Equestrians

Discord brought Fluttershy to the room, Luna frowned “Let’s see what happens with Samuel Hayden.”

Fluttershy frowned “Given his behaviour, I’m surprised that they could trust him.”

Discord clicked his finger “Well let's show you.”

Sunset

Sunset and Slayer arrived inside an industrial looking room, VEGA informed them “Dr Hayden is just across this complex. This industrial campus was once the headquarters of the resistance.” They pressed onward to find the ARC, after entering an elevator that malfunctioned and dropped several floors they charged out slaying demons obstructing their forward path.

Along the way they kept hearing that Samuel Hayden was dead but they didn't buy that. They pressed onward. Once they arrived at the facility entrance, VEGA informed them ‘The entrance into Dr Hayden’s outpost is blocked. Two peripheral turrets identified. Calculating optimal firing path… confirmed. You can use both turrets to clear a path. I will mark them for you.”

Sunset and Slayer charged forward, slaying the demon’s in their way. They arrived at one of the turrets and used it to blow up one of giant tentacles barring their way. VEGA informed them “First target destroyed. The second turret will give you the angle to destroy the remaining tentacle.” They then headed off to get to the second cannon, slaying any demon foolish enough to bare their way. After heading down an elevator, they proceeded to clear out more demons barring their way. Sunset and their Slayer exterminate through a few rooms filled with goop they head up another elevator. They stepped out slaying any demon that got in their way.

Sunset and Slayer headed up to the next cannon and prepared to fire only to not fire, VEGA came over the comms “One moment. Override successful.” Slayer blasted the second tentacle to pieces. VEGA informed them “The path is now clear. You can access Dr Hayden’s outpost.”

Sunset grinend “Let’s get to Dr Hayden.” Sunset and Slayer left tearing apart the demons in their path as they made their way into the facility where the resistance was. They head up an elevator, as they go up VEGA informs them “Dr Hayden’s office laboratory is located at the top of this facility.” Sunset and Slayer exit the elevator, they move forward through the door in front of them.

An ARC scientist ran up to them as they entered “M…m…my…god…umm…D…D..Dr Hayden…was…convinced…um…that…you two would come for this…eventually.” The Slayer took the Crucible from them. That scientist continued “Uh…can I just say that it is an honour, for me, personally to meet you. I…oop!” He then bumps into the metal fence as the duo leave the room.

They then turn to see the ruined remains of Dr Samuel Hayden as they walk up the stairs, sirens blaring about an emergency evacuation. Sunset stared at him “Poor bastard. They really did a number on you.”

That ARC scientist from earlier ran over “We, ah…we don’t know how to access his mian cortex, it’s all…alien, and we couldn’t figure it out. We have to, ah, prepare for his very careful extraction and we were given specific orders…”

Slayer pulled him out of the machine by force and dragged him out. VEGA scanned him “His life signal is barely readable.” They were then informed of a level five demon threat entering the main laboratory. A portal then opened a pale partially armoured demon carrying a stopped out. VEGA informed them, “Opening the portal now.” The portal opened and Slayer tossed Samuel Hayden through it before it closed.

Sunset and Slayer faced their enemy. The enemy known as the Marauder stated “You were never one of us.” The Marauder brandished it’s crucible axe, it continued “You were nothing but a usurper. False Idols. My eyes have been opened. Let me help you see, Slayer, Blood Queen.”

Sunset cracked her neck before closing the distance, dodging the axe, ripping it out of the Marauder’s hand and taking it’s head off. Sunset decided to keep the axe. The duo then returned through the portal. VEGA informs them “You have now destroyed 68% of Hell’s occupying force. Without the Priests, the demons will not consume Earth as the Khan Makyr had planned. But there is still one Hell Priest left and I have lost his signal - I can no longer locate him.”

Slayer put Dr Samuel Hayden into the main system conduit and removed VEGA’s backup chip from the computer “I still have VEGA backed up, he can’t destroy him.”

Sunset nodded “Good.”

