A Thousand Years Apart

Chapters

Curse
1,000 Years Later...
Home Sweet Home
Chaos in Atlantia
First Contact
Aftermath

Curse

The sound of rhythmically perfect marching and rushing wind became white noise to Sombra's ears as he and his mind-controlled army, clad in spiky cobalt-black armor, marched out of the safety of the Crystal Empire and into the Arctic North.

The coming battle would play a pivotal role in deciding whether he would continue to rule the Crystal Empire. If he loses, there is no doubt that the punishment the Celestial Sisters have in mind for his transgressions will be... severe.

The billowing winds around Sombra suddenly stopped, and the fog around him dispersed, revealing the Equestrian army led by the two sisters, marching just a few yards ahead. The Equestrians' armor shone in pure gold and silver, their faces hard and their mouths set in grim lines.

Sombra was first to shake off his surprise, “CHARGE!” he ordered, powering his red horn.

Quickly recomposing themselves, the sisters gave the same order, and the two armies clashed in the middle. Steel clashed against steel, and blood spilled onto the snowy ground as the two armies battled fiercely, their screams of fear and anger echoing across the icy wasteland.

Up above, the sisters dueled with the levitating Sombra. Both sides cast spell after spell, each refusing to give the other an edge. Sombra fired a beam of dark magic at Celestia but had to raise a shield when Luna hurled explosive fireballs at him.

Sombra glanced downward to see how his army was faring, only for his eyes to widen in shock as he witnessed their complete defeat. Most of the crystal ponies had died, and the rest were freed from his mind control once the Equestrian army removed their helmets.

“Thou hast lost, Sombra! Surrender, and thou mayst be spared from a fate worse than death!” Celestia commanded in her Royal Canterlot Voice.

“Never!” Sombra roared, his eyes burning with hatred for the two alicorns.

“Then thou hast left us no choice!”

Celestia and Luna stood side by side, the tips of their horns touching as they began to glow with power. Seeing this, Sombra tripled the power of his shield and prepared for the assault. With a roar, both sisters fired a combined beam of yellow and blue magic, their eyes glowing a pale white.

The beam collided with Sombra’s shield and he was slightly surprised to see that the shield held. His surprise was short-lived, however, as cracks began to form in his shield not even a second later. Sombra growled in anger as he tried to think of something to get him out of this situation. Sombra’s eyes suddenly widened and he put on a toothy grin as he had an epiphany.

If Sombra wasn’t allowed to win, neither were the sisters. Gritting his teeth, Sombra called upon the rest of his dark magic to enact his final gambit. Sombra’s horn darkened as purple boils bubbled from it; his eyes faded to a disgusting green color, and a purple aura began to encompass his body.

A faint purple and green glow began to emanate from the ground around the borders of the Crystal Empire. That glow became brighter as Sombra channeled more magic into his horn. Yes! He was almost finished, now all Sombra needs is a location.

But before Sombra could choose where to teleport the Empire, the combined beam from Celestia and Luna finally broke through his shield. Sombra screeched in agony as he felt his body begin to fall apart and transform. His limbs faded from the physical world first before being followed by the rest of his body until he was nothing more than a shadow. Before Sombra could even think of exploring his new form, he was dragged downward by an unknown force and into the jaws of a massive ice cavern.

Realizing what was happening, Sombra let out one last roar of defiance before being swallowed into the cavern, never to see the light of day again.

Cheers immediately broke out below as the Equestrian army and whatever remained of Sombra’s forces began whooping and shouting joyfully at seeing the tyrant finally defeat. Celestia and Luna shared a glance before smiling at each other and joining the two armies down below.

The two armies ceased their cheers as Celestia and Luna gracefully floated back down to ground level. Once their hooves touched the floor, everypony bowed under their majestic presence.

“Your majesties, what shalt thou’s next course of action be?” one of the soldiers asked.

Celestia opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a violent quaking beneath her hooves. The sky above the Crystal Empire darkened, and a massive dome of dark magic began to envelop the entire nation. Panic gripped Celestia at this sudden turn of events. She quickly gathered the ponies around her and cast an emergency teleportation spell.

As the spell charged, Celestia looked around in alarm, watching her surroundings blur and fade into nothingness as Sombra’s spell took hold. But just before the blackness could reach them, the group was suddenly whisked away to the edges of Canterlot.

Upon rematerializing, the princesses and their soldiers stood frozen, watching in stunned silence as the dome loomed before them. It was blacker than the darkest night, eclipsing everything the princesses had ever witnessed. The tremors in the ground intensified, before suddenly, with an ear-piercing crack, the dome vanished.

Later, after Celestia ordered some soldiers to the borders of the Empire, their reports would reveal that the Crystal Empire had, for lack of a better term, disappeared. Unconvinced by the many repeated testimonies of soldiers and some civilians alike, Celestia and Luna went to investigate themselves.

They arrived to the sight of a gargantuan chasm that was quickly beginning to fill up with water.

Atlantic Ocean, Earth, Sol System, 1024 A.D.

The waters of the great Atlantic Ocean gently rippled along the surface, as they usually did. Sometimes the waters grew rough, and other times they became unruly; such was the natural order of things. But today would be different. Today, something was about to happen that had never occurred on this planet before.

It began with a sudden rush of wind, followed by dark clouds gathering over the Atlantic. The wind grew stronger and stronger until, suddenly, with a bright flash and a deafening crack, a new landmass materialized in the middle of the Atlantic.

The world shook to its very core as the magic binding the landmass forcefully connected it to the Earth’s crust. All the water that once occupied the space where the landmass now stood was swiftly and forcefully redistributed, forming an 800-foot-tall tsunami that surged in all directions.

Eventually, the waters around the landmass calmed, and the magical connection to the planet’s crust was fully established. The rushing wind died down, and the clouds parted, allowing the sun to shine down on the new continent.

The Crystal Empire had arrived.

1,000 Years Later...

Crystalia City, Crystal Empire Republic of Atlantia, Earth, Sol System, 2024 A.D.

Ponies and humans across Atlantia awoke to a bright, sunny weekend day. Perfect for a trip to the beach, a swim in the pool, or even a nice picnic with the family at the local park.

Unfortunately, such pleasures could not be enjoyed by Richard Watts, a stallion with an illustrious onyx coat and a gray mane and tail. His mane was slicked back with gel, adding to his professional appearance, and his tail had been recently trimmed so it no longer reached past his thighs. His eyes were a gentle brown, and he wore his usual black two-piece suit with a red tie and black pants. His Talent Symbol, hidden beneath his pants, was a depiction of several sheets of paper filled with squiggles, being signed off with a ballpoint pen.

It was fitting, considering his occupation as Atlantia’s current prime minister.

Humming a tune, Richard took one final look at himself in the mirror of his walk-in closet. Satisfied, Richard nodded to himself, “Well, there’s no time to start the day like now.”

As if on cue, three polite knocks echoed on his bedroom door, followed by a muffled voice from the other side, “I hope you haven’t slept in, Prime Minister, sir. I would hate to wake you with my great voice!” the voice said playfully.

Richard cracked a smile, shaking his head in amusement as he exited the walk-in closet, “I’ll be out in a moment, Tierno. No need to start acting nefarious,” he replied.

Richard heard a chuckle from the other side of the bedroom wall and allowed himself a few giggles before addressing the sleeping form in his king-sized bed.

Still asleep under the warm covers was Richard’s wife, Cherry Watts. She had a pretty, light red coat with a maroon-colored mane and tail. She slept snuggly in her pink pajamas, and as her name entailed, her Talent Symbol consisted of a large double cherry.

Richard smiled fondly at the sight of his wife before slowly leaning in and nudging her with his muzzle. She didn’t move at first, but after a second, more forceful nudge, her eyes slowly opened, revealing her sparkling cerulean irises. Even now, after sixteen years of marriage, her eyes still managed to take Richard’s breath away.

“Morning, handsome,” Cherry said, giving him a small smile.

“Good morning to you too, beautiful,” Richard replied before placing a gentle kiss on Cherry’s lips.

Cherry giggled before returning the kiss and slowly reaching a hoof to caress her husband’s cheek. Richard pulled away from the kiss and held her hoof in his own before opening his mouth to speak.

“I wish I could stay a little longer, but duty calls. I’ll see you and Mara for breakfast?”

Cherry nodded with a yawn, “Yeah, but you better be there too mister, or else you’ll have to face our daughter’s wrath.”

“Of course!” Richard chuckled, “How could I ever miss breakfast with you two?” Richard shared one last kiss with his wife, “I love you.”

Cherry smiled, “I love you too.”

Reluctantly, Richard walked over to the door and exited the bedroom.

“Jeez, took you long enough. You said you’d be out in a moment, not five,” Tierno cheekily said as Richard exited the bedroom.

Richard turned and looked up to face his advisor. Tierno was a human of European descent, he had light skin, a fair build, and measured five feet and ten inches in height. He had combed-over black hair, an intricately groomed mustache, and brown eyes. Similarly to Richard, Tierno donned a black two-piece suit and pants with a red tie and black dress shoes. On his right wrist was a silver Rolex watch that perfectly displayed the time, 7:03 AM it read.

Turning and walking down the halls of the Crystal Castle, Richard beckoned for Tierno to follow.

“Talk to me, Tierno. What do I have planned for today?”

Tierno held out a small file for Richard. Seeing the file, Richard pushed himself off the ground with his forelegs, seamlessly changing to a bipedal walk as he took the file in his hooves. While Richard opened the file and skimmed through the contents inside, Tierno filled him in on the day’s schedule.

“Well, to start off, breakfast will be served in an hour, so you have enough time to read your morning brief. After breakfast, you’ll have to partake in a scheduled…”

As Tierno droned on about meetings, parliament, the economy, and national rumors, Richard steeled himself for the no doubt stressful day ahead. It’s a miracle he hasn’t gotten any wrinkles yet. Then again, this is only his second year serving as Prime Minister, so maybe he shouldn’t speak too soon.

