Aether battle against a grotesque fiend inside a twisted dimension that looks like a hell scape. The battle had been going for a few days now and both were battered and bruised with multiple wounds on their person's. Aether was currently in her Draconiqquos form, looking like an amalgamation of all her natural forms with flesh made of nebula and multiple eyes, strings and other Eldritch characteristics. In her claws a Titanic runic great sword with her other holding a magic talisman for spellcasting.
"Just die already Astarte!" Aether roared as she swing the sword, the fiend just screeched in reply swinging it own scythe like arm at the Draconiqquus. Unknown to the two in their fervor their powers created a rift through which both got sucked into. 'you aren't clean alive this time beast!' Aether mentally projected as she said something in Draconic language that caused the fiend to scream as a it life force was sucked away.
In a new world above a plane above a military provision based a crack formed in the air above, the crack spread rapidly before a explosion rocket the air. From the rift the Aether and the fiend immerged as Aether decapitated the beast with a might swing of her sword. The beast disintegrated to wisps of dust, as Aether returned to her kyrion birth form. Her blade dematerialized as it returned to her soul.
"Finally.... huff kill~" with that she blanked out from exhaustion and her wounds. She plummeted down bellow.
She fell through a glass roof and landed into soil, surrounded by glowing yellow plants. She just crashed into a settlement's greenhouse. Sounds of confusion can be heard as an armored green unicorn opens the door to the greenhouse. Only peaking with his head through the door to see what has happened. Seeing a pony shaped figure, he starts walking towards her with caution. "Hello... Miss? You don't look like you are from around here, who or what are you?" Harmonious Percussion asked looking her over as she laid in the patch of glowing flowers.
Aether was in a daze, she groaned that was more a growl as her voice shook the ground. She took a deep breath and sucking the natural mana and magic from the r air as cyan fire envelop her wounds healing them in an instant. She picket herself up unsteadily. When she neared the voice nearby her Arctic steel eyes with turquoise sclera locket onto a figure of a pony. She towers over him as she about 12 feet currently even on all fours.
"Apologies dweller... cought" her voice racked as she coughed a bit of black blood. Said blood dripped down onto the ground and like acid caused the founa to die off.
"You would not be the first to fall through the greenhouse roof, as i was told-" He was cut off as the sound of small explosions was heard from around her. The highly volatile glowing plants starting chain of small explosions. The fire break flooring he was standing on would thankfuly prevent other plants in the greenhouse from catching on fire. With the hole in the roof allowing some of the heat to quickly escape. "I hoped this would not happen again, come with me quickly so your mane won't get burned!" He guestured with his front hoof for her to quickly follow after him. Through the marble door next to the settlement's lake.
Aether tilted her head a bit, as the explosion didn't do much to her hide. She was too out of it to cast any spells or use her powers so she followed after the pony, but to at least help a little she made all the fires that are present not flow into the air before merging with her own cyan fire that healed her remaining wounds.
"Once... Again... I apologize... For this dweller. Cough" her voice raspy as she follows the unicorn.
The explosion seem to stop at least no fire was left. Aether still panted as she felt the aftereffects of the exhaustion and her magic reserves being depleted.
"So um, what is your name miss? I am Harmonious Percussion. I work with Emperor Bigpip, we were currently returning to the capital and decided to stay here for a bit. you look like a kirin but not like any i have seen, why is that." Harmonious Percussion questioned while they walked through a corn field with wind turbines installed next to wooden shelters. His armor making quiet mechanical sounds as he trotted with her. Wind gently brushing by his mane, moving it slightly back and forth while they were outdoors.
"My name is Aether Forge but some call me Aether Remedy. Either is true. Well them mister Harmonious....cough" voice still raspy but getting better before some violent coughing had her stop. He wings fluttered a bit, while not burned or damage anymore they still a bit disheveled. Same with her tail and covert feather.
"As... For what.... I am well ..... Your about a quarter right." She said with a few pauses to take deep breaths. She doesn't know if they have knowledge of what a draconiqquus is or chaos in general.
"I'm what you call.... A hybrid of sort. Do you know what a Thestal, hippogriff, Draconix is Harmonious?" She asked gently with a even voice.
During all this her eyes and senses scanned the environment for any threats or irregularities. She hope the rift closed behind her entrance and that no other void-born or fiend entered this world.
"Hmm, i am not familiar with those to be honest Aether Forge. Though i suppose that would make you an actual alien then in these parts. Somepony exotic as you is going to be targeted by bandits, at least there aren't any in these parts anymore. We took care of that problem a while ago. Can't say the same for overseas where there are lot of hostile humans and monsters." Harmonious Percussion note.
They togather entered a wooden building. Which was split into a recreational room and a dining room connected to a kitchen. In the recreation room was poker table with chairs. There they could see Emperor Bigpip. Who only wore a purple robe with cyan stars on it. With a ruby heart at the front. It did nothing to hide the alicorn's hyper ballsack swolen with potent seed. He was playing poker with a masked pegasus worker.
"Considering I'm an outsider for your realm that is indeed the case Harmonious. As for the bandits let them come I've dealt with their kind more time then I can count in my millennia of life." Aether said simply not dismissing the treats as she currently weakened with much of her magic and ability sealed off duo to the new environment. When they entered the new room she made a quick looked over her magic senses picking up any enchantment or magical properties of the items nearby.
"Are their any highly dangerous monsters? One of my occupations is a Witcher, which is my world term for monster hunter." She didn't mention her mutation or modification to her body to not alienate herself further ...... For now.
"There are many giant insects with their own hives. They have been spreading at an alarming rate close to overseas cities. exterminating them on this continent as made them very agitated there. There is also a possibility that the metal monsters from the unknown return but we hope that they don't." Harmonious Percussion briefly explained.
Emperor Bigpip meanwhile finished his poker game with the pegasus and walked over to them to greet them. "Welcome stranger, hope you didn't have too much trouble getting to our glorious Anocratic empire. I am Emperor Bigpip ruler of the land. I am currently on a vacation after resolving a conflict overseas from here on Nuchadus." Bigpip then raised a hoof for a hoofbump.
Aether gave a courteous bow "Greetings you Majesty, I'm Aether Forge Winter-Storm. I'm an outsider from another realm. I was brought here after a... Bloody and long fight with a fiend and natural void born." Aether voice even and calm. Even if the emperor and Harmonious barely come to her star scared chest. And most likely have an eye few for her giant crouchteats. "Well if you're Grace allows me to find refuge in your empire untill I can find my way back home, I'll be glad to offer my service as a Witcher or Artificer." She smiled in a gentle manner.
"Anocratic empire welcomes all who want to turn their life around. We could use an artificer and a fighter. Our military has been a rather sorry state without battle mages to support our gootraxian infantry. So having somepony experienced to help us out would be appreciated." Bigpip told her, however he was almost blushing as lewd thoughts came to his mind. Trying to imagine what a hybrid foals between an alicorn like him, and an exotic being like her would look like.
The pegasus worker meanwhile walked past them, getting back to work, to produce alcoholic beverages and clean up the mess that Aether made in the greenhouse.
Aether was surprised by the influx of lust but giggled a bit behind her tail fan. "Well I'm glad to help in any way I can. As far as gathered your world is one of the more technologicaly advanced, but I've yet to grasp the arcane level." She still had her gentle smile. She shifted a bit to let loose some of the cramps in her joints. This gave the two ponies a better look at her quite frankly brick house physic, she lean enough to not be considered unreasonably swollen but her muscles were defined nicely and looked like they can break metal like twigs.
"I hope this isn't rude you Majesty but is their a source of water so I can quanche my thirst? It been almost a half a week since I had last drank or eaten duo to my fight with the aberration"
"Yes ofcourse! There is a tiny shower room with a detachable showerhead right outside this building. Since this is a remote settlement, i am not sure how well filtered it is but i know that its safe to drink. There should be corn and berries in the kitchen for you to eat." Bigpip told her.
"I would imagine a lot of water is stored in your teats, considering how big they are." Harmonious Percussion joked.
"My gratitude for this you Grace. As for the filtering, you don't have to worry my biology make me immune to..... Practically all forms of poison or disease." She said with a grateful smile before giving Harmonious a teasing one. "Maybe their is, haven't checked in long time." With that she departed for the shower.
For a second as she turned to the door harmonious and Bigpip got a millisecond view of her assets before it got covered by the tail and covert feather. Her titanic wings cling to her body like cape, with only a few maroon stripes being visible.
Bigpip with Harmonious give her a little alone time, having a quick exchange about how attractive she is before waiting for her to return back after a quick snack and drink into the recreational room. Harmonious Percussion thought it would be interesting to have her thoughts on the flatscreen television in the room, so he turned it on. Which hed the news channel playing.
After half an hour Aether returned with a tin of shininess to her fur, feather and scales. Her mane now decorated with blue spider lilies adorning it entire length. Her wings now preened and proper giving a full view of it moth like pattern as the feathers slightly glowed with mana, same as her horns. She let out a breath her voice no longer raspy, and it returned to her normal deep baritone bass with a melodious echo to it.
"Well what is this?"
She ask quietly, as she saw the flat screen, it looks familiar but she can exactly put her mind to it. "It looks like a larger version of a tablet, but I don't fell any magic or hextech in it? Fascinating." She muttered getting a bit closer, her fur now very fluffy from the shower. As she was distracted by trying to figure out the machine infront of her.
"Its a complicated piece of machinery turns radio waves into sounds and images. Can be quite useful, its commonly used for entertainment." Harmonious Percussion told her.
"Your voice sounds quite different now. Did something happened to you Aether Forge? Also since you are a good fighter, we should transport you to the continent overseas. Since thats where the giant bugs and bandits live." Bigpip asked her with a hoof to his chin.
"interesting and does this without magic at all? This world has some interesting machinery." Aether said as she studied the screen, maybe at some point she get the chance to study it throughoutly and all the part that make it tick.
"Hmm do have a teleportation device on hand? Are their any knowledge or tomes describing the beast and their abilities?" She then addressed the emperor, with a professional air to herself. She used to getting little rest between hunts and fight, maybe she even get a few essences that are worth something.
"well as for the question of my voice this is how I naturally sound before my vocal cords were damage and straighned from over use. Not to mention my internal damage. But I'm healed now, even if much of my magic and prowess still yet to return. But it came with time."
"It does in fact work without magic. It only needs a steady supply of electricity, which it gets from the wind turbines outside. There is a lot of machinery out there. The scary thing is, that some is so advanced that it suposedly merged with magical artifacts to create a 'god' calling itself Horax. Which dangerous cultists worship. I managed to stop this powerful being once with. However the second time we weren't so lucky and hed a good unicorn possessed by it, forcing us to exile her." Harmonious Percussion explained
"I don't have a teleportation device here unfortunutly, we could fly to a port nearby. When it comes to the beasts, beside the giant insects which can set others on fire or spew acid. There are those created by the mechanical Horax. Such as the monster capable of magical invisibility and hypnosis. It is very dangerous and they can be rarely be found stalking those on Nuchadus. Then there are metalic abominations that can hide inside living hosts and flesh monsters created by Horax out of unknown meat" Bigpip elaborated
Aether blinked at the 'god' part before letting out a sight "Great Asha and the Triumvirate can there a world without some form of calamity beast walking around? Apologies but I met and delt with some of them before it isn't much fun, even if the exhilaration of the combat is.... Cought" aether muttered the last part before coughing to muffle it. Not the time for her blood knight tendencies to surface.
"I suppose the cultists will also be a target of the contract? Seems I always 'home' in any world I find myself in." She let out a hollow chuckle at that. She'll need to meditate soon to figure out what power she still has access to and what of her equipment she can summon and make here. "As for the monsters they sound as per usual one I deal with. Now any terms of the contract you wish to add?" Aether may be kind but she also cautious of making deals with others. She said she'll need some time to prepare for departure if they want to go to the port immediately.
