stupid.”

Spike nods quickly, “Of course, we’ll be waiting.”

Atreyos draws his spear and shield, and moves into the cave, “Come on ponies, I take point.”

Robin draws his bow, and puts an arrow in, “Come on, Lady Rarity, it is sure to be a lot cleaner inside.”

Joseph walks carefully, hand staying near his sword, “This place doesn’t feel right. Everyone, stay cautious.”

The group walks further in, moving at a pace very annoying to Rainbow. She growls, “Why are we going so slow? Come on, Atreyos, we don’t have all day!”

Atreyos growls back, “Quiet, fool.”

Harry places a hand on her shoulder and whispers, “We don’t know what’s ahead, we need to conserve all strength. Just... be slow for a few minutes.”

Rainbow nods, and looks forward again. She still glares slightly, and taps the ground impatiently, but it’s a lot less than before.

Atreyos spots a light ahead, and raises his shield back up, “Everyone, get ready.”

Atreyos slides his feet forward, his sandals not making a single sound. He ducks lower and lower down, covering his body with his shield. Then, he breaks through into the light, and prepares to attack.

He looks around in confusion, seeing nothing but a closed room. He lowers his shield a bit, and stands straighter, “We’re good!”

The rest move in, with Harry instantly looking to the walls, “Oh, magical torches. Whatever this place is, it was expecting to have visitors. I can only hope those expectations weren’t those of violence.”

Twilight looks around, and spots something, “Wait, these walls, they’re doors. There are symbols on them as well.”

Rainbow jumps up, “Oh, is this going to be just like a Daring Do puzzle? Let me see!”

Twilight ignores her friend, and looks closer at the doors, “They seem to be slots. Here, this door, it has an arrow and a gem. This one, it has a sword and a hoof. This one, a wing, and a staff. And this one has a circular one, and a little hole.”

Rainbow smiles, “Well, it seems obvious. These doors are designed for a pair of us to travel down. Harry, put your staff in this door.”

Harry walks closer, and hesitantly puts his staff in. It fits perfectly, as does Rainbow’s wing when she puts it in. The door makes a clicking sound, both of them withdrawing their own, and the door opens.

Twilight smiles, “Well, let’s just all go down this one, then.” She takes a step closer to the door, only to have it close in her face.

Rainbow shakes her head, “Come on, Twilight, the ancient ponies who built this as a trial for us obviously wouldn’t have us do it together. We’re supposed to travel in pairs, come on. You go over and stick your horn into your boring door, Harry and I will be going through our more awesome door.”

Twilight sighs, “Fine, since the old ponies apparently couldn’t comprehend us wanting to stick together. No, let’s split apart, that’s always a great idea!”

Twilight looks at Rainbow, only to see her and Harry have already gone through their door. The door closes behind them, clicking again.

Twilight looks around again, only to see everyone else has also gone through their own doors.

Atreyos shoves his shield into it’s slot, “Come on, Sparkle, we don’t want to fall behind Harry. I swear, if you make me catch up after him, then I will throw you at our enemy personally.”

Twilight sighs, and shoves her horn into the hole. The door opens up as she withdraws, and she shakes her head, “Of all I could be paired up with, it’s you. Of course it’s you. I’m sure I’m going to get a friendship lesson out of this.”

Atreyos moves in, seeing the hallway in front of him filled with torches, “I’d prefer if you were to not include me in anything titled a friendship lesson.” He looks down the hallway, “Although it looks like we’ll have a long time to talk. That reminds me of a question. Who the hell are you, and why were you the diplomat sent to us?”

Twilight nods, “I suppose you never actually learned about who I am.”

Atreyos looks over at her, “Yeah, and unlike you, I actually like to ask people who the hell they are. If I wanted the exaggerated game of telephone backstory you have, then I would’ve asked that white one Robin was hitting on.”

Twilight smiles, “Well, I don’t actually get to explain my past to many now, so many just already know it. See, ever since I was a filly, I was very good at magic. I eventually made it to being Princess Celestia’s personal student, her protege. I was a recluse, always focusing only on my studies and on Spike. Then I read some tale in a book about Nightmare Moon coming back, was sent to Ponyville for celebration preparations, and ended up meeting my five other friends.”

Atreyos nods, “And what an odd group they are. A coward, a spaz, a seamstress, a farmer, a fighter, and a mage. I don’t know how you even managed to approach that yellow one, she seemed terrified even with you there.”

Twilight looks over at him, “Please, try not to insult them. Harry told me about how your people see insults as compliments, but we don’t. But yes, Fluttershy was very hard to approach. Eventually, the six of us were working together in order to stop Nightmare Moon. We found we were the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”

Atreyos smiles, “I recognize those. Yes, Luna wielded them until she fell to darkness, and Celestia made them inactive. If you are it’s carriers, then which do you all represent?”

Twilight smiles, “Well, Fluttershy is Kindness, Pinkie Pie is Laughter, Rarity is Generosity, Applejack is Honesty, Rainbow is Loyalty, and I am Magic. We’ve only used them twice. Right before you arrived, only a month ago, we fought the Spirit of Chaos.”

Atreyos nods, “Discord, previous Unruler of Equestria. Who created a paradise that ponies did not appreciate and so Celestia and Luna rose up against him. Believe me, already read a lot about him.”

Twilight looks at him again, “You? You read about Discord?”

Atreyos shrugs, “What? I like books! I’m a warrior, not a savage. My ability to think and read is why I am the King of Speartons, everyone else was too stupid for the position.”

Twilight raises an eyebrow, “You like to read?”

Atreyos looks down at her, “Yes, I love to read! I read every book in both Spearta and Magika! History, Oliver Twist, Shakespeare, Tolkien. I just never let my reading get in way of my fighting.”

Twilight smiles, and laughs a bit, “Wow! Not even Harry had read that much! Oh, what’s your favorite? Perhaps we could swap later on, read each other’s favorites?”

Atreyos smiles, “You want to talk about books? Now this is something I can respect you over. I always had Aesop and his stories as my personal favorites. They are short enough to memorize, and yet have enough depth that you can always find something new.”

———

Joseph still walks carefully forward, making sure to keep his footing. He always keeps his hand near his sword, even as Applejack walks so casual next to him.

Applejack looks over at him, “What’s got you so wound up, Joseph?”

Joseph looks ahead still, “There’s just this feeling in my gut... something is wrong. I’ve only felt it once before, when King Jack died.”

Applejack raises an eyebrow, “King Jack? Who was he?”

Joseph lets up for a bit, looking at her instead, “The second best swordsman ever in the Swordwrath. Somehow, we found out near our founding that swordsmanship was passed down through genes, with each king being better than the last. We also always named our Kings after the best swordsmen in history, just like the Archidon with archers. Our first King was named Minamoto, his son was Johannes, his son was Fiore, his son was William, who was father to Jack.”

Applejack nods, “So, Jack is your father?”

Jospeh nods, “He was, until he was slain by the damned Order. Their King, Keeser, carries some dark power in him. So much that he was able to best Jack in single combat, and I felt it five miles away.”

Applejack raises an eyebrow, “Some guy from a place called Order did this? That doesn’t seem very orderly of him.”

Joseph shakes his head, “It is perfectly orderly of him. Order never fought like us, they never saw the necessity of our war. Our empires fought, we killed, but it was war in the name of peace. When humans get too much free time, too much time without violence, they make bigger and better weapons. We fought Spearta, we killed a few Magikill, but we never did so out of anger. It’s like eating or drinking, it’s just something that has to happen. You have to kill the weaker warriors in war, until every warrior is so good that no soldier would ever die in a never ending conflict. It must sound unpleasant to you, I know.”

Applejack pauses, “I ain’t going to say I understand it perfectly, but I can understand what you are saying. Whenever I’m angry, I go out and kick my trees, that’s just Apple tradition. After so long of us kicking our trees in anger, they’ve grown strong enough to not fall over when we do it. So now, when we kick it, we get out our anger and don’t damage the trees.”

