A maelstrom of violence, that was the only way Twilight could describe what she was seeing.

The various creatures around her shared her shock, even Prince Rutherford was clearly stunned by the sheer brutality of the battle.

Humans, a race that only Twilight recognized, screamed like mad beasts with glowing eyes and discolored skin as they charged into a vicious melee with the World Eaters who tore them into red mist with their screaming swords and axes of similar nature...all but a few.

Everycreature was surprised to find that Aries himself was not part of the melee, instead he and a few other World Eaters trailed behind at a steady pace, their swords and axes at their hips and their hands occupied with a large rectangular device with a smaller curved rectangle connected to it and a small tube or exit hole, small compared to the device, but Twilight could've stuck her horn inside the hole if she wanted to for whatever reason.

Twilight was about to ask Aries about the nature of the device when suddenly, a mad human with magical abilities similar to that of a unicorn teleported behind the World Eaters who were too concerned with those in front of them to notice, but as the human prepared to hurl purple lightning at the unsuspecting World Eaters, there was a noise that Twilight could only describe as a thunderclap with the royal Canterlot voice, and the human's head exploded.

Twilight turned to the direction that the noise had come from to see the image of Aries lowering the device, smoke fading from the hole.

More thunderclaps drew Twilight's attention to the others, she couldn't see what they were shooting at, at least she suspected they were shooting projectiles of some sort, but she could hypothesize from where they were aiming that it was snipers and desserters that their berserk allies failed to realize were there.

"So you are not a front line fighter, your skill with the screaming sword led me to believe otherwise." Princess Luna asked the real Aries who stood with the group, Twilight listened in, making mental notes of every word he used to describe this...this.

"The 12th legion of adeptus astartes is primarily a melee oriented legion that is unsurpassed in sheer ferocity, but that does not blind us to the necessity of covering fire, as a tactical marine, I am tasked with keeping my rage in check and focusing on the battlefield, protecting my brothers from those who would exploit the vulnerabilities of one who is blinded by rage, if one of my less restrained brothers were to take my place, I doubt that we would be speaking right now." Aries explained.

Twilight knew what he was implying, his 'brothers' were savages in every sense of the word, she actually felt a touch grateful that all of the humans were possessed, for she doubted that the World Eaters would notice any that weren't.

The battle, if one could call it that, was extremely one sided, any heavy armaments were charged head on and barely left a dent in the mad marines' armor, and any flanking maneuver attempted by the madmen was swiftly thwarted by the tactical marines.

"W-was all that necessary, I mean, couldn't you've cured them somehow?" Applejack stuttered out, everyone just stared at one part of the violent scene or another.

"We were not taught any such tactic, wherever we deploy, none survive, it led to us being hated, secluded, the majority of our efforts directed to xenos threats, and thus the fact that we were called in to deal with this incursion speaks volumes of just how dangerous this threat can be, for whatever else the Imperium we serve may call us, above all else...we are necessary." Aries stated as a fact.

Applejack wanted to argue that point, but before they could, static bursts erupted from the resting World Eaters, who started getting restless, before they started moving away with haste.

"What's that all about?" asked Ember, voicing the group's confusion.

"Astartes communicate through a vox system, a radio, installed in our helmets, without it, you wouldn't be able to hear me through the ceramite alloy that my armor is made of, and when in combat, rather than broadcasting our communication to the enemy, we use private vox channels, and these can be used to speak with other astartes on different parts of the planet, or with our orbiting fleet." Aries explained.

While everycreature else, including Twilight was exclaiming about the advanced technology and how they could benefit from it, Princess Luna had a very different concern. "So what did whom say to you to earn such a reaction?"

"...We are betrayed." Aries explained.

The scene changed, the World Eaters were packing themselves into a large reinforced shelter, their words may have only been the static of their unheard communications, but the body language spoke volumes. "You're hiding, what could make you hide, why aren't you fighting them?" Rainbow asked.

"There is nothing to fight, the traitors are preparing an orbital bombardment, but in order to ensure that we believe the unbelievable, the loyalist who warned us said it was a bio weapon unleashed by the possessed." Aries explained as the image of Aries arrived at the shelter and started calling out for World Eaters behind him to move faster.