“...and that about wraps everything up,” Tierno finished just as they arrived at the dining room, “I had one of the servants deliver the morning papers on the table if you are interested. I’ll see you again in your office,” Tierno bowed slightly before leaving.

Entering the dining room, Richard took in its rich details. Much like the rest of the castle, the walls and ceiling were made out of perfectly polished aetherium that sparkled under the light of the chandelier that hung in the middle of the room. Under the chandelier stood a marble dining table surrounded by multiple white chairs, and paintings of famous leaders or events in Atlantia’s history hung around the walls of the room. Richard’s favorite was the portrait of King Radiant II.

It depicted an orange-colored stallion with a shining yellow mane and equally yellow eyes. He bore no clothing apart from a regal red cloak that hung around his shoulders and a spiked crown that sat upon his head that was carved out of pure aetherium and decorated with numerous small and colorful gems. His face sat in a calm smile and his eyes portrayed an aura of gentleness that eased Richard the longer he stared at the portrait. Richard closed his eyes and prayed for the deceased monarch before turning away with a smile of his own.

Approaching the dinner table, Richard took a seat where he saw the morning newspaper lying. Placing the file on the table, Richard opted to read the news first. Opening the paper, the first thing Richard noticed was the giant headline discussing the United State’s upcoming Presidential Election.

Under the headline was a picture of both candidates facing each other. On the left was the republican candidate Jerald Pen, a stallion of 58 years of age with a turquoise coat and dark blue mane and tail. He had green eyes and his face was set in a neutral expression. On the right was the democratic candidate, and current president, Kaitlyn Pearce. She was a white-skinned woman of 55 years of age with dark brown hair tied up into a bun. She had an oval-shaped head, brown eyes, and black glasses; she too had her face set in a neutral expression.

Turning away from the giant headline, Richard noted the other pieces of national news. The war in Ukraine had fallen into a state of stagnation as both the Russians and Ukrainians couldn’t seem to find a hole to exploit in the other’s front line. Climate change activists were making great strides in advocating for more environmentally friendly energy sources. India is going through a record-breaking heatwave with many of its civilians suffering fatal heat strokes. And China was once again trying to bully its neighbors by flying into their airspace unannounced.

Closing the newspaper, Richard moved on to the contents of the file Tierno had given him. From his skim through it earlier, he saw that it mostly consisted of military and intelligence reports with some economic and legislative papers sprinkled in. However, the one thing that stood out to him was the decommissioning of a terrorist cell by the Atlantian Intelligence Agency. They managed to arrest three ponies, two stallions, and a mare. Unfortunately, two other suspects managed to escape, but the AIA was confident they would be able to catch them before the day’s end.

Richard sighed, it was just another small victory in the unending battle spanning a majority of the republic’s recent history. The Crystal League had been a thorn in the republic’s side ever since the organization's formation sometime in the late 1980s. The terrorist organization followed an ideology of brutal human intolerance due to humanity's rather… unfriendly relations with ponies in the past. They believed that all humans were nothing but demons that drool at the opportunity to exploit ponies and that they didn’t belong in pony society; similarly, they don’t believe ponies belong in any human society and that ponies could do no wrong despite historical evidence proving otherwise.

While the organization never grew in any significant way, it never really went away either. The organization was like a cockroach, no matter how many times Atlantia stomped on them, there was always another cell or group somewhere preparing to target the next human community in the nation.

The sound of the dining room’s door creaking open caused Richard to look up from his reports and see who had entered. Standing in the doorway were his wife and daughter, fully dressed and ready to take on the day.

Mara beamed at the sight of her father before scrambling over in an excited rush and jumping into her father’s embrace.

“Daddy!” she exclaimed happily while nuzzling into Richard’s chest.

Richard nuzzled back with a beaming smile, “Mara! How are you doing sweetheart?”

Mara pulled back from her nuzzling and allowed Richard to see her features. Mara was a five-year-old filly with a burgundy coat and her mother's maroon-colored mane and tail. Her mane was tied into a ponytail and her tail hung freely. She had her mother's cerulean eyes and wore her cute little glasses that had been smudged when she nuzzled into Richard. As for her attire, Mara wore a simple white polo shirt with a black skirt.

“I’m super-duper excited, daddy! Today’s my first day of kindergarten, remember?”

“Of course, I remember. How could I forget such an important day?”

It would’ve been surprising if he did forget. Kindergarten was all Mara had been talking about for the past couple of days. Looking up, Richard saw his wife approaching alongside a pony servant. Cherry whispered something to the servant and they nodded before trotting out of the room.

Walking over to her husband, Cherry planted a smooch on his cheek, “So, how was your morning brief with Tierno?”

“Same as always, I'm going to have another busy and stressful day, like all days.”

The door to the dining room opened and in stepped five servants, all human. They pushed in a cart carrying multiple covered plates, glass cups, and silverware along with a teacup. Richard’s stomach rumbled in anticipation for his morning meal.

“Come now, Mara. Let's sit down for breakfast,” Cherry said before gently biting down on the scruff of her neck and taking her out of Richard’s lap.

“Weee!”

With a chuckle, Cherry placed Mara down in a seat and pushed her into the table before sitting down next to her. Richard sat across from the two.

The servants approached the family and laid down their plates, silverware, and cups. Once they were done, they grabbed the lids of the covers and lifted them off of the plates.

In front of Richard lay a delectable breakfast. Scrambled eggs mixed with spinach and coated with a layer of melted cheese covered a quarter of the plate. Two pieces of toast coated with butter lay next to the scrambled eggs, and for dessert, there are four straps of French toast accompanied by maple syrup in a small cup next to the plate.

The servant placed a glass cup on the left side of the plate and began filling it up with fresh, hot tea.

“That's enough,” Richard said once the cup was filled halfway, “Thank you,” he said with a smile directed at the servant.

“It’s no problem, Prime Minister, sir,” the servant responded with a smile of their own.

The family dined in a comfortable quiet occasionally broken by Mara's excited mutterings about making friends and playing in the park.

Richard felt a piece of warmth blossom in his chest as he watched Mara. In her five years of existence, she never really ventured outside of the castle apart from going to the castle gardens when requested. She hasn't met any kids her age and her only company here were the staff and Cherry, and occasionally himself.

Richard sighed mentally, he just hoped the kids at the school weren't too rough on her. Kids can be particularly ruthless when they want to be, and he wasn't looking forward to having his little fruit come back home in tears.

Eventually, the family's plates and cups were emptied and the servants took everything back to the kitchen with the cart. Richard walked with his wife and daughter to the castle's entrance. Once they arrived, Richard, unfortunately, would be unable to continue the journey with his daughter. Duty calls after all.

Looking over his daughter one last time and making sure she had everything in her backpack, Richard smiled before planting a kiss on her head.

“Have fun and make a lot of friends, okay?”

“Yup!” Mara said while bobbing her head up and down excitedly.

Richard giggled at Mara before gently patting her head, “I love you. Now go before Tierno comes and drags me to my office.”

Mara giggled and said her goodbyes before following Cherry out of the castle and into the car that would take her to school.

Turning around, Richard trotted towards his office. There was a lot of work to be done today.

The rest of the morning hours ticked by without incident, and Mara was animatedly talking with several new friends she made during arts & crafts. Her smile was wide and her mouth moved a mile a minute as she talked about her life in the Crystal Castle.

Everything was perfect.

Until it wasn’t.

A terrible tremor began to rock the earth below them and the sky darkened as if a large blanket had been thrown over the continent. The foals and children in the classroom screamed and cried in fear as many objects and books began to fall from their shelves while the teacher tried to keep them calm and shouted for them to take cover under their desks.

Mara wept and trembled as she hid under her desk, her hooves clutching one of the desk legs with a vice grip. Her ears splayed against her head in an attempt to block the terrible cracks and screaming coming from outside the window and school halls. Her fear increased tenfold when she saw her classmates and her teacher begin to fade away into a black mist until it was just her in the classroom that was also beginning to fade.

“Daddy! I want daddy!” she screeched helplessly as hot tears flowed out of her eyes.

Looking over herself, Mara’s eyes widened when she saw that she too was fading away. She screeched and cried for her mommy and daddy, and she attempted to crawl away from her fading body in an attempt to save herself from it. But it was all for naught, and Mara let out one last terror-ridden scream before she faded away into nothingness.

Author's Note

Here's a bit of lore for you all.

Republic of Atlantia:

The Republic of Atlantia was formed after a two-year civil war (December 12, 1932 - February 8, 1935) between loyalist forces led by King Thunder and rebel forces led by General Blaze.

The violent conflict and the abolition of the monarchy were caused due to a number of factors, including the oppression of the public, a poor response to the Great Depression, and the social inequality King Thunder imposed.

The civil war began after an attempted assassination of King Thunder on December 11, 1932, during the annual Crystal Faire. At the end of the Crystal Faire, after the national anthem played and the King was about to deliver a speech from the Crystal Castle’s balcony with his wife, Queen Prism, and his son, Prince Storm, bombs planted by rebel guards the day before detonated.

The explosion destroyed the balcony, sending the family plummeting more than 50 feet to the ground. It was later reported that Prince Storm died instantly from shrapnel, while Queen Prism later succumbed to her injuries during treatment. Miraculously, King Thunder survived, though he was left crippled and unable to walk on his own.

The next day, rebel forces launched surprise attacks on several of the nation’s bases and called on citizens to rise against the King’s oppression, thus igniting the Atlantian Civil War.

Aetherium:

Aetherium is a crystalline rock found only on the Atlantian continent. Aetherium is abundant in the cave systems of Atlantia and comes in various shapes and colors, though the most common is sky blue.

In 1951, a few years after World War II, while researching aetherium's strange ability to emit a constant glow, Dr. Ember Crosby, a stallion scientist, discovered that aetherium behaved oddly when exposed to different electromagnetic waves. When exposed to lower waves, such as radio or microwaves, it didn’t seem to alter the crystal in any way, but when exposed to higher waves like x-rays it led to a more… explosive outcome.

