Equestria's Doom

The Slayer retreated into the depths of his memories and the chamber fell away from him. His memory went back hundreds of years, to a time that was nearly forgotten to him. He struggled to remember and then the sights and sensations of a bygone era once again came to him...

The alicorn raised her sword to meet his blade.

A loud clang rang out in the chamber as Sentinel metal met Equestrian blacksmithing. The magical energies infused into the alicorn’s blade began to furiously shudder and expand as the Slayer rained strike after strike upon her defense. Sweat poured down the brow of the dark red alicorn and her horn lit up to bolster the strength of her defense.

He brought down the side of his sword onto her sword's back. She pushed the blade upwards and the two blades ground against one another for a moment. In a rapid motion, she withdrew her blade from underneath his and levitated it to her side.

He mistakenly thought he was being given an entrance and thrust his sword forwards in a jab.

As he brought his sword to her skull, he felt sharpened steel press up against the seam where his helmet met his neck.

“Checkmate!” said Swordsmane with glee.

The Slayer’s eyes glared out from his helmet as he held his blade over her head. A sudden blush ignited the face of the alicorn.

“And that goes for both of us, again.” she said with an exhausted sigh.

The Slayer took a moment to relax as Swordsmane panted in her corner.

The ceiling of his dueling room stretched for many feet above him and a circular lamp was inlaid far above. It cast a bright light on the center section of the arena, where stone steps led into a metal floored arena. Great columns bearing crystals which occasionally flickered with blue sparks stood on the four corners of the arena. A combination of stone and marble facades lined the walls and there was a mural of the Slayer himself fighting against demons etched into the stonework.

He became suddenly thankful that he had chosen to place a dueling room within the Fortress of Doom. It was quickly proving to be an excellent method of testing the strength of both allies and enemy forces. A holographic projector installed into one of the columns would allow him to simulate any foe that he so chose. For this day though, there was only one opponent that he wished to test the mettle of and she was before him.

With every blow he had laid against the alicorn so far, she had raised her sword to meet him with perfect form, speed and accuracy. He had never before faced an ally or foe possessed with such adequate martial prowess; even his fellow Night Sentinels faltered when he became serious with his attacks. However, there was something different about her.

Celestia had clearly named her as head commander of the Equestrian forces for a reason. She was a creature of perfect balance; as analytical as she was quick to act, as loyal as she was ruthless and as intelligent as she was vicious. He remembered the lore of Swordsmane and the legendary status she had to ponykind as a fierce leader of the Equestrian forces across countless battlefields over decades. In his heart, he was thankful that the legends about her prowess were true and that she was not the false idol of a weak race.

He could feel a seed of respect beginning to blossom within his heart for the first time in centuries.

Swordsmane smiled as she removed her sparring helmet. “When Celestia assigned me to you as your mission partner, I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to keep up.”

The Slayer gave a dismissive shrug and twirled his sword about the hilt until the blade spun so fast it was invisible to the naked eye. He then rapidly sheathed it in a single motion.

Swordsmane sighed and respectfully bowed her head. “I am dedicated to my kingdom, but only Celestia is truly able to match my pace. It’s a bit refreshing to have a partner who’s my equal in the ring.”

The two walked out of the dueling arena and proceeded down one of the hallways of the ship. It stretched before them like the throat of a great, stone beast. Blue torches dimly flickered and the ceiling itself seemed to disappear in a murky haze far above. Statues of both the Slayer himself and Sentinels lined the halls and a great tapestry bearing his mark hung from the ceiling. As they walked, the fury of their duel fell away from him and he began to reflect on his martial strengths and weaknesses.

A wide opening in the wall provided a view of the planet which contained Equestria.

Swordsmane stopped in the middle of the hallway and whistled. “Equis is beautiful from all the way up here.”

The Slayer turned and began to survey the planet with her.

She stuck out her hoof. “Over there are the Plains of Embron, a vast desert in which many magical things reside.”

The Slayer squinted. He could see a vast patch of wasteland on the surface of the planet that gave way to blankets of verdant forest.