"Yes that would be correct Aether Forge. They are currently the biggest issue since our last threat was dealt with. Because Horax is not being one can just killed, Horax is locked a way in his own dimension of some kind. From which exists a tear into our reality, allowing Horax to bring in monsters from a living magical metal of it's creation. The cultists want to make this worse then it already is. However the average cultist is poorly armed with just a scarificial dagger, sometimes with a homemade firearm. Finding them is the bigger issue then fighting them... I would like to deal with this for good like last time. However that opportunity is gone now. Unless there is more then one points of entry for Horax into our world.
As for the what terms i ask... I need a strong heir, preferably more then one... So i think you would make a better mate for me then Harmonious Perccusion"
Aether listen to the information intensely noting anything that may be useful for later hunts or helping them get to Horax and putting it down for good. But the moment the heir part was said her eyes widen with a teal blush to her face. But just as soon her face became Stony as her voice is now hollow and empty.
"Your Majesty with all due respect, while I'm flattered by your willingness to take me as a mate dispite my monstrous appearance and being, I'll have to reject that for the reason that I'm barren and infertile, mostly duo to my biology and magic. As such I can't provide you with a heir, even if I want a foal of my own"
The last part barely audibly muttered under her breath with a lot of sorrow in it.
Bigpip lowered his head in understanding. "Hmm, that is sad. If it was just due to age then there would be a fix for it... Maybe xenogerm implant could work but i don't know about the magical part. That one would be the most complicated. None the less, we should start making our way to the port. So we can take a ship and start investigating the cultists."
"If she was a herm like me, she could try to knock me up." Harmonious Percussion noted.
Aether just shook her head. "That would help much, I had been a male duo to magic, but my biology and the volatile conflux that is my core magic doesn't agree with any life I have found."
"The closest that was ever had was one Alicorn but he died with our shared lover long ago." Her eyes gain a distant look as if she remembering something horrific before she just shake it of but the empty look remained.
Aether just nodded of as she multitasked to follow the two while looking internally to see what she has access to. She definitely has access to most of her armory, her arcane magic is fine, martial art similarly. Sadly her draconix sorceries and black magic seem to be block and drained fully for now. While her divinity and spirit powers seem to function but at a reduced capacity, luckily this should be fixable with time as she attuned to the world.
Bigpip sighed "Its truly dissapointing that we can't breed... Though if you need to relieve stress, i am here for you." Bigpip tried to cheer her up a little with a wing hug.
"We can take transport pods to the port. The workers have prepared them for us beforehoof. So the way those work, is that you open a door and squeeze inside. The thrusters will then take you to your destination and cushioned interior protects you from impact. Its not an effective or comfortable way to travel buts the fastest way we have available to us right now." Harmonious Percussion explained, pointing the a wooden door for the three of them to go outside.
"Well I might take you up on that offer you Majesty, well I would like for you to keep this" near her a golden and purple portal opened as he took out a ornamental charm medallion. It a head bear wolf, in which jaws is a triangular blue gem. It had an enchanted on it that the two can tell. As they about to reply they saw Aether form turned to shadow and lights as now she was a 8 feet tall mutated thestal. Her wings were wyvern like with shorter horns then the previous form her tail wolfish.
"this may still be a tight fit...." Aether said looking at the pod. With a bit of hesitation.
Bigpip took the charm medallion with his violet telekinesis and climbed into a pod that he would be sharing with Harmonious Percussion. While Harmonious Percussion guestured to the pegasus worker, to prepare them for launch. "You should fit fine your own pod but it just won't be confortable." Harmonious Percussion tried to encourage her.
"I'll take your word for it Harmonious, and before you ask that medallion has a communication enchantment as well as a beacon focal point." Aether said as she got into the pod it indeed isn't comfortable but she can deal with that thanks to her dexterity and agility. Good thing this take time she may be able to take a deeper dive into her own core and arcane channels to see more of her available resources.
"If you wish to ask anything please speak now I may enter a meditation state where I won't be able to reply for a time, this is to see what I have available for combat from my powers and armaments." Aether said evenly as she waited for a few minutes for a reply.
"I think we are good and ready to launch!" Harmonious Percussion answered, closing the pod's door as Aether did the same. The pegasus then disconnected the pods from their fueling ramp as the small thruster rockets at the bottom of the the pods were engaged and the two transport pots have started flying towards the nearest port. When they arrived, the pods landed somewhat roughtly with a thud on artificial pavement of the port. The transport pod's door automaticaly opening to allow them to get out of the tight space.
Bigpip is the first to move out, adjusting his robe he looks around. There weren't many ponies around from the looks of it, he went to the port's office to quick arrange a ship ride. While Harmonious stayed with Aether.
"Well that was an interesting experience, reminds me of the time I entered Orbit and landed on a battlefield." Aether said as she finished rummaging from her inner core and glad to see most of her powers will be available if with time. She glad she also has access to her arsenal and personal army. But she doesn't yet want to reveal herself as a necromancer or warlock for now. Well golems and other construction should do fine for the time being.
[14:47]
"I'm surprised the Emperor himself takes time to escort me even so far few royals I met did this. Especially for a hired mercenary, not to mention a mutant in all fairness" Bigpip definitely earns respect for this courtesy. And her draconix instinct actually favor him too, so she trust him.
"I think i hed a similar experience at some point too. But it was a crashlanding on Acrab's ponut shaped island. Which hed pirates swiming to it to assasinate us for bounties. Bureaucrats later managed to send us a rescue ship when they found where we were stranded. Shame it took them 100 days or so to do it."
"Bigpip is the one who saved Acrab from Horax's influence in the past and has been working nonstop in Anocratic empire's early days to get it where it is now. He is taking things easier now that it's bigger then he can effectively manage but he is still the benevolent guy he always was. He wants to spend his vacation with an attractive mare that he can share with me. Thats why." Harmonious Percussion told her sincerely.
"Either the bureaucrats lazy or they being their normal selfs. I'm not fit to be in politics so I wouldn't know." Aether knew where she be, her place is the forge creating or on the battlefield slaying monster both physical and metaphorical.
She did give a genuine smile at the emperor discribtion. "Well he does sound like a wonderful rule, I wish your marriage a happy and everlasting journey. This World seem to need ponies like you. Well I'll help as much as I can." And she did understand the vacation part if a bit ancestral gods know she was a workaholic for multiple centuries untill somepony knocked her on the head to chill out.
At being called an attractive mare she blushed teal again. "Spare me, I don't know how you can find a monster like me attractive." she muttered under her breath, too used to being scorned and her sins prevented her from seeing otherwise.
Emperor Bigpip flew back to them, folding his wings, he said "I asked and we can take a ride on one of the smaller cargo ships that is anchored in the port. We should have a move on cause that ship is ready to sail. I can lead you there" Bigpip then took off to the air again, grabbing Harmonious with his telekinesis and taking him with him. despite the weight of the orange armor, Bigpip was just about able to carry his husband.
Aether silently unfolded her wings and with a small jump and a mighty flap of her wing she she sailed just over the duo, not realizing she give them a very good view of her posterior. She was too used to world where ponies and other creatures are fully naked all the time. Not to mention that she herself was from a time when sex and such very very much publicly opened things.
"How long will the sailing from the two ports take?"
"Like a whole day i guess? Hopefuly not too long" Bigpip answered, landing with his husband on top of the ship. A few suprised pony sailors looked on with caution, being a bit sacared of Aether. However they were assured by their Emperor's presence. Among them was one gootraxian janitor.
Aether stayed quite and simply stood still trying not to draw any more attention to her self, and keep her unnatural for the world presence concealed. She did give the Gootraxian a look over, she hadn't saw anything like this in her life, but she shackled her curiosity for now. There was a time and place for this and now it wasn't it.
The gootraxian janitor got scared and hid inside its comicaly sized bucket with his broom falling on the ground. The pony sailors start returning to their duties as they losse interest. "We should head inside, i take it you need some rest? We could sleep through the trip since it will probably be very uneventful." Bigpip suggested.
"Some rest would be appreciated your Majesty." Aether smiled a bit before following them onto the ship. She had to duck under most walk ways with was a bit of annoyance but she long since learned to live with that.
"That creature reminds me of an Abyssian from back home if it had been combined goo slime."
Aether said in curiosity, she saw some hybrid both feral and civilized. But the universe and multiverse always find new things to surprise her with.
"Oh you mean the gootraxian? They are humans transformed by our assimilative goo. Its our policy for human immigrants to be transformed into goo creatures to help them integrate into society better. It also makes it easy to recognize our own citizens at first glace from potential bandits and cultists." Bigpip explained, arriving at a room which hed a big and wide shared bed for them.
"Hmm assimilative goo? Interesting." Was all Aether said as she finally can start straight even if her horn was a few feet from the celling. She did a few stretches to uncram her muscle and metallic bones. This resulted in a very metal pops while she did so. Taking a few deep restoration breath to take in the natural mana, this also caused vine like tribal marking to dimly glow in golden emeralds color on her hide.
Bigpip and Harmonious Percussion have decided that they hed enough for the day and have decided to laydown on the bed. Removing their robe and armor before doing so. "Good night, hope you won't have nightmares!" Harmonious Percussion said, laying on a big pillow.
Aether timely approaches the bed before gently climbing up, remembering to passively loosen her gravity on herself and not cause the bed to break. She laid down as to not touch the other two. This of course was a bit awkward position but she make due.
"Your Majesty would it be alright for.... Cuddles?" Aether said sheepishly, she enjoyed cuddling with others if can be and so far the two were very accommodating, the emotions she felt from them are nothing but positive..... If a bit lustful underneath.
"hmm, yes ofcourse" Bigpip answered pressing himself closer to her. crossing his horn with her's and his hyper ballsack touching her teats. Trying to cuddle with her confortably depite their different forms.
Aether blushed a bit before cocooning the alicorn in her wings and pressing him into her chest. This make it so his head is under her chink but the tip of his horn still crossing with the base of hers. His plot and balls now rest on her teats, as the hybrid fur was aken to a cloud. And soon said cloud heated up a bit, not too much but enough to feel a gentle warmth.
"This feels nice, b-but my balls are sensitive." Bigpip said, feeling akward trying to not have an erection ruin this nice, warm moment between the two. The over productive alicorn ballsack looked slightly bigger then when they met at the start of the day. Bigpip none the less continued cuddling with her.
Aether raised an eyebrow at that? Her own teats were a bit more large then before too. Not surprise to her since she got a large dose of positive emotions. 'That changeling essence is mischievous I swear.'
"Is their anything I can do to help?" She asked with somewhat trepidly.
"You could help me drain them. Giving me a good orgasm in the process?" Bigpip asked, trying to be polite while his swolen cum factories audibly sloshed with any noticable movement.
Aether blushed slightly at that before giving a giggle. "My how forward your Majesty." Her horn glowed as a dome appeared over Harmonious body. "Just a silencing barrier to have him sleep soundly"
She then dislodged from Bigpip and gave him somewhat a bedroom look. Her voice sultry.
"Now how does his Majesty wants his sacks drained?"
"Since i can't breed you... Would you like to taste my royal seed? Its enchanted, so it should taste better for you? While i can't get you pregnant, perhaps i could make you at least look pregnant... By inflating you with my alicorn swimmers." Bigpip told her slowly, mimicing her sultry voice as he spread his rear legs.
"Well I'll certainly accept that offer of generosity"
With that she saw his partially raised shaft and started with a sniff before giving it a few licks her long serpent tongue coiling around it and his balls lubricating them thoughtly.
Once it almost half mast she used her wings to give him a wingclaw job as she took that mare breaker into her wide open maw and started to suck on it. Her tongue still coiling on his equipment.
Her horned glowed a bit as two Spectral mage claws started to massage his balls with gentle care.
"Ah, fuck you are good at th-this" Bigpip wasn't expecting her to go all in with her mutated anatomy like this, but he could not complain as his mare breaker kept growing until it was longer then his body. His cock veins becoming properly visible as his alicorn stallionhood was properly pleasured. His ballsack and cock releasing a pleasant musk, while his tip started leaking lot of pre cum for Aether to lick up.
Aether tasted the precum and did in fact find it better then any she had before. She deep throated as much of that breaker as she could getting all the way down to his ring. As her wing move in tander with her tongue and maw.