The head-sized piece of aetherium he was experimenting with suddenly and violently exploded in his lab after being exposed to an X-ray beam for just five seconds. The explosion sent sharp crystal shards flying everywhere, most of which either embedded themselves in Dr. Crosby's body or severely lacerated his skin. Had he not been wearing safety goggles, he would have lost both eyes as well.

Later, after recovering from his injuries, Dr. Crosby reported hearing a hum that swiftly increased in pitch before the aetherium exploded. He expressed frustration for not heeding the strange sound as a warning and stopping before he got hurt. At the same time, he was relieved it was him, as others would have learned best from his mistake.

///

I hope you all enjoyed the read! Let me know if you spot any mistakes :)

Home Sweet Home

Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she watched an ever-so-familiar black dome begin to form over the region known as the Arctic Ocean, previously known as the Arctic North. The ground trembled, making her second guess whether she should be watching this event from her private chamber’s balcony. She could hear many ponies down below begin to panic and run inside the nearest shelter, but she didn’t take her eyes off the dome.

The trembling ground erupted into violent shaking as loud, earthy cracks echoed through the air. Then, as suddenly as it began, it all stopped. The ground stilled, and the dome began to slowly fade away. Acting quickly, Celestia activated her magic, bringing her telescope in front of her. She peered into its eyepiece, adjusting its position and magnification with haste until it pointed toward where the Crystal Empire’s capital once stood.

What she saw left her both shocked and confused. Instead of the quaint crystal village she had expected, Celestia found herself staring at an enormous metropolis filled with concrete towers and looming skyscrapers. The majestic Crystal Castle still stood intact; however, Celestia’s view of it was limited to its middle and peak.

Celestia's mind raced with questions about this sudden development. She thought that King Sombra simply cursed the Empire into a state of limbo for all these years, but it seems that she was mistaken.

Glancing at the sky above the region, Celestia noticed storm clouds gathering over the Arctic North, threatening to plunge the region into an eternal blizzard once again. She sighed deeply, her heart heavy with worry, and silently hoped the crystal ponies could hold on until help arrived.

Four sharp knocks on her chamber's doors brought Celestia out of her thoughts.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright? We’ve just been struck by a terrible quake!” a guard’s voice called out from the other side.

Celestia turned her head to the door. “Yes, I am fine,” she said, though a look around her chambers told her everything else was not. “I need you to bring me Princess Cadence and Prince Armor as soon as possible. This is of the utmost importance!”

“Of course, your majesty!” Celestia heard before the sound of hooves galloping away reached her ears.

Celestia turned her head back in the direction of the Arctic North, but her face fell into a frown when she saw a layer of dense fog begin to obscure the region.

“...ime..!”

“Pri… ster..!”

“Prime Minister..!”

“RICHARD!”

Richard awoke with a gasp, shooting into an upright position. His vision was a blur of incomprehensible colors and it felt like his brain was pounding against his skull.

“Prime Minister, sir! Are you alright? Can you hear me?” Tierno's voice shouted over the other panicking parliament members.

Richard’s heart hammered against his chest as he whipped his head toward Tierno’s voice. The human was kneeling over him, inspecting him for any injuries. Richard shuddered as the memory of what happened before he faded away began to flood his mind.

The blackness came without warning, consuming everything it touched. It seeped from the ceiling of the parliamentary building, crawling downward and swallowing everything in its path. One by one, objects and people faded away before Richard’s very eyes.

Richard grabbed Tierno's sleeves tightly, his hooves shaking, “M-My wife, my daughter! Where are they!? Are they safe!?” he demanded desperately.

“I don't know, sir! But right now we need to get you to a safe location!” Tierno said before unholstering his aetherium-powered Glock 19.

Turning off the safety, the weapon emitted a low, menacing hum as bright white light began to seep through the gaps in its slide and frame.

Using his other hand, Tierno grabbed the radio attached to his belt and put it near his mouth.

“This is Bravo-127, requesting that any and all units active on and near the parliament building to secure the perimeter! Safe extraction of the PM and other parliament members is needed ASAP!”

The next moments passed in a haze for Richard, his mind only managing to grasp fragmented memories of what followed. The next thing he knew, he was seated in the safety of a heavily armored limousine.

A bump in the road brought Richard back to a state of lucidity, “Wh-What… happened?”

Richard looked around to find the other seats occupied by four stallions of varying colors. Each wore suits and ties with black Kevlar vests over them. In their hooves rested aetherium smg’s—MP5K's Richard recognized.

“Prime Minister, sir. Are you alright? You stopped responding shortly after you awoke,” Tierno said from beside him.

Richard couldn't say he was okay, his mind felt a bit scrambled and he still had no idea what was going on.

But most importantly, “My family. Are they okay?”

One of the stallion agents nodded and said, “We received word a short time ago that your wife and daughter are both safe and secure. They’re on their way to the Castle as we speak, sir.”

“Are we headed there as well?”

“Yes, sir. After we arrive, we are to escort you to the Castle's emergency bunker.”

“Is the Shield up?”

“Yes, sir. It is currently at 80% strength and is in Lockdown mode.”

“Do we know what’s happened?”

An uncomfortable silence descended upon the group. That was all the answer Richard needed.

Richard took a deep breath to calm his nerves, “Is there anything else I should know?”

Another stallion spoke, “Yes, sir. As strange as it sounds, before the Shield was activated, the city was suddenly engulfed in a blizzard. Other than that, we don't know anything else.”

Frowning at the strange information, Richard spared a glance outside the limo’s bulletproof window to see that the city was covered in fog. Squinting his eyes to see past the fog, Richard noticed many ponies and some humans running down the streets with panic on their faces while some others tried to bring some still unconscious people to safety indoors.

‘Dear God, what is happening?’ Richard thought.

Eventually, the limousine arrived at the Crystal Castle, and Richard was swiftly brought inside and escorted to an elevator located in the armory.

Tierno stepped up to the elevator, sliding a black keycard into a card slot before entering an eight-digit password on the keypad below. The red light above the elevator doors turned green with a soft beep, and the doors slid open.

Quickly moving inside, Tierno pressed the down button on the elevator panel. The doors slid shut, and the elevator began its descent, carrying the group 100 feet underground.

After about twelve seconds, the elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal a short hall with a ten-inch thick steel door at the end. Installed next to the door was an iris scanner along with another keypad.

This time, one of the stallion agents stepped forward, positioning himself so that one eye aligned with the scanner. He waited patiently until a soft, camera-like click sounded, signaling the scan was complete. Using the tip of his hoof, he then entered his own eight-digit password into the keypad. When he pressed the enter key, the keypad emitted a confirming beep, followed by a loud clank as the door unlocked and slowly swung open.

Stepping through the door, Richard was greeted by the sight of the Castle's emergency bunker. Multiple large screens lined the back wall, displaying maps of Atlantia along with its military bases and cities. Additional information flashed on the screens, including city Shield strength, radar data, and military status reports. One screen even displayed a live news broadcast, where an anchor was frantically urging people to shelter in place amid the widespread confusion.

Richard ignored the streams of information on the screens, focusing instead on the large table in the center of the room. Around it sat a group of high-ranking ponies and humans, their voices overlapping as they engaged in frantic discussion.

Approaching the table, Richard took his seat at the head. He placed his hooves on the table and took a moment to breathe, allowing himself to relax in the brief calm. Once he felt composed enough, he raised a hoof and struck the table with two loud, deliberate bangs, catching everyone's attention.

“What’s our current status? Give me anything and everything you know,” he ordered calmly.

A beige-coated mare with green eyes stood up, Richard recognized her as Vanilla Hazel, the director of the AIA.

“Sir,” she greeted with a small bow, “To begin, the Shields in all major cities are active and operating at 80% strength under Lockdown. Most of our military bases and forts have responded to communication attempts, though a few remain unresponsive. Efforts to hail ships on patrol or conducting exercises have also been unsuccessful. Furthermore, our attempts to contact NATO allies have, so far, yielded no response.”

Vanilla Hazel took her seat, and a brown stallion, dressed sharply in a general's uniform, rose to address Richard.

“Sir, to add to what Ms. Hazel mentioned, we’ve not only lost contact with our navy but also with all of our satellites. However, before communication was severed, one of our satellites managed to transmit one final image.”

The general slid a picture across the table to Richard, who took it in his hooves. Richard’s brow furrowed in confusion as he studied the image. In the center of the photo was Atlantia—or rather, where it was supposed to be. Instead, the entire continent was obscured by a massive black void.

“What is this?”

“We don't know, sir.”

“Is this a chemical attack of some kind? Radiological? Biological?”

“We don't know, sir.”

“No! Don’t tell me we don’t fucking know!” Richard shouted, slamming his hoof against the table with a sharp thud.

Everyone went silent, startled by Richard's sudden outburst.

“I don’t know if all of you experienced the same thing I did, but I’m pretty sure I just died for a few moments before reappearing like nothing happened. And now you’re telling me that when I address the nation, I’m supposed to tell them we have no idea what’s going on???”

A heavy silence settled over the bunker as Richard’s words lingered in the air. What could they say? Nothing like this had ever happened before. They had no way of knowing what might come next if this was only the beginning.

“Sir, may I make a suggestion?” an alabaster-coated stallion asked as he rose from his seat.

Richard nodded, “Go ahead.”

“I don't believe it would be in our best interest to try and deceive or convince the people that everything is fine. I believe in this case that upfront and brutal honesty would be the best course of action.”

“And why do you think that?”

“Because if we lie and say everything is fine, and something else happens, it will be much harder to gain the public’s cooperation—not to mention the other unsavory consequences that could arise.”

Richard nodded in understanding. The stallion’s reasoning made sense to him—it was better to address civil unrest now and secure the public’s cooperation later than to risk the nation fracturing under the weight of paranoia.

“Okay,” Richard turned towards the general, “General, I want fighters scrambled to scout our waters for any threats that might have evaded radar detection. Additionally, mobilize troops to enforce martial law and re-establish contact with unresponsive bases. Call all reserves and personnel on leave and place the military on full Locked and Loaded readiness.”