“And that’s the land of Nud, where it’s said that many-legged beasts work tirelessly to produce alchemical products for their trading partners.” she continued to explain. “Then, of course, you have Equestria itself.”

The alicorn pointed out several more locations on the surface of Equis and the Slayer listened with rapt attention. When it came to things like this, he would rarely acknowledge the other person. Most people simply weren’t worthy of his attention or time. This particular alicorn was different in that she had earned the right to be acknowledged by him. He had much to learn from one who could not just meet his blade, but subordinate him in a fair fight.

She turned towards him and continued speaking. He watched her as she talked and for a moment, he saw something more than an ally. He saw a friend; someone who he could look upon as a true equal and give his respect to, with no fear of letting that person down or being let down by them. It was something he badly needed after centuries of being the sole dominant force upon countless battlefields.

“Anyways, you won’t be here for that long, so I just wanted to show you some of the sights of our realm before we go to war once more.” finished the alicorn.

The Slayer nodded in respect of her lecture and the alicorn continued to walk. He followed her down the corridor to a small door of iron. She pushed her way through and he followed behind. The door gave way to a massive room that stretched off to both sides of the pair like a massive metal field. Great white lights crept up the sides periodically, mounted beside sloping arches that seemed to form a technological ribcage of sorts. It was the hangar bay of the Fortress of Doom and it was ready for action.

A gigantic mouth, buzzing with the same energy that served to retain the atmosphere in the rest of the vessel, opened to the inky blackness of space. Sentinel craft were mounted on racks along the ceiling and several were on the floor of the hangar bay, undergoing fuel and maintenance procedures. Sentinels scurried to and fro about the immaculate, glossy floor of the hangar bay. Some were in their Teutonic suits of technological armor, while others wore drab mechanic’s uniforms.

As Swordsmane and the Slayer walked through the hangar, every Sentinel they passed stopped to give a salute, to be dismissed with a wave of the Slayer’s hand.

One of the Sentinels rushed up to the Slayer. “My liege, your craft is ready for atmospheric operations-”

The Slayer raised his hand to silence the Sentinel.

He locked eyes with Swordsmane and she gave a soft, knowing smile.

“We’ve already rehearsed this a few times, I believe.” she said in a fast, excited tone.

The Slayer nodded. He removed his helmet and put a hand on her head. His hand moved back and forth as he gave her a rough pat on the head, stirring her mane. She giggled under his touch and blushed.

As quickly as the gesture had begun, the two stopped and resumed their typical grave seriousness. The pair strode up to the edge of the bay and a number of Sentinels were watching in a small crowd from a distance.

An audible gasp came from the crowd of Sentinels when the Slayer climbed on the back of Swordsmane.

“Sir, surely you don’t intend-” started a Sentinel.

“My King, that is an alicorn, not an orbital landing craft!” spluttered another one of the crew.

The Slayer snorted and put his helmet back on.

“Hope you’re ready for this one, badass.” she remarked sarcastically.

He gave her a hearty slap on the flank in turn.

“Okay, time to stop messing around.” she said with a sudden flare of determination in her voice.

Her wings expanded to either side of her. A brief pulse of magic squirted from her horn and her nostrils and mouth both began to glow as she casted a spell that would allow her to breathe within the void. With a final breath of trepidation, she galloped furiously towards the hangar entrance. She took flight briefly before crossing through the barrier.

Before she crossed through, a sonic boom rang out across the hangar.

Then she shot out at once in a blur of incomprehensible speed.

“You rode here on her back.” said Celestia in a flat tone of voice.

The Slayer and Swordsmane looked out to the gathered Sentinel and Equestrian armies. The Teutonic armor of the Sentinels contrasted with the gilded decorations of the Equestrian army. A crop of buzzing spears rose from the Sentinel ranks, many of their soldiers bearing ballistas and other Argent weapons on their backs as secondary weapons.

In the ranks of the ponies, it was a slightly different sight. Many of their numbers bore swords and greatswords that flickered with magical enchantments. The pegasi members of the infantry floated in the skies above alongside the hovercraft of the Sentinel air force. They bore magically enchanted crossbows and pikes that would allow them to skewer the ranks of the Demonic armies they were soon to face.

