The Harmony Crusade

Twilight sat under the shade of a date palm, sipping water as she looked over reports. A frown crossed her lips seeing that for at least another two weeks not only repairing, but also refitting and rearming. Fortunately the tech monks had redoubled their efforts and soon the majority of the army would be outfitted with the new repeating rifles. She turned her thoughts to Dewdrop and a small smile graced her lips, the filly's lessons were going well and soon she would be able to read and do mathematics on the level of a third grader. She would have to come up with more challenging lesson plans for her as the filly's mind soaked up knowledge like a sponge.

Twilight turned her thoughts to the north. Had Philomena got the messages to the princesses? How big is Spike now? Is he even still alive? Would she recognize her baby brother? She thought back to the days when everything went completely wrong. It was during the seventieth year of her reign, it started with several isolated communities in the mountains that had a mysterious plague striking them. She had called in Celestia and Luna to assist her with beating this disease. After two years of investigation, the cause was tracked down to several cults that were worshiping Grogar as a god, they thought they could bring that old necromancer back by spreading a magical plague and bloody sacrifices. The recently modernized army was sent in to deal with them, most of the cultists were killed or scattered after several volleys from muskets. It was shortly after that when she and the other alicorns began having visions of a great catastrophe. All five worked tirelessly day and night to uncover whoever or whatever was the architect of this.

Twilight though back to the vision that prompted her to action. The tree of harmony had come to her in a dream in the forms of not only her five friends, but also Sunset, Starlight, Trixie and Sunburst all in heavy armor like what the ponemarchs and their respective legions now wear. They told her that Equestria couldn't be saved unless she went to a land far across the sea to create a great host. The tree imparted onto her the knowledge to create an army and weapons to stop the nightmarish monsters. Upon waking, she found Sunset was in her room, apparently the tree had went out of its way to retrieve her from the human world. She quickly imparted on Sunset the plans and they set out to retrieve the genetic samples from their friend, just a few strands of hair from their manes, a few drops of blood and the scrapings from the insides of their cheeks. After securing the samples and magically preserving them, she began building an airship meant to evacuate herself, her friends and several dozen ponies to safety.

Then the devastation happened. Twilight remembered gasping in shock as massive plumes of magic erupted into the air all over the land. The skies went ablaze as the cities burned. Untold numbers died when magic went wild and uncontrolled. The former element bearers rushed out to save as many as they could, none returned alive. The only body that was not retrieved was Fluttershy's, Discord had vanished shortly after that, along with her cottage. She had long believed that he had retrieved Fluttershy's body and concealed it to prevent any cultists from defacing it. After the initial devastation, storms fueled by magic rolled across the land killing even more, followed shortly by bizarre mutants ravaging the land. She loaded as many survivors into her airship as she could fit until it was filled nearly to bursting. The other princesses had volunteered to stay behind to try and protect as many as they could until her return. The last she saw of Celestia as her airship broke its moorings was her plunging headlong into a horde of mutants to slow them long enough so that the airship could get clear. She remembered seeing golden blood flowing from her former teacher's wounds as the mutants tore at her with claws and teeth, but the solar alicorn never once faltered or quailed. Twilight had taken one last look upon her home before it disappeared behind the horizon.

Back in the present, Twilight pressed her face into her hooves and wept for those lost all those centuries ago and for those who had been lost in this current war. A small voice asking "Why do you cry goddess?" broke her from her mourning. Looking up she saw Dewdrop looking to her in concern. Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes and replied, "I was mourning for those who have died."

Dewdrop cocked her head, "But don't you and the other goddesses ferry the souls that have given their lives to the heavens where they can rest for all eternity?"

Twilight chose not to answer and instead gently stroked the filly's cheek. "Come along, it's time for your next lessons."

As Twilight and Dewdrop sat down for their evening meal together, she felt a familiar shiver run up her spine as the flap on the tent opened. Rising to her hooves in a defensive stance, she challenged the figure before her wearing a dingy cloak, "Who are you?!"

"Twilight Sparkle, I don't know if I should be offended by the princess who defeated me twice not recognizing me."