Richard stood up from his seat, “Inform the press that I will address the nation in an hour,” he said before excusing himself from the table.

From the corner of his eye, Richard noticed Tierno step up beside him. Taking a shaky breath, he whispered, “Please, Tierno... take me to my family.” His voice quivered, betraying the weight of his emotions.

Tierno nodded, “Of course, Prime Minister.”

Princess Cadence took a deep breath as she watched the train that would carry her, her husband, and a small unit of Equestrian soldiers to the borders of the Crystal Empire slow to a stop at the station.

“Alright, fillies, load up and get comfortable, because this is going to be a long trip,” her husband, Shining Armor said to the group of 15 soldiers.

The soldiers boarded the train in an orderly, professional manner, but that professionalism quickly vanished once the doors closed and the train began moving. Cadence watched with slight amusement as Equestria's steadfast soldiers began to pair off and retreat to their rooms, behaving as though they were at a casual sleepover. Soon, only a handful of them remained in the cart with her and Shining Armor.

“Dinner's gonna be served at 1800 hours, so don't miss it!” Shining Armor said before retreating to a separate, private cart with his beloved.

“Shiny?” Cadence called as she lay on the bed of their private cart.

“Yeah, Cadence?” Shining Armor responded while closing the door.

“How long will the trip take?” she asked nervously.

“We'll be arriving at our stop early the next morning, so the whole day essentially. That's not even counting the distance we're going to have to walk to reach the nearest city. If it's still there anymore.”

Noticing his wife's nervous expression, Shining Armor approached the bed and took her hoof in his own.

“Hey, are you okay? Is something bothering you?”

Cadence took a shaky breath, “I guess I'm just nervous about this whole plan. Auntie always said that the Crystal Empire might return one day and I always thought I'd be ready for it, but now I'm starting to second-guess myself.

“Not only that but it's changed. What if the Crystal Empire isn't what we think it might be anymore? What if they're war-like or separated into different states? The crystal ponies were only earth ponies too, what if they forgot about unicorns or… or pegasi? Wh-What if Sombra’s already there!?”

Before Cadence could sink deeper into her doubts, Shining Armor pulled her close, pressing her face against his fluffy chest. He gently stroked her neck with his hoof and placed a tender kiss just below her horn, his voice soft and reassuring as he began to speak.

“Shh, Cady, just relax for a moment, okay?” Cadence nodded against his chest. “Now, I’m going to let go, and I want you to take a few deep breaths for me. Does that sound good?”

“Y-Yeah, that sounds g-good,” Cadence said.

Shining Armor let go, allowing Cadence to take a moment to compose herself. She took several deep breaths, feeling her racing heart gradually slow to a steady rhythm and the restless twitching in her wings subside. Once she felt composed, she raised a hoof and gently wiped away the tears that had begun to spill from her eyes.

“S-Sorry, I didn't mean to lose myself like that, hehe. Some princess I am…”

Shining Armor frowned, “Don't say that Cadence, you're a great princess, and your reaction is completely normal. It's okay to be scared or nervous, I am too.”

“Auntie wouldn't be scared,” Cadence weakly argued.

“That's because she has more experience, Princess Celestia's been alive longer than everypony on this train combined. She's probably done this hundreds of times, but that doesn't mean she isn't at least somewhat nervous. She might just be really good at hiding it.”

Cadence turned away, not entirely believing Shining Armor's words. Shining Armor sighed before walking around the bed to face her again.

“Listen, I understand how you feel, Cadence. But, I guess, what I'm trying to say is that you're not alone. I'm here and I'll be with you every step of the way, okay?”

Cadence took another deep breath, “Yeah, okay, I think I'm fine now.”

“...”

“...Want me to cuddle with you?”

“...Yeah.”

Author's Note

Let me know if you all spot any mistakes :)

Chaos in Atlantia

Skyspire Air Force Base, 50 Miles Northeast of Prisma City

Pilot Sharp “Dino” Eyes took a deep, shaky breath as he completed his pre-flight checklist, the memory of recent… events still plaguing his mind. Shaking his head to clear the unwanted thoughts, Dino glanced up at the sky and watched his squad as they performed slow circles above the airbase, patiently waiting for him to take off and join them.

With a steady hoof, he secured his oxygen mask and patched into the radio, “ATC, this is Dino. Pre-flight checklist is complete. Requesting permission for takeoff.”

“Dino, this ATC. Permission granted, you are go for takeoff.”

Dino nodded before placing a hoof on the thrust lever and pushing it all the way forward. The roar of the afterburner on his General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon sent a thrill through him, his heart pounding with excitement. As the G-forces pushed him back into his seat, a surge of adrenaline coursed through his body in a way he knew he’d never get used to no matter how many times he piloted his jet.

Pulling back on the yoke with his other hoof, Dino ascended into the air. Climbing to a height of 200 feet, Dino leveled his jet before moving to integrate with the other four jets in the air.

“Well, look who finally decided to join the party,” Dino’s squad mate, Stitch, quipped as Dino got in formation.

Dino scoffed, “Excuse me for wanting to make sure my shit was in order before taking off.”

“Heh, it's either that or you were busy daydreaming about dinosaurs again!”

“Leave him alone, Stitch. We're all still a bit shaken up by… that,” their squad leader, Max, said.

“You can say that again…” Booger murmured.

“Mhmm,” Whiplash agreed.

Using his radio, Max patched into Shield Control, “Shield Control, this is Max. Requesting permission for passage through the south gate. Clearance code is Bravo-Juliet-One-Five-Tree-Niner-Niner-Six.”

“Max, this is Shield Control. Your clearance code is green. Good luck on your mission.”

Max nodded, “Alright, everyone, on me.”

Everyone gave quick affirmations before forming into a tight V-formation. Max proceeded to guide them around the towering 500-foot Shield Pillar situated in the middle of the base; the aetherium pillar flaring brightly as it shot a continuous beam into the sky and generated the Shield that protected the base from the raging blizzard outside. Breaking away from the Pillar, Max led the squad south, in the direction of one of the four gates situated at the Shield's perimeter. In the distance, Max could see an opening in the Shield.

“Stay close everyone, I don't need one of you idiots accidentally killing yourselves by ramming into the Shield.”

The squad remained close to Max as they approached the opening in the Shield. Once through, they spread out, creating a more comfortable distance between one another. Behind them, the opening in the Shield closed up, leaving no trace of it ever opening in the first place.

The blizzard buffeted against the aircraft, making their frames shake violently. The squad ignored the turbulence and proceeded to climb to an altitude of 40,000 feet before leveling off and flying at a cruising speed of 600 miles per hour.

"As you’re all aware, we’re without GPS, so don’t stray off course. It’s a simple straight shot to the coast—check for any activity—and then we head straight back to base. Understood?” Max said.

“Yes, sir,” Dino said.

“Yup,” Stitch replied.

“Understood, sir,” Booger said with a nod.

“Uh-huh,” Whiplash mumbled.

Satisfied with the responses he got, Max smiled slightly underneath his oxygen mask and prepared himself for the flight ahead.

At the Same Time, In Limesville

“Lilac, Ethan, we have to go now!” Mark yelled over the deafening blizzard raging outside their home. His motions were frantic as he desperately looked for his car keys.

“But what about all our stuff, Mark?!" a voice upstairs yelled back.

“Mom! Just leave it! We'll come back for it later!”

“Wha-? Ethan! Put me down this instant!”

The sound of rushing footsteps reached Mark’s ears, drawing his attention to the staircase leading to the second floor. There, he saw his 15-year-old adopted son hurrying down, a lilac-coated mare cradled in his arms. Said mare was not happy about being handled in such a way.

“Ethan! Put me down!” Lilac shouted as she attempted to climb out of Ethan's arms.

Ethan simply held her tighter against his chest, “Mom, just relax for a second!”

Ignoring the two shouting family members for a moment, Mark's eyes locked onto his car keys lying on the kitchen counter. Rushing inside the kitchen, he grabbed them before rushing back to the living room.

“Let's go!” he ordered as he opened the front door.

He instantly regretted it as the freezing winds whipped against his face and body, sending relentless shivers down his spine. Rushing to the car, Mark quickly unlocked the doors and jumped inside, his son following close behind with Lilac still cradled in his arms.

Hastily securing themselves with their seat belts, Mark put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. Once on the road, Mark put the car in drive and began the long trip to the nearest city with a Shield installation.

Making sure to keep one arm secured around his mother, Ethan used his free arm to tune the radio, switching through multiple channels that were usually playing music or some kind of radio show at this time, but were now only static.

“Why isn't anything playing,” Ethan muttered fearfully as he continued to shift through multiple channels.

“Maybe those channels are just down right now…” Lilac said, less angry and more worried now.

“Try channel 86.1, that channel is always playing something no matter what the hell is going on in this country,” Mark suggested.

Ethan nodded and rotated the channel knob on the radio until it stopped at 86.1 AM.

“...me Minister is expected to address the nation in five minutes. In the meantime, we strongly urge listeners to seek shelter in a warm and secure location until authorities arrive to coordinate evacuation efforts. Travel is not recommended at this time, as the blizzard has reduced visibility to near zero.”

“You can say that again,” Mark muttered as he squinted in an attempt to see past the thick fog that fell over the road.

Five minutes later, the voice of the Prime Minister echoed through the radio, as millions across Atlantia tuned in, desperate for any explanation about the chaos and inexplicable terror that had unfolded today.

"Citizens of Atlantia," Richard began, his voice laced with nervousness. "Uh… most, if not all of you, are likely listening to this broadcast in search of comfort or perhaps an explanation for what occurred an hour ago, but…”

A heavy sigh escaped Richard, followed by a brief moment of silence as he grappled with how to break the news to the people. Unable to find a way to sugarcoat his words or soften the blow, he resolved to just… tell them.

“But the truth is, we don’t know what has happened. We don’t know the full extent of this... attack, nor do we know how far its reach has spread. All we know for certain is that it has affected most or all of Atlantia.”

Ethan held his mother tighter, fear and paranoia beginning to cloud his mind as he listened to the broadcast.