VEGA informed them “Dr Hayden will be able to find him. Dr Hayden is transferring himself to your ship’s mainframe, the architecture is similar to his own. This will-”

Dr Samuel Hayden informed them “The final Priest is hiding in Sentinel Prime. The Khan Makyr doesn’t want him to be easily found. The only functional slip-gate to Sentinel Prime is in the core of Mars, in the lost city of Hebeth. I have marked it’s location for you but getting there will take time. There is no easy way to access the core of Mars.”

VEGA responded “There are no known pathways that lead there, Dr Hayden.”

Slayer then brought up a slide where their facility explained “The BFG-10,000: designed by Dr Samuel Hayden as part of the anti-demon defence grid.”

VEGA responded “I understand. Searching the coordinates to the BFG-10,000 now.”

Samuel responded “You can’t just shoot a hole into the surface of Mars..”

Sunset grinned “Watch me!”

VEGA informed them “The portal is ready!” They activated the portal and went through it. They appeared at the facility, alarms were busing as UAC scientists were looking at the duo in shock and horror. The duo continued throughout the facility. The Slayer drags a guy by his keycard to unlock the door.

Sunset and Slayer continue on. A UAC guard shouts at the duo then trails off as he recognises them “Hey! Who are you? You can’t be…here…” Slayer walks up to him and takes his gun on the way through.

VEGA informed them “The entrance to the BFG-10,000 is just across from this facility.”

Dr Samuel Hayden joined the conversation “The power of the BFG-10,000 should be of interest to you as well.” The duo then headed forward clearing out any demons in their way. They hopped through a portal then continued on their warpath getting closer to BFG-10,000. On their way across a bridge, Dr Hayden informs them “The Entrance is locked, they know you are trying to get in.”

VEGA responded “The schematics show a maintenance hatch on the bridge.” Sunset and Slayer head through the maintenance hatch to get inside. They then continued on clearing out the demons in their way.

Sunet and Slayer heard a voice above them as they came to hatch “I’m serious, those two don’t scare me. I’d like to see them try-” They fling the grate open as they jumped out to see tow guard pointing their weapon at them. Sunset smirks as the two guards put their weapons down and step aside. They walk past them, Sunset giving the one on the left a manic grin before continuing onward. The two guards then ran in fear of both of them.

VEGA then informed them “That control pod contains the energy source of the BFG-10,000. I’m lowering it for you now.”

There was a UAC guard in the pod, he was yelling “I’m telling you, he's on his way! I need you to-” He was tossed to the side by the Slayer. Slayer smirked under his helmet as Sunset grabbed the trigger like a little girl who was just gifted a pony for her birthday. The pod went up into the BFG 10,000 and she turned it around aiming it at Mars. She pulled the trigger and it didn’t fire.

The facility voice echoed “Warning. Mars surface targeted. Safety Mechanism activated.”

VEGA asked “Would you like me to disable the safety protocols?” Sunset pressed trigger multiple times in response. VEGA disengaged the safety lock. The blast hit the surface of Mars leaving a massive crater. VEGA informed them “The pod is set to self-destruct.We should move ahead.” Slayer then extracted the power source which was a weapon itself. The pod then fell shattering.

Sunset and Slayer charged out of it, slaying any demons stupid enough to get in their way. Dr Hayden contacted them “The emergency exit portals should take you directly to the Mars surface facility.” They headed out slaying more demons and then headed through a portal that led them to a bunch of rubble floating in space. Hayden informed them “You can use the facility escape pods to get down to the Mars core, but we have no way of reaching it from here.”

Sunset and Slayer travelled across the wreckage of the facility eradicating any demons getting in their way. They then made their way to a switch where they activated manual loading for a cannon. Samuel informed them “That is a weapon, not a teleporter.”

Sunset shrugged “Doesn't matter, it will get us where we need to go.” She and the Slayer headed over to it. They activated the cannon and kicked the ammo out of the way taking it’s place.

VEGA stated “Override loading sequence fire. In 3,2,1.” The slammed through the wall of another part of the facility. They then got back to slaying demons as they charged forward. They found their way to another part of the facility after a few platforms where they slaughtered more demons as they continued forward.