Twilight summoned her hammer and shouted, "Dewdrop! Get out!" After the filly bolted out the back of the tent, she activated her hammer and hoisted it, ready to strike. "Tirek! Why are you here?!"

"Easy princess, I have not come to fight.", Tirek said, "I come as a ...well friend may be the wrong word...I come with knowledge of the enemy you fight." He threw off the cloak, revealing mass of scars on his face and body, his left arm was missing, along with several teeth and his horns.

Twilight gasped softly. "What happened to you?"

"The sphinxes happened to me.", Tirek replied, "They tore the very flesh and organs from my body so they could breed their own centaur forces. It has only been my own driving desire for vengeance that has kept me alive all these centuries, but now my health is beginning to fail me."

Twilight gently reached out a hoof gently.

"Before you offer to do anything to try and save me, don't bother. My death will be my penance for my wrongdoings.", Tirek said calmly, "When I first heard the rumors of a goddess leading an invincible host, I knew that my time was coming close and I sought any information. The information I bring is that the sphinxes are terrified of you, you have shown their subjects that they are not immortal the god-kings they imagine themselves to be. The next one you will face is Hakkahn, he delights in slaughtering with his own claws and as we speak he is amassing his armies in the belief her can strike you down in one titanic battle."

"If your life can't be saved, we have the knowledge to make your passing comfortable."

Tirek smiled weakly. "Even after all these centuries, you still try and find ways to make other's lives easier. I'll have to turn you down, instead tonight I shall trek into the deep desert where the sands will eventually consume me. Before I leave, I leave you with this, Hakkahn may be a violent brute, but be cautious of his last two brothers Sutekh and Ozymandias. Sutekh is a master of the dark magics, but his arrogance will blind him. Be most cautious of Ozymandias, he is not a brute or an arrogant fool like his brothers, if he knows he cannot defeat you, he will flee and find a means to attack you when he thinks you are at your weakest. Farewell greatest enemy of mine, if it destined, we shall meet again in another lifetime." He turned a quietly left the tent.

Several minutes later several soldiers and marines burst in the tent with Sunset and Dewdrop on their heels.

"Twilight!", Sunset called, "Dewdrop said there was a monster in here?"

Twilight turned her head in thought. "Not a monster, but an old friend seeking forgiveness." She looked up. "Send the word, at first light me move out. The next sphinx is preparing to march against us. Any repairs and refits that aren't complete by then must be done on the move."

As the first pale ray of morning scattered across the city, the air was filled with the droning of engines as the airship took off one by one. The gates were flung open as the mobile forges, mobile medbays and mobile garages housing the war striders all rolled out in a massive column. Pegasus soldiers and marines flew about in patrols around the airships and tracked vehicles.

Twilight sat in her private quarters pouring over reports. The familiar anxiety crept up inside her as her mind began pouring over strategies and counter strategies. She fought the instinct to freak out and completely cover her walls in tons of hoofwritten analytical paperwork. She closed her eyes, placed a hoof to her chest, took in a deep breath, she let it out extending the hoof. Opening her eyes, she immediately fixed her stare on what she needed and began calmly writing out the strategy.

Twilight entered the briefing room and laid out the papers containing the strategies as she waited for Sunset, the ponemarchs and the general. Once they had gathered, she passed out the paperwork. "It is a safe assumption that the sphinxes have had scouts watching our previous conflicts with the other two and will adjust their tactics to accommodate for our forces.", she said sternly, "So we must adapt out tactics to throw them off balance. The last two engagements we used the earth pony and unicorn marines to either lead the charge or supplement the army, while the pegasi marines picked off their seige weapon and reeked havoc in their ranks, while the war striders marched on their ranks and vaporized them."

Twilight turned her gaze to the ponemarchs. "When we make visual contact with enemy forces, you will deploy in full strength on their flanks a few miles away so you forces will be concealed. I will deploy with every tech monk that is not currently conducting maintenance or refitting. The army will supplement the tech monk forces. The exoskeleton-clad ranks of the Ponyhood will teleport into the rear ranks to disable their siege weapon and and throw their rear inks into panic. Once the our forces are engaged, we will have bought enough time for the legions to unleash their full might."