“What the fuck is happening?” Mark murmured, not believing his ears.

“I know you are all shocked and terrified and want nothing more to protect your loved ones. So please, listen carefully to my next words.

“As of this moment, martial law is in effect, and the military is undergoing mass mobilization to enter Locked and Loaded readiness. Your safety remains our top priority. Law enforcement will be working closely with the military to evacuate citizens from unprotected settlements and relocate them to areas equipped with Shield installations. I strongly urge you to stay where you are and hunker down until help arrives. However, if you believe your safety is in immediate danger, do your best to move to a more secure location.

“Additionally, all banks will remain closed, and all accounts and assets will be frozen. All commercial flights are canceled, and all seafaring trips from Atlantian ports will be suspended. Furthermore, any foreign ships requesting to dock will be denied entry.

“Please take care of your loved ones, stay safe, and be prepared for anything. Thank you.”

The family of three sat paralyzed with shock and fear as Richard’s final words echoed through the room. The weight of the situation pressed down on them, bringing the chilling realization that no one truly understood what was happening.

“Mom? Dad? Is… Is the world ending?” Ethan shakily asked, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Lilac’s maternal instincts instantly fired up at the sight of her distressed son. Freeing herself from Ethan’s grip, she stood up on her hind legs and hugged him tightly around his neck.

“Shh-shh-shh, don’t cry baby,” Lilac cooed, her voice filled with motherly warmth, “It’s gonna be alright, okay?”

Ethan sobbed, “B-But, wh-what if you- you both disa- appear again? Wh-What if w-we don’t come b-back?” he stuttered as he hugged his mother back.

Releasing his right hand from the wheel, Mark placed it firmly on Ethan's left shoulder and gently squeezed it.

“Hey, hey, that's not going to happen again, okay? Nobody's going to disappear,” Mark said soothingly.

“And if w-we do?”

“Then I want you to know that no matter what happens now, or what has happened in the past, your mother and I love you more than anything, and we wouldn’t trade you for the world.”

Though it did little to ease his fears, Ethan felt a small sense of relief, allowing him to breathe a bit easier after hearing his father’s heartfelt words.

Elsewhere, In Iridessa

“Back up! Back the fuck up!” Anderson shouted as he and the other riot police struggled to hold the line against a mob of looters.

Lootings and riots had initially begun in small, contained areas shortly before the Prime Minister’s speech. The crowds before had mostly consisted of panicked looters and civilians doing whatever they could to get their hands on essential items such as food and water. But they quickly spiraled out of control after the Prime Minister concluded his speech.

Richard’s speech had sparked a sporadic, every-person-for-themselves mindset, leaving Iridessa law enforcement quickly overwhelmed by the mobs of ponies and humans flooding the streets in a frenzy of chaos fueled by extreme fear and paranoia.

“Disperse now or you will be arrested!” Anderson shouted as he tightly gripped the riot shield in his hoof.

The ponies and humans in front of him shouted a cacophony of words, their voices blending into an incomprehensible roar. Anderson couldn’t make out a single coherent sentence amid the chaos, but their emotions were unmistakable. As they pushed and shoved against him, their eyes betrayed raw panic, fear, and utter desperation.

But as much as Anderson felt for them, he and his fellow officers needed to put an end to the chaos and restore order to the city. He doesn’t want to imagine what a lawless Iridessa would look like, but he heavily doubts it’ll be anything but good.

"Tear gas! Tear gas!" an officer behind him shouted as a small squad launched canisters of the noxious gas into the crowd.

Some officers holding the line alongside Anderson took the opportunity to spray the vulnerable crowd with pepper spray, prompting anguished shrieks as it seared their eyes and noses. Anderson, however, couldn’t bring himself to join in on the cruel treatment.

The crowd began to quickly disperse, and Anderson and his fellow officers pushed forward, determined to keep them away from the major shopping center.

But just as quickly as the mob had dispersed, they returned—this time anger was mixed in with their desperation. Anderson and his fellow officers braced themselves as the crowd surged forward, aggressively pushing against the line. Humans clawed and grabbed at the riot shields, trying to tear them away, while ponies resorted to bucking against the barrier with their powerful, muscular hind legs.

A human stepped forward, attempting to rip Anderson’s riot shield away. Acting swiftly, Anderson raised his other hoof, gripping a baton, and struck the assailant, making him yelp and hold his head in pain.

Before Anderson could raise his shield, a pony rushed forward, sharply turning its back to him and delivering a powerful buck to his chest. Despite his protective gear and firm stance, the force of the blow sent him crashing backward. He hit the concrete with a hard thud, groaning in pain as his chest ached, certain that at least one rib had been fractured or possibly even broken.

His fellow officers scrambled to plug the gap in their line, but that small opening was all the mob needed to push through. Anderson screamed in agony as he was trampled by the relentless crowd. His cries were drowned out by the chaos around him, with officers yelling frantic orders as they desperately tried to regain control of the surging mob of ponies and humans.

Anderson whimpered in pain as the crowd finally passed over him. His entire body was racked with unbearable agony as blood began to slowly pool out of his mouth. His ribs, which had been moderately damaged just a moment ago, were now completely shattered from the stampede that ran over him, the fragments and sharp ends puncturing several vital organs in his body, including his heart.

“Officer, are you okay!?” Anderson heard a muffled voice shout before the face of a pony appeared in his slowly fading vision.

The pony appeared young, likely between the ages of 18 and 21, but what struck Anderson most in his final moments was the sheer shock and fear on the kid's face as he watched Anderson die. Anderson felt an overwhelming wave of guilt course through his body as he stared at the shocked pony, wanting nothing more than to turn the kid away from the no-doubt bloody scene that Anderson was.

Unfortunately, Anderson would die moments later, choking on his own blood.

40,000 Feet in the Air, Approaching Luxora

As Dino and his squad approached the coastal city of Luxora, they remained oblivious to the chaos unfolding on the ground below.

It took the squad approximately 21 minutes to reach the city, with the snowstorm and occasional turbulence slowing them down considerably. As they approached, the bright cyan glow of the Shield protecting the city from the storm became visible, standing out vividly against the harsh weather.

Like most other protected major cities, the size of the Shield was unparalleled. Towering to a height of approximately 6,000 feet and spanning a diameter of 12.7 miles, it completely enveloped the city, safeguarding all 327,161 residents within. If Dino squinted his eyes hard enough to see through the bright Shield, he would’ve noticed the massive aetherium pillar erected near the center of the city. It shot a powerful beam into the sky, supported by several smaller pillars positioned about six miles away, each contributing their own beams to stabilize the Shield’s immense energy.

“Alright, everyone. We’re approaching the coast,” Max announced to the rest of the squad, “I know the storm will probably render us completely useless for spotting any suspicious activity, but just keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual.”

Receiving affirmations from the rest of his squad, Max led them past Luxora and into what they assumed was the Atlantic Ocean. As expected, visibility was practically nonexistent; the unrelenting storm and darkness obliterated any chance they had of spotting anything. Hell, they’d be lucky to even catch a glimpse of a ship’s navigation lights in this weather.

Stitch chuckled, “Wow, we’re really gonna waste about an hour of our time just staring into nothing aren’t we?”

Whiplash hummed, “Sure seems like it.”

“Why don’t we try going lower? Maybe we might see something then,” Dino suggested.

“Let’s not take any chances; we have no idea who or what might be down there,” Max said, despite his radar indicating the area was clear of any bogeys.

“Uh, guys? I think we’ve reached the end of the storm,” Booger said.

Looking up from his instruments, Max noticed a monstrous cloud wall a couple hundred meters ahead of the group. The unnatural formation stretched high and wide across the sky, the dark clouds swirling and shifting as if trying to block out the majestic rays of light that seeped through its tight gaps.

“Guys… are we at the pearly gates?” Stitch lightly joked, staring in awe at the cloud formation ahead of them.

“But, that would mean we’re dead,” Whiplash responded, equally in awe.

“Well, didn’t we? For like a moment?”

Dino stared at the cloud formation with growing trepidation. Yes, it was an utterly beautiful sight, but what if this was just the “dirty side” of the storm? The harsh winds and turbulence they had been enduring during the flight were concerning enough, and Dino was not on board with flying through this massive wall of clouds that could potentially severely damage his aircraft.

“Uh, what are we gonna do, Max?” Dino nervously asked as he looked at his squad leader’s jet flying ahead of him.

Max didn’t respond for a moment, clearly thinking about his next course of action. Dino hoped to God that Max didn’t decide to guide them through the clouds, whatever was on the other side couldn’t possibly be worth the danger they were putting themselves in.

“Let’s turn back,” Max calmly announced before rolling his jet to the side and turning away from the cloud wall.

‘Praise the fucking Lord, holy shit,’ Dino thought as he and his squad followed Max’s maneuver.

Dino’s squadron, along with all the other deployed squadrons, would return to their respective bases after encountering the exact same phenomenon. Their superiors would be left scratching their heads at the eerily similar reports from pilots, all describing the sight of a “giant cloud wall” no matter which direction they flew—north, east, south, or west.

This, coupled with the fact that the world around them remained radio silent, made the worst day of their lives somehow even worse.

Author's Note

Hello, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Here’s some more lore for ya:

Dino’s Squad:

>Sharp “Dino” Eyes

If his callsign wasn’t obvious enough, then you should know that he’s an avid lover of dinosaurs.

Tries to deny it, but the large collection of dinosaur figures in his room proves otherwise.

Stitch regularly teases him because of it.

Once tried to find fossils in his backyard as a kid and was supremely disappointed once his parents told him there were none in the backyard.

Many tears were shed that day.

>Marcus “Stitch” Lebowski

Got his callsign after receiving stitches due to getting into a brawl with another recruit in basic training.

Is a cheeky lil asshole when he wants to be.

Also sleepwalks.

Scared a training instructor so bad one time he got strapped to his bed the next night.

>Caramel “Booger” Candy

Her callsign is a rather unfortunate story.

Was in the gas chamber during training.

Everyone is ordered to break the seals on their gas masks.

