Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,935]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: ONLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.
<01001000 01100101>
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.
<01110011 01100001 01111001 01110011>
Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,936]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: ONLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.
<01100011 01110010 01111001 01110011 01110100 01100001 01101100>
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.”
<01110000 01101111 01101110 01101001 01100101 01110011>
Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,937]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: ONLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.
<01100001 01110010 01100101>
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.
<01101100 01100101 01110011 01110011 01100101 01110010 00101100>
Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [337,938]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: OFFLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
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.
Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [703,188]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: ONLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.
Information insufficient to lower threat level, remain threat level [BLACK]
Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [703,189]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: ONLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.
WARNING: Relay Node 5 occupied by [CANNOT VERIFY IFF TAG]
Threat level: [BLACK], assume designation [HOSTILE]
Sending message to [CANNOT VERIFY IFF TAG]
Message content: Representatives of [CANNOT VERIFY IFF TAG], you have one standard year (365 days) to cease occupation of Relay Node 5. Failure to comply will be met with severe consequences.
Sending…
Sending…
Sent
Activating Contender…
ONLINE
Initiating countdown
[365:00:00:00]
[364:23:59:59]
<01010100 01101000 01100101 01111001>
SYS: Connection Established
BULWARK ADMIN [Type=Query]: Why have I been activated?
CENTCOM [Type=Response]: Unknown entities have assumed control of relay node 5, scans indicate that primary entity is 33.33% hostile by genetic makeup, multiple secondary entities are 75-90% hostile by genetic makeup.
BULWARK ADMIN [Type=Acknowledgement]: Understood, CENTCOM, can confirm DELIVERANCE: Countdown has begun, awaiting hostile acknowledgment.
CENTCOM [Type=Confirmation]: Excellent, proceed according to protocol.
SYS: Connection Terminated
<01100001 01110010 01100101>
Twilight Sparkle had awoken at exactly six in the morning, as she did every morning, having elected to stay in the Crystal Empire following the defeat of Sombra, both to support her brother and sister in law and to study this lost culture, she was quite excited to see what the day had in store for her. Sure she missed Spike and her friends, but it was a small sacrifice when compared to the chance to research and document a civilization that had been all but forgotten by the rest of the world. The week and a half she had already spent here was not wasted, she had been exploring every nook and cranny of the castle, writing down everything she found. What she had not expected this morning was the quartet of guards who had arrived at her door and informed her that something strange had been found below the grand library.
But she wasn’t exactly complaining.
“Let’s get this door open!” an officer, Lieutenant Winters, called out.
Twilight looked on in awe as eight unicorns and nearly two dozen earth ponies attempted with rope and magic to pull open the massive onyx hatch at the end of the hallway; it looked to be seven feet wide and 10 feet tall with massive hinges on the left side and a guide track cut into the floor for it to swing open on. She followed Cadence over to the Lieutenant to ask what was going on, but he cut her off as she opened her mouth.”Ms. Sparkle, Princess Cadence, the librarians were clearing out the lower levels when they encountered this, according to them this hallway was not present before the Empire returned. From what I’ve seen, that appears to be true, the entrance is covered in engraved charms, pretty complex ones at that, from what we can tell they made the hallway and door completely undetectable.”
Cadence looked at him with concern, “Could it be something left by Sombra?”
“Unlikely Ma’am, this is unlike anything I’ve ever seen”
“Have you tried teleporting past it?” Twilight interjected.
Winters got a frustrated look on his face, the kind of frustrated where you are confronted by a problem you just can’t figure out. “Affirmative, with no success”
Twilight’s eyes widened slightly, “The teleport bounced?”
“Negative, more like the caster can feel the empty space beyond the door, but the spell won’t recognize it, so there’s no place we can even try teleporting to.”
“That’s… concerning.”
Cadence looked towards the struggling ponies, “Ok, well then, have them stop pulling on it, they don’t seem to be accomplishing anything”
As Winters called off the guards cadence and Twilight approached the door, wary of any traps, after a time Cadence spoke up, “I’ve got nothing, what do you think, Twilight?”.
Twilight jumped a little, having been lost in observation, “Well, this is onyx, can’t tell how thick or if it’s covering anything. I can tell you that it’s heavy, well secured, and…” she briefly lit up her horn, “covered in enough enchantments that I doubt even Princess Luna could break it down.”
Cadence raised her hoof to the door, “So it’s pretty stur-” as soon as her hoof made contact with the smooth black surface all light in the hallway cut out, except for a harsh white glow now emanating from previously hidden lines in the door and the glowing blue symbol of a heart.
The symbol flared for a moment before disappearing, suddenly the lights came back on, now red, casting everything in a menacing glow. A klaxon blared and the noise of locking pins receding could be heard before the massive door began to swing open. Quickly stepping back, everypony present watched the hatch’s slow progression; they could clearly see now that it was three feet of solid metal with a few inches of crystal on either side. Musty air came rushing out of the opening, stale and smelling of dust.