Twilight turned to face the window for a moment before continuing, "The airships will use air burst fragmentation shells for close fire support, if they have necromancers, the pegasi soldiers will give support with plasma. The war striders will hold back to keep the air clear of hostiles and will march forth in full stride once their force break."

Several of the generals began to murmur their discontent and Twilight held up a hoof to silence them. "This is not up for debate. As the tides of battle shift, I will leave any last minute changes to the generals, air command and strider command." She turned back to the room, "Arm your forces with whatever you feel is prudent. Dismissed." Once the room was cleared, she let her countenance drop and she slumped to her haunches in thought.

"Twilight? Is everything alright?", Sunset asked.

Twilight sighed. "Back in the city Tirek was the one who entered into the tent. He was mangled and dying, but that's not what concerns me. The spell that held him, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow entombed in stone was broken some time ago. I'm sure Cozy died long ago either from old age, disease or violence, but that means Chrysalis is somewhere in Equestria, she may have either founded a new hive or tried to take over Thorax's hive, if it wasn't wiped out in the cataclysm."

"We'll bomb that bridge when we come to it.", Sunset said with a wry smile, "Let's not worry about that now and instead focus on liberating the former kingdom of Saddle Arabia."

Rising to her hooves, Twilight placed a hoof on Sunset's wither. "Thank you."

"I remember a time when I wasn't so good and was sitting in a crater crying. You extended a hand to me in forgiveness, it's the least I can do when the weight of the world presses down on you.", Sunset replied.

After three days of moving at a grueling pace, the pegasi scouts began began returning with reports of a massive enemy force moving at speed in their direction. Twilight quickly summoned the ponemarchs and generals. "The fight is coming soon. I trust you have made the proper preparations for your forces." She didn't wait for any responses, "You all know what needs to be done. Peace through harmony."

"Harmony through victory.", the generals and ponemarchs replied simultaneously.

Twilight made her way to her private quarters where one of the private tutors was teaching Dewdrop her multiplication tables. With a nod, she silently dismissed the tutor. "Dewdrop, we have a battle coming and I can't ensure your safety here on the ship. When we land, I'm sending you to the rear of the column where you will be safer." Twilight summoned up several flares and a saber with her magic. Using her magic, she shaved down the saber so it would be easier for Dewdrop to use, then levitated them to the filly. "When you get to the ground, find a place to hide. In the event that enemies break through our lines, run and hide, fight only to save your life. After you have hidden, pop a flare and someone will come looking for you." She helped strap the saber and flares to Dewdrop, before securing an armored cloak to her.

Dewdrop watched in amazement as Twilight attached her magenta armor to her piece by piece in an almost measured ceremony. "Whoa.", she whispered when the energy cells activated with a small whistle and the lavender alicorn's magic crackled across the plates of the armor.

Twilight smiled at Dewdrop before mag-locking the hammer to her side. With a gesture, she signaled for Dewdrop to follow. As the two walked through the corridor, the Nebula Guard formed up rank and file, the only sounds they made were their armored hooves clanking on the deck.

As twilight stood on the bow of the airship, she went through her usual process of calming and centering her mind. Dewdrop mirrored what she could of the ceremony before coming up with and extra motions. The filly did several squat thrusts while taking deep breaths, the hopped up and down several times.

As the command airship came to a halt, Twilight turned to Dewdrop, "Remember as soon as you're on the gound, find a safe place." Looking out from the bow, Twilight saw a massive host coming to a halt. "time to put on a little show for them.", she whispered to herself. Twilight gave a nod to the Nebula Guard, who silently ran forward and leapt off the bow. Their bulky armored forms landed on the ground with a loud thud, the compensation mechanisms in their armor dispersing the impact. In a show of elegance that would have made Rarity gasp, Twilight leapt off the bow and their airship and spread her wings. She gave several rolls and swoops that would have impressed Rainbow Dash, then alighted on the ground in front of her transequine guards, wings spread in a show of royal elegance and dominance.