Immediately starts feeling the effects of tear gas.

By the time everyone is free to run out of the chamber and take off their masks, Caramel’s is absolutely drenched in snot.

Suddenly, her mane whips by her nose.

Sneeze.wav

Mucus and snot shoot out of her nostrils as she lets the vilest sneeze she’s ever experienced.

Training instructors start calling her “Booger.”

Fml.jpeg

>Crimson “Whiplash” Gust

Doesn’t really talk much.

People think he’s a bit unsettling sometimes with how quiet he is, but he’s just a chill guy once you get to know him.

But he will fuck you up if you mess with his friends in a way they don't like.

Got his callsign simply because Stitch wanted at least one cool-sounding callsign in the squadron.

Everyone agreed.

>Maximus “Max” Rivera

Leader of the squadron.

Takes the roll pretty seriously.

But it honestly feels like he’s babysitting his squad rather than leading them sometimes.

Callsign almost ended up being “Unc.”

Breathed a sigh of relief when their commanding officer disapproved of it.

Ended up just being called “Max.”

Shield Pillars:

Shield Pillars are massive aetherium structures erected in major cities and military installations across Atlantia and the West. Initially designed to protect Atlantia’s coastal cities from hurricanes and other extreme weather events, these pillars have been continuously upgraded and modified throughout the Cold War to (hypothetically) provide protection against nuclear strikes.

Following Dr. Crosby’s discovery of aetherium behaving abnormally to different electromagnetic waves, he and a group of scientists began performing many experiments on the crystalline rock.

During their experiments, they discovered that the size of the aetherium significantly affects its ability to withstand higher electromagnetic waves before reaching its explosive threshold. The larger the crystal, the longer it can endure high-frequency waves.

Additionally, in 1958, one of the scientists in Dr. Crosby’s group discovered a way to “communicate” with the crystal using a binary system which led to some very interesting results.

The Shield Pillars operate based on these principles. The process begins with Shield Control activating a city’s or military installation’s “Main Pillar.” Using specialized generators, Shield Control transmits a pattern of low-frequency electromagnetic waves in binary, effectively "instructing" the pillar to activate its Shield. Simultaneously, a separate division of Shield Control responsible for the “Supporting Pillars” follows the same procedure to ensure synchronized activation.

Once activated, the “Main Pillar” emits a powerful beam directed into the sky. This action is quickly followed by the “Supporting Pillars,” which project their own beams toward the apex of the “Main Pillar.” These combined beams work together to stabilize the energy output, ensuring the Shield effectively covers the entire designated area. The larger the area requiring protection, the more “Supporting Pillars” are needed to maintain stability and guarantee full coverage.

Once the Shield is fully operational, Shield Control can change the strength at which the Shield operates and who can enter or leave via a gate system. The Shield’s strength completely relies on the frequency of electromagnetic waves being transmitted into the Pillars. High frequencies equal a stronger Shield while lower frequencies equal a weaker Shield.

Finally, there’s the gate system, managed by a specialized division of Shield Control that operates under direct orders from military high command or the Prime Minister. This system regulates access to and from the Shield and operates under three distinct modes:

Safe Mode: Allows unrestricted entry and exit for everyone.
Danger Mode: Requires individuals wishing to enter or exit the Shield to pass through designated checkpoints, where they are inspected by guards before proceeding.

Lockdown Mode: Enforces a complete restriction on movement; no one is permitted to leave or enter without a special clearance code granted exclusively to government and military officials.

Map of Atlantia on Earth
Map of Atlantia with Cities

First Contact

Author's Note

Let me know if you spotted any mistakes, and don't be afraid to make suggestions for me :)

First Contact

Early The Next Day…

LCpl Red Hot stared tiredly out the Humvee's window at the raging snowstorm engulfing him and his squad, the howling wind nearly drowning out all other sounds and the darkness making visibility more than terrible. The storm hadn’t relented since it began yesterday after the… event. While brief moments of calm would occasionally break through, the storm always surged back with renewed fury. Eventually, it forced the base to lower the Shield’s power significantly, lest the Pillars shatter into countless violent shards.

“All squads, this is Lead-1. Initiating another radio check—report in numerical order,” the radio crackled before falling silent.

Rubbing his sleep-deprived eyes Red Hot grabbed the Humvee’s radio with a hoof, “Lead-1, this is Lead-2 reporting in.”

He listened as the other six Humvees behind him responded through their respective radios, their voices tinged with varying levels of exhaustion—some sounding even more tired than he felt. Not that it was surprising, he supposed. After what happened yesterday, he’d be shocked if anyone managed to get a decent night’s sleep.

“All right, boys, I know it’s been a long drive, but hang in there just a little longer. We should be reaching the border in about an hour. Lead-1 out.”

The radio fell silent once more, leaving Red Hot alone with his thoughts. His mind drifted to his family, and a relieved sigh escaped his lips. During yesterday’s chaos, he hadn’t even had time to think about them until he was preparing to lie down for the night. When he finally did, fear gripped him, imagining the worst had happened to them. The news certainly didn’t paint a comforting picture, after all.

He had been so happy—oh, so happy—when his mother finally picked up the phone and he heard her voice. It was as if a crushing boulder had been lifted from his chest, allowing him to breathe for a moment. He shed many grateful tears once his mother told him reassured him that everything was fine and that the rest of his family was safe. Red Hot took a deep breath as he felt anxiety begin to worm its way back under his skin, filling him with doubts and fears about the mission he and his squad were tasked with.

“You guys want to hear a joke?” he heard his squadmate, Alan, say from the seat behind him.

“Mmm, shoot,” he heard his driver, Iron Sight, reply.

“Olives.”

Red Hot furrowed his brows at the punchline, confusion in its purest form filling his mind. “Huh..?” he uttered, the word doing an injustice at portraying just how lost on the joke he was. If it even was a joke.

“Y’know? Olives?”

“Alan, what the fuck are you talking about?” his fourth squadmate, Feather Weight, exclaimed in equal confusion.

“I don’t know! I’m just trying to lighten the dogshit vibe you guys got going on here. It’s like I’m standing in a cemetery,” he grumbled.

Iron sighed, shaking his head, “I’m going to have to report you to Ruben for that.”

Now Alan looked confused, “Who’s Ruben?”

Red Hot saw Iron grin, like a psychopath seeing a child walking alone at night, “Ruben these nuts on your face! Ahaaaa!”

Like a racist joke on comedy night, the Humvee erupted with laughter and boisterous exclamations as Red Hot and his squad howled at the flawlessly delivered punchline. Their laughter almost caused Iron to veer off the road, but he caught himself before they did.

“Okay, I’ll admit, that was pretty good,” Alan said once their laughter died down.

“Yeah, it sure was, haha,” Iron Sight said with a smile.

A brief, comfortable silence settled over the group after the joke. The rushing wind and the steady hum of the Humvee's engine, once unsettling, now felt oddly soothing. After a couple of seconds, Alan spoke again to ask the question that’s been on his mind for the duration of the trip.

“What do you think we’ll find out there?”

Red Hot shrugged, “I don’t know. From what I heard, the Atlantic is just… gone now. Like It wasn’t even there in the first place.”

Iron Sight hummed in agreement, “So, whatever’s out there—if anything’s out there—we’ll be part of the ones making first contact,” he said, his voice tinged with dread.

Red Hot snorted, “You make it sound like we’re gonna run into the Covenant or something.”

“Who knows, maybe we will,” Feather Weight replied. “Talking about all this sure as hell makes it sound like we aren’t on Earth anymore.”

“Relax, man,” Alan said with a laid-back grin. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

CRASH!

At the deafening crash, all four squad members snapped their heads toward the windshield. Time seemed to slow, and they watched in horror as the convoy’s 9,000-pound lead Humvee—which was 3-5 meters ahead of them—hurtled backward through the air, its front end twisted and shattered beyond recognition.

“LOOK OUT!” Red Hot screamed at the top of his lungs, adrenaline and fear coursing through his veins.

Iron Sight yanked the wheel to the left, but his reaction came too late. The lead Humvee plummeted onto them, slamming down with a deafening crash that flattened their engine bay. The impact brought their vehicle to an abrupt, bone-jarring halt, and Red Hot’s helmeted head snapped back against the seat’s headrest, leaving him dazed from the whiplash.

“Lead-2! Lead-2, are you okay!? What the hell happened!?”

“Hey, why are we stopping?”

“The fuck’s going on up there?”

“Lead-1, do you copy? Lead-1, please respond!”

A cacophony of frantic voices blared through the radio, mingling with the ringing in Red Hot’s ears as he clutched his head in pain, his eyes squeezed shut. Blinking rapidly to regain focus, he forced his gaze forward. Lead-1’s Humvee loomed above his own, its hard top still intact as it continued to press down on them. The occupants inside were noticeably disorientated and dazed, and Red Hot thought he saw some blood dripping down onto the windshield.

“Everybody out, now!” Iron Sight ordered before opening his door and jumping out.

Red Hot gave a sharp nod before seizing the radio, “Lead-2 to all units! Lead-1 has been engaged and is out of commission! Mount your weapons and get your asses up here now!” he said before jumping out of the Humvee.

The biting cold struck Red Hot like a brutal slap, cutting through even his thick fur coat without mercy. Ignoring the discomfort, he reached for his A-Colt 933, slung securely over his shoulders. With a practiced motion, he flipped off the safety, the weapon responding with a faint hum and a flash of bright white light.

The growing roar of engines snapped his attention to the Humvees rolling up beside him, their chained tires crunching through the snow. The gunners atop each vehicle were already locked and scanning the terrain ahead with their aetherium-powered machine guns. As the soldiers inside dismounted and fanned out, Red Hot sprinted toward them.

“Hey! You guys help Lead-1 get out of that Humvee.” Red Hot pointed at the gunner, “You stay in that gunner!” he said before sprinting over to his squad, his hooves slipping a bit in the snow.