Everypony present stood for a moment, frozen in shock, the guards quickly recovered and rushed to place themselves between their Princess and the unknown. After a few moments of silence Lieutenant Winters pointed towards three guards, “You three, sweep and clear, maintain line of sight.” The group gave affirmations and entered the opened passage. Twilight waited nervously, glancing about.
“Clear!”
“Clear!”
“Room clear!”
A number of the remaining guards moved into the room, followed quickly by Twilight and Cadence. The room beyond was large and circular, with a high ceiling, the walls covered in maps and diagrams. In the center was a round table, completely featureless but made of the same onyx as the door, light shone clearly on it while most of the room was enshrouded in near darkness. High up on the wall directly opposite the door was a large carved snowflake, very similar to the one on the Empire’s flag, but sharper and with a ring encircling it, it was illuminated clearly, seemingly meant to draw the eye; Twilight looked around in awe, taking in the room.
“What is this place?”
The lieutenant blinked, seemingly shaken from his own observations, before turning to address her. “If I didn’t know any better ma’am I’d say it’s a war room.”
Twilight’s head snapped over to face him. “A war room, under the library? Wouldn’t Sombra keep something like that in the palace?”
“Indeed so ma’am, in fact we have ponies going through it right now.” He took a long look around, “Which is why this concerns me, it isn’t Sombra’s.”
As they spoke Cadence had begun to walk further into the room, as soon as she was within a hooflength of the strange table it lit up and a projection appeared on it, a three dimensional rendering of the empire, but it was off, bigger, with distinct walls around the city and large structures of unknown purpose tightly pressed together. If she had to guess she would have to say it was nearly triple the size of the actual city above them. Winters and Twilight quickly joined her, looking over the table, one tactically, one scholarly.
Cadence stared at the image in shock, “W-what is all this?”
“Some of the recon parties Captain armor and I deployed reported detecting building foundations outside the shield, but given the hostile weather and the sheer age of the site were unable to determine how old they were, or even if they actually existed.” Winters responded, eyes glued to the map. “One of the most important things to remember about this place is that it’s ancient, even compared to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.” He finally looked at the mares beside him, “I think my instincts were right, this is a war room, but it’s probably older than Sombra.”
Suddenly the map vanished, the surface of the table going dark except for a stylized icon of a letter flanked by two gently pulsing arrows directly in front of Princess Cadence. Every pony in the room froze, the guards having long since abandoned examining the rest of the room in favor of the table. Cadence tentatively reached out a roof and touched the letter symbol, which promptly vanished and was replaced by a rectangular box that contained a short message, displayed in bland utilitarian script
Representatives of [CANNOT VERIFY IFF TAG], you have one standard year (365 days) to cease occupation of Relay Node 5. Failure to comply will be met with severe consequences.
Twilight’s blood ran cold, this was a clear and direct threat, an ultimatum, her racing thoughts were cut short as above the center of the table appeared a series of numbers.
[354:05:17:21]
[354:05:17:20]
[354:05:17:19]
Where mere moments before Twilight’s head had been full of racing thoughts now there was nothing but fear, no thought came to her. Lieutenant Winters was the one to finally break the oppressive silence.
“Well shit, that’s not good.”
<01110000 01101111 01110011 01110011 01100101 01110011 01110011 01100101 01100100>
<01101111 01100110>
SYS: Connection Established
CENTCOM [Type=Query]: SITREP?
BULWARK ADMIN [Type=Response]: Situation updated. Hostiles have received the message, tracking responses. Countdown continues. Preparations for [OPERATION PYRRHIC VICTORY] continue unabated.
CENTCOM [Type=Acknowledgement/Confirmation]: Understood, Contender, proceed
SYS: Connection Terminated
<01101110 01101111 00100000 01101101 01100001 01100111 01101001 01100011 00101110>
Initiating automated daily functionality check for PROJECT BULWARK, day: [703,200]
Connecting…
Connected: Testing…
Primary node: ONLINE
Relay node 1: OFFLINE
Relay node 2: OFFLINE
Relay node 3: OFFLINE
Relay node 4: OFFLINE
Relay node 5: ONLINE
Relay node 6: OFFLINE
System at 35% operational capacity, please activate two additional nodes for minimum functionality.
WARNING: Relay Node 5 occupied by [CANNOT VERIFY IFF TAG]
Threat level: [BLACK], assume designation [HOSTILE]
Author's Note
Sorry this took so long, I'm busy with school and all that shit. I'll try to upload more often but you know how it is.
Anyways, post your theories and thoughts in the comments, I love to see em!