Joseph smiles, “So, you do understand it. Replace trees with people, and you would have Inamorta. But, imagine someone didn’t understand this, and thought you were just being senselessly violent to the trees. Now imagine that they pick up an axe, and decide to chop down half your trees. Then, they decide to imprison every old pony, and force the younger ones to hold in their anger. You have what Order did. They saw our wars as meaningless, and decided to invade every one of us. They killed the Kings, all of them. Merlin, Leonidas, Jack, and William, the previous leaders. William was Robin’s father as well, and was killed the day after Jack. Robin and I are close, we were the only ones born into royalty, the ones who truly felt the loss of a King. Of course, Order couldn’t stop there. They decided to invade the peaceful places, where all lived in harmony. Westwind and Pertland, which held back the forces of Chaos.”

Applejack looks at him, “So, I imagine you survived all of this?”

Joseph nods, “Yes. Robin and I were the only royal blood left in Inamorta, still are, neither of us have had children. We found the wisest Magikill still alive, the Spearton Harry. Harry is special, but I’m not one for gossiping about other’s pasts, unless if it is Robin. Atreyos was the smartest and strongest Spearton left, and was well respected by most. The four of us united as one, rebelling together against Order. We gathered what was left of our loyal armies, barely more than three hundred. That number rapidly dropped when we encountered a very dark magic that brought back dead warriors every night we marched. We eventually managed to seize back Magika, where we numbered barely more than one hundred. As we marched once more, we encountered the Queen of Chaos known as Medusa. She wanted Inamorta to be destroyed again, and so she tried to constantly slaughter us and force our wars to stop. Her Empire is made up of the oddest creatures, brutish Giants, Harpies, crawling monstrosities. But, in the end, she opened a portal beneath us and sent us here.”

Applejack looks forward again, “They both sound horrible, Order and Chaos. I suppose you could name your Empire into Harmony.” She laughs a bit, but shakes her head, “Joseph, we we’re done here, I want to help you over in Inamorta. Your people might not be the best, but you are better than anybody else there. Perhaps with my help, and hopefully that of the Princesses, we could help you establish true Harmony.”

Joseph smiles, “I would love that, Applejack. But we are dealing with dark powers here, and I am a warrior. If something happens, please, keep Robin safe. The braggart might not seem it, but he’s my best friend, and he’s gone through the same troubles I have. If it weren’t for my honesty, he would probably be swept into one of his fantasies. He likes to escape, to womanize, to fantasize. The world needs that imagination more than my bluntness. I wouldn’t be able to find peace without knowing he is good.”

Applejack raises an eyebrow, “Are you planning to find peace soon?”

Joseph shakes his head, “No, I will only be at peace when my sword has cut through Keeser.”

Applejack smiles, “Okay then, Jospeh, I promise to look out for Robin.”

Jospeh looks at her, and nods, “Thank you, Applejack. Now, come on, Atreyos is going to beat us at this point.”

Applejack laughs, “If Twilight ain’t already torn his throat out.”

Jospeh also laughs a bit, “That’s a pretty big ‘if’ as well.”

Robin Rarity

Robin comes out into a large opening, and looks all around, “Wow, it almost looks like Archington in here. I am impressed, honestly, rarely does anything match up to the Archidon.”

Rairty looks around as well, “What’s Archington?”

Robin smiles, “The capital city of Arrowlot. It was a masterpiece of architecture, where you needed to know how to shoot a bow in order to move.”

Rarity looks cover at him, “Really? Doesn’t that seem cruel to those who can’t?”

Robin looks back to her, “The only ones who couldn’t were invaders. Shooting a bow is literally in our blood, an Archidon can shoot at the level of an amateur when they are five. It’s like you ponies and those marks, except it’s across our entire people. Take a look around, and you’ll get a good feel for what Archington was like. It was more accessible, of course, but you get the idea.”

Rarity looks, and sees the room is absolutely giant. There seem to be targets on a select few ledges, yet there is no way to get to the platforms. The walls are all grey stone, not able to be climbed. She looks back, “How are we supposed to get around here?”

Robin smiles, and moves over to a nearby basket. In the basket is a single arrow. He picks it up, smiling as he sees the rope attached to it. He points at a target a level above them, and fires off the arrow.

It sticks right into the target, with the rope still wrapped around Robin’s arm. He holds out a hand to Rarity, “Come, my lady, and hang on tight.”

Rarity takes his hand, and looks at the rope, “Are you going to climb up there?”

Robin shakes his head, “No, the rope only serves as a focal point.” He picks up Rarity fully into his arm, and begins to run at a nearby wall, “It’s all about treating yourself like the arrow!”

He jumps up onto the wall, and begins to take advantage of the room’s circular layout. He begins to run around on the wall, slowly gaining up speed. Rarity screams as his speed picks up, but he still smiles.

When he is going sufficiently fast, he jumps off the wall, pulling the rope tight. The effect has him swinging up to a nearby platform, and he cuts the rope off mid air.

He flies onto the platform, finding his footing with ease. He sets Rarity down, and looks at her, “Archidon are very good with speed. We need to move so fast that our opponent can’t identify where we are.”

Rarity pants slightly, “Your people have to do that?!”

Robin shakes his head, “Only the military. Paths like that are only for the recruitment centers, armory, those kind of places. We can’t expect our elders to do that, after all.”

Rarity leans on the wall for support, “Where do your people live as to where that is a good skill?”

Robin smiles, “Heavy woods, Lady Rarity. We learn how to travel by tree so that we can move unseen to our enemy. No other can traverse our home like we can, that’s how we’ve never been overrun. Even Order had a hard time truly taking over Arrowlot with how we could so easily pick off his club wielders.” Robin nods, “Here, Lady Rarity, why don’t you try firing for yourself?”

Rarity looks at the bow, “Oh, no, I don’t know how to use a bow. I can just use my gems.”

Robin hands his bow over, “No, no, I insist. Let’s see if you are a natural.”

Rarity looks at bow, and slowly takes it in her telekinesis. She takes the arrow offered to her, “Okay, where am I supposed to aim it?”

Robin points to a far off target, “That one, about one hundred feet. Not terribly far. Remember, just breathe, and relax.”

Rairty nods, “Right, relax, breathe.” She draws the bow back, and puts the arrow into it. She aims, and adjusts, “Relax, breathe.”

Rarity let’s the arrow fly. The arrow goes, until it eventually hits the bottom of the target.

Robin nods, “Not terrible. Here, let’s try it for real.” He hands her an arrow with rope on it, “There’s only one up here, so we only have once chance.” He wraps the rope around Rarity’s let, and smiles, “Think of it this way. The arrow is a giant needle, and the target is a tear. You want to repair that tear, you want to hit in the middle.”

Rarity smiles, “Like a giant needle.” Before she can even think, her magic acts. It aims, and fires the arrow within a second.

The arrow flies through the air, until it finally implants itself in the center of the target.

Robin laughs, “Yes, you’re a natural, Rarity!” He smiles down at her, “Why, I would say you are probably better than some of the warriors outside. Okay, now, we need to get to that platform up there.” He points up, “And you are going to carry me this time.”

Rarity nods, and Robin grabs hold of her arm. She smiles, and jumps off the platform.

The momentum of her jump pulls the rope tight, and sends her upwards.

She unwraps her arm, and flies through the air. She keeps her composure, and she lands perfectly in the middle of the platform.

She laughs a bit, “I did it! By Celestia, I’m an archer!”

Robin laughs along, “Yes you are, Lady Rarity. Quite a skilled one as well. Not even a regular Archidon would be able to make that.”

Rarity leans against the wall for support, “I imagine you’ll be begging for me to join your Empire now?”

Robin leans on the wall beside her, “Already was, Lady Rarity, in a very subtle way. You would fit right in, I have to say, we Archidon pride ourselves on our generosity. We always gave safe haven to Swordwrath children and wounded, always allowed the Magikill to cut down some of our trees for their books, and we’ve even given iron to the Speartons sometimes.”

Rarity looks over at him, “Generous, yes, but still very violent.”