'Thank you for the compliment your Majesty you are very well endowed down there.' Bigpip heard Aether voice in his head.
After that two more mage hand whent to his shoulder and started to massage them. All while his balls were cared for by her tongue and those mage claws.
'Thanks? Can you take even more of my lenght?' Bigpip tried to respond back before being turned into a moaning mess as the normaly very dominant breeder stallion found himself for the first time. At the mercy of a mare. His body lettings itself be carried by her as his legs were being relaxed by a telekinetic massage. His ballsack sloshing as it is touched magical claws.
With a pause Aether took a deep breath with her nose before she took all that length into her maw. Her wings whent to the stallion plot and started to slowly trace his cutie mark on it. The touch felt like nothing else as He felt his magic be stimulated.
Aether meanwhile enjoyed the entire length on her throat. She lucky her maw and throat so spacious and she larger then him. She moaned into his dick as her own marehood became damper and released her own horny scent.
Was Bigpip in haven? No but thats what it felt like as his own very magic was stimulated. Causing his enhanced horn to glow wildly. He was pleasured silly, to the point of not feeling like even moaning anymore as all the stimulation was driving him very close to orgasm as Aether could feel Bigpip's lenght throbbing and flaring up. With lot of pre cum gushing directly into her stomach while his plesant musk hed it it's effect on her.
Internally Aether was smirking at the state she made the Emperor take. As she felt the troubing of his cock she decided to do a coup the grasp. Her mane turned to shadow snakes and they immediately started to preen his Majesty wings and polish his horn.
All the while her mage claws and wing claws massage his body stimulating his arcane channels and magic like no tomorrow. Her tongue and mage claws gentle squished his balls, while rubbing them.
Aether also speed up her blowjob/deep throating as her maw millked the stallion for all his worth.
'come dear Emperor, let this servant give you the release you so desire.' Her voice gentle and caring not different then a mother's.
Bigpip's eyes rolled back as his horn was releasing a lot of magical energy. His hyper ballsack clenching as the long thick mare breaker started shooting ropes of potent, virile alicorn spunk into stomach. gradualy flooding her stomach before the amount of seed milked started inflating her. Making her look slightly pregnant as Bigpip's hyper productive balls shrink. Not a single drop of seed remaining as it was all deposited inside her stomach. Nurishing her. Bigpip goes limp as he is stuck in a state of orgasm while she does her magic. He then opens his muzzle with his tounge out, making as silly face.
Aether eyes widen at the amount of seed that the stallion deposited into her stomach. After a few minutes as he stopped shooting his seed she took the now partially limp dick out of her maw before huffing a few breat.
Her belly swollen with seed as her stommack worked to transmute all that goodness. Well she certainly getting a bit of divine energy from this escaped. Not to mention her even larger teats fro mall the lust love that the emperor gave her.
Before long she too the emperor and place his head on her teats as sher snake and mage claws disappeared. Her front hooves covered in shadow that turned to claws as she gently brushes his mane while caressing his cheeks and body with her clawed hooves and wings.
She started to hum a beautiful lullaby.
Bigpip, still recovering from his orgasm listens to her lullaby as he gradualy starts falling asleep. Relaxing as he lets Aether take care of him. She can sence that the powerful orgasm magicaly weakened him slightly as his mare breaker retracts back into its royal sheath, covered in Aether's saliva.
Harmonious Percussion meanwhile continued to sleep soundly, despite the magical shenanigans.
Aether just smiles as she continues to care for the emperor with her claws and song. She seems to dring more magic and divine energy then she intended with that internation.
Well nothing a druidic touch won't cure. So she started tracing druidic simils in his fur as she rejuvenated him.
'I hope you have a peaceful slumber you Majesty' She was also glad her isolation dome worked flawless allowing Harmonious to sleep. Well she go into a meditation trance soon for her own rest. Once the emperor sound asleep.
When they all wake up in the early morning. They can see that Bigpip isn't in the bedroom anymore, instead Aether can only see Harmonious Percussion correcting his short mane and tail with a brush, while putting his orange armor back on, this time with a helmet too. "Looks like Bigpip woke up early as usualy, he is a quick sleeper due to a genetic mutation. He normaly only sleeps for 4 hours" Harmonious Percussion explained.
Aether hummed "So that where he went. Well how close are we to our destination?"
With a quick spell over her body return to a more presentable state she had to transmute most of the emotions and tantric magic stored in her teats into her core. If nothing else then to not be inconvenient by their size.
"Do most creatures wear garments in your world?" She had her own set of armor and hunter clothing. She wondered if it about time to put it on.
"Yeah but some simply choose not to if the weather is pleasant. Which isn't that often here on Nuchadus to the high amount of volcanic activity. Speaking of which, the port were we are going to, should have one of the very dangerous ones visible on the way. Lets go outside to see if the blighted volcano is visible"
With that Aether followed the stallion to the outside of the ship ducking and weaving her body through the corridors. She glad she didn't done her garment or armor.
As they made it to the ship mast and she could actually stretch out bother neck and wings properly. She notice in the far far distance the volcano on question. But that mostly thanks to her enhanced eyes and senses.
They weren't far from the coast and would be soon docking into one of the city's ports "The cities here on Nuchadus have the most gootraxians in all of Anocratic empire, due to humans migrating to Anocratic empire here. Fleeing from the cultist madness and hostile wild life, in search of a better life" Harmonious note
Bigpip could be found on outside on the ship's broadside. Looking over to the coast.
Aether nodded at that. "I see, are there any indication of the insect invasion? Or warning systems in place?" She asked Harmonious as she doned her hunting garments.
They consisted of a heavy armored trenchcoat that had scales and ebony chainmail integrated with a small armament plates over her shoulders and backside.
Her wings now had hazore blades attached to them with what looks like shelds on top. Her hooves had heavy greaves gauntlet with hoof-blades
With that she approached the emperor with his husband in tow. "Your Majesty, I hope you had a peaceful rest." She said with a smile dispite looking like she ready for war.
Harmonious Percussion followed Aether stating "Yes there are, giant insectoids create basic structures as part of their hives. They create tunnels, creation of which can be picked up by seismographs. The cities have have emergency sirens installed, with some guards. However the military guards present are spread somewhat thin, so we aren't sure good of a job they would do if there was an invasion from the north."
"Yes Aether, i hed a wonderful sleep after you pleasured me so excelently." Bigpip replied.
"I see I'm surprised you do not have any golems or robosts for such tasks or are they too expensive for such undertaking?" Aether ask curiously.
"I'm not glad you find my skill to your liking Your Majesty. But I suppose this is time to show my other skills as well." Aether said with a teasing smile that soon turned into a professional one. Even if the smallest of blush tinted her cheek's.
"We do have some robots in the cities too but not that many. Due to costs and lack of soldiers with proper qualifications for overseeing these machines. This due to safety protocols to ensure that these autonomous machines don't hurt anypony innocent by accident." Harmonious Percussion said
"In terms of golems, we used to have some but the well educated mages in that specific field of magic aren't really around anymore to help with military service. So its just a few robot patrols here and there."
"I see so the art of golemancy has been lost to you? Well I can certainly help with that." Aether said while thinking of how to most effectively pull this one off.
"While the robots require too much uptake for most of these cities to realistically handle without the population suffering. " She now understood why the cultist and bugs are such a problem.
She checked some of her most trusted weapons while they continued their journey. Her halberd, cross conduit and her spellcasting talisman all on herself. She doubt she'll need her magnum opuses on anything less then Horus itself and she can't used them on anything anyway.
"We need to strike the bugs and cultists at the hearts! However i am not sure if the Horax cultists have any kind of permanent bases of operation. The bug's extermination seems like a more viable option. If all their hives are destroyed, they should eventualy die off completely, with Nuchadus then being free of their chittering and destruction." Bigpip told her with confidence.
"is their a way to locate their hive clusters? Extermination is indeed one of my specialties but I'm also prefer to have as much knowledge of the battlefield as I can get. Especially of other creatures will participate." Aether calm and professional voice was even as she listened to the Emperor's words.
"As for the cultist I may have a way to track them but I'll need to see them in person and capture a few. And preferably one of Horax monster." It been a long time since she hunted and had such a good prospect. So while her exterior show a calm and professional mare she also radiates bloodlust and a felling of being before a apex predator who about be let loss.
We did develop methods for detecting their hives. We have machines for detecting certain sounds across a wide area. However they aren't portable and a instead build in cities as part of their warning system... Perhaps you could employ the same method for the giant bugs? If we can find few of these bugs, you could use your magical abilities to track down where there is lot of them?.. Unless there are limits to your hybrid powers that i am not aware of?" said Bigpip with curious tone.
Aether hummed in thought. "Well my sense do stretch far as well as my ability to sense vibrations trouble the earth but trying to operate that on a vast land be a long process....."
"I may adapt the method of cult hunting to the bugs but I have a question are they native species or they some corrupted beings?" She asked this will somewhat determine if she can use some of her methods to hunt.
"Our researches have been studying their corpses and what they found was. That only some of the bugs are native to Nuchadus, while the rest are 'corrupted' invasive species hunting and living togather with the native ones. We don't know where these invasive ones came from, however some of them were also found on Acrab, where i have my own royal fortress. Back when our military was stronger and there were non aligned faction on Acrab. Were were able to exterminate them there for good. I am hoping we can do the same on Nuchadus, despite being a lot more numerous with big hives."
"I see well that at least helps me." She didn't elaborate on that, she a spirit and very close to nature. And genocide isn't usually something she does. But from what was said and she felt the world did agree with the alicorn words that the bugs needed to go.
Aether closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. She felt the air shift.....
"You may want to get a suit ready your Majesty their a storm coming. And a powerful one at that." She said with certainty.
"Hmm are their any bases nearby with ley lines or gem mines?"
"What storm do you mean? We will be docking in just a few minutes, since we are almost in the city. The city does drill up jade if that would help you. I could levy some from the city's government." Bigpip told her. They could see sailors preparing for docking the ship and were hanging out close the the ship's anchor, ready to lower it. As the ship's captain was starting slow down the ship.
"A natural thunder storm. It currently gathering in the that direction." Aether pointed into the sea. "In about two hours it hit this city, If I remember the pegasus scale it should be a category 4 storm."
"As for the jade. Hmmm I could use that to build a few golems for the city or your personal use Your Majesty." Aether said as she looked at the Sky.
"We should give the authorities a warning then. Issue is that i don't have a quick way to contact the city's president. So what we will do, is that i will go try to find the President or his administrator and you two will go in the meantime to where the jade is being drilled" Bigpip proposed
"I remember the street where the jade drills are installed, it's in the north part of the city. I can lead Aether there." Harmonious agreed with Bigpip's plan
Aether stayed silent as she followed Harmonious to the Drill site, already she rumaged through her blueprints for the golems to find the best possible one. Thanking Asha for her hextech modifications and magecraft/chemical augmentations.
Unlike the duo, Bigpip left the ship by flight. Flying to the city center as his first bet to find the city's leadership.
While Harmonious with Aether walked on the city's stone pavement. They hed a good look on the streets, which hed abstract sculptures on display for visitors to look at.
"Tell me Harmonious, what are the most common weapons and spells your Empire employs?" Aether asked after a half an hour of silence. She finished preparing the blueprint and the design of the golems. Now all that was left were the resources and a decent enough forge to create them.
"Most common weapons would be assault rifles due to being producable. With ice bolts and laser beam spells being the most commonly used offensive spells." Harmonious answered. The buildings surrounding them as they walked were build mostly in constructivist style.
"Firearms? Haven't seen them in a while. Ice and lazers? Surprised no one uses fire with the bugs around, unless they are resistant to it here?" Aether wondered a bit. Hmm maybe it was time she took out some of her own firearms, been a decent while since she used them.
She inspected the building but show little interest. Mostly because she was preoccupied with future forging plans.
"The ones native to Nuchadus are fireproof, however the aren't. We do have few kirins who are good with fire magic but there isn't many kirins residing inside Anocratic empire in general." While walking they could notice the traditional building materials in these cities. Those being mainly stone blocks for low buildings and concrete for tall buildings.