Great battle-dragons stood on the Equestrian side of the gathered armies and they were joined by the hulking figures of Sentinel titans. The gigantic soldiers of both armies seemed to almost be in a competition for who could give off a greater aura of destructive potential. While the Sentinel titans were menacing with their great blades and war-cannons, the dragons were frightening in their own way with claws that stretched out many times the length of a mere man.

A vast bubble of magical energy shielded the armies on the plain they resided upon. Far above both of the armies, Sentinel aircraft waged war against demons within the upper atmosphere. An explosion from their distant battle would occasionally cast an eerie light across the assembled forces. The castle of Celestia herself hung off a mountainside in the far distance and a protective bubble of its own shimmered around it.

“How else would we do it?” remarked Swordsmane casually.

Celestia sighed. “I have many duties, on top of being the sole bearer of the elements of harmony. One of those is protecting the most important of my subjects.”

Celestia herself was dressed in a gilded suit of armor. A sword crackling with magical flame was sheathed at her side and her hooves were covered by golden shoes with small spikes on the bottom. The magical energies of her mane flared up through her armor and her eyes seemed to be glowing with arcane powers of some sort.

Swordsmane chuckled and threw back her mane. She looked down at Celestia from the bridge of her nose. “You think I would need protection? Or him?”

“It was a risky maneuver and a pointless one, given that you had a far safer option in the form of a Sentinel landing craft.” said Celestia pointedly.

Swordsmane and the Slayer both shrugged.

“Anyways,” continued Celestia. “Reprimands will come later. Now is the time for war.” She gestured out towards the gathered army in the field. “This army has been assembled as a delaying force. While you two assault the World Nymph, they will keep the demonic hordes at bay.” She levitated a Crucible blade to her side and its red energy illuminated her fur as if it were soaked in neon blood. “This weapon must be plunged into the World Nymph. I trust that you are quite familiar with these, Slayer.”

The Slayer nodded.

“Anyways, the exact location of the World Nymph will appear on your heads-up display. This is due to an enchantment that interfaces with your armor,” she continued as she strode down the front ranks of the assembled armies. “You will likely only have a limited window in which to strike. Swordsmane will cast a spell that will restrain the energies of the Nymph while you thrust the blade through to permanently bind it, Slayer.”

Swordsmane turned towards the Slayer. “Do you understand what she says?”

The Slayer nodded.

Celestia continued speaking. “If you delay too much in pushing the blade through, then Swordsmane will become fully crystalized from the-”

“Wait,” said Swordsmane. “Let me explain some. When a unicorn or alicorn becomes ‘crystalized’ from magical exertion, it means that the magical residue from a spell that has been cast for too long will entrap the caster. Just imagine having concrete cast over your body, but with a magical material instead.” She inhaled before speaking again. “It puts the caster into the depths of a coma from which they can never recover.”

The Slayer nodded.

“I trust that you shall complete this task with great speed and accuracy.” said Celestia. “Remember what is at stake, for both Sentinels and ponies.”

The Slayer gave a crisp salute to Celestia.

“Now,” she said as she turned towards her army. Her horn glowed and magical energy swirled around her mouth. Her voice came as an ear-shattering boom as she spoke her next words. “Does my army know its role?”

“YES, OUR PRINCESS!” boomed the ranks of the ponies. The Sentinels slammed the butts of their spears on the ground and knelt in respect and honor of their allies.

“You shall show them no mercy, for none shall be shown to you,” she concluded in a voice that sounded more like a peal of thunder than the words of a living creature.

“FOR EQUESTRIA AND FOR THE SENTINELS!” roared her loyal ranks.

“FOR THE KING AND FOR SENTINEL PRIME!” boomed the Sentinel ranks as they once again butted their spears against the ground.

A great cacophony swept throughout the shielded plains as both armies began to chant and roar in their respective tongues.

The Slayer removed his helmet and Celestia augmented his voice with a tendril of magic.