The airships landed disgorging the Ponyhood of Steel tech monks and pony soldiers with their repeater rifles and heavy wheeled shield. The ramps on the garages dropped with loud booms and the war striders marched out, their heavy limbs making the ground tremble with every step.

Dewdrop scrambled across the ground, dodging around hurrying ponies as she looked for a place to hide in safety. Seeing the war striders forming up ranks, an idea shot through her head. She ran up to one of the striders that had stopped walking and repeatedly tapped on it gargantuan limb with a hoof. When the strider shifted its stance so its command deck could look down at her, she shouted, "The goddess wants me to find a place to hide and what better place than on one of her sacred machines!"

The posture of the war strider moved in what could constitute a sigh, then lowered a massive gun for the filly to climb on. "Stay between my shoulders so you'll be out of the line of fire of my defensive weaponry.", the princepts said through a loudspeaker. Dewdrop nodded as she scrambled up the massive gun and climbed on the war strider's back.

The tech monks formed ranks, many carried volley guns in the metallic limbs and tendrils, several carried staves that crackled with electricity. The soldiers took up supporting ranks, setting their massive shields in place or throwing up berms with shovels. Pegasi soldiers flew back and forth, while the airships began forming up in a wide, spaced out arc.

A minotaur flanked by two centaurs, two griffons and two ponies, marched from the enemy host flying a banner of parlay. Twilight marched forth with one member of her Nebula Guard, to meet the parlaying group.

The minotaur and said in a bold voice, "Surrender! Throw down your weapons and pronounce Hakkahn the mighty as your true god-king, then we shall allow your force to live and you shall be allowed to rule over the lands you have conquered any way you choose."

"Counter offer.", Twilight said in a regal tone as she held her chin up, "Denounce your supposed god-king, free your slaves, bring the sphinx to me in chains and swear to uphold friendship and harmony, we will allow your host to go back to their families."

The minotaur laughed. "We outnumber you! Where are your heavily armored soldiers? Have they abandoned you?"

Twilight returned the laugh. "If my foals aren't here with their sons and daughters, it means they have deemed your pathetic host unworthy of their efforts. As I look at you host, I have to laugh. Is this is the best you have to array against me?"

The minotaur snarled angrily at the jabs. "Our god-king will come for you! Every one of our forces will gladly throw their lives away for him!"

Twilight smiled. "And I would gladly sacrifice my life for every one of my little ponies. Can your supposed god-king so the same?"

The minotaur bristled. "Hakkahn will flood this battlefield with blood!"

"Then I will have a relaxing swim before I bring him down.", Twilight quipped, "This conversation bores me. I will depart now. You have one hour to deliver your response." She turned haughtily and walked off regally. Reaching friendly lines, she ordered, "Prepare to take the fight to our enemies. Peace through harmony!"

"Harmony through victory!", the forces shouted back.

After twenty minutes the enemy army sent their answer in a wave of fanatics charging forward in a drug-addled rage. The tech monks calmly lowered themselves to the ground as the pony soldiers began sending volley after volley of bullets, cutting the fanatics down in a winnowing hail. Twilight began marching forward with the Nebula Guard and tech monks following in lock step.

The enemy army sent forward a second wave of fanatics. The tech monks, Nebula Guard and Twilight continued their march forward calmly. As the fanatics clashed with the calmly advancing ranks, the tech monks ripped the bodies of the frenzied creature apart with mechanical limbs and tendril, while others sent leaping arcs of electricity from their staves. Twilight calmly swatted aside the drug-fueled berserkers with her hooves while the Nebula hacked them to pieces with their halberds. after dispatching the second wave, they began calmly marching forward again.

Visible fear played across the enemy army before a third wave of fanatics was sent forth. As the crazed creatures clashed with the calmly advancing ponies, arquebusiers fired volleys. Lead balls cut down fanatics as the ricocheted off the cybernetic bodies of the tech monks with sparks. The enemy army visibly bristled seeing none of the tech monks had fallen.