Robin nods, “A point I will never contest, though one I will protest. I wish it didn’t have to be that way, but it always has. We’ve never had leaders willing to work together in the past, even if one or two of them were friends. Now that Order has messed everything up, well, we are currently working as one nation. Perhaps we could end up taking our violence out in harmless games, a completion to see who is best. Especially with all you ponies, we might be able to reforge ourselves, better than we were before. I’m not expecting your answer yet, I’m merely saying that you could help spread harmony.”

Rarity smiles, “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sir Robin, but I’m only one mare.”

Robin smiles, “A mare with the backing of not only her own magnificence, but a King as well.”

Rarity looks at him, losing her smile, “You are a King?”

Robin nods, “Surely I told you? Well, yes, I am King Robin of the Archidon. But, let’s dwell on that later. We have a thing to do.”

The basket on the platform has two different arrows, and Robin smiles.

He points, “You see those two targets underneath that platform? We need to hit those, and flip up top. You ready?”

Rarity stands, and puts an arrow in. She fires a bullseye, and hands it off the Robin as he does the same.

Both keep the rope tied to them, and jump at once.

From the platform, Robin and Rarity go left and right respectively. The rope is pulled taught, and both start to go back toward each other.

Both untie their arms at the same time, and jump to the other rope. Robin flies right above Rarity as she jumps right underneath him.

Both grab onto the rope, the new weight and momentum forcing the rope further than before. Both let go when at apex momentum.

Robin and Rarity flip in air, and land on the platform at the same time.

Robin looks aside, seeing a main chamber. He motions, “Ladies first.”

———

Rainbow sighs, standing and waiting for Harry. Harry takes no heed, and continues to walk his slow pace forward.

Rainbow growls, “Come on, Harry, the others are probably having awesome adventures without us!”

Harry looks at her, “You haven’t said a single word to me so far, no wonder time is going so slow for you. Don’t you know time flies when you are talking?”

Rainbow sighs once more, “And what would we talk about? I mean, I’m me, and you are a old egghead, no offense.”

Harry laughs a bit, “None taken, believe me, I’ve heard worse from Atreyos. You and him seem quite similar, did you know that? A bit rash, too brave, usually too serious, and that same aura around you. Tell me, Rainbow, how was your childhood?”

———

Six finally emerge from their hallways, into the main chamber. Atreyos and Twilight are talking animatedly about the ideas seen in Plato’s Cave, the first time they’ve actually enjoyed talking. Joseph and Applejack exchange embarrassing and funny childhood stories. Rarity comes out alongside Robin, both giddy from the stunt they performed a minute earlier.

Harry sits with Rainbow, smiling from behind his beard, “Those Wonderbolts have nothing on you if they’d reject you. You broke the sound barrier without breaking your body, they would be fools to say no to that. As soon as we are done here, you are going to fly up there and get that position. If they reject you, form your own team, and then defeat them.”

Rainbow smiles, “You’re right! I’m the fastest flyer in all of Equestria, they’ll accept me!”

Harry looks, and notices the others, “Hello, Rainbow and I have been resting for fifteen minutes. What took so long?”

Atreyos looks at Harry, and punches a nearby wall, “Damn it!”

Sword’s Wrath

The eight of them move through the chamber, and find themselves in a wide, open space. At the end of the new room is an alter, with a message etched into it.

However, what draws their attention isn’t the alter, but the portal in the middle of the room.

The portal glows bright blue, until it is suddenly closed. Standing in it’s place is a changeling.

She looks at the group, metal wings and horn reflecting the red glow from her eye. One of her legs seems to have been cut off, and has been replaced, similarly, by metal. The changeling glares at them, “You have taken your last steps here, Inamortans and ponies. I am Friten, the Crossbreed, and my Queen calls for your blood. I shall take care of you in the most painless way possible if you surrender, this is nothing personal, and my Queen would rather I not die.”

Joseph looks at her, “You wouldn’t be able to kill any of us in the state you are in, if we are together. No, this isn’t it.” He ours a hand up to his head, and winces, “You carry the same darkness... but not what I was feeling. No, the main darkness is away from here.” He draws his sword, “You are a distraction. They’re attacking Ponyville, aren’t they?”

Friten looks over at him, “Lay down your sword and surrender.”

Joseph looks over to the others, “Everyone, you need to get back to Ponyville. Something dark is headed that way.”

Robin draws his bow, “Not without you, Joseph! Come on, let’s kill this thing!”

Jospeh shakes his head, “Go, Robin, now. Before it’s too late. I’ll take her on myself.”

Robin shakes his head, “Stop messing around, Joseph!”

Joseph shoves his sword into Robin’s hands, “Go, now.”

Atreyos puts a hand on Robin’s shoulder, “We need to go now if we want to save ponies. Come on, Joseph can take her!”

Joseph draws another sword, and smiles, “Don’t worry, Robin, I’ll live on.”

Applejack looks at Joseph as he says this, her eyes wide. Joseph looks at her, and simply nods.

Robin slams his foot down, “The rest of you can go, I’m staying with you, Joseph!”

The rest of them filter out of the room, rushing back through the hallways. Joseph grabs Robin forcibly, and throws him back into the chamber they came from.

A beam of magic strikes the roof, separating Robin from Joseph. Robin cries out, “Joseph! What are you doing?!”

Joseph places his hand on the rocks, and smiles, “Saving Inamorta.” Joseph then looks up, “Leave, Robin, save the ponies.”

A few of the rocks shift, and Jospeh can hear Robin’s grunts of effort from the other side.

Joseph pushes back, and yells, “Save them, Robin!”

Robin stops, and pauses. Joseph never raises his voice unless if in battle, and he never has done so to Robin before. Robin places his head on the rocks, and sighs, “I will, Joseph. I need you to survive this.”

Joseph nods, “Don’t worry, Robin. I will live on.”

Robin turns around, looking at the pile of rocks again. He shakes his head, and runs back into the corridor.

Friten nods, “Are we ready now?”

Joseph turns to her, “Thank you for allowing me to speak to him. I already know this is what I’m supposed to do.”

Friten smiles slightly, showing her fangs have been replaced by metal, “Is it, your destiny?”

Jospeh shakes his head, “There is no such thing as destiny. I could very well have ran off with them to Ponyville and we would’ve continued a wild goose chase. But I choose to stay here, knowing that the chase will be ended because of me. Besides, you have that same darkness.” Jospeh raises his sword, “When Jack died, I saw this in my mind. Standing here against you, the best Swordwrath against the greatest Changeling. But I’m not going to do this because of some vision. Your damned darkness killed my father, and I shall not allow it to spread!”

Friten takes a step back as Joseph begins to charge forward.

She throws a dagger at him, only to have him cut right through it.

Joseph gets closer, and thrusts forward with all his might.

Friten doesn’t move, allowing the sword to pierce through her all the way to it’s hilt. Joseph looks at her, “This isn’t right.”

Friten reaches up, and takes her metal horn off her head. She turns it around, allowing Joseph to see a button on it. She looks right at him, her eyes turning more and more blue, “For the Queen.”

She presses it down, and the bombs in place of her organs go off.

Joseph is sent flying away, being filled with shrapnel of metal and bone. He is coated with Friten’s blood, and slams against a wall.

What was once Friten is now gone, blasted away by explosive ordnance.

Jospeh coughs, spraying red blood all along the ground. He is bleeding from all over his body, holes and cuts made from shrapnel.

He places his hands on the ground, wincing as the rocky floor digs into their wounds. He pushes on, and stumbles to his feet.

He stumbles forward, grabbing onto the wall for support. He blinks rapidly, his vision filling with blood.

He stumbles onto the alter, and collapses upon it. He pulls himself back up, seeing the inscription in it.

He coughs more blood up, but reads anyway, “Eight become seven... to save Equestria. Seven become six... to save Inamorta. The honest... and wise fall... for Harmony.”

Jospeh collapses back, blood loss finally taking over.

He looks up at the ceiling, “But I... won’t fall... I will... live on... Robin... I’m... still... with... you.”

He coughs up blood one last time, and his body stops taking breaths at all.