Sunset and Slayer eventually found escape pods and boarded them. VEGA informed them “I’m charting a flight path to Mars. Calculating thrust vectors…launching in 3,2,1…” After launch VEGA continued “Approaching Planetary Entry Phase. Prepare for turbulence.” They slammed into the core of Mars.

Sunset and Slayer smashed their way out of their pods. Samuel explained the location “The Lost City of Hebeth. This was before your time with Sentinels. The Slipgate will lead you to Sentinel Prime where the Priest is hiding.” They charged forward slaying any demon that gets in their way. Once they took the gate they arrived in a familiar place to the both of them, they saw the Sentinels standing on either side as statues of Makyr stared down upon them. One of the Sentinels alerted the Priest.

Sunset and Slayer ignored them as they were allowed to pass. They soon headed down an elevator, they remember this when they first arrived here before Makyr. They moved forward, ready for the battles ahead. A hologram of the Khan Makyr appeared before them “I offer you, oh great powerful ones, a sign of truce.” The duo shake their heads as they press on. The Khan Makyr appeared to them again looking at the Slayer“I know of what you have left behind. Go back to it then, leave this crusade. You can not save them. They have asked me for this… and so I give it to them. If you let the Priest live, then I return to you what the demons took from you so long ago. You only need to turn back and it will be yours again.”

Sunset turned to him “Are you alright?”

Slayer nodded “I will not waver. I lost them then, I will keep fighting the demons and those who side with them. That is my promise.” The duo continued onward.

The Khan Makyr appeared again “I pity the humans, I do. Theirs is a hard role to play… but I too have a world to save. Without their souls there can be no Hell energy and the Argent will cease to flow. I cannot allow this to happen. You will not stand in the way of Urdak’s progress. This is how it has always been done - it is not for you to deny us our chance at prosperity.”

Sunset and Slayer continue undeterred. The Khan Makyr appeared once again “I cannot stand by and watch as you put our future at risk. Earth will be consumed and the energy will continue to flow. It is your people’s survival against mine.”

Sunset and Slayer continued onward, eventually ascending into the Arena. Deag Grav walked around them “If Sentinel holy blood is spilled on these grounds you will lose all sovereignty here…” A huge demon appeared in the arena with a giant shield. Sunset ripped his shield in half and they proceeded to tear the demon apart with ease. Deag Grav told them “Earth will be consumed, regardless of what ha-”

Slayer blows his brains out and then several Sentinel guards rush in. They hear Khan Makyr voice “Fool.”

VEGA then opened a portal “The portal is ready. We should leave immediately.” The duo walk back through the portal as the Slayer throws a Holy Medallion at the priest’s body.

Once they return the entire base is dark, Dr Hayden tells them “The Khan Makyr has overloaded your systems! Vega has no control over-”

The Khan Makyr voice can be heard as they rush to the console “If you had let the culling continue the human race you fight to protect would have survived. Now I will resurrect the Icon of Sin. He will devour Earth and leave your home world in ruins. Life on your planet will never return and this will be another world you brought to extinction. This stronghold will now serve as your prison.”

Demons flooded in Sunset roared as she started to slaughter them in rage and frustration. Slayer meanwhile walked further in and placed the Crucible in the power conduit restoring power to the station. Dr Hayden chuckled “She didn’t know you had the demonic Crucible. In the end, the very power source you sought to eradicate from the Earth is now what will help you save it…”

VEGA, having rebooted, informed them “The mission on Sentinel Prime was a success. The demonic consumption of Earth has been stopped.”

Samuel added to the conversation “Only a Slayer’s Crucible blade can stop a Titan. You must get to the Sentinel City of Tara Nabad before it’s too late. Without it, the Titan cannot be stopped.”

VEGA informed them “Setting the portal to Taras Nabad.”

Sunset and Slayer head through the portal. They arrived there. Dr Hayden stated “Your Crucible is still embedded in the Titan that attacked this Sentinel city. Your first battle against the demons in this world - where the legend of the Slayer began.”