"I see, is there any magic apart from the arcane in your world?" She wondered if there would be something new in terms of magic. Her world had multiple ways to express magic and she knew most of them.
"How many enchantments can your firearms hold?" Firearms and many complex machinery were difficult or next to impossible to enchant by normal arcane means.
"I guess the stuff made from Horax's evil oily metal would count? We hed also some strange phenomena happen disproportionaly affected good mages of specific gender, so guess that would also count.
When it comes to firearm enchanting. I have managed to enchant a firearm's quality but i have never heard of anypony being able to enchant anything about a firearm beyond it's meterial quality or affect it's projectiles with enchantments in any way." He responded
Aether hummed as they continued on their way and Aether sees a large building in the distance it most likely the drill site.
"I'll need to see if our enchantments systems are compatible with each other." Was her only reply.
"Its a bit father away from here but we should get there soon. Sadly the railway there is currently closed, so we need to get there by hoof." They continued by a rather part which was to the north of the city, "We will take turn to the left over there. And walk a bit more, there would be the drill site."
"Once we are there, what then Harmonious? Do we simply secure a few jades for the golems or do you have something else in mind?"
"We will start making a few jade golems. Then we wait for Bigpip and hopefuly head out to have you get a feel for finding and destroying those giant bugs. I am hoping you can that you will be able to handle them on your own."
Aether nodded at that. "Depending on the available jade. I should have a few golems ready, once the storm ends, if you want we can test them on one of the hives close by." Aether paused a bit. "How does magic and technology mesh or fuse in your world Harmonious?" If the magic naturally combines with technology, she may be able to remake hextech for this world. Seems she be having many apprentices in the future.
"Hmm, it is usualy very tricky to make complex technology work with magic. The best example i know are anima implants and Bigpip's enhanced horn. Anima implants are magical implants that can replace lost body parts for unicorns and kirins. While also providing some boosts to magical abilities. In the past we used laser guns a lot. But they mostly fell out of use due to thir crystal power sources being easy to break during combat. While also not being suitable for every situation." Harmonious tought more about it.
"I worked with worse circumstances, well reinventing hextech should be feasable. But it can take a lot of effort. As for the crystal... I may have an alchemical solution for that.... Provided if I can get a few samples of said crystals." Aether said somewhat interested in this crystal they sound like the khaideran ones from home.
"I can tell that you also have magical implants, are they cybernetic or fully magical?"
"I have a cybernetic eye that surgeons managed to make look like my regular eye. I also have a immunity boosting implant on my kidney. My cybernetic implants are older then magical anima implants, since anima implants are some more recent development.
What is this hextech you mentioned, is that just what you call your artificer creations?" Harmonious Percussion inquired. Bigpip meanwhile sorted out everything with the city leadership and started to fly to the duo approaching the jade drilling side
"Yes and no, while hextech is indeed a field and creation of Artificing, its not it entirely. The easiest way to look at it, is a mixture of Mage-Craft and Technology. Mage craft is a subset of arcane magic that more closely follows the laws of physics, usually they create their spells and effect based on scientific means such as creating a razor blade by causing it to vibrate at intense speeds to weaken the molecular bond of anything it cuts." Aether lectured as they continued into the shaft. Her senses already picking up the storm that a bit less then an hour away.
"Hextech itself is a field of Artificing that merges and breaks the boundaries of magic and technology. With multiple means of doing so, one of which are khaideran crystals back in my world, the other is chemical tech that uses a special component to serve as a bonding agent of sort."
"Even in my world, it is a relatively new field of studies, it is actually the only way for guns to be effective against beasts and monsters in my home realm. I'm actually one of the few Artificers who actually know it. And the only Grandmaster ranked one." Aether had a bit of pride in that. Practically the only thing she takes pride in dispite being a dragonkin.
"I see... It may suprise you but i am not too much of magic nerd myself, despite being rather good at magic. I never went to school to get proper education, i used to be a poor miner. Hed to learn everything on my own." Harmonious Percussion answered. Finaly arriving with Aether to the Jade drilling site, which seemed rather abandoned. With drill left outside, with cables scathered around keeping the drills powered. The drill operators must be at home since it is saturday.
Aether looked around and shook her head at the mess. "Understandable dear Harmonious, I'm not expecting you to show interest or understand many things of my world. But now it seems we have a dilema, there is no one here and I prefer not to violate the law of this new place unless strictly necessary." She turned to the unicorn. She used her senses to see that this whole building is empty. But why isn't it locked down? There are not even guards?
Looking at their equipment she saw it not in the best of states either.... This had her let out a growl. "By the Great Spirit tree, this is actually hurting my spirit...." She muttered under her breath.
Harmonious raised hoof to his chin "Well i would imagine Bigpip already got us permission to use some of the jade. So lets check how much jade was left on site. Now that i think about it, maybe the reason nopony is there is partialy due to the railway leading here being closed. It is odd that nopony bothered to lock, i would have a look around." Harmonious said, entering. Checking how much jade was left on site. Poking around, it seemed like about a half a ton of jade was there. "Yeah there is some jade alright, i hope Bigpip will hurry up." Bigpip was meanwhile flying above a part, having good view of the city. About half way to the duo.
Aether hummed as she looked around, finding many broken parts and equipment left at station in various levels of condition. Well there certainly was enough material for three proper Golems. Provided they can use some of the discarded metals and stones. Looking around a bit more, she found a spacious room that can actually be used to create the golems at least with one of her creation methods.
"Well good News there seems to be enough materials for three adequate golems. And a room that was accommodating for the creation process." Aether informed Harmonious when they met again.
She was now out of her armor, since it seem there would be no combat or use for it and she would rather not make it dirty with how dusty the complex was. She studied the jade, using one of her magecraft spells for analyzing and scanning materials. The gem is rich in magic, it also hed an affinity for earth and holding magic resistant to acids. "Quite useful indeed." Aether said to no one in particular. She bend down to study another one causing her rump to flag and flash Harmonious.
Harmonious Percussion blushed a little as he sat down. Bigpip was meanwhile close to getting back to the two of them. "Three golems ehh? Now that i think about it. The golemancers back in the day mostly used granite and human meat. The reason you wanted to gemstones was because they are the most easier to enchant, is that correct?" Harmonious asked, since he didn't have anything to do at the moment while Bigpip was almost back. "Will you need my help with golem creation process?"
"No, as I don't know you capabilities well and the process I will be using won't allow for help. And human meat? I didn't think flesh golems were legal or is that a thing of a by gone era?" Aether asked while she certainly could use flesh, bones and blood in the creation of the golems, she didn't know how useful it would be without potentially compromising the golem without real benefits. "Partially you are correct, gems are filled with natural magic and are good conduit for artificing, same with a few metals like bronze. They also have innate magical properties that can help make the golem more durable or specialized. Like this jade can make one resistant to acid. There should be enough spare metal to make suits of armor for the golems as well. So many choices." She finished her inspection of the gems and picked up the ones that suit the golems the most.
"Flesh golems used to be legal, as long as the human meat was scavanged from still fresh corpses on the battlefield. Though even with a few upgrades they were as you point out, not that effective. Thats why we are making robots in small amounts nowdays. Since they can be given firearms. Mostly, small cheap robots with a shotgun attached to them. Though bigger stronger ones were build."
Bigpip landed gently with a small thud, looking apologetic "Hello, i am back, we can indeed use the jade left over here but we won't be getting more. I hope that it is enough, sorry for taking so long. We are in a city afterall"
"The jade is more then enough for the construction of Three golems your Majesty, did they also allow the use of scrap metal? While not exactly needed some armor can make them significantly more durable." Aether asked as she addressed the alicorn.
Aether meanwhile levitated the required gems into a cart to transport into the room where she would be creating the golems. She is now back in her kyrion form as two shadows, that look alike her Umbracian (bat form) self gathered multiple granite stones and other stones.
"They didn't say anything about scrap metal but i don't think there is supposed to be scrap metal here at the drill site in the first place. So you might as well put it to some good use." Bigpip said smiling while Harmonious Percussion looked slightly bored, pacing, since Harmonious didn't really understand golem making and wanted to go north of the city exploring. Hoping Aether and Bigpip would not take too long.
Aether sensing Harmonious impatient went about finishing the golem preparation, still being methodical. soon the trio was in the spare room in the centre of which was alchemical and Artificer circle with multiple runes etched in it. All the material was inside. That included the jade, stones, some tree wood and a lot of scrap metal and dust.
Without wasting time, Aether's horn and eyes glowed as a cyan and purplish sphere appeared inside the circle and consumed the material. Magic filled the air as the sphere divided into three.
After a few moments before the emperor and his husband were three centaur golems, standing at 10 feet. Their body made of stone with wood serving as joints and connections between some of their part. The jades scattered between their bodies imbued with a lot of magic. They were covered in knightly armor, colored in dark gray color.
Aether let out a tired breath as she wiped her head, to get rid of sweat. "This should be adequate result ... Usually I prefer making them by hoof but neither time nor work space is in our favor for the moment."
"I remember back in the day, we were making the golems bipedal. Which now that i think about it, creating them in a taur form makes them more suitable for combat. Even if if it costs more materials." Bigpip commented
"Hmm, i wasn't expecting you to be quite this fast. Gotta say that i am impressed. Now we can go outside the city and explore!" Harmonious Percussion said excited.
Aether took a few breaks while massaging her head. This was more straining then usual, most likely because she was yet to attune to the world fully.
"I'm glad you satisfied with them your Majesty. Now once a hive is found, they can show their power then" With that said, the centaur golems went through a portal Aether created.
"Well we have about an hour before the storm hits, so we should make haste if sight seeing is your wish" She smiled gently with tired eyes.
A small herd of pegasi can be seen flying to towards the city's coast. To defend it from the incoming thunder storm. "We better get a move on then, walking from the edge of the city to the north mountains will be a good bet for finding one the insectoid hives. Hopefuly the storm will miss us" Bigpip answered taking to the air, wanting to be the one observing their surroundings as they travel.
Harmonious Percussion summons a charge rifle of his. It looks more sophisticated then a common assault rifle. With a sound of displaced air.
Aether simply summoned her armor again and other items on her person. One of which is an ornamental book hooked to her by chain. Her eyes glowed as she looked up to the sky, she let out a humm.
"If we make haste we should miss the storm in our path. How far are the mountains?" She asked the two stallion.
"Not far but i don't know how favourable the terrain will be. If we have have to cross the mountain range, it will take us a bit. But i don't the bugs and cultists would settle so close to the city, since it would make them noticable. So will cross the mountain range north at it's lower peaks." Bigpip answered from above, looking around. The city was rather close the the mountain range ahead.
Aether though for a bit before she layed down. "Get on my back I'll bring us past the mountain." Her voice even and confident. Her body should be in a proper condition for this type of flight.
Harmonious did so without questioning her. "Can you carry both of us by any chance? I doupt you can but i can fly quite well on my own. Can't say i saw flying faster then me." Bigpip commented with a look of disbelief.
Aether gave an eye roll "Your Majesty I carried heavier burdens in the air then two ponies, even if one has armor. But if you wish to fly by your own strength, I will respect that." She said, still laying down as Harmonious got confortable on her back.
"Well alright, i will try to not fall off" Bigpip retorted. Flying down and grabbing Harmonious Percussion's torso with his own legs. Hoping he wasn't making the two unconfortable.
Aether stood up with the extra weight before unfolding her titanic wings they were actually a bit longer then her body, from head to the tip of her tail. They gained a faint glow to them as did her tattoos on her body. With a jump and a mighty flap, she sailed up into the air, faster then the two saw before. With only a few minutes they were pass the city walls.
"I suggest you keep a firm grip Dearies." With that said, she muttered a single word, which the two stallions did not understand, before she shoot forth at insane speeds. Her wings, tail and feather left trails of glowing dust.