Jospeh’s heart, lungs, and brain all stop.

At last, his body burns away in a orange fire.

———

The Swordwrath all stop their marching at once, a look of despair crossing over them all.

Robin stops as well. He leans against a tree, and tears begin to build in his eye. He breathes hard, “This is all their fault. Order, Chaos... we shouldn’t even be here.” He looks up, the tears rushing away from his eyes, “The one who caused this will pay!”

His anger is so great that he doesn’t even realize the sword at his hip is glowing orange.

Revenge

The army marches into Ponyville at last, Swordwrath and Archidon begin fighting instantly.

Changelings rush around, capturing every pony they can. They are taken completely by surprise when arrows impact some of them, and swords slash through more. Spearton and Magikill follow after, dutifully protecting their squishier comrades.

Robin rushes in, and instantly spots a changeling in the middle of the town. He charges toward her, notching an arrow, and firing it off.

The Queen takes notice of the arrow, and catches it in her magic right before it hits her. She doesn’t get time to breathe, as yet another arrow comes her direction.

Robin draws from his quiver, launching every arrow he has into her. He stops ten feet from her, “For Joseph!”

Queen Messorem snickers, and launches a fast bolt of magic at him.

Robin stares at it in the middle of putting in an arrow, frozen in place.

But, as suddenly as the magic was launched, his head begins to glow with an orange fire.

Joseph’s sword floats from it’s sheathe, the same orange fire surrounding it. It jumps in front of the magic, cutting it in half before it can reach Robin.

Messorem smirks, “Ah, you can do magic. That just makes you all the more fun to kill.” Her eyes glow bright red, and she laughs, “Oh, so full of rage, how foolish. You are nothing but a three course meal to me.”

Robin notches another arrow, the sword floating beside his head, “You are nothing but a bug. One to be stomped under my foot as I’m doing better things!”

Robin takes a slight step back as he says so, feeling something odd in his mind. It feels calmer than usual, almost like a whole new mind. Knowledge, honesty, and a voice of calm logic.

Messorem opens her mouth, ready to feed on Robin’s Rage. Then, however, her body starts to glow a bright blue, and she closes her mouth.

Instead of absorbing Robin’s magic, Messorem casts some of her own. She smiles, and takes out her own blade.

But, by the time the sword is drawn, her head lays on the ground.

Joseph’s sword floats through her, blood dripping off it.

Robin looks at her corpse, and growls, “Come on, get back up, I’m not done with you.” He moves closer, stomping down on the ground, “You can’t just die like that! I need revenge, I need pain! This can’t be all, not if your minion killed Joseph!”

Messorem’s body slowly ignites with blue fire, and burns away.

Robin watches her burn away, and drops to his knees, “No, no, that can’t be it!” Angry tears fill his eyes, “Damn it! Damn you to the nine Hells!”

Robin continues to cry in anger, until he feels a hand placed upon his shoulder. A calm voice speaks, “You do not need revenge, Robin. I do not ask you for it, nor do I want it.”

Robin looks up, seeing an orange visage of Joseph’s form. His eyes clear, “Joseph?”

Joseph looks down at him, and smiles, “I don’t make a habit of lying, Robin, and I said I would live on. Within you, is the operative word I left out.”

Robin shakes his head, “Why did you have to do that, Jospeh? Could you not just have come with us?”

Joseph kneels down alongside Robin, “I had to do it, Robin. If I still stood, then we would not be able to defeat Keeser. He is Order, Medusa is Chaos, we must be something more. You were always more of a leader than I was, and I know you will lead the Swordwrath and Archidon together, as equals.”

Robin looks down, “I... I don’t know if I can, Joseph. Not without you.”

Joseph stands back up, “I am still here, Robin, within you. Maybe you will never see my body again, but I am more than a body.” Joseph holds out his hand, “Come on, Robin, we will move forward, together.”

Robin takes his hand, allowing Jospeh to pull him to his feet. Robin smiles at Jospeh, and hugs his magical form, “Together, Joseph, always together.”

Joseph merges into Robin, the calmness appearing in his head again.

Red changelings rush around the town in a panic, being cut down by arrow and sword. Eventually, the army of a thousand changelings ends up as zero, all of their bodies burning away in blue fire.

Robin looks out over the Archidon and Swordwrath, as they begin to breathe hard. He raises his hand, “Archidon, Swordwrath, the passing of Jospeh is an event that has scarred us, and will always be a scar in our history. But I say we shall make his sacrifice worth it!”

The two armies look up at him, their exhausted forms almost crumbling.

Robin clenches his fist, “Jospeh may be gone, but his spirit is still with us! A spirit of honesty, humility, unity, and harmony! The greatest swordsman to ever exist, and the greatest friend to ever exist. He may no longer walk among the ranks of mortals tied down in strife, he may have ascended from the mortal coil, but his will is still with us. Swordwrath, Archidon, we have long been brothers! Brothers who have long been turned against each other through the harsh necessity of fighting! But I say, we fight each other no longer, but fight alongside each other!”

The men below look up at Robin, their eyes gaining a bit of life to them.

Robin looks down at them, “Brothers, warriors, we are no longer Swordwrath or Archidon! We are together, we are the Warrior’s Wrath!”

The two armies look at each other, eyes going to the other’s weapon. Then, they decide to meet eyes with each other. All eyes widen as the warriors come to the same conclusion. They are not different.

Robin turns around as a blue pillar of flame comes from Canterlot, and he looks back at the armies, “Will you put your arms together for revenge and justice, or will you let titles get in the way of victory?”

The armies raise their weapons, and let loose a cheer.

Robin laughs, “Then we march, Warrior’s Wrath, for justice!”

Robin turns, and sees the group of both Spearton and Magikill waiting. He rushes forward, until he catches up with Atreyos and Harry.

Blueblood

Blueblood stands on a balcony, smiling as the citizens of Canterlot march through his giant portal. The eyes of the ponies all glow similar blues, and they move without complaint.

Celestia looks up at Blueblood, and shakes her head, “How have you fallen this far, nephew?”

Blueblood looks back at her defeated form, the sunlight reflecting off his metal horn, “I have not fallen, auntie, but risen. It has always been my destiny, to be the true king of ponies. You are just standing in the way, and I need to be rid of you.”

Celestia looks back down, “There is no King, not since Ordirus and Discord fell.”

Blueblood smiles, “Oh yes, Ordirus. The fool who places more faith in his enemy than he does in his own team, all because of damned Harmonikus.”

Celestia raises an eyebrow, “You know Ordirus? Who is Harmonikus?”

Blueblood looks back at her, “Yes, I know Ordirus, he works on my side. Since he utterly fails in every assignment given to him, I am here to make sure something goes right for once.”

Celestia smiles, “From the look of your horn, I would say you also have failed.”

Blueblood growls, feeling the new metallic weight of his new horn. He shakes his head, “I was arrogant, and fought a battle I should’ve brought help to win. I will not make that same mistake.”

Celestia laughs a tiny bit, “You won’t? Do you even know who you are messing with? Those warriors are far beyond even the seasoned veterans of the Nightmare War. They have killed the entirety of not only the Green Hive, but now the majority of the Red Hive. If Queen Messorem were to have taken you on, you would’ve lost, bad.”

Blueblood looks down at her, “Shut it, Celestia. I defeated that insect with ease.”

Celestia looks up at him, “No, Blueblood, you didn’t. You brainwashed her, and took all of her fighting ability away. You can’t do that to those warriors.”

Blueblood looks away, “I don’t plan on encountering those warriors again. I plan to kill them from afar. I just need to get my new soldiers out of here, first.”

Celestia smiles, “I believe it’s too late for that.”

The three warriors rush into the room, weapons drawn. Atreyos rushes in front of the other two, “Surrender, now!”

Blueblood quickly takes a step back, and slams his hoof against his necklace. His body is covered in heavy, golden power armor, it’s brilliant form obscuring his entire body.

It turns out to be just in time, as a gem impacts into the neck of the armor. Instead of going through, it simply bounces off.