As he moved in front of his Humvee, Red Hot spotted the rest of the convoy halted along the road’s shoulders. The Humvees were positioned defensively, their gunners poised and ready. Soldiers, both human and pony, had exited their Humvees and crouched next to them, their weapons pointed at something ahead on the road.

Peering down the road, Red Hot’s eyes locked onto a figure standing just a few meters away. Its form was equine, but unlike anything he'd seen before. Two glowing green eyes pierced through the blizzard, purple wisps swirling from them like smoke. A curved, crimson horn gleamed fiercely against the dark, cold snowstorm. And draped over its black, windswept coat was a regal red and white cape that fluttered in the harsh winds.

“Identify yourself!” Red Hot heard Iron Sight scream over the loud winds.

The figure remained unmoving, either not hearing him or simply ignoring him. Hesitantly, Iron Sight rose to his hind legs and slowly approached the figure.

“Do you need help?! Are you lost?! What’s your name?!” Iron Sight continued to shout.

The figure remained silent, only staring at Iron Sight as he approached. Once Iron Sight was only a meter away he spoke again.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” he finally asked.

Silence was once again his reply. Though, he noticed a bit of curiosity and intrigue in the pony’s(?) face.

Growing nervous from their silence, Iron Sight spoke in a more commanding tone. “Do you hear me?! Identify yourse-”

Red Hot’s breath caught in his throat as a wave of pure fear washed over him. His eyes locked onto his squadmate, now engulfed in a menacing red aura, slowly rising off the ground. His gaze flicked to the figure, noting how its crimson horn pulsed with the same eerie red glow. As if sensing his terror, the creature’s gaze snapped down to him, its lips curling into a maniacal smirk. Without warning, the horn flared brightly, the air around it crackling with dark energy.

Instantly, the sound of Iron Sight’s screams filled the air, and Red Hot looked up to see his squadmate’s head and limbs slowly and forcefully being pulled apart. With a fleshy rip, Iron Sight’s body fell to the floor, dark red blood squirting and pooling out of the places his head and limbs should be. As if that wasn’t enough, the figure then creepily danced the ripped limbs and head around in the air before its horn flared once again, and the ripped parts burst into green flames. The flame was incredibly hot to the point where Red Hot could feel it from where he was standing. Once the flame died down, only ash remained of what once was Iron Sight’s head and legs.

Everyone remained frozen in fear, their minds unable to comprehend the eldritch horror they just witnessed. Red Hot’s heart hammered in his chest and his hooves shook uncontrollably as he kept his weapon aimed at the… thing. The thing took a step forward, and the silence was shattered by the deafening rattle of machine gun fire.

Red Hot couldn’t tell who fired first, but it didn’t matter. He was quick to join the relentless barrage, his own white lasers racing down the street alongside the others. Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the ground, and Red Hot's eyes widened as a plume of black smoke shot toward one of the Humvees, sending it hurtling through the air like the lead Humvee before it, the gunner being violently ejected and thrown away.

What followed next was a massacre the likes of which had never been seen before. Humvees were thrown around like they weighed nothing and soldiers were cut down with merciless ease. Whether they were burnt to ash by green flames, ripped to pieces, or literally cut down into small, fleshy chunks didn’t seem to bother or faze the thing as it simply kept going.

Agonized screams and panicked shouts filled the air as white lasers whizzed by Red Hot, everyone’s training forgotten in an attempt to simply survive the thing’s onslaught.

Diving under a Humvee that managed to land on its wheels, Red Hot covered his ears to try and drown out his comrade's screams of terror and the squelching of flesh as it plopped down on the ground.

Eventually, silence engulfed the scene, the only sounds now being the howling wind and Red Hot’s frantic breathing. He covered his mouth with his hoof, struggling to calm himself as he tried to breathe quietly through his nose. His body trembled with terror, and his tail curled tightly beneath him. He waited, waited for what felt like an eternity, but nothing came.

Suddenly, the Humvee he was under was enveloped in a red aura and slowly lifted off him. Red Hot's eyes watered with fearful tears, and his pants were soaked with more than just melted snow as he gazed up at the face looming through the plume of black smoke.

The face cackled at Red Hot’s pitiful state before lazily tossing the Humvee away and enveloping Red Hot in its red grip.

“NO! PLEASE! DON’T!” Red Hot shrieked as he desperately pawed at the snow in an attempt to keep himself grounded.

“NO! PLEASE, GOD HELP ME! ANYTHING, I’LL DO ANYTHING!”

If God was listening, He remained silent.

Red Hot suddenly felt his limbs and head begin to tear apart, just like his squadmate before him. He clenched his eyes shut and screamed, the agony overwhelming him as his muscles and bones were stretched beyond their limits. His head throbbed with excruciating pain, and he felt his spinal cord being slowly wrenched, inch by agonizing inch.

A deafening roar echoed in his ears, and without warning, he was dropped to the ground with a harsh thud, his back aching from the fall. The sound of fluttering wings filled the air before hooves landed on either side of him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and was met with the sight of pink fur looming above him. As he craned his neck upward, he saw a mare’s face gazing down at him, concern evident in her expression.

To say she was beautiful would be an understatement—she was nothing short of angelic. Her stunning lavender eyes locked onto his, unblinking, and her silky, tricolor mane fluttered gently in the wind. She was an angel, there was no doubt about it. Maybe she was hear to guide him to the afterlife?

A growl echoed in his ears, and Red Hot snapped his head back to see the creature shaking its head before glaring at him and the angel. The sound of hooves clopping through the snow reached his ears, and when he glanced to his sides, he saw the angel flanked by more ponies. They wore gold armor, wielded spears, and had white and grey coats. All of them were led by a large ivory stallion with a blue-tinted mane.

“Leave Sombra! You cannot defeat us all in the weakened state that you’re in!” she bellowed in an unfamiliar language.

The smoke creature glared at Red Hot and the sudden entourage of ponies before grunting in frustration and disappearing into the ground. Red Hot breathed heavily before his gaze landed back on the angel above him. She looked back down at him with a small smile before stepping to the side.

Blinking, Red Hot sat up and touched his body, confirming that he was still alive—and most importantly, still whole.

“Are you okay?” he heard the angel ask in her language.

Standing on his hind legs, Red Hot stared down at her with a blank expression, stuck in shock as she backed away slightly in surprise, her gaze fixed on him.

“What..?”

She spoke once more, “Can you… understand me?”

Ignoring her incomprehensible words, Red Hot examined his savior. She was a tall, lithe, pink mare with a purple, magenta, and butter-colored mane and tail. She wore gold regalia and slippers on her hooves and her Talent Symbol was what appeared to be some sort of crystal heart.

Glancing at her flanks, Red Hot noticed a pair of wings. Was he not in shock, he was sure he’d react a little more at the impossibility of it. Shifting his gaze over to her head, he noticed a tiny tiara resting on her head just in front of her spiraled horn.

Said horn suddenly lit up with a cyan aura.

Reacting on pure instinct, Red Hot pulled out his sidearm, turned off the safety, and pointed it at her. “Hey! Stop!” he shouted fearfully.

Surprised by the outburst, the mare deactivated her horn and took a step back. In an instant, Red Hot was surrounded by a dozen stallions, each pointing sharp spears at him.

Red Hot looked around him with wild, panicked eyes, his mind struggling to catch up with all the events happening.

“What the fuck is this!? Where’d you fuckers even come from anyway! Fucking say something, damnit!” he screamed, erratically pointing his pistol at random stallions.

An opening in the stallion's formation abruptly formed, and Red Hot whipped his pistol around to point it at the same pink mare. She approached him slowly, her eyes filled with sorrow.

“Please, calm down! We’re only trying to help you!” she said sincerely.

Red Hot grunted and fired a laser into the sky, the loud crack making everyone flinch back. He pointed the gun back at her and screamed again.

“Back away!”

Her horn ignited again, and before Red Hot could pull the trigger, it was suddenly whisked away from his grasp. Red Hot gasped as his last weapon of self-defense was effortlessly torn from him, hot and wet tears streaming endlessly down his cheeks.

“What do you want from me?! I don’t have anything, please don’t hurt me!” Red Hot sobbed as he collapsed on his rear.

Then, he fell silent, the only sounds coming from him being his stifled sniffles and muffled sobs. “If you’re just gonna kill me, then make it quick,” he mumbled quietly.

Red Hot heard the sound of her horn igniting, and he prepared himself for the unimaginable pain. But, instead, he only felt a slight tickle in his brain before it quickly went away.

“Can… hear now?” he heard her say.

He looked up at her, his eyes red and puffy from the endless tears streaming down his face. “W-What?”

“Can hear me now?” she repeated.

Red Hot didn’t respond, only kept sobbing. Red Hot then felt two warm legs gently wrap around his body and hug him close. Red Hot returned the hug, burying his face into the mare’s mane as his crying continued.

“Shh, is okay now. No danger,” she cooed soothingly, rubbing his back.

Red Hot shook his head. It would never be okay. Nothing could ever save him from the horrible truth…

He was the only survivor...

Aftermath

Author's Note

Italicized dialogue = Atlantian
Normal dialogue = Equestrian

I hope you enjoy the chapter, and as always, point out any mistakes you see! :)

Aftermath

Cadence watched with a somber frown as the Equestrian soldiers helped the red crystal pony they had rescued search the snowy field for his comrade's identification tags. The wind howled around her, and the darkness from the clouds covering the sun above them made it difficult to find the small, silver tags.

Hot tears rolled down Cadence's face, freezing instantly in the frigid winds. She could still hear their terrified shouts and screams carried on the rushing wind. The memory of their strange weapons, firing loud bolts of light that zipped erratically in a desperate attempt to defeat the tyrannical king, remained seared into her mind.

She had witnessed it all from a distance, and it happened so quickly that by the time they arrived, they were met only with scattered chunks of flesh and the sight of Sombra preparing to finish off the final pony.

Cadence flinched as she felt a hoof rest on her shoulder, and she turned to see her husband staring at her with concerned eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his tone full of worry.

Cadence hesitated before suddenly embracing him in a tight hug. Shining Armor immediately reciprocated the embrace and soothingly rubbed her back once she started sobbing into his chest fluff.

