Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,935]
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System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.

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Celestia and Luna had been content to leave Sombra to his own devices, perhaps content was not the correct word, they simply hadn’t been able to do anything about him. They had a stronger army, greater magic, and more resources, but the ponies of Equestria didn’t want a war, what happened in the North didn’t concern them. Luna had begged Celestia to ignore them, to take up arms for what was good and right, and to kill the crystal tyrant. Celestia had wanted so badly, but did nothing “Perhaps another reason for her fall”, she shook her head, such thoughts would not help her. Still, Celestia found it funny, in a morbid way, that Luna’s wish to end Sombra would end up coming to pass because of Luna’s fall from grace; when he learned that Equestria was without one of its princesses he immediately launched an invasion, preying on the chaos and confusion caused by the Nightmare (the thought of it caused Celestia to shudder). To think he could succeed was insane, but it was fair to assume he was insane, dark magic did strange things to those who used it. Now, nearly a year and a half later, the full might of the Equestrian Army was camped a mere day’s march from the Empire itself, soon it would be over.

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Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,936]
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System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.

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The Crystal Empire had once been a thing of beauty, shining in the sunlight, scattering and refracting light like a stained glass window, it had always taken Celestia’s breath away no matter how many times she saw it.

No more.

It was as if somepony had taken this canvas and painted over its vibrant colors with grays and blacks. The sight filled her with a deep melancholy, if this is what her inaction had allowed Sombra to make of the city, then what of the ponies? Some she could see, arranged in rows and lines just outside the shield barrier, Celestia could feel the dark magic coming off them in waves, even from this distance, “Mind control,” she thought with disgust “he send unwilling slaves to fight me.” She felt deep anger well up in her chest, a burning fury that wanted nothing more than to scorch the earth and turn her enemies to ash. Celestia almost didn’t feel the single tear that left her eye and instantly turned to steam, she should have paid attention, should have acted when Sombra’s father had been king, she had allowed this to happen, this was her fault, it was all her fault.

No more.

She turned to face the Captain of her guard, Stalwart Spear, who looked very uncomfortable at the sudden lack of snow around Celestia.
“Captain, our forces shall meet them on the field, be aware that Sombra’s foul magic is controlling them, avoid killing them if possible, but do not be afraid to do what is necessary to preserve Equestrian lives.”
Stalwart nodded before replying, “And what of the tyrant?”
“I shall separate his head from his shoulders myself. We attack at dawn.”

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Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,937]
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System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.

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Throughout the previous day, Sombra’s forces had not moved an inch, not a single pony in their ranks had so much as twitched, nor had they moved during the night. Celestia had overheard some guards joking that Sombra had left snow ponies in armor out to greet them, she feared something worse.
At first light, they had marched onto the field, and as they neared the enemy force the snow on both flanks of her army had erupted with motion as more of Sombra’s forces, yet unseen rose and rushed the Equestrians, only then did the primary force move from their vigil and attack. In her anger, Celestia had failed to foresee the ambush and now they were surrounded on three sides by the enemy. Her guards screamed and cried as they fell, yet their enemy remained silent, Celestia felt a cold fear rising in her throat, she had misjudged the nature of Sombra’s army. She grabbed an iron-clad crystal pony, their coat dull, in her magic and tore the helmet from their head before gasping, her fears confirmed.
A corpse stared back at her.
Not the body of somepony fallen in combat, face frozen in agony, but a face adorned with a twisted facsimile of a serene smile, covered in rot, infested with maggots, and leaking a black fluid that reeked of death. Celestia watched one of its eyes fall from its socket into the crushed and stained snow before the other one twitched and looked right at her. She dropped the monstrosity, the abomination that had once been a pony.
And then it lunged at her.
A blast of solar flame from her horn ended its feeble attempt on her life. The fear was gone, replaced by pure, fiery, unadulterated rage. With the practiced mastery of a mage of hundreds of years, she gathered magic into her horn, enough for any unicorn within 3 miles to feel, and crafted it into an impromptu mix of an incineration spell and a spell for dispelling dark magic before releasing it.
Celestia watched in morbid satisfaction as one by one the restless corpses in Sombra’s army burst into flame and collapsed into ash, the effect spreading away from her like a wave. She stood still for a moment, taking in the sight of the battlefield, her little ponies frozen in shock. Out of her peripheral vision she saw Stalwart Shield rushing up to her, she raised her hoof to silence him before he could speak, “They were already dead, Captain.” She watched as the confusion in his eyes gave way to realization, and then to a reflection of the anger she felt.
After a moment he finally spoke, “I suppose you still intend to take his head, Princess.”
Celestia turned to face him before staring him straight in the eye. “No, no I do not, he does not deserve such mercy. I shall go alone, even empowered as he is, he is no match for me. Have the army regroup, treat the wounded, and handle the dead. I’ll return when Sombra is dealt with.”
Suddenly, she was blinded by a flash of light coming from the city, followed by the sound and force of rushing wind that pulled her over.
When she finally blinked away the temporary blindness she saw that the Crystal Empire was gone.

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Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,938]
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System at 22% operational capacity, critical system failure, entering standby mode.
WARNING WARNING WARNING
All secondary nodes offline, PROJECT BULWARK no longer operational, seek shelter immediately, automated facility security online, threat level: [BLACK]

Author's Note

I was listening to Lullaby Of A Deadman and Beauty Of Annihilation from Black Ops Zombies while writing that "battle" scene. I add the quotes cause it wasn't very long, then again, neither was this chapter. It's exactly what it says it is, an initialization, hopefully I can stick with this better than my other stories.

Anyway, enjoy, I think this'll be a good one, haven't seen anything quite like it.