They saw the mountains fastly approaching. "Once we are past the mountains, I will land us at the closest clearing, we should make a safe zone or a camp, in case the storm or anything else makes it neccesary." Aether is used to the wilderness but she didn't know if her passenger are.
Harmonious was scared since he wasn't used to flying often. Bigpip on the other hand wasn't, instead he was glad that they can get past the mountains without needing to build more transport pods. "How are you doing this?" asked Harmonious Percussion as they flew over a mountain peak and towards ash meadows. Where hexagonal rock formations could be seen as part of the hills and mountains. Bigpip did not say anything but it was clear he was curious about her flying ability too.
Aether slowed down as they passed the mountains and entered the meadows, her keen eyes scanned the area for any suitable landing zones. After a few minutes of flying, she found one and glided to it.
"Magic my dear Harmonious, but to be more specific, it is the magic of all Skyborn and Anivias children. As for the boost? That old dragon magic." Aether answered as she descendent down to a small clearing.
"I suppose that explains it then. We should start looking for signs of the hives and cultists. Since this far north of the city is unsurveyed." Noted Emperor Bigpip. Bigpip let go, flying to the ground by himself.
The ground was covered in ash, with parasol shaped trees and grass growing out of the fertile soil. Few animals could be see moving around. Such us lone predators hunting mice.
Aether landed with barely a sound, an action not befitting somepony her size. She laid down to let Harmonious get off her, as she took a deep breath and connected her senses to the nature around her. Her tribal tattoo and feathers glowed in golden emerald, as a third runic eye glowed on her forehead.
"old spirit and great forest tell me what ails you"
Aether said softly in an old druidic language as wisps gathered around. Animals seemed to look at her with interest before leaving. The trees seemed to creak.
"Welp, looks like we are going to be wandering for while. Unless we can find some clues." Harmonious Percussion said nonchalantly, a bit about what Aether said softly until dismissing it as another bit of weirdness from the otherworldy hybrid he will never understad.
Bigpip was in the air, howering low to the ground. Looking out of potential enemies or non aligned beings.
After about half an hour. Aether's eyes opened as a single wisp hoovered before her. Her runic eye and shining tattoo still glimmering on her body. "I know where the hive is, it is relatively small and new. The forest is quite aggravating by them, this wisp will lead us to it" Aether said as three portals opened and out of them came the golems from before. But they now hed a weapon in their hands. They walked ahead, following the wisp with Aether just behind.
Harmonious Percussion tried to touch the wisp with his armored hoof, curious what it would do. Bigpip realizing that they left the three golems behind and was glad she brought them back. Bigpip answered with "That is good to hear, however we should focus on the task at hoof. "I would go further north otherwise, until we are at the edge of the ashland meadows and start entering the harsher for travel bogs," Harmonious Percussion would not like getting getting his armor coated in mud and natural sludge.
Looking around Bigpip could spot a few figures walking far away.
"The hive is at the north East edge of the forest the wisp will guide us to it." Aether replied calmly. Her steps don't make a sound, even her armor is silent as if she was like a predator stalking it's prey... The two stallion could barely feel her presence.
The wisp was indeed leading them to the edges of the forest near the south east, after about 20 minutes of walking, they came upon a cave, over looking what seem to be the hive. It was relatively 30 meters square and seemed to be a above ground. Aether opened a portal and a mechanical eye came out. It hovered just above them before turning invisible.
Bigpip tried to listen for any of the usual chittering sounds these insectoids make. Trying to make them out from the nature's ambience. It was faint but there were for sure there. "What is you plan? Do you engage them in melee while the two of us cover you. Or do you think about taking it on yourself while we watch, not wasting our our magical energy." Bigpip asked, sounding excited.
Given the percieved size of the hive. It would be the invasive species, that also used to be present on Acrab. Since the native kind, usualy creates much bigger hives.
Aether hummed as she created a holographic screen showing the Observer's view point. The hive seemed to be small and from the signature and scans also.... Weak. This was a relatively new hive and since it was not the native kind, it was not fire resistant. "This will serve as a good test for the golems, so firstly I'll observe the hive before letting the golems engage in combat, to see how they match up and if they are worth their investment. After that I'll kill off any stranglers, if their are any." With that, she rose up into a bipedal stance, as she summoned a Titanic bow, nearly her own size.
"OK, that sounds good to me. Since we were hoping you could handle extermination of the insectoid hives on your own after we find out more about the cultists togather" Bigpip explained while sitting down next to Harmonious Percussion, the two prefering to let the expert handle it herself.
The insectoids were not aware of their presence yet. They consisted of big scarabs, bigger then a hoof. Centipedes with frontal mandibles and human sized Beetles with big frontal claws.
Aether just nodded as she created an javelin arrow, it looked large enough to fit into the bow. It had a few strange strings running over it shaft. With a deep breath Aether started chanting in druidic under her breath "Old spirit, give me your aid" and with that she was circled by a fire, with each breath it surged and with each exhale it calmed down. So it repeated as she notched the arrow into the bow, before aiming it upward. The rune on the arrow glowed a deep black purplish as energy started to coat it. It felt heavy and dense. Soon the flame became four birds made of fire that circled around the hybrid. "By the will of the world, I release thou to cleanse it's surface from taint" and so she firde the arrow upwards with the birds following it.
A second later the sky above the hive blackened as a shower of flaming arrow hit the hive with each carrying the impact of an artillery shell. The hive was ingulfed in fire as the bugs screeched in confusion.
Aether didn't waste time and as the Observer showed the carnage. The golems phased out of existence before materializing in the center of the burning hive, where they started to mercilessly hack apart the bugs. Who tried to retaliate but neither their acid or appendages could dent their armor, and if they did break a few parts of the golems, they regenerated. The golems stomped the ground, causing spikes to erupt from the ground and impale multiple bugs.
The trio on the hill watched all of this through the holographic screen. Aether studied how the golems were faring and looked if theire were any flaws or weaknesses in their designs. There were and she would rectify them later.
"What do you think your Majesty? What about you Harmonious?"
"Truly impressive, you could finaly Nuchadus of this pestilence for good, given enough time. We can allow you to do that when we track down Horax's cultists and hopefuly find a way to stop Horax from manifesting his influence on this planet." Bigpip answered with glee.
Harmonious Percussion hed no words for what he observed as he was in utter awe at the hive's destruction.
"Thank you your Majesty, well it seems the golem are.... Adequant for their resource investments. Not my best work but I'm sure I can make them better with time and find better resources." She already hed plans but they could wait. "Well the hive is eliminated while I've save a few specimen for later to see if I can find a better way to track them. Now we should return back to the city before nightfall happens" Aether said as the fire stopped and the golems with Observer moved out of the battlefield.
"I would say that they are more then adequate. I think it would however make more sence to send up camp somewhere here, so we don't need to backtrack. We can cut down some of the parasol trees here, to set up a camp with shelter and a campfire. The Parasol tree wood native to these meadows burns just as well as that of common oaks and pines." Bigpip proposed instead.
"hmm suppose that is wise, well luckily I have a lot of gear and equipment for such, my Witcher profession hed me traveling all over the world, back home and even as an Artificer I loved delving into ruins and any art lost or rare." With that she opened another portal and out came the golems, but this time with multiple set of equipment and even a large wagon that can serve as a home. They deposited everything before starting to set up camp. Aether meanwhile prepared the fire place and then addressed the two stallions. "Now, did either of you bring any provisions and what your preferred diet?" She asked while also asking if they be dear and collect some wood while she finished the camp.
"I brought two packaged meals for myself, so i suppose i could share with Bigpip. However i think you will need to harvest some berries for yourself. When it comes to diet, we aren't that picky. As long as it has some tasty vegetables in it. I am good at picking berries, i don't know about your foreging ability though. Then again, considering you are good at gathering wood, you should not have trouble getting edible ones." Harmonious Percussion answered for the two of them.
Bigpip meanwhile sat down next to the fireplace for warmth, since nights were getting colder as winter was approaching. "I hope we can figure something out soon. I don't feel like flying in cold weather." Bigpip said with a stoic face.
"ohh I can eat anything dear dragon's back home primarily eat anything with magic in it. I personally prefer gems and metals" Aether said as she pickd out a few balls of metal scrap and broken jades from the drill site. She much to the stallion shock, ate them whole as her teeth broke the metal, stone and gems apart before she swallowed it. "Well I will go prepare a bound field for protection and place a few wards to keep anything dangerous out. Now you two can relax, and your Majesty if it's too cold you can enter the wagon, it has an isolation barrier in. To keep heat from escaping and keeping a warm environment." With that she went to drawing lines and placing stone runes and other items around the perimeter as the golems helped out and started to patrol the area. Soon the bound field was prepared and Aether said she would go hunting and placing more wards outwards. The two stallions were left by the fire with their meals and only the Observer hovering above camp, keeping watch as it rotated like a light house light.
"I will be fine, this fire will do for now. Thanks for asking" Bigpip responded simple, bit suprised by her ability to create a protective field bubble big enough to cover the. "I know a spell like this too, but i am only able to sustain a protective bubble big enough to cover a single pony. Bigger then that are too megicaly draining to keep up with during battle." Bigpip noted, grabbing a meal from Harmonious Percussion and begun to eat along side him. They felt safe knowing that all the protective measures are in place. The ambience of the meadows became quieter as many nearby animals started to go into their shelters and rest.
After a few minutes Aether returned with two rabbits in her jaws, she deposited them nearby. "I hope you are not squeamish when it comes to butchering and skinning of animals your Majesty and Harmonious." She asked, taking out her hunting knife and later hid it, so the other two don't have to see it. "As for your question about the bound field, it is part of the mage craft arts. It is essentially a concealing barrier with an alarm function connected to the wards placed outside the perimeter. It actually absorbs natural mana to fuel itself so there is little to no strain for myself. The only downside or two is that it needs to be prepared before hoof and it is stationary." She answered while continuing to skin the rabbits. She deposited the skin into her portal for later use and pulled all the meat from the bones and save the bones for later too. Now it time to prepare the meat.
"We hed our fair share of animal butchering on our travels. Its just we rarely ever ate meat ourselfs. Since meat is mainly prepared for the gootraxian minorities, since they are carnivores." Harmonious Percussion explained. As the two continued to eat their meal. Which wasn't particulay tasty, since it was lightly processed fruit in air tight packaging, intended for long travels.
Bigpip thought he could feel faint vibrations in the ground, which he though was odd but did not think much of it. Harmonious Percussion hed his charge rifle laying by his side. Unlike Bigpip, Harmonious was ascetic and did not mind the food quality at all.
Aether felt the vibrations too and since she had a connection to nature, she was on guard immediately. She pushed the meat aside into a container as she picked up her cross. Her other claw pressed to the earth as she was trying to feel the vibrations and figure out what it was.
"Your Majesty, Harmonious..... We may have... Company" Aether said with a cold and serious tone. The golems returned to the camp as the Observer faced downwards to scan for a magic signature. Aether's senses still not fully returned as she was trying to find the culprit.
What ever it was, it was big and took its time to dig itself up from the underground. However, as it was getting closer to the surface. The vibrations got stronger and were rhythmic, like a beating heart. As they waited. Outside the the protected barrier emerged a giant beating heart. Which opon emerging, started to grow fleshy tentacles and protective layers. To Bigpip and Harmonious Percussion it became clear what it was. A creation of Horax, which acted as something of weapon of mass destruction if it was allowed to grow unchecked. "Well thats not good, we won't be able to brute force this thing easily." Answered Bigpip with slight worry.
"Anything you can tell me about it?" Aether asked as she cursed internally. If she had her sorcery or divine spells she could easily annihilate this thing but she doesn't have that, worse her reserve was still not replenished after the hive extermination. Luckily the beast seemed to ignore them, perhaps because of the bound field. Aether opened a Portal to take out a few items namely a few brass and bronze rings etched with runes. She hoped she won't need her black magic for this as that be a pain to explain.