As the arquebusiers prepared to fire another volley, the tech monks paused long enough to fire their volley guns. Swarms of rockets screamed through the air and slammed into the front line of the enemy army. Creatures of the enemy army scattered trying to avoid the rockets and many of their numbers flew to pieces. Hoisting her hammer, Twilight shouted a charge. As the creatures in the front lines either braced for the charge or quailed, siege weapons were shoved by their teams on the top of a neighboring hill.

In a flash of teleportation spells, the exoskeleton-clad members of the Ponyhood of Steel appeared. The crews of the siege engines dies screaming as plasma, high-power laser blasts and hails of bullets ripped through their bodies. The exoskeleton-clad soldiers ripped the ropes away from the siege weapons and smashed the winding mechanisms apart with armored hooves. Once the siege weapons were disabled, exoskeleton-clad soldiers disappeared in flashed of teleportation spells and appeared in the rear ranks of the enemy army.

Panic spread through the enemy army as Twilight, the Nebula Guard and the tech monks tore their front ranks as the Ponyhood of Steel soldiers tore through their rear ranks. Many of the creatures tried to flee, only to be cut down by halberds, mechanical limbs, electrified staves, armored hooves or their own comrades. The creatures that fought on found themselves cut off in ever tightening knots of ponies.

The minotaur that had parlayed with Twilight stepped forward holding two massive swords in his hands. Clashing them together in a challenge as he shouted, "Come face me alicorn! You will beg for your life bef..." His words were cut off as Twilight slammed her hammer into him.

As the last of the enemy army was slain, cheers filled the air. Twilight looked around, seeing two columns of dust, one from the south and the other from the west. "Form ranks!", she shouted into the comms device, "Two more armies marching on us!"

Officers quickly regained discipline as the ground forces of the Ponyhood of Steel and the pony army quickly formed up. The soldiers set their wheeled shields into semi-circular formations as others quickly dug trenches and foxholes.

As the two armies came into view, the army to the west's ranks began falling apart signifying that the pony marines had arrived. The army to the west quickly scattered as their morale shattered. The bodies of the creatures flew to pieces from mass reaction rounds and steel-jacketed bullets. The knots of creatures that held their ground were incinerated by heat beams or cones of flames.

"Sorry we're late mother.", Apricus said through the comms device, "We ran into some friends that wanted to have conversations with out weapons."

"They weren't very good conservationists.", Mica chimed in, "Their whole argument simply flew apart."

Twilight smiled. If the ponemarchs still had their sense of humor, their skirmish went well. "Maintain comms dicipline.", she said. She received several squawks through her comms device in affirmation. "Once you've finished cleaning up your mess, get ready to receive our new guests."

Hakkahn crested a nearby hill with his elite guard in tow. "Do what you will with the soldiers. but leave the alicorn to me!", he shouted.

Dewdrop climbed up on the head of the war strider she was riding on, she saw a column of the army from the south hooking to the east in a flanking maneuver. Stamping her hooves, she shouted, "We need to stop them before they surround the goddess!"

"Will you get off my head?", the princepts said, "I see them."

"Well?", Dewdrop asked.

"If you get off my head, my siblings and I will deal with them.", the princpets said.

Dewdrop drew her saber. "Never!", she shouted, "Let's go get 'em fluffy!"

"Did you just give me a name?", the spark asked in a crackling tone through the loudspeakers.

"Yes I did!", dewdrop shouted triumphantly, "Now get me closer! I want to hit them with my sword!"

The war strider's body shook with what could be construed as laughter. "Forsooth my siblings!", the princepts shouted, "Let the mongrels feel the wrath of of Ascention's Savior and Fluffy! Vengeance for our the princepts of Hope's Champion!" the war striders turned and began to march towards the flanking column.

Twilight looked over seeing the war striders marching, with Dewdrop standing on the head of one, waving her saber with a hoof. She would have facehoofed if she didn't have a battle to fight. "Dewdrop!", she shouted into her comms unit, "You and I will have a lot to talk about after this is over!"

