Shadow Wars: Dawn of a New Empire

Upon entering Cloudsdale, both Princess Luna and Defender were surprised to see that the city looked like a ghost town, with the once bustling streets, now completely devoid of any life. Suddenly they both sensed something coming in their direction from the sky.

Looking upwards, Luna shouted, "Take cover!"

As a red magic bolt struck the city, causing a massive explosion. The bolt had narrowly missed them, however Defender could see several more heading their way. The Equestrians dived into the nearby buildings, however, this only made things worse as upon entering the buildings, they exploded.

Defender, who was about to enter a jewellery store realised what was happening and quickly yelled out, "Stay away from the buildings, they've been rigged with explosives!"

Defender quickly took to the skies, in hopes of getting a better view of their situation, however as soon as he was clear of all the buildings, he came under fire from APIs and was forced back to the ground. That was when an army of Droid Soldiers came cascading around the corner.

"We're surrounded!" Defender shouted, pulling out his blue magiscaber and began deflecting magic bolts that were being fired from the droid's blasters.

Luna looked around them before closing her eyes and reaching out into the aura, looking for a way out of the doomed city. She then snapped her eyes open as an idea pinged in her mind. Using her horn, Luna powered up a forcefield that expanded, destroying the droid's leaving the street open for their escape.

"Quickly, we must retreat. The city has been lost," Luna said, both hurriedly and reluctantly.

The Equestrian Soldiers quickly leapt back into the chariots and taking off into the skies. "What will we do about those enemy ships?" Defender asked as he spotted several APIs flying straight towards them.

Looking towards the APIs, Luna explained, "You deflect those magic bolts, while I fly and use my magic to blast them out of the sky."

"What about their shields?"

"Those ships are small so their shield reactors will probably be weaker, besides their shields will be no match for my alicorn magic," Luna said with no concern.

Defender nodded as he flew to the rear of the flying convoy, while his mentor made a B line for the enemy. Princess Luna used her horn to take out the shields before blasting them out of the sky with her powerful, alicorn magic. Meanwhile, Defender had been using his blue magiscaber to ricochet magic bolts back towards their owners.

Luna grunted in frustration as every time she took down a single API another one seemed to pop up to replace its fallen brethren. Flying back towards the convoy, Luna told her protege, "I'm going to distract them, you head back towards the fleet and contact Celestia for more reinforcements."

She then flew back towards the APIs, where she shot down several more down. When the APIs had turned their full attention towards the alicorn, Luna quickly fled in the opposite direction of the convoy...

***

Defender watched with concern as Princess Luna flew off, with the APIs in hot pursuit. He then glanced over to the starboard side of the ship, where he could see the once glamorous city of Canterlot, now a heap of darkness and death. He had to resist all temptation to change the course of the convoy and head towards the fallen.

Defender sighed before turning towards the doomed city of Cloudsdale, the once white and fluffy clouds were now thunderous, and grey. That was when he felt it...

Looking towards a large hill, he could see several large cannons that were firing the magic bolts into the city. Then he spotted him

Glaring at the figure, he turned towards the ship's captain and ordered, "Keep heading towards the fleet, I'm going to put an end to this, once and for all."

Before the Captain could reply, Defender leapt into the sky and began to dive towards the cannons.

Meanwhile, Princess Luna, who was destroying several APIs, suddenly sensed that her student was in trouble. She looked towards the convoy, her eyes widening as she realised that Defender was going to try and attack Nightwing...

***

Nightwing was staring disapprovingly at his APIs, which had clearly fallen for the oldest trick in the book. Suddenly a red and blue blur rushed past him, slicing the barrels of his cannons in half, putting them out of commission.

Nightwing smiled as he realised, who had dared to try and challenge him, "Well well well, If it isn't the traitor," he chuckled as he heard the distinct whooshing sound of a magiscaber being activated.

Defender ignored him as he raised his blue magiscaber. Nightwing slowly turned towards his former friend, "Tut Tut tut, you come here seeking revenge. Luna will be disappointed, the elementals do not approve of revenge."

"They may not approve of revenge, but they do approve of justice and this is justice for the elementals and innocent ponies that you slaughtered at both Canterlot and Cloudsdale!" Defender shouted, pointing his magiscaber directly at the heart of Nightwing.

Nightwing merely chuckled as he powered up his own red magiscaber, "I'm afraid that will not be possible as the only way that you will be able to see your precious elementals, will be in a casket."

Defender screamed as he lunged at the deranged emperor, Nightwing quickly blocked his strikes with his magiscaber before swinging his own magiscaber around and launched his own strikes. Defender blocked these jabs and leapt over the blue pegasus, attempting to stab him in his back, however, Nightwing spun around and dodged the failed strike.

Nightwing then tried to swing his magiscaber down onto Defender's head, but, before it could come into contact with Defender's scalp, he used the aura to push him back before using the aura to pick up large clumps of dirt and threw it at the emperor. He dodged these attacks by slicing them with his saber.

Several Droid Soldiers attempted to intervene, but Defender merely swung his saber around, cutting their robotic heads off.

Nightwing, who was now losing his temper, used the aura to pick Defender up in a choke hold, before pulling him closer, where he used aura lightning to knock him backwards and sending spasms of pain through his body.

Nightwing approached the fallen pegasus with his magiscaber raised, "You underestimated me, now it is time for you to pay."

Bringing his magiscaber down, he was both surprised and angered as a purple magiscaber cut its path off and blocking it from striking the unconscious Defender. Nightwing was then pushed back by the aura, quickly jumping to his hooves, he faced his attacker.

"Luna, what a pleasant surprise. I never expected you to use a purple magiscaber, I'm surprised that the elementals approve of this. What was wrong with the blue one that I built for you?"

"Your blue one was tainted, besides this one is much more superior than yours." Luna snarled.

"Let's test that then," Nightwing said cockily, a glimmer of his former self.

"Trust me I would happily fight you but unfortunately, we have places to be," Luna said before grabbing Defender and then teleporting away.

Nightwing stared in annoyance at the spot, where Luna and Defender had been stood moments earlier. He then used his new invention called a comms link, which allowed him to contact his forces. He spoke to his API squadron leader and ordered, "The enemy must have a fleet nearby, I need you to search for it and tell me at once. Do not engage without proper reinforcements."

Nightwing then watched as his APIs began to fly around in a searching pattern for the Equestrian fleet.