"It grows fleshy extensions of itself everywhere, like oversized cancer. It's heart tissue is impenetrable by any known means. It will consume nearby plants and suck nutrients out of the top soil, to sustain its growth. When attacked, fleshy monsters will jump out of its cancerous flesh extensions. We will need to wait just long enough for it to grow specialized nerve extensions. When it grows enough of those, we will destroy them. Making the monstrous heart vulnerable to external damage." Bigpip explaoned
Aether tisked, just her luck to find a monster like that so early. She doubted the heart is truly impenetrable but any of her relics or artifacts for such tast are not available.
"So our best bet now is to let it grow enough for a weakness to appear and then kill it in a blitz attack. At least we are hidden from it." Aether said as she watched the forest die off around it. It screams filled her ear as she clenched the cross in her claws.
'your vengeance will come I'll make sure of it'
As they waited, the heart's tentacle appendages on top of it's flesh extensions started grabbing a nearby by tree as it grew a mouth to consume it. Afterward the mouth tried projectile spitting acid on the protective bubble. Soon enough an extension of flesh furtherst away from hearth grew but with visible green nerve veins. The bubble shield was half way surrounded as the monstrous structure grew uncontrolably in front of them. If it would grow two more. It could be defeated. However the monster was soon enough not content just growing and small skinless monster with no eyes and giant spikes started emerging from the grotesque structure, poking at the shield bubble.
"Umm, could they break through? i can only make out a single weak point and its starting to get aggresive, with acid and pointy servants." Harmonious Percussion asked.
"Seems I will need to reinforce it" her horn glowed as the barrier shifted turning into a puzzle of hexogonal formations. The attacks bounced off the barrier.
Aether took out a bottle with blue liquid inside of it before drinking ii up as she felt her reserves being restored and regenerating rapidly. In order to fuel the protective barrier.
The golems meanwhile stayed in place as they summoned shields made of the earth and stood infornt of the trio. "how many nerve clusters are needed for it to become vulnerable?" she asked.
"At least three. Then then we can start attacking the heart in the middle of the living struction. Which should give a heart attack of sort. Leaving only a magical spherical machine responsible for it all." Said Bigpip. The living structure grew another nerve cluster, this time conveniently in front of the shield bubble. The flesh now encasing all sides of the shield bubble, allowing only escape from the top.
"I wonder if Horax can actualy see us. This feels planned, the last thing i want is a horde of magicaly invisible monsters of his, to come for us" Said Harmonious Percussion scared.
"Harmonious by Asha's web please don't tempt Fate on this one. It takes all my concentration to keep the shield up and prepare something that can help us." Aether said with a strained voice.
Her book shuffled through it contents, taking a few minutes on some page's before continuing. Aether prepared a few spells to fire as soon as the next nerve be created.
"Prepare yourself, as soon as the third nerve finishes forming, I'm dripping the barrier and fire a retribution barrage on the nerves, when combat begins." Aether said as she prepared the last spell. Using her modifications to bring it all together.
"OK, will try." Harmonious answered a little scare scared.
Bigpip flew to the top of the shield and saw a third nerve cluster, which was the furthest away. "I can see the third one. We can destroy those and start attacking the heart. Whenever you are ready Aether Forge!" Bigpip called from above, casting a bubble shield spell on himself.
Harmonious Percussion meanwhile was aiming at one of the monsters with his charge rifle, ready for when Aether drops the shield.
Aether took a deep breath 'So it begins' was the last thought she hed before she dropped the shield.
"Arise servant of the earth, slay the abominations that dared twist nature's creation" her voice soft but it reverbed through the clearing. No sooner the earth itself rumbled with a quake, it split apart before a colossal bipedal figure emerged from it's depts.
Said giant smashed it's fists into the ground, impaling most of the monsters onto earth spikes. At the same time the golems engaged the remnants as their body and armor are very enchanted by Aether's spell to be more resistant, their weapons coated in golden light as their attacks disintegrated the monstrosities.
Above the battlefield, a large magical circle shined upon the moon as a beam of pure monnlight shined on it, burning the nerves and monster with radiant fire. Even the heart was lit a flame.
As the monstrous heart is lit aflame, Bigpip dives in delivering a fast kick to the heart. Causing it to bleed as it no longer was beating in rhythm. The heart then exploded into gore as the rest of its meaty extensions stopped growing and started dying off. Harmonious Percussion shot few bursts of charged bullets on the monsters, causing some of them to split into smaller monsters. Thankfuly none of them were able to penetrate his armor.
Aether could feel an ancient magical tree die, causing her mental pain. Since the tree was uprooted shortly before their counter again against the monstrous heart. Bigpip and Harmonious feel it to a lesser degree too. When the blood and flesh fall to the ground where the heart was. A spherical device was revealed inside it.
Aether nursed her head as she felt the forest screaming in her mind. Taking a few shaky breaths as the colossus returned to the earth. The golems and Harmonious finishing off any straggler remaining.
"By the Great Mother Spirit tree..... What abomination sare this?" Aether said as she was on her knees from the mental pain.
The moon light burned away all that was left of the monsters. Aether coughed as she felt her mama reserves completely empty.
As Bigpip was covered in blood, he tried to clean it of him robe and hair. While Harmonious Percussion was alert, making sure all the flesh monsters are dead. Before walking over to Aether, taking off his helmet and tried to confort her. It was suprisingly difficult for Bigpip took clean himself with just telekinesis, he needed some water to fully get the blood off him.
Aether breath returned to normal as she got back up. Looking at the Emperor she activated one of her rings to cause a small torrent of water, to wash the poor stud clean.
"Now that... Is finished lets return to our camp, I'm just glad I didn't have a feedback overload from all this casting" Aether said somewhat weakly.
Luckily her wagons survive the encouter. No small thanks to the ridiculous amount of enchantments and artificer techniques that went into it creation.
"Looks like we can finaly get some rest. It sucks that all the blood and dead flesh stinks up the place. Destroying some the plant life in the process. This was a nice looking camping spot before." He was lot cleaner now but wet. So sat down next to the the fire to dry up. Taking off his robe.
Harmonious Percussion looked back to where the heart was. The magical device was there, so he went to roll it to the camp. "We should keep an eye on this thing from time to time. So it isn't reborn into another hungry heart again." Harmonious Percussion said, rolling it front of him like sports ball.
Aether looked at the device with caution. "Usually I seal such thing away but at this moment I feel empty and can't even open a portal to get it somewhere secure." Aether moaned with annoyance.
"I think we should keep that device with us, it will be of good use to the scientific community for study. There is already one of these devices in a research lab somewhere. As far as we know, it only needs some telekinetic supression onece in a while." Harmonious Percussion asnwered, trying to confort her again when she begun coughing.
Bigpip looked over to the two, with a stoic look. Streaching his wings to help himself fully dry off. "Thinking about it, we should have brought sleeping bags with us. It won't be nice sleeping on just wood or ash." Bigpip guestured to to ground with his right wing.
"Dear, my wagon has a bed inside, so please rest there." Aether said as she used a recovery breathing technique to promote healing of her body and mana recovery. It should help her heal while she has the chance. There was a rustling nearby as a bug entered the clearing before it could do anything Aether levitated a boulder the size of Harmonious, out of the ground and yeeted it at the bug and had it squashed.
"I don't have the patience for anything more, golems start the patrol.... By Bahamut! my head, I need to destress." She muttered this as she went to the fire and laid down on her side to take a break. Unintentionally showing her teats to the two stallion.
Bigpip and Harmonious Percussion saw her stressed out and didn't want to risk her doing anything dangerous with the stunt she hed just performed. They walked over to her with caution, Bigpip was first to talk "I understand that things haven't been going that well for you, all things considered. Right now, we are here for you Aether Forge. So umm, we can help you take some of the stress from your mind."
"Anything we can do to help you out right?" Harmonious asked too, to let her know she can count on them both.
Aether let out a sight as she took a deep breath. "Apologies for that you two. Many of my powers are still blocked or unavailable. And I don't like that." She truthfully said, she never like having her power stripped or unavailable. But there was little she could do. "As for helping, is that offer your Majesty made about relief still open?" She asked with a blush.
"Yes, the two of us can help you unwind. You are in hoofs of experienced studs dear Aether Forge. Harmonious Percussion may be... average sized but togather we can relieve your stress before we can get enough rest to continue our journey" Emperor Bigpip whispered to her with a sultry tone.
Aether blushed more as she averted her eyes from the two studs. She didn't miss their slowly growing erections either, all this caused her marehood to wink and start leaking, same as her teats.
"Well...I look forward to your treatment, especially you, my dear Emperor but please be gentle." Aether became uncharacteristically shy. Her tail gave a slight wag as her ears flopped to the side of her head, a blush creeped onto her face too.
Her face blushing actually made her teal freckles more visible and the two stallions could clearly see her form hed said freckles on crotchboobs and plot too. Her maroon strips were also contrasted by them.
"While you said that you are infertile. I am going to try anyways." Bigpip answered, getting into position to mount her.
Harmonious Percussion on the other hand decided to walk in front of her. Presenting his average ballsack and marehood to her. Silently guesturing her to play with him.
Aether was a bit surprised to see Harmonious assets, it was probably the 10th? time she saw such a thing in her whole life.
But even so she brought her maw to Harmonious plot exhaling a hot breath onto the marehood and balls, after a sniff of his scent, she gave a tender lick of his balls and marehood in a single go with her thick and long serpent tongue.
Meanwhile she felt Bigpip poke her tight marehood, she tried to help him with her feathers and tail. The feathers were soft to touch. As she shot her tongue deep into Harmonious marehood. One of her claws massaging his balls. All the while she laid on her side.
Bigpip's stallionhood was now fully erect. Was longer then his torso as the seed inside his ballsack sloshed back and forth. He roughly made a successful thrust inside the Aether's marehood, spreading her properly as he hit her cervix. "Gosh how i would love to see your belly bloated with my seed. Alas, you are the biggest mare i was with." Bigpip whispered to her.
Harmonious Percussion gave her smile. Visibly approving of her double pleasing action. Getting him fully erect.
Aether's eyes widened before rolling back a bit as the mare Breaker was thrusted fully in. Her velvet walls tightening on that dick in response as she climaxd from that alone. She let out a growling moan as it vibrated all the way through her tongue and into Harmonious' pussy.
"By the Ancestral Gods! your Majesty you sure are well endowed!" her voice shook as she continued to please harmonious. How long has it been since she had such a wonderful stud in her?
Bigpip started to thrust at a steady rhythm as he repeatedly hit her cervix. Bigpip lets out small masculine moans as he does so. The vaginal fluids making the steady thrusts much easier. Bigpip already stuffed her stomach before and was determined to do the same with womb as his hyper sagging ballsack was swinging back and forward.
With Harmonious Percussion's horsecock fully erect. He switched positions, knowing well he didn't compare much to his husband. He still wanted to throat fuck Aether.
Aether's eyes actually rolled back as she moaned from Bigpip breeding her through her orgasm, already leading to the third. Her wings pumped out into a wing boner as lightning and embers dotted her body.
When Harmonious switched, she let out a very loud Moan before being silenced by him stuffing his entire dick into her maw. And so the two studs spitroasted the larger mare, making her climax again. Her mind too clouded by lust to be capable of much higher function.
Harmonious Percussion anchored his front legs against her torso. Fucking her in a bipedal position as his eyes rolled back.
Bigpip managed to keep his wings closed, slowing down his thrusts as he started gently pulling her hair with violet telkinesis, wishing he hed a leash to proporly show her who is in charge. However too was close to shooting his load.
Aether let out a bat like scree, when she hed her hair pulled but the grip soon was released while she returned some semblance of thoughts. Her feather covered tail unconsciously touching Bigpip's body. As her tongue coiled around the Harmonious' shaft and then his balls, massaging them and giving them a gentle squeeze.
Bigpip with Harmonious Percussion both orgasmed. With Their balls clenching as their horsecocks started flooding her with seed. Harmonious didn't taste as good as Bigpip without any enchantments. However Bigpip came harder. Shooting lot of alicorn seed past cervix as his hyper productive balls were once again emptied. Bigpip went partialx limp as kept his hyper horsecock pressed against her cervix.