Blueblood faces towards the other door, seeing the four ponies standing there. He slams his hoof down, sending a canister from his side at them. The canister hits the ground, and explodes. The missile blast sends the four of them flying.

Blueblood hears feet rushing towards him, and flies up into the air. Atreyos stabs right underneath him, only to find nothing but empty air.

Blueblood stomps back down, sending Atreyos into the floor. But, by the time he lands, he has to dodge a slash from a magic sword.

He rolls aside, catching an arrow in his magic at the same time. But, as his roll comes to an end, an explosion happens right next to him.

He is sent flying into the air, but manages to right himself before he flies too far. Atreyos takes this time to stand back up, leaving his shield beneath Blueblood’s flying form.

Blueblood smiles, and casts a lance of magic. Atreyos sees the beam come towards him, but can do nothing to stop it.

Right before the lance impacts, something pushes Atreyos aside. Atreyos rolls over, and looks behind him.

Harry stands in the way of the magic beam. It is less than a second before it cuts right through him.

Atreyos jumps to his feet instantly, and rushes towards Harry. He catches him as he falls back, and looks down at him, “No!”

Blueblood flies back at bit, taking out a switch from a leg computer. He slams down the button on it, and disappears.

Harry coughs, blood staining his white beard. He looks up at Atreyos, “Atreyos... I’m sorry.”

Atreyos hugs Harry tight, “Please, please, don’t apologize, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

Harry smiles slightly, “I’m sorry... I never told you... how proud I am. You were never... a disappointment.” Harry places his hand on Atreyos, and nods, “You were always... something more. Find it... Atreyos. You are not... just a spear... but a shield. Defeat Order... defeat Chaos... become... Unity.” Harry takes a final breath, and lets his eyes close.

Atreyos holds Harry up, tears filling his eyes, “No, Harry! You can’t... you can’t die! This is an illusion, it has to be!”

A hand finds itself on his shoulder, and Robin kneels down. Robin embraces Atreyos, “He’ll still be with us, Atreyos, in our hearts, in our soul. Harry is a great loss, but we must focus on who caused this.”

Atreyos cries, his eyes filling with tears for the first time in his life. He looks at Harry, and shakes his head, “He didn’t ever want any bad for me... he was the best of all of us. He wouldn’t want me to be filled with anger... he wants me to be better.”

Atreyos is interrupted as the ground shakes beneath them. Atreyos stumbles to his feet, and rushes to the balcony, using his experience with earthquakes to move.

He looks into the distance, and sees a missile rise. His eyes widen, “Dear god, it’s a Bomb!”

Robin rushes over as well, “No, impossible!” He sees the missile, and takes a step back, “What are we supposed to do?!”

Atreyos looks at it, fear in his eyes and mind.

But then, words cut through him, telling him simply, “You are not just a spear, but a shield.”

Atreyos feels energy inside of him. Not like an energy that has just been given to him, but more similar to feeling your heart beat after a long exercise. The energy is not new, but just something not noticed before.

His shield glows with a bright red aura, and flies over onto Atreyos’s arm. He holds the shield up, and looks at it, “I am a shield.”

The missile races towards Canterlot, aiming specifically for the palace. Atreyos steps up onto the balcony, and looks up.

He jumps off, and points his spear at the top of the palace, “Nekehanga!”

Instead of falling, Atreyos appears right where he pointed. He turns around, and sees the missile about to hit. He raises his shield, his entire body now glowing red.

He jumps up towards the missile, and yells, “For Harry!”

He slams his shield against the nuke, causing it to go off. His magic funnels it all, however, so instead of going out to destroy the city, it is all funneled into the shield.

Atreyos yells as the heat takes him, but holds his shield steady.

———

Atreyos stumbles into the throne room, his entire body glowing red. His steps get surer and surer as he walks, until he looks directly at Celestia.

He looks toward Robin, who simply nods back.

Atreyos looks back at Celestia, “Princess Celestia, King Robin and I have come to request you help return us to Inamorta.”

Celestia smiles, “I will be glad to help the Archidon and Spearton.”

Atreyos shakes his head, “There is no Archidon, Swordwrath, Spearton, or Magikill anymore. We are kings of the same people. We are Unity.”

Keeser

Brutus stands next to the throne of Order, his dark armor dragging him down. The Order emperor smiles as a skull is thrown before him. He looks at the soldier who threw it down at his feet, “Medusa lays dead, good. Chaos has fallen, just like the others before it. Estimations of casualties?”

The warrior looks down, “In the thousands, Emperor Keeser. The Speartons have suffered greatly, half of them fighting ended up dead.”

Keeser smiles, “Good, very good. Those brutes have never served anything but cannon fodder.” He waves his hand at Brutus, “You, kill this soldier. He has obviously been corrupted by Chaos.”

Brutus looks at the Spearton who draws back in fear. The Spearton looks at Brutus, “Please!”

Brutus walks forward, pointing up his spear. He prepares to smite the Spearton, but his arm falters at the last minute.

Keeser looks at Brutus, “What are you doing? Kill him already, your Emperor commands it.”

Brutus struggles against his arm as it threatens to end the Spearton’s life. Tears fall from the eyes of the previously proud warrior, seeing the fear and despair in the soldier’s own eyes.

Dark power rushes through him, trying with all it’s might to have him stab forward. Brutus keeps his arm back, and growls at the other man, “Run.”

The soldier listens, turning his back and rushing out of the throne room.

Keeser looks down at Brutus, “I don’t like this joke. The King who gifted you to me talked about your obedience, I can see he was mistaken.”

Brutus turns to Keeser, his rage pushing through the dark power trying to tie him down, “I will never bow to you, Keeser! Inamorta is not yours to control! And I am not your damned pawn!”

Keeser stands from his throne, and laughs, “Than you shall drown in the darkness.”

The entire room goes dark, and Brutus can barely block a sword coming out of it.

———

A statue is taken out of the miner bags, growing and growing in size until it stands tall over the army. The statue has changed, now it is a sword buried into a shield, with a big hat on it’s hilt, and a bow leaning against it.

Soldiers line the wall, especially Order’s Archidon. They draw back their bows, notching their arrows, and look upon the army.

Pegasi fly into the air, the Inamortan sun glistening off their golden armor and sharp wing blades, giving an imposing view. The unicorns and Magikill mingle together, almost unable to be told apart. Earth ponies stand elsewhere, bolstering the ranks of Unity.

Unity stand two hundred and six strong, their leaders leading the way. Celestia and Luna fly with Rainbow, donning their Nightmare Armor and Sunburst Armor. Luna has her glaive and bow drawn, whist Celestia has her sword, Sun Singer.

Twilight and Applejack march next to Atreyos, with Rarity next to Robin.

Atreyos holds up his fist, calling the army to a stop. He steps forward alone, and looks up to the soldiers on the wall.

Atreyos spreads his arms wide, “Brothers of Inamorta, I ask for you to stand not with the enemy, but with me. Inamorta has been grasped by the hands of War, Chaos, and Order for far too long. We come for a final battle, but not against our brothers! Keeser was right in one sense, Inamorta should have peace, but it should not have the oppression of him! He continues an everlasting age of death and strife like those of the Geneva Era, splitting the people of Inamorta apart! Swordwrath, Archidon, Spearton, Magikill, Chaos, Order, such distinctions should not exist, for we are all brothers of the same blood! Join me, brothers, and we shall become Unity!”

The Archidon stare down at him, eyes hard. But then they look at his eyes, instead of his weapon.

The gate opens, and one of the Archidon shout, “For Inamorta!”

Every warrior roars in unison, “For Unity!”

Pegasi sweep down, and pick up Archidon into their hooves. The army marches fourth, into the town, with several hundred new warriors filtering into it. They begin to march through the streets, their eight leaders still in front.

Citizens look outside their homes as the army marches past them. Some, old and young, rush inside and come out with makeshift weapons. A pitchfork and wagon wheel, a club, a hunting bow, and a lot of torches.