The gathered ponies and Sentinels grew quiet as the Slayer prepared to speak.

“Rip and tear, until it is done.” he said in a quiet voice that nonetheless furiously swept through the gathered ranks.

Great gusts of air whipped and whistled past the Slayer as he rode on Swordsmane’s back through the skies of the battle.

The allied armies raged against a massive demonic horde far beneath. When he dared to peak below, he could faintly see the Sentinel ranks glistening like silver coins on the scorched plains far beneath. The pony army itself swirled with magical energies as its warrior-mages cast forth great spells of destruction into the demon ranks. Large explosions from dragon's breath and the cannons of mighty Sentinel titans blew mountains far below into pieces. Great chunks of molten rock were cast into the air from the fight and Swordsmane struggled to fly in-between the sudden projectiles, the Slayer holding on for his life.

A blinking icon on his HUD notified him of the location of the World Nymph in the distant lands far below.

He leaned in to yell instructions into her ear. “Ten-o-clock, right below, World Nymph!”

The Slayer looked down at the plains below as Swordsmane took him into a sharp descent. The wind from earlier was now a mighty hand that threatened to blow him off of the alicorn’s back and he shuddered in the force of the turbulence.

She let out a cry of exhilaration and he himself whooped in excitement as she broke the sound barrier multiple times. His fingers dug into the neck of the alicorn and he felt himself lift off of her back, only secured by the iron strength of his grip as she descended.

Swordsmane quickly reached the ground and the Slayer leapt from her back. He drew the Crucible blade Celestia had gifted him.

He took a moment to look at his surroundings. Swordsmane had touched down within the depths of a great forest. He could see a mountain rising in the background, smoke streaming from its peak, as fighting raged at every level of the mountain. Titanic trees loomed in every direction and he could see little of his surroundings through the thickness of the foliage. The only thing visible in the natural expanse was a clearing where the trees gave way to the shimmering waters of a lake.

The World Nymph itself was floating above the lake.

It appeared as a tiny, velvet humanoid. Two pairs of transparent wings with a faint pinkish hue extended from its side. A golden mask inlaid with intricate carvings covered its face. Limp and skinny arms hung from its side. In spite of the destruction it had caused in the worlds of both Sentinels and ponykind, it seemed to be an almost childlike figure of innocence to the Slayer, compared to the demons he was used to facing.

He could hear a faint sound working its way from the World Nymph to him. The Slayer realized that the World Nymph was singing to itself and was entranced for a moment by the beauty in its tone. The entity seemed to be smiling to itself and its eyes were gently closed as it slowly fluttered over the lake.

“We only have a small window in which to strike. There is a high risk of it teleporting away.” noted Swordsmane.

The Slayer gestured for her to continue.

She shut her eyes and became unconscious as she entered an intense meditative state. The earth itself began to shake around the Slayer and trees toppled in the forest they were in. Branches were ripped from trees and huge gusts of wind surrounded the alicorn as she used every ounce of magical potential in her form. Great cracks opened in the ground and the sound of a dull roar swept throughout the woods. Clouds of birds and massive herds of animals streamed away from the two as they fled the sudden disturbance.

A massive tentacle of magic shot outwards and the World Nymph let out a horrific howl as it was engulfed.

The Slayer turned to Swordsmane, to find that she was already halfway frozen in crystal, only her torso and head still remaining. The spiky crystal skin rapidly crept over her body and she cried out in pain as her prison began to form.

His window to act was now limited to mere seconds, he realized.

He knew he had exactly one shot.

The Slayer raised the Crucible blade to his side and winded up for a toss.

Every last throw he had made in his life began to flow back into his mind. There was a faint memory of a little league baseball team from another time and then he remembered his infantry training back in his lost home dimension. His memories crept up to the present; every grenade he had tossed, every sword thrown, every spear released from his hand came to him.

He then tossed the Crucible with the greatest effort he had ever put into a throw.

It soared through the air towards the World Nymph with a sharp whistle as it flew beyond any human notion of speed.

In retrospect, he had only missed by perhaps a few centimeters.