The enemy army formed up preparing for a charge. Rather than sending waves of fanatics, volleys from arquebusiers or bombardment from siege weapons, instead the creatures all drew gleaming bronze weapons, with a shout, they charged. Bullets, balls of plasma and blasts from high-powered lasers filled the air cutting down scores of creatures, still they charged onward, more scared of the sphinx than the weapons of the ponies. Officers shouted orders to fix bayonets and counter-charge. Twilight charged forward with the Nebula Guard on her heels, the creatures of the enemy army steered away from her.

Hakkahn bounded forward and came to a stop several paces short of Twilight, his bronze-sheathed claws raking the ground as his wings fluttered in anticipation. Twilight drug a hoof across the ground as she chuffed, her wings flaring in aggression. The sphinx and the alicorn stared across at each other, intensity burning in their eyes. He flexed his broze-sheathed claws as she activated her hammer. The seconds felt like eternities as the two combatants along with their body guards sized each other up. The two charged at each other, armored hooves and massive paws thundered on the ground.

Hakkahn and Twilight clashed, the sphinx practically dwarfing the alicorn. Their respective bodyguards swarming into each other. As Twilight and Hakkahn shoved into each other, the Nebula Guard effortlessly hacked through the sphinx's elite guards, silver halberds splitting through heavy bronze plates as if they were made of paper mache.

Hakkahn lashed out with his claws, only to have them rake across Twilight's defensive shield. Twilight threw her armored bulk forward under the sphinx, flipping him over her and onto his back, she swung her hammer downwards. Hakkahn narrowly rolled out of the way as the hammer impacted the ground with a clap of thunder.

Hakkahn looked around quickly seeing that his elite guard was slain and he was surrounded magenta armored ponies. "You fight well alicorn.", he said with a grim smile.

Twilight returned the grim smile. "No grand speeches on how I've met my better or how you'll flay my flesh?"

"I let my actions speak for themselves and leave the grand speeches to my brothers." Hakkahn took to the air with Twilight fast on his heels.

The alicorn and the sphinx repeatedly clashed in the air. The heavy hammer cracking and denting thick bronze plates as bronze-sheathed claws carved gashed in magenta armor. Hakkahn reached out with a paw, snatching the hammer from Twilight's magic and hurled it to the ground. Twilight slammed her armored hooves together. Once again the sphinx and the alicorn clashed against each other, matching strength and prowess.

With a roar, Hakkahn burst from his damaged armor and lunged forward. Grabbing Twilight in his paws, he crammed the alicorn into his mouth. He went to bite down, only to find that his laws refused to close. Twilight braced her hind legs against Hakkahn's lower law and her forelegs against the roof of his mouth. With a shout, she shoved with all her strength, cracking sound came from the sphinx's jaws as sharp teeth began breaking. Hakkahn desperately tried to pry the alicorn from his mouth. Summoning her magic, Twilight unleashed a needle-thin beam of magic through the roof of the mouth of the sphinx, into his brain and out the top of his head.

Hakkahn went limp as his body plummeted from the sky. In a flash of magenta light, Twilight teleported from his mouth to the ground. The body of the sphinx impacted the ground with a wet thud.

"Hang on tight!", the princept of "Fluffy" shouted through the loudspeakers, "We're going full stride."

"For the goddess! Peace through harmony! Harmony though victory!", Dewdrop shouted with a whoop.

Several griffons flew through the air, most being cut down by the war striders' close defense weaponry. One landed on the head of "Fluffy" only to be caught by surprise when the filly stabbed it through the throat with a saber. The flanking column quailed and routed as the massive limbs of the war striders stomped through their ranks, turning their numbers into red pasted.