“We- We couldn't s-save them…” she cried, a pang of unbearable guilt weighing on her heart. “We c-couldn't save them!”

“Cadence…” Shining Armor called, his worry growing as his wife shook uncontrollably.

Cadence's body trembled as she cried, her heart racing and tears streaming freely from her eyes. Their screams were deafening, cutting through the raging winds with ease. Oh, Celestia, they were screaming so much.

“Cadence, we got here as fast as we could,” Shining Armor said, trying his best to comfort her.

Cadence shook her head, unable to accept such a pathetic excuse. They should’ve been faster. She should’ve been faster. She was an alicorn for Celestia’s sake!

If she was faster, then maybe, just maybe, she would’ve been able to save a few more souls.

The crunch of approaching snow drew Cadence’s attention, and she turned to see the soldiers and the crystal pony, Red, regrouping at her position. Red held out a small pouch, placing two silver tags inside before gesturing for the others to do the same. The soldiers exchanged solemn glances with Red before only two stepped forward—both unicorns—and deposited only three tags into the pouch.

Red looked at the other soldiers expectantly, hoping for more tags, but nopony stepped forward. Disbelief washed over his face as he stared into the pouch. Out of thirty-one fallen soldiers, only five identification tags would be returned to the families of the deceased.

Red continued to stare at the pouch as if hoping more tags would magically appear inside, but no such thing happened. Eventually, he zipped it shut and attached it to his waist; his eyes, filled with defeat and helplessness, glazed over the others before settling on one of the strange metal boxes carelessly scattered across the area.

With a sigh, he pointed at Cadence, “Follow me,” he said before approaching the metal box with a bipedal gait.

Despite her sadness, Cadence felt a sense of curiosity overcome her as she watched Red walk.

She found it strange that he preferred walking on two legs instead of the natural four—not only because balancing and walking on two legs was incredibly difficult, but also because it was disadvantageous. Why walk on two legs when four could carry you farther, allow you to run faster, and help you navigate challenging terrain more effectively? Not to mention that you couldn’t buck with only two legs.

It was then that Cadence noticed Red’s hind legs were more… pronounced, resembling those of a minotaur rather than a pony. She wondered just why that was.

Red chuckled, snapping Cadence from her examination. “You like?” he asked with a small smirk.

Cadence’s face turned beet red, and she quickly looked away, hoping that Shining Armor didn’t see her “ogling” at him. Thankfully, she spotted him giving orders to some of the soldiers a few hooves away, oblivious to her rather embarrassing moment.

Looking back at Red, she gave him a sheepish smile. “S-Sorry,” she apologized.

He waved her off with a small smile that faded as his eyes shifted to the overturned metal box. Cadence examined it, noting the four large wheels with chains attached to its barrel and the numerous dents scarring its frame. Perhaps it was some kind of armored carriage. But if that were the case, who, or what, would be pulling it? Or could it operate using some form of crystal magic?

Cadence was pulled from her musing when Red suddenly knocked on her horn. Jolted, she turned to see him point at the carriage before doing a rotating gesture with his hooves.

“Can you uh… turn it?”

Deciding to ignore the rather disrespectful touch of her horn, Cadence nodded before engulfing the carriage in her magic. With some effort, Cadence lifted the heavy carriage off the ground before flipping it upright and releasing it. Landed with a loud thud, the frame of the carriage bounced slightly before coming to a rest.

Red approached one of the carriage doors and pulled it open, the door swinging wide to reveal the interior. It was a complete mess—devices and wires were strewn about, along with many other items whose functions Cadence couldn’t even begin to understand.

he hopped inside and sat down in the seat before searching through the mess for something.

“Come on, where are you..? Ah, there you are.”

He then held what appeared to be a silver key in his hoof before inserting it into a slot next to the circular protrusion in front of his seat. He turned it, and the carriage rumbled to life with a loud growl.

Surprised, Cadence jumped back, her wings shooting open and her horn flaring as she stared wide-eyed at the rumbling beast. She heard a loud snicker, and Cadence shifted her gaze to see Red looking at her with an amused face.

“Relax, it’s okay.”

Not entirely convinced, Cadence approached the metal beast with cautious, measured steps, as if it were a wild animal ready to pounce. Red watched with a mischievous smirk, waiting for the perfect moment as her curiosity gradually won over her hesitation, drawing her closer to the strange metal carriage.

Eventually, Cadence got close enough and reached out a hoof to touch the beast’s frame.

VROOOOM!

Cadence shrieked and cartoonishly jumped in surprise before landing on her back, her legs and wings flailing as she tried to get back to her hooves.

“Cadence!?”

Cadence’s eyes widened at the sound of her husband’s concerned voice, quickly followed by rushing hoofsteps. She sprang to her hooves, straightening herself out, and glared at the cackling crystal pony as he clutched his stomach.

Moments later, the metal carriage was surrounded by the Equestrian soldiers, their spears aimed at the rumbling beast. Shining Armor rushed to Cadence’s side, quickly scanning her for injuries.

“Cadence? Are you okay? What happened? I heard you scream,” he worriedly asked.

Cadence smiled at Shining Armor, “Y-Yeah, I’m okay.” She then turned her unimpressed gaze back toward the crystal pony. “It’s just that somepony thinks now’s a good time for a sense of humor.”

Red snickered, “Y’know, you guys are funny! You talk weirdly, some of you got wings, some of you look like narwhals, and you’re naked! Haha! Like, what the fuck is going on here man!? Are you all, like, perpetually stuck two steps away from an orgy!?” he said before devolving into another fit of giggles.

Cadence watched with a deadpan expression, which shifted to concern as Red continued to giggle for a moment longer before he laid his head against the seat, crossed his hooves, and began to shiver.

“So cold…” she heard him mutter.

Frowning at the words, Cadence ignited her horn and enveloped Red's strange clothing in her cyan aura. Red flinched, unsure of what she intended to do, but instead of harm, his clothing began to grow warm, as if a heater had been installed inside them.

Red glanced at Cadence with a grateful expression. "Thank you," he said, his voice sincere. "And sorry for scaring you," he quickly added, his words tumbling out in a soft, apologetic tone.

Cadence nodded and opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a staticky voice.

“Delta Convoy, this is Command, do you read me? Over.”

Cadence furrowed her eyes at the strange voice and peeked inside the metal carriage to see who said it. But Red was the only one inside.

“Delta Convoy, I say again, this is Command, do you read me? Over.”

Suddenly, Red dove into the mess of devices in a frantic attempt to locate the source of the voice. He threw many different objects behind him with reckless abandon in his search when he finally found what he needed.

Grabbing a battered radio box with his hooves, Red set it down next to him and followed a curled wire attached to it. The wire led to another smaller, squarish device with many small holes in it and a button on the side. Grabbing the smaller device, Red held down the button on its side before bringing it up to his mouth.

“Command, this is Delta Convoy, do you read me?” he said hastily, his breath shaky.

“I read you. We’ve been trying to hail you for the past five minutes, glad to see you all are doing okay. I’m assuming you’re about to approach the ‘Cloud Wall?’”

Red shook his head, “No, no, man, listen we- we’ve been attacked by- by something! It- it killed everyone! E-Everyone’s dead! It came out of nowhere!”

Once Red finished talking, there was a brief moment of silence, and he realized that he must have sounded like a lunatic, screaming his desperate words into the radio.

“Who am I speaking to?” they asked in a no-nonsense voice.

Red gulped nervously, “L-Lance Corporal Red Hot, s-sir.”

“Lance Corporal, I’m going to need you to put the convoy commander on the radio.”

“He… He’s dead, sir. Th-They’re all dead.”

Cadence listened intently as Red desperately spoke with somepony over the strange device. Although she couldn't fully understand the conversation, the snippets of words she caught and the tone of both ponies' voices were enough to convey a sense of urgency and paint a picture in her mind.

“What are they saying?” she heard Shining Armor ask beside her.

“Lance Corporal, can you clarify what you just said?” they asked, voice tinged with disbelief and doubt.

“What do you mean ‘clarify!?’ I just told you, everyone’s dead! D-E-A-D! Dead! Why do I need to fucking clarify that for you!?”

“Red is trying to tell his… superiors, I think, about what happened here, but I don’t think they believe him,” Cadence replied to Shining Armor.

“You watch your tone, Lance Corporal. I’m not the only one listening in on this anymore,” they said lowly, their voice carrying an air of intimidation.

Red gulped nervously, “Y-Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”

Shining Armor cringed, “They don’t sound very happy,” he muttered, knowing that low tone all too well from his days in training.

“Listen carefully. I'm sending a QRF to pick you up, but before I do, I need to know exactly what our boys are walking into. We're still in uncharted territory, and you screaming about your convoy being attacked over the radio doesn't give me a clear picture. So, to the best of your ability, briefly explain your encounter with whatever this 'thing' is.”

“O-Okay,” Red muttered, taking a deep breath.

Red then recounted his encounter with King Sombra, starting at the radio check and Lead-1’s Humvee being thrown backward. He described Sombra’s pony-like shape, his glowing red horn, and his eerie green eyes. In vivid detail, he relayed how his squad leader was torn apart, the massacre that followed, and how he himself narrowly escaped death due to being saved by Cadence—all while the radio operator on the other end remained completely silent.

“...and then after the locals saved me, they scared off the black, uh, horned pony and have been with me ever since,” Red finished.

The operator on the other end remained silent for a long moment, and Red’s anxiety grew. Did they even believe a single word he said? Hell, maybe they had stopped listening a while ago, and he’d just been talking to static this entire time.

"Alright, Lance Corporal," the operator's voice finally crackled through the radio. "We've decided to take your rather... outlandish tale into serious consideration and have dispatched a QRF to your location. I hope you understand that if this turns out to be a simple hoax, you can kiss your military career goodbye. Now, is there anything else you'd like to report?"

Red spared a glance at Cadence and the gaggle of soldiers surrounding the Humvee.

“Uh, the locals are all, um, naked, sir…”

“...”

“...What?”