Aether blacked out for a moment as she felt herself being filed with seed. Harmonious tasted blander then Bigpip but still filled her quite a bit stomach. As for the alicorn while she wasn't pregnant, anyone would be forgiven for thinking she was pregnant with twins.
Her treats leaked milk. that had an aroma of honey and berries. As her body was confused from her third orgasm this night. She definitely was full of energy and most importantly, her stress faded away as the feeling of Bigpip's body on her was comforting.
Harmonious Percussion pulled out of her muzzle as he sat down satisfied. Bigpip meanwhile was still recovering from his orgasm but later he pulled out his half erect horsecock out of her warm insides too. "Looks like we hed more in us then we though. Your belly looks nicely round, if i say so myself." Bigpip told her as he sat down with his slowly retracting cock out.
Aether did cat like purr as she felt the warm seed sloshing in her belly. She was very much satisfied. "By the ancestors you two sure are ravenous, I haven't been bred like that in century at least..." Aether said with a huffing voice. "Well as a reward, you can taste my milk, I'm sure you two are thirsty after the ordeal." She said as she closed her eyes to take a bit of rest. Still awake but simple resting.
Bigpip with Harmonious Percussion shared a curious look. But they decided to give it try. Afterall it was only fair that they would try to drain her teats after she drained their balls. They both walked over to her teats and licked them over. Before pressing their muzzles into them, gently sucking on them. Tasting her milk, taste of which was somewhat alien to them. They were determined to use this opportunity to fill their bellies for tommorows journey.
Aether moaned as the two studs sucked her teats dry. The milk tasted very good with an added flavor of honey and wild berries. There was also something similar to Bigpip's own cum enchantment but they could could not put their hoof on it.
When they were finished. They found a confortable spot to rest togather in the wagon, going to sleep. The ambience of nature started to return, however the stench of the defeated remains of the fleshy monster got into the wagon.
Aether's sensitive nose wrinkled at the stench, so she activated a purification and filtering seal to remove the stench. She then returned to cuddling the two smaller ponies into her floof. Both of them were embraced by her claws, as her wings cocooned them with her fur being soft and warm. Their plots rested on her teats as her head nuzzled the two, she hummed a lullaby willed with magic to give them a restful sleep in her gentle but strong embrace.
The rest of the night is uneventful. With the trio sleeping peacefuly through the night. When they wake up in the early morning to the sounds of a predator killing it's prey outside. Bigpip was the first to speak, looking more full of energy then Harmonious Percussion. "So, are we ready to find the cultist's base of operations?" he asked with euthusiasm.
Aether gave the Emperor a gentle kiss on his forehead before replying "Very much ready well as soon as Harmonious fully wake up. Do you need coffee or black tea dear?" She asked the unicorn stallion. While nuzzling his head. She seemed to be in a good mood and upbeat if the motherly and gentle manner she treated them is anything to go by.
"Black tea? I could use some tea dear, please." Harmonious Percussion responded, his eyes now fully awake. Bigpip broke away from her embrace. Walking outside as he was hit with the stench of now mostly decomposed meat. He flew in the sky to see if their surroundings changed in a any noticable way. Which didn't seem to be the case.
Aether still kept the other stallion in her embrace a bit more as her shadow rose to form her umbracian form. It then went to make some traditional tea from her home. It was a black tea with a dose of Apple flavor, it also had honey, ginger and lime added in. The shadow gave the tea to Harmonious as she still in Aether lap special his plot on her teats as she brushed his mane. The shadow went outside before a turquoise black flame appeared on it clawed hooves and started to consume the rotten flesh but left anything else untouched.
Harmonious drank the tea quickly when it was cool enough to not burn his tounge. Bigpip would later descend back, grabbing the the spherical mechanical core, which hed some flesh growing on it. He then returned with it to the duo. "Looks like there is no sign of inteligent life anywhere nearby. I was thinking, could you maybe do some of your mental gymnastics, to figure out where the cultists could have a base. By studying this device? It is made of Horax's oily metal. The cultists probably have a lot of such metal in one place."
Aether hummed as she put Harmonious onto the bead before she studied the sphere. First she tried to see if any remnant magic was on it but there seemed to be none. Afterwards she gently placed her her onto it as her eyes and horn glowed with her hoof and the device had lines of azure magic on them in the form of an electric circuitry.
She saw it history from witnessing it creation by Horax and it decent by a group of cultists who carved their flesh into the device. It seems they been in a isolated temple of sort about a 2 hours of flight away in the eastern mountains.
With that she blinked a bit before removing her hoof as she felt some kind twisted energy try to enter her body but got rejected thanks to her magical resistance and divine protection.
"Well I did find a potential location but it may be abandoned with the heart's destruction. Well luckily I have a way to track them this time." Aether said as she removed the flesh growth from the device.
"Any lead is better then no lead, would not be suprised if their location is somewhere nearby. Considering Horax's monolith was found overseas. However as i mentioned. That opportunity closed but considering Horax still has firm influence over here. It is possible there is another monolith. From my experience those of my settlers. i think we should form some kind of basic plan. If there is infact a second monolith, there is second change to stop Horax. However i don't want you to end up possessed by Horax like the unicorn who messed up. I think you mentioned something about the void before? I don't know if its same kind of void but Horax is a dimension of his own, where he is sealed. That seal is now broken... Can you prevent your body and mind from being overwhelmed by the 'void'" Bigpip asked, starting to look a little upset and less confident.
Aether scoffed "Bigpip while I'll thank you for your concern, it unfounded I had delt with being far worse then Horax, I won't deny he is strong but my own powers protect me from his influence. And despite having a realm of his own, thats a thing many of the Gods have. And his 'void' doesn't even come close to the Twisted Veil, Tartarus or the Warp-Void." Aether said as she shivered remembering the horrors she faced there, by her patrons will. Shaking her head to rid herself of the memory, she did note that this god was persistent if anything. She then summoned a twisted sword that looked like it was folded by two.
"I was asking becuse that was an important part of the plan, which i didn't want to have fail. If we find another monolith at the potential cultist site. We will have to fight an onslaught of Horax's creations. Which will like consist of an infantry of undead, with gory beasts, chimeras and metal horrors supporting them, as happened two times before. I can't tell if Horax will switch things up this time, but it's the creations we know serve him." Bigpip asnwered.
"Don't know about you two but i think we are ready to go, can you do your super jump thing again Aether Forge, please." Asked Harmonious Percussion.
Aether nodded to the Emperor reply before impaling the twisted meat from the spherical device on the sword. The sword then absorbed the blood before vibrating as a large amount of bloodlust filled the clearing. Aether waited a untill all the meat was devoured by it before saying in a commanding voice: "Find and lead us to the prey... Hunt!"
The last word said with power as the blade morphed into a bear wolf hybrid. The blade emanated so much bloodlust that the two ponies took a step back as it growled, looking on the verge of ripping something apart. Aether wasn't fazed at all as she levitated both onto her back.
"Sadly I rather not used it again as it currently draining and too stressful on my vocal cords. But I should get us their was." With that she flew up as the hound beast dashed through the trees with Aether following suit.
Bigpip with his lover ride on her back. They can see the scenary change from ashland meadows to that of rocky grasslands. Aproaching their destination, they can make up wooden and stone shacks. With gibbeting cages hanging from them, with skeletons inside. Parts of the ground are covered in dark spiked metal formations. Landing, the unstable soil shakes a bit. There are many cultists equiped with crossbows made of Horax's metal, daggers machine pistols. There was clear distiction of rank between them. The lowest ranking ones were naked humans with mutated body parts. The middle ranking having robes and mask with guns. With their leader having a hood over their mask, with a crossbow, loaded with red toxic bolts.
The moment they got there, the cultists opened fire, with the naked mutants making a charge for them.
The bolts and bullets bounced off Aether adamantium scales as she took a deep breath. 'you might want to close your ears Ya two' she telepathically said to the dou on her back. After a few moments she let out a thundering roar that shook the entire area and made every single cultists and mutant freeze in place by fear. The hound that was leading them soon started to tear the mutants and humans apart with berserker like fervor it weaved between them like a wind each bite another kill.
Aether then summoned the golems again as they engaged the cultists, impaling and slashing them. She circled around the battlefield looking around to see if there were any more.
The two of them fall off as the area shook. They took cover behind building's walls, allowing Aether Forge to handle it. Since she has proven that she much powerful then whatever this world has to throw at her. Harmonious Percussion held to his charge rifle as Bigpip took his time to cast a shield bubble spell on both of them. Without anymore cultists running around, they looked around the place and found that there was infact a second monolith was ready to be activated. With gross decorations and human sacrifices surrounding it. With a red occult circle drawn close to it.
Aether landed as her hound and golems gathered around. She looked at the monolith and saw the spirits and souls trapped here, ready to become fuel for the abomination. Her jaw clenched at this. She dearly wanted to break this monolith. Her cross was extended before to it before she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"Your Majesty how do we proceed. Because I dearly want to destroy this monolith if nothing more then to save the souls and spirit caught within it'a grasp" she said with a hint of aggravation.
"The monolith is an anchor of sorts, acting as a portal to a seperate dimension. Which contains a node leading to Horax's void. Where Horax is sealed. I shall active this monument and we will have to fight a horde of Horax's creations. However with you on our side, i have no doupt in our ability to prevail until the monolith twists and allows us entrance for you to go meet Horax. Are you mentaly prepared to meet him? I would imagine a being like it, would try to mind fuck you the moment it realizes that it can't hurt you physicaly. The monolith will summon weird structures. Which we need active too." Bigpip told her.
Aether sighned before she looked inside her soul to seem if she returned some of her powers and hopefully when she will be inside that void realm. All restrictions will be unsealed. At least she got her divine powers back, thanks to Bigpip. She also felt a lot of necromantic energy around. She debated if she should summon her shadow undead or not. "Your Majesty how many monster's can we expect to face when this starts?" She asked trepidly
"I don't know, like fifty or some. Could be more, if Horax can actualy understand what we are trying to do." Bigpip answered, activating the monolith, Which caused red stripes to appear on it. Soon they could see two of Horax's structures fall from the sky, one crashed next to a nearby hill while the second landed in a tiny pool of water. A horde of undead could be seen, slowly shambling their was towards them. While angry barks could be heard from another direction where they didn't have much visibility.
"You could have at least give me time to prepare a defensive position....." Aether deadpaned at the Emperor. "Arise my knight, arise servant of the elements." With that all the monster bodies and surrounding necromantic energy collide into one large ball, the bodies turned to glowing dust as a undead creature like no other seem to rise from the shadows.
It looked like a disfigured mix of a Hippogriff and a wyvern. In it's hand a wicked blade that was definitely cursed in some way. It roared as nearby undead focus oo it.
At the same time the Colossus from before rose up and smashed the ground impaling the undead. but this time the water nearby turned in a serpent as it froze the undead in ice. The clouds above turned to a bird like creature that rained down lightning and wind that cut the monsters apart.
All the undead turned to the same glowing dust as the shadow undead devoured it and itself summoned soldiers made in similar fashion to itself. Aether meanwhile took a deep rhythmic breath before dashing forward faster then the two could even see, she gracefully danced as petals of blue lilies followed her blade covered in shadow with glowing runes.
Several chimeras run between the cultist's shacks, their messed up hide being partialy red. With their maws sprouting extra sharp teeth, which they intended to penetrate Aether's hide with. They ran in a zig zag pattern as they ambushed Aether Forge.
Bigpip and Harmonious Percussion meanwhile made a run for the void structure that landed in the tiny lake. Once They arrive there, a metal horror emerges, which they hed to kite. Once the partialy bullet proof monster was downed by Bigpip's spells and Harmonious Percussion's bullets. They were able to active it after fiddling around with it for a while. Behind the chimeras ran slowly, Aether sized blind creatures with huge maws the size of their whole front body.
Aether was calm in the face of the charging chimeras. "Aria of Sorrow!" she whispered as the chimeras slowed down with her bodies covered in thorn like purplish markings. Aether armor coat swayed in the wind as she cut down the chimeras as they were too slow to catch her, her swords segmented into a whip as it glowed with faint magic. A high pitched sound emanating from it. With graceful moves it shredded them.