More and more stream out of their houses, and raise up arms alongside the army. There is no disorganized shouting or rioting, no destruction of property, but a Harmony within the sounds of marching feet and flapping wings. The truest extent of a militarized society is shown within such, even the youngest and angriest are still prepared.

But then the army stops as they hear stomping from ahead. Archidon draw back their bow, and Spearton form a shield wall.

Pegasi drop more Archidon on the various rooftops, and hover next to them.

Giants crash fourth from the castle, slamming down their clubs and ripping the chains off their collars. They look at the army with rage, until a particularly big one steps fourth.

Atreyos looks at the giant, and reaches his hand up.

The army lowers their weapons, and Atreyos continues on.

He plants his spear in the ground, and throws his shield right next to it. He reaches further up, and takes off his helmet.

His hair blows in the wind for the first time in a year, it’s white quality making Atreyos seem older and wiser than he is.

Atreyos places his helmet onto the spear, and moves towards the Giants.

He looks up at the biggest one, and shakes his head, “Look what he’s done to you, Griffon. First he forces me to kill the Omega, and then he ties you up? You are a noble Giant, the King of the Giants! He is not worthy of your strength, nobody is but you! Join me, Griffon the Great, to take down Keeser! And I can promise you an equal spot in Unity!”

Atreyos holds his hand forward, causing the giant to look down at him.

He let’s go of the corpse he is carrying, and reaches towards Atreyos.

He extends a single finger, allowing Atreyos to shake it.

Griffon leans up, turns around, and kicks down the gates of the castle.

Griffon smiles slightly, “Go, Unity-Bringer, and destroy Order-Slayer. Help the Giants, and we shall help you.”

Atreyos turns around, and slips back on his helmet. He picks up his spear as well, and looks towards Robin, “Come on, we have a bastard to slay.” He looks at the others, “You all stay out here and prepare, just in case. This is our revenge to get.”

Unity

Brutus is sent flying as the sword crashes into his shield, sending him up against a wall. He looks up, and can hear footsteps slowly approaching. He holds up his spear, and grimaces as he feels the dark power begin to leave him.

But the darkness within the room is broken as the doors are flung open. Light shatters through it, reflected off of gold.

Keeser looks up from where he stands, sword in the air, ready to slay Brutus without his knowing. Brutus slides forward, slamming his spear into Keeser’s foot, and through it.

Keeser growls, and knocks Brutus back into the wall. He tosses the spear in his foot aside, and turns to look at the two new fighters.

Atreyos slams his spear down, “Keeser, justice has come!”

Keeser reaches to his back, and draws a second sword. A curved one, not seen before by any of the three warriors. He slams his two blades together, and leans back, “Order shall prevail!”

Keeser charges towards them, his kingly robes flying out from behind him.

Atreyos blocks the first swing from the curved sword, allowing the other one to be blocked by Robin’s sword. He pushes Keeser back, and stabs towards him.

Keeser steps back, right out of the spear’s reach. He reaches onto the spear, preparing to pull it away. But, before he can, he is distracted by an arrow, and forced to let go in order to catch it. He twirls around, throwing the arrow at Atreyos.

Atreyos moves his head right out of the way, and once again stabs at Keeser. Robin launches another arrow at the same time, and distracts Keeser’s regular sword.

Keeser twirls aside, getting Atreyos’s spear caught in his robes. He slashes, and cuts the arrow out of the air.

Atreyos takes a step back, taking particular notice of how strong the materal in the robes just be made of. Enough to be cut, but not to be done so easily.

Atreyos charges into Keeser, and pushes him back with his shield.

Brutus charges from behind, wrapping his arms around Keeser. He grabs tight, spins, and throws Keeser against a nearby wall.

Keeser loses grip of his regular sword as he is sent flying. He lands with his back against the wall, and is momentarily dazed.

By the time he recovers from his daze, he finds himself stuck. An arrow has cut through his rope, and has gone right into the wall. He reaches over with his other hand, trying to free his arm. But, as the robes cross each other, Robin’s sword cuts through both of them. Keeser struggles, but his robes are too thick to be cut easily. He tries to walk away from the wall, only to find that similarly hard as a spear has pinned his leg robes to the wall as well.

Kesser struggles to pull himself off, turning his head to Atreyos.

Atreyos points a new spear at Keeser, the spear shining with a red glow. Atreyos narrows his eyes, “Die.”

A beam of magic leaves the spear, lancing towards Keeser. Keeser draws back in fear, and claws at the blades in his robes.

The beam of magic gets right in front of him.

Then, something happens. The universe rips itself open, and the magic goes into an empty void instead of crashing into Keeser.

Keeser looks ahead, the fear in his eyes slowly disappearing. Then, the same void magic rips the arrows, sword, and spear out of the wall, freeing Keeser.

He smiles, and looks at Robin, now without a sword.

He steps closer, only to begin screaming as his body burns in black fire. It turns anywhere it touches into dust and ash, quickly destroying Keeser.

He rushes at Robin, and swings his curved sword at him. Even as his body is being turned into nothing, he fights on.

The sword never hits Robin.

A purple portal appears above Keeser, and a rock drops through it. The rock hits Keeser, and turns the rest of him to dust and ash.

A fourth voice speaks up, “He’s gone, good.”

Atreyos, and Robin look at him simultaneously. A man stands there, his own purple robes blowing in the nonexistent wind.

The man looks at them, “King Atreyos, King Robin, I am Edis, God of Endings. I offer you the chance to not only help me, but to kill Keeser once and for all.”

Robin smiles, “I think we just killed him pretty good.”

Edis shakes his head, “No. Keeser might not be alive in this universe, but he shall soon enter another, more powerful than before. Come with me, and you shall have an adventure where you can hone your skills and get revenge.”

Atreyos looks at the God, and shakes his head, “I am sorry, but we have no need to hone our skills or get revenge. Our people are free, and have suffered too long. I regret to say it, but we must stay here, and not help you.”

Edis raises an eyebrow, “You are saying no? I don’t think you know what repercussions this might have on the entirety of the multiverse. No is not supposed to be a possible choice for you.”

Atreyos places his spear down, “We must lead though, you understand. Sacrifices have been made... we can’t just abandon our people once again.”

Finally, the last person in the room speaks up.

Brutus crawls over, his injures catching up to him as he rejects the last of the dark power, “I can go, if my King will allow it.”

Atreyos looks over at him, “Brutus? Who exactly is your King?”

Brutus looks over at Atreyos, and bows, “I am sorry for what I did in the past, King Atreyos, my actions were unjustified and uncalled for. It seems clear that no Spearton should lead, except for one who can think.”

Atreyos looks upon him, “Why do you want to go?”

Brutus flinches, “Blueblood only got so far because of me, King Atreyos. I must pay for what I have done.”

Edis nods, “He will be acceptable.” With a wave of his hand, Brutus disappears, “Good day, Atreyos.”