As three more made it in, the door began to close, Aries kicked the marine closing it, allowing one final World Eater through, before Aries was tackled and beaten while the door was closed, other World Eaters pulled off Aries' attackers and started trying to open the door again, ensuing a brawl.

"ENOUGH! CONTROL YOURSELVES FOOLS!!" Demanded an unhelmeted astartes baring many scars and a cybernetic eye.

The World Eaters pulled away from each other and started trying to communicate with those outside, trying to figure out what was happening.

Aries started clutching his head as though in pain, but straightened himself as Rainbow Dash looked towards him. "Are you okay big guy?"

"I can hear them through the vox, the sounds of my brothers drowning, a horrid reminder that I failed in my oath to protect them." Aries explained.

"Hmm, Yak thinks yak misheard angry knight, how do creatures drown on dry land?" Prince Rutherford asked.

Princess Luna was about to protest his curiosity about his brothers dying, but Aries answered him first. "Because the entire planet has been covered in the Life Eater virus, a destructive mist that breaks down all it touches on a molecular level, my brothers are drowning because their lungs are being filled in by their own melted flesh, that's how you drown on dry land, alien."

Everycreature was completely taken aback to hear of such a horrible fate, worst of all was Pinkie Pie, she had been uncharacteristically silent throughout the entire thing, her mane and tail smooth and straight, but that last piece of information caused her coat to lose all color.

"Man, it's a good thing Fluttershy didn't come." Muttered Rainbow Dash.

Everyone was taken from their despair by a horrendous noise that persevered for a long time and drowned out any questions of it's cause, only Aries and the images of the outraged astartes weren't covering their ears.

The noise subsided, and Aries answered the inevitable question. "The Life Eater virus is also highly combustible, the application of a thermal charge saw the entire planet burned to glass and any who somehow survived the virus killed, luckily, this bunker and others like it were built to withstand such things."

Everycreature again reeled in shock that such horror could even exist, but Luna had a different thought. "Why is this happening, why are you being betrayed?"

Aries turned to her. "Our father and brothers have tired of their oaths to the Emperor and now seek the freedom to kill indiscriminately, so when our father was told that Warmaster Horus seeks to usurp the Golden Throne, he joined his heretical rebellion, we and those of the Sons of Horus, the Death Guard, and the Emperor's Children legions who are more loyal to the Emperor than we are to our treacherous fathers have been cut from our legions and condemned, named traitors by those who forsake their oaths because we would not join them in their heresy." Aries turned and spat through his helmet, disgusted by the sheer audacity of his former brothers and father.

"ANGRON!! YOU DARE TO STAB US IN THE BACK FROM OF A COMMAND VESSEL!? I COULD SEE SUCH TACTICS FROM CURZE, BUT YOU!? YOU DARE!!? IF YOU SEEK OUR BLOOD, THAN SPILL IT WITH YOUR OWN HANDS YOU COWARD!!!" The World Eater in charge shouted with a finger in his ear, earning shouts of agreement and challenge and vows of vengeance from the others.

The scene changed again, the next thing everycreature knew, the World Eaters were outside, fortified in a ruined city, facing a plain upon which flying machines bearing the blood red jaws of the World Eaters unloaded 6 times their number, one of whom stood out from the rest, a colossus among giants, wearing crimson and bronze armor and wielding two screaming axes as if they were toys in his hands despite them each being larger than Big Mac.

The flying machines unloaded the last of the World Eaters and flew out towards the loyalists.

The sky erupted in endless thunder as the flying machines rained death upon the loyalist line, a few loyal World Eaters fired rockets at the enemy flyers, but damage was minimal.

The colossus roared and the traitors charged the loyalist line, firing randomly and without accuracy.

Aries and the other tactical marines returned fire at targets of opportunity, eliminating enemy champions with special weapons as their melee oriented allies charged to their deaths.

"WHAT ARE THEY DOING!? Don't they know that's suicide?" Twilight exclaimed.

"It was always suicide, our only choice was to beg for mercy we wouldn't receive, or drown them in our blood as they spilt it" Aries said.

The loyal World Eaters were cut down, butchered, even eaten in some cases by their mad brothers, the tactical marines began to run out of ammo, joining the melee as they did so.