Sunset nodded “I was definitely the sideshow back then but my unique abilities gained their interest.” The duo pressed onward slaying any demons in their path.

Once they passed the entry door and slew more demons, Dr Hayden commented “The great city of Taras Nabad. Site of the first recorded demon attack in Argent D’Nur. According to the Corax tablet the city would have been lost had it not been for the arrival of the Slayer.” Sunset and Slayer continued on slaying the demons in their wake. After a battle with more demons, Dr Hayden continued “All your strength, all your rage and you couldn’t save this world from itself… but this time Earth will be different. It is written that your hatred for the Demons gave the people of Argent D’Nur hope - as it does now on Earth.” They then continued on slaying demons as they sought the Slayer’s Crucible.

Sunset and Slayer soon entered a strange chamber, Slayer crossed his arms “This is the Divinity Machine where I was empowered.”

Sunset frowned “I can sense a strange power coming from it.” Sunset and the Slayer then shook their heads pressing onward slaying more demons that stood in their way. After clearing through a section where they have to lower the irradiated water, Sunset coasted herself in an aura of energy to protect from the radiation. Then as they continued forward, Sunset began drying her wings. They then rampaged their way through the demons in their path.

Sunset and the Slayer found the Titan, Samuels informed them “If the Crucible Blade is removed, the titan will rise again.” The duo approached the crucible blade, the Slayer wrenched the hilt off from the blade causing the demonic Titan to remain dead. Dr Hayden continued “Your Vault should contain what you need.” They pressed on to locate the Vault slaying the demons in their path.

As Sunset and Slayer pressed onward Dr Hyaden’s voice came over the comms “The world of Argent D’Nur has fallen. Divided, the demonic energy flows now to the south, and the society you once knew has been replaced by a corrupted world under Makyr rule. It did not need to end this way…”

Sunset shook her head “It never does but it happens, we have to live with that and move forward from it. Vow not to repeat it.” Sunset and Slayer continue onwards slaying the demons in their path. They eventually found their way to the vault and after triggering a few switches the duo entered the vault. They use a sigil that they stored in the vault to restore power to the Crucible.

Sunset and the Slayer pressed forward, breaking a hole in the floor of what looked like a ruined throne room of sorts. After a minor dunk in some irradiated water, Sunset shielding herself like before they caused a block to rise, shot a switch and pressed on to slay more demons. They then moved through another sewer section before slaying more demons in their path.

Sunset and Slayer soon find themselves at a well of energy, Slayer restores the blade with the well of energy. Dr Hayden's voice is heard “I’m sure you want to try out your weapon first before we leave.” After giving the Slayer time to test out the Crucible they left, returning to the base.

As soon as they return Dr Hayden informs them “Urdak is Makyr’s homeworld. It is not accessible to anyone, no human or Sentinel has ever set foot in their dimension. You can use the Makyr’s Argent factory in the Hell City of Nekravol to pass through the void - once there you will not be able to leave on your own… but VEGA can create an exit portal for you. That’s why you must bring VEGA with you through the void with you to Urdak.”

Slayer reinserted the backup drive, VEGA responded “Understood.I’m detaching myself from this ship’s systems…processing…total transfer to external drive complete.” They take the backup drive with them.

Samuel informs them “VEGA is no longer connected to your ship. I will reconfigure the portal to Nekravol for you.” He then asked “Do you need anything else before we journey to Urdak? You will not be able to return until the mission is complete.” Sunset and Slayer headed through the portal.

Equestrians

Discord frowned. “A lot was covered today, we will continue tomorrow.”

Fluttershy nodded “I was surprised that Samuel Hayden was so badly destroyed and he was treated quite roughly.”

Twilight took a deep breath “It seems this chapter is coming to a close soon.”

Discord shook his head “Not as soon as you may think.”

Luna turned to Twilight “That sounded ominous.” The two Alicorns decided to rest up for the night.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoy this chapter, I think there will be a few more before the end plus an epilogue.