———

”Y̵̸̵͓͖o̱̦̹͓̞͈̘̖u̴̜̞̗̫͎͉͜ ̬͖̕ą̵͔̳r̸͏̷͔̭̪̼̞̜͖̱e̡̪̲͈̺̪ ̸̷̻̺͚̻ẁ͚e̶̪̟̪̼a̰͔͉̯͚̲k̷̤̰̠̱͔̠,̵̳̟͟ ͏̯̬̺͙̻̗͖K̻̩̣̹͈̬͈ͅͅe̫͔͠e̱͕͈͍̝̤͙̗͞s̡̮̦̣̤e̹̰͈̯͖͟r̶͡҉̗̭̭͓̗.̴̮̭̪͉́ ̶̡̲̠̼̻́J̵̞̱͕o̼̝͈͚̲i̖̣̯̘͜n̡͢҉͎͈̺̜̥̤ ̛͖̲m̨̺̦̝̘̳͇̲͘e̷̳̖̮̮̩͡,̩̪̙̞̺̤̯͜͜ ̨̥͇̳͞à̲̗̝̟̖̣̝n̯͈̼̫͝ͅͅd̸̠̖̲̯̥̜̯͔ ̸̟̮̮ỵ̹̙̟̪̟̥̙͜o͙̹͍͡u̵̢̱̖̟̘ ͔̙͔̯̪̗s̛̠̙̭̝̜̮͜h͏̮͎͍͚̣a͏͏͉̲̫̙l̺̗̩̣̀l̛͏̮̫̙͚ ̥̲͉h̛͇̜̝̰̬̙̭͔͉a̸͉̻̲̺̝͉͇͇͘v̩̦̟̗̫͢͠e̮̙̗̯̱͓̬͓͢͠ͅ ̝̪̱̞͈p̮̩̳͕͔͇͚̬͔̀́ơ̙̹͜w͏̻͔̪͓̩͖̻̕ȩ̫̗͇͙̺̀̕r̴̪̲͔ ̸̗͇͖̺͎̮͢͜m̡̟̩̱̟̫̼͎o̷҉̬̭͚̟̞̥̬ŗ͏̱̳͕̫̻͕͓̥̗e̦̰͎̕͜ ̰ṯ͘h̰̥̰̮͠a̳͎n̢̳͇͠ ̸̺̯̝͖̗̭̺a̺͕̺̙̱̯͎n̴̰̥͡ͅy̵̯͕͍̩̮͡ ̶̬̦̤̭͍̱̦ͅI͘҉̫̞̙̖ń̠̣̳̘̯̮̭̗͢͞a̲͚̤̬͔̼͘ͅm̧͙̝̪͜o҉̸̼̥̺͖̼̟̜̭r̛͕͇̟̰̹̤t̢̫͍̱͉ḁ̖͎ṋ̴̘̳ ̣̜̗͠b̨͇̜̳̣̰̝̟͢ę̣̼̹f̝̞͜͡o̭͍̦̥r҉͇̖̭̝͔̙͎̟e̢̯̞̰͖̪ ̗͎y̧̹̘͎̰͓̯o͎̟u͕̮̼̬.̘̮͎͎̫̦̙ͅ”

Keeser looks around the dark void, not seeing anything. But, within an instant, he nods, “I accept.”

”T̻͕͚͖͔͎̀ḥ̟́e̡̠̮͍͔̖͕̞̻̹͢ ̸̬̹̕͡C͏̞͇͇̹ơ̴̜̱͖̮̖͖̪ͅm͠҉̹b̷͈̠͎̙̕i̻̖͓̦̰͠͡n͖é̛̞͢ ̻̭͕̱̺͟͡Ḙ̸͈͈͔m̡͉͉͍̰̗̫͠p̛͚̣̦̼̳̬̦͇i̟͚͖̹ŕ̯͎͇̼͞e̵̴͔̪̹̫͖̲ ̹̞͉͘͟i̗̘̪̫̺̤̥͘ͅs̷͓̰̬̤̞̦͇̮͢͡ ҉̡͚̲̙͞n͎̳̻̘̱͚͜͟͠o̪̼̬̘͈͇̜̻͜t̶̮̥͙̥͔͘͢h̹i̴̳̜̙̜͕̮͈͠ͅņ̳̝͚̝͢g̤̟̠͡ ̷̩̭͙͘͜b͘͏͈̙̫̰̘͙ͅų̧͈̩̦̼̞̝t̶̰̥̱̻̀͡ ̷̗̖̳̺̯̼̲͢à̢͈̪̥͇̩͝ͅ ̢̧͚̻͖̼̬̗̱͎͎͡f̪̝̙̥͇͈͟͞e͏̬͟ẃ̩̯̹͉͢ ̗̱͡f̶͖̖͇̲̩̰̬̻e͏̧̖͔͢u̠̠͜d͚͖̫i̥̯̺͓̹͉̳̥͢n̰̱̬͍͎̳̩̦͜͢g҉̥̜͍̤͓̬̻́ ҉̯̫͓̠̖̹̞p̛̤̖̩͍̯͟͠l͓̬̖̱͙̤̰͉͝a̴̙̺̜̣̭n͎̖̭͎̭̖e҉͔̦͘t҉̴̜͇̮͓̭̮͘s̵̡̲͙͓̠̭ͅ ̴̭̲̥̠͍͝͞n̩̩̜ó̢̫͔w͍̹̝̤̬͠.͖͉͢ͅ ̧͇͘T͓̻h҉̝̠͎͚̻̰͎ͅe̛̩̟̝͔͟y̛̠͙͡ ̷͍͓̼ą̛̯͉̖̹̪̭͉͈r̳̞̻̥̫̯ḛ̵͉̹̦̩ ̮͈̫͍t̨͏͚̭̻̠̰̙͖̹o̥̖̼͈ ̸҉̙̦̥̩̙b̲̘̼͠͡e̛͕̫̮̬͝c̭̩̕͟ͅọ̼̭̀͢m͔̙̫͔è̢̪̮̗ ̝͓̬̻̹͚̞͙y̷̧̢̖͖̪̮͚o̸̼u̘͎̩̕r̞̗̟̩͕̮͎͘̕ͅs̴̤͕̞̖̟̩͞.̴͙̳͈̲̬̮̥ ̶̼̥̹̟T̰͉̬͉̼̪̞͚͟h̴͔̭̙̦͙͔͜e̛̯͙̜n̷͎̗̣̦̺̦,̟̼̪͈̙̭ͅ ҉̟͇̜͝y̼̤̝̟͔̜̞̕ͅo̢̡̯̻u̝̤̟̯ ̢͇̱̫̖̭̗̱͢ͅs̷̡̮̤̞̣̻̖h̥̘̹̮̰̖̠͟a̴̺̙̲̯̬ḷ͎̰̮̹͙̹̭ĺ͇̣ ̺̞̗͎͝g̜̦̜̮e͏̧҉͙̮̜̼̙̺̱̮ţ̮̼͍̱͠ ̡̥̼̺̣͚͚r̫͎̠̖̼̬͠͞e̟͎͘͟v̬̠̣͖̺̗̯͘͞ę̛̺̙̯͍͟n͚̠̦͜g̸̡̼̹ͅe̪̱̝͖͘͜͡ ̛̙͙̘̼̯o̧҉͙̫n̸̥̗̥̖͓̯ ̵̡̟͓̘t̢͙̲̟̘͘͝h̴̻̮̟ę̪̞́ͅ ͘҉͔̰̹S̸͏̟̫p̛̦̼̭͉̮̕e͏͏҉͕̼̣̯a͚͈̹͎͍̬͔̕r̨̰̭͎t̤͖͓̼̀͠ò̞͔͢n̫̫̼.̵̢͔̦̗̫̜̗̪ ̵̹̗͔͇̩͎͜”

———

Atreyos sits at a table, and takes off his bag. When he places it down, he hears a little cry come from inside.

He reaches in, and takes out something.

The Changeling foal, bawling it’s eyes out. Atreyos looks at it, and can obviously tell it is hungry.

Atreyos places it on the table, only to see something clutched within it’s hooves.

Atreyos slowly takes it, and looks at it.

It’s a portrait of Harry, obviously younger, but still looking the exact same. Atreyos is also there, wearing oversized toy armor. Harry smiles, holding Atreyos up on his shoulders.

It’s from before Atreyos could even develop memories, and something strikes him as odd. His mother died when he was three... so where is she in this picture?

The changeling looks at Atreyos, “Mommy?”

Atreyos widens his eyes, remembering his merciless slaughter. He looks at the changeling, finding more and more similarities between them. No mother, only a father... outcasts.

Atreyos hugs the changeling close, and smiles, “Welcome home, Asta.”

Asta opens her mouth, and begins to feed off the love coming from Atreyos. Given unconditionally, it is a lot more filling than normal love.

Atreyos looks at the portrait on the table, Harry’s reassuring smile still passing through.

Legacy

Robin leans back, and smiles slightly.

A crown sits upon his head, a modest gold one with no gems nor jewels. His cloak pads the throne he sits on, the twin throne next to it being empty.

A Swordwrath stands before him, looking up at him. Robin nods as he finishes speaking, “The passing of a soldier is something that is tragic, especially one of the Hundred. I’m sorry, but could you remind me how old he was when he was in the army?”