Aries too ran dry, discarding his bolter in a fit of rage that embarrassed his present self as he watched, and at last drew his screaming sword and drowned out it's roar for blood with a howl of fury as he charged into battle, butchering his traitorous brothers before he too was cut down.

The scene changed again, now Aries was alone, the only World Eater surrounded by the demons Luna had described, they assaulted Aries immediately, and he met them in kind.

"Wait...didn't you just..." Ember hesitated to say it, but everyone was thinking it.

"Yes, I died, my soul was cast into the immaterium along with those of all the other loyalists, a gift to the Dark Gods from the Archbetrayer." Aries all but snarled as he thought of the others who suffered his fate.

Before anycreature else could question him, they turned their attention to the snarls of the demons, nearly discernable words could be heard from them.

"Pay no attention to their lies." Aries warned. "They speak in half truths, it takes centuries to piece together the facts that they fragment for their amusement."

This time, it was Celestia who questioned him. "And you did this...as you fought them?"

Aries actually chuckled at that. "hmm hmm hmm hmm, I understand your disbelief, it is true that I do not have the patience for such a thing, but I don't need it, an astartes has a photographic memory, so while I ignored them completely, I remember every word they said, and from my experiences fighting them, I can piece together what few truths they said...including how my father and brothers are now devoted servants of their master, the Blood God Khorne, incarnation of War, Rage, and Slaughter, which brings me to the purpose of showing this to you, if even one of your kin are possessed unknowingly, and is allowed to summon a gateway to the Warp, we will not only face Daemons, but my brothers as well, and the Istvaan III Atrocity shall repeat itself on your world."

The image of Aries fought on as the illusion was broken, returning everycreature to Canterlot.

"Oh, you're back already?" asked Rarity as she and the others who stayed behind trotted to meet them.

"What's wrong with you Gilda, was it even sappier than I thought?" Asked Grandpa Gruff.

"It wasn't sappy at all actually, I'm pretty sure you would've finally had a heart attack if you had seen it." Gilda said without any humor or her usual sarcasm.

"Pharnyx, are you alright?" Thorax asked his brother as he approached.

"It is a really good thing you didn't see that, I almost wish I hadn't, but one of us needed to know what we were up against...it isn't pretty Thorax." answered the more aggressive changeling.

"No..it isn't, war never is, that's why we must stop it before it begins while preparing for it as though it were inevitable." Aries declared.

The leaders all nodded in agreement before Celestia spoke up. "We will need a week, a few days to get the word out, and a few more for volunteers to make arrangements to put their lives on hold until this matter is settled...however long it may take."

"In the meantime, I fear I will require assistance in managing the Dream Realm...it appears that I now have need of an apprentice of my own." Luna said, looking between her sister and Twilight.

"You can ask your subjects nicely if you want, I'm gonna pull Garble and the rest off their lazy tails and get them ready for a fight." Ember proclaimed.

"Yak doesn't need to ask or tell other yaks to get ready, yaks always ready to fight...and SMASH!!" Prince Rutherford reared up and brought his front hooves down with authority.

"Our people may have fled from the Storm King, but I will not lose the freedom that Princess Twilight and her friends have given us so easily." Declared Queen Novo.

The others nodded in approval, and everycreature departed to prepare their nations for the coming war.

Aries made to depart as well, but Celestia hailed him. "Aries, there is no reason for you to spend this week in a cave alone, you are more than welcome here."

"...Very well, so where am I to retire?" Aries asked.

"You can stay in my castle if you want, it's just me, Spike, and Starlight, so there's plenty of room." Twilight offered.

"Very well, then we are taking the train?" Aries inquired.

"I...suppose so.." Twilight said, a few of her friends showing mild disappointment.

"Oh, and don't worry, I fixed the hole you made so the conductors aren't mad anymore." Twilight said.

"...Why would I be worried about that?" asked Aries.

Author's Note

To whom it may concern, I am constructing a tribute to Aries on my YouTube account (of the same name) which will be ready within the hour.
Once again, this chapter was just finished on my main site, FanFiction.net, and I am out of pre written chapters, which means updates will be weekly, but I am also going to post another (one shot) mlp40k fanfic either later tonight or tomorrow.
See you all then and there