Meanwhile the elementals finished the undead and moved to engage the chimeras. Earth Colossus petrified and entangled them before impaling or smashing them with it's fist, the water serpent froze solid, blasted them with high pressurized water and icicles, every few minutes also healing others. The storm bird sent tornadoes or chain lightning onto the hord of monsters.
All the while the shadow undead army grew more and more as Aether fiend knight turned all the undead into shadow soldiers and turned them against the chimeras. After the chimeras and undead were defeated. The huge mawed monsters close in, stuffing the whole colossuses into their long bodies, through their big teethed maws.
Among the chaos, Bigpip with Harmonious Percussion try to avoid the angered monsters as they rush for the second monolith. Defeating the metal horror guarding it with barage of of spells and charged bullets. As they active it, it, the void structure starts glowing softly red. An almost impenetrable darkness starts to descend opon the area. "Uh, that is not good. Did somepony turn off the sun or something?" Harmonious Percussion asked rhetoricaly.
Bigpip instructed Harmonious to follow him to the monolith. While the battle raged on, more monsters joined the fight. With lightly skined humanoids who possessed long spikes protruding out of their bodies, ideal for stabbing armored ponies. The darkness was gradualy getting worse. Just before it became pitch black everywhere without a a strong light source near it. They could spot three more void structures falling to the ground, that needed to be activated.
Aether gnawed her teeth as the earth spirit were devoured as her martial magic and aura helped her slaughter the monsters. But when this darkness descented onto the battlefield Aether had to rely on her magic sight echo location and other senses to fight. "This is bad, this is turning mored disadvantageous, I can't keep Spamming spells and techniques as I'll be too tired to face Horax" Aether though before she felt a surge of power. "What!? My draconix sorcery? But I haven't attuned yet?" Aether stunned but she felt the world was crying and it wanted the accursed beings gone for good.
"So it shall be done but first I'll avenge the fallen spirits!" she cried out.
With that she summoned a twisted javelin. It's main body with long jagget lines and a twisted form. She jumped into the air as a thunderstorm momentarily appeared above, her weapon absorbed a lightning and turned it into a spear with twisting blue purplish lightning coating it.
"Feel the Nature's wrath abominations!" Aether scouts from the air. With a mighty throw her javelin throw, she hit the maw monsters. In an instant the darkness was banished as a thunderous explosion rang as if God smited the monsters. The battlefield was engulfed by light as many monsters in it were frozen in unbreakable ice and as lightning disintegrated them in moments.
Aether let out a sigh as she dropped down. The battlefield was silent for the moment but darkness creeped back as she felt the dark gods attention. Well the world rejuvenated her, but there was still work to do. So she did as an artificer would.... Create
"My servants protect me while I make the instrument of the Dark ones demise!"
With that multiple portals open as out came shadow, golems, robots and two peculiar beings. One an robot pony in the form of an alicorn the other an undead Argonaut.
"We shall guard you Monarch" the two and the fiend knight said in unison.
Aether entered hee Nirik form as she started to creat a weapon which she called a holy star. Mana of all kind she gathered for this creation. Aether was sure the dark ones will feel this and she knows that this could spell trouble for herself.
The light of the star pierced the darkness and illuminated the battlefield letting Bigpip and Harmonious deal with the remaining void structures. The Darkness then was absorbed by the shadow soldiers fueling them as they attacked anything that came to harm Aether.
"Ohh spirit of the world, lent me your senses. Great mother tree let cycle of life and death be maintained......" Aether chanted in draconic and druidic a double echo as the two languages said at the same time made a symphony. From around the world creatures felt it the call to give their pray to end the Dark god.
With the the void structures taken care off, the monolith begun to twist as a it begun opening a spherical portal to the realm where Horax is sealed. "Aether Forge, it is your time to shine! Jump into the portal the the metal hell of Horax's creation, jump into the void to defeat Horax once and for all!" Bigpip yelled at Ather Forge. While the impenetrable darkness decided to return. Anyone not in the light would be attacked by an invisible force, causing many cuts to those caught in the dark. Bigpip with Harmonious Percussion ran to the monolith for protection, bleeding somewhat as they tried to patch their wounds. "I hope thats not gonna le-ave itchy scars..." Harmonious Percussion commented while in moderate pain with his husband.
The portal was now fully opened, the monolith now glowing noticably more red.
With a final strike of her sacred hammer, the weapon was finally forged. A beautiful blade of gold, purple and emerald. It's radiant presence scattered the darkness as the remnants of Aether forces morphed onto her body to form armor made of shadows, bones and robotic components.
After that Aether took a deep breath as her form morphed again into her Draconiqquus one.
Her body seem to be made of nebula like substance that existed in all three states of matter at the same time. Her Metalic bones forming a carapace over her with a ghostly skeleton inside. Three pairs of Titanic wings showing up on her back dotted with runic eyes. First were ethereal skeletal wings with membrane made of shadow. With a second pair of crystal feathered wings chilly as the deepest of winters. The third pair of wyvern wings being made of the storm itself.
Her tail bing a draconic one with a flaming feathers. Her head adorned with a casting bark horn and 2 sets of large draconic horns that form tree branches in with demonic looking eyes. with a cross slited pupil and crimson ringed sclera. Her casting horn adorned with a imperial looking halo. As three sets of Draconic eyes look forward. Her jaw segment with the other one being fully bone.
Her legs, the fromt claws were made of crystals and metal, while the back hooves made of obsidian. Her fetlocks made of mist. Her mane seemingly being a twisted combination of water and fire as spider lilies grow from it. Inside her chest three hearts being visible, one crystal and large in the center, he left one looks artificial with a talisman attached to it, while the right one seem to mere reminisced of a solid fire/magma core. Above them a strange crystal grows from Wich veins ran all over her body.
Aether simply nodded to Bigpip and Harmonious. "I'll return when the False God is dead." With that declaration her mental barrier and protection blessings engaged as she entered the portal.
When Aether entered, she was temporaly blinded. When her vision returned, she found herself in a circular room. Made of Horax's oily metal, with spike like pattern. In the middle of a room is the void node. An object acting as an intermediary between Horax's void and the surrounding metal room. The void node hed spike like structures stabilizing it. A robotic voice came to Aether's mind. 'Hello, another visitor has made it here? Have you came to make a deal? I can offer you great power if you allow me access to your body and strenghten my influence outside the void... Trust me, it WILL be worth it!'
Aether was faced with three options. Destroying the spike pillars would destabilize the whole structure, breaking the void node and limiting Horax's influence over Nuchadus as a result. She could take the risk, using lot of her magic to withstand jumping through the void node and fight Horax in the void. Or she could accept Horax's offer...
She could tell that the moment she'll cross the threshold the false god will try to possess her as unlikely as that is because of her oath to the primordial dragon's. She won't agree to any bargain of this being. And breaking the node will just delay the problem. Maybe for a century a millennium? But this abomination will return, well she never let the fear of death sway her before.
So she did what she done anything before such a move she prayed to her gods. "Lady Asha, Lords Bahamut, lord Tartarus. This knight asks for your blessings to face an evil that shouldn't exist."
With that prayer Her mind and soul were reinforced with an ancient power. With that she pierced the threshold. As the false God trying to possess her with little success thanks to her wards and the primordials power but she was still weakened.
"So, what is it mortal? Can't decide if my deal is worth it? With the power i can provide, you can realize any desire that your mortal self could want to achive. Make up your mind or i will decide for you!" The robotic voice was no longer in just her head. It was now yelled out loud. Echoing across the circular room with spiky imperfections that seemed to protrude out the floor and wall. The volume made Aether's ears hurt a little.
Aether took a deep breath as her veins glowed cyan while her eyes sclera turned black with teal mist leaving them. "Silence Usurper, your reckoning has come and I'm here to deliver Vengeance for those that suffered by your machination!" Her voice shook the room as the pillars cracked a bit and with that she stepped into the void node as their powers clashed.
She was surrounded by the void for a long moment as Horax tried to possess her. It felt like swimming in the ocean, as the void tried to suck all the magic out of her while assaulting her mind with nightmares. However she continued to swim, until the nightmares were over. Surfacing back on Horax's oily metal as she the harshness of tiny spikes against her legs. It was very dark.
Aether muttered under her breath "Cast light onto the darkness Calibrim" and with that the sword erupted in light as the darkness pushed back. Her armor still on as her reserves replenished slowly. "Come out False God" Aether said in dragon language as the void strained from this action.
"Despite all my efforts, you managed to get to my prison. However... It is MY prison and MY realm!" The robotic voice of Horax answered. Which was followed by Aether being telekineticaly thrown against a wall she didn't notice was there. However close to her was appeared to be Horax's structure. Horax was afterall a giant machine that would cease to function with enough damage.
Aether grunted before giving off a utterly savage and bloodthirsty grin. Her eyes looked demonic as she glared. "Want it rough? well then how about I destroy your so called realm." She roared with fury as her claw glowed with Abyssal energy. It's power even caused Horax to flinch as she brought it onto the ground. The realm seemed to crack from the impact and from those cracks a twisted and primordial chaos entered. Devouring and eroding the realms even if slowly but unstoppably.
Horax let out what would normaly be an ear drum bursting laught. Before the whole area lit up with very harsh red light. As the ground beneath her shook. The oily metal floor transforming into metal horrors, who wasted no time charging against her with their sharp appendages. While part of Horax's giant structure transformed. Forming sharp tentacles that shot out at her, trying to grab and cut her in pieces. As Aether was surrounded, Horax tried to once again possess her.
Scuffing at this as the attacks bounce off her armor with little to no damage. "Trying this again, how quant. Well let me return the favor" Aether growled as she shouted another sentence in dragon language Horax felt his power and vitality be drained out of him. With a circular motion Calibrim let loose a wave of light that disintegrate all the monsters and broke more of the realm. More and more of Borax domain being claimed by the twisted energy.
"Now get out of my head you Metal scrap!" She psychicly roared back at the Horax, returning the pleasure of having another voice in his head.
Horax was going to turn more of his oily metal into metal horrors but since that didn't have the intended effect. Horax instead focused more of his energy into trying to take over Aether's mind. Trying to make her go insane as Horax hatefuly chanted in an unknown language, the extreme volume of which made Aether's armor vibrate severly as the the intense noised echoed throughout the rather open space. Horax was cleary getting desperate, seemingly driving the mad mechanical god, even more mad. Without many monsters around, it was time for Aether to destroy Horax's very structure keeping it working. Before Horax could kill her vibrations strong enough to destroy her body's tissue and organs.
Aether saw how desperate the False God became and those vibrations becoming too uncomfortable for her taste. She may be immortal but even she doesn't want to prolong this anymore. She heaved Calibrim above her head as all her energy gathered on the blade. The storm she caused was breaking the realm further apart as she declared.
"I am Aetherium Forge Winter-Storm. Spirit of Crafting and Necromancy, Archangel of Vengeance and the Dragon-Knight of Ruin. I sentence you HORAX to the oblivion. Now taste Destined Death".
Aether shouted in Ancient dragon language as the realm broke fully and with a downward swing she bisected Horax's mechanical body as the rune of death she carried, killed the machine god forever.
The realm collapses as the forces of the leak into the broken mechanical realm. Becoming islands in sea of seeming nothingness. The void node connecting the void to the real world is still intact for now but it won't last for long as everything is slowly drifting apart into the greater void.
Bigpip with his husband on Nuchadus wait as the remaining Horax's monsters fall to the ground, no longer animate. The monolith's portal closes, before the monolith itself explodes into shards. Seemingly closing access to the void forever. The darkness is lifted. Bigpip with Harmonious Percussion celebrate, before coming to the realization that Aether is not going to be able to return. At least not to Nuchadus but maybe back to her home.
They waited a few hours before taking shards from the destroyed monolith along with the spherical device and headed back to the city south. The world was not ready to accept such a powerful being that was Aether Forge and perhaps Aether not returning again was a blessing for everypony involved. With Horax defeated, many planets would see more peace...