The Swordwrath nods, “Sixty three, King Robin. The magical scans of the pony doctors said he died of a sudden heart attack.”

Robin leans forward, “A heart attack at seventy five? If he’s maintained his form over these thirteen years, than he shouldn’t have just suddenly died like that.” Robin shakes his head, “Forgive me, it’s just so hard to accept one of the Hundred passing so early. Where would you like for him to be buried?”

The man looks down, “Equestria, King Robin. He spent his last few years there, and always remarked on how beautiful it was.”

Robin nods, “Than I’m sure he’ll be happy to spend his Spirit Roam there. I accept your proposition wholly and without condition. The Royal Treasury is at your beckon and heed for the funeral.” A pony walks over to him, and floats a letter up to him. He takes the document, and signs at the bottom. The pony then takes the document back, and floats it over to the man. Robin smiles at him, “Spend as much as you need, we have plenty.”

The man smiles slightly, “Thank you, King Robin, for your generosity.”

Robin nods, “Oh, could you tell me when the funeral is supposed to be? This man saved the lives of many with his service, and I would be remiss to not say goodbye and thanks.”

The man puts the Royal decree away, “Of course I will, King Robin. Thank you.”

Robin smiles, “Have a good day.”

The man walks out of the throne room. Robin’s pony assistant looks at the list, “Oh, that was the last appointment for today. Looks like you are getting off early today, Robin.”

Robin smiles, and stands from his throne. He stretches, and takes his crown off, “Thank you, Starstring. Go ahead and take the day off early as well.”

Starstring shakes his head, “Sorry, Robin, but I have duties to attend to still. An Equestrian magical anomaly to the north, supervising the creation of a new spell by Magikill and Unicorn, so on and so fourth.”

Robin looks over at him, spinning his crown on his finger, “Those can’t wait until tomorrow? You need to take a break sometime, you know.”

Starstring raises an eyebrow, “I have literally half of the year as a break.”

Robin nods, “As advisor, but you’re always doing that archmage stuff.”

Starstring shrugs, “Not my fault that Asta isn’t old enough to properly be an archmage. I mean, do you know how disastrous that might be? Fourteen year olds don’t have the best control of their magic, you know. Especially considering she doesn’t have anything close to a grip on how to use her natural magic. Did you know she is better at being a Magikill than a Changeling?”

Robin throws his crown back onto his throne, “Okay, well, I’m coming with you then.”

Starstring laughs a tiny bit, “No, Robin, you really don’t want to do that. This is magic and all that.”

Robin shrugs, “Hey, I know a bit about magic. I listen to Atreyos when he begins to talk, so a few of his lessons have absorbed into me. You know, thaumatic-“

He is interrupted as the door to the throne room is slammed open. A Celestial Guard pants heavily, and looks up at Robin, “King Robin, Captain Rainbow Dash is in cardiac arrest and has collapsed into a coma!”

Robin twirls to face the guard, “What?!”

The guard shakes his head, “Captain Dash collapsed, we don’t know what brought it on, she didn’t show any of the symptoms a pony should!”

Robin reaches his hand out, a sword and bow instantly floating into it. He throws them on, and throws his crown back on, “We need to get to Celestia, immediately!” He looks to his side, “Starstring, how’s your inter-dimensional teleportation?!”

Starstring opens a portal up in the ground. He looks at Robin, “Come on, Robin, we’ve no time to waste!”

———

A trowel cuts into the soft soil, the slight resistance there simply because of the cold. Dirt is taken out, and pushed to the side.

Dirt then fills the hole, dirt with flowers coming out of it. A mix of Equestrian flowers, such as Discodill and Celestial Drops, along with Inamortan flowers of rose and lavender.

The trowel then smooths the dirt around the flowers, making completely sure that the dirt is even.

A man leans back from the flowers, putting the trowel away.

Atreyos looks at the grave, and the portrait within it. Harry still looks out, with wisdom and knowledge unknown.

A voice calls out from behind him, “Dad?”

Atreyos turns around, “Asta? What are you doing out here? You should be at school.”

Asta looks down, her eyes beginning to develop tears, “The... the Giants are bullying Wind again.”

Atreyos rushes over to her, and hugs her. He moves his fingers through her hair, “Hey, hey, it’s gonna be alright. You know how to take care of those Giants. I can even take care of them myself.”

Asta continues to avoid eye contact, “I know how to stop the Giants, but... I’m not sure I should. Wind... said something.”

Atreyos looks at her eyes, calling hers to his, “What did that pony say? I swear, if he-“

Asta speaks up, “No, nothing like that. He isn’t a bad pony, he just doesn’t think about what he’s saying. He said... how it’s odd for me to not have a mother or grandmother.”

Atreyos shakes his head, “That colt... why do you keep hanging around him? You had a mother, just as I did, we have just never met our mothers. Why does he saying that even bother you? He’s a rebellious little prick, at least he is to me. It’s obvious the only reason he hangs around you is to brag about ‘getting with’ the Princess and last Green.”

Asta looks away, “Dad, seriously, he isn’t like that. That whole rebel is an attitude he uses around you because he thinks you’ll be impressed. You know that ponies have over exaggerated stereotypes of you and any other nation. He thinks that you are like who you were back when you first arrived in Equestria. Insults, not listening, all that.”

Atreyos sighs, “Thirteen years. These ponies are really bad at keeping up to date stereotypes.”

Asta shakes her head, “Anyway. I know where Chrysalis is, and who she is. I know who Grandpa Harry is, and where he is. But... who’s Grandma?”

Atreyos glances back at the portrait, and shakes his head, “I don’t know... I just... don’t know.”

Harry’s eyes look forward, wisdom and knowledge unknown.

Wisdom and knowledge... hidden.

Insubordination

I walk down the path to the city Canterlot, the army behind me. Joseph and Robin walk beside me. Robin smiles, “Can’t wait to show these bugs my arrows.”

Joseph shakes his head, “They’re called Changelings, Robin, keep that in mind when you choose targets. I don’t want to see a drop of red blood on your arrows.”

I look as the city gets closer, and stop our army. I stand in front of all of them, and start an inspirational speech, “Brothers, today we fight in glorious battle for the sake of one lost brother! These creatures that dare to have the name of Changelings have kidnapped one of our own, and declared war!”

Most of the crowd cheers at the announcement of war. All except for one grumbling voice that I just manage to gear, “Oh boy, the hybrid is leading us to death.”

I hold up my hand, and the crowd shuts up, “Who just said that!?”

A Spearton steps up, “I did, Atreyos! Why do we march for a Magikill!? This is your chance, prove you are a real Spearton and leave him behind!”

I walk up to them, and forcibly take off his helmet, “Brutus, how nice to see you.” I spit at him, verbally not physically.

He doesn’t even flinch from my words, “Come on Atreyos, this is your chance. Become a Spearton, leave that weakling behind! All he’s done is make you weak all you life, tainted your blood with his race’s! He is of a weaker race. Leave him, let us leave these petty races and regrow our own empire!”

I shake my head, “Race? Spearton’s are not a race. Not Magikill, not Swordwrath, not Archidon. We are all the same race, and we are equal in ways. I am not a Spearton because of race or blood, we are much more than that.”

He looks me dead back, “You are wrong. If not a race, than what are we?!”

I walk right up into his face, “We are an oath! To protect the weaker! To die in glorious protection!” I take out the Changeling horn that I made into a knife, “To kill our enemies! That is our oath! That is who we are!”

He shakes his head, “I would not be caught dead around one so wrong. You are a disgrace.”

I shove his helmet into his chest, “If you are not willing to learn, then you can leave. If you are not willing to fight, then you shall flee!”

He takes his helmet, “Then I will.”

I shout at him as he walks away, “Find a nice spot in Tartarus for when I come after you!”

The army is completely silent.

I turn to face them, “Any one else!? No? Good!” I point the knife towards a cave entrance, “Let’s go save Harry! Slaughter our enemies!”

The crowd cheers, and charges.