Pony soldiers laid on the ground moaning in pain where enemy blades had slipped through gaps in their armor, still they fought on, their ranks bolstered by the exoskeleton-clad soldiers and cybernetic tech monks of the Ponyhood of Steel. The right flank of the enemy army began to disintegrate under a hail of mass reaction rounds and steel-jacketed bullets as earth pony and unicorn marines charged and pegasi marines swooped among their ranks with crackling wing blades. Dewdrop stood atop Fluffy shouting, cheering and giving vulgar gestures with her hooves as the war striders steadily advanced. Twilight gave a nod to the Nebula Guard and they charged silently into the ranks of the enemy army. Morale of the enemy soldiers shattered as they routed, many tried to flee only to be cut down by mass reaction rounds or steel-jacketed bullets, the ones who opted to fight to the bitter end found their numbers steadily decimated by bayonets, armored hooves, silver halberds and cybernetic limbs.

Twilight teleported over to Dewdrop, seeing the dead griffon laying on the head of the war strider, she quickly inspected the filly for wounds. "Are you okay?"

"I'm unharmed goddess.", Dewdrop replied, "Fluffy made sure I was safe."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Did you name this strider Fluffy?"

Dewdrop puffed out her chest. "Yes I did and Fluffy's my friend." She gently stroked her hoof on the armor plating.

"Do you accept the name?", Twilight asked the war strider.

"The spark does.", the princepts replied.

"Very well, I dub you...", Twilight raised an eyebrow at the name before continuing, "...Fluffy. Come along Dewdrop, let's get you back to the airship."

"If it's all the same, I'd like to stay with Fluffy for a little bit longer.", Dewdrop said.

"My siblings and I can keep her safe princess.", the princepts said.

Twilight held a hoof to her temple, she would most likely have a migraine before the day was out. "Very well Fluffy, make sure she gets back to my airship safely." Teleporting back down to the ground, she looked back to the war striders shaking her head as she spoke to herself, "Before I know it, one of them is going to call themselves Angel Bunny." She couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

Soon the last of the enemy soldiers had either been slain or fled into the desert. Soldiers dug graves to bury their slain comrades or pits to pile the dead enemies in to, flame throwers quickly turned their bodies to ash. The body of Hakkahn was quickly stripped of hide and flesh, the skull of the sphinx was hoisted upon a tall post. After the area was secured, the dead soldiers buried and the injured moved onto the mobile medbays, the soldiers and marines clambered onto the airship as the war striders were placed in the mobile garages. The column set off for the city.

As the city slowly rose over the horizon, smoke coiled up from the city as recently freed slaves rioted, fighting savagely against the slavers and soldiers that held them in bondage. Mobs of slaves swarmed the pyramid at the center of the city as elite troops desperately fought to keep them back. Twilight teleported down into the middle of the bedlam, holding her wings and head in a regal pose. Hundreds of slaves rallied to her as soldiers threw down their weapons and fled or surrendered on the spot. As twilight calmly walked through the streets, more and more recently freed slaves rallied behind her. Reaching the pyramid, she walked forward and raised a hoof to bring a stop to the fighting. "Throw down your weapons and surrender!", she called out, "I will personally insure that you are well taken care of! Refuse and I will bring this temple of debauchery down around your ears!" A moment later there was a flash of a musket as a lead ball sparked off her armor. "Very well, you seem to have made your decision.", Twilight said flatly. Opening up a channel on her comms unit, she said, "Strider command, send forth *ahem* Fluffy to turn the monument to debauchery into slag."

"Yes princess.", strider command replied.

Twilight smirked as she threw up a bubble shield over the pyramid. Almost an hour later, Fluffy walked up to the edge of the city and leveled its guns as the pyramid.

Weapons flew out of the pyramid as an officer inside shouted out, "Wait goddess! We surrender! Just don't let your iron beast slay us!"

"Does he speak for you all?", Twilight shouted. After a moment several shout of affirmation came out from the pyramid. Opening the channel on her comms unit, she said, "Hold fire Fluffy until enemy forces with have surrendered," She changed channels, "Infantry command, send occupying forces into the city and prepare to receive prisoners."

Once the last of the surrendering enemy soldiers had been placed into camps and the pyramid thoroughly searched, Twilight opened the channel on her comms unit, "You may fire when ready Fluffy." Plucking a mango from a near by tree, she took a bite slowly walking away as a white-hot beam slammed into the pyramid, vaporizing half of it and melting the rest into slag.